At the end of December 1999, as the world prepared to usher in a new Millennium, in Europe and other parts of the planet, there was widespread concern that the so called “Millennium Bug” would strike, causing unforeseen disruption and havoc. Ten years on, in December of last year, for many in Europe, the Millennium Bug was just a shade in the memory as a far more ominous concern was pressing home – the prospect of another gas crisis. Although the fact that the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute of January 2009 – and its knock-on effect of leaving much of Europe without natural gas in the peak of winter – did not repeat itself during the record cold European temperatures of January this year, the very fact that European attention has become so focused on this theme demonstrates how geopolitical developments in the European hinterlands have come to impact the day-to-day livelihood of all Europeans

• March 16, 2010

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sealed a visit to India Friday with a raft of multi-billion-dollar arms and energy deals, including the construction of 16 Russian nuclear reactors. The two countries also signed agreements for the long-awaited sale

• March 15, 2010

World Bank's International Finance Corporation looks like being not far behind. As reported in Zaman, Turkey's energy and natural resources minister, Taner Yildiz, told the country's parliament that a transportation fee will be imposed although no

• March 15, 2010

Conventional Western public opinion regards the war in Afghanistan as a struggle between NATO and extremist Islamic militants. Since assuming office Barack Obama has redefined the conflict by calling it the Af-Pak war.

• March 15, 2010

on Iran's nuclear programme. Miliband, who arrived late Sunday, was to deliver a speech on the global economy at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies and visit the site of World Expo 2010, which will open on May 1. He was due to head later

• March 15, 2010

The two nations foreign secretaries met in New Delhi for their first official talks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, but just agreed to 'keep in touch' without mentioning if there would be another round of talks.

• March 14, 2010

Russia and the US are close to concluding a new nuclear disarmament treaty, officials in Washington and Moscow say.

• March 14, 2010

Panic is sparked in Georgia after a bogus TV news report says Russian tanks have invaded and the country's president was dead.

• March 14, 2010