If it disarms, Hamas would 'take away Israel's rationale' to occupy Gaza
Hamas said on July 31 it agreed to a deal to end the war with Israel that included provisions addressing its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. US President Donald Trump announced the plan, calling it a critical step towards a new Palestinian government in Gaz»»»
France's southwest faces 'optimistic day' as half of evacuees return home
Over half of the people evacuated from France's southwest due to massive wildfires were allowed to return to their homes. French firefighters have been battling a massive wildfire west of Bordeaux, which forced the evacuation of 220,000 people. It destroyed more than 200 homes, burned through 42,00»»»
Spain's PM blames trafficking mafia for ongoing Ceuta migrant crisis
Spain's Pedro Sanchez criticised a sudden arrival of around 40,000 migrants from Morocco to the north African enclave Ceuta as "an attack, a violation" of Spain's national territory. The prime minister blamed the influx of immigrants on criminal networks manipulating a recent court ruling that imme»»»
What to know about the arrival of 49,000 migrants into Spain's Ceuta
In the span of 24 hours, Spanish authorities estimate that over 49,000 migrants crossed in Spain from Morocco, with at least 18 dying as they tried to reach the enclave of Ceuta. The migrants crossed the border by swimming across, sometimes spending hours in the water. The arrivals are way over hal»»»
BP puts North Sea oil fields up for sale as part of restructuring - UPI.com
British oil giant BP announced plans Friday to sell off its North Sea business ending six decades of exploration and extraction on the U.K. Continental Shelf since the company first struck gas there in 1964. File photo by Neil Hall/EPA July 31 (UPI) -- British oil giant BP announced plans Friday to»»»
Russia puts Telegram founder Pavel Durov on international wanted list over terrorism allegations
Russia has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with assisting terrorist activity and begun procedures to place him on an international wanted list, sharply escalating the Kremlin's confrontation with one of the country's most prominent technology entrepreneurs. Russia's Federal Security Service ac»»»
What we know about the Hamas disarmament deal announced by Trump
Palestinian militant group Hamas confirmed Friday that it had agreed to a deal with Israel that would lead to the group's disarmament in return for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. Here's what we know so far. Hamas said on Friday it agreed to a deal to end the war with »»»
Spain says almost 50,000 migrants crossed Morocco-Ceuta border over past 24 hours
Around 49,000 migrants have crossed into the enclave of Ceuta in North Africa over the past 24 hours, according to Spain's Interior Ministry on Friday. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to arrive in the city later in the day. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez »»»
'It took me two hours': 40,000 migrants swim from Morocco into Spain's Ceuta
Nine people have died by crossing over from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, this according to Spanish authorities. Officials are urging for a national emergency to be declared as the number of migrants attempting to reach Spanish territory has surged in recent days. They've spent hours at »»»
Bulgaria's Parliament Shortens Summer Recess, Schedules Presidential Vote
Bulgaria's National Assembly voted to shorten its traditional summer recess and officially scheduled the country's presidential election for October 25, 2026. Lawmakers approved a proposal submitted by the ruling Progressive Bulgaria to reduce Parliament's summer vacation from the standard August 1»»»
Progressive Bulgaria Claims Early Reform Success
Progressive Bulgaria parliamentary group leader Petar Vitanov said the first three months of the new parliament marked only the beginning of the governing majority's work, warning that there was no room for complacency despite what he described as significant legislative achievements. Speaking from»»»
Bulgaria: Interior Minister Seeks Audit of Peevski’s Declared Wealth
Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev has submitted a report to the Court of Auditors over what he described as a possible discrepancy between the declared income and assets of a public figure and their actual lifestyle. The report refers to Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) leader and»»»
Bulgaria Raises Natural Gas Price by 4.5% in AugustOpinions
Bulgaria’s Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) approved a 4.5% increase in the price of natural gas for August, setting the rate at 39.43 euros per megawatt-hour, excluding access, transmission, excise and VAT costs. The new price will apply to sales by Bulgargaz to end suppliers and to c»»»
Brussels Unlocks Nearly €900 Million for Bulgaria After ReformsOpinions
The European Commission has transferred €896 million to Bulgaria under the fourth payment from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), following progress on a number of reforms and investments included in the country’s recovery plan. The payment is part of more than €1.86 billion in RRF funds r»»»
President Urges Military Academy Graduates to Serve Bulgaria with Honour and Dignity
