A bomb blast struck a World War I commemoration attended by Western diplomats in the Saudi city of Jeddah Wednesday, leaving at least two people wounded in the second assault on diplomatic missions in recent weeks, officials said.

The Syrian government is working to secure the return of millions of refugees who fled war in their country, but Western sanctions are hindering the work of state institutions, complicating those plans, President Bashar Assad said Wednesday.

His comments came at the opening session of a controversial two-day international conference in Damascus on the return of refugees. The event, organized by Russia, is being boycotted by many Arab and Western countries and has been criticized by the U.N. and the U.S. Critics say the time is not ripe yet for the return of refugees, insisting the first priority should be to make it safe for people to go back to the war-torn country.

Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world's longest-serving prime minister who had held the post since independence in 1971, died Wednesday at the age of 84, state media announced.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Tuesday that the United States planned to sell top-of-the-line F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates as part of a $23.37 billion package.

The State Department sent a formal notice to Congress on the sale of the stealth precision planes, long sought by the Gulf Arab ally which won a green light after agreeing in September to recognize Israel.

The European Union said Tuesday that it will not take part in an international conference this week on the return of refugees to Syria, insisting that the first priority should be to make it safe for people to go back to the conflict-ravaged country.

The two-day conference, organized by Russia and set to begin on Wednesday, has been criticized by United Nations and U.S. officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that large parts of Syria are relatively peaceful and it's time for the millions of Syrians who fled to go home and help rebuild.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" over its human rights failings, but observers say the oil-rich Arab powerhouse still holds enough leverage to deflect a major rupture in relations.

The U.N. is hosting talks on Libya in its latest push to end almost a decade of violence in the North African country.

Palestinian veteran negotiator Saeb Erekat died Tuesday of coronavirus complications at age 65, in a death mourned as a "great loss" for his people and sparking tributes from around the world.

Erekat was a long-time architect of plans to end the conflict with Israel through the creation of an independent Palestinian state, a goal he would not live to see achieved.

Jordanians voted Tuesday in a parliamentary election overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic which has dealt a heavy blow to the Arab country's already debt-ridden economy.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, hammered by US cuts, said Monday it lacks the funds to pay full November salaries but is confident president-elect Joe Biden's administration will restore support.