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RACE The Bucharest International Marathon is currently taking place in the Romanian capital this weekend, a competition that has been staged for the past 11 years in order to promote in Bucharest a healthy and active lifestyle. The classical marathon race of 42 kilometers will be followed by the half-marathon and relay-race this Sunday while Saturday saw the races dedicated to children and teenagers. The 2018 edition of this race has brought together about 19 thousand participants from over 70 countries.
DRILL Romania is today seeing the largest earthquake drill and simulation in the EU in the past two decades. As part of this exercise the authorities have set up two camps for 'victims' in Afumati and Voluntari, two villages close to Bucharest, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations has announced. On Saturday night, also as part of this drill, the Romanian president 'declared' the state of emergency. During the exercise, which is due to unfold until October 18th, response capabilities are to be tested in various simulated situations during night and day. The exercise is also to involve the participation of international structures. According to Rayed Arafat, the head of the Department for Emergency Situation, the exercise will gain an international dimension as an Israeli mobile hospital with its medical personnel has already arrived in Romania, as well as ambulances, doctors and paramedics from Austria, Italy and Hungary. Various rescue operations are to be simulated as well as the involvement of international structures in distributing humanitarian aid to those affected. Observers from the EU and the United States, as well as journalists from abroad are also attending the drill entitled SEISM 2018. According to the National Institute for Earth Physics, Romania has 6 major seismic zones, the most important being in Vrancea in the country's south. In the past two centuries Romania has seen 7 major earthquakes, over 7 degrees on the Richter scale, the most devastating being those in 1940 and 1977, which killed 25 hundred people and wounded over 15 thousand. The 1977 earthquake destroyed about 35 thousand buildings. Bucharest still has over 4 thousand buildings, which cannot withstand a major earthquake.
VISIT As of today, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis is paying a four-day formal visit to Rome, the first by a Romanian high official in the past 45 years. On the visit's first day, Iohannis will be seeing representatives of the Orthodox, Greek and Roman-Catholic churches at the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Archbishopric of Italy. Iohannis will also participate in a symbolic event, the projection of Romania's flag colours on Trajan's Column in Rome. On Monday, the Romanian official is to hold talks with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and with presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati and Roberto Fico. The Romanian president's agenda also includes talks with representatives of the Romanian community in Italy, the largest Romanian community abroad, which at present stays at 1.5 million people, as well as participation in a Romania-Italy business forum. Iohannis' visit to Italy comes at a time when Romania celebrates 100 years since the union of its principalities and 10 years since the two countries signed their Strategic Consolidated Partnership.
FOOTBALL Romania's national eleven today takes on the Serbian selection in a match counting towards Group 4 of the newly-created Nations league. Last month in Belgrade, the two sides ended their match in a draw, two-all. Serbia tops the group standings with seven points, followed by Romania with 5, Montenegro with 4 and Lithuania with no point. In another development, on Friday night, Romania's under-21 side secured a two-nil home win against Wales in the preliminaries of the European Championships next year. Romania's under-21 football team tops the group standings and needs a draw in their next game to qualify after 20 years for a final Under-21 final tournament.
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