U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has begun his Middle East tour, with the United Arab Emirates as his first stop, Reuters reported.

He arrived in Abu Dhabi for a three-day Gulf trip, marking his first high-level diplomatic mission focused on the agreement reached last week to end the four-month-long U.S.–Israeli war with Iran.

Asked on arrival if he planned to address Middle East allies’ disquiet with the accord, Rubio told reporters: “That most certainly will come up in these discussions.”

He said they would also discuss issues not covered ⁠by the memorandum of understanding.

America’s top diplomat has been largely absent from Iran-related discussions in recent weeks, with Vice President JD Vance instead leading a round of talks with Iranian counterparts over the weekend in Switzerland.

Rubio’s remarks during his swing through the region will be closely scrutinized to see how the man once known as a hawkish critic of Iran frames a deal that many congressional Republicans argue amounts to capitulation. Rubio and Vance, both former U.S. senators, are widely viewed within Republican Party circles as potential candidates to succeed Trump, with party insiders and early polling often casting the race as a two-way contest between them, according to Reuters. 

Rubio’s mission is delicate: While he needs to defend a preliminary accord that Trump firmly supports, he also has to credibly address the concerns of his Gulf counterparts, who are more ‌circumspect about ⁠the deal.

While Gulf leaders pushed for peace during the four-month-long conflict, many were surprised and disappointed by the terms of the accord.

U.S. regional allies are especially concerned that Iran could use the proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund to rebuild its military. The accord also does not address Tehran’s ballistic missile capacity, a concern for Gulf states, all of which were struck by Iranian missiles and drones in the war.

Tehran has noted that the Gulf states ⁠made various logistical accommodations for Washington’s war effort, while hosting U.S. military bases that were central to the conflict.

Among the countries Rubio is visiting are the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Both nations host strategic U.S. military bases, and both were hit by an onslaught of Iranian missiles, resulting ⁠in civilian deaths.

The UAE faces particularly severe economic strains, as the war caused thousands of expatriates at the core of its non-oil economy to flee, provoking questions about the long-term viability of an expanding global financial centre so close to a country that attacked it.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the U.S.-Iran deal during a meeting on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, the State Department said.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and senior UAE leadership in Abu Dhabi. They discussed President Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region. They also discussed the strong bilateral U.S.-UAE ties and continued partnership in the areas of defense and commerce. The Secretary thanked the UAE for their leadership and unparallelled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran’s attacks, and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the security of the Emirates,” the State Department said in a press release.

United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced that the first test of the new multi-layered homeland missile defense initiative — the Golden Dome for America — was a success.

“Today, the first milestone test of Golden Dome for America (GDA) was a full mission success — and I was honored to witness it firsthand,” he said on X.

“Cutting edge directed energy was harnessed and the Dynamic Defense Autonomous Defeat (DDAD) system flawlessly and autonomously cued, targeted, and eliminated a multitude of incoming threats. This test was executed on schedule — and dynamically defeated every threat. I watched our elite warfighters integrate with next-generation technology to stop incoming drones and cruise missiles dead in their tracks. Traditional Primes and emerging Primes are competing, collaborating, and winning—delivering on President Trump’s priority. This historic milestone was only made possible by the One Big Beautiful Bill—giving us the funding to deliver on the ultimate shield to protect America. President Trump is making President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) vision a reality. With Golden Dome, the War Department will defend our homeland more powerfully than ever before. Golden Dome is real, powerful, and on track.”

In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the development and deployment of the Golden Dome for America, a next-generation missile defense system.

Cost estimates for the Golden Dome program range from $175 billion (White House), to $1.2 trillion (Congressional Budget Office). 

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the 20th Session of the Parliamentary Union of Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to be held in Baku, according to the Azerbaijani media outlet Report.

A doctor returning to France from a humanitarian mission in Congo has ‌tested positive for Ebola, the country’s first case of the virus during the current outbreak, Reuters reported citing the French ⁠health ministry.

The patient is being isolated and authorities are contact tracing, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the risk for the general ‌European ⁠population was low.

Congo’s Ebola outbreak, which has infected more than 1,000 people and killed ⁠267, has had the largest number of confirmed cases within the ⁠first month of any episode of the disease, ⁠the World Health Organisation has said.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and Moldpres.

Eugen Doga Chișinău International Airport hosted the first part of the program dedicated to the Centenary of Civil Aviation, an event that brought together representatives of public authorities, the aviation sector and partner institutions from the Republic of Moldova and Romania.

Attending the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea highlighted the symbolic and historical importance of the first commercial flights that connected Bucharest, Iași and Chișinău. He stressed that the symbolic recreation of the Bucharest–Chișinău air route, operated at 7:25 a.m., marks a century since the first air links between the two capitals.

“Today we have symbolically recreated the Bucharest–Chișinău air route, exactly along the path that, a century ago, opened the first commercial connections between these cities. On the centenary of the first commercial flight that linked Bucharest and Chișinău, I congratulate all employees in the civil aviation sector of the Republic of Moldova for their contribution to the development of a sector that is vital for the country’s connectivity and prosperity,” said Bolea.

