A round-up of other world news in brief
Israel softens terms for Hamas prisoner swap
CAIRO – Israel has softened its terms for a prisoner swap with Hamas and the two are nearing a deal to exchange hundreds of jailed Palestinians for an Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip, officials have said.
A delegation from Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, crossed into Egypt for a meeting with Egyptian security officials in Cairo to discuss the deal that Egypt and Germany have been mediating. Officials said Israel agreed to include about 160 prisoners in the exchange for soldier Gilad Shalit. – (Reuters)
Israeli expansion plans criticised
BERLIN – Germany has criticised Israeli plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, in unusually explicit terms a week before the two countries’ leaders meet in Berlin.
The comments, from chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, coincide with foreign minister Guido Westerwelle’s first trip to Israel and are in response to the approval of plans to build 900 new homes near Jerusalem. – (Reuters)
'Rolling Stone' Berlusconi award
ROME – The Italian edition of Rolling Stonehas named prime minister Silvio Berlusconi its "rock star of the year", paying tribute to his "lifestyle worthy of the greatest rock star".
An illustration of Berlusconi, who weathered a summer of scandals over his relations with an 18-year-old model and allegations that he slept with a prostitute after a party, emblazons the cover against the backdrop of the Italian flag. – (Reuters)