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16. 03. 10. - 14:00

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16. 03. 10. - 14:00

Worlds smallest mans big rival broke his heart

Kathryn Quinn

The tiny teenager who was set to steal the crown of the world's smallest man before he died is to contact Guinness World Records bosses to take over the title.

Mongolian-born He Pingping - 29 inches tall - collapsed with chest pains on a visit to Rome on Saturday.

Now his 17-year-old rival Khagendra Thapa Magar in Nepal is set to be awarded the title within weeks, say his family.

At just 22 inches tall Khagendra is head and shoulders shorter than Pingping and was about to take the title from him before he died.

"It's a terrible tragedy. Maybe the strain of losing his title got to Pingping and his heart couldn't take the strain any more," said one member of the new champion's family.

Only weeks ago the two rivals met for a TV programme about short people.

Almost half of Romanians live in poverty
Almost half of the Romanians (8.89 millions) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to Eurostat data published today (Weds).

Police carry man off the snow and save his life
A man who had collapsed in freezing weather near a river, in Stoina, Gorj, southern Romania, was saved after policemen carried him for several kilometres.

New government with same eight former ministers proposed
The Romanian parliament will vote on the new government team, proposed by designated Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, tomorrow (Thurs).

Forty-one dead in freezing weather
Another three persons have died due to low temperatures in the last 24 hours, the Romanian Health Ministry said today (Weds).

EC report on Justice is positive, minister says
Romanian Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu currently acting prime minister until the new government is voted in by the parliament, said today (Weds) that the European Commission's interim report on progress in justice is, overall, "positive".

Pink Martini concerts in Bucharest
American orchestra Pink Martini will give a concert in Bucharest on 26 May at the Palace Hall, part of the promotional tour for their latest album "A Retrospective", local organisers Events said today (Weds).

Romania's industrial output up
Romania's industrial output increased by 15.6 per cent in 2011, the National Statistics Institute (INS) said today (Weds).

Father tried for abusing four-year-old girl
A Romanian father was sent to trial for abusing his stepdaughter, aged only 4, prosecutors said today (Weds).

Pitch in best condition for Steaua-Twente match, authorities say
The pitch for the Europa League match Steaua Bucuresti - Twente Enschede will be in optimal condition, the Bucharest town hall promises, after criticism of the National Arena turf.

More Romanian tourists travel to Austria
The number of Romanian tourists to Austria rose last year, after two years of a decline, Austria's National Tourism Office in Romania announced today (Weds).