Supply of Russian gas to Slovakia dropped by 30 percent on Thursday, the Slovak gas utility Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP) said, adding it can still secure full deliveries for all clients.

• February 2, 2012

Ukraine is taking Russian gas at a pace of 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) a year, above its contracted levels, Gazprom said on Thursday amid reports of decreasing gas supplies to Europe.

• February 2, 2012

A speech by High Representative Catherine Ashton in the European Parliament yesterday (1 February) provided a rare insight on talks with Europe's largest neighbour ahead of the Russian presidential elections in March.

• February 2, 2012

Five new ambassadors for Bulgaria's diplomatic service have been formally proposed by the Bulgarian cabinet to President Rosen Plevneliev for approval.

• February 1, 2012

Head of Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky deemed Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement impossible without Russian mediation, suggesting Armenia and Azerbaijan should join Russia as a South Caucasian federal region to resolve the issue.

• February 1, 2012

Japan’s Atomic Energy Agency says a nuclear reactor in suburban Beijing had an accident last October and has stopped operating since then. Chinese authorities did not report the accident.

• February 1, 2012

The Uzbek State Joint Stock Company, Uzbekenergo and Kyrgyz National Electric Network have urged Kazakhstan not to leave the Central Asia united energy system, chairman of the Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) board, Bakytzhan Kazhiev said.

• January 31, 2012

Russian-mediated talks between enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan ended with promises to speed up the peace process but no public steps towards signing a roadmap deal, seen as key to a settlement.

• January 31, 2012