As Swedish central bank fights deflation, housing bubble worries mount

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – House buyers in Sweden have never had it so good, at least by some measures. But cheap credit and spiraling prices may be creating a bubble – one that could send the country’s economy reeling when it bursts.

Islamist al Shabaab attacks Somali hotel, kill at least 13

MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Security forces in the Somali capital fought for several hours on Sunday before clearing a hotel of Islamist al Shabaab gunmen who had stormed the building after two bombs ripped into it, police and witnesses said. At least 13 people were killed.

U.S. jobs data to hold key to Fed’s rate plans

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – U.S. jobs data due in the coming week may hold the key to whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates for the first time since 2006 in December, signaling its intention to end an era of almost-free dollars.

U.S. jobs data to hold key to Fed’s rate plans

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – U.S. jobs data due in the coming week may hold the key to whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates for the first time since 2006 in December, signaling its intention to end an era of almost-free dollars.

Islamic State takes over Syrian town in Homs province: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State fighters took control of the Syrian town of Maheen in the southwest of Homs province on Sunday after an attack on government forces in the area, a monitoring group and a statement by the jihadists said.

U.S. Secretary of State in first meeting with autocratic Uzbek leader

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov on Sunday during a tour of central Asia, a rare high-level U.S. encounter with the autocratic ruler and frequent target of human rights criticism.

Russian delegation arrives in Egypt to begin crash investigation

CAIRO (Reuters) – Russian’s transport minister and a team of high-level investigators has arrived in Cairo to help Egyptian authorities determine what caused a Russian airliner to crash in the Sinai Peninsula killing all 224 people on board.

Russian airliner with 224 aboard crashes in Egypt’s Sinai, all killed

ISMAILIA, Egypt/CAIRO (Reuters) – A Russian airliner carrying 224 passengers crashed into a mountainous area of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula on Saturday shortly after losing radar contact near cruising altitude, killing all aboard.

South China Sea disputes increasing demand for U.S. security presence in region: U.S. defense chief

(Reuters) – Disputes over territory in the South China Sea are causing countries in the region to increase their demand for an American security presence, the U.S. defense chief said on Sunday.

China official October factory, services surveys show economy still wobbly

BEIJING (Reuters) – Activity in China’s manufacturing sector unexpectedly contracted in October for a third straight month, an official survey showed on Sunday, fuelling fears the economy may be cooling further in the fourth quarter despite a raft of stimulus measures.