International


Liberia: Traditional Chiefs Want More Land Awareness Trainings

Sep 3, 2019 | Marcus Malayea, Observer

Participants and traditional chiefs, who attended the just-ended three-day ‘intensive’ workshop creating awareness on “public land and its inventory” in Gbarnga Bong County have appealed…


Liberia: US$150M Earmarked for Forest Sector

Sep 3, 2019 | Ishmael F. Menkor, Observer

About US$150 million has been earmarked by the Norwegian Government as funds to Liberia to REDD+ for the implementation of the Liberian Forest Sector. According…


Liberia: 2,400 Affected Communities to Protest over US$3 Million Land Rental Arrears

Sep 3, 2019 | Leroy M. Sonpon, III, Observer

The leadership of the NUCFDC on behalf of the 24,000 affected communities petitioned the lawmakers. Two thousand four hundred affected communities of the 23 Community…


Iraq/Islamic State: ISIS Rigs Cows with Explosives in Failed Attack on Iraqi Forces

Sep 3, 2019 | Richard Hall, Independent

Isis militants reportedly rigged cows with explosives in an attack on Iraqi security forces, in what is thought to be the first time the group…


East and Southern Africa: Climate Change Dissproportionately Affects Women and Young Girls - and Here's Why

Sep 2, 2019 | Derick Nyasulu, UNFPA

“It is essential that we understand the relationship between the effects of climate change and the persistence of violence against women,” she said.

Unless recurrent climate-related…


Liberia: Minister Sirleaf Resolves Conflicts in Maryland and Grand Kru Counties

Sep 2, 2019 | FrontPage Africa

Calm has returned to concession districts in two southeastern counties as the Minister of Internal Affairs, Honorable Varney A. Sirleaf over the weekend resolved two…


Myanmar: Mine Runoff Adds to Controversy over Chinese-backed Nickel Mine in Myanmar

Aug 30, 2019 | Radio Free Asia

The Chinese-backed operators of a controversial nickel mine embroiled in a longstanding dispute with villagers in northwestern Myanmar’s Sagaing region over accusations of shortchanging them…


Myanmar: Police Arrest 9 of 21 Kayah Farmers Accused of Trespassing by Myanmar Military

Aug 29, 2019 | Htet Khaung Lin, Irrawaddy

Police have arrested nine of 21 local farmers whom the Myanmar military accuses of trespassing on a cantonment, according to the Karenni State Farmers’ Union.…


Fake-Branded Bars Slip Dirty Gold into World Markets

Aug 28, 2019 | Peter Hobson, Reuters

A forgery crisis is quietly roiling the world’s gold industry. Gold bars fraudulently stamped with the logos of major refineries are being inserted into the…


Climate Change: From Yemen to South Sudan, Climate and Water Stress Seen Worsening Conflict

Aug 28, 2019 | Adela Suliman, Reuters

Social and political tensions fueled by climate change have yet to translate into international military confrontations, but local conflicts are heating up due to pressures…


Myanmar: Fake Deeds Cause Land Buyers Headaches in Mandalay

Aug 28, 2019 | Khin Su Wai, Myanmar Times

Some empty land on Thaik Pan street in Chan Mya Tharsi township, Mandalay Region, is fenced off, and a sign gives the owner’s name and warns…


South Sudan: South Sudan Probes High Number of Birth Defects in Oil Regions

Aug 28, 2019 | Okech Francis, Bloomberg

South Sudan is investigating an increase in the number of infants born with deformities in crude-producing regions and whether the cases are linked to pollution,…


Afghanistan: Kabul’s Iron Woman Champions Afghanistan’s Mineral Resources

Aug 28, 2019 | Matthieu Aikins

As a female politician in a country where many women still struggle for basic rights, Nargis Nehan is used to standing out. In December 2017,…


Timor-Leste: Why Tiny Timor-Leste Is Defying Global Energy Giants

Aug 28, 2019 | Dan Murtaugh, Bloomberg

When Timor-Leste became a country in 2002, it did so with a built-in advantage: the Bayu-Undan oil and gas field. It’s generated billions of dollars…


Afghanistan: Tackling Corruption in Mining: Gov't Signs Agreement with Afghan-German Cooperation

