OSLO: The Norwegian oil major is eager to join the development of huge offshore fields in Russia´s Arctic. But first it wants tax breaks from Moscow.

Statoil says the reserve is now believed to contain additional 20 million cubic meters.

Visa boom to Norway as northern-Norway, the fjords and Oslo allures Russians.

Russia will boost its coal production with 30 percent. A significant share will be taken from Arctic mines.

Yelena Kudryashova is one of three persons United Russia suggests to be considered by President Medvedev for the post as Governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast.

Life is heating up for Nenets boy Sasha on the tundra in the far north of the Barents Region. A dramatic report from Moscow says Russia heats up twice global average.

Border guard service of FSB shrinks the formal border zone so towns like Nikel and Zapolyarny can freely be visited. The checkpoint at Titovka is gone and the area is ready become Russia’s first zone for visa free travel with a Schengen-country.

The world’s largest nuclear powered icebreaker sails few nautical miles outside the coast en route from Murmansk to the Bay of Finland. Norwegian authorities are on alert. BarentsObserver tracks the “50 Years of Victory” on the map.

The daily ritual of opening and closing the border between Russian and Norway will become art during the Barents Spektakel festival in Kirkenes.

Murmansk Governor Dmity Dmitriyenko has already resigned and left the region, Russian media writes. New head of Russia’s north-westernmost region could be the current head of the October Railway.

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller eyes hungry buyers for Barents gas in world’s largest market.

The Russian state-owned oil major pays €27,7 million for control over prospective licenses in the Barents Sea.

The Russian year-on-year trade with foreign partners grows more than 30 percent.

Norway and Russia are introducing visa-free travel in the border zone to ease contact between neighbors. FSB border guard on the other side has set up yet another checkpoint on the road, making European record on passport control between two countries. There are now four checkpoints in 30 kilometers.

In order to keep its position as a stable supplier of gas to Europe, Norway has to develop its infrastructure. A gas pipeline from the Barents Sea can be the solution, Norwegian gas infrastructure agency Gassco says in a recent study.