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American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum was in Bucharest on Wednesday to launch the Romanian editions of two books and to offer thoughts on democracy, authoritarianism and the current existential world crisis. The Pulitzer prize winner has written about the history of communism and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe since the collapse of communism. Her...

Romania will allow 'defensive' US refueling and monitoring for Iran operations at its air bases, following a Parliament vote on Wednesday. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan asked the Parliament to approve a proposal made by the country's top defense body, arguing that the decision is "in the interest of the country" and "for the safety of Romanians". The decision was finally approved...

President Nicușor Dan reassured Romanians ‘they have no reason to worry’ US tankers or refueling aircraft, US military, and military equipment are to be deployed in Romania to back the US-Israel  war against Iran, the president said Wednesday. Speaking after a meeting of the country’s top defense council,  Dan said:  “We are talking about refueling aircraft, as has already been...

We had the pleasure of hosting the Rethink Romania conference, dedicated to current economic issues and development directions for Romania  at the National Bank of Romania, In the opening message, I showed that the worsening security situation in the Middle East and the increase in oil prices indicate a risk of contagion for the European Union economies as well....

In the United Kingdom, dozens of hereditary peers are set to leave the House of Lords after Parliament approved legislation ending a centuries-old constitutional arrangement.  These are the final remnants of an aristocratic system that once dominated Britain’s upper chamber. Most hereditary peers (over 600) were removed in 1999 under Tony Blair’s Labour government, but a temporary compromise preserved a...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit European ally Romania on Thursday as Russia’s invasion enters its fifth year. Romania is a staunch ally of Ukraine with which it shares a 640-kilometer border. It is Zelensky’s second visit to Romania since October 2023, when he was received at the presidential Cotroceni Palace by then President Klaus Iohannis. Zelensky will meet President Nicusor...

The new Dacia Striker has been unveiled. Sort of. The new model will be a C-segment wagon that straddles the worlds of the humble estate car, hatchback and SUV, Dacia says. It’ll come with a few different drivetrains, like a hybrid version, a hybrid version with four-wheel-drive, and one powered by LPG, Dacia says. Although it’s a type of car Dacia...

Attacking Iran's criminals is fair enough, but with the credibility-free Trump and Netanyahu in charge, it's also a gift to conspiracists. Here's how to end it reasonably. Decades ago I met a nice young woman in Romania who did not believe she was an antisemite. But she did believe that the Jews control the world through shadowy methods outlined in...

Romania's special defense council is to discuss letting US planes and military use a Black Sea NATO base potentially for strikes on Iran, which is less than 2,000 kilometers away. President Nicusor Dan has called a meeting of the Supreme Council (CSAT) Wednesday morning to discuss “the temporary deployment of military capabilities on the territory of Romania", which is a...

Uncertainty about the outcome of the Iran conflict is influencing the energy markets. Brent Oil futures prices reached around 120 USD per barrel, then corrected heavily. The situation is volatile, the Hormuz Strait access is restricted and investors are wondering how this whole situation will impact financial markets and global economies. And inflation is starting to regain its place...