South Korean President Lee Myung-bak called on North Korea's new leader to seize the opportunity and return to dialogue, saying he was prepared to offer help to revive the North's shattered economy if it suspends nuclear activities.

• January 2, 2012

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Wednesday signed a joint statement enhancing cooperation in maritime security activities in the Indian Ocean.

• December 30, 2011

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. could escalate towards potential war, but both Russia and China are opposed to Western intervention in Iran.

• December 30, 2011

Following the earthquake on October 23, 2011, a second powerful tremor struck eastern Turkey on November 9, killing 40 people including a Japanese rescue worker and two Turkish journalists who were covering the aftermath of the October quake.
The strong quake came on top of a severe cold snap that left much of the province of Van covered in snow, as refugees in the stricken city of Ecris continued to live out of tents. READ MORE

• December 30, 2011

With Libyan oil production returning to pre-war levels, Russian energy companies might be well positioned to work with the new government, an analyst said.

• December 29, 2011

Ehud Barak, the defense minister of Israel, said in late November that it was probably a question of nine months before Iran’s attempt to acquire nuclear weapons moved into a “zone of immunity” where it could no longer be stopped.

• December 29, 2011

Russia's gas export monopoly Gazprom will not abandon its plans to implement the South Stream gas pipeline project, even if it reaches agreement with Ukraine on operating its gas transportation system, Gazprom export head Alexander Medvedev said on Wednesday.

• December 28, 2011

Afghanistan on Wednesday signed an oil deal with China which could earn the war-torn country $7 billion over 25 years.

• December 28, 2011