September 7, 2024
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 07.09.2024, 13:55
CYBERCRIME Two crime rings specialized in IT crimes and money laundering have been dismantled in a joint operation involving the Romanian prosecutors from the Direction of Fighting Organised Crime and Terrorism, DIICOT, and the legal authorities in the United States of America. A specialized network made up of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens was set up in California in 2021. By means of sophisticated equipment, the network used to copy data from cards belonging to US citizens, which they used to extract cash. The total damage caused stood at over one million dollars and part of the money went to Romania by means of money transfer systems or among the goods transported by couriers. In Romania, members of a second group, specialized in money laundering, took over the money investing it. Tens of thousands Euros and dollars have been identified and seized during various search operations conducted in Romania.
JUDO Romanian athlete Florin-Alexandru Bologa has walked away with gold from the judo competition for blind people part of the 2024 summer Paralympics in Paris. Bologa boasts four consecutive titles being a defending European and world champion. Besides his gold, Romania is going to win another medal in Paris, as Camelia Ciripan has made it to the semifinals of the women’s single table tennis contest. The Romanian is going to take on Maria Litovcenko of Ukraine on Saturday.
FILM ‘The New Year that Never Came’ directed, written and produced by Romanian film director Bogdan Muresanu has been awarded two prizes at the International Film Festival in Venice: the FIPRESCI award offered by the jury of the International Federation of Film Critics and Bisato d’Oro 2024 for the best script offered by independent film critics. ‘The film culminates with a profound exploration of human behavior influenced by the fear of political reprisals, shared by several generations who lived under a totalitarian regime. We appreciate this film for its focused political vision, the sophisticated and dynamic plot, the balanced tones and exceptional cast” – the FIPRESCI jury said. DoP Boroka Biro got the special mention for picture Premio Autrici under 40 ‘Valentina Pedicini’, an award which acknowledges the talent of a director under 40 years old for a remarkable performance in film direction, script or picture.
FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side secured a 3-0 win against Kosovo in Pristina on Friday night, the first game in their Nations League’s Group C2. In the same group, Cyprus clinched a one-nil win against Lithuania. These are the national side’s first matches with the former Romanian football legend and great coach, Mircea Lucescu, at the helm. Lucescu went back to the national side after 38 years. He also coached Romania’s national eleven between 1981 and 1986, when they qualified for the European Championships in France in 1984. At that time only eight European sides used to go to the final tournament. Under the guidance of Lucescu, numerous football clubs from Romania, Turkey and Ukraine won their national championships. Another side that he coached Galatasaray Istanbul claimed the UEFA Cup in the year 2000. At the age of 79 Lucescu is the oldest headcoach of a national football side.
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