Tunis, April 19 (TAP) - The number of cars sold in Tunisia rose by 22.3% in Q1 of 2026 to 21,334 vehicles, against 17,441 vehicles during the same period in 2025, data published by the National Chamber of Car Dealers and Manufacturers, which is part...»»»

Syria's interior ministry said Sunday that security forces thwarted an alleged cross-border attack from the country's territory planned by remnants of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad and cells linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah. From March 2 until a 10-day ceasefire went into force on April 17, Hezbolla»»»

Hungary ended 16 years of Viktor Orban’s rule, Pope Leo XIV began his first African tour with a historic first papal visit to Algeria and US President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus. Here is a look back at some of the week’s most striking images.  »»»

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was reached following a first round of talks in Washington. Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, analyses Israel’s strategy in Lebanon, which he describes as oscillating between negotiations and cont»»»

Around one-third of global fertiliser production comes from the Gulf region, making the area’s stability crucial for global food supply chains. With the Strait of Hormuz, an essential transit route for energy and commodities, facing repeated disruptions, concerns are growing over the impact on fert»»»

US President Donald Trump made seven claims in one hour after Tehran announced the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and all of them are untrue, Iranian parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declar»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Donald Trump has again threatened to strike Iran’s bridges and power plants if Tehran refuses a deal with Washington on unresolved disputes. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his representatives are heading to Islamabad to participate in negotiations on Iran. "My Repr»»»

Three people were killed and three others injured after part of an old residential building collapsed in Egypt’s coastal city of Alexandria, authorities said. According to local media reports, the incident occurred in the Gharbal area of Moharram Bek, in the central district, when the ceiling of a »»»

Casting his vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Krum Zarkov said he voted for a fairer Bulgaria, for a Bulgaria in which no one is above the law, but also for a Bulgaria that fairly distributes the wealth. "I am confident of a good result and I am sure that bet»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s rental market remained steady in the first quarter of 2026, with fresh data pointing to stable demand, fewer contract cancellations and continued investor confidence. Figures from the Dubai Land Department show that rental contracts worth Dh32.2 billion were signed between January an»»»

Sharjah : As families across the UAE prepare for a return to in-person schooling after a prolonged period of distance learning, Sharjah Coop has reported a noticeable shift in consumer behaviour, marked by increased early planning and heightened readiness among households. Faisal Khaled Al Nabooda,»»»

Washington, 18 April 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The United States issued another temporary sanctions waiver for Russian oil amid higher energy prices linked to the Iran war, the US Treasury Department said on Friday. The waiver authorizes the delivery and sale of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum produc»»»

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»»»

A French peacekeeper serving with United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was killed and three others wounded in an ambush in southern Lebanon, with Emmanuel Macron blaming Hezbollah, which denies responsibility.»»»

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has patrolled southern Lebanon along the border with Israel since 1978, acting as a buffer force following Israel’s invasion of the region. Expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, the mission now monitors the ceasefire and suppo»»»

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»»»

Hungary is preparing for a new era, after the centre-right Tisza party of Peter Magyar won a landslide victory over longtime nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Magyar says he'll seek to repair Hungary's confrontational relationship with the European Union, something that could unlock much-nee»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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" »»»

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»»»

Casting his vote, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said he voted for a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe. "This is what I want us to leave to our children," he added. Terziev said he opted for machine voting and showed a screwdriver he had brought with him, joking that he took it to make sure the voting»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Meteorology Department (QMD) forecasted chances of scattered rain from Tuesday, April 21, 2026, until the end of the week. In a social media update, QMD further stated that weather conditions will also be partly cloudy to cloudy during this period.»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

Skopje, 18 April 2026 (MIA) - The Skopje and Ohrid airports are leaders in the region, as confirmed by international media. Skopje International Airport remains the regional leader with a 32 percent increase compared to the same period last year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Alek»»»

A total of 93 reports of election violations have been filed since the start of election day, and eight pre-trial proceedings have been initiated, the Interior Ministry's acting Secretary General Georgi Kandev said on Sunday on Facebook. A total of 15,408 Interior Ministry officers are involved in »»»

After the ceasefire in Lebanon took hold, Samah Hajoul headed back to her apartment in Beirut's southern suburbs -- but only long enough to grab fresh clothes, feeling safer in her tent as she wonders whether the truce will last. "I am afraid to return to my home because the situation is not stable»»»

An Australian former soldier charged with committing war crimes in Afghanistan vowed on Sunday to clear his name, saying he had never "run from a fight" in his first public comments since his arrest. "For the past 10 years, my family and I have been subject to a campaign to convince Australians tha»»»