How did this high-school dropout from Bulgaria succeed in fashion in Hong Kong? Hong Kong-based entrepreneur Boryana Uzunova says her decision to drop out of school at a young age has helped build her fashion and technology business. The move did not only make her the co-founder of two start-ups in the city, but also one of the top graduates from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). “I had the luxury of having my parents’ blessing in my desire to learn in a non-standardised way,” Uzunova, 23, explains. Sixty-four bodies found in shipping container in MozambiqueCitizens' Dialogue in Blagoevgrad with Commissioner Mariya Gabriel(CNN)The bodies of 64 male migrants were discovered Tuesday in a sealed shipping container at a checkpoint in Tete, Mozambique, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM). In a statement released Tuesday night, IOM confirmed that 14 survivors were rescued by local authorities and are being treated at a local hospital. The survivors told local authorities that they were Ethiopians headed to South Africa.The truck driver and his assistant, both Mozambicans, were arrested, provincial immigration spokesman Amelia Direito told AFP. She said the driver told police he had been promised 30,000 meticais (about $500, 460 euros) to transport the men. Police have launched a manhunt for "the intermediary who facilitated the illegal entry of the Ethiopians into the country," Direito added. Temperatures in Tete have been above 90 degrees Fahrenheit this week. Citizens' Dialogue in Blagoevgrad with Commissioner Mariya Gabriel On 25 March 2019, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel participated in a Citizens' Dialogue in the South-West University of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. The topic of the debate was “Digital education: the engine of strong economies” The dialogue was held in an exceptionally positive atmosphere with many on topic questions and comments from the audience. The audience included university students, professors and other education professionals. During a brief opening speech, Commissioner Gabriel gave several examples of how digitalisation can accelerate economic development, especially in smaller regions and rural areas. She also emphasised the importance of digital skills and presented some of the actions that the EU undertook in order to create new opportunities for young people in Europe: “Digital technologies are a great opportunity for Bulgaria to fulfil its potential and catch up with the strongest economies in the EU. Digitalisation brings great benefits for our societies and can help us achieve social equality” she said. Drop in percentage of Bulgarians at risk of poverty, social exclusion – Eurostat figures The percentage of the population of Bulgaria at risk of poverty and social exclusion decreased from 49.2 per cent in 2010 to 40.4 per cent in 2016, according to figures released on April 3 by European Union statistics agency Eurostat. These figures remained well above the EU averages, which also decreased, from 23.8 per cent in 2010 to 23.5 per cent in 2016. In Bulgaria, the major drop came between 2013 and 2014, when the percentage fell from 48 per cent to 40.1 per cent, going by Eurostat’s figures. Mild Earthquake in the Region of Blagoevgrad An earthquake measuring 2.3 on the Richter scale was registered near Blagoevgrad at 23.52 on Friday, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences announced. The epicenter of the quake was in Hadjidimovo. The depth of the earthquake is 17.5 km. There is no evidence of material damage, NOVA said. For First Time in 72 Years, Sikhs Can Visit One of Their Holiest Sites Thanks to New Peace Corridor Practiced by more than 25 million people worldwide, Sikhism has deeper roots in modern Pakistan than India—but ever since the two countries were partitioned by Great Britain in 1947, the tempestuous relationship between the two nations has made it difficult for Sikhs from India to visit holy sites in Pakistan, and vice versa. However, all of that changed last month when India and Pakistan broke ground on a new peace corridor that will allow more than 5,000 pilgrims to travel back and forth across the normally impassable border visa-free for the first time in 72 years. ECO-FRIENDLY SPRING ADVENTURES TO BOOK NOW Looking for carbon neutral holidays to do this spring? Here are five adventures designed for green travellers seeking a break in the European grand outdoors. The role of agricultural skills development in transforming African agriculture role of agricultural skills development in transforming African agriculture Africa’s population is growing fast, and so are the continent’s food requirements. More must be done in future to increase agricultural productivity to eliminate the occurrence of food riots, experienced in 2008, 2011 and 2012. Potential solutions include designing programs that target the youth, both