Egypt sold $1.05 billion worth of a five-year bond payable in dollars but denominated in Egyptian pounds, lead managers said on Thursday.

PLD cere convocarea unei sesiuni extraordinare a Parlamentului în care Guvernul să prezinte proiectul bugetului pe 2008 pentru a clarifica odată problema pensiilor şi nu în ultimul rând a votului uninominal, a declarat, la Constanţa, preşedintele executiv al partidului, Gheorghe Flutur.

The Acropolis in Athens is closing because of a strike by guards. The Greek Union of Keepers of Archaeological Sites announced the walkout on Wednesday (July 11th), demanding more flexible hours.

The remains of 28 victims from the 1974 Cyprus conflict were buried on Thursday (July 12th) in separate ceremonies in the northern Turkish and southern Greek part of the island. The DNA analysis identified 13 Cypriot Turks and 15 Cypriot Greeks whose remains were found earlier this month in mass …

If renewed negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo Albanian leaders regarding Kosovo’s future status fail to bear fruit, former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s plan eventually will be implemented, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner indicated on Thursday (July 12th) following a meeting with Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic in Belgrade.

The former Serbian government, headed by current Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, unveiled a draft restitution law days before reaching an agreement on a new ruling coalition.

The Turkish Armed Forces have begun to recruit “professional commandos” as part of a new plan to combat the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The military expects to recruit around 10,000 soldiers, who will be given special training to fight terrorists in mountainous areas.

France hosts talks at the weekend between Lebanon’s fractious leaders to try to ease a political deadlock that has plunged the nation into its worst crisis since the end of the civil war.

Insurgents fired more than two dozen mortar shells at government targets in the Somali capital overnight, including the president’s residence, in an apparent attempt to disrupt reconciliation talks planned for the weekend.

It still looks like an oasis in the desert, but Baghdad’s smart set does not drive out to play beside the pristine lake at Habbaniyah any more.