Following its suspension from the trading of carbon emission certificates, Romania has lost ‘1.2 bln ( EUR – our note) at current prices, having certificates worth some 3 bln (EUR – our note) at 2008 prices’, Romanian President Traian Basescu stated during a visit to Rosia Montana yesterday. read more...

The President stated yesterday during a visit at Rosia Montana that the Rosia Montana mining project has been buried since 1997 because of the politicians’ cowardice. “The cowardice of politicians that wanted no headaches is one of the serious reasons why this project has laid buried since 1997. Had the project started in 1997 the hike in the price of gold would have found us in the midst of carrying it out. The politician has to take the right decision eventually,” the President stated, being quoted by Mediafax. read more...

A number of 62,348 candidates yesterday took the first written test of the second session of the baccalaureate examination this year. The test subjects were sent under proper security measures to all the examination centres nationwide, and the test started at 9.00 am as scheduled. No fewer than 164 candidates were eliminated from the examination for fraud or attempt to fraud, HotNews.ro quoted Education Ministry sources as saying. Fifteen candidates were expelled from the examination in Bucharest alone, according to centralized data by 11.30 am from the School Inspectorate. They were kicked out of the test for fraud or use of electronic devices, according to Bucharest General School Inspector Cristian Alexandrescu. read more...

Japan’s governing Democratic Party (DPJ) has chosen Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda as its leader, lining him up to become the country’s sixth prime minister in five years, according to the BBC. read more...

Under-Secretary of State and Vice-President of the National Agency for the Restitution of Property (ANPR) Remus Baciu is charged with taking over EUR 300,000 bribe to expedite the processing of certain claims. read more...

Greece’s second and third-largest lenders, Eurobank and Alpha Bank, are to merge as banks in the recession-hit eurozone member come under pressure to consolidate. Under the terms of the agreement, Alpha Bank shareholders will hold 57.5 per cent of the merged lender and Eurobank shareholders 42.5 per cent, english.rfi.fr reports. read more...