PRAGUE - THE deputy head of Russia's Gazprom, Alexander Medvedev, accused Ukraine on Saturday of stealing 35 million cubic metres of Russian gas a day intended for Europe, saying Kiev would have to pay for it.

Mr Medvedev was speaking after arriving in Prague for talks with the European Union on his country's gas dispute with Ukraine, as several EU countries reported shortages of gas from Russia.

LONDON - DEMONSTRATORS took to the streets across Britain on Saturday to protest against Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

The biggest rally was in London, where organisers were expecting thousands of protestors including singer Annie Lennox and former London mayor Ken Livingstone to march through the British capital.

KUT (Iraq) - CHINESE oil engineers have begun work on developing a major Iraqi oil field following the signing of a US$3 billon (S$4.4 billion) contract, a senior Iraqi official said on Saturday.

The project, the first major oil development deal secured by a foreign firm in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, revives a contract signed in 1997 that granted China exploration rights to the Al-Ahdab oil field.