14 May 2021

Morning headlines – May 14th 2021

Florin Jipa

Image source: USSOF

Coronavirus and vaccines

  • Vaccination in Romania: In the last 24 hours, more than 100.000 people got vaccinated (more than 63.000 with both doses). Totally, more than 3.7 million people got the vaccine, with more than 2.6 getting both doses.
  • Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 953 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 75 deaths and in ICU there are now 829 people hospitalized.

Global political and military events

  • Israel-Gaza conflict: Israel responded with huge air strikes and artillery and tanks fires to HAMAS militants’ missiles, killing 109 people, among them many kids, and wounding around 600 people, says CNN. The Hamas group shot 2.000 missiles in the last four days on Israel’s territory, said the Israeli Defence Minister. Israeli officials stated that they will not start a land invasion of Gaza Strip.
  • The UN is asking for an immediate ceasefire. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has demanded, Thursday evening, for the immediate ceasefire of the confrontations between Israel and the Palestinians Islamic groups Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, says Mediafax.
  • The US is opposing a UN Security Council reunion. The United States opposed, on Friday, the idea of organizing a reunion of the UN Security Council on the violent actions taking place between the Israelis and the Palestinians, says AP, quoting diplomatic sources. Israel will continue to target Gaza. According to prime-minister Netanyahu, quoted by Haaretz, there are no conditions for a ceasefire yet, at least earlier than Saturday.
  • Violent actions in Israel. During the night between Thursday and Friday, many incidents ended with fire in mosques and synagogues and also the destruction of some vehicles, in Acra, Lod, Haifa and Bat Yam, due to the conflict sparked between the Israeli armed forces and the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups, says Mediafax. The Israeli police announced that it has arrested hundreds of people who participated to such violent acts.  Prime-minister Netanyahu signed decisiosn by which the police forces, including the border police, got increased power to control the situation.
  • The Ukrainian parliamentarian and mogul close to Kremlin, Viktor Medvedciuk, in house arrest. A Ukrainian court has decided, on Thursday, to put Viktor Medvedciuk in house arrest. He is close to the Russian president Vladimir Putin and he is suspected for high-treason, says AP.

Romania’s defence and security

  • SOF exercise in the Black Sea. On Thursday, the Romanian SOF have started a complex military exercise along with Georgia, US and Spain forces, says Digi24. The troops are simulating the liberation of a team taken hostage on the sea.
  • On Saturday a French frigate will get to Constanta Port. The French frigate “Commander Birot” entered the Black Sea on Tuesday for military naval drills and operations with the allied and partner forces, and on Saturday be in the Constanta Port, said the French Embassy in Bucharest.