POLITICS – The Social Democrat Victor Ponta, Prime Minister of Romania, is launching his presidendial candidacy this afternoon. The event takes place on the National Arena in Bucharest, and will be attended by some 70 thousand members and supporters of the ruling alliance, which includes the Social Democratic Party, the Conservatives and the National Union for the Progress of Romania. In his recent speeches, Victor Ponta, 42, said he wanted the 25-year long transition from dictatorship to democracy to be completed and Romania to become a truly respected member of the EU. Also today, the Liberal leader Klaus Iohannis, the presidential candidate of the Christian Liberal Alliance, submits his candidacy to the Central Electoral Bureau. Iohannis is PM Victor Ponta\u2019s main challenger. The election campaign starts on October the 3rd, with the first election round scheduled for November the 2nd and the runoff for November the 16th. <\/p>\n
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CELEBRATIONS – Today Bucharest celebrates 555 years since it was first mentioned in an official document, issued by Wallachian ruler Vlad the Impaler in 1459. On this occasion, Romania\u2019s capital city hosts open-air concerts, parties, theatre shows, parades, fairs and exhibitions. Bucharest has been the capital of Romania since 1862.<\/p>\n
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FESTIVAL – Finland\u2019s Radio Symphonic Orchestra performs for the first time in Romania, on the opening night of the 2nd RadiRo Festival of Radio Orchestras, organised by Radio Romania and scheduled to end on September the 27th. This is the only European music event to bring together radio symphonic orchestras from around the continent. Apart from the Finnish orchestra, taking part in the Festival are celebrated orchestras, soloists and conductors from the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Romania. The programme will focus on the works of German composer Richard Strauss, whose 150th anniversary is celebrated this year.<\/p>\n
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UKCRAINE – A third Russian humanitarian convoy has reached Donetsk, in Ukraine\u2019s rebel-controlled east, a Moscow official has announced today. Russia previously sent two convoys in the Luhansk area, without the agreement of Kiev or the Red Cross. Hundreds of thousand civilians in eastern Ukraine are struggling with severe shortages of basic foodstuffs, water and electricity, because of the clashes between the Ukrainian troops and the pro-Russian secessionists. Clashes are reported almost daily, in spite of a truce signed on September the 5th. Today in Minsk the parties have agreed to set up a 30-km buffer zone.<\/p>\n
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SPAIN – Catalonia\u2019s regional parliament last night passed a law authorising a referendum on the region\u2019s independence from Spain. Madrid will take the document to the Constitutional Court. According to the Catalan president the referendum would take place on November the 9th, and independence efforts would go on in spite of the outcome of Scotland\u2019s referendum on Thursday.<\/p>\n
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SPORTS – The Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu has won the WTA tournament in Guangzhou (China), with 500 thousand US dollars in total prize money. In today\u2019s final she defeated the French Alize Cornet, seeded 2nd, 6-4, 6-0. This is the best performance this year for 26-year old Monica Niculescu, no 60 WTA.<\/p>\n
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