Romania

A powerful explosion at a residential building rocked the Rahova neighborhood in southern Bucharest, leaving 3 dead and at least 17 injured; the building is now at risk of total collapse, according to the authorities

In mountain towns bear encounters and attacks are increasing; officials argue on how to manage the rising bear population, and conservationists question whether easier shooting would solve the problem; around 4.000 bears are estimated to live in Romania

New austerity measures deemed as 'necessary' for a fiscal reform and designed to lower Romania 7,5 billion euro public deficit target civil servants, magistrates, corporates, businesses, bureaucracy and corruption

National Cyber Security Directorate has issued a warning about a new online scam that fraudulently uses the image of president Nicușor Dan in so-called “quick investment” schemes

Via Transilvanica, the long-distance trail that crosses Romania, will apply to be the first accredited long-distance route in the country after government issued the methodological norms regulating the hiking trails of national interest

The Black Sea 200 Regatta 2025, Romania’s first non-stop offshore regatta with a 200 nautical mile route, will start tomorrow with expected end before 27 July; at its first edition, the event brings together more than 10 boats from Romania and Bulgaria

VAT has been risen from 19 to 21% on most goods (11% on food, medicines, books, public utilities, district heating, water and sewage services), excise duties on fuel and alcohol brought up 10%, public-sector wage freezed to curb a surging budget deficit

Danube Delta came alive yesterday with the 5th edition of the women’s perch fishing competition in Mira 23; the contest is inspired by the local tradition of Mira 23 where, as the fishing ban ends, the women of the village head out to catch perch

Romgaz has opened court proceedings to dissolve Greenpeace Romania for insolvency after it attempted to block work on the Neptun Deep gas project; it is an unprecedented legal attempt by a Romanian state entity to shut down an environmental organisation

With a 65% turnout, the highest since 1996, Romania elected a centrist president, the moderate mayor of Bucharest Nicușor Dan, in a major surprise after an intense campaign in which voters looked likely to propel another hard-right populist

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu resigned as the candidate backed by his ruling coalition performed poorly in the first round of Romania’s presidential elections and a far-right candidate came out on top

After bringing bisons and beavers back to Făgăraş Mountains, Conservation Carpathia, working since 2009 to establish a world-class nature reserve in Romania's Carpathians, is working to reintroduce vultures, benefitting the ecosystem and local communities