ISRAEL
\nThe Israeli Army has today announced it entered the
\nnorth of Gaza Strip and expanded military operations in the Palestinian
\nenclave, while stepping up attacks against Hamas. For the 3rd
\nconsecutive night, tanks entered the area, supported by 100 aircraft. According
\nto the latest information available, clashes are on-going and Israeli troops
\nare still on site. The Army has avoided official announcements regarding the
\nland attacks, so as not to jeopardise the lives of the over 220 hostages taken
\nby Hamas, Israeli media report. Israel
\nhad only made brief raids in Gaza during the 3 weeks of strikes designed to
\neliminate the Hamas fighters, who killed over 1,400 Israelis on October 7. Telephone
\nand internet connections with Gaza have been cut in what the media describe as
\nthe largest strikes so far. An Israeli military spokesman said that today
\nIsrael will allow access to Gaza for trucks carrying food, water and medicines.
\nIn fresh talks with the Israeli defence minister, the Pentagon chief called for
\nthe protection of civilians during the operation. On Friday night, the UN
\nGeneral Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. The
\nresolution is not compulsory, but it has political weight. Israel and the US
\nvoted against, while Romania abstained. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
DIPLOMACY
\nThe Romanian foreign minister Lumini\u0163a Odobescu Friday had a telephone
\nconversation with the British foreign secretary James Cleverly, to discuss the
\nsecurity situation in Israel and Gaza Strip, focusing on the need to ensure
\nclose coordination in order to avoid regional spill-over. According to the
\nRomanian foreign ministry, the 2 officials emphasised the importance of
\ncontinued humanitarian aid to the population in Gaza and of the immediate and
\nunconditional release of all hostages.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
POPULATION The population of Romania on July 1 was
\napprox. 21.9 million, down 0.3% since the corresponding month of last year. Almost
\n3 million of them are currently living abroad. Romania is also facing
\npopulation ageing, with 125 elderly citizens for each 100 youth. The average
\nage is 42.4 years, 0.3 years more than on July 1, 2022. The number of citizens
\nin urban communities is nearly 3 million higher than the number of rural
\ninhabitants, however urban population dropped by 0.8% over the past year while
\nthe rural population grew by 0.3%.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
UKRAINE Ukraine is seeking international support for its peace plan,
\nin a 2-day meeting held as of today in Malta. As many as 50 countries are
\ntaking part, but Russia is not among them. According to AFP, this is the 3rd
\nmeeting of this kind, and organisers hope it would result in a joint
\ndeclaration. The 10-point plan proposed by Ukraine’s president Volodymyr
\nZelenskyy includes, among other things, the pull out of Russian troops from the
\noccupied Ukrainian territories, including Donbas, part of which is under
\nseparatist control since 2014, and Crimea, occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014.
\nLast year, Moscow annexed 4 Ukrainian regions, partly occupied by its troops
\nafter the large-scale invasion of February 24. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
DST
\nOn Saturday night, Romania switches to winter time, setting clocks back one
\nhour from 4 AM to 3 AM. Sunday will thus be 25-hour long. Daylight saving time,
\nfirst suggested by the scientist Benjamin Franklin in 1784, is currently used
\nin 70 countries. The concept has come under debate in recent years, with the EU
\nasking member states to end seasonal clock changes and choose either winter
\ntime or summer time, but a decision in this respect is yet to be made. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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