War on Syria - "from highly possible from a week ago to less likely".

Fears of a possible US-led strike on Syria eased, with the United States appearing open to a Russia plan for Damascus to give up its chemical weapons.

Russia on 10 Sept 2013 called for Syria "to place its chemical weapons under international control and then to have them destroyed in a bid to avoid a US attack on the Assad regime for its alleged use of chemical weapons on its own people

The proposal was greeted by US President Barack Obama as a "significant breakthrough", although he did not discount the option of military intervention.

The US Senate also announced on 10 Sept 2013 that it would be delaying a key vote on authorising the use of force in Syria to let Obama to publicly address the issue.

The possibility has gone "from highly possible from a week ago to less likely".

Libyan oil exports plunged more than 70 percent in August 2013 after protesters, including policemen and border guards, forced export terminals to shut over demands for back pay. The country's production has rebounded to 600,000 barrels a day, and all export terminals will be open by the middle of next week.