Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, patient crossings at Rafah halted, Palestinian officials say Reuters
Libya's Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who crushed dissent then sought political comeback, dies at 53 Reuters
Saif Islam Gadhafi, son of late Libyan ruler, killed in gunfight: What to know Gadhafi was a key figure in his father Moammar Gadhafi's regime, and faced legal prosecution for his alleged roles in crimes against Libyans. Libya
US-Iran talks uncertain as Tehran pushes to sideline regional countries Iran is also pushing to move the negotiations to Oman and to exclude its missile program from the talks. Iran
Iraq’s Maliki rejects Trump criticism, vows to stay in PM race Maliki refused to withdraw from the race, despite mounting pressure from the US, and expressed a desire for good relations with Iraq’s neighbors and Washington. Iraq
Analysis US, Iran weigh de-escalation declaration as first step of talks Behind the scenes, Iran and the United States are exploring a cautious diplomatic track centered on de-escalation rather than immediate concessions. By A correspondent in Iran In Iran, reporting on politics
Bracing for backlash, Iran sends mixed signals on US talks Iran's public messaging remains fragmented, with cautious openness from the presidency, rigid red lines from security officials and outright rejection from hard-liners, who see negotiations as futile. Iran