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Armed Forces Iliana Iotova urged officers graduating from the G. S. Rakovski Military Academy's Class of 2026, "Aprilski", to serve Bulgaria with honour and dignity, reminding them that every decision they make will affect the future of a nation wit»»»
Climate change made France, Spain wildfire conditions far more likely, scientists say
Researchers warn that hotter, drier conditions are making severe wildfire seasons increasingly frequent across Europe. Human-caused climate change made the extreme weather fuelling wildfires in southwestern France twice as likely, and made the conditions driving blazes in central Spain 20 times mor»»»
Defense Minister: Bulgaria Will Keep Flying MiG-29s Until F-16s Are Ready
Bulgaria will continue operating its MiG-29 fighter jets to protect its airspace and meet its NATO obligations until the new F-16 Block 70 aircraft become fully operational, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said in a written response to a parliamentary question. The response, published on the Nati»»»
Bulgaria Officially Changes Machine Voting and CEC
Parliament has approved the final amendments to Bulgaria's Electoral Code, restoring mandatory machine voting in larger polling stations and introducing a series of other changes that will apply ahead of the country's upcoming elections. Under the new rules, polling stations with more than 300 regi»»»
Operation Wildberries: both sides are now targeting each other's civilian economy
Wildberries warehouse in Ryzan was hit by Ukrainian drones on July 29 and burnt to the ground. A Ukrainian drone strike hit a Wildberries logistics warehouse in Ryazan overnight on July 28-29, forcing the company to evacuate the site and halt deliveries. The destruction of Russia’s biggest re»»»
Chasiv Yar's fall in Donbas fighting opens the road to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk
Chasiv Yar, one of the longest and most fought-over battles in the Donbas of the Ukraine war, has fallen to Russian forces, with the last Ukrainian holdouts withdrawing from the southwestern part of the city in the past week, the open-source tracker AMK Mapping reported on July 29. The city, reduce»»»
Here's why new fronts seem to be opening up across the Middle East
Houthi rebels in Yemen said they attacked Saudi oil facilities. The Saudis blamed militias in Iraq and joined the United States in bombing them. Iran fired missiles at Jordan. Drones set ships ablaze in Egypt. But it's not actually as complicated as it sounds, and it's all related to the broader wa»»»
Romanian Waters : Romania is going through one of the most difficult hydrological periods in recent decades
Romania is going through one of the most difficult hydrological periods in recent decades, especially since no precipitation is forecast in the immediate future, even in the upper Danube basin, according to the National Administration Romanian Waters.The flow of the Danube at the entrance to the co»»»
Gov't approves payment to OECD budget for Romania's participation in anti-corruption and integrity advisory group
The Government approved the payment of Romania's voluntary financial contribution to the budget of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, in order to participate as a member of the Informal Advisory Group corresponding to the OECD Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (GAC»»»
Head of NATO's Allied Joint Support and Enabling Command pays visit to Romania
The head of NATO's Allied Joint Support and Enabling Command, Lieutenant General Kai Rohrschneider, paid a working visit to Romania between July 29 and 30, according to a press release sent on Thursday by the Ministry of National Defense (MApN).According to MApN officials, the visit aimed to streng»»»
Acting PM Bolojan: Romania to remain Moldova's strongest supporter in EU
Romania will remain Moldova's strongest supporter within the European Union, offering its experience as an EU member state alongside political and diplomatic backing, acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Thursday after talks with Moldova's new Prime Minister, Vasile Tofan, who is making his f»»»
Moldovan PM Tofan: Supporting Ukraine is investment in Moldova's and regional security
Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan welcomed Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan at the Victoria Palace on Thursday, in the context of his official visit to Bucharest.The official welcoming ceremony with military honours at the Government headquarters was followed by a one-to-one meeting between t»»»
President Dan welcomes Moldova's Tofan: I reconfirmed our firm support for Moldova's European journey
President Nicusor Dan Thursday welcomed, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, visiting Moldova's Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, to whom he reconfirmed Romania's firm and consistent support for Moldova's European journey."I was glad to welcome today at the Cotroceni Palace the new Prime Minister of t»»»
EU summons Russian charge d'affaires in Brussels about penetration of Russian drones in Romania's air space
EU summoned Moscow's charge d'affaires in Brussels about the penetration of Russiandrones in Romania's air space last week, dpa informs. “We firmly condemned the intentional penetration of Romania's air space by Russian drones,” said a spokesperson for the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, on ...»»»
