January 3, 2024 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 03.01.2024, 19:12

ATTACK – Two explosions caused by what authorities called terrorist attacks killed over 100 people and injured around 170 in Iran. The victims were attending a ceremony to commemorate General Qassem Soleimani, former head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, killed by an American drone in 2020, Reuters quoted Iranian officials as saying on Wednesday. The tragedy occurred in the city of Kerman in the southeast of the country. Images broadcast by Iranian media showed dozens of bodies, while some bystanders tried to help survivors and others rushed to leave the area.

RESERVES — The Romanian Central Bank’s foreign currency reserves stood at almost 60 billion euros at the end of last year, an increase compared to 2022, when they stood at 46 billion euros. According to Central Bank data, the level of the gold reserve remained at 103.6 tons, its value exceeding 6 billion euros. The due payments, this month, related to the public debt in foreign currency guaranteed by the Ministry of Finance, stood at around 900 million euros.

DRONES – The Romanian authorities have taken measures to prevent incidents such as those recorded last year, when drones used in the war in Ukraine fell on Romanian territory or entered Romanian air space, defense minister Angel Tîlvăr told a TV interview. He spoke about organizing shelters, issuing alerts and training representatives of the local authorities. He added that although Romania owns high-performing equipment to detect such flight devices, there are limitations having to do with objective factors, such as the relatively short distance between the Romanian localities where these incidents were reported and the nearest Ukrainian port. NATO on Wednesday said its procurement arm would support a group of member countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain, with a contract to buy up to 1,000 Patriot air defence missiles, Reuters reports.

UKRAINE – In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, British prime minister Rishi Sunak assured Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky that the United Kingdom would continue to firmly support Ukraine in its fight against aggression and occupation throughout 2024 and beyond, France Presse reports. Rishi Sunak emphasized the efforts made by the UK to provide military and diplomatic support for Ukraine, especially through new arms deliveries, said Downing Street in a statement. The British prime minister also deplored the lives lost during Russias air strikes, over Christmas. On Tuesday morning, Russia again carried out massive air strikes against Ukraine, killing at least five civilians and injuring over 100 persons, especially in Kyiv and Kharkov, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

MIDDLE EAST – Israel raised the security alert to the highest level in the north of the country, and the army said it was ready for any scenario, one day after the Hamas deputy leader was killed in Lebanons capital Beirut. Saleh al-Arouri, aged 57, is the most senior Hamas leader killed by Israel since it began waging war against that terrorist organisation, following its attack on Israel on 7th October. After al-Arouris death, Hamas told every country involved in mediating the release of the Israeli hostages, that it is pulling out of the talks. US secretary of state Antony Blinken, who was due to arrive in Israel on Thursday, has cancelled his visit, which will most likely be rescheduled for next week, Radio Romanias correspondent reports. Israel has taken maximum security measures in the north of the country bracing for a virulent reaction from Hezbollah. French president Emmanuel Macron urged Israel to avoid escalation, especially in Lebanon, while, according to the BBC, the Lebanese government accused Israel of seeking to start a regional war.

QUAKE – The Japanese government intensified its emergency response in the wake of Mondays earthquake, in which more than 60 people died, the BBC reports. Prime minister Fumio Kishida said the number of military staff involved in intervention efforts would be doubled to 2,000. The earthquake that took place on the first day of the new year, the strongest in the last 12 years, destroyed roads, disconnecting towns and cities where there are still people trapped under the rubble. Thousands of people are without water and electricity. Following torrential rain in the last day, the authorities have warned of possible landslides, apart from aftershocks.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea lost to Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in three sets on Wednesday, in the second round of the WTA 500 tournament in Brisbane, Australia, worth over 1.7 million dollars in prize money. Cîrstea, who is no. 26 in the world, was seeded tenth at this tournament. Another Romanian player, Ana Bogdan lost on Sunday in the opening round to Ukraines Marta Kostiuk, also in three sets. (EE/CM)