REFUGEES The number of Ukrainian nationals who crossed the border into Romania
\nwent up 30% on Wednesday compared to the previous day, reads a news release
\nissued by the Romanian Border Police. As many as 8,635 Ukrainian citizens
\nentered Romania in 24 hours, coming from Ukraine or the R. of Moldova. Since
\nthe start of the crisis over 2 months ago, over 800,000 Ukrainians have come
\ninto Romania. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced in a
\nconference in Geneva that over 8 million Ukrainian may leave their country.
\nAccording to the UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo, the Agency and its partners
\nintend to raise USD 1.85 billion to support an estimated 8.3 million refugees
\nin Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, as well as
\nin other countries in the region, including Belarus, Bulgaria and the Czech
\nRepublic. <\/p>\n
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\n
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TROOPS The Romanian defence ministry announced
\nthat the Romanian Army currently has no troops deployed in the Rep. of Moldova
\nto take part in drills or other joint training programmes. The statement comes
\nafter a Russian-language publication released fake news according to which
\nRomania plans to attack Transnistria with NATO support, and then to
\nannex the Rep. of Moldova, and claimed that Romanian troops have already been
\ndeployed to the neighbouring country. Disinformation on Russian channels
\nfollows a number of attacks by unknown perpetrators, which took place in the
\npast few days in Transnistria, a pro-Russian breakaway region in the east
\nof the Rep. of Moldova. <\/p>\n
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\n
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NATURAL GAS The European Union
\ntold Russia it would not give in to blackmail, after Moscow discontinued
\nnatural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, which had refused to pay for
\nnatural gas in rubles. The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
\nsaid the Union had other options to make up for the suspended deliveries, and
\nwarned member states not to breach the sanctions imposed by the EU after
\nRussia’s invasion of Ukraine. We have to guarantee alternative supplies and the
\nbest possible storage levels across the EU, Von der Leyen explained. EU member
\nstates have implemented emergency plans for such a scenario and we have worked
\ntogether in coordination and solidarity, the EU official added. <\/p>\n
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\n
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ARMY Military ceremonies, concerts and competitions take place in Bucharest
\ntoday to mark the Romanian Land Forces Day. Events are announced throughout the
\nday, including ceremonies, cultural, scientific and educational events, sports
\ncompetitions and military drills, book fairs, concerts and documentary
\nscreenings. In Arad (west), a military equipment exhibition opens today on this
\noccasion, and on Saturday the city will host military and religious ceremonies.<\/p>\n
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\n
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COVID-19 Nearly 1,150 new SARS-CoV-2 infection cases were reported in Romania on
\nThursday. The authorities have also reported 15 Covid-related deaths. Of the over
\n1,200 patients in hospitals, 193 are in intensive care, and most of them are
\nunvaccinated. Meanwhile, as interest in vaccination dropped significantly,
\nimmunisation centres are closing these days across the country. Those who want
\nto get the vaccine will be able to do so only in family physician offices as of
\nMay.<\/p>\n
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TENNIS The Romanians Simona Halep, Sorana C\u00eerstea and Irina Begu take part in
\nthe first round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid, which starts today.
\nSorana C\u00eerstea takes on Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain (52 WTA). Simona Halep
\nplays against Shuai Zhang of China (40 WTA), and Irina Begu faces Belinda
\nBencic (13 WTA) of Switzerland. WTA Madrid Open takes place between April 28
\nand May 7. Simona Halep won the 2016 and 2017 competitions. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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