After opening itself to New Year's revelers, Dubai is now being blamed by several countries for spreading the coronavirus abroad, even as questions swirl about the city-state's ability to handle reported record spikes in virus cases.

The government's Dubai Media Office says the sheikhdom is doing all it can to handle the pandemic, though it has repeatedly declined to answer questions from The Associated Press about its hospital capacity.

The United Nations warned Thursday that thousands of Yemeni civilians were at risk in the western province of Hodeida after an increase in military clashes this month.

Pope Francis is to meet top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani during the first-ever papal visit to Iraq in March, a senior Catholic cleric told AFP on Thursday.

A former principal at a Jewish ultra-Orthodox school appeared in an Australian court Thursday, hours after she was extradited from Israel to face child sexual abuse charges.

The Palestinian leadership on Wednesday welcomed the new U.S. administration's intention to reopen the offices of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, closed under former president Donald Trump.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has temporarily frozen a massive package of F-35 jets to the United Arab Emirates and arms to Saudi Arabia for further review, officials said Wednesday.

A State Department spokesperson said the freeze is meant to ensure that "U.S. arms sales meet our strategic objectives of building stronger, interoperable and more capable security partners."

Using crutches, Palestinian Mohamed Aliwa leaps from one concrete slab to another, determined that his missing leg won't stop him doing parkour, a sport that brings respite from grim reality in Gaza.    

A top Iranian official Wednesday said arch-foe Israel was waging a "psychological war" after the Jewish state's army said new "offensive options" were being drawn up in case they were needed against the Islamic republic.

Hundreds of anti-government protesters faced off against riot police outside the Tunisian parliament Tuesday as lawmakers inside confirmed a cabinet reshuffle amid growing unrest.

Saudi Arabia will host a two-day Davos-style investment forum starting Wednesday, with dozens of global policy makers and business tycoons lined up to speak at the partly virtual event amid the coronavirus pandemic.