Kurdish militants tighten grip on Syria’s northeast
AMMAN (Reuters) – Kurdish militants sought to consolidate their control of an oil-producing region in northeastern Syria on Sunday after seizing a border crossing with Iraq from Islamist rebels, activists said.
Iran sends out feelers for any return to oil markets
LONDON (Reuters) – Iran is reaching out to its old oil buyers and is ready to cut prices if Western sanctions against it are eased, promising a battle for market share in a world less hungry for oil than when sanctions were imposed.
Israel to free more Palestinian prisoners for peace talks
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel is to release 26 Palestinian prisoners in a second stage of a deal brokered by the United States in July that brought a resumption of peace talks.
As Iraq seeks U.S. arms, bombs kill another 55
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A dozen bombings in Iraq killed 55 people on Sunday as the prime minister prepares to travel to Washington to seek President Barack Obama’s help in confronting a wave of sectarian violence fuelled by Syria’s civil war.
German paper says Obama aware of spying on Merkel since 2010
BERLIN (Reuters) – A German newspaper said on Sunday that U.S. President Barack Obama knew his intelligence service was eavesdropping on Angela Merkel as long ago as 2010, contradicting reports that he had told the German leader he did not know.
Two decades on, Suu Kyi finally collects Rome citizenship
ROME (Reuters) – Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi finally collected her honorary citizenship of Rome on Sunday, 19 years after being offered the honor.
Egypt seeks to lure Gulf investors amid turmoil
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt is planning a charm offensive to persuade Gulf Arab entrepreneurs to invest in its economy, battered by political upheaval, protests and violence.
Somalia radio stations shut down, ordered out of government building
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Somali security agents shut down two radio stations and ordered its reporters to leave a building they were occupying for non-payment of rent, a government official said on Sunday.
Czech Social Democrat chief defies party call to resign
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka refused to resign as party chairman on Sunday, defying calls from the rest of the party leadership to step down after a winning only a narrow election victory over the weekend.
Analysis: Chile’s Bachelet set to return to power, but obstacles await
RANCAGUA, Chile (Reuters) – Michelle Bachelet is a safe bet to return to power in Chile’s presidential election, but she is now promoting a more ambitious program of leftist reforms and will need every ounce of her political skill to push them through….
