November 5, 2020

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 05.11.2020, 13:55

VOTING The final results of the US voting, during which citizens had to
choose between incumbent president Republican Donald Trump and former
vice-president, Democrat Joe Biden are yet to be announced, given the massive
postal and early voting turnout and the different counting methods in the
American states. Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign has filed a law suit contesting
ballot counting in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia. A campaign official has
accused the Democrats for having attempted to cancel and weaken the Republican
vote. According to international observers, there is no evidence of election
rigging but the president’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, accuses voter fraud
in several US cities. Trump’s campaign had previously announced they would ask
for a recount after Joe Biden narrowly won battleground state Wisconsin, edging
out president Trump in a state, which proved crucial to the latter’s victory
four years ago. This year’s presidential elections in the USA are taking place
against the background of the present pandemic heavily affecting the country,
which has reported the largest number of infections and fatalities in the
world. Nevertheless, according to Radio Romania correspondent in Washington,
the massive turnout this year proves America’s keen interest in the present
election.

COVID-19 The number of Covid-19 infections is on
the rise in Romania where authorities have announced another all-time high
since the onset of the pandemic, 9,714. The total number of those infected has
exceeded 276,802 with a death toll of 7,540. Hospitals have reported a total
number of Covid-infected patients of 12,061, out of whom 1,014 are being
treated in IC units, the largest number so far. The government is expected to make
face covering compulsory in all public spaces with an infection rate of 1.5 per
thousand. A decision in this respect is expected during the executive session
tonight when other restrictions could also be announced.

PANDEMIC Countries in Europe, which are currently
facing a new wave of Covid-19 infections, have stepped up restrictions in an
attempt to contain the pandemic. A four-week quarantine has been imposed in
England, where 500 of those infected died in the past 24 hours, the highest
figure so far. Pubs, restaurants, cafes, non-essential shops, gyms, swimming
pools and beauty salons have been closed down until December 2nd.
Schools and churches are open though. Non-essential activities have also ceased
in Spain where restaurants and gyms have been closed down. The region of
Castilla y Leon has banned visits to old people’s homes due to the high number
of infections.

HANDBALL Romania’s handball side is today taking on Sweden in an away game
counting towards the preliminaries of the European Championship due in Hungary and
Slovakia in 2022. The game will be followed by that against Montenegro in
Romania on Sunday. A four-time world champion in the sixties and seventies,
Romania’s national side hasn’t qualified for a continental tournament since
1996. Romania’s female handball side has qualified in a group, which also
includes Norway, Germany and Poland.

FOOTBALL Romania’s
football champions CFR Cluj tonight are up against Italian side AS Rome in
their third game in Europa League group A. CFR tops the group after a 2-0 win
against CSKA Sofia from Bulgaria and a one-all draw at home against Swiss side
Young Boys Bern. Eliminated from the preliminaries of the Champions League, CFR
is Romania’s only representative in this year’s edition of the European
football cups.

RAIL According to data released by the EU’s
statistical office, Eurostat, rail transportation in the EU has significantly shrunk in the second quarter against the same period last year due to the present Covid-19
pandemic. Romania’s 47% slump was the lowest in the EU with over 9 million
travelers as compared to 17 million in the similar period last year. Ireland
reported the highest decrease, 94%, followed by France and Spain with 78%
each.

(bill)