The official underlined that the Republic of Moldova and Romania continue to develop joint infrastructure projects, from bridges and highways to modern railways, expressing gratitude to the Romanian partners for their constant support. 

Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Moldova Cristian-Leon Țurcanu recalled that in 1921 Romania invested nine million lei in aviation for a “rapid service for the transport of passengers, mail and parcels within the country”, with the aim of building three airports: in Băneasa, Galați and Chișinău. Three years later, on 24 June 1926, the first civil flight took place, connecting by air the largest Romanian cities of that time: Bucharest and Chișinău.

“Today we continue to build together, in Bucharest and Chișinău, interconnection infrastructure and economic development projects – so that people can be and feel close to each other at all times. This is the best way to ensure that our Strategic Partnership remains citizen-oriented – by investing together, with vision, in our common and prosperous future. Happy Civil Aviation Day to all workers in the civil aviation field!” declared the Romanian ambassador.

During the ceremony, a commemorative plaque dedicated to the Centenary of Civil Aviation was unveiled, as a symbol of a century of evolution in air transport and of its role in bringing closer the communities on both banks of the Prut River.

Another important moment of the event was the launch of a joint postage stamp issue dedicated to the anniversary, produced by the postal institutions of the Republic of Moldova and Romania.

The event was also attended by State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Romania Ionel Scrioșteanu, as well as by Director General of the National Company Romanian Post Florin Valentin Ștefan.

The anniversary program will continue at Iași Airport, where a ceremony dedicated to the Centenary of Civil Aviation in Romania will take place, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea and Romanian transport officials. The event will include the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, a thematic exhibition on the evolution of commercial aviation and an air show offered by the Romanian Aeroclub.

According to the authorities, starting from 2026, Civil Aviation Day will be marked on 24 June, in recognition of the first commercial and postal flight on the Bucharest-Galați-Iași-Chișinău route in 1926. Until 2025, it was celebrated on 19 September.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and BTA.

Medical University – Sofia announced Tuesday that it is launching three new English-language programmes – two Bachelor’s and one Master’s – designed specifically for international students. The programmes are in Nursing, Kinesitherapy, and Clinical Trial Management, and will be added to its well-established Master’s degree programmes in Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Pharmacy.

The application period for all programmes opens on July 27, 2026.

The Medical University in the capital Sofia is Bulgaria’s oldest higher medical school. Founded in 1917, it has been preparing medical specialists and engaging in state-of-the-art research in medicine and public health for more than a century.

The new full-time English-language programmes at the Faculty of Public Health have a duration between 2 years (Clinical Trial Management) and 4 years (Nursing and Kinesitherapy).

The existing programmes in Medicine and Dental medicine have a duration of 6 years, and the Pharmacy programme is 5 years.

Medical University-Sofia is a leader in the Bulgarian Ranking System of Higher Education Institutions in Bulgaria in all 5 professional fields in which it provides training: Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Health Care and Public Health. It is the highest-ranking Bulgarian university in the World University Ranking 2025 of Times Higher Education, as well as the best university in Bulgaria, according to the Best Global Universities ranking of US News & World Report for 2025-2026.

The degrees issued by this university are recognized in the EU and provide broad career opportunities in an international environment.

The university said its teaching staff includes internationally recognized researchers and clinicians, with five faculty members ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists in the Stanford University ranking. Medical University-Sofia operates under the European Credit Transfer System and follows international medical education standards, while maintaining partnerships with more than 180 universities through the Erasmus+ programme and dozens of institutions worldwide. Practical training is carried out across 12 university hospitals and clinical bases, and the university hosts students from more than 70 countries. 

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit Mendocino County on Wednesday morning, knocking out electricity and shaking a wide swath of Northern California, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing local authorities.

The quake occurred at 8:10 a.m. and was strong enough to knock items off shelves and out of cupboards, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said that somewhere between hundreds to thousands of customers were without power.

“The quake was felt far and wide — from Humboldt County in the north to Sonoma County in the south,” state Sen. Mike McGuire, a North Coast Democrat, said on social media. “Supplies and items are off the shelves in stores throughout the region. A lot of pictures off the walls in homes.”

There were no early reports of major damage to the highways or other major public infrastructure in Willits or Ukiah, such as to hospitals, the water and sewage systems and other public facilities, McGuire said.

Several aftershocks, of up to magnitude 2.7, were reported within an hour of the main earthquake.

“Strong” shaking, as defined by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, was felt in the city of Willits, northwest of Ukiah, according to the USGS. In general, that intensity is frightening and strong enough to be felt by everyone.

Roughly 60,000 to 70,000 people are estimated to have felt “moderate,” “strong” or “very strong” shaking, the USGS said.