educated and uneducated. Attracting well-trained youth to the agricultural sector can help achieve needed increases in both production and productivity, and help address the youth unemployment crisis. Minister Angelkova held a working meeting in London with Egyptian Minister of Tourism Dr Rania Al-Mashat Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova held a working meeting with the Minister of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Dr Rania Al-Mashat. The two spoke at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London. The main focus of the debate was the discussion of measures to encourage tourism exchanges between the two countries. Student Who Grew Her Own Canoe Out of Mushroom Thinks Fungus is Our Best Ally in Climate Change While this might sound like the beginning of a fairytale, it’s actually just Katy Ayers’s unique way of informing the public about the utility of fungi and mycelium. She used this fascinating organism—which is neither plant nor bacteria nor animal—to create a hardened, water-tight vessel which she has fondly dubbed her “Myconoe”. In Blagoevgrad the honey is lit on the day of St. Haralampy The healing properties of honey have been known since ancient times, but according to the Orthodox tradition, it is believed that they were discovered precisely by St. Haralampy. Bee-keeping product is rich in vitamins, enzymes and chemical elements useful for the body. It has antibacterial action, used to treat wounds, soothe the stomach and improve the general condition of the body. Bulgarian government faces no-confidence vote over water crisis Bulgaria’s government faces a no-confidence vote in parliament as taps run dry for thousands of people near Sofia. The motion was filed by Bulgarian Socialist Party on Monday against the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Environment Minister Neno Dimov was arrested and sacked earlier this month. He is charged with deliberate mismanagement and suspected of letting Pernik’s town water supply be syphoned off for industrial use, prosecutors said. The water crisis started in November and may not end until April. The G95 Bioscarf is a sustainable alternative to disposable face masks for personal protection Environmentalists have warned that the rise in disposable face masks being used to prevent the spread of coronavirus is adding to the glut of plastic pollution threatening the health of oceans and marine life. Academic celebration invitation on the occasion of the launch of fund-raising campaign for the construction of All Bulgarian Saints Church Todor Kableshkov University of Transport and Church Board at All Bulgarian Saints Church under construction kindly invite you at the academic celebration on the occasion of the official start of fund-raising campaign for the church building. A theological lecture, entitled “Faith and nowadays world” will be delivered by assoc. prof. Klara Toneva, PhD, Faculty of Theology at Sofia University “Saint Kliment Ohridski”; a presentation on Saint Mount Athos will be given as well. Primarily Greeks visit Ognyanovo-popular destination for rural tourism Greeks are the majority of foreign tourists who visit Ognyanovo, announced the mayor. She said that they do not in groups and usually they stay for a short period of not more than 2, 3 days. Greeks visit Ognyanovo village mostly because of the wealth of mineral springs that possess unique healing properties. "Sometimes they come for even one day. They choose Ognyanovo for their favourite destination for rural experiences because of the relatively low prices. Migration and the Bulgarian Economy: Some Good News? As many people are likely to move to Bulgaria as leave it in the next two decades, according to a cautiously optimistic 2018 migration report from Colliers International. Titled “Turning the Tide,” the study suggests incoming migrants may even overtake leavers in numbers. Whether the tide can be turned will largely depend on how proactive the government and business are in encouraging Bulgarians to return and attracting qualified labor from neighboring countries. Ambassador of Denmark to Bulgaria Soren Jacobsen on Brexit and the Future of Europe Thursday, March 14 - the fateful night when the lawmakers in the British House of Commons were voting on whether or not to delay Brexit. While the vote was taking place, the Ambassador of Denmark to Bulgaria Sоren Jacobsen gave AUBG students at Panitza Library his take on Brexit and the future of the European Union. The event was jointly organized by the Department of Political Science and European Studies and the Department of Economics at AUBG. Bus stops turned into havens for bees The Dutch city of Utrecht has turned more than 300 of its bus stops into shelters for bees. These “bee stops” now have green roofs planted mainly with sedum, a drought-resistant plant favoured by pollinators, which also captures dust and rainwater. The new