US–Bulgaria Defence Access: Bulgaria’s parliament backed a proposal letting the US use Bezmer Air Base for KC-135 refuelling aircraft (up to eight planes, 250 personnel) from tomorrow to Oct 1. Climate & Water Stress: A new scientific analysis says climate crisis heat is driving extreme drought across Europe by supercharging evaporation from rivers, lakes, soils and plants—turning “extreme” drought into the new normal and worsening wildfire and farm impacts. Renewables Grid Bottlenecks: Ember reports Europe could add 25 GW of wind and solar by hybridising them with existing hydropower sites, including Bulgaria, avoiding new grid capacity and speeding connections. Bulgarian Research Policy: At an informal EU Competitiveness Council in Dublin, Bulgaria backed a more integrated European Research Area—pushing for fewer barriers to knowledge, researchers and data, plus stronger open science and research careers. Industrial Growth Plan: Deputy PM/ Economy Minister Alexander Poulev says industrial zones and parks are central to Bulgaria’s investment push, with streamlined procedures and infrastructure support, including EUR 60m for major investors. Air Defence Logistics: Poland says it received a request from an unnamed NATO ally about MiG-29 transfers to Ukraine, while noting Bulgaria’s MiG-29 fleet isn’t ready to transfer due to spare-parts constraints. Energy Storage in the Region: EU-wide coverage highlights BESS momentum, with Bulgaria among countries commissioning new battery storage capacity. Education Abroad: Bulgaria’s schools abroad community held its annual conference in Sofia, with a new cooperation memorandum signed between ABSA and the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad. Mobile Tech Habits: A Yettel survey finds Bulgarians keep phones longer than the European average, with many storing old devices at home rather than recycling them.