Newsflash November 26, 2016 UPDATE
Newsflash November 26, 2016 UPDATE: Fidel Castro, Cubas leader of revolution dies at 90/Health Ministry officials discover serious irregularities
Newsroom, 26.11.2016, 12:15
Here are the main news of the day:
FIDEL CASTRO DIES
— The authorities in Havana on Saturday decreed 9 days of national mourning following the death of Cuba’s leader of revolution, Fidel Castro, at the age of 90. His brother, Raul Castro, the incumbent president of Cuba, announced Fidel Castro’s death on state television and that he would be cremated later on Saturday. “El lider maximo” has ruled Cuba for 49 years with an iron will and handed over power to his brother Raul in 2008. Famous for his very long speeches, his olive green uniform, cigar and legendary beard, Fidel Castro was a symbol of the fight against “American imperialism”. He defied 11 American presidents and survived more than 600 assassination attempts. His supporters considered him the man who rendered Cuba to its citizens, but critics accused him of brutal practices meant to suppress the opposition.
HEALTHCARE ROMANIA
— The Health Ministry officials have discovered serious irregularities and subjective criteria used for the approval and prioritization of transplant surgery in Romania said Saturday the health minister, Vlad Voiculescu, after an investigation of the government’s Control Body. According to experts in Romania there are no clear criteria and procedures for organs allocation, there are no waiting lists correlated at national level for each organ, the patients already on the lists do not always benefit from equal chances, and laws, if they do exist, are not respected. In another development, on Friday the prime minister’s Control Body officials announced they would make verifications of the functioning of the IT system at the National Health Insurance House headquarters. The control operation comes as a result of the many instances of system breakdown. The implementation of the national health insurance card system cost more than 180 million euros and became operational on May 1, 2015. The failure of the system has frequently prevented family doctors and pharmacists to carry out their activity in normal conditions.
PREPARATIONS FOR ELECTIONS
— The Romanian Foreign Ministry has started to distribute the voting materials to Romania’s diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad which will be made available to the polling stations set up abroad for the parliamentary elections to be held on December 11. For the 417 polling stations set up for the Romanian citizens abroad, the ministry sent 1.9 million ballots. Besides ballots the ministry will also distribute self-adhesive stamps, rubber stamps saying “Voted” on them, control stamps, inkpads, ink and standardized forms.
NATIONAL DAY PARADE
— The final rehearsal for the military parade to be organized on December 1, on Romania’s National Day, will take place on Sunday. Over 3 thousand soldiers and experts with the Defense and Interior Ministries and with the Romanian Intelligence Service, military equipment of which 50 aircraft will participate on December 1, in Bucharest, in the traditional National Day parade. The Romanian soldiers will be joined by their colleagues from several allied or partner states: Great Britain, Italy, Germany, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and the US. The manifestations will take place both in Bucharest and other cities of Romania and also abroad, including on the theatres of operations. The manifestations include military and religious ceremonies, meetings with military and war veterans and exhibitions displaying military combat technology and weapons.
LUFTHANSA STRIKE
— Germany’s Lufthansa, the biggest airline in Europe, canceled hundreds of short and medium-haul flights on Saturday as well. This is the 4th day of strike, with pilots asking for pay rises by an average 3.7%. On Friday they refused the last offer made by the company management that came up with an average increase of 4.4% in two stages and with the proposal to create one thousand jobs for young pilots. As of Wednesday a total of more than 2,600 flights have been cancelled, affecting over 315 thousand passengers. (translation by L. Simion)