bee-friendly stops are cared for by a team of workers who use electric vehicles. This Penguin swims 5,000 miles every year for a reunion with the man who saved its life This little South American Magellanic penguin swims 5,000 miles, to a beach in Brazil, every year in order to be reunited with the man who saved its life. It sounds like something out of a fairytale, but it’s true! 71-year-old retired bricklayer and part-time fisherman Joao Pereira de Souza, who lives in an island village just outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, found the small Magellanic penguin lying on rocks at his local beach in 2011. ABLE Mentor Blagoevgrad Season 5 Kicks Off Dara, who recorded her first song; Aneta, who helped people tackle stress at work; Denis, who organized literary readings for children in social homes; Gabriela, who created а fashion brand. These are just a few of the projects that came to life over the six-year-long history of ABLE Mentor Bulgaria. Record-Breaking Amounts of Solar Electricity Generated in Germany After String of Sunny Days Good News Network recently explained how traditional consumer-driven supply and demand market forces are pushing coal further and further to the edge of the bed (and economic ruin), like a sprawling spouse kicking the blankets toward the cold tile floor. A recent string of cloudless days in Germany saw the country’s solar energy production climb above 32,000 megawatts in a single day last week—smashing the previous record set on March 23rd, according to a report from Bloomberg News. Plovdiv Bulgaria inaugurated as 2019 European culture capital Bulgaria's oldest city Plovdiv has been officially inaugurated as the European Capital of Culture for 2019. Plovdiv claims to be the oldest continually inhabited European city, with more than 6,000 years of history. Plovdiv's architectural landmarks dating back to Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman times help prove the ancient age of this Balkan city. Some 50,000 people gathered at the central square Saturday to watch the opening show. Lebanon Becomes First Arab Country to Legalize Medical Marijuana Following a parliamentary vote last Tuesday, Lebanon has become the first Arab nation to legalize cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes—and it could bring a much-needed financial windfall to the country’s economy. The legislation was approved nearly two years after it was recommended by New York-based firm Mckinsey and Co. through a consultation with the Lebanese government about alleviating the country’s economic crisis in 2018. AUBG Awarded Two Three-Year Erasmus Plus Grants The American University in Bulgaria has been awarded two three-year grants under the Erasmus plus program for a Jean Monnet Module on EU Diplomacy: Instruments and Policies and a Jean Monnet Module on Social policy and Politics in the EU. AUBG was the only academic institution in Bulgaria to be awarded such grants. Out of the 1315 applications submitted, 251 have been selected for EU funding under this action. Bid to build at UNESCO-protected national park in Bulgaria ruled 'illegal' Environmentalists are celebrating after winning a court case over plans to expand a ski resort in one of Bulgaria’s national parks. The scheme, approved by Bulgaria’s government late last year, was ruled illegal by the country’s special administrative court on Monday. Critics claim it would see the construction of 333 kilometres of ski runs through Pirin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bulgaria's environment ministry argues the proposal would see construction in only 2% of the park’s territory and is aimed at boosting winter tourism. Swiss Village Has Been Projecting World Flags Onto One of Their Tallest Mountains in Solidarity of Pandemic Rather than raising a flag up on a flag pole, the nation of Switzerland is paying homage to their international neighbors struggling against COVID-19 by projecting different world flags onto the front of one of their most iconic Alpine mountains. Light artist Gerry Hofstetter was commissioned to illuminate the famous Matterhorn mountain in Zermatt with different national flags to show solidarity towards countries that have been hit hardest by the novel coronavirus. AUBG Now Offers a Program in Physics Science is hot -- that's what a poster depicting a thermonuclear fusion reactor, or tokamak, outside AUBG's new science lab says. And it must be about to get hot in here since the university has just expanded its academic offerings with a major and minor in Physics starting this fall. The first Natural Science program at AUBG, the Physics program is a necessary addition to the university's curriculum and is designed to attract students with a keen interest in the field. How to kill thousands of animals in a few days: Bulgaria's battle with livestock plague After Ovine rinderpest was discovered in Voden, the Bulgarian authorities had to work