Chemical elements

Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection said on Thursday that there was an increase in radioactivity in the air in Western and Central Europe, but there is no danger to human health, the Associated Press reported.

South Korea said on Wednesday traces of radioactive xenon gas were confirmed to be from a North Korean nuclear test earlier this month, but it was unable to conclude whether the test had been for a hydrogen bomb as Pyongyang claimed.

A source of radiation was found in a resident building  in Varna in a garage near "Slivnitsa" Blvd, according to bTV. 

After the control check by the authorities, the material which is stored in a box was identified.

According to the witnesses, the material is iridium 192, in a depleted uranium container. No elevated norms were established outside the premises.

The Novi Sad-based daily Dnevnik is reporting that Serbia remains the only site anywhere in the world of "the new mineral" jadarite.

The mineral was discovered in 2006 in the country's western Jadar River Valley, and according to preliminary estimates, the deposits there can cover at least ten percent of the global demand for such highly sought-after elements as lithium and borate.

Bulgarian caretaker Minister of Health Ilko Semerdzhiev has said in parliament that so far there is no health hazard for the population of Haskovo, Southeastern Bulgaria, BNR reported.

He made the statement over fears that the drinking water in the city has an increased content of Uranium.

The last Games where champions wore pure gold around their necks took place in Stockholm 104 years ago. Today, an Olympic gold medal consists of 92.5 percent silver, 6.2 percent copper and 1.3 percent gold. If its worth is measured in weight, then a gold medal from this year's Olympics is worth about US $550.

Stories sell

Internationally acclaimed dance theater group Rootless Root performs “Europium” on October 29-November 1 at the Onassis Cultural Center.

Directors of the performance, Linda Kapetanea & Jozef Fruček say:

Two smugglers of Georgian origin have been arrested at Turkey's northeastern border for attempting to smuggle caesium and a mercury-like substance, with a combined estimated market value of $2.5 million. 

LOZNICA - The Loznica City Council in western Serbia called at its extraordinary session on Monday for implementation of an urgent solution of the problem concerning the leak of heavy metals from the goaf of former antimony mine in Stolice.

Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency (NRA) is putting up for auction nearly 100 kg of gold, silver and platinum.

The items put up for sale belonged to debtors of the NRA, Nova TV informs.