Aug 27, 2019 | Wadsam

Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Nargis Nehan, signed the implementation agreement for the next phase of the program for promoting good governance in Afghanistan's…


Africa: Enhancing Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Gender and Climate Change Linkages to Build Climate - Resilient Communities

Aug 27, 2019 | Julitta Onabajo, Benoit Kalasa, and Shoko Arakaki, UNFPA

Twenty-five years ago, world leaders acknowledged the threats of climate change at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). In the Programme of Action,…


Liberia: Nationwide Ground Survey Could Resolve Many Land Conflicts

Aug 27, 2019 | Sampson David, Bush Chicken

Amid conflicts between multiple counties within Liberia over boundary divisions, a cartographer at the Liberia Land Authority is calling for a nationwide ground survey of…


Afghanistan: Tackling Corruption in Mining: Gov't Signs Agreement with Afghan-German Cooperation

Aug 27, 2019 | Wadsam

Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Nargis Nehan, signed the implementation agreement for the next phase of the program for promoting good governance in Afghanistan's…


South Sudan: South Sudan to Assess Pollution in Oil-Producing Areas

Aug 27, 2019 | John Adukata, East African

South Sudan authorities plan to send a team of environmental experts to assess the scale of damage caused by pollution in oil-producing areas. The environmental…


Myanmar: Ensuring Access to Land and Resolving Disputes Part of an Inclusive Peace

Aug 27, 2019 | Joint Peace Fund

Land allocation and confiscation remain hugely important issues to be resolved for 70% of Myanmar’s population, whose livelihoods are based around agriculture and related activities.…


Myanmar: Supply, Distribution of Water in Yangon to Be Privatised: Mayor

Aug 26, 2019 | Myanmar Times

The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) will invite the private sector to take over the supply and distribution of water in Yangon, Mayor U Maung…


Myanmar: Subsistence Gem Mining to Be Allowed in Mogok after New Rules Issued

Aug 26, 2019 | Kyaw Ko Ko, Myanmar Times

Subsistence gem mining will be allowed in Mandalay Region’s Mogok, which produces rubies and other precious stones, after new rules are issued, said U Myo Thit,…


Sierra Leone: No Pot of Gold as China Mines Sierra Leone

Aug 26, 2019 | Nellie Peyton and Richmond Tholley, Reuters

When the Chinese gold miners came to Masumbiri town in northern Sierra Leone, everyone lined up for jobs. But 18 months into the multi-million dollar…


Liberia: River Cess and Sinoe Sign Resolution to Resolve Land Dispute

Aug 26, 2019 | Bush Chicken, Sampson David

After an intensive three-day dialogue, Sinoe and River Cess have signed a resolution aimed at settling a longstanding border land dispute between the two counties.…


Malaysia: Malaysia Hopes to Pay for Military Equipment with Palm Oil

Aug 26, 2019 | Joseph Sipalan, Reuters

Malaysia is in talks with at last six countries on the possibility of using palm oil to pay for arms, as Southeast Asia’s third-biggest economy…


United States: A Climate-Gender Wave Election? The Power of the 19th Amendment

Aug 25, 2019 | Joan Michelson, Forbes

We commemorate the 99th year of women voting in the midst of an historic presidential election season – for the country, for women and for the…


Afghanistan: MoMP Poised to Open Key Mines to Private Bids

Aug 24, 2019 | Pajhwok Afghan News

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) is all set to initiate bidding process for private investment on several key mining projects, an official said…


Liberia: World Bank Breaks Ground for Forestry Authority Regional Office

Aug 23, 2019 | FrontPage Africa

Khwima Nthara, World Bank Liberia Country Manager has broken grounds for the regional office of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) aimed at decentralizing and strengthening…


DRC: DRC Mining Risks Worsen as Artisanal Cobalt Miners Turn to Copper

Aug 22, 2019 | David Whitehouse, Africa Report

Artisanal miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been turning to copper following the slump in cobalt prices. That means security risks…


DRC: The Complexities of Military Involvement in Mining

Aug 22, 2019 | Patrick Kingsland, Mine Magazine

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the military has deployed hundreds of troops to protect a copper and cobalt mine from illegal mining, while in…