Israel's prime minister said he was returning home "very optimistic" from a two-day trip to the United Arab Emirates — the first official visit to the Gulf country by an Israeli leader since the countries established relations last year.

Naftali Bennett's trip this week to the Gulf Arab federation comes against the backdrop of nuclear talks between world powers and regional archrival Iran over its nuclear program. Israel has watched with concern as Iran has pushed a hard line against negotiators meeting in Vienna, at once demanding sanctions relief while accelerating its nuclear program.

European diplomats are expressing frustration with Iran's stance in talks aimed at salvaging its tattered 2015 nuclear deal, saying they are wasting "precious time" dealing with new Iranian demands and that "time is running out." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday diplomacy remains the best option but that Washington is engaging with partners on alternatives.

Talks in Vienna between the remaining signatories to the 2015 agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, resumed last week in Vienna.

Long lines formed Monday at vaccination centers across England as people heeded the government's call for all adults to get booster shots to protect themselves against the omicron variant, as the U.K. recorded its first death of a patient infected with omicron.

In a televised announcement late Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said everyone 18 and up would be offered a third vaccine dose by Dec. 31 — less than three weeks away, and a month earlier than the previous target.

China and U.S. had a "very good year" for collaboration on dealing with climate change, but Washington is still pushing Beijing to adopt more ambitious carbon reduction goals, the top U.S. diplomat in China said.

David Meale, the American Embassy's No. 2 official, said that what China does on burning coal will be crucial to whether the world can meet its target of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, as set by the 2015 Paris climate accord.

The German government on Monday approved 60 billion euros ($68 billion) in funding to be used for combating climate change and modernizing the country, a move that the new finance minister described as a "booster" for Europe's biggest economy.

The supplementary budget approved by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Cabinet entails putting the money into a government fund that is being redesigned as a "climate and transformation fund." It will be used to finance projects aimed at fighting climate change and improving Germany's infrastructure.

Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio inflicted the latest blow on Atlético Madrid's title defense after leading Real Madrid to a 2-0 win Sunday to keep their team comfortably at the top of the Spanish league.

Vinícius Júnior again proved to be the difference for Madrid, setting up Benzema and Asensio in each half of the Spanish capital derby.

Inter Milan gave an emphatic sign of intent as the defending Serie A champion moved to the top of Serie A with a crushing 4-0 victory over relegation-threatened Cagliari on Sunday.

Lautaro Martínez scored and missed a penalty in the first half, and Inter ran riot after the break with goals from Alexis Sánchez, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and another from Martínez.

The Foo Fighters rock band has called off its concert at the Formula One race in Abu Dhabi due to "unforeseen medical circumstances," event organizers said.

The organizers offered no further details about the medical issue, other than to say that Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters were "unable to travel" to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Sunday's concert.

Over a dozen unmarried women huddled in a jail cell south of Dubai last year, locked up for the crime of giving birth, when a guard entered and declared them free.

The incident, described by one of the women, was among the first concrete signs that the United Arab Emirates had decriminalized premarital sex in an overhaul of its Islamic penal code.

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned Miss Universe in the Israeli city of Eilat early Monday, with several contestants defying pressure to boycott in support of the Palestinians. 

The 70th edition of the annual pageant, held in Israel for the first time, has also faced complications from the coronavirus pandemic.