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" »»»

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»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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: Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq has issued a royal decree granting Omani citizenship to 226 individuals. The decree, No. 46/2026, was published in the Official Gazette on April 19, listing the names of those approved for citizenship. The decision comes within the framework of Oman’s national»»»

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»»»

Jumhouria Bank, Libya’s biggest bank, has announced its Palm-scan Payment service. The launch was announced during the bank’s participation at the 52 Tripoli International Fair, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Jumhouria bank said the launch comes as part of its wider policy and the Cent»»»

•• 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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

On contaminated land that is too dangerous for human life, the world’s wildest horses roam free. Across the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Przewalski’s horses — stocky, sand-colored and almost toy-like in appearance — graze in a radioactive landscape larger than Luxembourg. On April 26, 1986, an explosi»»»

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»»»

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»»»

As the master developer behind The Pearl and Gewan Islands, United Development Company (UDC) is shaping one of Qatar’s most distinctive urban destinations—where premium living, environmental responsibility, and community engagement are fully integrated. Across these flagship developments, UDC is ad»»»

An agreement was reached by the Central Bank of Libya and the People’s Bank of China to link Libyan commercial banks to the Chinese Payments and Settlement System (CIPS), to will simplify and streamline financial transfer processes. The agreement came last Friday (17 April) on the margins of the IM»»»

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»»»

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»»»

On the banks of Iraq's Tigris River, Haidar Kazem mourned 300 tons of the fish he had carefully raised in ponds wiped out by a flood of polluted water. Water supplies in Iraq, the eastern half of what is known as the region's fertile crescent and which the United Nations ranks among the countries m»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has officially opened the completed Hessa Street Development Project, a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at easing congestion and improving traffic flow across one of the city’s key arterial corridors. The project covers a 4.5-kilometre stretch b»»»

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 »»»

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 »»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan return to action just three days after lifting the QSL Cup, taking on Kuwait’s Al Qadsia in the semi-final of the Gulf Club Champions League (GCCL) with a second title in their sights. Al Rayyan defeated Muaither 2-0 in Wednesday’s final, securing their first trophy since 201»»»

Aesthetic medicine in the United Arab Emirates is one of the most competitive and strictly regulated markets in the world. Becoming a leader in Dubai requires not only impeccable skills but also extensive international experience. This is precisely the path taken by Gulzhan Saipova, a cosmetologist»»»

The Ministry of Marine Resources and UNDP Libya signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Tripoli last Thursday (16 April) to advance Libya’s Blue Economy. The UNDP said with its extensive Mediterranean coastline, Libya is strategically positioned to diversify its economy, create employment, and ensu»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»