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" »»»

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»»»

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/»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the swearing-in of a number of newly appointed UAE ambassadors. During the ceremony, Sheikh Mohamed wished the ambassadors success in carrying out their duties and in strengthening bilateral relations in line with th»»»

Dubai: The Strait of Hormuz is no longer a shipping lane — it is now a gunboat-enforced negotiating table. What unfolded over the past 36 hours has stripped away any lingering illusion that the waterway is returning to normal. A brief window of optimism — sparked by Iran’s signal that the strait wa»»»

•• Malawi Minister of Health: A new phase of cooperation with EIPICO has now begun, because what we saw in the company exceeds any expectation or perception. •• Dr. Olfat Ghorab: Acdima companies are the strong arm of the state in providing medicine to Africa as well. •• Dr. Ahmed Kilani: An import»»»

Twenty-four years after the arrest of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, now 67, and after long stretches in solitary confinement, he remains a central figure in Palestinian politics. His influence has outpaced that of other officials in decision-making roles, and he has topped Fatah elections in»»»

As she wen to cast her vote in the April 19 snap parliamentary elections Sunday, President Iliana Iotova said her vote went "to have a working Parliament soon, and a strong government". "I voted so that Bulgaria has a working National Assembly soon, which will elect a leadership swiftly and skip th»»»

Routine maintenance work at Islam’s holiest site has been completed to the highest international standards, Saudi authorities said, as the Kingdom simultaneously began welcoming the first wave of pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj season. The General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the P»»»

Lebanon's president and prime minister have discussed preparations for the first direct negotiations with Israel in decades. In a statement, the office of President Joseph Aoun said he and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam conducted "an assessment of the post-ceasefire phase and the ongoing efforts to con»»»

The Supreme National Security Council of Iran affirmed that Iran’s negotiating delegation will make no concessions in talks aimed at ending the war, underscoring its full commitment to safeguarding national rights and defending the interests of the Iranian people. In a statement, the council said T»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday condemned the easing of sanctions on Russian oil after the United States extended a waiver meant to soften surging energy prices driven by the Middle East war. "Every dollar paid for Russian oil is money for the war" and is used for devastating strik»»»

Election day has started normally across the country, Central Election Commission (CEC) Chair Kamelia Neykova told a briefing on Sunday, noting that any issues with absent section election commission members have been resolved. Some voting sections in Sofia and elsewhere opened late, but the proble»»»

The strategic Strait of Hormuz was again closed on Sunday in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran's powerful parliament speaker signalling a final peace deal remained "far" off despite some movement in negotiations. As mediation efforts continued following high-level talks in»»»

Having cast his ballot in Sofia, Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev said: "Today Bulgaria has a historic chance to break once and for all with the Peevski-Borissov oligarchic model, and this is an opportunity we must not miss." He was referring to Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Delyan»»»

Doha, Qatar: The FEI Regional Group VII Finals for Juniors, Cadets, and Young Riders, featuring qualifiers from the 2025-2026 equestrian season, concluded with thrilling action at the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab after four days of competition. The event brought together more than 100 riders represe»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Iran not to "blackmail" Washington with its flip-flopping on the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran declared the strategic waterway once again closed. "We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again -- you know, as they've been»»»

Britain's government is set to announce legislation next month to move the country closer to the European Union, as the Iran war sours the UK's so-called special relationship with the United States. President Donald Trump's unpredictability and stream of insults towards America's historic ally is a»»»

After voting in Sofia on Sunday, Yes, Bulgaria Co-chair Bozhidar Bozhanov said: "I voted for a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe, and for the dismantling of the state capture model." Yes, Bulgaria is part of the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria coalition, which has the second largest grou»»»

Belarusian President ‌Alexander Lukashenko said he would be ready to meet US President Donald Trump once a "big deal" between the two countries has been prepared. "We are ready for a deal, but it needs to be prepared in a way that reflects the interests of both the United States and Belarus," Lukas»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Pezeshkian: We do not intend to attack any country and are exercising our legitimate and lawful right to self-defense 19-04-2026 10:33 AM L»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Pezeshkian: The enemy has failed to achieve its objectives and has violated international law, targeting infrastructure, schools, and hospi»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian: We do not seek to expand the war, having initiated no conflicts and attacked no country; our core stan»»»

