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»»»

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»»»

Dubai: Subsequent to the recent "Work from Hotel" trend, Dubai has launched the “Work from Park” initiative that is said to provide tech-enabled environments that will break the traditional office mould. Dubai Municipality on Sunday announced the initiative, marking a strategic step towards redefin»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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," »»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

In an astonishing occasion, Egypt came among the 10 finest places for startup businesses around the world, an info-graphic study – conducted by Brighton School of Business- concluded Cairo’s market has been emerging for the past 10 years, where entrepreneurial opportunities are best served to flour»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Dubai: Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department has expanded the emirate’s religious infrastructure in the first quarter of 2026, with the opening of 13 new mosques at a total cost of Dh162 million, in an effortto meet growing demand in newly developed communities. The new mosques»»»

ANTALYA:The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to fostering a stable and secure environment and to pursuing constructive policies based on development and prosperity, rather than onwars and conflicts. This commitment aims to strengthen mutual trust with regional and»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qamati said that his group was not concerned by Lebanon's planned direct talks with Israel, labelling them a failure. In a press conference in Beirut's southern suburbs, Qmati said his group was "not concerned with the negotiations being conducted by the state," sa»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation organised Survival 1, the opening round of the 2026 Qatar Off Road Championship (QORC), in the challenging dunes of Sealine. The event featured a strong entry list of 42 competitors representing Qatar and several other nationalities, delivering»»»

SocietyAustriaAustria: Police find rat poison in recalled baby food jarRana Taha with AFP, ReutersThe Germany-based HiPP had recalled the jars, suggesting they were tampered with. The contaminated jars were also found in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. https://p.dw.com/p/5CRMhPolice examined a sam»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Ahli SC step into their defining match of the season with everything on the line, facing Al Hussein SC in a no-margin-for-error AFC Champions League (ACL) Two quarter-final at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai today. For Al Ahli, this is it. A difficult domestic campaign that will end in the »»»

Doha, Qatar: In many technical projects, failure is not caused by a lack of talent, but by a lack of structure. Despite the availability of skilled professionals across various disciplines, projects can still face delays, misalignment, or incomplete delivery due to the absence of an organized execu»»»

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»»»