Ebola outbreak in DR Congo growing 'exponentially' as death toll passes 2,500
More than half of the 2,500-plus deaths from DR Congo's Ebola outbreak have occurred within the past 20 days alone, as the virus spreads faster than any recorded outbreak, according to the UN's senior Ebola coordinator. Julien Harneis is urging a rapid scale-up of resources to prevent the epidemic »»»
Turkey seeks Interpol arrest warrant for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla detention
Turkey said Friday it is seeking an international arrest warrant from Interpol for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a domestic criminal case over Israel's interception and detention of dozens of activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip in May. »»»
Does Putin travel without security?
In order to create an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a leader beloved by his people, pro-Russia social media users have been claiming that he travels without a security team, unlike other heads of state. To illustrate this claim, they shared a video of his latest trip to Siberia. The »»»
Egypt's reserves hit a record as its central bank's exposure to the state jumps $3bn
Egypt's foreign reserves have never been higher. Nor has the tension been clearer between its stronger external buffer and the central bank's rising exposure to a government the IMF wants to rely less heavily on domestic financial institutions for financing. Net international reserves reached $56.2»»»
Public media dossier sheds light on how Fidesz maintained political control over Hungary’s state news agency
The interim leadership of Hungary's public media has published a 482-page dossier documenting what its authors describe as more than a decade of political interference in the work of the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), including orders to suppress, alter, delay or produce reports for political reasons»»»
Slovenia's NLB loses Addiko but keeps hunting across the Balkans
Slovenia's biggest bank has lost its year-long fight for Austria's Addiko, but the defeat has done nothing to dim its appetite for deals across the former Yugoslavia. Nova Ljubljanska banka (LJSE: NLBR), the Ljubljana-listed group that controls roughly a third of Slovenia's banking assets, failed o»»»
Strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes southern Peru, damaging homes and schools
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern Peru on Thursday, injuring three people and damaging at least 22 homes, six schools and 12 medical centres, according to preliminary assessments. The quake was also felt in Lima and several other parts of the country. A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake stru»»»
Live: Israel calls Erdogan an ‘anti-Semitic dictator’ after Turkey issues Netanyahu arrest warrant
Turkey issued an international arrest warrant for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an investigation into Israel's interception of an aid flotilla for Gaza and its detention of hundreds of activists on board, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced Friday. Netanyahu’s office in t»»»
Inhumane: North Macedonia Blocks Bulgarian Woman From Urgent Medical Treatment
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said it will continue using all available diplomatic and legal mechanisms to ensure that Iva Mihaylova receives necessary medical treatment after a North Macedonian appeals court again refused to allow her to leave the country for treatment. The Court of Appeal in Sti»»»
Bulgaria Cannot Protect Its Borders With Its Current Anti-Drone Systems
Bulgaria’s newly purchased anti-drone systems cannot provide a comprehensive shield for the country’s territory or borders, according to Todor Ivandzhikov, chairman of the Association of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry. He said the country needs a layered defense system, better coordination between»»»
Foreign Ministry Acts to Protect Iva Mihaylova's Rights, Ensure Medical Treatment for Her
In a statement released on Friday, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that it has taken urgent measures within the scope of its remit to protect Iva Mihaylova's rights and will continue to utilize all available diplomatic and legal mechanisms to ensure that she receives the necessar»»»
Tunisias olive oil exports reach 368,000 tonnes (ONAGRI)
Tunis, Aug. 21 (TAP)- The volume of Tunisia's olive oil exports in the first nine months of the 2025/2026 crop year totalled 368,000 tonnes up from 236,900 tonnes during the same period in the previous agricultural season.A 55.3% rise was reported...»»»
