Morning headlines – November 18th 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

• Vaccination in Romania: In the last 24 hours, more than 97.000 people got vaccinated. Totally, more than 7,53 million people got the vaccine, with more than 7,01 getting both doses and 1,24 of them getting the third dose.
• Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 3.535 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 299 deaths, and in ICU there are now 1.655 people hospitalized.

Global political and military events

• France asks China to become a fair competitor. The French minister for foreign commerce, Franck Riester, has stated that the cooperation with China is important, but the latter must become a fair and respectful competitor when it comes to international rules. (AFP)
• Tension at the Poland-Belarus border. Even if the violent actions have stopped, there is not certain solution for the thousands of migrants caught at the border between Poland and Belarus. The European Commission has confirmed on Wednesday that it have „technical discussions” with Minsk on the repatriation of migrants blocked at the border. (AFP)
• British and US drivers are protecting the flotsam of a crashed F-35 in the Mediterranean. A joint team of British and US divers are protecting the flotsam of a British F-35 which crashed in the Mediterranean, on Wednesday. The British Naval Forces are seeking solutions to recover the flotsam and take the sensitive equipment down to avoid getting on the hands of China or Russia. (Daily Mail)
• The Chinese Navy used water cannons against the Filipino ships. The minister of Foreign Affairs, Teodoro Locsin, has accused China, on Thursday, of launching water cannons in the disputed waters of the South China Sea against logistic ships of the Filipino Navy, which were heading towards Second Thomas atoll, in the Spratly Islands. (AP)
• Russia deploys a paratroopers regiment in Crimea. The Russian defence ministry, Sergey Shoigu, has announced that Russia will deploy a new paratroopers regiment in Crimea, as part of a reorganization of troops. (Tass)
• Russia has criticized the agreement between Britain and Ukraine. Moscow's foreign ministry has expressed Russia's complaints to a framework agreement between Kiev and London to strengthen Ukraine's naval military capabilities with British aid, saying the deal breaks the Minsk agreement and will allow Ukraine to build ships, missiles and a new naval base in the Azov Sea, but will also represent an approach of the British army to Russia’s borders. (Tass)
• Turkey has released the Israeli couple detained for photographing Erdogan's palace. The Israeli foreign ministry has confirmed the release of Mordi and Natalie Oknin, after they were arrested and charged with political espionage a few days ago after they photographed Erdogan's palace. (AP)

Romania's defense and security

• European Commissioner for the Internal Market visits Bucharest. The European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, pays an official visit to Bucharest on Thursday, where he will meet with President Klaus Iohannis and the interim ministers of Health and Defense. (Mediafax)
• Prolonged political crisis: PNL and PSD do not agree on whom to give the first prime minister position, after agreeing to a rotating leadership of the Government. PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu promised that Romania will have a government next week. (Aleph News)