FIDEL CASTRO – The authorities in Havana on Saturday decreed 9 days of national mourning following the death of Cuba\u2019s leader of revolution , Fidel Castro, at the age of 90. His brother, Raul Castro, the incumbent president of Cuba, announced Fidel Castro\u2019s death on state television and that he would be cremated later on Saturday. \u201cEl lider maximo\u201d 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 \u201cAmerican imperialism\u201d. 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. <\/p>\n
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INSURANCE CARD – The National Health Insurance House in Romania announced it bought maintenance services for the IT system operating the electronic health insurance card. On Friday the government\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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ELECTION PREPARATIONS – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has started to distribute the voting materials to Romania\u2019s 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 \u201cVoted\u201d on it, control stamps, inkpads, ink and standardized forms.<\/p>\n
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HANDBALL – Romania\u2019s national women\u2019s handball team is participating on Saturday and Sunday in the Carpati Trophy, a competition hosted by the city of Cluj Napoca, in the northwest. Also participating will be the teams of Hungary, the Netherlands and Romania\u2019s B team. The Carpati Trophy is the last test ahead of the European Handball Championship to be held in Sweden between 4 and 18 December. Romania is in group D alongside Norway, Russia and Croatia. (translation by L. Simion)<\/p>\n
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