Dubai's Burj al-Arab hotel serves up a sensory feast like no other, writes Geoff Cumming.

The body of a Lt Tim O'Donnell and two of his injured comrades will fly back to NZ later today, the Defence Force says.

The body of slain NZ soldier Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell and his two wounded colleagues may be home as early as Saturday evening.

Kerri Jackson ponders whether Dubai is the perfect long-haul stopover.

You can't run and nor can you hide in a Syrian bath house, explains JJ Somerset.

A Palestinian man who masqueraded as a Jew to have sex with a Jewish woman has been convicted of rape "by deception" and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Syria has forbidden the country's students and teachers from wearing the niqab - the full Islamic veil.

Fifteen lucky poker players are headed from Auckland to Queenstown this week for a chance to strike it rich.

Kiwi volunteers hoping to take part in a Gaza aid convoy have been told by organisers they could be putting their lives in danger.

Prime Minister John Key will kick off a parade to honour the All Whites in Wellington next Wednesday.

The three Gurkhas who died stood no chance. Two - believed to be British nationals - died in the operations room when it came under attack by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Claims that more than one hundred Iraqi civilians were tortured and abused by British soldiers must be fully investigated, Britain's High Court was told yesterday.

General David Petraeus has formally assumed command of the 130,000-strong international force in Afghanistan.

Will it be useful to add to my CV, I wonder, the title of honorary Bedouin camel trekking manager?