August 9, 2014
A look at some of the headlines in Romania today.
România Internațional, 09.08.2014, 13:46
The foreign ministry in Bucharest has temporarily suspended the activity of the Romanian Embassy in Tripoli and relocated its diplomatic and consular staff to Tunis as a result of the serious security situation in Libya. According to the foreign ministry, 25 Romanian citizens were evacuated on Friday, which raises the number of Romanian nationals repatriated from Libya so far to 72.
Turkish voters will cast their ballots on Sunday in the country’s first direct presidential elections. Despite street protests and corruption scandals, incumbent prime minister Reccep Tayyip Erdogan is the favourite to win the race, with 55% of voting intentions. Erdogan promises to amend the country’s constitution and grant more rights to the Kurdish minority.
Russia denied on Saturday allegations that its troops may enter Ukraine and ruled out any unilateral action into the neighbouring country, even for humanitarian purposes. Earlier, the US and Great Britain accused Moscow of trying to send troops to eastern Ukraine under the pretext of humanitarian action. On the ground, clashes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists continue, in particular in the Donetsk region, which is seen as the stronghold of the separatists. More than 1,200 people have been killed in the last four months, since the start of clashes in the area.
The US and the United Nations have condemned the resumption of clashes between the Palestinians and the Israelis, calling on both sides to put an end to the hostilities. The Palestinian movement Hamas warned on Saturday that it would make no concession to Israel as long as hostilities in Gaza continue. The West Bank has also been the site of incidents between Israeli soldiers and local protesters. Israel resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on Friday, soon after the expiry of a 3-day ceasefire. According to the United Nations, over 1,900 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the four weeks of violence in the area, as well as 67 Israelis, including 3 civilians.
US president Barack Obama says he will not allow Sunni Jihadists to create a “caliphate” or an Islamic state in Syria and Iraq. The US president said his country has a strategic interest in preventing the advance of militants to Iraq and a moral obligation to prevent a possible genocide. He made these statements as the US carried out fresh air strikes against fighters of the Islamic State movement who were besieging the Kurdish town of Erbil, in northern Iraq. In recent weeks, this group has seized control of several areas in Iraq and Syria.
Romania’s double skulls team made up of Alexandru Lazar Dumitrescu and Victor Mihalachi on Saturday won the silver medal in the 500 m race at the World Rowing and Canoeing Championships hosted by Moscow. On Sunday, the two rowers will compete in two more finals, in the 200 m and 1,000 m races. Also on Sunday, Roxana Borha and Elena Meroniac will compete in the women’s 500 m race.
