March 17, 2018
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 17.03.2018, 13:57
CRIMEA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry supports and
joins the declaration of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy regarding Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. In
a communiqué issued today, the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest states that, 4
years since the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the
city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, Romania is once again firmly
condemning that violation of international law regulations and principles.
Also, Romania is reasserting its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity.
RIUF – More than 100 universities
and education institutions from 18 countries are attending in Bucharest, on
Saturday and Sunday, the 22nd Romanian International University Fair
(RIUF). According to the organizers, participating in the fair are education
institutions from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, France, Switzerland,
Romania, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the US,
Singapore, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Bulgaria. Visitors
will find information about free tuition in the Nordic countries, but also
about a scholarship fund of 3,000,000 Euro for bachelor and master degrees in
Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. At the RIUF YouForum there will be
more than 30 workshops, talks and presentations. The topics of discussion
include online marketing, branding, gaming, IT, architecture, non-formal
education and technology.
RUSSIA – The Russian Foreign Ministry has today
announced the imminent expulsion of 23 British diplomats, following a similar
decision announced by London after the poisoning of a former Russian spy and
his daughter in England, blamed on Russia. Also, the British Ambassador to
Moscow has been summoned by the Russian Foreign Ministry for the second time
this week. Russia has also decided to stop any activity of the British Council
on Russian soil. The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international
organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. The measures were announced just one day
before the presidential elections in Russia, as a result of which Vladimir
Putin would get his fourth term. According to France Presse, the Kremlin is
worried that a low turnout would weaken the legitimacy of the otherwise
predictable outcome. Putin has been
heading Russia for 18 years, as president and once as a prime-minister. His
main opponent, Alexei Navalny, has been deemed non-eligible because of a
criminal conviction in a case which, he says, was staged by the Russian
authorities. Navalny has called on the population to boycott Sunday’s
elections.
TENNIS – The Romanian
tennis player Simona Halep, number one in the WTA rankings, has failed to
qualify for the final of the Indian Wells tournament in California, with 8
million dollars in prize money, as she was defeated by the Japanese Naomi Osaka
in two sets: 6-3, 6-0. Halep won the Indian Wells trophy in 2015, but this year
has already sustained two defeats. However, she remains top of the rankings. In
the final, Naomi Osaka will play against the Russian Daria Kasatkina, who has
defeated the American Venus Williams.
RUGBY – Romania’s
national rugby team, ranking 17th in the world, on Sunday will play
against the team of Georgia, away from home, in the last leg of Rugby Europe
International Championship 2018. Romania is hoping for qualification to the
World Cup to be hosted by Japan in 2019. So far, ‘the oaks’, as the Romanian
rugby players are dubbed, have defeated Russia, Germany and Belgium and have
lost to Spain. In the competition’s classification, Georgia ranks first, and
Romania second.