AI before AI: The forgotten Soviet programme (1/2)
Beginning in the 1950s, the Soviet Union launched an ambitious programme aimed at developing artificial intelligence. While the history of AI today seems to be shaped by the giants of Silicon Valley, ideas originating from behind the Iron Curtain had a significant influence, although they remain la»»»
Suspect in indecent acts against child detained in Bishkek - | 24.KG
Officers of the Investigative Service of the Department of Internal Affairs of Pervomaisky district in Bishkek detained a suspect in a criminal case on indecent acts against a minor. The press service of the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Bishkek reported. According to the press service, ci»»»
Pakistan says US-Iran talks still alive despite fresh wave of US strikes
The renewed fighting has widened fears of a broader regional conflict, with Egypt hit for the first time and Gulf states scrambling to secure key shipping routes. Mediator Pakistan insisted Thursday that negotiations between Iran and the United States were ongoing, even as Washington carried out a »»»
France, Spain eye respite from wildfires as other blazes break out in Europe
A massive wildfire that has devastated southwestern France was no longer advancing on Thursday, local authorities said, raising hopes the crisis was easing. In Spain, most of the tens of thousands of people evacuated from areas west of Madrid were cleared to return home after the state of emergency»»»
Russian missiles interception rate in Ukraine dropped from 90% back in March to 70%, expert says
A Russian ballistic missile and drone barrage across Ukraine overnight killed at least 10 civilians, including children. Ukraine's air force said it had managed to intercept 55 missiles and 265 drones launched by Moscow -- but it has struggled to intercept the advanced ballistic missiles that Russi»»»
Uzbekistan's 1H foreign trade reaches $41bn as trade deficit widens to $9.3bn
Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover reached $41.01bn in January to June, with the outcome up 7.4% y/y, according to preliminary data released by the national statistical committee. Exports declined 8.8% y/y to $15.86bn, while imports increased 21.0% y/y to $25.15bn, resulting in a trade deficit of »»»
Bulgaria Acquires Historian Ivan Gadzhev's Archive
Bulgaria has acquired the building and archival holdings of the Institute for the History of Bulgarian Emigration in North America Ilia Todorov Gadzhev, the State Archives Agency (SAA) said on Thursday. The Agency said that on July 29, 2026, under a decision of the Council of Ministers submitted by»»»
Spain to deploy military to restore order in Ceuta after thousands of people breach Morocco’s border
Madrid on Thursday said it would deploy soldiers to Ceuta to ensure security after hundreds of migrants entered the Spanish north African exclave from Morocco, mainly by swimming, and reported nine deaths. The Italian government is considering suspending the EU Schengen agreement with Spain»»»
New U.S. Amb. Steel vows efforts to ensure alliance with S. Korea as 'linchpin' of peace - UPI.com
New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel speaks to reporters after her arrival at Incheon International Airport on Thursday to assume her post. Photo by Yonhap New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel said Thursday she is ready to work with Seoul to ensure the decadeslong bilatera»»»
Father of Georgia school shooter gets 15 years in prison - UPI.com
Student Jose Ortiz, 14, accepts an embrace from chaplain Ronald Clark at a makeshift memorial, one day after a deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., in September 2024. Four people were killed by Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time. On Thursday, his father was sentenced to 15»»»
Meta ignored internal findings on Instagram's risks to teens, jury told in US trial
Lawyers for the US state of Tennessee argued that the company ignored its own research linking Instagram to compulsive use, eating disorders, depression and self-harm among teenagers, while keeping features such as autoplay, notifications and infinite scroll to maximise time spent on the platform a»»»
Abu Dhabi, Qatar races ‘confirmed,’ says president, CEO of Formula 1
