US-Iran truce hangs in balance as war flares in Lebanon
The fragile two-week truce between Iran and the United States was hanging in the balance on Wednesday, with Tehran threatening to resume hostilities as Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon. Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and negotiations »»»
Dominant PSG leave Liverpool right up against it in Champions League tie
Paris, France: Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the goals to give a dominant Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, as the holders seized a clear advantage to take to Anfield for next week's return. Doue's shot in the»»»
Nearly 200 arrests in Turkey after attack on Israeli consulate
Turkish security forces arrested nearly 200 people in a nationwide sweep one day after a shootout outside Israel's consulate in Istanbul, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Wednesday. Gurlek posted on X that officers had arrested 198 suspects in a simultaneous operation in 34 provinces against "the »»»
To Overcome Statehood Crisis, Parliamentary Politics Must Follow Campaign Promises, Says Pavel Popov, Top-of-the-List Candidate of CC-DB for Varna 3rd Constituency
To overcome the statehood crisis, parliamentary politics must follow the commitments made during election campaigns, Pavel Popov, top-of-the-list candidate of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) for Varna’s 3rd multi-member constituency, said during a meeting with citizens and support»»»
Resilience in real time: Lessons from gold’s volatility
Gold is often described as a safe haven, but in practice it responds just as quickly as any risk asset when conditions shift unpredictably. Over the past 12 months, this has been particularly evident: after climbing from around $2,625 per ounce to a recent peak above $5,500 — a surge of more than 1»»»
Citizens Protest in Central Sofia Against Acting City Prosecutor Rusinova, Acting Prosecutor General Sarafov
Citizens gathered outside the Palace of Justice in Sofia on Tuesday to demand the launch of disciplinary proceedings against Emilia Rusinova and her dismissal as acting Sofia City Prosecutor. They also called for the resignation of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov. The protest was organiz»»»
Lick up, kick down: A psychiatrist’s view of how Orbán created a sick society
In Hungarian society, the rules of baseness have taken root: be ruthless, be selfish, lick upwards, kick downwards, despise the weak. We spoke with psychiatrist and writer Péter Hunčík about how society and political power have changed over the past 16 years of prime minister Viktor Orbán’s rule. F»»»
Djuric, UK's Pierce discuss advancement of regional cooperation
BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric met with the UK's special Western Balkans envoy Karen Pierce in Belgrade on Wednesday to discuss advancement of regional cooperation. "Minister Djuric expressed his appreciation for the importance the United Kingdom attaches to the Western Balkans and to Serbia, a»»»
US Citizen Wanted in Czechia for Arson and Terrorism Agrees to Voluntary Extradition Before Haskovo District Court
An American citizen, Nathan Daniel Limesand, wanted by the Czech authorities for terrorism and arson, has agreed to be extradited at a court hearing, the Haskovo District Court said on Wednesday. Limesand, 26, is being sought under a European Arrest Warrant issued by the District Court in the Czech»»»
UK PM arrives in Saudi Arabia, welcomes Iran war truce
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, on the first stop of a Gulf tour aimed at bolstering the ceasefire in the Middle East war, Downing Street said. Starmer — on his first visit to the region since the US-Israeli war against Iran started on February 28 — was expect»»»
Support for Vulnerable Groups Not Provided by Political Parties, Social Policy Minister Says
Caretaker Labour and Social Policy Minister Hasan Ademov said on Wednesday that political parties do not provide support for vulnerable groups through hot meals, personal assistants or European Solidarity Corps programmes. Ademov was speaking in the southern town of Haskovo following reports of all»»»
Alleged Scottish gang boss extradited from Bali to Amsterdam - UPI.com
Scottish national Steven Lyons is escorted by police officers at the Bali Police headquarters in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, on March 31. Indonesian immigration officials arrested him at Bali Airport on March 28, acting on an Interpol Red Notice following his arrival from Singapore. Lyons was extrad»»»
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Trump amid Iran tensions - UPI.com
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, seen here in 2025, is set to visit Washington to soothe tensions with the cornerstone of the defensive pact after amid threats by Trump to pull out. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was set to kick»»»
Macut receives Swiss ambassador to Belgrade
BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut received Swiss Ambassador to Belgrade Anne Lugon-Moulin on Wednesday to discuss further development of bilateral cooperation and, in particular, investments and new projects. Macut and Lugon-Moulin noted that successful operations of Swiss companies in Serbia were »»»
Mickoski: Expecting strong strategic dialogue with U.S., new investments
Skopje, 7 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the second session of the Strategic Dialogue between North Macedonia and the U.S., held Tuesday in Washington, will be a productive day and is expected to end with a joint statement. He expects an investment in a major antimony pro»»»
Boris Azarenko: Profile of a Vesper Co-Founder
Boris Azarenko is an entrepreneur whose professional background lies in banking and finance and who later founded major property development businesses. Boris Azarenko biography: educational path and early career Born in Moscow on 21 April 1977, Boris Nikolayevich Azarenko studied Finance at the Fi»»»
US and EU waging a ‘proxy war’ in Hungary – ex-Austrian FM Kneissl