Tehran: Iran is preparing to reopen its national airspace in a phased, four-stage plan following significant disruptions caused by recent regional conflicts, as reported by the Tasnim News Agency. Citing the deputy director of Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, the report indicates that flight ope»»»

Ministry of youth has held a national dialogue forum, entitled “With the power of its youth, Long Live Egypt”, chaired by Minister Khalid Abdel Aziz and under the auspices of President El-Sisi. Its second phase saw holding 61 forums in universities and institutes across different governorates to gi»»»

Beirut: Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem asserted on Saturday that the current 10-day truce with Israel cannot be a unilateral arrangement. According to a report by Al Jazeera, Qassem vowed that his fighters are prepared to retaliate against any Israeli strikes targeting Lebanese territory. In his init»»»

Yemen’s Ansarllah revolutionary group has warned that Sana’a could move to shut down the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, declaring that such a move would be impossible for any force to reverse and urging an immediate end to US President Donald Trump’s policies undermining peace. In a post on X, Senior Ansaru»»»

Casting his vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections, Yes, Bulgaria Co-leader Ivaylo Mirchev said he voted for Bulgaria to free itself "from the corruption model that has dominated it for many years" and "to reaffirm its European path". Yes, Bulgaria is part of the Continue the Change - Democratic »»»

Tehran: The strategic Strait of Hormuz was again closed on Sunday in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran's powerful parliament speaker signalling a final peace deal remained "far" off despite some movement in negotiations. As mediation efforts continued following high-level »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei: The picture is now unmistakably clear; the enemy has committed a war crime against our p»»»

Washington: The US Central Command has said that the dock landing ship USS Rushmore is conducting blockade operations in the Arabian Sea. Earlier Saturday (local time), it was said on social media that a guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney is patrolling regional waters in support of the blockade »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Army: The Khardali-Nabatieh road and Burj Rahal-Tyre bridge have been fully reopened, work underway to rehabilitate the Tayr Falsa»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Israeli security cabinet convenes tonight to discuss developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon ceasefire: Israeli Army Radio 19-04-2»»»

Pope Leo sought to downplay his feud with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, saying reporting about comments he has made so far during his Africa tour "has not been accurate in all its aspects". Speaking to reporters in English aboard his flight to Angola for the third leg of his ambitious 10-d»»»

Siyanie leader Nikolay Popov said he voted for "a pure and sacred cause, after casting his ballot in Sofia. He used a voting machine. "I want a fairer Bulgaria, one without corruption. I dream of a Bulgaria where our children live happily and freely, without being killed," said Popov, whose daughte»»»

Tehran: Iran had been "victorious in the field" during weeks of war and had only agreed to a temporary truce with the United States because its demands had been met, the Iranian parliamentary speaker said on Saturday. The two-week ceasefire is set to end Wednesday unless it is renewed, with a perma»»»

The strategic Strait of Hormuz was again closed on Sunday in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran's powerful parliament speaker signalling a final peace deal remained "far" off despite some movement in negotiations. As mediation efforts continued following high-level talks in»»»

Iranian warships sunk by US and Israeli attacks litter naval harbors along the Gulf coast, but what is sometimes called a “mosquito fleet” lurks in the shadows. It is a flotilla of small, fast, agile boats designed to harass shipping, and it forms the heart of the naval forces deployed by the Irani»»»

All voting sections in Bulgaria have opened for the snap parliamentary elections, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said during an online meeting on Sunday. There are no reports of members of the sections election commissions who have not turned up, except for isolated cases in which the region»»»

Tehran: The strategic Strait of Hormuz was again closed on Sunday in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran's powerful parliament speaker signalling a final peace deal remained "far" off despite some movement in negotiations. As mediation efforts continued following high-level »»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar University (QU) President, Dr. Omar Al-Ansari, honoured the winners of the 19th Education Excellence Award for 2026 in the presence of several vice presidents during a ceremony that reflects the university’s continued commitment to supporting excellence. This recognition comes as»»»

Jakarta: Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) announced Sunday that it has opened an investigation into reports that 12 civilians, including women and children, were killed during a military operation in the restive Papua region. The commission, abbreviated as Komnas HAM, sa»»»