China's economy grew at its slowest pace in 13 years in 2012, though a year-end spurt supported by infrastructure spending and a jump in trade signaled the foundation for the stable growth path Beijing says is vital for economic reform may be in sight.

• January 18, 2013

Armenian Defence Minister Seyran Ohanyan would not mind hosting a Russian radar station on its territory, News-Armenia reported.

• January 18, 2013

Kazakhstan can become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2013, Prime news agency quoted WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy as saying on Thursday.

• January 17, 2013

Lately, Iranian media has been covering the latest achievements of the defense industry of the country. Iran has recently completed Navy military exercises "Velayat-91" and "Great Prophet-7." The Iranian Navy and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) successfully tested new military devices.

• January 17, 2013

Russia says it is working hard to firm up plans for a new round of talks between global powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is aimed at developing nuclear weapons capability.

• January 17, 2013

By Zbiegniew Brzezinski
Reviewed by Prof. Andrej Kreutz,
EGF Non-resident fellow on the History of Trans-Atlantic Security

Zbiegniew Brzezinski, an American scholar of Polish origin and former National Security Advisor for President Jimmy Carter, is certainly a prominent figure. Despite his age (Mr. Brzezinski is 86), he still remains one of the most thoughtful and farsighted representatives of the American political establishment. His views on international events and predictions of future developments have always been worthy of careful attention, and now, being semi-retired he can be even more outspoken and critical than before. His most recent monograph, Strategic Vision: America and the Crisis of Global Power (Basic Books, 2012) is certainly subjective but still quite informative, and perhaps, an even revealing analysis of the present world and its prospects in the 21st century. As in any other work on this subject, there are parts which one could approve and greatly appreciate and some other which might be perceived in a more critical way. READ MORE

• January 17, 2013

In a press conference for local and foreign media on Tuesday, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said that his country has no stereotyped policies towards Latvia and Lithuania, and that Minsk is prepared to cooperate if these countries have a ''respectful attitude'' towards Belarus

• January 16, 2013

Turkey has announced a tender among companies importing electricity in the country to increase the electricity supply from Iran by existing available electric power facilities, the statement published on the website of Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) said.

• January 16, 2013