Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's conservative coalition has been re-elected in a shock result at the country's federal elections.
Partial results show his Liberal-National Coalition having secured close to a majority.
Meanwhile opposition Labor Party leader Bill Shorten accepted defeat and announced his resignation.
However the result seemed extremely unlikely with exit polls suggesting a Labor win for the first time in half a dozen years.
Hezbollah warns Israeli residents to evacuate towns near border
Lebanon's Hezbollah warned Israeli residents to evacuate towns within 5 km of the border between the countries in a message posted on its Telegram channel in Hebrew early on Friday.
US House rejects war powers resolution, backs Trump on Iran war
The US House of Representatives rejected an effort on Thursday to stop President Donald Trump's air war on Iran and require that any hostilities against Iran be authorized by Congress, backing the Republican president's military campaign.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait intercept drones targeting territory
Multiple Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, have announced their successful interception of several drones targeting their territories and airbases.
GCC and EU ministers urge immediate halt to Iranian attacks
Foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union have strongly condemned the Iranian attacks targeting GCC states, calling them a direct threat to regional and global security.
India's tech state Karnataka bans social media for children under 16
The southern Indian state of Karnataka, home to the tech hub of Bengaluru, has banned the use of social media by those under the age of 16, state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday, becoming the first in India to do so.
Dubai Airports has announced on Friday that over 1,140 flights have been facilitated at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in the past 84 hours to help travellers return home.
UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi has reminded the public against photographing incident sites or fallen debris from missile interceptions in the country, or sharing AI-generated images and videos, noting that violators face legal action.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, has visited the field teams and defence personnel at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) on Friday.
