EU adds new sanctions against Russia with Greek LNG shipping carve-out - UPI.com
A gravity platform for the production of liquefied gas at the center for the construction of large-tonnage offshore structures of Novatek-Murmansk company stands in the village of Belokamenka in the Murmansk region, Russia, in 2023. The European Union passed new sanctions against Russia Thursday bu»»»
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Is Kazakhstan quietly ditching Russia?
China’s continuously growing leverage over Russia is not in question and reports in recent days have continued to stress the point. For instance, Beijing has apparently flexed a muscle by declining to provide marine propulsion systems needed for Russia's planned expansion of the Northern Sea Route,»»»
Parliament Approves Bills Amid Opposition Protests
Albania's Parliament descended into chaos on Thursday as opposition Democratic Party (PD) lawmakers disrupted the plenary session by blocking the speaker's podium and creating loud disturbances in protest. Opposition lawmakers stood in front of the podium, preventing normal proceedings while bangin»»»
Sweden’s far right party says it won the arguments. Now it wants a share of power
STOCKHOLM: After championing huge policy shifts in Sweden by propping up a minority center-right government for four years, the far-right Sweden Democrats say they have won the political arguments and now deserve a share of power for themselves. But it is a demand that could prove a step too far fo»»»
Babis: Serbia has Czech support for Schengen, EU membership, EXPO 2027 major event
BELGRADE - Serbia has Czechia's support for membership in EU and the Schengen area, Czech PM Andrej Babis said in Belgrade on Thursday, noting that Serbia had an important role in European stability, especially in a time when there is "talk of war, not peace." Speaking to reporters after a meeting »»»
Radev, Zaharieva Discussed Bulgaria's Role in Europe's Reindustrialization
Bulgaria is seeking to strengthen its role in Europe's reindustrialization while building a more innovative, high value-added economy, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said during a meeting with European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva. During the talks, Radev reaf»»»
EU fines Google €890mn over search self-preferencing, Play Store rules
The European Commission has fined Google €890mn for breaching the Digital Markets Act, finding that the company favoured its own services in search results and blocked developers from steering users to cheaper offers. The commission issued two separate penalties on July 23, of €460mn and €430»»»
Google hit with ‘bare minimum’ EU fine for steering users to their services
The European Commission’s latest belated attempt of regulating Big Tech came in the form of a €890m fine for breaches of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on Thursday (23 July), which commentators immediately deemed “the bare minimum.” “It’s taken the commission over two years to get to this stage of t»»»
PANNIER: Central Asia on cusp of ending quest for independence in electricity provision
Since the early post-Soviet days that followed the independence achieved in 1991, Central Asia’s five states have been working toward becoming self-sufficient in meeting their energy needs. However, after 35 years, it is only Turkmenistan, with its massive natural gas and significant oil reserves, »»»
Hungary crypto regulation enters new phase
Hungary crypto regulation has reached a turning point after the National Bank of Hungary granted its first domestic licence under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. CoinCash, once one of the country’s largest cryptocurrency brokers, can now prepare to restart services after mo»»»
US Benefits From Oil Supply Disruptions in Strait of Hormuz – Ex-UK Ambassador
MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The United States benefits from oil supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Craig Murray, a Scottish political activist and former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, told Sputnik. "The Americans are not unhappy with the disruption of oil supplies. They actual»»»
New retail park
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Logistics portfolio refinanced
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Jurajska retains excellence
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Regional offices recover
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UniCredit weighs mBank
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Investment accounts advance
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Industry orders surge
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Western expansion accelerates
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Greek billionaire dilutes largest EU anti-Russian sanctions package with an LNG exemption
The European Union is still trying to find ways to slow Russia’s war machine in Ukraine. But its member states are becoming increasingly less able to agree on how to do so. Nevertheless, after lengthy and chaotic talks on Wednesday (22 July), they managed to agree on the 21st sanctions package agai»»»
Ukraine Selectively Returning Prisoners of War - Russian Ombudswoman
MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Ukraine has been selective about whom to bring back from Russia during prisoner of war exchanges, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said on Thursday. "I think many people understand this, because often you hand over a list, and not everyone on it gets selected. I»»»
