Two Russian oil barons have escalated a battle for influence in the lucrative energy sector by writing to President Vladimir Putin to complain about each other's policies, spotlighting a deepening rift between some members of his inner circle.

• August 8, 2013

China is in no rush to sign a proposed agreement on maritime rules with Southeast Asia governing behavior in the disputed South China Sea, and countries should not have unrealistic expectations, the Chinese foreign minister said on Monday.

• August 5, 2013

China, Iran's largest trading partner and top oil customer, repeated its opposition on Friday to tougher U.S. sanctions on Iran after the House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at halting Iran's oil exports.

• August 2, 2013

Russia rejected U.S. pleas and granted American fugitive Edward Snowden a year's asylum on Thursday, letting the former spy agency contractor slip out of a Moscow airport after more than five weeks in limbo while angering the United States and putting in doubt a planned summit between the two nations' presidents.

• August 2, 2013

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Ukraine to weigh carefully the benefits of joining Russia's regional trade bloc against its plans for closer ties with the European Union on a visit to Ukraine to attend a religious festival.

• July 29, 2013

China has ordered a nationwide audit of all government debt, underlining fears that the recent slowdown in its economy may impact the financial sector.

• July 29, 2013

Two years ago, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was on the point of giving up his role as iron fist in the euro zone debt crisis, but the 70-year-old champion of closer European integration now seems likely to remain on Europe's center stage.

• July 28, 2013

Euro zone officials have approved the transfer of 4 billion euros ($5.3 billion) of funding to Greece and euro zone governments are expected to approve disbursement by Monday, the European Commission said on Friday.

• July 26, 2013