Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Dec. 20

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq -- Two Kurdish parties withdrew Wednesday from the government of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq amid widespread anger over unpaid salaries and corruption.

"The Kurdish Change Movement (Gorran) and the Islamic Group of Kurdistan (Komela) decided to withdraw from Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) headed by Nichervan Barzani," Abdul Razzaq Sharif, head of Gorran media office, told Xinhua. (Iraq-Kurdish Parties)

- - - -

CAIRO -- An Egyptian court acquitted on Wednesday two former ministers over corruption charges, state-run MENA news agency reported.

The two tourism ministers, Ahmed al-Maghrabi and Zohair Garana, who served under former President Hosni Mubarak before his ouster in February 2011, were accused of profiteering and facilitating the seizure of state-owned lands in Red Sea city of Hurghada. (Egypt-Mubarak-Corruption)

- - - -

TRIPOLI -- The UN Support Mission in Libya on Wednesday criticized the election of a new Central Bank Governor by the eastern-based House of Representatives.

"The Mission recalls Article 15 of the Libyan political agreement, which presupposes consultation between the House of Representatives and the Higher Council of State before selecting the incumbents of sovereign leadership position," the Mission said. (Libya-UN-Election)

- - - -

TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday refuted the U.S. President Donald Trump's national security strategy as "imbalanced" and "one-sided," Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said that the document published by the Trump administration is full of "futile efforts" to introduce Iran as a threat, which is totally rejected and condemned. (Iran-Trump) Enditem