Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says he has tested positive for the new coronavirus and has told President Vladimir Putin he will self-isolate. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov will temporarily perform Mishustin’s duties. Mishustin, 54 was named prime minister...

Libya's UN-recognised government on Thursday rejected a truce unilaterally called the day before by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, saying it "did not trust" its eastern-based rival. The move follows successes on the ground for forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National...

The number of people who died of coronavirus infection in France increased by 289 or 1.2 percent to 24,376 on Thursday, the lowest increase on a weekday since end March, government data showed.  On Sunday, only 242 new coronavirus deaths were reported, but on Sundays the data reporting...

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Thursday criticised regional chiefs for defying the government and lifting lockdown measures early, saying it risked undoing efforts to prevent a second coronavirus wave. He also rebutted opposition accusations that he was robbing Italians of their...

The French football league (LFP) is expected to formally end its season after calling a board meeting on Thursday afternoon, sources told AFP, clearing the way for Paris Saint-Germain to be declared champions again. The crisis meeting follows this week's announcement by the French Prime...

 Israel's attorney general said Thursday he sees no legal grounds for barring Benjamin Netanyahu from serving as prime minister while facing criminal charges, an announcement that came ahead of a Supreme Court hearing next week to decide whether to disqualify the embattled leader. A...

Egyptian farmers have begun to harvest their wheat without the coronavirus disruptions hitting other growers globally, and with a plea from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to sell the government as much of their crop as possible. Egypt has imposed a nationwide nightly curfew to curb the...

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits because of the coronavirus has soared past 30 million, worsening a crisis unmatched since the 1930s and turning up the pressure on political leaders to lift restrictions that are choking the economy. Government figures released...

The mayor of Liverpool fears restarting the Premier League could lead to the "farcical" situation of fans congregating in large groups outside Anfield despite the coronavirus crisis. When the Premier League was postponed on March 13, runaway leaders Liverpool were just two wins from...

The Arab League said Thursday Israel's controversial proposal to annex much of the West Bank constituted a "new war crime" against the Palestinians, during a virtual conference chaired in Cairo. "The implementation of plans to annex any part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967,...

Spain recorded its lowest daily coronavirus death tally in six weeks on Thursday, but data showing the economy shrank by the widest margin on record in the first three months of the year laid bare the heavy cost of measures to control the outbreak. Spain has had one of the world’s worst...

Museums, exhibitions, memorials, zoos and botanical gardens in Germany can reopen in Germany, provided they can fulfill social distancing and hygiene requirements to minimise the risk of infection, German media cited news agency DPA as reporting. According to a government draft that they...

Japan is preparing to extend its state of emergency over the novel coronavirus, originally set to end on May 6, for about a month, government sources told Reuters on Thursday, even as some other countries begin to reopen after strict lockdowns. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told...

Iran's health ministry said Thursday that 71 new deaths from the novel coronavirus took the country's overall toll past the 6,000 mark. "The number of deaths from this disease effectively crossed 6,000 today," ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in televised remarks. "Considering...

Lebanese politicians who have led their country into financial disaster are squabbling over who is to blame, stirring up old rivalries that may spell even deeper trouble ahead. Lebanon faces its gravest threat since the 1975-90 civil war as its currency sinks, inflation spirals and...

Oil prices jumped on Thursday, buoyed by signs that the U.S. crude glut is not growing as quickly as expected and that fuel demand battered by COVID-19 restrictions is starting to pick up. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 climbed to a high of $17.75 a barrel and were up...

Forces loyal to Libya’s renegade commander Khalifa Haftar on Thursday announced a unilateral ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan.  Ahmed Al-Mismari, a spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA), said all military operations have been paused during the Muslim fasting month....

Yemen reported multiple coronavirus infections and deaths linked to the disease for the first time Wednesday and an official in the southern port of Aden said the number of cases was very likely to increase in the coming days. The United Nations has said it fears the novel coronavirus could...

A researcher in a lab coat in Beijing holds up the hopes of humanity in his fingers: "Coronavac", an experimental vaccine against the coronavirus that has upended the world. Sinovac Biotech, which is conducting one of the four clinical trials that have been authorised in China, has claimed...

Germany has banned Iran-backed Hezbollah activity on its soil and designated it a terrorist organisation, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday. Police conducted early morning raids in Germany to detain suspected members of the group. Security officials believe up to 1,050 people in...