International


Afghanistan/Iran: Taliban, Iranian Border Guards Clash on Nimroz Border over Misunderstanding

Dec 2, 2021 | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Iran's border guards and the Taliban ended clashes along a segment of the border in what Iranian state media reported was a "misunderstanding" from the…


Cambodia: More Than 40 Suspects Sent to Court in Deforestation and Land Encroachment Crackdown

Dec 1, 2021 | Khmer Times

Provincial authorities in Siem Reap sent 47 suspects to the Provincial Court as part of the national crackdown on land grabbing and deforestation crimes in…


China/Indonesia/South China Sea: Beijing Demanded Indonesia Stop Oil and Natural Gas Drilling during Stand-off

Dec 1, 2021 | Reuters

China told Indonesia to stop drilling for oil and natural gas in maritime territory that both countries regard as their own during a months-long stand-off…


Myanmar: Climate Danger Grows in ‘Vulnerable’ Myanmar after Military Coup

Dec 1, 2021 | John Liu and Rory Wallace, Al Jazeera

There is increasing concern that Myanmar is at risk of a serious environmental crisis, as the generals who seized power in a coup on February…


Colombia: Auxico to Build $116m Rare-Earth Refinery in Colombia

Nov 30, 2021 | Mariaan Webb, Mining Weekly

CSE-listed Auxico Resources has announced plans to build a 10 000 km2 rare earth refining facility in the free-trade zone in Santa Marta, Colombia, capable of…


Colombia: What Makes Colombia the Next Ecotourism Hotspot

Nov 30, 2021 | Gilberto Salcedo Ribero, Trade Arabia

Tourism is one of the growing economic sectors of Colombia; it managed to attract millions of visitors to the country, thanks to its welcoming people,…


Afghanistan: Herat Saffron Yield Cut in Half by Drought

Nov 30, 2021 | TOLOnews

Officials from Herat’s agriculture department say that saffron production in the province has decreased this year compared to last year. Pir Mohammad Halimi, head of…


DRC: Backed by AFRICOM, Corporations Plunder DR Congo for “Climate-Friendly” Materials and Blame China

Nov 30, 2021 | TJ Coles, The Gray Zone

Cobalt, a key metallic element used in lithium batteries and other “green” technology, is sourced from slave labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As…


Climate Change: These 11 Countries Could Face Extreme Instability from Climate Change, Says US Intelligence

Nov 30, 2021 | Amanda Macias, CNBC

The nation’s collective intelligence community identified 11 countries vulnerable to geopolitical instability due to climate change in its first-ever National Intelligence Estimate on Climate Change report.…


Colombia: Indigenous Community Saves Colombia’s Poison Dart Frog from Coca and Logging

Nov 30, 2021 | Maxwell Radwin, Mongabay

The golden dart frog (Phyllobates terribilis) is found only in southwest Colombia, where mountains and rainforest meet the mangroves of the Pacific coast. For centuries,…


Liberia: LLA to Issue Title Deeds to Several Communities for Customary Land

Nov 30, 2021 | New Dawn

The Liberia Land Authority(LLA), with support from the joint United Nations Peace Building Support Programme, will on 2 December 2021, commence a historic land survey…


Israel/Jordan: Angry Protests in Amman against Jordan-Israel Solar Power for Water Deal

Nov 29, 2021 | John Solomou, ANI

Thousands of Jordanians took part in a huge protest at the heart of the Jordanian capital Amman on Thursday against the declaration of intent signed…


Egypt/Ethiopia: New Egyptian-Ethiopian Escalation over Nile Dam

Nov 29, 2021 | Mohamed Saied, Al-Monitor

Ethiopia has announced that it will soon finish construction work on the GERD, while Egypt has warned of the consequences of not reaching an agreement…


Indonesia: Lack of Resolution Mechanisms Allow Palm Oil Conflicts to Fester in Indonesia

Nov 29, 2021 | Hans Nicholas Jong, Mongabay

Indonesia has no effective mechanism for resolving its epidemic of land conflicts between rural communities and palm oil companies, according to a new study. Indonesia…


