September 30, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of the latest local and world news
Newsroom, 30.09.2024, 20:14
VISIT Romanian president Klaus Iohannis received in Bucharest on Monday the Prime Minister of the German state Baden-Wurttemberg, Winfried Kretschmann. The head of the Romanian state described the visit as an excellent opportunity to strengthen the Romanian-German cooperation and dialogue emphasizing the tight political, economic and cultural relations between Romania and Baden Wurttemberg. The social and human relations were high on the talks agenda with emphasis on the essential role played by the German minority in Romania and the Romanians who settled in Germany, in the consolidation of the relations and cooperation including at social and economic levels. The German official was also received on Monday by the country’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. Two joint statements were signed on this occasion on strengthening cooperation between the Romanian government and the government of the Baden Wurttemberg state and on bilateral cooperation in the field of civil protection. The trade exchange volume reached 8.32 billion Euros last year.
EDUCATION Most state universities in Romania kicked off courses on Monday, while private universities set their own date for the start of the academic year. 52 state universities offer over 2,200 different degrees and study programmes, and 34 private universities offer 338 degrees and specialisations.
PARLIAMENT Romanian senators and deputies are meeting in a joint parliamentary session on Tuesday to appoint the members of the National Bank’s board of directors. Political sources say the current governor Mugur Isărescu, who has held this post since 1990, has the backing to secure yet a new term. Also on Tuesday, Parliament will discuss two requests from president Klaus Iohannis, one regarding the participation of the Romanian Army in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine command and another referring to the creation on national territory of a maritime training facility for Ukrainian personnel. The two chambers of Parliament will also be briefed on Romania’s allowing the transition of equipment and material assets donated by Sweden to Ukraine and on its hosting a US naval forces special operations contingent for a period of two years.
COAL The UK ends coal power as it shut down its last coal-fired power plant on Monday. Reuters news agency notes that the UK thus becomes the first G7 country to give up coal power. London announced in 2015 that it intended to phase out its coal-fired power plants, which at the time accounted for 30% of the country’s energy. Phasing out coal power has led to a drop in greenhouses gas emissions in the UK, which intends to completely eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector by 2030 and become greenhouse neutral by 2050. The other 6 most industrialised states in the world are also set to close their coal-fired power plants by 2035 at the latest, under an agreement signed in April.
TENNIS Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian lost to Karolina Muchova in straight sets on Monday, 6-1, 6-3, in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing, worth almost 9 million dollars in prize money. Last Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian defeated world no. 10 Barbora Krejcikova in three sets, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
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