Morning headlines – July 30th 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

• Vaccination in Romania: In the last 24 hours, more than 15.000 people got vaccinated. Totally, more than 4.9 million people got the vaccine, with more than 4,8 getting both doses.
• Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 170 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 1 death and in ICU there are now 49 people hospitalized.
• Biden wants mandatory vaccination for the military. In a speech held on Thursday, president Joe Biden stated that he plans to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for the military and other federal employees. (AP)

Global political and military events

• China asked the British naval forces to „follow the rules”. The Chinese Naval Administration warned the British naval forces from the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier’s crew, which entered South China Sea, to follow the rules and not get closer than 12 miles from the militarized islands, even if an international court did not accept China’s claims, based on building artificial islands in the area. (AP)
• The Philippines is restoring the treaty with the US on the Foreign Visiting Forces. Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte has announced, on Friday, that it will give up cancelling the treaty with the US on the visiting forces, after he met with Pentagon chief, Lloyd Austin. (AP)
• Russia is arming the Orion drone with antitank missiles. The Russian armed forces have announced that they will test the antitank missiles from the unmanned aircraft Orion. Each drone will be able to carry only two Vikhr missiles (Sputnik).
• A US sailor, guilty for the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard. The US Navy has announced on Thursday that it accused a sailor, member of the crew,  for the fire that took place on the USS Bonhomme Richard board, in July, 2020.

Romania’s defence and security

• World Day against Trafficking in Persons was established by the UN General Assembly through the 68/192 Resolution, on December 18^th 2013, to increase the awareness level of the victims of human trafficking and to promote the protection of their rights.
• Andrei Muraru took over the Romanian ambassador to US position. Starting yesterday, Romania’s ambassador in the United States took over his Washington D.C. mandate, according to a social media message. Andrei Muraru was accredited by Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Romania, on July 7^th 2021, through a presidential decree.