30 June, 2016

A round-up of local and international news.

Newsroom, 30.06.2016, 12:00

US President Barack Obama has said the UK vote to
leave the EU raises longer-term concerns about global growth. He also called
for an orderly
process for the British exit. In Paris, the French finance minister Michel
Sapin told the BBC that everything is on the table in the EU’s negotiations
with the UK, including the freedom of movement. In London, prime minister David
Cameron’s office has underlined that replacing 40 years of agreements between
the UK and the EU may involve a long and complicated process.

The United
States will be taking additional security measures in the run-up to the 4th
of July holiday following Tuesday’s terrorist attacks at the Ataturk airport in
Istanbul, Turkey, in which 42 people were killed and more than 200 injured, US
flight security experts and officials have said. The CIA director John Brennan
said the attack bears
the hallmark of the Islamic State group and warned the group may also carry
out attacks in the US. The additional security measures include a more visible
presence of security forces carrying weapons and tactical gear and an increase
in the number of passenger checks, screenings and complex verifications.
Approximately 43 million Americans are expected to travel for the 4th
of July.

Slovakia on Friday will take over the EU 6-month rotating presidency
from the Netherlands. The main challenges of its presidency are the UK vote to
leave the European Union and the situation of the refugees. Slovakia’s left
wing prime minister Robert Fico said he was expecting a difficult presidency.
The 27 member states remaining in the EU after the UK exit must find the
necessary strength to embark on a profound reform of the EU’s fundamental
policies, Fico also said. A former communist country in Central Europe,
Slovakia has been under criticism for its response to the refugee crisis. The
authorities in Bratislava have, in fact, submitted a complaint to the European
Court of Justice against the introduction of obligatory migrant quotas
established by the EU.

At least 27 people have
been killed and 40 injured in a suicide attack on a police convoy close to the
Afghan capital Kabul, according to France Presse and Reuters. The Afghan
district governor said the attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, targeted a
bus convoy carrying officer cadets returning from their graduation ceremony.

The weather is generally warm and beautiful in most regions, with highs
of 27 to 33 degrees Celsius. Hydrologists have maintained red, orange and
yellow code alerts for flooding on several rivers in the west and south-west.
Following heavy rain in recent days, tens of people have been evacuated and
hundreds of homes flooded. A thunderstorm caused problems in the capital Bucharest
yesterday, flooding streets and underpasses and bringing down trees.

Fifth seed
Simona Halep of Romania today faces Italian player Francesca Schiavone in the second round at Wimbledon, the third Grand
Slam tournament of the year worth more than 36 million euros in prize money.
Also today, Romania’s Monica Niculescu faces Serbia’s Aleksandra
Krunic in the first round. The other three Romanian players in the women’s main
draw at Wimbledon, Irina Begu, Patricia Tig and Sorana Cirstea, were eliminated
in the first round. In the men’s draw, Romania’s only player at Wimbledon,
Marius Copil, today continues his first round match against the French player
Lucas Pouille, which was suspended yesterday because of rain at
one set all.

Poland and Portugal face each other today in the first Euro 2016
quarterfinal. In the same stage of the competition, Belgium take on Wales,
Germany face Italy, while France play Iceland. Romania were eliminated from the
competition in the group stage.