Romania's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped in the first half of 2010 by 2.4 percent, compared with the first half of 2009, but registered a 0.3 percent increase in the second quarter of 2010 on this year's first quarter, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Household consumption of consumer goods dropped by 4 percent in Romanian currency in the first six months of the year, compared to the same period of last year, which is the first decline in the last ten years, found a study by GfK Romania. “This is the first decline in the last ten years, during which the year-on-year growth rates varied between 7 and 25 percent. In a less friendly economic and political context, consumers paid fewer visits to stores, supermarket being among most affected,” said Raluca Raschip, consumer tracking director with GfK Romania.

Romanian telecoms regulator ANCOM (The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications of Romania) has stopped the tender to award the country’s first two digital TV operation licenses, the state body has announced.

Elisabeta Lipa is a famous Romanian rower that has a pile of sport records. In her rowing career she competed in six Olympics and she won at least one medal in each of them. She holds the rowing record for most Olympic medals won (eight, five of them gold) and at the Sydney Summer Olympics she became the oldest oarswoman to win a gold medal.

Several concerts will keep you busy this autumn and long into winter. Big names like Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N'Roses, Cesaria Evora, among others, will come to Bucharest by the end of the year. Take your pick, as there's plenty of choice!

Romanian media

Head of euro zone, Trichet, to attend Romanian central Bank's 130th anniversary on Sunday – in Ziarul...

The Manchester City soccer team, which has recently played in Romania against FC Timisoara, has met several children, former patients of the Louis Turcanu hospital in Timisoara, who were treated for leukemia.

Several workers' unions in Romania representing state employees will organize a strike on October 7 to protest against the new salary law project. State employees could start an unlimited general strike after September 15 and workers' unions expect a broader participation than in previous such events, as more austerity measures have impacted workers in the meantime.

Gianfranco Bisagni is the new vice-president of the corporate investment banking & private banking division with UniCredit Tiriac Bank. Bisagni, who started with the new position in UniCredit Tiriac Bank at the beginning of April, was previously Chief Manager UniCredit Hong Kong Branch & Head of Corporate Banking Asia Pacific.

Across the street from the Continental Hotel you will find the large facade of the Novotel hotel building. The hotel's facade resembles the building which used to be there – the National Theater, that was damaged in the 1944 bombing and was demolished at the beginning of the 'democratic popular' regime.

Romania's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped in the first half of 2010 by 2.4 percent, compared with the first half of 2009, but registered a 0.3 percent increase in the second quarter of 2010 on this year's first quarter, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Household consumption of consumer goods dropped by 4 percent in Romanian currency in the first six months of the year, compared to the same period of last year, which is the first decline in the last ten years, found a study by GfK Romania. “This is the first decline in the last ten years, during which the year-on-year growth rates varied between 7 and 25 percent. In a less friendly economic and political context, consumers paid fewer visits to stores, supermarket being among most affected,” said Raluca Raschip, consumer tracking director with GfK Romania.

Romanian telecoms regulator ANCOM (The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications of Romania) has stopped the tender to award the country’s first two digital TV operation licenses, the state body has announced.

Elisabeta Lipa is a famous Romanian rower that has a pile of sport records. In her rowing career she competed in six Olympics and she won at least one medal in each of them. She holds the rowing record for most Olympic medals won (eight, five of them gold) and at the Sydney Summer Olympics she became the oldest oarswoman to win a gold medal.

Several concerts will keep you busy this autumn and long into winter. Big names like Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N'Roses, Cesaria Evora, among others, will come to Bucharest by the end of the year. Take your pick, as there's plenty of choice!

Romanian media

Head of euro zone, Trichet, to attend Romanian central Bank's 130th anniversary on Sunday – in Ziarul...

The Manchester City soccer team, which has recently played in Romania against FC Timisoara, has met several children, former patients of the Louis Turcanu hospital in Timisoara, who were treated for leukemia.

Several workers' unions in Romania representing state employees will organize a strike on October 7 to protest against the new salary law project. State employees could start an unlimited general strike after September 15 and workers' unions expect a broader participation than in previous such events, as more austerity measures have impacted workers in the meantime.

Gianfranco Bisagni is the new vice-president of the corporate investment banking & private banking division with UniCredit Tiriac Bank. Bisagni, who started with the new position in UniCredit Tiriac Bank at the beginning of April, was previously Chief Manager UniCredit Hong Kong Branch & Head of Corporate Banking Asia Pacific.

Across the street from the Continental Hotel you will find the large facade of the Novotel hotel building. The hotel's facade resembles the building which used to be there – the National Theater, that was damaged in the 1944 bombing and was demolished at the beginning of the 'democratic popular' regime.