Nine O'Clock

Double budget for Bucharest if district mayor’s offices scrapped

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: politics

Bucharest’s budget may double if district mayor’s offices are dissolved, under a draft law on the capital’s administrative reorganisation promoted by the Interior Ministry, daily ‘Romania libera’ reported. “The City Hall budget is currently EUR 1.3 bln but the budgets of all six districts reach a total of EUR 1.7 bln. The new Bucharest would mean a total budget of EUR 3 bln,” said Save Bucharest Association’s programme director Nicusor Dan. District 6 Mayor Cristian Poteras also claims that by administrative centralisation, the capital’s budget would amount to 35...

PACE head says Romania anti-graft efforts insufficient

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: politics

At a press conference held in Bucharest, on Wednesday, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Mevlut Cavusoglu, stated that Romania’s efforts in the area of judicial reform and fight against corruption are insufficient. Cavusoglu added that PACE demands Romanian authorities continue such efforts. The PACE president wanted to encourage Romanian authorities to step up anti-graft efforts and, in particular, to reform wealth watchdog National Integrity Agency as soon as possible. He urged that judicial reforms be continued and...

Sydney general consul, recalled

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: politics

The Romanian general consul in Sydney, Marius Dragolea, has been recalled from post under a government decision published in the Official Journal on Tuesday, Agerpres reports. The decision adopted on Monday stipulates that Dragolea would conclude his mission in the Australian city within 90 days. Dragolea had been heading the General Consulate of Romania since March 2006, when he replaced Ovidiu Grecea in that...

worldnews

Israel hints Jerusalem compromise in peace talks

01.09.10 | by: Reuters | in: worldnews

WASHINGTON - Israel’s defence minister said on Wednesday the Jewish state would be willing to hand over parts of Jerusalem in peace talks with the Palestinians to be launched by U.S. President Barack Obama. A flare-up of violence in the Palestinian West Bank and a deadlock over Jewish settlements there loom as potential deal-breakers for Obama, who will host Israeli and Palestinian leaders for dinner at the White House in Washington.

Obama brought Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together for face-to-face...

Dozens detained at anti-Kremlin rallies

01.09.10 | by: Reuters | in: worldnews

MOSCOW - Russian police detained more than 100 people including prominent opponents of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at anti-Kremlin protests on Tuesday, after Putin said demonstrators without permits could expect harsh treatment. In Moscow, police detained opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and dozens of other protesters who defied authorities by gathering on a central square declared off-limits last week, shouting “Shame!” and “Russia without Putin!”

Police dragged protesters through the crowd on Triumph Square and shoved them into buses, carrying...

NEWS IN BRIEF

01.09.10 | by: Reuters | in: worldnews

Sweden reopens WikiLeaks founder rape investigation

Sweden’s chief prosecutor said on Wednesday she was reopening a preliminary investigation into rape charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that a lower official had withdrawn two weeks ago. Neither Assange, who has denied the charges, nor his lawyer could be immediately reached for comment. WikiLeaks published more than 70,000 secret military files on Afghanistan in July in what U.S. officials have called one of the biggest security breaches in U.S. military history. Assange has said he...

business

GfK: Fast-moving consumer goods consumption down 4 pc

01.09.10 | by: Karina Lerintiu | in: business

The home consumption of fast-moving consumer goods in H1 dropped by 4 per cent in national currency from a year earlier, being the first decrease recorded in the last ten years, with personal care products and home cleaning goods being the most affected, a GfK press release issued yesterday states. Among the categories with the steepest volume falls the ones that stand out are deodorants (-21 per cent), universal cleaning products (-19 per cent), chocolate tablets (-18 per cent), the decrease being primarily due to the fact that they were purchased by fewer...

Economists: New agreement with IMF, unavoidable

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: business

Financial analysts claim that renewing the agreement with international financiers is a must. Most consider this is the advisable strategy, ‘Adevarul’ reports. The idea of a new agreement for a loan is already being accredited in the public sphere. Some economists argue this is not the best approach. “The present agreement is still in progress, yet, at Cabinet level, the idea of a new agreement is already explored. Or, the focus should be on restructuring expenses, otherwise, the effect on investors may be the exact opposite,” investment consultant Doru...

