DAMASCUS (AFP) - Seven Syrian soldiers, one an officer, were killed in an ambush by a "terrorist group" near Damascus on Saturday morning, state media said.

TRIPOLI (AFP) - Fifteen Somalis are dead and 40 are still missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya, the Somali envoy to Libya told AFP on Saturday.

ATHENS (AFP) - Greece will not cede control over its budget to the European Union as has been proposed by Germany as a condition to a second bailout, Greek government sources told AFP on Saturday.

FRANKFURT (AFP) - Germany wants permanent European control over Greece's budget, a European source told AFP on Saturday.

ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - Sudan said Saturday it would release oil shipments belonging to South Sudan as a goodwill gesture amid a furious dispute over oil to encourage the continuation of dragging negotiations.