Seven planets grace the sky at the end of February in what’s known as a planetary parade, though some will be difficult to spot.

Germany’s opposition leader has vowed to bar people from entering the country without proper papers and to step up deportations if he is elected as chancellor next month.

The center-right GERB party of former prime minister Boyko Borissov is the likely winner of Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, after exit poll results showed it placing first.

Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s Schengen ID-check-free travel zone, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union.

Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has scored four first-half goals to lead a 5-0 rout of 10-man Azerbaijan in their final European Championship qualifying game.

Scientists say climate change made the devastating storm along the Libyan coast up to 50 times more likely and 50% more intense.

Farmers across Bulgaria protested Monday after the government lifted a ban on food products from Ukraine, complaining that the move will cause an influx that drives down prices for local growers.

Rescue teams in Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria have recovered the bodies of seven more people following floods after fierce rainstorms.

The leaders of nine central and eastern European countries say NATO allies should aim at further boosting their support for Ukraine and for its aspiration to become a member of the alliance.

A European Union commissioner from Bulgaria has been nominated for the post of prime minister as the Balkan country struggles to end a two-year period of political instability and economic hardship.

Bulgaria's central electoral commission says the center-right GERB party of ex-premier Boyko Borissov appears to be the winner of the country's parliamentary election.

Authorities in Bulgaria have detained seven people in connection with an abandoned truck in which 18 people believed to be migrants were found dead.

Hundreds of people have attended a street protest in Bulgaria’s capital to oppose a revision of the Election Code that reinstates paper ballots.

A 17-year-old pilot has become the youngest person to fly solo around the world in a small aircraft after he landed in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is heading to a new parliamentary election this fall after the largest three parties in parliament failed to find common ground for a coalition government.

North Macedonia has approved a French proposal that opens the way for negotiations to join the European Union and overcome Bulgarian objections.

North Macedonia got a boost from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the country’s hopes of eventually joining the European Union amid a dispute with Bulgaria.

In a joint statement, the European Union's Foreign Affairs chief Josep Borrell and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have expressed support for the candidacy of both Albania and North Macedonia to join the European Union.

Nightly protests in North Macedonia over the last week have left dozens of people injured.

Thousands of demonstrators have marched through the capital of North Macedonia for a fifth consecutive night protesting a proposal aiming to break a deadlock in the country’s efforts to join the European Union.

European Council President Charles Michel has urged North Macedonia to back a French-proposed compromise on ending a dispute with neighboring Bulgaria that’s blocking the country’s long-delayed European Union accession bid.

Nine NATO nations on the alliance’s eastern flank have held talks in Romania ahead of a key NATO summit later this month.

An international rights group says that Bulgarian authorities are attacking Afghan and other asylum-seekers, using police dogs and other violence to illegally push them back over the border into Turkey.

Rising energy prices in Europe are testing the resolve of those caught between a dependence on cheap Russian energy and their revulsion at Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Protesters opposing COVID-19 restrictions in Bulgaria have clashed with police as they were trying to storm the Parliament in Sofia.

Bulgarian shoppers are crossing Turkey’s western border in packed cars and buses, taking advantage of a declining Turkish lira to fuel their own shopping sprees.

In much of Eastern Europe, coronavirus deaths are high and vaccination rates are low, but politicians have hesitated to impose the measures to curb the virus that experts are calling for.

Bulgaria had 334 COVID-19 patients die in a single day, the country’s highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic.

Romania has reported a record daily number of 591 COVID-19 deaths amid a persistently low vaccination rate.

The daily number of COVID-19 deaths in Russia has reached another high amid a surge in infections that forced the Kremlin to order most Russians to stay off work starting this week.

The vaccination situation in Europe is a story of two regions.

The chief vaccination nurse at a hospital in northern Bulgaria voices a sad reality about her fellow citizens.

Fresh off a hard court win in Toronto, second-ranked Daniil Medvedev is rolling through the Western & Southern Open.

On the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims from the southwestern corner of Bulgaria have flocked to a sleepy mountain village for a four-day festival of feasting, music and the mass circumcision of young boys.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s center-right GERB party appears the likely winner of parliamentary election, with several exit polls pointing to it finishing first.

Japan's Naomi Osaka walks out onto court for her match against Britain's Katie Boulter during a tuneup event ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. The Australian Open is scheduled to begin Monday. Australian Open organizers didn’t immediately have details of how many players were ordered to isolate. Williams won her last major title at the 2017 Australian Open, when she was pregnant with her daughter, Olympia. On the bottom half of the draw, defending Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin rallied from a set and a break down to fend off Jessica Pegula 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

That dilemma faces nations in southeastern Europe, where coronavirus vaccination campaigns are off to a slow start — overshadowed by heated political debates and conspiracy theories. In countries like the Czech Republic, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania and Bulgaria, vaccine skeptics have included former presidents and even some doctors. “There is a direct link between support for conspiracy theories and skepticism toward vaccination,” a recent Balkan study warned. Djokovic has said he was against being forced to take a coronavirus vaccine in order to travel and compete but was keeping his mind open. In Bulgaria, widespread conspiracy theories hampered past efforts to deal with a measles outbreak.

