Iraqi ex-prime minister Haider al-Abadi is eyeing a sequel to his turbulent single term, he hinted to AFP, warning a failure to tackle sectarianism and corruption risks seeing his country "fall apart".

Two months of intensive airstrikes by Syrian government forces and their Russian allies, coupled with a fierce ground assault on rebel-controlled Idlib province, have killed hundreds of people and caused massive displacement while achieving little to no gain for President Bashar Assad.

Despite the heavy bombardment, Assad's troops have been unable to make any significant advances against al-Qaida-linked militants and other jihadi groups who dominate Idlib province, the last significant area held by opposition forces. Militant attacks have killed an average of more than a dozen soldiers and allied militiamen a day in recent weeks.

Kuwaiti authorities have arrested members of a "terrorist" cell linked to Egypt's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the interior ministry said on Friday.

Crowds of Algerians defied a massive police deployment Friday to protest against the government, buoyed by the national football team's qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations semi finals.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Friday discussions would "continue" over the composition of a body to draw up a post-war constitution for the country.

An upcoming U.N. report featuring a blacklist of child rights violators is expected to refrain from toughening criticism of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen despite a bus bombing last year that killed scores of children, according to diplomats.

The United Nations said Friday it was "alarmed" at death sentences given by a court run by Yemen's Huthi rebels to 30 academics, trade unionists and preachers for alleged spying.

Britain will send a second warship to the Gulf, officials said Friday, temporarily deploying two vessels near Tehran's waters as tensions surge after armed Iranian boats threatened a British oil tanker.

At least 10 civilians were killed Friday in Syrian regime air strikes in the country's northwest, including three children, a war monitor said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday strongly condemned air strikes in northwest Syria following reports that four health facilities were hit during a single day of bombing.