Republics

On August 19, a major police operation aimed at dismantling an international migrant trafficking ring operating along the so-called "Western Balkan route" was conducted in the Plovdiv region of Bulgaria, BNT reports. This route spans from Turkey through Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania, ultimately reaching Western Europe.

Greek authorities have released all the Bulgarians involved in the incident at a Halkidiki bar last week. The prosecutor's office in Polygyros has decided to release them from custody. The bar owner has been set free without any conditions.

A violent brawl involving stabbings and gunfire broke out on Friday night at a beach bar in Chalkidiki, leaving three people injured and leading to five arrests.

The environmental organization Green Balkans has registered an intriguing Bulgarian presence in the conflict zones of Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa, where military clashes continue. However, this presence is not related to journalists, politicians, or any official figures but to a young golden eagle hatched in Bulgaria in 2023.

Ukrainian forces have reportedly used British Challenger 2 tanks during their offensive in the Kursk region, according to sources cited by the BBC. The UK Ministry of Defense has declined to specify which London-supplied weapons were deployed by the Ukrainian military in this operation.

US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier expressed concerns today about the potential risks associated with reopening the bridge over the Iber River in Mitrovica. Hovenier warned that this action could pose a "real danger" to the safety of NATO troops stationed in Kosovo, including American soldiers, as reported by "KosovaPress."

Ukrainian prosecutors have announced the arrest of Oleksandr Kheil, one of the country's four deputy ministers of energy, along with several others, for accepting a 500,000 dollars bribe. The detentions were made in connection with a scheme involving the illegal removal of mining equipment from a state-owned coal mining enterprise in the war-torn Donetsk region of Ukraine.

Bulgaria has secured the second position among Balkan countries and stands 26th overall in the medal rankings at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Following the conclusion of the final event, the women's basketball final where the USA edged out France with a 67:66 victory, Bulgaria is among the 28 nations that won three gold medals.

At least 94 people have lost their lives, and the number of affected individuals has exceeded 137,000 due to the floods that have struck Niger since June, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Humanitarian Action and Disaster Management of the Sahel state on Friday.

Russia has declared a state of emergency in the Kursk region due to escalating Ukrainian offensives, according to Politico. Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov announced via Telegram that the emergency measures took effect on August 7, aiming to address the impact of enemy forces entering the region.