Morning headlines – October 18th 2021
Florin Jipa
Image source: Twitter
Coronavirus and vaccines
- Vaccination in Romania: In the last 24 hours, more than 67.000 people got vaccinated. Totally, more than 5.98 million people got the vaccine, with more than 5.66 getting both doses and 527.000 of them getting the third dose.
- Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 11.546 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 299 deaths, and in ICU there are now 1.750 people hospitalized.
- A WHO delegation comes to Romania. The president of the Doctors’ College, Daniel Coriu, said on Sunday that a WHO delegation will come to Romania to `understand what is happening, why a country that has access to all vaccines has such a low vaccination rate`. (Digi24)
Global political and military events
- Protests in Poland against the government's policy of rejecting migrants. Thousands of people demonstrated in Warsaw on Sunday against the government's actions to reject migrants at the border with Belarus. (AFP)
- The French ambassador left Belarus. France's ambassador to Belarus, Nicolas de Lacoste, has left the country and the official reasons will be presented today. (Tass)
- China surprises the United States with a hypersonic missile test. China tested a nuclear-powered hypersonic missile in August, demonstrating a capability that took the US secret services by surprise. The report shows that the Chinese military launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glider that flew through orbital space, circling the globe before heading for its target. (Aleph News)
- Russia is participating in three military drills in Tajikistan. Three major military drills are taking place from October 18 to 23rd, in the Harbmaidon and Momirak ranges in Khatlon province, near the border with Afghanistan. The maneuvers are attended by over 4,000 soldiers, with 800 combat equipment, from CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) member countries. (asiaplustj.com)
- American missionaries abducted in Haiti. 17 American Christian missionaries have been abducted in Haiti, local authorities said Sunday. They wanted to visit an orphanage. The FBI and the State Department are working to release them. (AP)
Romania's defense and security
- The Pentagon chief is visiting Georgia, Ukraine and Romania. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III travels to Europe to assure allies and partners of America's commitment to their sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression. Austin will visit Georgia, Ukraine and Romania before attending a NATO defense ministerial meeting in Brussels on Thursday. (Aleph News)
- The Foreign Minister attends the EU meeting. The interim Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, participates, on Monday, at the meeting of the heads of diplomacies from the EU member states, which takes place in Luxembourg. The EU's relations with the Gulf countries, recent developments in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Tunisia, the Western Balkans, as well as climate diplomacy, the Cyprus dossier, the situation in Belarus and Mali will be analyzed. (Agerpres)
- Prolonged political crisis: Prime Minister-designate Dacian Ciolos is expected to submit the government program and cabinet list to parliament on Monday, after the USR National Bureau and later the party's political committee approved the list of ministers nominated by Dacian Ciolos on Sunday and the governing program. (Aleph News)
