An Italian appeals court on May 9 confirmed a lower court's sentence against former Italian Prime Minister and leader of the center-right People of Freedom party Silvio Berlusconi for fiscal fraud, la Repubblica reported.

China Construction Bank has stopped doing business with two North Korean banks, the Chosun Ilbo daily reported May 9, citing diplomatic sources in Beijing.

Syria's Internet and communications were restored May 8 after a two-day blackout, Syrian state TV announced, AFP reported.

Thousands of Malaysians gathered in a stadium outside Kuala Lumpur to protest the May 5 election results, which they claim are fraudulent, Al Jazeera reported May 8.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that he would return to the Middle East later in May for separate talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Reuters reported May 8.

Libyan Defense Minister Mohammed al-Barghathi retracted the resignation that he announced early May 7, The Tripoli Post reported.

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan will make an important decision May 7 along with the Libyan army's chief of staff, a Libyan Defense Ministry spokesman said, denying reports that the chief of staff had quit, Reuters reported.