HRW: Israeli strikes endanger civilians on Lebanon-Syria border

• Human Rights Watch said the strikes were "impeding civilians trying to flee and disrupting humanitarian operations"
• Lebanese authorities said Friday that more than 370,000 people had crossed from Lebanon into Syria

Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack

October 7 anniversary: Hamas praises ‘glorious’ moment in its resistance, Netanyahu says ‘we will win’

• Last year's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity
• At least 41,870 Palestinians, a majority of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip since the war began

Dubai’s night beaches a cool solution to summer heat

• For residents of Dubai, a coast-hugging, desert metropolis of about 3.7 million people, the hot season from June to October is an annual trial.
• The city now has more than 800 meters (yards) of designated night beaches fitted with shark nets and illuminated by giant, bright floodlights.

Casino operator Wynn wins UAE’s first commercial gaming license

• The license was issued by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, which was set up last year to allow for commercial gaming licenses to be issued in the Gulf Arab state
• Wynn operates casinos in Las Vegas and Boston as well as in Macau, a Chinese territory close to Hong Kong.

Israeli airstrikes escalate in Lebanon as UN and Macron demand urgent ceasefire and de-escalation

• The UN secretary-general denounced Hamas and called for an immediate end to the "shocking violence and bloodshed" in Gaza and Lebanon
• French President Emmanuel Macron called Saturday for a halt on arms deliveries to Israel for use in Gaza, provoking a sharp response from Israeli PM Netanyahu

Iran FM threatens ‘even stronger’ retaliation to any attack

• He spoke after an Israeli military official told AFP, the army was "preparing a response to the unprecedented and unlawful Iranian attack."
• The conflict has also drawn in Iran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah, and on September 23 Israel sharply intensified its campaign against the militant group

Trump says he thinks Israel should ‘hit’ Iran nuclear facilities

• "When they asked him (Biden) that question, the answer should have been, hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later," Trump said
• Biden was asked on Wednesday whether he would support strikes against Iranian nuclear sites and the US president told reporters: "The answer is no."

Updates: Israel attacks 2,000 sites in Lebanon, kills over 40 rescuers, and destroys hospitals

• Israeli bombing in Lebanon has killed more than 1,110 people and has displaced up to one million
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Israel of "shamelessly" attacking UN chief Antonio Guterres

Updates: Iran’s supreme leader says anti-Israel resistance will not back down

• Speaking days ahead of Oct 7 attack anniversary, Khamenei defended the Palestinian group's "logical and legal" actions and hailed its "fierce defense" against Israeli forces.
• Beyond Tehran, crowds of protesters gathered in Jordan and in Bahrain, which both have ties with Israel, after Friday prayers in a show of support for Hamas and Hezbollah.