Morning headlines – November 10th 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

• Vaccination in Romania: In the last 24 hours, more than 67.000 people got vaccinated. Totally, more than 7,34 million people got the vaccine, with more than 6,60 getting both doses and 1,05 of them getting the third dose.
• Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 7. 589 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 487 deaths, and in ICU there are now 1.850 people hospitalized.

Global political and military events

• Crisis at the Poland-Belarus border. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, is visiting Poland today. The EU has warned that it will consolidate the sanctions against Belarus, but also against the countries and air companies which are transporting immigrants. Poland has mobilized a division at the border, 12.000 soldiers, 4.000 guards and 1.500 policemen. (Mediafax)
• Lithuania declares state of emergency at the border with Belarus. The state of emergency has entered into power at midnight and will last one month. The border policemen will be allowed to use „mental constraint” and „proportional physical violence” to sop the immigrants from entering Lithuania. Lithuania limits all trips on a 5 km perimeter from the border with Belarus, except for the case wherein the border police agrees. The mobile phones could be seized from immigrants, and public gatherings near the border and in camp could be forbidden. (Mediafax)
• A US journalist risks being sentenced for life in Myanmar. Danny Fenster, jailed a few months ago by the Mynmar junta while he was trying to leave the country, was accused of terrorism and risks being jailed for life. (AFP)
•  France relaunches the reactor construction. President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that France will build new nuclear reactors on its territory. (AFP)
• The Taliban showed off American equipment at a parade. The Taliban inaugurated the Islamic Emirate Armed Forces in a parade, on November 8, in Kandahar, Afghanistan's second-largest city. During the parade, the Taliban used equipment donated by the United States to the Afghan Armed Forces. (AP)
• The Chinese military organized an exercise near Taiwan. The Chinese military held an unplanned exercise near Taiwan on Tuesday in response to a visit by some US lawmakers. Patrol ships were deployed in the Taiwan Strait, and six aircraft entered the island's Identification Zone. (AP)

Romania's defense and security

• The Minister of Foreign Affairs requested the inclusion of Romania in the Visa Waiver Program. Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu discussed on Tuesday, during a visit to the United States, with Alejandro Mayorkas, US Secretary of Homeland Security, about Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program and the steps to be taken to achieve this goal. (Mediafax)
• The NBR increased the reference interest rate to 1.75%. The Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania, meeting on Tuesday, decided to increase the monetary policy interest rate to 1.75 percent per year, from 1.50 percent per year, starting with November 10, 2021 (Aleph News)
• Prolonged political crisis: Negotiations between PNL, PSD and UDMR on the governing program begin today, on the main areas, including Defense and Interior. (Mediafax)
• SOF JUNCTION STRIKE 2021 exercise. Land Artillery and Missile Day. In 1843, Prince Gh.Bibescu made a trip to Istanbul and, on his return, brought into the country four 80 mm caliber cannons, donated by the sultan. As a result, on November 10, 1843, the establishment of the first artillery battery in the Romanian army was legislated. Today, Romania is the first country in Eastern Europe to have HIMARS missile systems. (MoND)