Debris from downed Ukrainian drones sparked a blaze at a major oil refinery in Russia on Sunday, according to local authorities. This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country was “going through a difficult period”. In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up its long-range attac»»»

Bulgaria remains among the lowest-priced countries in the European Union, but the gap with the EU average continues to narrow, according to comparative price level data covering 2021-2025, the Institute for Market Economics reports. The indicators, which benchmark countries against the EU-27 averag»»»

The European Commission is preparing plans to grant European Union candidate countries some financial benefits while they wait for full membership as the process becomes bogged down in internal wrangling. Under proposals currently being developed, candidate countries would gain access to selected E»»»

The European Commission is preparing plans to grant European Union candidate countries some financial benefits while they wait for full membership as the process becomes bogged down in internal wrangling. Under proposals currently being developed, candidate countries would gain access to selected E»»»

The European Commission is preparing plans to grant European Union candidate countries some financial benefits while they wait for full membership as the process becomes bogged down in internal wrangling. Under proposals currently being developed, candidate countries would gain access to selected E»»»

Space loomed large over the 2026 VivaTech festival. Startups and technology giants alike have entered the new space economy – a sector previously dominated by government agencies. FRANCE 24’s Business Editor Kate Moody sat down with Marta Oliveira, Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer at Atmos S»»»

The death toll from Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes neared 1,500 on Sunday as rescue workers raced against the clock to find survivors among the nearly 50,000 people still unaccounted for.  Rescue teams raced on Sunday to find more survivors of the two powerful earthquakes that struck Vene»»»

Thousands of people have fled South Africa in recent weeks ahead of a June 30 "deadline" for foreign nationals to leave the country announced by anti-immigrant groups. We spoke to Congolese refugees in KwaZulu-Natal province who were forced to leave their homes and livelihoods after anti-immigrant »»»

Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3–1, securing a place in the World Cup knockout stage. The victory means nine of the tournament's ten African teams have advanced to the next round, joining South Africa, Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Egypt, Algeria and Ghana. For some teams, including Congo, »»»

With less than a year to go until France's April 2027 presidential election, the far-right National Rally party still hasn't designated a candidate. As Marine Le Pen appeals a graft conviction that barred her from seeking office for five years, her young protégé Jordan Bardella is poised to step in»»»

Is this the heatwave that finally changes French minds on air conditioning? Not for Environment Minister Monique Barbut. She said she was "horrified" by the idea of it becoming widespread. The rest of the world looked on perplexed as France suffered a brutal week, particularly for schools, hospital»»»

France estimates that its death rate rose by at least 1,000 people during the devastating heatwave that swept the country last week – but that is at the cautious end of the estimate. As authorities continue to tally the number of heat-related deaths, mortuaries in Paris and its immediate region rep»»»

Turkish police on Sunday detained at least 50 people, including a journalist, during a LGBT+ Pride event in Istanbul that went ahead despite a ban by local authorities. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but since 2015, the annual Pride march has been almost systematically banned and supp»»»

Finance Minister Galab Donev has defended the 2026 state budget, describing it as a realistic reflection of Bulgaria’s public finances after years of accumulated obligations and unresolved structural issues. Speaking on bTV’s “120 Minutes,” Donev said the document does not conceal financial difficu»»»

Progressive Bulgaria has introduced three separate draft parliamentary decisions requesting that the National Audit Office carry out a comprehensive review of public finances across several key institutions and budget areas covering the period from 2020 to May 2026. The proposals were presented in »»»

Speaker of the National Assembly Mihaela Dotsova held talks in Istanbul with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmus, focusing on parliamentary cooperation and broader bilateral relations. The meeting took place during a visit by a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation at»»»

The head of the water and sewerage operator in the Nessebar area has been formally charged in a corruption case involving an alleged 8,000-euro bribe, while the second detained official has been released without charges, authorities confirmed following a multi-day investigation. The case centers on»»»

The controversial Ukrainian businessman, Oleg Nevzorov, has released a video message addressed to partners and investors in the KYB Corporation, the company behind the so-called "illegal city" known as "Baba Alino" near Varna. In the statement, he insisted that "the company is operating as usual" d»»»

The Iran war has switched up government’s priorities and energy investments are now driven less by climate targets than by security concerns, as governments respond to the second major energy crisis in five years. Green goals have been downgraded as diversifying supply routes, strengthening electri»»»

More than three days after Venezuela was struck by its most powerful earthquake in over a century, hopes of finding survivors are fading. Experts say the first 72 hours are critical for rescues, after which the operation increasingly becomes one of recovering bodies. The confirmed death toll has cl»»»

A skydiving plane crashed in eastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board. The crash in the town of Tomblaine killed five instructors, five students and the pilot, according to local officials. The cause of the incident was not immediately clear, and a technical investiga»»»

Two Bulgarian children, an 8-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sibling, were found dead inside a parked car in the Cypriot village of Xylofagu, in the Famagusta district, an area that falls under the jurisdiction of the British Sovereign Base of Dhekelia. The children had recently traveled from Bulg»»»

Bulgaria’s competition authority has opened a preliminary probe into pricing practices at Sofia Airport’s food and beverage outlets, amid growing public complaints about unusually high costs for basic items. The Commission on Protection of Competition said it is examining whether there is possible »»»

The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) expects a slowdown in economic growth over the next two years, while inflation is projected to rise sharply in 2026, according to its latest macroeconomic forecast. The central bank attributes the outlook mainly to higher energy prices driven by the ongoing conflic»»»

Iran launched fresh drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday after new US airstrikes, while warning it would completely halt negotiations and close the Strait of Hormuz if Washington continues its attacks. Iran again launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait o»»»

