Former Israel PM Yitzak Shamir dies
Former Prime Minister of Israel Yitzak Shamir has died at the age of 1996 in a care home in Tel Aviv. He had long suffered from poor health. The leader of the right-wing Likud party, Shamir served as the Prime Minister twice – in 1983-4, and between 1986 and 1992.
Lavrov: Russia ready to share info on downed Turkish plane
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is prepared to share any observation data it recorded of the flight of the Turkish reconnaissance plane that was hit by Syria. Speaking at an international conference on Syria in Geneva, Lavrov said that it was crucial not to assign blame for the incident. A Turkish Phantom plane was shot after violating Syria’s airspace on June 22.
European media reaction: Merkel 'caves in' to Latin countries at EU summit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was handed a humiliating defeat by other European countries during this week’s EU summit, according to newspapers both in her homeland and elsewhere in the Eurozone. Merkel was “blindsided” by the other leaders, wrote German tabloid Bild, and forced to make concessions that will make it easier to France, Spain and Italy to access the bailout fund without implementing further austerity measures. "The southern euro countries are taking the north hostage," summed up Dutch financial paper Het Financieele Dagblad.
Polish journalist who insulted Belarusian President released
Andrey Pochobut, a Belarusian correspondent for the Polish newspaper GazetaWyborcza, was released on Friday, pending trial. Pochobut was officially charged with "smearing the president", and if convicted, he could face up to 5 years in jail. The journalist pleaded not guilty and refused to cooperate, saying he was criticizing Lukashenko, but not slandering him, Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Iran: ‘No gaps’ in oil trade despite US sanctions
Iran says it is having no trouble selling crude despite US sanctions imposed over Tehran's disputed nuclear program. Thanks to countries being given waivers by the US, Tehran is "easily" able to go on with oil exports, Central Bank Governor Mahmoud Bahmani told the semiofficial Mehr news agency. Earlier in the week, Washington added China, Iran’s major oil buyer, to a list of19 other nations who have received waivers in exchange for "significantly reducing" oil trade with the Persian country.
Sudan agrees to allow humanitarian aid delivery to insurgency stricken states
Sudan has conceded to let humanitarian aid be delivered to two of its rebel-controlled and war-torn border states, the African Union said on Saturday. Fighting in South Kordofan and Blue Nile has forced hundreds of thousands of people to abandon their homes since last year. Hostilities have reduced the usual harvests in the two states, which could face massive food shortages as stocks dwindle.
Egyptian president urges end to bloodshed in Syria
Egypt would work to end bloodshed in Syria, the country’s newly elected President Mohamed Morsi pledged on Saturday. "Egypt today is a supporter of the Palestinian and Syrian people. Spilling the Syrian people's blood has to stop. We will exert efforts to achieve that in the near future," he said. Morsi also vowed to uphold international agreements, in an apparent response to Israel’s worries about the future of the 33-year-old peace treaty between the two countries.
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