Doha, Qatar: HE Attorney-General Dr. Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, inaugurated Sunday a refresher training course on practical criminal investigation, organized by the Public Prosecution in cooperation with the Public Prosecution of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The four-day course, attended by »»»

Iran’s parliamentary speaker said Saturday night that talks with the United States to end the war had made progress but remained far from an agreement, as Tehran said the crucial Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Follow our liveblog for»»»

FRANCE 24’s guest Mehran Kamrave, Director of the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, analyses Iran’s strategy towards the United States, highlighting three key levers the regime can rely on: sanctions, the nuclear programme, and control over the Strait of Hormu»»»

With the French presidential election just a year away, most parties are conducting internal polls to decide on their candidate. Les Républicains, led by Bruno Retailleau, are meeting this weekend to decide whether to hold a primary, amid criticism, particularly from Laurent Wauquiez, over reluctan»»»

South Korea’s military said Sunday that North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles, marking the latest in a string of weapons tests in violation of UN sanctions. North Korea test-fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, South Korea's military said, the latest in a »»»

With an estimated population of 1.4 billion, India—the world’s most populous nation—is launching the first phase of what is set to be the largest census ever conducted. More than three million officials are involved in updating figures from the last count in 2011, when the population stood at 1.21 »»»

Armenians are set to head to the polls in June for their parliamentary elections, which the EU and Russia are closely watching. With support for joining the bloc at an all-time high, this could be a sign that the former Soviet country is moving away from Moscow, one of its closest allies. But forei»»»

US Vice President J.D. Vance faces a classic bind: Loyalty to President Donald Trump ties him to a presidency that is bound to fail, yet distancing himself invites charges of disloyalty. Either course imperils his prospects of becoming the next president. His latest assignment as chief negotiator w»»»

Doha, Qatar: CEO of Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) HE Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani, met on Sunday, April 19, 2026, with the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan His Excellency Zaid Mufleh Al-Lawzi. The two sides discussed media cooperation between the two countries and ex»»»

Voters in Bulgaria headed to the polls Sunday for an eighth general election in five years, with ex-president Rumen Radev tipped to win on anti-corruption pledges. The election comes after unrest toppled Boyko Borissov’s rule and left the pro-European GERB party trailing. Bulgarians began head»»»

Dubai: The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has referred a cartel involved in anti-competitive practices in the poultry market to the federal public prosecution to initiate investigations and take the necessary legal measures, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). The ministry said evidence h»»»

Abu Dhabi: People of different faiths including Emirati officials joined hands at the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to showcase their deep gratitude, unity, and solidarity with the leadership and people of the UAE in a special UAE flag-raising ceremony. The BAPS Hindu Mandir officially r»»»

The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai convened the third meeting of the Foster Families Committee, with the participation of representatives from several relevant government entities, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the alternative care ecosystem and enhance collaborative »»»

Bangkok: Nine people were killed when a pickup truck overturned on a bend in Nan province, Northern Thailand. Local media reported that the pickup truck, carrying a large group of people, crashed on a steep embankment off a highway in the Bua District. Rescue teams rushed 14 injured passengers to t»»»

Around 99.5% of voting machines are functioning without issues on election day, the Ministry of Electronic Governance said on Sunday. The Ministry reported that faults have been recorded in fewer than 1% of all devices, with technicians from Ciela Norma, the contractor responsible for machine maint»»»

Cologne, Germany: Wearing a gas mask, a young man performs a rapid series of push-ups, jumps and squats at the German military's recruiting booth at FIBO, the world's largest fitness expo, held in Cologne. Germany hopes to grow its armed forces, winning tens of thousands of new volunteers -- a toug»»»

DOHA: Attorney General HE Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi inaugurated a refresher training course entitled 'Practical Criminal Investigation', which is organised by the Public Prosecution in cooperation with the Public Prosecution of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The course, which is held over f»»»

Tunis, April 19 (TAP)- The inaugural International Day of Women in Industry (IDWI) will be observed on April 21, 2026, in Tunis under the theme "Women Shape the Future of Industry."This observance is spearheaded by the United Nations Industrial...»»»

