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  Last update: 09:43 GMT 18.04.2021

  09:43 GMT 18.04.2021

  Middle East

  Syria to Hold Presidential Elections on 26 May, People's Assembly States

  The Middle Eastern nation has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011, with various groups of militants fighting against the government, led by Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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  Last update: 10:13 GMT 18.04.2021

  10:13 GMT 18.04.2021

  Middle East

  Israel Announces Record $1.6 Bln Defence Deal With Greece

  TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Israel and Greece have signed the biggest defence agreement in the history of their bilateral relations, worth approximately $1.6 billion, the Israeli Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

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  Last update: 09:54 GMT 18.04.2021

  09:54 GMT 18.04.2021

  Sport

  'It’s Very Special to Lift Trophy as Captain' - Lionel Messi on Winning Copa Del Rey With Barcelona

  The first half of the game was quite uneventful, with both teams failing to turn their chances into goals. During the second half, Barcelona found its game and scored four goals in just 12 minutes. The victory in the Copa Del Rey (King’s Cup) final is the first trophy for manager for Ronald Koeman, who was appointed to lead the club last summer.

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  Last update: 10:16 GMT 18.04.2021

  10:16 GMT 18.04.2021

  Environment

  Humongous Iceberg Feared Would Doom Penguin and Seal Habitats Melts Away After Breaking Into Pieces

  The chunk of ice weighing billions of tons broke away from the Antarctic Peninsula back in 2017. The iceberg was on course to collide with South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean, which would have upended the island's ecosystem, but the ice mass met a different end.

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  Last update: 08:40 GMT 18.04.2021

  08:40 GMT 18.04.2021

  UK

  Queen Elizabeth II Kept Photo of Herself and Prince Philip in Handbag During Funeral, Reports Say

  The United Kingdom has mourned the prince-consort, who died on 9 April at the age of 99. Earlier this year, Prince Philip spent a month in hospital to treat an infection and undergo a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. He was later discharged, spending the last days of his life with his family.

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  Last update: 07:54 GMT 18.04.2021

  07:54 GMT 18.04.2021

  India

  'India Should Be Happy With What Has Been Achieved': China 'Refuses to Vacate Disputed Ladakh Areas'

  The ongoing process of troop disengagement between the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Indian Army in eastern Ladakh, the site of a nearly year-long border standoff, reportedly hit a roadblock after Beijing refused to withdraw its troops from two disputed areas at the 11th round of military-commander meeting on 9 April.

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  Last update: 06:59 GMT 18.04.2021

  06:59 GMT 18.04.2021

  Middle East

  5.6-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Iran, EMSC Reports

  Iran is known for its frequent earthquakes, as most of the country’s territory is located near major fault lines, making the region seismically active.

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  Last update: 04:31 GMT 18.04.2021

  04:31 GMT 18.04.2021

  World

  Live Updates: Labour Party Urges PM Johnson to Cancel Visit to India Due to New COVID Strain There

  The global coronavirus tally is now well over 140 million, with the COVID-linked death toll recently surpassing 3 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.