DEFENCE Romania’s new Army Chief of Staff is the general lieutenant
\nGheorghi\u0163\u0103 Vlad. At the swearing in ceremony on Thursday, president Klaus
\nIohannis said Vlad was entrusted with the responsibility of carrying on the
\nArmy’s process of adapting to new challenges and of maintaining a high level of
\nbattle training for the troops. We need more determined measures to re-launch
\nthe national defence industry, the president also said, including though
\nindustrial cooperation, so that a larger share of the ammunition and equipment
\nwe need to be produced domestically. This and the high level of military
\ntraining, will ensure a strong and credible defence capacity, adapted to the
\nnew security challenges, the head of state added. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
RECYCLING In
\nRomania, the deposit and return scheme for beverage containers became
\noperational on Thursday. Romania will run the second-largest programme of this
\nkind in Europe, after the one in Germany, in terms of the number of containes
\nprocessed. Romanians who pay a 10-Eurocent deposit on purchasing bottled
\nbeverages from retailers will be able to return the container to drop-off
\ncentres organised by retailers, and will be refunded their deposits without
\nhaving to produce the receipt for the original purchase. Deposit-carrying
\ncontainers will be introduced gradually, with a transition period until current
\nstocks in shops are sold out. <\/p>\n
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\n
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DIPLOMACY The
\nRomanian foreign minister Lumini\u0163a Odobescu took part on Wednesday in an
\ninformal dinner ahead of the OSCE ministerial council in Skopje, organised by
\nthe rotating chairmanship holder, North Macedonia. Talks focused on Russia’s
\nwar of aggression against Ukraine and the need for an efficient OSCE in times
\nof conflict. In her address, the Romanian diplomat emphasised the difficult
\ncircumstances in which the Organisation operates, in the context of Russia’s
\nunjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine. She also
\nreiterated Romania’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people, emphasising the
\nmulti-dimensional support given to Ukraine. Lumini\u0163a Odobescu also highlighted
\nthe negative impact on the Republic of Moldova, the social and economic
\ndifficulties facing Moldova as a result of Russia’s various pressures, as well
\nas the relevance of Moldova in the security dynamics of the region.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
KISSINGER The
\nformer US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who played a major role in shaping
\nthe US foreign policy under presidents Nixon and Ford, died on Wednesday aged
\n100, the BBC announced. Kissinger was a national security adviser and a state
\nsecretary between 1969 and 1977, during which the US ended its involvement in
\nthe Vietnam War, opened its relations with China and saw the end of hostilities
\nin the wake of the 1973 Yom Kippur War in the Middle East. He won the Nobel
\nPeace Prize, although his opponents claiming his role in bombing Cambodia and Laos
\namounted to war crime. He pioneered the concept of Realpolitik, which values
\npragmatism in international relations, the BBC also said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
HOLIDAY Christians
\ncelebrate today Andrew the Apostle, the patron saint of Romania. Historical records
\nindicate that Saint Andrew preached in Scythia, in the north and west of the
\nBlack Sea, including present-day Dobrudja, where he ordained priests and
\nbishops who took the word of Christ to the Dacian population between the Danube
\nand the Carpatians. As such, he is recognised as the patron saint of Romania. He
\nwas martyred by crucifixion in the city of Patras, in Greece.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
ISRAEL An attack
\nby 2 Palestinians in western Jerusalem at rush hour killed 3 people and wounded
\n7 others, 4 of whom are in a serious condition. The attack took place as the
\ntruce between Israel and Hamas was renewed for the 7th consecutive
\nday, in order to carry on the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian
\nprisoners. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, the attackers were
\nidentified as Hamas supporters and had been formerly imprisoned in Israel. As
\nfor the new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the revised list of hostages to
\nbe freed only includes 8 children. Hamas explained that this was because of the
\n2 Israelis with dual, Russian and Italian citizenship, who were released
\nyesterday in a show of goodwill towards the Russian president Vladimir Putin. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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