AFP

The United Arab Emirates said it summoned Israel's deputy ambassador on Friday in a formal rebuke of his country's unprecedented attack against Hamas leaders in neighbouring Qatar.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Friday that Syria was negotiating with Israel to reach a security agreement that would see Israel leave areas it occupied after the December overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

Nadeen Ayoub, the first Palestinian to compete in Miss Universe, will step onto the stage at the height of one of the most harrowing periods in her people's history, determined to show they are more than headlines of war.

Pace bowling great Wasim Akram has urged Pakistan and India's cricketers to ignore the noise and enjoy the game when they meet in a highly charged Asia Cup T20 match on Sunday.

The widow of prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk pledged Friday to carry on her husband's work, after US authorities announced his alleged assassin had finally been captured.

The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned strikes on Qatar earlier this week and called for de-escalation, without naming Israel which carried out the attack.

The UN General Assembly will vote on Friday whether to back the "New York Declaration," a resolution which seeks to breathe new life into the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine -- without the involvement of Hamas.

Australia has failed to tackle persistent and intensifying Islamophobia, a government envoy said Friday, calling anti-Muslim hate a "deeply ingrained societal challenge".