The US and EU are engaged in a political “proxy war” in Hungary, with Washington and Brussels backing rival sides ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections, according to former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl. Kneissl made the remarks in an interview with RT as US Vice President J.D. V»»»
Prime minister, Spanish FM discuss latest regional developments following US-Iran ceasefire announcement
DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain HE Jose Manuel Albares. The discussion covered the latest regional developments»»»
Doha Diamond League meet postponed until June 19
Paris, France: The Diamond League athletics meeting in Doha has been postponed for six weeks and will now take place on June 19 due to the war in the Middle East, organisers announced Wednesday. The United States and Iran agreed on Tuesday a two-week ceasefire to the war that has killed thousands a»»»
PIFM strongly protests the new draft emergency ordinance: “An unprecedented aggression against the economic environment”
The Employer’s Association of Labor Importers (PIFM), a member of the National Council of SMEs in Romania, is raising a critical alarm regarding the latest version of the Draft Emergency Ordinance (OUG) concerning the registration and obligations of foreign employers, released today for public cons»»»
Revoked Nominations Trigger New Selection for European Prosecutor
The caretaker government revoked the Council of Ministers’ January 21, 2026 decision approving three Bulgarian candidates for European prosecutor, the government press service said here Wednesday. The move withdrew the nominations of Dimitar Belichev, Mihaela Raidovska and Plamen Petkov and ordered»»»
Is Iran cashing in millions from Strait of Hormuz blockade?
TradeIranIs Iran cashing in millions from Strait of Hormuz blockade?Nik MartinAn Iranian lawmaker claims Tehran is quietly charging tankers up to $2 million for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The move threatens to turn the key waterway into a high-stakes toll booth. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»
Rosen Zhelyazkov Is Top-of-the-List Candidate of GERB-UDF for Blagoevgrad 1st Constituency
BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party/coalition for all constituencies for the April 19 parliamentary elections. The information about the candidates is provided by the respective political entity, the candidates themselves and other official sources. Rosen Zhe»»»
CEED Tunisia releases operational guide to help exporters comply with EU Green Deal requirements
Tunis, April 8, 2026 (TAP) – Amid tightening environmental standards imposed by the European Union under the Green Deal, Tunisian exporting companies risk seeing their access to the EU market jeopardised. To help them anticipate this regulatory...»»»
Prime Minister receives telephone call from Spanish Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, received a telephone call from HE Jose Manuel Alvarez, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain. During the call, the latest developments i»»»
Bulgaria Scraps European Prosecutor Nominations Over “Serious Flaws” in Selection
The government has decided to withdraw all three Bulgarian nominations for the position of European Prosecutor, effectively restarting the procedure after identifying serious flaws in the initial selection process. The candidates affected are Dimitar Belichev, Mihaela Raidovska and Plamen Petkov, w»»»
German military spending pushing deficit higher – Federal Statistical Office
Germany’s military spending shot up by over 23% to €39 billion ($45 billion) last year, pushing the budget deficit to the highest level in four years, the Federal Statistical Office has reported. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Berlin began a military buildup, with defense»»»
Boris Azarenko: profile of a Vesper co-founder
Boris Azarenko is an entrepreneur whose professional background lies in banking and finance and who later founded major property development businesses. Boris Azarenko biography: educational path and early career Born in Moscow on 21 April 1977, Boris Nikolayevich Azarenko studied Finance at the Fi»»»
Sofia Space Institute Marks International Space Day with Open House
The Institute of Space Research and Technology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia held an Open House to mark the International Day of Aviation and Cosmonautics on April 12. The event also celebrated the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first spaceflight and the 45th anniversary of Bulg»»»
Livestock checks stepped up ahead of Easter amid pox epidemic
Ahead of the annual slaughter of thousands of lambs for traditional Easter Sunday meals, authorities are stepping up policing of measures to contain a highly contagious livestock disease that’s decimated herds in much of the country, officials said Wednesday. The Rural Development Ministry said spe»»»
Media Review: April 8
OVERVIEW No single topic dominates all media on Wednesday. POLITICS An op-ed by economist Boyan Durankev published by Trud lists the strategies implemented by the various political forces that have nominated candidates for the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for April 19. The text reads: "Th»»»
U.S. Sen Wicker criticizes ‘burden shifting’ in Korea defense policy - UPI.com
1 of 2 | Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on Wednesday criticized a Pentagon strategy that shifts responsibility for deterring North Korea onto Seoul. Wicker, seen here at the U.S. Capitol in September 2025, made the comments during a pre-recorded speech at the Asan Plenum policy forum in Seoul. File Ph»»»
European Union Secretly Working on Creation of Their Own Nuclear Weapons - Russian Foreign Intel
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union has begun secretly working on the issue of creating its own nuclear weapons production potential, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said on Wednesday. "In the endless corridors of the European Union headquarters, they have already begun secretly wo»»»
EU Welcomes US-Iran Ceasefire, Urges Efforts to Create Lasting Agreement