The epicenter was about seven miles southeast of Willits, 15 miles north of Ukiah, 30 miles southeast of Fort Bragg, 70 miles northwest of Santa Rosa, 90 miles northwest of Napa and 116 miles northwest of San Francisco.

The USGS’ earthquake early warning system was activated, reaching cellphones in the San Francisco Bay Area. The system initially calculated that a magnitude 6 earthquake had occurred.

The UK has experienced its hottest June day on record after temperatures soared to 36.1C (97F) in Gosport, Hampshire on Wednesday afternoon, the BBC reported.

Hundreds of schools shut across England and Wales and transport has also been disrupted, with train passengers advised to avoid all non-essential travel.

The heatwave is forecast to continue into Thursday and Friday, with a further high of about 38C possible, the BBC reported, citing the Met Office.

A red extreme heat warning issued by the Met Office across parts of south and central England and south Wales remains in place until 23:59 BST on Thursday.

The high for the day came between 15:00 and 16:00 BST – breaking the previous June record of 35.6C recorded in Southampton in 1976 and Camden in 1957.

This new record is described as “provisional” by the Met Office, which now has to conduct checks to ensure the measurement is reliable.

The other top temperatures of the day were recorded in southern England, while Wales had its hottest day of the year so far, with 33.3C at Cardiff Bute Park.

Parts of the UK are also set to experience “tropical nights”, which occur when night-time temperatures stay above 20C.

The Met Office has warned that the weather could result in “population-wide adverse health effects”, leading to serious illness or danger to life.

The European Union is looking to Armenia’s chip design education ecosystem as a potential model for training the next generation of specialists. Built over more than 20 years through the efforts of Synopsys Armenia, the program has drawn EU interest amid growing demand for the semiconductor workforce.

Dr. Yervant Zorian, President of Synopsys Armenia, told Armenpress that the Armenian program could serve as a foundation for training new specialists in a number of European countries.

According to the company president, Armenia’s experience will help European countries train chip design specialists, a profession that is in steady global demand.

On 5 May 2026, at the first EU–Armenia Summit, six Letters of Intent were handed over by the EU to key Armenian companies and foundations. Synopsys Armenia is one of those six, with the partnership focusing on strengthening semiconductor skills and links between education and industry, benefiting Armenia and the European Union’s competitiveness.

These six Letters of Intent reflect the growing engagement between the EU and Armenian stakeholders. They show that the partnership is already translating into concrete cooperation and opportunities for citizens and economies, laying the groundwork for future cooperation.

Asked about the timeframe for the cooperation and its details, Dr. Zorian said:

“In general, the European Union has supported Armenia through various programs for many years. In this case, however, an effort has been made to identify initiatives through which Armenia can contribute to Europe. One such initiative is Synopsys Armenia’s university education program, through which we train specialists in chip design,” Zorian said.

Synopsys Armenia Educational Department (SAED) offers advanced education for Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in “IC Design” and “EDA” specializations, as well as PhD programs in “Automated Systems” and “Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics” specializations.

According to Dr. Zorian, chip design is currently a field of global importance, where there is a shortage of specialists almost everywhere—from the United States to Japan, China, and Europe. In Armenia, an educational program in this field has been running for more than 20 years, and thanks to it, a well-established system for training specialists has been formed.

“The European Union has seen the effectiveness of this program and is interested in applying it in its own countries as well. Today, various initiatives are being implemented in the United States, Canada, and Europe to develop the chip design sector. It is necessary to increase the number of chip design specialists, and in this context, Synopsys Armenia can support EU member states by sharing its experience and educational model,” he noted.

No specific timelines have yet been set, as the implementation of the program must be coordinated with various countries. However, negotiations are already underway with several countries regarding the introduction of the Armenian educational program in their training centers.

He clarified that the initiative is aimed primarily not at universities, but at training centers where professionals who already hold higher education degrees will study. The courses will last an average of four to six months.

“A significant part of Synopsys Armenia’s program is based on the company’s technological solutions, software tools, and intellectual property. These will be provided to the new training centers that will be established in European countries,” he said.

Dr. Zorian explained that the chip creation process consists of two main stages: design and manufacturing. In the first stage, chip architects and designers develop new solutions for AI, the automotive industry, robotics, and other fields. In the second stage, those designs are transformed into actual semiconductor products.

“Today, nearly all the smart devices we use—phones, watches, glasses, and many other technologies—are based on chips. That is why the world needs more chip designers, and our educational program is specifically aimed at training such specialists,” he emphasized.

According to him, about 150 new specialists graduate from the program in Armenia each year. The number of applicants exceeds the number of admitted students several times, making it possible to select the best candidates.

Speaking about the future of the sector, Dr. Zorian noted that technological development will be largely driven by chips.

“Artificial intelligence, robotics, and almost all intelligent systems of the future are based on chips. Armenia has been developing this field for about 25 years and today already has a large professional community and highly qualified specialists. We can not only be useful to Europe but also continue strengthening Armenia’s position as one of the leading centers for chip design,” he concluded.