In the Middle East this week, people across the region marked the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and the start of a new year.
In Beirut, Lebanese celebrated with fireworks and street celebrations on New Year's Eve. In Iran, Armenian Christians celebrated a candlelit Mass.
In Cairo, Egypt's Court of Cassation ordered a retrial for three Al-Jazeera English journalists imprisoned for over a year.
In Syria, embattled President Bashar Assad made a rare visit to the front lines of his country's civil war on New Year's Eve, visiting troops and eating with them.
In Jordan, the father of a Jordanian pilot held by the Islamic State group in Syria made another plea for his son's safe return.
And in sports, Spanish team Real Madrid played Italian football club AC Milan in a friendly match in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, also hosted the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.