International relations

Turkey on Friday called on all sides to refrain from steps that could lead to a wider conflict in the Middle East, after Israel reportedly attacked Iran in a tit-for-tat retaliation for Iran's strike.

US President Joe Biden has urged Israel to unilaterally call for a 6- to 8-week ceasefire in Gaza, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach as a "mistake." This follows Biden's recent public pressure on Israel's conduct during the conflict, particularly after the deaths of seven aid workers in an airstrike.

The last decade Thucydides has moved to the center of the discussion, with concepts like the "Thucydides trap" debated in policy circles in Washington, DC when looking at how to navigate US relations with a rising China in what appears to be a new era of great power competition.

So what can Thucydides tell us about our world today?

Türkiye has announced that it has suspended the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), which was signed in 1990 to ensure mutual arms control between Russia and Europe following the Cold War.

Bulgaria has stirred controversy by casting a dissenting vote against a resolution proposed in the UN Human Rights Council, which sought to impose a ban on arms sales to Israel in light of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. The decision, reported by BNR "Horizon," has drawn criticism and raised questions about Bulgaria's stance on the matter.

President Barack Obama's critical role in helping Greece stay in the eurozone follows in the post-WWII tradition of American engagement in the European project for geopolitical reasons, even though it was initially driven by financial concerns, argues Katerina Sokou, ELIAMEP and Atlantic Council non-resident research fellow in a research paper just published.

Travelers passing through Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport can now enjoy a smoother journey with the introduction of electronic self-scanning counters for boarding passes. Set to officially launch on March 6, this innovative system aims to streamline the passenger experience, reducing wait times and enhancing efficiency during the security check process.

Türkiye has made a plea to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold Israel accountable for what it deems as violations of human rights and international law in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Starting this morning, the city of Plovdiv commenced the distribution of free travel cards for public transport to students aged 7 to 14.

There were no reports of overcrowding at the service desks, where parents could obtain the new travel documents for their children.

How can human rights be safeguarded in the midst of war? Dr Photini Pazartzis, the Constantine G. Karamanlis Chair in Hellenic and European Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and former vice chair of the UN Human Rights Committee ICCPR, emphasizes that international law establishes clear rules in cases of armed conflicts.