Early bird: The Bulgarian elections were won by a coalition led by former President Radev. The U.S. Navy attacked a merchant ship sailing under the Iranian flag.
The coalition led by former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is set to win the country's parliamentary elections, having received just under 40 percent of the votes according to preliminary estimates. A vessel sailing under the Iranian flag in the Gulf of Oman was warned by a US guided missile destroyer yesterday to stop, but it did not comply. US Marines then boarded the ship, escalating tensions between the United States and Iran over operations in the strategically important strait.
Bulgaria Likely Faces Complex Post-Election Negotiations
The center-left coalition led by former Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is set to win the parliamentary elections, as suggested by an opinion poll conducted just hours after the polling stations closed. However, it is unlikely to secure enough votes for independent governance, potentially prolonging the years-long political deadlock in the European Union country. A survey conducted by the research group Trend showed that Radev's party, Progressive Bulgaria, garnered 39.2 percent support. It would outrun the center-right GERB party of Boyko Borissov, which is expected to win more than 15 percent of the votes, according to the AP.
Tensions Between the United States and Iran Escalate
The U.S. Navy attacked a commercial ship sailing under the Iranian flag in the Gulf of Oman and took control of it. This was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on the social network Truth Social. According to him, the ship ignored the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz and did not respond to warning shots. Taking control of the ship sailing under the Iranian flag escalates tensions between the United States and Iran regarding operations in the strategically important strait, reported the portal Ceskenoviny.cz.
Natalie Portman expecting her third child, first with Tanguy Destable
Actress Natalie Portman announced that she is expecting a child with her partner Tanguy Destable, a French electronic music producer known by the stage name Tepr. The artist already has two older children with her former husband Benjamin Millepied, son Aleph (14 years old) and daughter Amalia (9 years old). They divorced in 2024, reported the agency AP.
A Titanic Survivor's Life Jacket Sold for Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
The life jacket worn by a passenger on the Titanic as she escaped the sinking ship on a lifeboat was sold at auction on Saturday for over 900,000 dollars, equating to more than 18.5 million Czech crowns. The life jacket was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger on the ill-fated ocean liner. A seat from one of the Titanic's lifeboats was also sold at the same auction for 527,000 dollars, noted the AP agency.
FIFA Chief Infantino Defends High Ticket Prices for the World Cup
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the high ticket prices for this year's World Cup, taking place in North America, by stating that it is the only source of revenue for the sports organization every four years, reported Al Jazeera. For example, a ticket for the opening match of the World Cup between the United States and Paraguay is currently priced on the black market at 1,359 dollars, and for the final at 8,860 dollars, which is equivalent to more than 180,000 Czech crowns.
Sources: Ceskenoviny.cz, AP, Al Jazeera
