Deadlock after tight Bulgarian election

The EU's poorest country Bulgaria has faced fresh political uncertainty after inconclusive elections held three months after huge protests forced the government to resign.

• Bulgarian government resigns amid protests
• No clear winner in Bulgarian polls

Bulgarian cafés get an Italian twist

More than 150 cafés across Bulgaria have joined a goodwill initiative modelled on the Italian "caffe sospeso" tradition, which literally means "suspended coffee".

• Elephant dung coffee: exotic and expensive
• Sweet smell of coffee wafting away?

Bulgarian government resigns amid protests

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has announced his government's resignation following days of sometimes violent street protests in the European Union's poorest member.

• Bulgaria: 168 held in 2nd night of unrest

Israel wants Hezbollah on EU terror list

Israel has welcomed a Bulgarian report implicating Hezbollah in the deaths of five Israelis in a bombing, signalling that it will use the findings to focus on a diplomatic battle rather than retaliation.

• Bulgaria: Bombing probe encouraging
• Bulgaria bomber 'had female companion'
• US: Signs Hezbollah staged Bulgaria attack

Bulgaria arrest warrant for bomber

Sofia has identified and issued an arrest warrant for one of several foreigners believed to have assisted a man who killed six people plus himself in a bomb attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria in July.

• Bulgaria: Bombing probe encouraging
• Bulgaria releases photo of suicide bomber
• US: Signs Hezbollah staged Bulgaria attack

Bulgaria: Bombing probe encouraging

A month after the suicide bombing of an Israeli tourist bus in Bulgaria, investigators have made no major breakthroughs but progress has been encouraging, the country says.

• Bulgaria releases photo of suicide bomber
• US: Signs Hezbollah staged Bulgaria attack
• Bulgaria bomber 'had female companion'

Bulgaria bomber 'had female companion'

The suicide bomber in last week's deadly attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria entered from neighbouring Romania, spoke decent Russian and had a female companion, say reports.

• Cops battle to identify Bulgaria bomber
• Obama re-affirms US support for Israel
• US: Signs Hezbollah staged Bulgaria attack

Cops battle to identify Bulgaria bomber

Bulgarian police are working flat out with the FBI and Interpol to identify a suicide bomber who killed five Israeli tourists, as the interior minister says the attacker was a foreigner.

• Bulgaria blast survivors back in Israel
• Bomb caused deadly Bulgaria bus blast
• Suicide bomber confirmed in Bulgaria blast

Suicide bomber confirmed in Bulgaria blast

A suicide bomber committed the attack that killed eight people in a bus transporting Israeli tourists at a Bulgarian airport, says the country's interior minister.

• Obama slams 'barbaric' attack on Israelis
• Tourist attack: Netanyahu blames Iran
• Suicide bomber targeted bus - witness

Bomb caused deadly Bulgaria bus blast

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised a tough response after 6 people died when a bomb exploded on a bus carrying Israeli tourists in Bulgaria.

• Tourist attack: Netanyahu blames Iran
• Blast on bus carrying Israeli tourists
• Suicide bomber targeted bus - witness

Suicide bomber targeted bus - witness

A witness has told Israeli army radio that he believes a suicide bomber caused the explosion on a bus packed with Israeli tourists outside Bulgaria's Bourgas Airport.

• Blast on bus reportedly carrying Israeli tourists

Strong quake rocks Bulgaria

A strong 5.8-magnitude quake has rocked Bulgaria, however, there have been no reports of casualties, says Bulgaria's Seismological Institute.

• Italians shelter in cars after quake
• India quake sends panicked people fleeing
• 6.2 quake hits Chile-Peru border

Bulgarians pray for honey, bees

Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria are observing a unique holiday traditionally associated with honey and bees.

• Truck crashes, millions of bees escape

Rare Rome snowstorm closes Colosseum

Heavy snow has fallen in central Rome, giving tourists a rare sight of whitened landmarks such as Saint Peter's Square, while the Colosseum was closed due to the icy conditions.

• Big freeze tightens grip in Europe
• Serbia snow - 11 000 trapped in villages
• Europe's winter wonderlandview

More than 150 dead in Europe freeze

A cold snap is keeping Europe in its grip as countries from Italy to Ukraine struggle to cope with temperatures that have reached record lows in some places.

• 55 dead as heavy snow grips Japan
• Heavy snows cause 'moose emergency'
• European cold snap victims rescued

Cold snap kills 32 in eastern Europe

Heavy snow and a severe cold snap have killed at least 32 people across eastern Europe and many areas are under emergency measures.

• Storm death toll rises to 14
• Blizzards hit eastern Europe hard

Bulgaria bans shale oil and gas drilling

The Bulgarian parliament has banned shale oil and gas exploration through hydraulic fracturing or fracking due to environmental concerns following widespread protests.

• Fidel Castro condemns fracking
• Sasol freezes shale gas exploration
• US quakes linked to fracking

The Expendables 2 stuntman killed on set

Police in Bulgaria say a stuntman has died and another has been seriously injured while filming an explosion scene on the set of The Expendables 2.

• Stallone not directing Expendables 2

Bulgarian reporter’s car blown up

A bomb has blown up the car of a popular Bulgarian journalist in Sofia, coinciding with a visit of European Commission President Joe Manuel Barroso and other members of the commission.

• Bulgaria: 168 held in 2nd night of unrest
• Explain, Russia tells Bulgaria

SA, Bulgaria work to stregthen ties

SA and Bulgaria have agreed to work together on education and food security in a bid to strengthen bilateral relations, the international relations department says.

• Motlanthe firms ties with Guinea-Bissau
• SA not assisting Gaddafi exit: Minister
• Foreign investment in SA dives in 2010

64 missile warheads stolen from train

Authorities investigating the theft of 64 missile warheads from a train transporting military equipment to Bulgaria say the components are no danger to the public.

• Iran tests 14 missiles in war games
• India test-fires nuclear missile

Disabled children abused, starved

Mentally disabled children at some state-run institutions in Bulgaria are being abused, neglected and in some cases even starved to death, a report released by a human rights watchdog has stated.

Somali pirates free Bulgarian tanker

Somali pirates have freed a Bulgarian chemical tanker, the Panega, which had been hijacked in May with 15 Bulgarian crew members on board, Bulgaria's foreign ministry has said.

• German ship hijacked off Somalia
• Kenya jails 7 Somali pirates
• Ship freed after standoff with pirates

Roman town found in Sofia

The remains of an ancient Roman town have been unveiled to the public in the centre of the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

• Ancient shoe found
• Egypt unearths Ptolemaic statue
• Oldest tomb found in Mexico