Russia is a vast country that is exceptionally rich in mineral resources. Therefore, a fairly commonly held view is that prospecting for minerals outside Russia, for example, in Africa, is not a sensible proposition. Does this viewpoint reflect the way things really stand?

• May 10, 2011

Oil prices fell below $101 a barrel after a big jump the day before as traders anticipated a further rise in weekly U.S. crude inventories in a sign of weakening demand. The dollar strengthened against the euro but was steady against the yen.

• May 10, 2011

The Gorshenin Institute has conducted an opinion poll asking experts to answer the following question: “Why are Ukrainian Students Less Proud of their Country than their Contemporaries in Poland, Russia and Kazakhstan?”. The Kyiv-based Gorshenin Institute carried out the “Students – an image of the Future” research in 2011. The survey was taken among young people in Ukraine, Russia, Poland and Kazakhstan. READ MORE

• May 10, 2011

Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India proposed gas pipeline scheduled for completion in 2016. So far, no big progress has been made on a diplomatic front to provide for the project's start.

• May 9, 2011

Eight militants and one member of the security forces were killed in clashes in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan Sunday, where Russia is fighting a growing Islamist insurgency, authorities said.

• May 9, 2011

Japan remains committed to nuclear power despite the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Prime Minister Naoto Kan indicated Sunday, as workers moved closer to repairing the crippled plant by opening the doors of a damaged reactor building.

• May 9, 2011

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a 2009 nuclear cooperation agreement with Turkey that would boost energy projects between the two countries, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

• May 7, 2011

China and two Central Asian neighbours conducted counter-terrorism drills in the north-west Chinese border region of Xinjiang, where Muslim separatists have staged attacks to undermine Beijing rule, state media said.

• May 7, 2011