In Sudan’s capital Khartoum, a hip-hop producer who had his equipment seized during anti-government protests last year is now free to mix tracks in his studio. Across town, an all-female troupe in pink T-shirts and white jeans practice rhythmic dance routines late in the evening in a...

Spain’s King Felipe has renounced his inheritance from his father, former King Juan Carlos, and stripped the ex-monarch of his palace allowance. Felipe’s latest move to distance himself from his father follows a recent report in Switzerland’s La Tribune de Geneve newspaper that Juan Carlos,...

Turkey will temporarily close cafes, sports and entertainment venues and is suspending mass prayers in mosques in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, after it identified its first 18 cases in the last week, authorities said on Monday. “As of midnight Monday all operations of...

The World Health Organization called on all countries on Monday to ramp up their testing programmes as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic. “All countries should be able to test all suspected cases, they cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded,” he added. In the...

 U.S. researchers gave the first shot to the first person in a test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine Monday -- leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges. With a careful jab in a healthy volunteer’s arm, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington...

Russia's Constitutional Court on Monday approved a package of amendments including a "reset" of President Vladimir Putin's previous terms, giving him the possibility to rule into 2036. The approval came just two days after Putin signed the reform bill, which has faced fierce criticism from...

The Tour of Romandy, a key race in the cycling calendar, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, cycling authorities said on Monday. Run over a week in late April and early May, the race takes in the Swiss Alps and is seen as a key warm up to the Giro d'Italia and Tour de...

Nearly 70,000 Afghans have returned from virus-hit Iran in the past 20 days, an official said Monday, overwhelming health workers at border crossings and raising fears of a major outbreak in the impoverished country. They were allowed back in after Kabul reopened land crossings for Afghans...

As the coronavirus crisis sweeps the US government, the nation has come to rely on a voice of calm from the White House -- only it's not Donald Trump's. Caricatured as a meek and loyal yes man, Vice President Mike Pence is surprising even some of his critics with an authoritative...

France will postpone the second round of mayoral elections to June 21 following talks between government officials and opposition party leaders, according the French media reports. Prime Minister Édouard Philippe recommended postponing the vote amid the rapidly worsening coronavirus...

Iran’s death toll from the new coronavirus has reached 853, with 129 new deaths in the past 24 hours, a health ministry official tweeted on Monday, adding that a total of 14,991 people have been infected across Iran. “In the past 24 hours we had 1,053 confirmed new cases of coronavirus and...

Beirut’s usually congested streets were largely free of cars and pedestrians stayed away from its seafront Corniche as government measures to curb the spread of coronavirus took effect with varying degrees of success on Monday. Police ordered closed several shops that were open in Beirut in...

A young child died in a fire in an overcrowded migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday, fire brigade officials said. The fire burned through two containers used as living quarters by people in the Moria camp, as well as some tents, a spokesman said. “During the operation a...

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Monday called on governments to take coordinated fiscal and monetary stimulus measures to stop the coronavirus from causing long-term economic damage. In a blog message posted on the IMF website, Georgieva said the global...

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi the United States would take measures in self-defense if attacked, according to a statement on Monday, after a second rocket attack on an Iraqi base that houses U.S. troops helping fight Islamic State. "Secretary...

Bars, restaurants, theaters and movie houses in New York and Los Angeles were ordered to shut down to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic as central banks around the world took aggressive steps to cushion the economic impact of the disease. The U.S. Federal Reserve slashed...

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday that militants in Syria’s Idlib region are not complying with a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey, the Interfax news agency reported. The foreign ministry said the militants were taking counter-offensive action in the region. Reuters

Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz received an official mandate Monday to try to form Israel's next government, and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to join him in a unity administration. In a sharp blow to Netanyahu, who had declared victory in a March 2 election, 61 of...

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said Monday he was increasingly confident the country would overcome the coronavirus as the rate of new infections continued to drop, although authorities noted another large cluster had emerged in the greater Seoul area. There were 74 new coronavirus...

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani announced a series of banking, welfare and tax relief measures to support businesses and families as the coronavirus outbreak puts severe strain on the economy. Employees can defer health insurance, tax and utility bill payments for the next three months,...