US-Iran conflict: Evening updates for UAE residents
Dubai: The conflict between the US and Iran has entered a more dangerous phase, with hostilities spreading across the Middle East and raising concerns over regional security, global energy supplies and international trade. Although the UAE has not been directly targeted, residents and businesses ar»»»
Bulgaria Faces High Cancer Risk with Limited Prevention Resources, Experts Warn
Bulgaria is among the countries where high exposure to cancer risk factors is combined with relatively limited resources for disease prevention and public health protection, Ivaylo Petrov, Chief Coordinator of the Bulgarian National Hub of the Mission on Cancer and a member of the Management Board »»»
Macut receives Babis
BELGRADE - EU membership remains Serbia's strategic commitment, Serbian PM Djuro Macut said at a meeting with Czech PM Andrej Babis in Belgrade on Thursday, expressing the expectation that Serbia's EU accession process would be based on merit. "Macut and Babis assessed that the relations between Se»»»
Deputy PM Poulev Says Issues Identified with Rheinmetall-VMZ-Sopot Ammunition Plant Project
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Alexander Poulev told a briefing at the Council of Ministers that a number of issues had been identified with the overall mechanism of the project for building a gunpowder and ammunition plant by Rheinmetall and VMZ-Sopot. Earli»»»
European Commission fines Google $1B for anti-competition practices - UPI.com
The European Commission fined Google $1 billion for anti-competitive practices. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 23 (UPI) -- The European Commission on Thursday fined Google more than $1 billion for violating the Digital Markets Act in its use of gate-keeping in its search engi»»»
Venice Biennale chief calls EU funding cut ‘political’
ROME: The Venice Biennale would undermine its autonomy and freedom of expression if it bowed to European Union pressure to shut Russia out of its events, the foundation’s chairman said on Thursday, criticizing the EU’s recent decision to cut funding. Earlier this week, the EU said it had decided t»»»
Fidesz on the brink of collapse as Orbán’s puppets fall, while Magyar makes his first major blunder (102 days since the election)
Ex-president Tamás Sulyok self-terminates by signing Fundamental Law. Péter Magyar has made his first serious mistake. Fidesz’s server infrastructure has been seized. The prosecutor general has resigned. Fidesz may have lost 900,000 voters since the elections. The Tisza government is moving full st»»»
Canada-EU: Closer trade ties to counter Trump?
BusinessCanadaCanada-EU: Closer trade ties to counter Trump?Matt PearsonGiven they share the world's longest land border, Canada and the US have historically enjoyed fruitful trade relations. But with Donald Trump escalating his tariff war, Canada is looking to the EU and further afield. https://p.»»»
UK maintained trade deal with Israel despite impact assessment
LONDON: The UK considered pausing its trade agreement with Israel last year but elected to continue the deal, Sky News reported on Thursday. The Department for Business and Trade undertook an impact assessment last August on suspending the 2019 UK-Israel Trade Partnership Agreement, a post-Brexit c»»»
EU slams ‘unacceptable’ Houthi Red Sea tanker attack
BRUSSELS: The European Union’s top diplomat demanded on Thursday that the Houthis “cease” attacks on ships in the Red Sea, after a Saudi vessel was hit by the Iran-backed militants. “The attack on an oil tanker in the Red Sea is unacceptable, illegal and further inflames an already volatile situati»»»
Babis: Serbia has Czech support for Schengen and EU membership, EXPO 2027 major event
BELGRADE - Serbia has Czechia's support for membership in EU and the Schengen area, Czech PM Andrej Babis said in Belgrade on Thursday, noting that Serbia had an important role in European stability, especially in a time when there is "talk of war, not peace." Speaking to reporters after a meeting »»»
President Iotova, EU Commissioner Zaharieva Discuss EU's Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034
President Iliana Iotova met with European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, the head of State's Press Secretariat said on Thursday. They discussed the European Union's (EU) Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034. Iotova highlighted the proposed new philo»»»
Vucic: Czechia increasingly important economic partner to Serbia
BELGRADE - Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Czech PM Andrej Babis in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday the friendship between Serbia and Czechia was on a high level and that it was reflected not only in bilateral political relations, but also in steadily improv»»»
Pleven Medical University Hosts Over 1,500 International Students
Pleven Medical University currently has 1,563 foreign students, with most of the studying in English and 38 of them studying in Bulgarian, the university press office told BTA. The university emphasized that it was the first medical school in Bulgaria to introduce English-language medical education»»»
Need a US visa urgently? America is trialling a $750 fast-track option
