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/»»»

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»»»

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.»»»

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»»»

The Israeli army says it carried out a series of strikes that killed more than 150 Hezbollah fighters just before the ceasefire. Among those killed was Ali Rida Abbas, which it said was Hezbollah’s commander in Bint Jbeil. The southern Lebanese town and its surroundings were the site of intense cla»»»

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»»»

Casting his vote in his hometown of Haskovo, Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev said he hopes Bulgarians will opt for a truly European Bulgaria. He said he was encouraged by the high turnout, noting that he had to wait for about 15 minutes to cast his vote. He urged citizens to be active, st»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 »»»

Kuala Lumpur: A huge fire destroyed about 1,000 makeshift homes, many of them built on stilts over water, and displaced thousands of people in a coastal village in Malaysia's Sabah state on Sunday, authorities said. The blaze broke out early on Sunday morning in a "water village" in Sandakan distri»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Kuala lumpur: A fire that broke out Sunday morning, April 19, 2026, destroyed approximately 200 stilt houses in the Kampung Bahagia water village of Sandankan, Malaysia. Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station chief, Jimmy Lagung, said that firefighting operations are still underway and the blaze has not »»»

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»»»

Beijing: A humanoid robot broke the human world record by winning a robot half-marathon race held on Sunday, April 19, 2026, in the Chinese capital, Beijing. The winning robot covered the distance faster than the human world record, completing the 21 km (13 mile) race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, »»»

•• 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»»»

Casting his vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections, There Is Such a People (TISP) Deputy Chair Stanislav Balabanov said he voted in the name of protecting children and preserving the traditional Bulgarian family. He chose to vote using a paper ballot. Balabanov said he had voted so that society w»»»

Tunis, April 19 (TAP)- The weather on Sunday is slightly cloudy, the National Institute of Meteorology (INM) said. The wind is blowing north in the north and the centre and south in the south, relatively strong in the Gulf of Tunis and light to...»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Doha, Qatar: Al Ahli and Al Sadd secured their places in the semifinals of the Amir Cup basketball competition for the 2025–2026 season after quarterfinal wins over Al Wakrah and Al Shamal at Al Gharafa Hall yesterday. Al Ahli defeated Al Wakrah 85-72 in a tightly contested game. Al Ahli led 18–10 »»»

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»»»

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»»»

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»»»