Turkey could increase its oil imports from neighboring Iran once the sanctions are lifted as part of a landmark deal on Tehran's nuclear program, the energy minister said on Monday.

The amount of crude oil Turkey buys from Iran, one of its leading suppliers along with Russia, could increase to 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 105,000, Taner Yildiz said.

Syria's capital Damascus is experiencing a fuel crisis, with residents lining up for hours at the pump after a highway used by fuel tankers was blocked by fighting.

The army shut the road last Wednesday when fierce clashes rocked the area, blocking the route from the refinery in the central province of Homs to Damascus.

Royal Bank of Scotland faced more damage to its reputation on Monday after the government handed regulators a report claiming that the state-rescued lender forced small firms to default.

Compiled over the past six months, it focuses on claims against the bank's Global Restructuring Group (GRG), which deals with risky loans.

Italy's trade surplus has doubled in 12 months thanks to a rise in exports, particularly to China and the United States, new data showed on Monday as the economy prepares to end its longest post-war recession.

Exports to countries outside the European Union went up 1.5 percent from October 2012 to October 2013, while imports fell by 8.0 percent over the same period, preliminary data from the official Istat agency showed.

Asian markets rose Monday following another record close on Wall Street, while oil prices fell after Iran struck a deal on its nuclear program that will see eased sanctions on the oil producer.

The generally positive sentiment sent the yen sinking against the dollar, while it also hit a four-year low versus the euro.

Qatar has donated $350 million to a fund to compensate civilians and security force members in south Yemen who were forced out of their jobs, the U.N. special envoy said Sunday.

"The south was marginalized under the former regime, its residents discriminated against and its resources plundered," Jamal Benomar said at a ceremony marking the donation.

Iraq's oil exports in October recovered from a 19-month low, but remained far below their peak due to ongoing maintenance and sabotage of pipelines, figures released on Saturday showed.

Iraq exported 69.8 million barrels of oil in October, or 2.25 million barrels per day, resulting in overall revenues of $7.16 billion (5.28 billion euros), according to the oil ministry.

Luxury car-makers are falling over themselves to tap into a growing trend for crossover compact SUVs, targeting young urban professionals who want a sporty feel with high-end cachet.

Porsche, Jaguar and Mercedes have all developed models of a car type which has traditionally been the preserve of middle-market standards like the Ford Escape, Dodge Durango or Toyota Highlander.

Black Friday, the pinnacle of the U.S. shopping year, comes on a Thursday this year. And even earlier.

Desperate for consumer bucks, U.S. chain stores, some fighting for survival, are upping the ante this holiday shopping season with cutthroat discounts offered earlier than ever, and ever-longer opening hours.

The complaints started getting loud almost immediately after U.S. regulators said they were considering allowing cell phone use on airplanes.

In petitions, on social media and in press releases, the grumbling began within hours after the Federal Communications Commission said the question would be discussed at a December 12 meeting.