out how to kill thousands of animals in a matter of days. Of course plans and precedents exist for such a programme but on a logistical and human level, there are many challenges to overcome. The first positive test results of this disease also known as ‘sheep and goat plague’ were found in two sheep belonging to Yordan Trifonov, a 50-year-old ex-police officer. After these positive results, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Rumen Porozhanov said that Bulgaria would take appropriate measures in regards to the outbreaks and containment zones, which included the humanitarian euthanasia of all small-scale animals from the affected ones and the ones that were in contact with. The EU encouraged Bulgaria to take these necessary containment and eradication measures, including drastic movement restrictions for sheep and goats and their products. In Groundbreaking Vote for Sustainability, EU Moves to Approve Insects for Human Consumption As famed adventure television host, world record holder, former British Special Forces operator, and all around feel-good motivational guy Bear Grylls repeatedly reminded us on his television programs Man vs Wild and Running Wild, insects have more protein than beef or fish—sometimes as much as 8x more, if measured pound for pound. After a long television career of pounding back worms, grubs, spiders, crickets, and ants for our amusement, Grylls would certainly be applauding the new proposed European Union legislation that would allow for mealworms, lesser mealworms, crickets, and locusts to be sold as “novel food sources,” pumping life into an industry that, while small, produces 500 tons of food annually according to The Guardian. AUBG Welcomes Over 270 New Students on Campus A Bulgarian who has already launched his first business project; A Macedonian whose film aired on national TV; An American who has spent over 1000 hours volunteering; a Jordanian who founded an animal shelter. These are just a few of the 277 top-achieving students coming to AUBG from over 20 countries in fall 2019. Because of their academic achievements, social service and extracurricular work, 98% of the first-year students of AUBG's class of 2023 receive scholarships and financial aid. Best EVER Grandpa Delivers Donuts By Drone to Grandkids in Quarantine Kevin Procopio missed playing his grandchildren, since the COVID-19 quarantine required that they all stay in isolation—but he came up with a fun way to connect. One-third of a mile down the road, in Saugus, Massachusetts, the family was experiencing “extreme cabin fever” until they got a telephone call with directions for everyone to go out on their deck. The three boys, all under 5 years old, were super excited. The oldest child, Oren, ran out and anxiously waited. In came a drone carrying a box of ‘Munchkins’ Dunkin’ Donut holes, delivered right into Oren’s arms. Pakistan Hires Thousands of Newly-Unemployed Laborers for Ambitious 10 Billion Tree-Planting Initiative Although the novel coronavirus pandemic has driven thousands of workers into unemployment, the Pakistani government has found a way to provide jobs to their citizens while also reforesting the nation. According to Reuters, Pakistan has created more than 63,000 jobs for unemployed day laborers by relaunching the nation’s ambitious 10 Billion Tree Tsunami campaign. The 5-year initiative, which was started by Prime Minister Imran Khan back in 2018, was temporarily shut down in mid-March as a result of the country’s quarantine. With thousands of agricultural workers facing unemployment amidst the lockdowns, however, the program was relaunched earlier this month. Third Annual AUBG Golf Tournament Collects Funds for Talented Students A perfect sunny day greeted the avid golfers and AUBG supporters at the third AUBG & Friends Fundraising Golf Tournament. Faculty, staff, alumni and donors gathered together Sept. 28 for the annual event that collects funds for AUBG scholarships. "It is incredibly meaningful to me and to all people who work at the university to see you coming out here to support our students," said AUBG interim president Dr. David Evans. “We educate many leaders all over Bulgaria and around the world and we seek to provide as much support as we possibly can to foster their success." Drink Made From Fruit and Plant Extracts May Be the Scientifically-Backed Hangover Cure We’ve Been Waiting For A plant extract combination of fruits, leaves, and roots may help to relieve hangover symptoms, reveals an intriguing new study published online this week. Furthermore, the common wisdom about what causes hangovers may be wrong. The study’s findings indicate that dehydration and the associated loss of electrolytes—electrically charged minerals in the body that help balance water content and acid levels—may not be largely responsible for all the common hangover symptoms. Various natural remedies have been recommended over the years to ease