July 20, 2021
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 20.07.2021, 13:55
AIR FORCE DAY – The Romanian Aviation and Air Force Day is marked, every year, on July 20, when St. Elijah, the spiritual protector of pilots is celebrated. The Romanian Air Forces are a modern category of armed forces, with structures undergoing a process of consolidation of their operational capacity, President Klaus Iohannis said in a message on this occasion. The Air Forces have a major role in consolidating the country’s defense capability, being able to carry out complex missions of defending Romania’s air space, to conduct long-distance air transport missions and rescue-evacuation missions at national and local level and to participate in. NATO missions, Iohannis also said. He emphasised the fact that July 20 is also dedicated to civil aviation workers, who carry out difficult missions in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and who contribute to Romania’s economic development and the progress of air sports. The Romanian Minister of Defense, Nicolae Ciuca, and the Chief of the Defense Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu, participated in the military ceremony organized at the Air Heroes Monument in downtown Bucharest. During the ceremony, wreaths were laid in memory of the aviation heroes. The 74th PATRIOT Regiment – the tactical combat unit established on December 1, 2018, whose mission is to render operational the PATRIOT surface-to-air missile system, were handed the Battle Flag.
THEATRE – The best stage shows in Romania in 2020 were awarded on Monday evening, at the UNITER Awards Gala. The show Heart and other meat dishes”, by Dan Coman, directed by Radu Afrim and produced by the Marin Sorescu National Theatre in Craiova was designated best play of the previous year. Carmen Lidia Vidu won the award for best direction, for the show ”Romanian Journal. 1989”, produced by the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre in Bucharest. Razvan Vicoveanu, with the Regina Maria Theatre in Oradea won the award for best lead actor, for the part Ivan Alexandrovici Hlestakov. Emoke Cato was awarded for best actress. Actor Marcel Iures, stage designer Geta Medinschi, actress Ileana Ploscaru and theatre critic Ion Parhon received the lifelong achievement award.
CORONAVIRUS – 95 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in the last 24 hours out of 31,200 tests were performed, the Strategic Communication Group reports. 3 related casualties have also been reported. 14 confirmed cases of infection were reported in the capital Bucharest, 7 in the county of Cluj and 6 in the counties of Iasi and Timis. There are 244 infected patients treated in Romanian hospitals, of whom 36 in intensive care. Also, 33,192 people are in quarantine at home and 36 in institutionalized quarantine. As regards the anti-Covid vaccination, more than 13,000 people got immunized in 24 hours, and more than 65% of them with the first dose. 4,800 people opted for the Johnson&Johnson single-dose vaccine. 4.7 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated so far.
COMPETITION – Romania’s team won the first place at the International Robotics Championship held in Chicago, the US, on July 16 and 17. In the final, the team made up students from 13 of the best Romanian high schools, defeated some of the best American teams and set a new world record in terms of points won. This is the first time after 1989 when a team from outside the US wins the first place at this competition.
FOOTBALL – Romania’s football champion, CFR Cluj, is today up against Lincoln Red Imps, Gibraltar’s champion, away from home, in the second preliminary round of the Champions’ League. On Thursday, CS Universitatea Craiova plays against the Albanian side KF Laci, while Sepsi OSK Sfantu Gheorghe will play against the Slovakian side Spartak Trnava, in the second preliminary round of newly created Europe Conference League. Romania’s vice-champion FCSB is also playing in the second preliminary round against Sahtior Karaganda of Kazahstan on July 22. (EE)
