Lebanese novelist Elias Khoury who dedicated much of his writings to the Palestinian cause and taught at universities around the world, making him one of Lebanon's most prominent intellectuals, has died. He was 76.

Khoury, a leading voice of Arab literature, had been ill for months and admitted and discharged from hospital several times over the past year until his death early Sunday, Al-Quds Al-Arabi daily that he worked for said.

Israel’s defense minister has told his U.S. counterpart that time is running out for an agreement with Hezbollah to halt the fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Yoav Gallant told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that “the possibility for an agreed framework in the northern arena is running out as Hezbollah continues to ‘tie itself’ to Hamas.”

Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed 16 people in the Gaza Strip, including five women and four children.

David Beckham and former England coach Roy Hodgson were among the soccer dignitaries who attended the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson on Friday in the Swedish manager's small hometown of Torsby.

Eriksson's wooden coffin was covered in white flowers and surrounded by six tall candles and other floral wreaths as the ceremony began inside the 600-seat Fryksande church.

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that the long-awaited hearing into Manchester City's alleged financial breaches begins on Monday.

The Premier League champion faces more than 100 charges ranging over a nine-year period when it was trying to establish itself as the biggest force in English soccer. The hearing into the charges will be held by an independent commission, which will be made up of three judges appointed by a lawyer who chairs the league's judicial panel.

Starting next year, China will raise its retirement age for workers, which is now among the youngest in the world's major economies, in an effort to address its shrinking population and aging work force.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's legislature, passed the new policy Friday after a sudden announcement earlier in the week that it was reviewing the measure, state broadcaster CCTV announced.

Wall Street inched toward modest gains before the open Friday as markets continue to erase last week's sweeping losses.

Futures for the S&P 500 climbed 0.2% before the bell Friday while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were 0.1% higher.

The nations of Central Europe were bracing on Friday for severe flooding forecast to hit the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia and Hungary over the weekend.

Czech authorities were erecting metal barriers or protective walls from sandbags, while water was released from dams to make space in reservoirs. Residents have been warned to get ready for possible evacuations.

Two men have been charged with burglary over the theft of an artwork by street artist Banksy from a London gallery, police said Friday.

The Metropolitan Police force said Larry Fraser, 47, and James Love, 53, are alleged to have taken "Girl with Balloon" from the Grove Gallery on Sunday night.

Justin Timberlake is expected to plead guilty Friday following his June arrest in the Hamptons for drunken driving.

The boy band singer-turned-solo star and actor will appear in Sag Harbor Village Court on Friday to formally enter a new plea, prosecutors said.