The legend goes that the person who retrieves the wooden cross will be freed from evil spirits and will be healthy throughout the year. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)SOFIA – Thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers in Bulgaria on Wednesday ignored warnings issued by health authorities to abstain from mass gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic and kept instead to their centuries-old Epiphany traditions. Epiphany marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas, but not all Orthodox Christian churches celebrate it on the same day. While the Orthodox Christian churches in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania celebrate the feast on Jan. 6, Orthodox Churches in Russia, Ukraine and Serbia follow the Julian calendar, according to which Epiphany is celebrated on Jan. 19, as their Christmas falls on Jan. 7. Some Western Christian churches celebrate the religious holiday of Epiphany as the Three Kings Day, which marks the visit of the Magi, or three wise men, to the baby Jesus, and closes out the Christmas season.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released a video celebrating the vaccine rollout for the bloc of nearly 450 million people, calling it “a touching moment of unity.”“Today, we start turning the page on a difficult year. Still, the vaccine rollout helps the bloc project a sense of unity in a complex lifesaving mission after it faced a year of difficulties in negotiating a post-Brexit trade deal with Britain. “It’s here, the good news at Christmas," German Health Minister Jens Spahn told a news conference Saturday. French authorities said they will prioritize the elderly and the French medical safety agency will monitor the vaccine rollout for any potential problems. Spanish authorities said the first batch of the vaccine arrived in the central city of Guadalajara, where the first shots will be administered Sunday morning at a nursing home.

World Heavyweight boxing champion Britain's Anthony Joshua punches challenger Bulgaria's Kubrat Pulev during their Heavyweight title fight at Wembley Arena in London Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. This time, Pulev couldn't get up and Joshua raised his right fist in the air. "We are going to be friendly, we are going to be nice, we know what we have to do starting from tomorrow: to make the Tyson Fury fight straightaway. It’s the biggest fight in boxing.”Fury uploaded a video on Twitter soon after Joshua and Hearn spoke, saying Joshua “went around the bushes” when asked if he wanted to fight Fury. Joshua always had the measure of Pulev, using his left jab to great effect and hurting Pulev with repeated uppercuts.

BRUSSELS – Bulgaria blocked the start of already long-delayed European Union accession talks with North Macedonia on Tuesday because of disputes over history and language. “The use of the short version of the name of the Republic of North Macedonia, and secondly the reference to the Macedonian language." North Macedonia applied for EU membership in 2004 and received a positive opinion from the European Commission a year later. After Skopje and Athens settled a nearly three decade-long dispute over Macedonia’s name in a move that saw the small country renamed North Macedonia, the bloc's leaders agreed to formal accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia in March. The official launch of the accession talks were set to start in December.

(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):___11:10 p.m.Danielle Collins grabbed the last four games to come back and beat 2016 champion Garbiñe Muguruza 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in the last third-round singles match at the French Open. Next up for Djokovic as he pursues a second French Open title and 18th Grand Slam trophy overall: No. ___4:20 p.m.Fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the fourth round at the French Open for the second year in a row. He came through the qualifying tournament to reach the French Open main draw. ___1:10 p.m.Andrey Rublev advanced to the French Open fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win against the unseeded South African Kevin Anderson.

Protesters shout "Resignation" in downtown Sofia, Bulgaria, on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets Wednesday in cities across Bulgaria for a third consecutive week to demand the resignation of the government and the chief prosecutor. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)SOFIA Tens of thousands of people took to the streets Wednesday in cities across Bulgaria for a third consecutive week to demand the resignation of the government and the chief prosecutor. In a video on Facebook, Borissov said everyone has the right to demonstrate, but not to block roads and intersections. Borissov has been in power since 2009 and his third term is scheduled to end next March

Novak Djokovic has tested positive for the coronavirus after taking part in a tennis exhibition series he organized in Serbia and Croatia. Grigor Dimitrov, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist from Bulgaria, said Sunday he tested positive. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)VIENNA Third-ranked tennis player Dominic Thiem apologized Thursday for taking part in an exhibition series hosted by Novak Djokovic in which four players tested positive for the coronavirus. I am extremely sorry.The top-ranked Djokovic tested positive on Tuesday. Djokovic said on Tuesday that he and his wife tested positive and admitted it was too soon to host such an event.

Police forensic investigation officers stand in front of the site where 39 bodies were discovered in the back of a lorry on Oct. 23, 2019, in Thurrock, England. They have arrested a 25-year-old Northern Irish truck driver "on suspicion of murder" after finding the bodies early on Wednesday morning, Essex Police said. "This is a tragic incident where a large number of people have lost their lives. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that he was "appalled by this tragic incident." Ireland's police force, An Garda Sochna, said it was monitoring the UK investigation, "and will provide every assistance possible."

Bulgarian fans gesture during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier between Bulgaria and England on Oct. 14, 2019, in Sofia, Bulgaria. (CNN) - A Euro 2020 qualifier match between Bulgaria and England in Sofia was temporarily halted twice Monday night over racist abuse hurled at English players. "The referee has indicated that he may have to suspend the match," the announcer said and warned against racist behavior, according to Britain's PA news agency. Bulgaria was sanctioned earlier this year for racist chanting during qualifiers against Kosovo and the Czech Republic in June. The game carried on into the second half, with England ultimately beating Bulgaria 6-0.

Seminole County prosecutors said Grant Amato committed murder because he was obsessed with Sylvia Ventsislavova, a webcam model from Bulgaria. ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his parents and brother because prosecutors say he was angry they cut off his relationship with a model he met on an adult website. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the 12 jurors didnt unanimously choose the death penalty for Grant Amato on Monday, meaning an automatic life sentence. Seminole County deputies say Amato had stolen $60,000 and guns from his brother to talk to a Bulgarian woman he met online. Investigators say Grant also stole $150,000 from his father, including a loan taken out on his parents house.