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

Iran would swap 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day with Caspian Sea littoral states.

• 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

India and Japan on Wednesday will discuss the prospects of reviving civil nuclear cooperation negotiations and may sign a currency swap pact that could help stem the rupee’s slide.

• December 27, 2011

Despite differences over the nuclear liability issue, Washington's disappointment on the fighter jets deal, FDI and New Delhi's refusal to toe West's line on Syria and Libya at the UN Security Council, India and the US tried hard to look beyond frictions to expand their ties to new areas this year.

• December 27, 2011

China began the scramble for Afghanistan's untapped oil reserves yesterday by announcing an exploration contract with Kabul – the first such international agreement in decades.

• December 27, 2011