Latest news with #Bucharest
Reuters
a day ago
- Climate
- Reuters
Floods in Romania kill two, hundreds evacuated
BUCHAREST, July 28 (Reuters) - Severe overnight floods in eastern Romania killed two people and damaged thousands of homes, with hundreds of people evacuated and helicopters searching for stranded villagers, officials said on Monday. Some 25 villages across nine counties were affected by heavy rain and high winds, which tore off roofs and uprooted trees, blocking traffic on some national roads, the emergency response agency said. The worst hit were Neamt and Suceava counties in eastern Romania, where two rivers burst their banks, killing a 66-year-old man and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. All access roads to the village of Brosteni in Suceava county were blocked. The emergency response agency later said that there was a second victim of the floods, an 85-year-old woman, and that firefighters used an excavator to retrieve her body from the river bed. The Environment Ministry's water management agency said some rivers saw record high water levels. Repair works on collapsed bridges were underway, it said.
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Climate
- Free Malaysia Today
Floods in Romania kill 1, hundreds evacuated
Romania's environment ministry said some rivers saw record high water levels. (EPA Images pic) BUCHAREST : Severe overnight floods in eastern Romania killed one person and damaged thousands of homes, with hundreds of people evacuated and three helicopters searching for stranded villagers, officials said today. Some 25 villages across nine counties were affected by heavy rain and high winds, which tore off roofs and uprooted trees, blocking traffic on some national roads, the emergency response agency said. The worst hit were Neamt and Suceava counties in eastern Romania, where two rivers burst their banks, killing a 66-year-old man and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. All access roads to the village of Brosteni in Suceava county were blocked. The environment ministry's water management agency said some rivers saw record high water levels. Repair works on collapsed bridges were underway, it said.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Romanian deputy PM resigns after bribery case resurfaces
BUCHAREST, July 27 (Reuters) - Romanian deputy prime minister Dragos Anastasiu resigned on Sunday after an old corruption scandal in which he was involved as a witness resurfaced at a time when the one-month-old coalition government is trying to enforce cost-cutting reforms. Anastasiu had been tasked by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan with overseeing the reform of state-owned companies, part of broader efforts to reduce the largest budget deficit in the European Union and root out waste and inefficiency. Last week, an old corruption case revealed that one of Anastasiu's firms had been blackmailed by a tax authority inspector into paying bribes disguised as consultancy fees for eight years from 2009 or risk lengthy inspections. The company later denounced the inspector, who was convicted in 2023. Anastasiu and his business partner were never charged with a crime. Anastasiu said his company had paid all its taxes and the bribes were "for survival, not profit". "I encourage every entrepreneur to speak out and say under what conditions business has been done in Romania and no longer accept what we did while making mistakes," he told reporters on Sunday. The government, which will hike several taxes from August and is laying off staff and cutting bonuses, has already faced several street protests but has narrowly avoided a ratings downgrade from the lowest rung of investment grade. The European Union and NATO state has been rocked by political instability in the wake of a presidential election, which was cancelled in December and re-run in May, with market turmoil boosting borrowing costs and crashing the leu currency.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Romania's coastal city and popular Black Sea resort of Mamaia sees a sharp decline in tourists
According to the latest Eurostat data, only 26.6 per cent of Romanians could afford a one-week holiday last year, whether in the country or abroad. In Europe, only Bulgaria came close to this number, while other continental neighbours in western and northern Europe had vastly higher figures. On average, some 85 per cent of citizens of Sweden, Luxembourg and the Netherlands could afford a one-week annual holiday. This has translated to a sharp decline in tourism in Romania, like in the once bustling Black Sea Mamaia resort, which now looks like a skeleton of its former self, with hundreds of sunbeds lying vacant. Related 'You can see clearly, you don't have to be an expert to figure it out. You check how much you earned last year, the same day and how much you earned this year the same day, it's a decrease of about 30-35 per cent,' says Răzvan Chițan, a beach manager at a Mamaia hotel. Why are fewer people visiting Romania's Black Sea Mamaia resort? The decline in holidaymakers is a result of multiple factors, from the war in Ukraine to economic concerns. One main reason, however, is Bucharest's decision to slash the value of the popular holiday voucher scheme, to the tune of 50 per cent. These vouchers can be used to pay for hotel accommodation, food and drink and entertainment events within participating venues inside Romania, and aim to beef up local tourism, as well as attract foreign travellers. Travel agents say that in May of 2024, roughly €95 million worth of holiday vouchers were sold, but this year, only €9 million worth were sold. Hoteliers in the area say the decline has been severe, placing a serious strain on their businesses. 'Bookings are made for no more than two, three days, because tourists are fewer,' said Felicia Simion, a hotelier in Mamaia. 'In our unit, a room with breakfast is 350-400 Leu (€69-79) in July, with breakfast and sunbeds included. And the all-inclusive package varies from 700-850 Leu (€138-168) per night, all inclusive, sunbeds, drinks all day,' said Sebastian Puznava, also a hotelier. Prices have skyrocketed The decline in tourists mostly affects two and three-star hotels, where a majority of stays are paid for using the holiday vouchers. But tourists also say that prices have skyrocketed as of late, also contributing to the downturn in bookings. Related 'Very expensive, so very expensive compared to previous years,' said Cătălin Ciobanu. 'Absolutely everything [increased in price], from a water bottle to the famous beer pint.' 'I haven't calculated, let's say around 800-1,000 Leu (€158-197) maximum,' said Virgil Nohai, a tourist. Last month, most bookings in seaside resorts were made for the weekends, whereas in previous years, people often stayed for a week or more. Most tourists this year have also chosen last-minute offers to maximise on savings and value.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Nikki Bedi presents her final Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4
Nikki Bedi has presented her final episode of Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4. Guests on her last programme included TV writer, author, comedian, and former doctor Adam Kay; Kevin Rowland - front man of Dexy's Midnight Runners, and Anna Whitwam who found an outlet for grief in boxing. Adrian Chiles will begin presenting Saturday Live for the next series when it returns on 6 September and will be the sole host. He remains presenting on BBC Radio 5 Live. Nikki will continue to host The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service and The Arts Hour On Tour, a show which travels to different cities in the world bringing that country's biggest and brightest creatives in their fields, together, for a spirited debate before a live audience. Previous episodes have recorded in Bangkok, Bucharest and St Louis in the USA. She has also hosted a range of cultural programmes across BBC News including Discovering the World's Culture and Encounter Culture. Nikki Bedi says: 'I have loved presenting Saturday Live for the past 5 years. Thank you for having me in your ears. It's been both a joy and a privilege to hear and be a conduit for so many extraordinary guests' stories. Thank you to the wonderful Cardiff team who work so hard every week to put the show together. I look forward to new adventures on Radio 4.' Adrian Chiles says: 'I've always enjoyed Saturday Live, both as a listener and occasional guest. And it was great to co-present alongside Nikki earlier this year. I know what a great relationship she's had with the Saturday Live audience, and I hope to bring the same warmth, interest and sense of fun to Saturday mornings on Radio 4.' Mohit Bakaya, BBC Director of Speech and Controller of Radio 4 says: 'I want to thank Nikki for her excellent stewardship of Saturday Live over the past five years, with its eclectic mix of insightful and lively conversations each week. I'm delighted to welcome Adrian to Radio 4 and look forward to his distinctive blend of curiosity, humour and intelligence on Saturday mornings from September." Saturday Live moved to Wales two years ago as part of the BBC's Across the UK commitment to broadcasting more content outside of London. Adrian will continue to present the programme from Cardiff. PS Follow For More
