A piece of a wing that washed up on an Indian Ocean island beach last week was part of the wreckage of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, Malaysia said on August 6, confirming the discovery of the first trace of the plane since it vanished last year.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on August 5 that Greece was close to concluding a deal with lenders on a multi-billion-euro bailout, which he said would end doubts over its place in the euro zone.

Both Greece and its lenders said on August 4 they were optimistic they could broker a deal within days on a multi-billion euro bailout, striking a surprisingly upbeat tone on a process previously fraught with bitterness.

The US Environmental Protection Agency unveiled on August 3 the final version of a sweeping - and controversial - regulation to cut carbon emissions from the electricity sector.

At least 75 people have died and tens of thousands have had to take refuge in state-run relief camps after heavy rains caused floods and landslides in eastern India, government officials and aid groups said on August 3.

US backers of the Iran nuclear deal are increasingly confident of enough Democratic support to ensure it survives review by Congress, despite fierce opposition by majority Republicans and a massive lobbying drive.

The United States has decided to allow airstrikes to defend Syrian rebels trained by the US military from any attackers, even if the enemies hail from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, US officials said on August 2.

The United States and Egypt began strategic dialogue talks on August 2, their first since their relationship was strained by the military ouster of President Mohamed Mursi after mass protests against his rule in 2013.

Two security force members were killed and 24 were wounded in a suicide bombing attack overnight by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey's eastern province of Agri, the local governor's office said in a statement on August 2.

Malaysia said on August 2 that airplane debris that washed up on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion has been identified as being from a Boeing 777, the same model as Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which vanished early last year.