Romania’s diesel relief: Romania cut the excise tax on standard diesel again for Sept 1–15, a second consecutive reduction after the Aug 16–31 cut, aiming to push pump prices below 10 lei per liter. EU funding deadline pressure: Romania is racing to finalize National Recovery and Resilience Plan projects on the last day, with a new 47-km A7 motorway stretch Bucharest–Bacău set to open Aug 31 and unlock a €1.5bn non-repayable tranche. Politics and government talks: President Nicușor Dan will hold fresh talks on Sept 1 to name the next prime minister, saying a stable parliamentary majority should be possible this time. Black Sea and drought impacts: Extreme summer drought is hitting the Danube and regional ecosystems, with fish losses reported across multiple countries including Romania. Regional security backdrop: Russia’s “gray zone” pressure on Europe is escalating, with officials linking more incidents across the continent, including Romania and Poland, to sabotage and cyber activity. Business and travel: Bucharest remains comparatively affordable for new construction in the EU, while Wizz Air is expanding in Romania with new routes from Oradea.