World leaders are close to agreeing on a statement on the conflict in Syria despite deep divisions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the rest of the G8, officials said on Tuesday. More »G8 leaders close to agreeing Syria statement: sources
The flow of foreign direct investment into Arab states, including those hit by uprisings, rose by 9.8 percent last year despite the unrest but remained well below their 2010 level, a report said on Tuesday. More »Foreign investment in Arab states rises despite unrest
ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland, June 18 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking after two days of tense G8 talks on Syria, said on Tuesday he did not feel isolated at the summit despite clashing with leaders on how to resolve Syria's civil war. The Kremlin leader also renewed his criticism of U.S. plans to send weapons to Syrian rebels, adding that some G8 leaders had also expressed doubt that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons. More »Russia's Putin says did not feel isolated at G8
* Budget expansion may be unsustainable * Echoes IMF report last week * Govt could look at tax exemptions, new revenue sources * Effort under way to minimise spending on fuel subsidies By Martin Dokoupil DUBAI, June 18 (Reuters) - Oman should consider fiscal reforms as a priority because continued growth in public spending may be unsustainable in the long run, its central bank said on Tuesday. ... More »Oman needs to consider fiscal reforms as priority - c.bank
Attempt to storm city hall in Sao Paulo comes just hours after President Rousseff acknowledges legitimacy of rallies. More »Social protests turn violent in Brazil
* Investors await U.S. Fed meeting results on Wednesday * Iraq says will bolster crude output * US consumer prices rise, pointing to growing demand * Market keeps an eye on Syria conflict * US commercial crude oil stocks seen down last week - poll By Jeanine Prezioso NEW YORK, June 18 (Reuters) - Oil prices ended slightly higher on Tuesday in sluggish trading as the market awaited the Federal Reserve's policy statement on Wednesday that is expected to show whether it will reduce its monetary stimulus. The program has been largely supportive of oil prices. ... More »Oil gains moderately, trading sluggish ahead of Fed
ISTANBUL, June 18 (Reuters) - Turkey could issue a sukuk abroad in August if global market conditions allow, Treasury Undersecretary Ibrahim Canakci said on Tuesday. Canakci also said that the Treasury could issue a bond with a maturity of longer than 10 years if it sees demand is strong and sustained. (Reporting by Ebru Tuncay; Writing by Ayla Jean Yackley) More »Turkish Treasuy may issue sukuk abroad in August
DUBAI, June 18 (Reuters) - Viva Kuwait, an affiliate of Saudi Telecom Co (STC), has signed a $270 million, five-year loan with National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) to finance the operator's network expansion, it said in a statement on Tuesday. This borrowing includes a $70 million murabaha facility - a cost-plus-profit arrangement in Islamic finance - from NBK subsidiary Boubyan Bank. Viva, which competes with Zain and Ooredoo (Qatar Telecom) subsidiary Wataniya, has built a 27 percent market share since launching services in 2008, according to Zain's first-quarter earnings statement. ... More »Saudi Telecom unit Viva Kuwait signs $270 mln loan
By Keith Weir HERZOGENAURACH, Germany (Reuters) - German sportswear maker Adidas AG forecast record sales for its soccer business in 2014, aiming to retain market leadership in the sport ahead of U.S. rival Nike Inc in a soccer World Cup year. Adidas and Nike dominate a market for soccer kit - replica shirts, balls and boots - estimated to be worth around 5 billion euros annually. "It is a battle between us and Nike, not only in Brazil but the whole football world," Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer told reporters at a news conference at the company's headquarters in southern Germany. ... More »Adidas sets new soccer sales goal in World Cup year
* Uncertainty about Fed meeting weighs on gold * Short-covering possible if Fed stays put with stimulus * Demand still soft in India, China - traders (Updates throughout; adds comments, second byline, and NEW YORK to dateline) By Frank Tang and Jan Harvey NEW YORK/LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) - Gold fell more than 1 percent on Tuesday as U.S. equities rallied and bullion buyers took to the sidelines before the conclusion of a two-day Federal Reserve policy meeting they hope will give greater clarity on the outlook for U.S. monetary policy. ... More »PRECIOUS-Gold down more than 1 pct on Fed jitters, equities gain
Los Angeles, June 18 (IANS) Singer Taylor Swift says while performing on the stage she is distracted by fans with sign boards and she goes off track. More »What distracts Taylor Swift on stage?
