Exclusive: Saudi offers Russia deal to scale back Assad support – sources
AMMAN/DOHA (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia has offered Russia economic incentives including a major arms deal and a pledge not to challenge Russian gas sales if Moscow scales back support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Middle East sources and Western d…
Kenya expects first overseas flights to Nairobi airport on Thursday
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya Airways said on Wednesday its first overseas flights to land at the Kenyan capital’s fire-damaged airport would arrive as scheduled early on Thursday.
EU ‘very concerned’ about failure of mediation attempts in Egypt
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union said on Wednesday it was very concerned about the reported failure of diplomatic efforts to end Egypt’s political crisis and urged all sides to reach a peaceful solution.
Bulgarian president vetoes government plans to spend more
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev vetoed a budget revision on Wednesday, saying the Socialist-led government had not shown enough transparency in its use of public money in the European Union’s poorest state.
Merkel plans to stand down in 2016 if re-elected: magazine
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s Angela Merkel plans to step down as chancellor in 2016, a year before the end of a third term, if she is re-elected in a September 22 election, according to an unsourced article in Stern magazine on Wednesday.
Kenya to use domestic terminal for international flights: minister
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya will on Thursday begin preparing its small domestic terminal at the capital’s fire-ravaged main airport for handling international flights, using tents to create extra space, a government minister said on Wednesday.
Portugal treasury secretary resigns after weeks in job
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s new treasury secretary has resigned after just a few weeks in the role after media reports and opposition politicians questioned his previous role at Citigroup, he said on Wednesday.
Head of Italian ruling party calls on Berlusconi to resign
ROME (Reuters) – The head of the party that leads Italy’s government called on Wednesday for Silvio Berlusconi to resign from politics after he lost his appeal against a tax fraud conviction, worsening tensions in the fragile left-right coalition.
Yemen says foils plot to seize oil and gas facilities
SANAA (Reuters) – Yemeni security forces have foiled a plot by al Qaeda to take over oil and gas export facilities and a provincial capital in the eastern part of the country, a government official said on Wednesday.
Egypt’s Al-Azhar to call meeting on crisis next week
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s leading Islamic authority Al-Azhar will call a meeting on the country’s crisis next week, the state news agency reported, in a new effort to resolve the bloody standoff after the government said international mediation had fai…