Kyrgyzstan: Mining Kyrgyzstan: Chinese Companies Encounter Increasing Conflict

Nov 29, 2021 | Khiradmand Sheraliev, Diplomat

Kyrgyzstan’s mining industry has long been considered one of the country’s leading economic sectors. During the Soviet era, Kyrgyzstan’s rich and diverse mineral resources had…


Iran: Iran Is Thirsty as People Protest

Nov 28, 2021 | Hoshang Amiri, Iran Focus

The hollow promises of the Iranian regime to the people are no longer effective. These days there is a crisis in Iran over a more…


Serbia: Serbian Anti-Mining Activists Block Bridges, Roads

Nov 27, 2021 | Al Jazeera

Skirmishes have erupted in Serbia between police and demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges to protest against new laws they say favour the interests of…


Australia’s Spy Agency Predicted the Climate Crisis 40 Years Ago – and Fretted about Coal Exports

Nov 27, 2021 | Graham Readfearn, Guardian

About 40 years ago this week, the spooks at Australia’s intelligence agency, the Office of National Assessments (ONA), delivered the 17-page report to prime minister…


Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan: Kyrgyzstan Fortifies Border as Negotiations with Tajikistan Drag on

Nov 26, 2021 | Ayzirek Imanaliyeva, Eurasianet

For the first time since deadly border clashes last spring, Kyrgyzstan is allowing a limited number of Tajiks to enter the country. They will pass…


Somalia: Shocks, Agricultural Livelihoods and Food Security

Nov 25, 2021 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

The main shocks reported by interviewed households included dry spells, high food prices, sickness or death of household members, loss of income, pests and diseases…


South Sudan- Economic Recession Spurs Gender Violence in South Sudan

Nov 24, 2021

On eve of Global Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, activists demand tougher laws to curb gender violence in South Sudan.


DRC: DRC Set to Become Africa’s Largest Producer of Mining Components for Battery

Nov 24, 2021 | Amina Accram, SABC News

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is strengthening its position to be Africa’s largest producer of mining components needed for Battery Operated Electric Cars. President…


Afghanistan: Chinese Miners in Talks to Access Vast Afghan Lithium Reserves

Nov 24, 2021 | Eltaf Najafizada, Bloomberg

Chinese firms are showing interest in exploiting Afghanistan’s vast untapped mineral resources as Beijing seeks a role in reconstructing the nation’s war-ravaged economy.  Afghanistan is…


Afghanistan: Taliban Announces Deal to Grow Cannabis In Afghanistan amid Questions over Company’s Involvement

Nov 24, 2021 | Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan announced on Tuesday that it had contracted a company called Cpharm to grow and manufacture cannabis products—but an Australian firm…


South Sudan: South Sudan at High Risk of Hunger, Disease Due to Extreme Flooding

Nov 24, 2021 | East African

South Sudan is staring at a catastrophic humanitarian crisis as extreme floods hit the country for the third consecutive year. Humanitarian agencies are warning that…


Liberia: House Begins Scrutiny of Arcelormittal Mineral Development Agreement

Nov 24, 2021 | Gerald C. Koinyeneh, FrontPage Africa

The Plenary of the House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Investment, Judiciary, Lands, Mines & Energy; and Ways, Means & Finance to review…


Solomon Islands: Securing Land Rights for Sustainable Peace

Nov 23, 2021 | UNDP

The UN Development Programme in Solomon Islands has supported the Government’s Customary Land Recording programme conducted by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey in…


Liberia: Liberia Loggers Felling Trees Outside Concession as Government Stands by

Nov 23, 2021 | James Giahyue, Mongabay

Civil society groups say logging companies are exploiting weak monitoring and enforcement of Liberia’s forestry laws. A new briefing highlights the illegal harvest of as…


Liberia: Sixty-Nine Percent of Ministry of Mines and Energy Field Inspectors Are Volunteer GAC Audit Finds

Nov 22, 2021 | FrontPage Africa

A performance audit conducted by the General Audit Commission (GAC) on the Generation of Revenue from Artisanal Mining Activities in Liberia show that there has…


Myanmar: Burmese Rubies: Costly and Controversial

Nov 22, 2021 | Nazanin Lankarani, New York Times

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has long been a producer of some of the world’s priciest gemstones: pigeon’s blood rubies. Known by their deep, natural…