By Patrick Johnston (Reuters) - Australia and Iran booked their fourth World Cup finals appearances with nervous 1-0 victories in a dramatic finale to Asian qualifying on Tuesday. South Korea joined them and Japan in qualifying for the finals after sneaking through on goal difference and Uzbekistan and Jordan retained hope of making it five Asian sides in Brazil after taking the third spots in the groups to set up a playoff. The teams will meet over two legs in September with the winners taking on the fifth-placed side in South America in a similar playoff in November for a place at the ... More »Australia, Iran and South Korea head for Brazil
By Mark Gleeson MAPUTO (Reuters) - The impressive run of Egypt in World Cup qualifying over the last fortnight has much more significance for the country than just moving the tournament dream a step closer, coach Bob Bradley told Reuters. "At a time when the country is looking for things that are good, this is very important," he said of Egypt's seamless progress to the last phase of African qualifiers for next year's tournament in Brazil. ... More »World Cup success a lift for troubled Egypt
BEIRUT, June 18 (Reuters) - Lebanon's main Sunni Muslim political party pleaded with the presidency on Tuesday to prevent "state collapse", blaming the Shi'ite Hezbollah group for dragging the country into the war in neighbouring Syria. Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah militants are openly fighting for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as he battles a 27-month-old Sunni-led revolt. Inter-communal violence has spread to religiously-mixed Lebanese cities and border towns. "Hezbollah is serving Syria and Iran at the expense of the Lebanese," ex-Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told reporters. ... More »Lebanese Sunni Muslim politician warns of state collapse
Tesla Motors said Thursday it would demonstrate a way to quickly recharge electric cars by swapping drained batteries for fresh power cells. More »Tesla to demo quick-swap electric car batteries
US surveillance efforts foiled over 50 potential terrorist events since the 2001 attacks, the head of a US spy agency told lawmakers Tuesday in defending the programs as vital to national security. More »At least 50 plots foiled by spy programs: US official
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has sharply criticised the terms imposed for a March debt bailout in a letter to eurozone leaders pleading for help in safeguarding the island's biggest lender. More »Cyprus leader slams bailout terms in appeal for help
(Adds closing prices, details) ISTANBUL, June 18 (Reuters) - Turkey's markets weakened on Tuesday as values remained under pressure from domestic unrest and uncertainty over the U.S. asset purchase programme. There was little reaction to Turkey's central bank to keep interest rates on hold. The bank said capital inflows had fallen and hinted it could act again to support the lira currency. ... More »Turkish markets down, domestic unrest, Fed eyed
Vladimir Putin's participation in the first G8 summit of his new term was supposed to seal his comeback to the global stage as Russia's paramount leader after winning a third presidential term last year. More »Defiant Putin sets himself up as G8 outsider
* Saudis increasingly frustrated at lack of tougher U.S. action * Growing alarm at rebels' capacity after fall of Qusair * Riyadh believes Assad win would boost Iran across Middle East By Angus McDowall RIYADH, June 18 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief, Prince Muqrin, once told American diplomats the Middle East's so-called Shi'ite Crescent where the Muslim sect holds sway was "becoming a full moon" as Iranian influence spread. For the kingdom's Sunni ruling princes, that fear, revealed in a 2009 U.S. embassy cable released by WikiLeaks, now focuses on Syria. ... More »Saudi role in Syria driven by fear of Shi'ite "full moon"