The Latest: New Zealand to charge patient who went shopping

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand authorities say they will press charges against a coronavirus patient who escaped quarantine in Auckland and went shopping at a supermarket. Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the head of managed isolation and quarantine, said the 32-year-old man escaped through a fence at...

New at Saudi hajj: Bottled holy water, sterilized pebbles

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia has issued guidelines for about 1,000 pilgrims who will be allowed to perform the hajj pilgrimage in Mecca later this month, an experience that will be unlike any before because of the coronavirus pandemic. The pilgrims will only be able to drink holy water...

Thermometers in hand, Dubai opens for tourists amid pandemic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — From French soccer jerseys to slick online campaigns, Dubai is trumpeting the fact that it reopened for tourism on Tuesday — but what that means for this sheikhdom that relies on the dollars, pounds, rupees and yuan spent by travelers remains in question. With...

The Latest: Air New Zealand puts hold on new flight bookings

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s national carrier has put a temporary hold on new bookings for flights into the country while the government tries to find enough quarantined hotel rooms for people returning home. Air New Zealand says the hold will last for three weeks and it is also trying...

UAE orders government shakeup as virus erodes economic gains

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates announced a wide-ranging government shakeup on Sunday aimed at creating a more flexible and modern bureaucracy to tackle challenges as the coronavirus and lower oil prices erode what was already sluggish economic growth. The UAE prime minister...

Iran declines to disclose cause of mysterious nuke site fire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An online video and messages purportedly claiming responsibility for a fire that analysts say damaged a centrifuge assembly plant at Iran's underground Natanz nuclear site deepened the mystery Friday around the incident — even as Tehran insisted it knew the cause...

Iran official: Cause of fire at Natanz nuclear site is known, will not be made public at this time for security reasons

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran official: Cause of fire at Natanz nuclear site is known, will not be made public at this time for security reasons.

Analysts: Fire at Iran nuclear site hit centrifuge facility

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A fire and an explosion struck a centrifuge production plant above Iran's underground Natanz nuclear enrichment facility early Thursday, analysts said, one of the most-tightly guarded sites in all of the Islamic Republic after earlier acts of sabotage there. The Atomic...

US-based analysts tell the AP they believe fire at Iran nuclear site struck new centrifuge production facility

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — US-based analysts tell the AP they believe fire at Iran nuclear site struck new centrifuge production facility.

AP Interview: US envoy calls for Iran arms embargo renewal

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An expiring United Nations weapons embargo on Iran must remain in place to prevent it from “becoming the arms dealer of choice for rogue regimes and terrorist organizations around the world,” the U.S. special representative to Iran said Sunday. Brian Hook...