Here are the main news in brief on Monday, October 7:

Romania brings home its citizens from Lebanon
* A new group of 69 people in vulnerable situations, Romanian citizens and first-degree family members, mostly women, children, medical cases, people in the area of maximum risk, were assisted on Monday, with a view to repatriation from the Republic of Lebanon, being transported to Romania on board an aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force, informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
* So far, as many as 212 Romanian citizens and their family members have been evacuated from Lebanon.

365 days since Hamas' attacks on Israel
* The State of Israel will do "whatever it takes" to bring home all the hostages in Gaza, ambassador Lior Ben Dor, said on Monday, while attending a ceremony in the courtyard of the Choral Temple in Bucharest to commemorate one year since the Hamas attacks against Israel. He was joined by Simona and Dor Steinbrecher, the mother and brother of Romanian Israeli hostage Doron Steinbrecher. The diplomat said the war his country is involved in will be "a long one".
* Senate chairman Nicolae Ciuca stated that Romania firmly supports the release of hostages and remains a trustful partner of Israel in the fight against terrorism. We must fight extremism, in any form, and isolate it, he underscored.
* The Romanian Government reiterates its firm condemnation of the Hamas attacks against the State of Israel, as well as its calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held captive in the enclave for 365 days.
* Deputy Silviu Vexler, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, recalled, in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, that a year had passed since the Hamas attacks against Israel, thanking the Romanian authorities for the gestures of solidarity and friendship that were shown without reservations.
* The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commemorates one year since the attacks by Hamas against Israel and calls for the immediate conclusion of a cease-fire agreement. In a press release sent to AGERPRES MAE says that this year, Romania has not stopped advocating for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages from the Gaza Strip, constantly reiterating the need to protect civilians even in crisis contexts.

Energy liberalisation could become a smart guys' market
* There is a very high risk that the liberalized market will turn into a market of smart suppliers, who will benefit indirectly from market liberalization, taking advantage of the lack of information at the consumer level, benefiting from the financial effects that such a market would bring, claims the president of the Intelligent Energy Association, Dumitru Chisalita.

Figures, up and down
* In 2023, 32% of Romanians were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, almost 80% of people with disabilities did not earn enough to afford a holiday, and 35% of workers were at the level of the guaranteed minimum wage, which still does not cover the minimum consumption cost for a decent living, the "Cartel Alfa" National Trade Union Confederation shows in a press release on the occasion of the World Day for Decent Work.
* Average monthly income stands at 8,210 RON/household, expenses accounting for 6,920 RON in Q2
* Turnover in wholesale trade up 8.1pct eight months into 2024

Diana Sosoaca's denial to run for Romania's Presidency by the Constitutional Court of Romania
* UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania) chairman Kelemen Hunor says on Diana Sosoaca's candidacy annulment: The electorate, not institutions should decide
* Constitutional Court's main role is to defend candidates and their right to be elected, says social-democrat prime minister Marcel Ciolacu
* Independent candidate Mircea Geoana: Constitutional Court decision to eliminate a candidate from the presidential race has anti-democratic effects

Cristina Neagu, all-time top scorer in history of women's handball Champions League
Romania's former international women's handball player Cristina Neagu on Sunday became the all-time top scorer in the history of the Women's Handball Champions League after scoring 10 goals for CSM Bucharest, in a home match against the Danish team Nykobing Falster Handbold, which ended in 27-26. Neagu's overall tally of 1,155 goals is 10 more than Jovanka Radicevic of Montenegro, according to the European Handball Federation.AGERPRES(EN - editor: Maria Voican)