May 5, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 05.05.2024, 20:00
EASTER – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the greatest holiday in the Christian calendar, was marked on Sunday by Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians around the world, including in Romania. In his Easter sermon, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church said that healing the world of passing illnesses was not the ultimate design of Jesus Christ, but rather saving mankind from sin and death. The Patriarch urged Romanians to pursue good deeds. “During these days of celebration, light and joy for our Christian way of life, let us pray for global peace, let us convey a message of brotherly love to all Romanians living abroad”, the Patriarch went on to say. “The Resurrection of Christ recalls the Christian appeal to love thy neighbor and live in peace and understanding”, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis also said in his Easter message.
MINI-HOLIDAY – Some 150,00 people are these days attending hundreds of events across the country for the Easter mini-holiday. The Interior Ministry has deployed additional forces to ensure public order. Gendarme patrols are on standby in mountain resorts and are mobilized in the main seacoast resorts, with the mission of combating drug abuse, particularly in Mamaia and Vama Veche. The Sunwaves electronic music festival is underway in Mamaia until May 7. Dozens of DJs will be mixing music day and night. No major incidents were reported during Saturday’s Easter Vigil, the Interior Ministry reports. On the other hand, the National Directorate for Cyber-Security warns that people are less vigilant around the holidays in terms of online shopping and are exposed to online scams.
WAR IN UKRAINE – Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressed the nation on Easter, saying the Ukrainian people will get down on its knees only to pray. He said Ukrainians are holding a common prayer for the servicemen celebrating Easter in the trenches and on the frontline. Russia on Saturday night launched 24 Shahed drones, of which 23 were shot down, the Ukrainian Air Forces announced on Sunday. The attack followed Russian attacks on Saturday on the Kharkiv and Dnipro regions and the port of Odesa, which killed at least two civilians, destroyed a food factory and damaged other civilian infrastructure targets, residential and commercial buildings, regional officials say. President Zelenskyy said Russia used eight different types of missiles and nearly 70 guided missiles to strike settlements and positions on the frontline. In turn, Moscow persuaded Cuban citizens to join the Russian army, offering monthly wages of approximately 2,000 USD plus Russian passports, to be delivered within months of signing up.
EXERCISE – Romania hosts the Swift Response 24 multinational exercise over May 5-24. According to the Defense Ministry, the exercise will comprise one of the biggest airdrop exercise ever held in Europe after WWII, with units from France, Germany, Romania, Spain, the USA and the Netherlands taking part. Thousands of servicemen and technical equipment from seven NATO and partner states will be involved in the exercise, organized by the United States Command Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF). Romania will deploy 2,300 military and 220 technical equipment and will prep several airbases and shooting ranges. The exercise is coordinated by the German Air Forces, in partnership with the Romanian Land Forces command and the Romanian Air Forces.
LIFE EXPECTANCY – Spain has the highest life expectancy rate at EU level – 84 years, above the EU average of 81.5 years. According to a Eurostat report, Romania has the third-lowest life expectancy in the EU, 76.6 years, followed only by Latvia with 75.9 years and Bulgaria with 75.8 years. However, the biggest increase in life expectancy rates across the EU over 2019-2023 was reported in Romania. 15 of the 27 EU Member States exceed the EU life expectancy average. Countries with lower rates are those in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, whereas countries in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Central Europe have higher life expectancy rates.
GYMNASTSTICS – The Romanian women’s gymnastics team ranked 4th in the team event at the European Gymnastics Championships hosted by Rimini, Italy. Italy ranked first, followed by the UK and France. Sabrina Maneca Voinea grabbed both silver medals for Romania in the beam and floor events. (VP)
