Car bombs and suicide attacks targeting mainly Shi'ite Muslim districts of Baghdad killed 35 people on July 12, one of the heaviest recent tolls in the Iraqi capital, which has faced a wave of bombings by Islamic State militants.

Iran and six world powers were close to nailing down a historic nuclear deal that would bring sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Tehran's atomic program, but the Iranian foreign minister said no agreement would be announced on July 12.

Islamic State on July 13 released an audio tape it said was of the movement's leader for Afghanistan, contradicting reports that he was killed in a US drone strike.

Skeptical euro zone finance ministers demanded on July 11 that Greece go beyond painful austerity measures accepted by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras if he wants them to open negotiations on a third bailout for his bankrupt country to keep it in the euro.

The top Islamic State commander in Afghanistan has been killed by a US air strike in the country's east, officials said on July 11, the fourth ex-Taliban who declared loyalty to the Middle East-based militants to be assassinated within a week.

A suicide bomber driving a three-wheeled vehicle detonated near the office of state security in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on July 11, two security sources said.

Saudi-led air strikes and heavy shelling between warring factions shook several cities in Yemen on July 11, residents said, violating a United Nations humanitarian truce which took effect just before midnight.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won backing from lawmakers on July 11 for painful reform proposals aimed at obtaining a new international bailout, but he faced a rebellion in his own party that could threaten his majority in parliament.

The Greek government sent a package of reform proposals to its euro zone creditors on July 9 in a race to win new funds to avert bankruptcy and will seek a parliamentary vote on July 10 to endorse immediate actions.

The United States and other major powers are not in a rush to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on July 9, suggesting an accord was unlikely hours ahead of a deadline set by the US Congress for a quick review.