hangover symptoms, but there was no strong scientific evidence that would advocate for their use. New Study Finds Best Material for Homemade Face Masks May Be Two Fabrics Combined The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wear masks in public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because N95 and surgical masks are scarce and should be reserved for health care workers, many people are making their own coverings. Now, researchers report in ACS Nano that a combination of cotton with natural silk or chiffon can effectively filter out aerosol particles—if the fit is good. AUBG Alumni Pledge to Donate $5,000,000 to the University The AUBG Alumni Association (AAA) Networking Cocktail in Sofia Sept. 9 came with some big news: the AUBG alumni have pledged to donate $5,000,000 to AUBG over 10 years. The goal for this year is to get 6% of the graduates to participate and raise $300,000. Keynote speaker at the event was AUBG Interim President Dr. David Evans. “AUBG alumni are doing absolutely amazing things in a tremendous range of fields,” he said. “It is astounding to see so many leaders (...) who are successful an Greek police smash alleged €500,000 baby-smuggling network Authorities in Greece say they have smashed a €500,000 baby-smuggling crime network accused of selling eggs or the babies of vulnerable Bulgarian women. A long-running investigation by Hellenic Police and Europol led to the immediate arrest of 12 people on Wednesday, while inquiries continue into the role of up to 66 people in the alleged network. Among them are a lawyer, an obstetrician-gynecologist, employees of private fertility reproduction clinics and two women already imprisoned for similar offences. Good News Stories From Around the World That Will Brighten Your Day Twenty-one-year-old British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason first won attention aged 17 as the first black musician to win the prestigious BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. But it was his performance at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018, watched by a global audience, that made him famous. Now, thanks to the so-called “Sheku effect”, a new generation of young cellists is emerging, with Britain’s National Schools Symphony Orchestra reporting a 68 per cent increase in applications from young cellists. The AUBG EMBA Program: Boost Your Career A moment comes in your – and everyone’s -- career when you start to feel at a crossroads at best and at a dead-end at worst. You feel like you’ve learned everything you need to know about your industry or you feel like you don’t know nearly enough; you have a million-dollar business idea but don’t have the support network that you need; you want to switch careers, you want to get promoted, you want to become better at what you do. And you don’t know how to achieve any of that. An Executive MBA program could be a good start. Scottish Government Scores Hole in One for Wildlife, Blocking Golf Course on Protected Coastline On every continent, wildlife habitats of all kinds are threatened with development and construction, but perhaps none stand at greater risk than coastline ecosystems like estuaries, salt marshes, and coastal wetlands. In Scotland one of the last remaining dune ecosystems of its kind in the entire country was just saved from an attempt to turn the unique sandb shore into a golf course. The wetlands area known as Coul Links is a Ramsar site recognized by UNESCO, and part of the Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet Special Protection Area. India Makes History With All Gas Stations Officially Preparing to Supply World’s Cleanest Fuel In an ambitious bid to cut the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, India is now ensuring that all diesel and gas stations will only be supplying the cleanest available fuel. Starting on April 1st, India will join the ranks of the few world nations offering Euro-VI grade fuel, which only contains 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur in contrast to the 50 ppm in Euro-IV fuels. India is reportedly the first country to ever transition directly from IV-grade fuels to VI-grade. Not only that, they managed to achieve the transition in just three years. According to The Tribune, it took India 7 years to transition from Euro-III grade fuel with a sulphur content of 350 ppm to Euro-IV fuel. Reports also say that most of the nation’s StartUp@Blagoevgrad 2019: StartUp. Build. Sustain Annually organized on campus by a group of enterprising AUBG students, the StartUp@Blagoevgrad Conference has over the years become one of the region’s most significant entrepreneurial events. The theme of this year’s conference was sustainability and speakers from all paths of life and corners of the globe have come to share their points of view on the topic during the day-long event April 6.
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