September 9, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of national and international news.
Newsroom, 09.09.2026, 20:00
FUNERAL – Romania’s interim Foreign Minister, Oana Ţoiu, attended the funeral of King Harald V of Norway in Oslo on Wednesday. According to Romania’s Foreign Ministry, the ceremony was officiated by Olav Fykse Tveit, Presiding Bishop of the Church of Norway, while the burial took place at Akershus Fortress. Members of royal families from around the world and heads of state from dozens of countries attended the funeral. King Harald V, 89, died on 28 August at Oslo National Hospital. He was succeeded by his son, King Haakon VIII.
EDUCATION – 52% of Romanian 15-year-olds fail to reach the basic level in mathematics, while the figure for reading is 48%, according to the OECD’s PISA 2025 results. In addition, 57% of pupils in Romania scored below the basic level in problem-solving using digital tools. Following the publication of the results, President Nicuşor Dan said that public policies were needed to prioritise the early identification and support of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage. Meanwhile, Romania’s interim Education Minister, Mihai Dimian, said that tools had been put in place in recent years in an attempt to improve pupils’ performance.
CYCLING – The Tour of Romania cycling race began in Chişinău on Wednesday, in the capital of neighbouring Moldova, marking a first in the competition’s history. According to the organisers, more than 130 riders from 14 countries are taking part, grouped into 21 teams. The Tour of Romania, now in its 58th edition, will finish in Bucharest on 13 September.
DRUGS – Romania’s Chamber of Deputies unanimously adopted the new European security measures against drug trafficking. The European Union’s five-year action plan focuses on securing the bloc’s external borders and using the latest scanning technologies. For Romania, the top priority is combating smuggling networks operating in the Port of Constanţa on the Black Sea and along the country’s land borders. The European plan introduces strict rules on the real-time monitoring of chemical precursors in order to prevent the manufacture of synthetic drugs, as well as tough measures against the recruitment of minors through social media. Romania has accessed around €34 million through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to purchase 26 high-capacity scanners. Some of these have been installed in the Port of Constanţa itself, which is regarded as the commercial gateway to Eastern Europe.
ESPIONAGE – A Russian citizen residing in Romania, suspected of spying on behalf of Moscow, was remanded in custody for 30 days last night, according to a decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, which may be appealed. The man was detained after the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), which had been monitoring him since February, in cooperation with the Ministries of the Interior and Defence, as well as foreign intelligence services, said he had been trained to photograph and film critical infrastructure linked to the national defence and security system. The SRI spokesperson said that the Russian citizen had been instructed by an intermediary to produce photographic and video material of sites of strategic military interest, including Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft, while present on Romanian territory.
UKRAINE – Two civilians were killed and three injured in a Russian drone attack on a Ukrainian border crossing near the border with Moldova. According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack took place in the area of the Tudora (Moldova)–Starokazachie (Ukraine) border crossing. Moldovan authorities, for their part, said they were monitoring the situation and maintaining contact with the relevant Ukrainian institutions. The drone attack came after a temporary Russian-Ukrainian ceasefire expired on Monday, amid visits by US negotiators to Moscow and Kyiv. (EE)