Turkish police on Sunday detained at least 50 people, including a journalist, during a LGBTQ+ Pride event in Istanbul that went ahead despite a ban by local authorities. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but since 2015, the annual Pride march has been almost systematically banned and sup»»»

The United States and Iran will continue their talks aimed at ending the Middle East war, a US official said on Sunday, adding that both sides will stand down after recent clashes. This comes hours after Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri rejected a US–Israel–Lebanon framework deal, calling it»»»

AMMAN — The Jordan Industrial Estates Company (JIEC) has outlined plans to attract up to 530 industrial companies and generate around 21,000 jobs at the Zarqa Industrial Estate (ZIE), as part of efforts to position it as a leading green industrial hub in the Kingdom.The announcement came on Sunday »»»

AMMAN — The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply on Sunday launched the "Leadership in Industry" programme, a 35 million euro initiative funded by the German government and implemented through the Industrial Development and Support Fund (IDSF) to strengthen the competitiveness of Jordan's industr»»»

AMMAN — Orange Jordan, through its “Big by Orange” entrepreneurship programme, has participated in VivaTech 2026, one of the world’s leading technology and start-up events, held in Paris.According to a company statement issued on Sunday, the company was represented at the event alongside Jordanian »»»

Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Sunday launched attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait in response to US air strikes on 10 Iranian sites. The Islamic Republic threatened a “complete halt” to negotiations to end the war if Washington continues its attacks. Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without »»»

New Caledonia's provincial elections are a crucial test of the territory's political future, with independence from France remaining the central issue. The possibility of independence from France remains the central political issue, with today’s vote taking place peacefully. The election comes two »»»

Japan's imperial family is running out of male heirs, and a debate over how to preserve the hereditary lineage that has continued unbroken for centuries is dividing the nation. Meanwhile, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako wrapped up their two-week trip to Europe, and Japan took note that their ro»»»

The record-breaking heatwave in France is set to come to an end on Sunday, with the country's extreme weather alert expected to be lifted by the evening, bringing relief after temperatures climbed as high as 40°C this week. But the heatwave is far from over, as it shifts eastward, with Germany and »»»

Voting in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia closed on Sunday, with a turnout of 54.42 per cent, as citizens participated in the archipelago's first provincial elections since 2019. The results of the election, initially planned for 2024, will determine the balance of power in New Caled»»»

Protests in Albania entered their fifth week on Saturday, with demonstrations that began in May over a planned luxury resort project linked to the Trump family. Since then, the movement has expanded into a broader criticism of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government, with protesters raising wide»»»

More than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded in connection with Europe's record-breaking heatwave since June 21, according to the World Health Organization on Sunday. Earlier that day, health officials in France reported that there had been around 1,000 more deaths than expected in the cou»»»

As US restrictions on oil shipments have left Cuba struggling to secure fuel, China is helping the communist island accelerate one of the world's fastest solar transitions. Imports of solar panels and batteries have surged over the past year, allowing Cuba to build dozens of new solar parks. France»»»

New Caledonia goes to the poll on Sunday in crucial elections. The possibility of independence from France remains the central political issue, with today’s vote taking place peacefully. The election comes two years after plans to expand voting rights to thousands of non-Indigenous residents trigge»»»

Despite the signing of a new framework agreement on Friday aimed at ending the conflict, fighting has continued in Lebanon. On Sunday, the Israeli military said it had killed Hezbollah militants and struck a rocket launcher near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, while the Iran-backed group rejected the»»»

Burkina Faso's military junta on Friday cut diplomatic ties with former colonial power France, accusing Paris of acting against its interests and backing subversive networks and militants in the Sahel. The move deepens the ruling authorities' break with Western allies since Captain Ibrahim Traore s»»»

Voting in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia closed on Sunday, with a turnout of 54.42 per cent, as citizens participated in the archipelago's first provincial elections since 2019. The results of the election, initially planned for 2024, will determine the balance of power in»»»

The Public Health France agency said Sunday that around 1,000 more deaths than expected occurred during a record-breaking heatwave that baked much of western Europe for days, adding that 85 percent of the casualties were people aged 65 and over. The agency stressed that the figu»»»

Paris authorities have activated emergency procedures as hospitals across the capital come under increasing pressure during a heatwave that has gripped France and much of Europe for more than a week. France 24's Antonia Kerrigan reports from the Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, one of the largest»»»

Tens of millions of people are enduring extreme temperatures across Europe as a deadly heatwave pushes eastward. Scientists say a heatwave of this intensity so early in the summer would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. Switzerland has broken its record for the hot»»»

The first public protest against the government of Prime Minister Rumen Radev took place Saturday evening in front of the Council of Ministers building, with demonstrators demanding the cabinet's resignation and chanting "Resign!" and "This is not Moscow!" Hundreds of people gathered in the area ca»»»

Nearly 7 million people may have been affected by the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela this week, the United Nations said on Saturday, as the death toll approached 1,000 and tens of thousands remained missing. The UN said up to 6.76 million people could have been impacted, including around tw»»»

Search and rescue teams have pulled a nine-month-old baby and his mother from the rubble three days after two earthquakes struck Venezuela. The disaster has claimed more than 1,000 lives, and search efforts are still underway for the hundreds of people who remain missing. Yinka Oyetade has more.»»»

Frustration mounted in Venezuela's state of La Guaira on Saturday as rescuers and civilians used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands to look for survivors of the devastating twin earthquakes that killed at least 1,430 people. Many citizens have been critical of what they s»»»

Despite a fragile ceasefire, tensions between the United States and Iran remain high, with both sides accusing each other of violating the truce. Tehran says it has carried out a third consecutive day of retaliatory strikes against US military sites in the Middle East, while Washington has warned t»»»