June 28, 2026 UPDATE
The latest news from RRI
Newsroom, 28.06.2026, 20:00
Heat wave – In Romania, where the first code red alert for heat wave of this summer came into effect on Sunday in the northern half of the country, the heat wave will intensify significantly across the entire country, and thermal discomfort will remain particularly high, exceeding the critical threshold of 80 units. Extreme maximum temperatures, comparable to the all-time records for June, will be recorded across relatively large areas, ranging from 31 to 32 degrees Celsius on the Black Sea Coast to 40 to 41 degrees in the west. The sky will be mostly clear, except during the midday and evening hours when, particularly in mountainous and foothill areas, there will be temporary heavy cloud cover and periods of showers, thunderstorms, and hail, generally in limited areas. Nights will be tropical in most regions.
Politics – After two failed nominations, President Nicuşor Dan called on the pro-European parties to resume dialogue and find a solution by Tuesday so that the Romanian Parliament can appoint a fully-fledged executive during the final meeting of this legislative session. Meanwhile, the PSD and PNL continue to accuse each other of blocking negotiations and claim they are not afraid of early elections, an option that cannot be ruled out if negotiations to form a government remain deadlocked. The Social Democrats would support either a single-party PSD government, led by their leader, Sorin Grindeanu, or one formed by members of the former coalition (PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR), but without the Liberal leader, Prime Minister-designate Ilie Bolojan. The Liberals, however, do not want to give the Social Democrats a blank check and have their own formula for a minority government, PNL, USR, and UDMR, with Liberal MEP Siegfried Mureşan as prime minister. The party leading in the polls and the second-largest in Parliament, the nationalist and extremist Alliance for the Union of Romanians, refuses to support a government it does not lead and continues to favor early elections.
Pogrom – In northeastern Romania, a memorial service was held on Sunday to commemorate the victims of the Iași Pogrom of June 1941, when thousands of Jews were killed by Romanian and German soldiers, supported by local authorities and civilians, on the orders of General Ion Antonescu. Israeli President Isaac Herzog attended the ceremonies held at the Jewish Cemetery, where he spoke about the need to preserve the memory of the victims and combat anti-Semitism. Jews from Romania played an essential role in the founding and development of Israel and continue to serve as a living bridge between Romania and the Jewish people, Isaac Herzog added. On Monday, the Israeli president will address the Parliament in Bucharest and meet with President Nicuşor Dan, with whom he will discuss deepening bilateral relations in all areas of mutual interest. In a message, the Romanian head of state emphasized that, 85 years after the atrocities in Iași, we have a duty to bow our heads in memory of the victims, and noted that history shows us that evil does not begin with acts of extreme violence, but with the tolerance of discrimination, stereotypes, and exclusion.
Theater – One of the largest and most important theater festivals in the world, the Sibiu International Theater Festival (in central Romania) came to an end. For this edition, nearly 850 events featuring 5,000 artists from 83 countries were scheduled. This year’s theme – SOUL – emphasizes that, above all technology, the soul prevails, whether it be that of the artist or the audience member. Starting Saturday, eight new names will have a star on Sibiu’s Walk of Fame. Among these personalities are actress Fanny Ardant, conductor Cristian Măcelaru, and actress Ofelia Popii.
Caracas – The death toll from the two earthquakes that have recently struck Venezuela has exceeded 1,400; another 3,200 people were injured, and 3,100 were left homeless in the wake of the disaster, according to a preliminary tally released by Venezuela’s state television. The country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced on Saturday evening that 24 countries have sent aid and several thousand rescue workers to participate in search-and-rescue operations. The EU has already mobilized 5 million Euros in emergency assistance for communities affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela, said Kaya Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission, who also noted that the European Copernicus satellite system is supporting emergency response teams and that the Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated. At the same time, U.S. Southern Command, which coordinates U.S. military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, stated that it is “mobilizing available and assigned U.S. forces” in the region to support relief operations. The United States is also sending elite rescue teams, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid to Venezuela. The State Department had previously announced that the U.S. would provide 150 million dollars in aid. (LS)