DUBAI: Stefano Domenicali, the president and CEO of Formula One, has said that the 2026 races in Abu Dhabi and Qatar are “confirmed,” despite ongoing speculation due to the political situation in the region. Domenicali revealed the news during a media interview on F1’s official website. He added th»»»
Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry Spent €3.7 Million on Closed Unit
More than €3.7 million was spent on salaries and other remuneration for a special unit at Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior that former Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev ordered to be closed, describing it as a “parasitic” structure. According to information provided by the ministry under the Access»»»
Bulgaria: Revival Accuses Radev of Breaking Several Election Promises
"Revival" MP Angel Yanchev launched a strong attack against Prime Minister Rumen Radev and the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party, accusing them of abandoning key commitments made during the election campaign. Speaking from the parliamentary tribune, Yanchev compared Radev’s alleged change of positi»»»
F-16s Delayed, MiGs Aging: How Bulgaria Ended Up Shopping for Poland's Old Fighter Jets, Destined for Ukraine
Bulgaria's Air Force spent this week at the center of an unusually candid public admission: the country's Soviet-era MiG-29s are running out of spare parts, the American F-16s meant to replace them are years behind schedule and Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov has sent letters to four different co»»»
Bulgaria Tells Iran No Military Operations Will Launch from Its Territory
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova assured her Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that no direct military operations connected to the conflict in the Middle East will be conducted from Bulgarian territory, despite the deployment of US military aircraft in the country. During a telephone»»»
Hundreds of migrants enter Spain's north African territory Ceuta from Morocco
The president of Spain's north African exclave Ceuta on Thursday warned of a "total humanitarian and social emergency" after hundreds of migrants entered the territory by swimming across from neighbouring Morocco in recent days. Hundreds of migrants have entered the Spanish north African excl»»»
Meet the astronomer using ‘cosmic fossils’ to investigate the Milky Way's violent birth
Vast cosmic collisions over tens of billions of years have shaped our galaxy into the Milky Way that we see in the night sky today. Galactic archaeologist Amina Helma has dedicated her life to unearthing the "cosmic fossils" that help us decipher our galaxy's violent birth – and give us glimps»»»
SP Proposes Administrative-Territorial Reform, Reducing Albania’s Municipalities from 61 to 46
Albania’s ruling Socialist majority has unveiled its proposal for the Administrative-Territorial Reform 2.0, which would reduce the number of municipalities from 61 to 46 by merging 28 existing municipalities into 13 new administrative units. According to the proposal, the reform is based on an ass»»»
IMF to provide $1.774 billion to Egypt following final Executive Board approval
The Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representing the Arab Group and Maldives on the Executive Board, Mohamed Maait, anticipates the transfer of the seventh tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program with Egypt, alongside the second tranche under the Resilienc»»»
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Tells Iranian Counterpart No Direct Military Action Will Be Carried Out from Bulgarian Territory
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova held a phone conversation with her Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi on Thursday. Regarding the deployment of US tanker aircraft in Bulgaria, Petrova stressed that no direct military action related to the conflict in the Middle East would be carried o»»»
MRF Appeals Cabinet's Decision to Transfer Party's Headquarters in Sofia
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) has appealed the Council of Ministers' July 22 decision revoking its right to use its headquarters at 23 Vrabcha Street in Sofia, the party said on Facebook on Thursday in response to questions from journalists. Under Bulgarian law, the appeal suspends the»»»