Last week, Israel's Labor party appeared headed for extinction, with polls indicating it wouldn't win enough votes in upcoming elections to enter parliament. But following the election of progressive lawmaker Merav Michaeli as its new leader, the party is showing signs of life.

Labor, home of the country's founding leaders and for decades its ruling party, has begun to climb in opinion polls, and Michaeli is determined to once again make it a major force in Israeli politics.

A former Florida resident has been returned to the United States after traveling to Turkey and attempting to join the Islamic State group.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Gainesville announced Monday that Mohamed Fathy Suliman, 33, a U.S. citizen, has been charged with attempting to provide material support for a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Six years after she left Ukraine to follow her husband and promises of a dignified life under the Islamic State group in Syria, Alime Abbasova arrived home on New Year's Day, hopeful for a fresh start.

Human Rights Watch Tuesday urged support for aid groups to ensure "equitable" distribution of coronavirus vaccines across all of war-torn Syria, warning against any discriminatory approach by Damascus.

Serbia's foreign minister said Tuesday the government was "not happy" with Israel's decision to recognise Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose statehood Belgrade denies and has waged a diplomatic battle to de-legitimise.

Dubai on Monday ordered bars to close until the end of the month to suppress a spike in coronavirus cases, after tourists flocked to the emirate over the holiday period.

Jewish immigration to Israel dropped by nearly 40 percent over the past year due to the coronavirus pandemic, official figures seen by AFP on Monday showed.

Dubai announced Monday the creation of a "space court" to settle commercial disputes, as the UAE -- which is also sending a probe to Mars -- builds its presence in the space sector.

Israel and Kosovo established diplomatic ties on Monday, with the Muslim-majority territory recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, putting it at odds with the rest of the Islamic world.

The Palestinians are to receive a first batch of 50,000 coronavirus vaccines by mid-February, when they will launch inoculations in the West Bank and Gaza, their prime minister said Monday