Australian cities began easing lockdown restrictions as the country recorded a drop in community transmission of COVID-19, with only one new case reported in the last 24 hours.
"We are winning but we have not won yet," Health Minister Greg Hunt stressed.
Australia, which imposed an early shutdown of borders and businesses, has managed to reduce the number of cases and deaths.
Coronavirus testing centres have been set up across the country, with the government urging people to undergo tests regardless of whether they have symptoms.
A month after being closed for violations on social distancing rules, Bondi Beach and two neighbouring beaches in Sydney were reopened to local residents on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, New South Wales (NSW) state announced easing of stay-at-home rules.
"Two adults will be able to go and visit anybody else in their home on the basis of care, on the basis of reducing socialisation and everybody's mental health," said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with children allowed to accompany adults on house visits.
The US House of Representatives voted on Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) to protest its issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over Israel's campaign in Gaza.
Elon Musk urged Germans to vote for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in an upcoming election in a conversation with its leader on his social media platform X that highlighted the US billionaire's growing ambition to sway European politics.
Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west were still burning uncontained on Thursday, but a brief respite from the fierce winds that have fanned the flames for two days allowed crews to slow their explosive spread.
Lebanon's parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who enjoys US approval and showing the diminished sway of the Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel.
The UAE has taken Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi into custody from authorities in Lebanon following an extradition order that was issued after a request submitted by the Central Authority in the UAE, represented by the Ministry of Justice.