September 11, 2021 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 11.09.2021, 18:30

9/11. The US commemorates 20 years since the bloodiest terrorist attacks
in its history. On 11th September 2001, two hijacked planes were
crashed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center, while another
was crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington, both landmark buildings
of American economic and military power. A fourth plane, believed to target the
Capitol building, which houses Congress, or the White House, crashed into an
empty field in Pennsylvania, after the passengers fought with the terrorists.
No person on board the planes survived, with almost 3,000 people being killed
in the attacks, most of them from the buildings that were hit. Carefully
planned by the head of the Al-Qaida network, the Saudi national Osama bin Laden,
the attacks were carried out by 19 men on a kamikaze mission.

Solidarity. Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis sent a letter to his American counterpart Joe Biden on the 20th
commemoration of the 9/11 attacks. The Romanian president said that after the
attacks, common suffering was transformed into solidarity and a common goal, in
the US and around the world, in allied and partner states, including Romania.
According to Iohannis, the general decision to face joint challenges together
remains a valuable lesson and always relevant at a time marked by threats from
state and non-state actors. He reiterated that Romania stands by the American
people and is committed to combating terrorism and violent extremism,
regardless of ideology, and to consolidating the common values of democracy,
human rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law. The foreign ministry
in Bucharest also sent a message of solidarity and compassion with the families
of the victims, who include four Romanian nationals, and with the rescuers who
risked their lives in the aftermath of the attacks. Romanian minister Aurescu
sent a letter to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, again stressing that
there is no justification for such violent attacks and extremist acts and
highlighting Romania’s firm and long-standing commitment and involvement,
alongside the US and the international community, in joint efforts to combat
terrorism and violent extremism.

Covid-19. Romania recorded on Saturday over 2,600 new Covid cases from
48,000 tests and 47 new related fatalities. Almost 5,000 Covid patients are receiving
hospital treatment, including 116 children. Some 580 are in intensive care, of
whom 8 are children. Only 5.2 million people are fully vaccinated in this
country, accounting for a mere third of the eligible population.

Festival. The north-western city
of Cluj Napoca is playing host to the 6th edition of Europe’s biggest
electronic music festival called Untold, which is coming to an end on Sunday. The
event brings together over 200 DJs and musicians, being held after a one-year
break. Over 100,000 spectators have attended the festival since Thursday, when
it began. The highlights of the line-up this year are acts like David Guetta, DJ Snake, Afrojack, Martin Garrix,
Nina Kravitz and Paul Kalkbrenner. (CM)