EU leaders on Wednesday welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreed by the United States and Iran. "I welcome the two-week ceasefire the US and Iran agreed last night. It brings much needed de-escalation", European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media platform X, adding it was»»»
Bulgaria's FM Warns Fragile Iran Ceasefire Depends on Nuclear Guarantees and Hormuz Stability
Bulgaria’s caretaker Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky said the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran brought a sense of relief after weeks of escalating tensions in the Middle East, describing it as a moment welcomed by all who hope for an end to the conflict. Spe»»»
Egypt’s Gama inks EGP 168m deal with italian Vinavil
Gama, an Egypt-based private construction company that delivers turnkey construction projects and solutions, said Thursday that it has signed a contract worth around EGP 168 million with Vinavil, an Italian manufacturer specialised in industrial polymers and the provision of services in the chemica»»»
PSG wary of wounded Liverpool ahead of European showdown
Paris: Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha insisted his side remain very wary of the threat posed by Champions League quarter-final opponents Liverpool despite the Anfield club coming into the heavyweight tie in poor form. “Liverpool are Liverpool, even if they are not in ideal form. They are still a »»»
Euro Zone Growth Slows on Surging Energy Costs
The euro zone's private sector expansion weakened sharply in March as the Middle East war drove up energy costs and disrupted supply chains, with overall demand - a key gauge for economic health - falling for the first time in eight months, a survey showed on Tuesday. The S&P Global euro zone Comp»»»
From 2015 to 2025: Bulgaria Sees One of EU’s Strongest Housing Price Booms
Housing prices in Bulgaria have surged by 157% between 2015 and the end of 2025, according to Eurostat data. This places the country among the top performers in the European Union in terms of property price growth over the past decade. Bulgaria ranks fourth in the EU, coming just behind Lithuania. »»»
French arms exports to Israel ‘a continuous pipeline of military hardware’
Throughout the war in Gaza, France maintained that its exports of military equipment to Israel were solely for defensive purposes or intended for re-export to other countries. A new report by two pro-Palestinian groups argues that French firms&»»»
Meloni visits Gulf to cement Italy's energy ties as European rift with US over Iran widens
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni concluded a two-day tour of the Persian Gulf on April 4, meeting the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to shore up Italy's energy security as Iranian attacks on Gulf states and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz push»»»
Meloni visits Gulf to cement Italy's energy ties as European rift with US over Iran widens
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni concluded a two-day tour of the Persian Gulf on April 4, meeting the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to shore up Italy's energy security as Iranian attacks on Gulf states and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz push»»»
Meloni visits Gulf to cement Italy's energy ties as European rift with US over Iran widens
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni concluded a two-day tour of the Persian Gulf on April 4, meeting the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to shore up Italy's energy security as Iranian attacks on Gulf states and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz push»»»
Meloni visits Gulf to cement Italy's energy ties as European rift with US over Iran widens
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni concluded a two-day tour of the Persian Gulf on April 4, meeting the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to shore up Italy's energy security as Iranian attacks on Gulf states and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz push»»»
Hungarian election outcome may do little to ease EU funding deadlock for Ukraine
Ukraine’s access to tens of billions of euros in European Union support may remain uncertain regardless of the outcome of Hungary’s closely contested election this month, as the anti-Ukrainian ruling Fidesz’ main challenger has also indicated reservations over key elements of assistance to Kyiv. »»»
Bosnian lawmakers set to fast-track gas pipeline amendments despite transparency concerns
Proposed legal changes to a long-delayed gas pipeline linking Bosnia & Herzegovina to Croatia have drawn criticism from anti-corruption groups and energy experts, who warn the project risks undermining transparency and saddling the public with long-term costs. »»»
Bosnian lawmakers set to fast-track gas pipeline amendments despite transparency concerns
Proposed legal changes to a long-delayed gas pipeline linking Bosnia & Herzegovina to Croatia have drawn criticism from anti-corruption groups and energy experts, who warn the project risks undermining transparency and saddling the public with long-term costs. »»»
Energy shock drives food price pressures in North Macedonia
The global oil shock triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East, including the US strikes on Iran, is raising fears of a new inflationary wave — and in North Macedonia, the early signs are already visible, though not always in expected ways. »»»
Hungarian election outcome may do little to ease EU funding deadlock for Ukraine
Ukraine’s access to tens of billions of euros in European Union support may remain uncertain regardless of the outcome of Hungary’s closely contested election this month, as the anti-Ukrainian ruling Fidesz’ main challenger has also indicated reservations over key elements of assistance to Kyiv. »»»
Energy shock drives food price pressures in North Macedonia
The global oil shock triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East, including the US strikes on Iran, is raising fears of a new inflationary wave — and in North Macedonia, the early signs are already visible, though not always in expected ways. »»»