Syrian state media said Sunday that security forces thwarted a missile-launching operation by Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah from its territory. From March 2 until a 10-day ceasefire went into force on April 17, Hezbollah was battling Israel after drawing Lebanon into the Middle East war with»»»

Türkiye said it remained "optimistic" that a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States set to expire on Wednesday would be extended. "No one wants to see a new war break out when the ceasefire expires next week. We hope ... the parties will extend the ceasefire," Foreign Minister Hakan »»»

Four individuals, including two foreign nationals, were arrested in Iran's northwest, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on ‌Sunday, ‌for being part ‌of ⁠a "US-Israel-linked espionage network." The ⁠foreigners, whose nationality was not disclosed, are accused of importing ⁠satellite internet»»»

Antalya: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reaffirmed its enduring commitment to promoting a stable and secure environment and adopting constructive policies based on development and prosperity rather than wars and conflicts, in a way that strengthens mutual trust with regional and international p»»»

Sharjah: Sharjah Police General Command has launched a specialised vehicle licence plate printing facility at the Al Ehsan Vehicle Inspection Centre in Al Suyoh (Al Mawrada 2), in a move aimed at enhancing service efficiency and accessibility for motorists. The facility was inaugurated in the prese»»»

Dubai: UAE economic growth accelerated in the early months of 2026, driven by expanding banking activity, rising foreign trade flows, and sustained investment momentum, according to official data and international reports. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply cli»»»

Visit underscores academic programs and a strong focus on values and cultural identity Doha, Qatar: Minister of Education and Higher Education, HE Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al Khater, visited Qatar Foundation’s Qatar Academy Al Khor, where she was welcomed by Dr. Aisha Al Muqbali, Director Ge»»»

Washington, April 19 (SANA) Syria’s finance minister and central bank governor held talks with international financial institutions on steps to support reforms and develop the country’s financial and banking sectors. Finance Minister Mohammed Yasser Barnieh and Central Bank Governor Abdulkader Husr»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said Israel had proven itself to be a great US ally that knew how to win. "Whether people like Israel or not, they have proven to be a GREAT Ally of the United States of America," Trump said on TruthSocial. He said Israel knows how to win, "unlike some" »»»

BRATISLAVA (Sputnik) - Slovakia may block Ukraine's accession to the European Union if the energy conflict between Kiev and Bratislava escalates, Tibor Gaspar, the Slovak parliament's deputy speaker, told Sputnik. "Ukraine does not risk 'automatically losing EU support,' but it may face specific pr»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine lost over 315 soldiers in combat against Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr over the past day, in addition to losses in manpower and equipment on other fronts, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday. "The Ukrainian armed forces suffered losses of over 315 service members, s»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has begun its Hajj flight operation, with the first pilgrims departing for Saudi Arabia as authorities roll out enhanced facilities for the annual pilgrimage, Dawn reported. Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said the government was providing pilgrims with the “best p»»»

Planning and Economic Development Minister Ahmed Rostom confirmed that economic reform has enhanced the state’s ability to manage the repercussions of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and stressed that the government is continuing reforms to achieve macroeconomic stability and development f»»»

Voter turnout across the country stood at 12.12% as of 11 am on Sunday, Central Election Commission Deputy Chair and spokesperson Rositsa Mateva told a briefing. Turnout was highest in Vratsa at 17.13% and lowest in Kardzhali at 7.80%, Mateva added. /DD/»»»

Washington: US based company Blue Origin announced on Sunday, April 19, 2026, a mission to launch its New Glenn rocket, its third flight since becoming operational, as part of testing technologies for reusing orbital rockets. The rocket is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station»»»

