Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory on Tuesday in Israel's general election, with exit polls putting the indicted premier in a strong position to form the next government.

The U.N.'s envoy to war-plagued Libya, Ghassan Salame, announced his resignation on Monday citing health reasons, nearly three years after taking up the post.

"I tried to unite Libyans and restrain foreign interference... but for health reasons I can no longer continue with this level of stress and therefore I have asked the (U.N.) secretary-general to relieve me of my duties," Salame tweeted.

An Egyptian court Monday sentenced to death an ex-special forces officer turned Islamist militant and 36 other jihadists over several terror attacks, including an assassination bid on a former interior minister.

The Syrian government on Monday pledged to repel Turkish forces attacking its Russia-backed troops in northwestern Syria as tensions spike between Damascus and Ankara.

"Don't treat us like lepers," shouted the man trying to vote Monday at a special polling station set up for Israelis quarantined because of possible exposure to coronavirus. 

Israel's former armed forces chief Benny Gantz on Monday took a fresh shot at unseating veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after two previous electoral showdowns ended in deadlock. 

Protest-torn Iraq on Monday faced more political gridlock after prime minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew overnight, accusing lawmakers of obstructing his attempt to form a government.

An Egyptian court Monday sentenced to death an ex-special forces officer turned Islamist militant and 36 other jihadists over several terror attacks, including an assassination bid on a former interior minister.

UN investigators warned Monday that Ankara might bear "criminal responsibility" for war crimes perpetrated against Kurds in northern Syria late last year, including the execution of a popular female politician.

The report comes as tensions soar between Turkey and Russian-backed Syrian forces following escalating clashes in the last rebel stronghold of Idlib, but is not directly linked to the latest unrest.  

Regime forces re-entered the northwestern Syrian town of Saraqeb on Monday after losing it days earlier to rebels, a monitor and state media said.