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

The Japanese government will get directly involved in containing rising levels of radioactive water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant instead of relying solely on the operator, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday, calling it an "urgent issue".

• August 7, 2013

Talks aimed at creating the world's largest free trade zone between the European Union and the US are set to open amid tensions over spying and protected industries.

• July 8, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured him that Beijing had been "very firm" with North Korea on its need to end its nuclear program.

• July 1, 2013

The European Union said on Monday it had ordered a security sweep of EU buildings after reports that a U.S. spy agency had bugged EU offices in Belgium and the United States.

• July 1, 2013

North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator will meet senior Russian officials in Moscow next week, state media reported, amid signs of a new push to get Pyongyang to re-join protracted talks over ending its atomic program

• June 29, 2013

Austrian energy company OMV has announced that the consortium developing Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz-2 natural-gas and oil field has rejected using the proposed multibillion-dollar Nabucco West pipeline.

• June 26, 2013

Russia's Rosneft (ROSN.MM) agreed a $270 billion deal to double oil supplies to China on Friday, as the Kremlin energy champion shifts its focus to Asia from saturated and crisis-hit European markets.

• June 21, 2013