Gov’t amends intellectual property ordinance

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: business

Government will amend ordinance 58/2010 on the payment of social contributions corresponding to intellectual property activities. The amendments shall first receive the nod from the Economic and Social Council, Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely told Agerpres yesterday. He made the point it was Fin Min Sebastian Vladescu who came up with the changes, first read at Wednesday’s government session. Minister Borbely made the point the changes refer to the employer, and not the employee, going to submit the social contribution statements on intellectual property and...

New Parliament session starts amid no-confidence, reshuffle tension

sports

U.S. Open: Nadal eases through after Djokovic struggles

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: sports

NEW YORK - Rafa Nadal made a smooth start to his bid to capture the one grand slam that has eluded him when he wore down Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili 7-6 7-6 6-3 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday.

Dressed menacingly in an all black outfit, Nadal had to dig deep to see off the stubborn Gabashvili after three hours of intense shotmaking from both men at Arthur Ashe...

Chaos at FC Vaslui and Unirea Urziceni

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: sports

All but two of FC Vaslui’s players boycotted the team’s morning training session on Wednesday, under the pretext that club owner Adrian Porumboiu gave them several days of holiday. Porumboiu is displeased with head coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro’s performance, the team being 14th in the standings with only 5 points in 6 games, but hesitates sacking him. FC Vaslui finished last season on a...

FIBA WC: Brazil fall just short against USA

31.08.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: sports

ANKARA – Leandro Barbosa’s potential game-tying lay-up caught the rim but didn’t go down as the USA survived to beat Brazil 70-68 in a memorable game at Abdi Ipekci Arena on Monday, fiba.com informs.

Marcelo Huertas was fouled in the final seconds, but his first free-throw was short. He missed the second one intentionally and chased the ball down before passing to Barbosa under the...

culture

International cast production for Silviu Purcarete’s new show

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: culture

The National Theatre Festival (FNT) will present, in its 20th edition, the latest play directed by Silviu Purcarete – Le Roi se meurt (Exit the King), by Eugene Ionesco, an international production. The show premieres on September 15, within the Ex Ponto Festival in Slovenia, and will be presented, then, within the FNT, before touring to France, Italy, Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia. This new...

Herbie Hancock performance on October 29

01.09.10 | by: Mara Anghelescu | in: culture

The legendary Jazz musician is for the first time in Romania.

The Palace Hall will sound of the best in jazz sounds this fall, as on October 29 as of 8 pm, a unique and first-time concert featuring Herbie Hancock will delight quality music fans.

Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while still maintaining his unique, unmistakable voice. The musician’s success at...

Anim’est Festival jury comprises leading animation personalities

31.08.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: culture

Films selected in the Balkanimation feature film, international shorts, students’ films, Romanian films and Balkan film competitions will be analysed by two juries made up of resonant names in European cinema, invited to Bucharest to vote the winners of the fifth edition of Anim’est – the Romanian Animation Film Festival.

According to a release quoted by Agerpres, those who will vote the...

homenews

NEWS IN BRIEF

01.09.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: homenews

Turkish ship sinks near Constanta

A Turkish flag ship loaded with scrap iron sank near the Port of Constanta yesterday, Mediafax reports. Wednesday morning at about 4:30, the ship started to lurch. Two other vessels were sent to the area to rescue the ship, but failed. The 17 sailors onboard were rescued. No one knows for sure what caused the distress, but two options are being...

France defends Roma crackdown, points finger at Bucharest

01.09.10 | by: Mihai Barbu | in: homenews

Secretary of State Bogdan Aurescu says Romania will not tolerate discrimination against its own citizens, EC calls for Roma integration in both native country and where they choose to settle.

During talks with European Commissioners Viviane Reding (Justice and Fundamental Rights) and Cecilia Malmstrom (Internal Affairs) in Brussels on Tuesday, French ministers defended their controversial crackdown on the Roma minority, insisting that repatriations fully comply with European law.

France has been facing mounting criticism for its decision to demolish illegal nomad camps and...

Romanian researchers find type of cells which may cure infarction

31.08.10 | by: Nine oClock | in: homenews

Romanian researchers discovered a type of cells which, together with stem cells, may encourage the regeneration of the heart muscle, after an infarction, Mediafax reports. Specialists at the Victor Babes Institute found serendipitously, while studying cells in the intestine, tiny cells which contribute to organ regeneration.

According to Laurentiu Popescu, the head of the Academy of...