November 2, 2014
For a roundup of domestic and international news, click here.
România Internațional, 02.11.2014, 12:00
ELECTIONS — Over 18 million Romanians are today expected to hit the polls to elect the successor to president Traian Basescu, who will complete his second term in office in December. Over 14 candidates, 2 representing political alliances, 8 representing political parties and four running as independents, have enrolled in the race for Cotroceni. A second ballot will be held on November 16, provided none of the candidates grabs half plus one of the total number of votes. According to the Central Election Bureau, the voter turnout in the first three hours stood at 6.55%, slightly higher than at the latest presidential elections of 2009, when it stood at 6.17%. The Foreign Ministry has announced that over 294 polling stations will be opened for Romanians abroad as follows: 51 in Italy, 38 in Spain, 22 in the United States, 21 in the Republic of Moldova, 11 in the United Kingdom and 9 in France. Votes will be case in the headquarters of Romania’s embassies and consular offices abroad, in the headquarters of Romanian cultural institutes, in theatres of operations in Afghanistan as well as in other venues allowing for a fair and just voting process. Some 3.2 million Romanians live abroad.
UKRAINE — Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine are today holding legislative and presidential elections in a Moscow-backed ballot harshly criticized by Kiev and Western powers. The self-proclaimed independent republics of Donetsk and Luhansk have boycotted last Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Ukraine, won by a landslide by pro-Western factions. According to Kiev, today’s elections are in breach of the ceasefire agreement signed by Ukraine and Moscow in September in Minsk. Pundits believe the ballot is a complication of the peacemaking process in eastern Ukraine, which in the first six months of clashes between Government forces and pro-Russian militias, has killed over 4,000 people.
INVESTIGATION — A team of US experts has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the crash on Friday of a private space aircraft shortly after takeoff. One of the pilots died while the other is badly injured. The corporation owning the aircraft has announced that the crash occurred during a test flight. The aircraft was designed to transport a total number of six people and two pilots for outer space tourist flights. The company has already accepted 70 million dollars from hundreds of people willing to pay 250,000 dollars each for travelling in outer space.
INDAGRA — The 19th edition of the Indagra International Fair of Agriculture Foods and Equipment on Sunday came to a close in Bucharest. Indagra is the largest event of its kind in Romania and is aimed at promoting local agriculture potential, bio products and traditional wines. A total of 700 companies from 27 countries attended the fair. For the first time, a forum was held bringing together China and states in Central and Eastern Europe, outlining opportunities and project proposals, with regard to boosting cooperation between participant countries.
PROTEST — Trade Unions in the field of research and design in Romania have announced they would picket the headquarters of the Government and Education Ministry on Tuesday and Wednesday. Union representatives say they are unhappy with the salary crisis in this sector, confronted with inhuman working conditions, as some of the employees haven’t cashed in their salaries for several months.
ISLAMIC STATE — Islamic State terrorists have executed 67 members of a pro-Government Sunni tribe in Anbar, western Iraq, the DPA reports. In another development, Kurdish fighters from Iraq have joined the militias in Kobani in defending the city on the Turkish border, which for the last six weeks has been under siege by Islamic State terrorists. The US-led international coalition continued its air strikes on key areas in Syria and Iraq.
REPORT — Greenhouse gas emissions need to be eliminated by 2100 to avoid irreversible damage on the environment, a recent report issued by the Inter-Governmental Group of Experts on Climate in Copenhagen reads. According to the document, the result of efforts of 800 scientists, reducing greenhouse gas emissions will not impact economic growth significantly. Global warming at present is causing extreme weather phenomena, such as extreme heat, rainfalls, oceans becoming more acidic, and sea levels rising every year. The study will serve as scientific basis for 200 nations that will convene next year in Paris to sign a UN agreement for combating global warming.