Washington, United States: Police were investigating reports of gunshots at the University of Iowa early Sunday, April 19, 2026, the midwestern US school said in an alert, adding that there were "confirmed victims." "First responders on scene. Confirmed victims. Please continue to avoid the area," »»»

Nuremberg, Germany: Veteran endurance driver Juha Miettinen was killed in a seven-car pile-up during a race at Germany's Nuerburgring on Saturday. The race, which also featured four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, was halted after the accident with organisers suspending the event. I»»»

Skopje, 18 April 2026 (MIA) - Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska during the 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) met with WB Vice President of the Europe and Central Asia region, Antonella Bassani, WB Group Executive Director repres»»»

After voting in Sofia's Bankya neighbourhood, GERB leader Boyko Borissov said his party will not take part in coalitions and will instead engage in talks on specific issues, particularly in geopolitics and defence, where it will act as a constructive opposition. According to him, the chances of for»»»

Lebanon's military said Sunday it had reopened a road and bridge damaged by Israeli strikes in the country's south, as a 10-day truce holds between Hezbollah and Israel. In a statement, the military said it "fully reopened" a road linking the city of Nabatieh with the Khardali area, and had "partia»»»

Cairo — Egypt is advancing its strategy to localize electronics manufacturing following high-level discussions between Raafat Hindi and executives from HONOR on expanding smartphone production in the country. According to an official statement by the Ministry of Communications and Information Techn»»»

Dubai: Pakistan has placed its twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on high security alert, deploying tens of thousands of personnel and suspending transport services ahead of a possible second round of high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran, according to reports. More than 10,000 »»»

Israeli forces on Saturday carried out demolitions in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, the scene of intense fighting with Hezbollah prior to the recently agreed 10-day truce, Lebanese state media reported. "The Israeli enemy is repeating its house detonating operations in the town of Bint »»»

Israel's military said on Sunday that a soldier died during combat in southern Lebanon, where a temporary ceasefire had come into effect this week. "Lidor Porat, aged 31, from Ashdod, a soldier in the 7106th Battalion, 769th Regional Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," the Israeli mil»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have successfully rescued two tourists who became stranded while hiking in the rugged terrain of Hatta, after suffering from severe exhaustion and fatigue. The incident occurred at approximately 11.30am last Tuesday, when the two women contacted the Command-and-Control Centre at»»»

After casting his vote in Varna, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said he was glad to see a much higher voter turnout. He added that, for the first time, he had seen a queue of people waiting to vote. "There really may be more voters than in the past 15-20 years, so that is a positive develop»»»

Casting his vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections, the Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) party leader Radostin Vasilev said young people can make the difference today. He noted that there were many young voters in his voting section. "I voted with the confidence that a fair Bulgaria lies ahead and »»»

Dubai: Two Indian men were shot dead in northern Italy in what authorities suspect may have been a “coldly planned execution,” shortly after they attended a Vaisakhi gathering at a place of worship, according to reports. The incident took place late Friday night in the town of Covo, in Bergamo prov»»»

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said overnight that the ongoing 10-day truce with Israel cannot be one-sided, vowing that his fighters would respond to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. "A ceasefire means a complete cessation of all hostilities. Because we do not trust this enemy, the resistance fighters wi»»»

Sofia: Bulgaria on Sunday, April 19, 2026, held its eighth legislative election in five years, with ex-president Rumen Radev's grouping tipped to win on a pledge to fight corruption, after an anti-graft movement triggered a long political crisis. The European Union's poorest member has been through»»»

British government ministers on Sunday backed embattled premier Keir Starmer as he struggles to shake off a scandal over long-time Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson. Starmer is due to face lawmakers in parliament on Monday to explain how Mandelson was appointed Britain's ambassador to the U»»»

Global finance leaders, whipsawed by Middle East war news, came to grips this past week with their inability to mitigate the economic damage from increasingly frequent geopolitical shocks, and a realization that counting on US leadership to resolve crises is no longer the guarantee it had long been»»»