Julen Lopetegui, sacked by Premier League side West Ham in January, was appointed the new head coach of Qatar on Thursday.

"Ready for a new chapter. Welcome Lopetegui.

"We're excited to embark on this journey together," the Qatar football federation wrote on social media.

"I'm ready" the Spaniard said in a video accompanying the post on X.

The 58-year-old former Real Madrid and Spain coach has signed a contract with the hosts of the 2022 World Cup until 2027 when Qatar will defend their Asian Cup title.

British counter terrorism police Thursday launched an investigation into online videos of Irish rap group Kneecap after the band denied supporting Hamas and Hezbollah or inciting violence against UK politicians.

The announcement came as nearly 40 other groups and artists, among them Pulp, Paul Weller and Primal Scream, rallied around the band in an escalating row about political messaging at its concerts.

Other artists who have offered their support include The Pogues, Massive Attack, Dexys and Thin Lizzy.

Bushfires that erupted near Jerusalem were largely brought under control on Thursday, authorities said, with major roads reopened and firefighting teams still tackling lingering hotspots.

The blaze, which ignited along the main Jerusalem–Tel Aviv highway on Wednesday, prompted widespread evacuations and road closures as firefighters battled through the night to contain what officials have called the largest fire in a decade.

"The fire is under control," said Shlomi Harush, a senior official with the firefighting service.

When he grows up, five-year-old Ahmad wants to be "stronger than Spider-Man".

But his dream clashes with a harsh reality -- the Jordanian boy has a serious disability, and major US aid cuts mean he will likely miss out on vital care.

Like him, millions of children around the world are suffering from the sweeping cuts ordered by US President Donald Trump.

All are grappling with hardship in one form or other: war, crime, global warming, poverty, disease and more.

Syrian estate agent Fahd Haidar shuttered his business and got out his rifle to defend his hometown of Jaramana when it came under attack this week by Islamists loyal to the new government.

Seven Druze fighters were among the 17 people killed in the Damascus suburb as clashes raged from Monday into Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

On Wednesday, the sectarian violence spread to the nearby town of Sahnaya, where 22 combatants were killed, the Britain-based war monitor said.

Israeli firefighting teams battled wildfires near Jerusalem for a second day on Thursday, with police reporting the reopening of several major roads that had been closed.

The fires broke out on Wednesday along the main Jerusalem–Tel Aviv highway, prompting police to shut the roads and evacuate thousands of residents from nearby communities.

Israel's firefighting service said 163 ground crews and 12 aircraft were working to contain the flames.

Rescue agency Magen David Adom said it treated 23 people on Wednesday, mostly for smoke inhalation and burns.

Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was arrested by US immigration authorities earlier this month at his citizenship interview, expressed defiance Wednesday after a federal judge ordered his release on bail.

Speaking outside a courthouse in Vermont, Mahdawi addressed US President Donald Trump and his government, which has moved to revoke foreign students' visas over their involvement in pro-Palestinian protests.

"I am not afraid of you," Mahdawi said, and then joined the assembled crowd in chanting "no fear."

Africans in search of a better future became the latest casualties of Yemen's decade-long conflict after a deadly strike blamed on the United States hit a migrant detention centre, killing dozens of people.

The pre-dawn attack on Monday killed more than 60 people in their sleep, the country's Huthi rebels said, attributing the raid to the US military.

Rubble, blood and body parts dotted the grounds of the compound in rebel-held Saada, with several buildings left in ruins, twisted metal glittering in the sun.

Amnesty International accused Iranian authorities Wednesday of carrying out a "sinister crackdown" on media outlets to conceal the truth about a deadly blast at the country's main commercial port.

At least 70 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured in Saturday's explosion and ensuing fire in the southern port of Shahid Rajaee, state media reported.

Iranian officials have attributed the explosion to negligence without giving a fuller explanation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Wednesday that rapidly spreading wildfires near Jerusalem could reach the city, as he declared the situation a "national emergency".

Thick smoke billowed above highways near Jerusalem as firefighters rushed to control wildfires that have injured several people and prompted the military to deploy troops to help.

Israel's Magen David Adom rescue agency reported that hundreds of civilians were at risk from the worst brushfires in years.