Turkey issues arrest warrant for Israel's Netanyahu
Turkey has issued an international arrest warrant for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an investigation into Israel's interception of an aid flotilla for Gaza, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced Friday on X. Turkey has already issued warrants against Netanyahu and other top»»»
Zelenskiy fires aide as Ukraine's graft bureau targets ex-minister's $3.4mn bail
The money that bought a former Ukrainian energy minister his freedom was itself dirtied by money laundering, anti-corruption detectives say, and the trail runs straight back into the president's office. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosec»»»
Hong Kong convicts two Tiananmen vigil activists of inciting subversion
Two pro-democracy activists who organised annual vigils to mark Beijing's 1989 deadly Tiananmen crackdown were on Friday convicted of inciting subversion by a Hong Kong court. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were leaders of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance and their case was viewed as a bel»»»
CEC Sets Rules for Bulgaria's October 25 Presidential Election
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has approved the rules for registering political parties, coalitions and initiative committees seeking to participate in Bulgaria's presidential and vice-presidential elections scheduled for October 25. Parties and coalitions must submit their registration appl»»»
Israeli Occupation Kills Father of Palestinian Martyr in Jenin, Intensifies West Bank Oppressive Raids
At least two Palestinians were martyred and another was injured, with many others being arrested in the West Bank, as Israeli occupation forces stepped up attacks overnight and into Friday morning. In Jenin, Fathi Khazem, father of slain Palestinians Raad and Abdulrahman Khazem, was shot and killed»»»
New Project Examines Accessibility of Sofia’s Cultural Institutions for People With Visual Impairments
The project Accessible Culture – Sofia for All examines the accessibility of Sofia’s cultural institutions for people with visual impairments, the project organizers said on Friday. A joint initiative of ARTessible Association and the Louis Braille, 1928 National Community Centre for the Blind, the»»»
Kazakhstan’s Freedom Holding receives first foreign brokerage house license in Turkey since 1992
Freedom Yatirim Menkul Degerler A.S., a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s Freedom Holding (Nasdaq/FRHC), has received an operating license from Turkey’s capital markets board (SPK), FRHC said on August 19. Freedom Yatirimm has become the first broadly authorized foreign brokerage firm to receive such a li»»»
14-year-old takes grandfather’s .357 revolver to Philippine school
A teacher conducting a surprise inspection of students' school bags discovered an unloaded .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum revolver inside the bag of a 14-year-old student at a school in Pinamungajan, Cebu, on August 20. The firearm was found at about 3.50pm at Lut-od National High School in Barangay Lu»»»
Ex-Defense Minister: Russian Plane That Flew Over Bulgaria May Have Collected Intelligence for Iran
The Russian aircraft that flew over Bulgaria could have collected intelligence on the country's defense infrastructure and may pass information of interest to Iran, former Defense Minister Todor Tagarev said. Further reading: Russian Il-76 Crosses Bulgaria on Way to Fight Serbian Fires (UPDATE»»»
Borissov: If Bulgaria Is Not Threatened, Why Did Radev Talk to NATO?
GERB leader Boyko Borissov has questioned why Prime Minister Rumen Radev held talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte over possible security threats if the Bulgarian government maintains that the country itself is not under threat from Iran. Further reading: Radev and Rutte Warn Any Attac»»»
US Extends Lukoil Deadline, Affecting Bulgarian Oil AssetsOpinions
Washington has extended until September 19 the deadline for Russian oil giant Lukoil to complete the sale of its foreign assets, giving potential buyers additional time to finalize transactions. The extension was announced by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Und»»»
Bulgaria: Low Danube Forces Kozloduy NPP to Cut Unit 5 OutputOpinions
The output of Unit 5 at Bulgaria’s Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant is being reduced by about 120 megawatts because of the critically low level of the Danube River. The measure has been introduced as a precaution to ensure the safe operation of the power unit amid an ongoing and unprecedented decline i»»»
Salam visits army's South Litani headquarters in Tyre
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Defense Minister Michel Menassa visited Friday the Lebanese Army's South Litani headquarters in the southern city of Tyre. The visit comes after a violent night of strikes and demolitions in the border villages of Mayfadoun, Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh, Ali al-Taher, Taybeh, »»»
Video captures plane-helicopter crash that killed US pilot
A small plane slammed into a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter at an airport near Carlisle, killing the plane's pilot and injuring two state troopers in a violent collision that is now under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Newly-released video shows the moment t»»»
Eurostat: Romania topping EU's June 2026 production in construction rankings
In June 2026, compared with May 2026, seasonally adjusted production in construction decreased by 1.3% in the euro area and by 1.0% in the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In June 2026, compared with June 2025, production in construction »»»
Negrescu: Romania's rising debt costs reflect fiscal, political risks
Romania is in a paradoxical position, with public debt as a share of GDP still below the European average and Hungary's level, but paying one of the region's highest financing costs because of the pace of indebtedness and perceptions of political and fiscal risk, financial consultant Adrian Negresc»»»
Dramatic midair crash: Landing plane hits hovering police helicopter
Investigators are working to determine why a small plane veered off course while landing at a rural Pennsylvania airport and collided with a hovering state police helicopter, killing the plane’s pilot and injuring two state troopers. Aaron McCarter, investigator-in-charge with the National Transpor»»»
Incoming: The hottest movies coming your way
‘Digger’ Director: Alejandro G. Inarritu Starring: Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman In cinemas: Oct. 1 Early buzz suggests this satirical black comedy might provide us with Cruise’s best performance in a couple of decades. He plays oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, billed as “the most powerful man in »»»
China: Robots box and dance at Beijing's 2026 World Robot Conference
