Morning headlines – March 3rd 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

• Vaccination in Romania: More than 980.000 people got vaccinated (more than 619.000 with both doses). In the last 24 hours, more than 37.000 people got vaccinated (almost 1.000 with both doses).
• Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 3.950 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 106 deaths and in ICU there are more than 1.000 people.
• On Wednesday, the millionth person will get the vaccine in Romania. The number of people vaccinated in Romania will reach, on Wednesday, one million, said on Tuesday the coordinator of the national vaccination campaign, colonel Valeriu Gheorghita.
• Austria, the fourth EU country that wants the Russian vaccine. Following Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia now Austria also wants the Sputnik vaccine. According to Mediafax, the Austrian chancellor says he discussed with Vladimir Putin.
• The Johnson&Johnson vaccine, in EU starting March 11^th. The European Medicines Agencies is deciding on March 11 if it authorizes the Johnson&Johnson vaccine in the EU, says AFP.

Global political and military events

• The FBI director, hearing in the Congress. The FBI director, Chris Wray, said during a hearing in the US Congress, on Tuesday, that Donald Trump’s supporters, who have attacked the Capitol Hill on January 6^th, are guilty of domestic terrorism, says CNN.
• The first Biden Administration sanctions on Russia. On Tuesday, the Biden Administration has imposed sanctions on seven people in Russia for the treatment they had on Alexey Nvalny. The people who were included on US Treasury’s black list are Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Aleksandr Bortnikov (Bortnikov), Chief of the Presidential Policy Directorate Andrei Yarin (Yarin), First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko (Kiriyenko), Deputy Minister of Defense Aleksey Krivoruchko (Krivoruchko), Deputy Minister of Defense Pavel Popov (Popov), Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) director Alexander Kalashnikov (Kalashnikov), and Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov (Krasnov) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.)
• North Korea is storing nuclear weapons. North Korea has built in 2020 a storing place for nuclear weapons, says CNN, according to satellite images. The White House’s reaction is expected, as it announced that it is reviewing its policy on this country.
• Journalists arrested in Myanmar. The military authorities in Myanmar has arrested at least six journalists, among them also a photographer from Associated Press, says AP, quoting journalist’s lawyer.
• Pentagon report on extremism. The Pentagon has revealed on Tuesday a report on military’s extremism. According to this report, the right-wing extremists want to enlist to achieve military experience. Extremists want to recruit military to increase their credibility, also says the report.

Romania’s defence and security

• Government meeting on appointing prefects. The Government will meet on Wednesday to approve more prescriptive paper projects among them also government decisions on appointing and laying off prefects and sub-prefects.
• The budget was voted. The budget was voted by the Parliament on Tuesday, with no amendment. Prime-minister Florin Citu has stated: “It shows we are a coalition ready to resist for 4 years”.