Dubai: The United States has officially launched the new pilot programme allowing some tourist and business visa applicants to pay an additional $750 for an earlier visa interview, on top of the initial fee of $185. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Announced by the US D»»»
EU to Freeze Russian Oil Price Cap for 1 Year – von der Leyen
MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The European Union is going to freeze the oil price cap adjustment mechanism, applied to Russian oil under the new package of sanctions, for one year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, EU ambassadors agreed on the 21st packa»»»
Sweden to ban 'forever chemicals' in clothing
Stockholm: Sweden said Thursday it plans to ban so-called "forever chemicals" in consumer products such as clothing and kitchenware as early as 2028, before expected European Union regulation comes into force. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS "have no place in clothing, cosmetics, cookwa»»»
Orbán Viktor at the White House: What we know
The prospect of Orbán Viktor at the White House has returned to the Hungarian political agenda after an American newspaper reported that the former prime minister visited both the White House and the US State Department during a recent trip to the United States. However, it remains unclear whether »»»
EU fines Google $1b over Google Search and Play Store competition
Brussels: The European Union on Thursday hit Google with a fine of 890 million euros ($1 billion) after it said the technology behemoth broke digital antitrust regulations by using Google Play and its ubiquitous search engine to corral consumers towards its own services and apps, to the detriment o»»»
EU fines Google €890 million over competition rules
PoliticsEuropeEU fines Google €890 million over competition rulesSaim Dušan Inayatullah with AP, AFP, dpa, ReutersThe European Commission said it found that Google had preferenced its search engine and app store in ways that unfairly harmed competition. https://p.dw.com/p/5HcuoThe EU has again fine»»»
PM Radev Confers with EU Innovation Commissioner Zaharieva, Outlines Bulgaria's Efforts to Secure Place in Europe's Reindustrialization
Bulgaria is working to secure its place in Europe's reindustrialisation and develop an innovative, high-value-added economy, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said during a meeting with European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, the Government Information Service said»»»
Forest Fires Set New Records Across Four Continents, Bulgaria Among Worst Hit in EU
Forest fires have set new records across four continents over the past two years, with the fire season starting earlier, affected areas expanding and economic and human losses increasing, the Branch Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry said. Official data from the European Commission's EFF»»»
Starovic: No EU consensus on opening Cluster 3 with Serbia by end-July
BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of European Integration Nemanja Starovic said on Wednesday evening there was no consensus among EU member states on opening Cluster 3 in Serbia's EU accession talks by end-July and that the issue could be back on the agenda of EU institutions in late August. "The informa»»»
Oxfam unveils $71 billion plan for reconstruction of Gaza - UPI.com
July 23 (UPI) -- A group of non-governmental organizations shared with world leaders a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza with an estimated cost of $71.4 billion, according to a report released Thursday. Oxfam, an international coalition of non-governmental organizations, said in its report that t»»»
Hungary prescription drug VAT abolished from September
Hungary will abolish VAT on prescription medicines from 1 September, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on Thursday. The Hungary prescription drug VAT decision is the latest element of a broader tax overhaul launched since the new government and parliament took office in May 2026. Prescription m»»»
War in Ukraine: EU agrees 21st round of sanctions on Russia
EU ambassadors on Thursday reached a political agreement on a new round of sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war, according to EU diplomats. The 21st sanctions package includes a 12-month freeze on the Russian oil price cap. EU ambassadors have reached a political a»»»
Natalia’s Kidnap Suspect Denies Abduction After Being CapturedOpinions
“I didn’t kidnap Natalia.” These were the first words of Asen Simeonov after he was detained nearly a month after disappearing with 11-year-old Natalia from her home. Simeonov, 40, was captured late Wednesday night in the Shumen village of Ovcharovo after a 24-day search operation. He was escorted »»»
Forest Fires Set New Records Across Four Continents, Bulgaria Among Most Affected EU Countries, Woodworking Chamber Says
Forest fires have set new records across four continents over the past two years, with the fire season starting earlier, affected areas expanding and economic and human losses increasing, the Branch Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry said. Official data from the European Commission's EFF»»»
Media Review: July 23
HEADLINES Thursday’s media coverage is dominated by Parliament’s authorization of the temporary deployment of up to eight US aerial refuelling aircraft and 250 military personnel at Bezmer Air Base. Trud reports on the vote, while Nova TV, bTV and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) examined the po»»»