More than 300 companies are displaying humanoid robots, industrial machines, service robots and other forms of embodied artificial intelligence at the Beijing's 2026 World Robot Conference. The five-day event kicked off on August 19, coinciding with Unitree's stock-market debut. The company, China'»»»
Guardian: Radev Could Become EU's Next Orban
Rumen Radev is testing how far he can push Bulgaria's foreign policy without openly breaking with the European Union and NATO, according to an analysis by Britain's Guardian newspaper, which examines whether the Bulgarian prime minister could emerge as Europe's next Viktor Orban. The comparison has»»»
France, Germany, UK and Italy slam Israel's 'E1' West Bank settler project
Paris, Berlin, London and Rome on Thursday condemned Israel's decision to open bidding for a planned settlement project in the occupied West Bank. The sprawling "E1" development, which like all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal under international law, would furth»»»
US warns allies and China to join Iran economic pressure campaign
The United States on Thursday urged allies and China to join its campaign to isolate Iran's economy, as President Donald Trump seeks to intensify pressure on Tehran amid a stalemate in the war and growing domestic criticism. The United States on Thursday warned allies and China to join President Do»»»
Israel received intelligence on Turkey's Syria military expansion plan: Envoy Leiter says 'red line was crossed'
Jerusalem: Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter on Thursday (local time) said Israel had received clear intelligence indicating that Turkey intended to significantly expand its military presence in Syria, describing the move as crossing a "red line", The Jerusalem Post reported. "»»»
Harvard agrees to $53 million settlement over body parts stolen and sold by former morgue manager
BOSTON (AP) — Harvard Medical School says it agreed to pay $53 million to settle class action lawsuits by relatives of body donors whose remains were sold on the black market by its former morgue manager. Harvard Medical School Deans George Q. Daley and Bernard S. Chang announced the development in»»»
Woman charged with IS-inspired plot to bomb New York State Capitol
New York (AFP) – US authorities charged Jessica Bowie, a woman who allegedly supported the Islamic State group, with a terrorism offense Thursday after she told an FBI informant she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol buildings. Located in Albany near the Canadian bor»»»
Cameroon's 93-year-old President Paul Biya returns after months-long stay abroad
Cameroonian President Paul Biya returned to the country on Thursday after a 73-day absence, with local media reporting the 93-year-old had been in Geneva with his family and close aides. The country's opposition criticised Biya's long absence, saying he had left the country on "autopilot". Presiden»»»
British Army sailors rescue bedraggled barn owl 70 nautical miles out to sea
A barn owl stranded some 70 nautical miles out to sea was rescued by an astonished British Army sailing crew competing in a gruelling race around Britain and Ireland. A British Army sailing crew competing in one of yachting's most demanding races found themselves coming to the rescue of a bedraggle»»»
Borissov: GERB’s Presidential Candidate to Be Decided in September
Asked by journalists in Ruse on Thursday whether GERB is expected to have its own candidate in the autumn presidential election, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said this would become clear in September. "I had a presidential ticket that would have won," Borissov said. He explained that the party’s inte»»»
Heavy snowfall impacts communities in western Bolivia - UPI.com
People look at snow-capped mountains surrounding La Paz from El Alto, Bolivia, on Tuesday. Heavy snowfall in at least five regions forced authorities to temporarily suspend or restrict road travel on several routes to prevent accidents. Photo by Luis Gandarillas/EPA Aug. 20 (UPI) -- An unusual spel»»»
Kremlin think tank warns Putin Russia faces 1.6% growth without reform
Everything that has kept the Russian economy growing since 2020 has now been exhausted and long-term growth could drop to 1.6%, a Kremlin think tank told Vladimir Putin on August 19. Without a change of model, growth settles at 1.6% a year over the coming decade - roughly half the 3% Putin has set »»»
Nepi Rockcastle shows strong H1 2026 results achieving a 3.8% growth in net operating income
Demand remained buoyant in Central and Eastern Europe with consumers continuing to spend more on average during each visit to NEPI Rockcastle shopping centres with average basket spend up 3.3%. This supported like-for-like tenant sales which were 2.7% higher than a year ago. Occupancy remained clos»»»
Salmonella cases from jalapeno peppers reach 431 across 32 states - UPI.com
Cases of salmonella from jalapeno peppers have been reported in 32 states with 431 infections reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. File Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Cases of salmonella from jalapeno peppers have been reported in 32 states with 431 inf»»»
waterdrop® celebrates 10 years of making waves
waterdrop®, the Austrian hydration brand founded in Vienna in 2016, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with “10 Years of Making Waves”, a global campaign running from 20 August to 30 September 2026 across its international markets, including Romania. A decade after introducing the Microdrink»»»
Europe's second inflation shock is arriving in two waves, energy now and food next year
Central bankers do not usually forecast the weather. The European Central Bank's chief economist has just put one into his. The Climate Crisis has gone beyond a fringe obsession of hippie tree-hugers and entered the studies of central bankers, who have been forced to sit up and take notice of the u»»»
No One Needs a Missile: What Iran Could Actually Do to Bulgaria
The Financial Times reported this week, citing two people described as close to the Iranian leadership and specifically to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that Tehran has been assessing options for striking American military sites outside the Middle East should Donald Trump order a fresh esc»»»
Massive Russian strikes hit Kyiv killing several people
Russian ballistic missiles killed 12 people and injured more than 30 in Kyiv early on Thursday, authorities said, damaging buildings and severing power supply to some parts of the Ukrainian capital. FRANCE 24’s Camille Corcoran brings us more with this report.»»»
Germany records 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer as heatwaves scorch Europe
Berlin has recorded roughly 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer, official data showed Thursday. Europe has experienced a spike in heat-related mortality as the worst-hit countries grapple with historically high temperatures exacerbated by human-driven climate change. Germany registered around 14»»»