Protesters rally in Bulgaria against US-Israeli strikes on Iran

A group of demonstrators gathered in Bulgaria's capital Sofia on Monday to protest against U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The protesters rallied with signs reading "Do not engage war in Iran" and "We do not welcome U.S. military aircraft", to show solidarity with Iran.

"No one has the right to launch an attack on a sovereign country or interfere in its decisions," said Kostadin Kostadinov, chairman of the Bulgarian Revival party, while delivering a speech at the rally.

"The U.S. military equipment should not be brought to Bulgarian territory and the territory cannot be used in any form for military operation against Iran. We demand the U.S. military planes to immediately leave Bulgarian territory. This is not our war. The Iranian people are not our enemy. Iran is not our enemy," Petar Nikolaev Petrov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Revival party, said in his speech.

Several U.S. military planes have been deployed at Sofia Airport in recent days, though the Bulgarian government denied that they were linked to U.S. military operations.

The U.S. and Israel on Saturday launched strikes against Iran, plunging the war-torn Middle East into a new round of violence. Iran has retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region.

Protesters rally in Bulgaria against US-Israeli strikes on Iran

As the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers reach full bloom in Pucheng County, east China's Fujian Province -- known as "China's hometown of osmanthus" -- the region is experiencing a surge in tourism and a thriving flower-processing industry.

A thousand-year-old osmanthus tree located in Linjiang Town has become a major draw, attracting visitors from across the country.

Tourist Wu expressed delight at the experience.

"On the way to Pucheng, the plants lining both sides are all osmanthus trees -- it was such a pleasant surprise. When the wind blows, it carries a sweet fragrance, making me very much refreshed and happy," said a tourist surnamed Wu.

The blooming period is also a harvest season. In Pucheng's Xianyang Town, workers are busy collecting osmanthus flowers to produce this year's osmanthus tea.

Beyond tea, the orange osmanthus flowers are processed into various specialty products including osmanthus honey and pastries. The local industry now spans seedling cultivation, fresh flower harvesting, scented tea processing, and cultural tourism, forming an integrated supply chain that extends well beyond sightseeing.

Osmanthus blooms in Pucheng, fueling tourism, economy