Early on Saturday, as temperatures soared outside, a sprawling shopping centre in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined "Mallathon" -- an indoor, air-conditioned race.

The government-backed initiative aims to encourage exercise during August, often the United Arab Emirates' hottest month, and make use of Dubai's giant malls which are otherwise empty at that time.

Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world's hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many.

By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on Friday during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trumpthat wouldboost bilateral economic ties after decades of conflict and move them toward a full normalization of relations.

The deal between the South Caucasus rivals - assuming it holds - would be a significant accomplishment for the Trump administration that is sure to rattle Moscow, which sees the region as within its sphere of influence.

By Riham Alkousaa and Matthias Williams

BERLIN (Reuters) -The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel's plans to expand military control over the enclave have pushed Germany to curb arms exports to Israel, a historically fraught step for Berlin driven by a growing public outcry.

Conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz, hitherto a staunchly pro-Israel leader, made the announcement on Friday arguing that Israel's actions would not achieve its stated war goals of eliminating Hamas militants or bringing Israeli hostages home.

By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) -The University of California said on Friday it was reviewing a $1 billion settlement offer by President Donald Trump's administration for UCLA after the government froze hundreds of millions of dollars in funding over pro-Palestinian protests.

UCLA, which is part of the University of California system, said this week the government froze $584 million in federal funding.

For US President Donald Trump, it's up to Israel to decide what to do next in Gaza -- meaning Washington is offering quiet support for its ally's plans to expand the offensive in the war-wracked Palestinian territory.

While numerous European and Arab capitals urged Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to reconsider his decision to "take control" of Gaza City, Trump this week has effectively given the Israeli prime minister free rein -- even if it means pushback from the international community.

By Daphne Psaledakis and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday criticized Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City, with the U.N. chief's spokesperson saying the decision marked "a dangerous escalation" that will result in forced displacement of Palestinians.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Israel's goal is not to take over Gaza, but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there, the prime minister's office said on X.

Netanyahu expressed his disappointment with Berlin's decision to suspend weapons exports to Israel during the phone call with Merz on Friday, the office added.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to the leaders of China, India and three ex-Soviet states on Friday in a flurry of calls to brief them on his contacts with the United States about the war in Ukraine.

Putin met U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, after which the Kremlin said a summit between Putin and Trump could take place as early as next week. No venue, date or agenda have been announced.

SEVENOAKS, England (Reuters) -British foreign minister David Lammy said on Friday he would discuss the situation in Gaza during a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Speaking alongside Vance, who is on a trip to Britain with his family, he also said UK-U.S. relations were in a "wonderful place".

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw;Writing by Catarina Demony; editing by James Davey)

An Israeli strike killed one person in southern Lebanon on Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said, with Israel accusing the slain man of being a Hezbollah intelligence operative.

The latest attack, despite a November ceasefire, comes a day after Israeli strikes killed seven people in the eastern Bekaa Valley, two of them members of leftist militant group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

The man killed in Friday's strike, Mohammad Shahadeh, ran a local news website and colleagues took to social media to offer their condolences to his family.