Varna

A cargo ship bound for the Bulgarian port city of Varna faced an assault by Houthi militants while navigating the Bab el Mandeb Strait.

The vessel, flying the Belize flag, was en route from the United Arab Emirates to its destination in Bulgaria when the attack occurred. The Bab el Mandeb Strait serves as a crucial maritime passageway, connecting the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea.

Protests under the slogan „Get the mafia out of healthcare!" will take place today from 5 p.m. in front of the Council of Ministers in Sofia. Besides the capital, protests are also organized in Plovdiv, Varna, Ruse, and The Hague, Netherlands.

Farmers in Bulgaria are gearing up for another day of protests, continuing their demonstrations for the second consecutive day. Today, they plan to stage blockades on several key roadways from 10:00 to 13:00, amplifying their calls for action.

The Bulgarian fishing vessel "Iva-1" has been released after nearly a year of being under arrest in the Romanian port of Mangalia. The owner, Plamen Panayotov, confirmed this information to BNT, marking the resolution of the case at the second instance in Romania.

The picturesque city of Varna is experiencing a clash between its tourism sector and proposed plans for offshore wind farms, sparking controversy and opposition within the local community. The draft bill outlining the construction of these wind farms recently passed its first reading in the National Assembly, triggering dissent among various stakeholders.

Bulgaria is set to embark on the construction of two crucial highways, linking the city of Varna to Durankulak in northeastern Bulgaria and to Silistra on the Danube. The announcement came from Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Andrey Tsekov during an event in Varna.

Bulgaria's major airports, including Sofia, Varna, Burgas, and Plovdiv, have confirmed their readiness for Bulgaria's upcoming inclusion in the Schengen area by air, slated for March 31. These airports anticipate a seamless transition, assuring improved passenger processing and reduced wait times for travelers to and from Schengen member states.

Professor Iva Hristova, head of Bulgaria's National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCIPD), alerted the public to a concerning resurgence of health issues affecting schools. Speaking on bTV, she underscored a startling trend among COVID-19 patients, revealing that one in four experiences a rebound effect—a resurgence of symptoms around ten days after initial improvement.

Amid the anticipated surge in holiday travel, the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) announced specific traffic alterations for the Hemus Highway on December 29 and 30, aiming to streamline movement and accommodate repair works.

The National Assembly made significant strides on Thursday, greenlighting key spending allocations from the 2024 State Budget Bill during the second reading: