China's biggest energy firm PetroChina (0857.HK) will join Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) in developing Iraq's giant West Qurna oilfield and is in talks with Russia's Lukoil (LKOH.MM) to buy into a second project at the field, industry sources said.

• August 11, 2013

Israel appealed to the European Union on Friday to rethink planned sanctions against its organizations in the occupied territories and called for talks, a shift in tone from previous Israeli anger and retaliatory measures.

• August 11, 2013

U.S. and Russian officials agreed on Friday on the need to convene a long-delayed Syrian peace conference in Geneva as soon as possible, but they offered no concrete plan to bring the warring government and rebels to the table.

• August 11, 2013

Israel appealed to the European Union on Friday to rethink planned sanctions against its organizations in the occupied territories and called for talks, a shift in tone from previous Israeli anger and retaliatory measures.

• August 9, 2013

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not made an agreement with Saudi Arabia to scale back support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in exchange for economic incentives including an arms deal, the Kremlin said on Friday.

• August 9, 2013

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

Four Chinese ships spent more than 24 hours in what Japan sees as its territorial waters, prompting a Japanese protest to China on Thursday at a time when Tokyo has been signaling its desire for a summit.

• August 8, 2013

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will resume peace talks in Jerusalem on August 14, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.

• August 8, 2013