Moscow. Turkey may exclude Israel from the Blue Stream-2 gas pipeline project if relations between the countries continue to deteriorate following the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid convoy, Turkish media said on Thursday.
Turkey, whose citizens were killed during Monday's raid by Israeli commandos on pro-Palestinian activists in the Mediterranean Sea, has severely condemned the aggression and moved to impose sanctions on Israel.

Damascus. China National Petroleum Corp., the country's top oil producer, said Wednesday it had acquired part of a Shell subsidiary in Syria, the latest move in its global quest to secure energy resources.

Cairo. According to an Egyptian Central Auditing Organization report, there were 31 state-run economic organizations in the 2008-09 financial year that had a total budget surplus of about $10.6 billion, including dues to the government of about $6.2 billion. Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation has $3.4 billion in dues, or 55.3% of the total, because of foreign direct investment in the oil sector.

London. Gulfsands Petroleum provided the following update on the Company's operations at Block 26, Syria where Gulfsands holds a 50% interest and acts as operator.