International


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Aims to Increase Kirkuk Oilfield Output to 1 Million bpd

Nov 13, 2017 | Ahmed Rasheed, Reuters

Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said Iraq plans to increase production from oilfields in Kirkuk to one million barrels per day and has visited the Bai Hasan…


China/Vietnam: Vietnam and China Agree to Avoid Conflicts in South China Sea

Nov 13, 2017 | Agence France-Presse

Vietnam and China agreed Monday to avoid conflicts in the hotly contested South China Sea, as a new pathway to dialogue on easing tensions was…


Afghanistan: 151 Water Reservoir Projects to Be Implemented

Nov 12, 2017 | Afghanistan Times

The ministry of rural rehabilitation and development on Sunday signed agreements for implementation of 151 water reservoir and water networks projects in different provinces. According…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq's Kurdistan Oil Payments at Risk over Independence Tensions

Nov 10, 2017 | Angelina Rascouet, Bloomberg

Iraq’s Kurdish region handed over almost $80 million to foreign oil producers over the past two days, but future payments may be at risk. Gulf…


Afghanistan: Ministry Shares List of over 1,000 Mining Contracts

Nov 10, 2017 | Mir Haidarshah Omid, TOLOnews

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has shared a list of 1,050 contracts of small mining projects on its website, saying that it is the…


Colombia: Colombia Gold and Copper Symposium Draws the Crowds

Nov 10, 2017 | Mining Journal

The Colombia Gold and Copper Symposium (CGCS) is rapidly establishing itself as one of the must-attend events for the mining and exploration sectors in Latin…


5 Programs Helping Soldiers become Farmers

Nov 10, 2017 | Chris Hardman, Civil Eats

Around the country, programs such as the Farmer Veteran Coalition, Archi’s Acres, and Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots are helping former soldiers transition to careers…


Veterans Find New Career in Farming

Nov 9, 2017 | Tim Hearden, Capital Press

After tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of American veterans have moved from the battlefield to the farm field with the help of organizations to…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Kurds: Iraq Court's Anti-Secession Ruling 'Revengeful'

Nov 9, 2017 | Farah Najjar, Al Jazeera

An Iraqi court's decision ruling against secession following a Kurdish bid for independence was "highly politicised" and part of a wider set of "vengeful" policies…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq's Kurdistan Makes $100 Million Monthly Payment to Oil Producers Despite Crisis

Nov 9, 2017 | Dmitry Zhdannikov, Reuters

Iraq’s Kurdistan has made its full monthly payment of around $100 million to oil producers working on its territory, despite a big drop in oil…


Conflict Minerals: Study Reveals 'Massive Weaknesses' in Conflict Minerals Policies

Nov 9, 2017 | Tammy Lovell, Chemical Watch

Independent research has found that 95% of company conflict mineral policies are not aligned with the OECD's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. …


Afghanistan: For Afghan Farmers, Climate Change is 'God's Will'

Nov 8, 2017 | Masood Saifullah, Deutsche Welle

Climate change is having a huge impact on Afghanistan's agriculture-based society. Despite changing environment patterns, Afghan farmers have a limited understanding of how climate change…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraqi Prime Minister Pushes Plan to Cut Kurdistan’s Budget Share

Nov 8, 2017 | Mina Aldroubi, The National

The Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi defended a proposal to cut Iraqi Kurdistan's share in next year’s budget from 17 per cent to less…


Nigeria: Ogoni Cleanup: Environment Rights Group Charges FG to Move Faster

Nov 8, 2017 | Bolaji Ogundele, The Nation

The federal government has been charged to speed up the remediation and cleanup of the Ogoni environment, as advised by the United Nations Environmental Programme…


Afghanistan: Helmand Man Builds Solar-Powered Water Pump

Nov 8, 2017 | Abdullah Achakzai, TOLOnews

A man in the southern province of Helmand has designed a solar-powered water pump which is able to pump water by using only sunlight. Dad…


Myanmar: China Says Will Keep Talking to Myanmar over Stalled Dam Scheme

Nov 8, 2017 | Reuters

China said on Wednesday it will continue to talk to Myanmar about a controversial stalled dam project, after Myanmar’s new energy minister cast doubt over…


Liberia: Citizens Dialogue on Concession Agreement

Nov 8, 2017 | New Dawn

The National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections or NAYMOTE ends a day- long stakeholder’s dialogue with affected concession communities in Pleebo, Maryland County, southeast Liberia.…


DRC: Paradise Papers Reveal Dubious Dealings Bleed Congo’s Mineral Wealth

Nov 8, 2017 | Mel Frykberg, African Independent

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) enormous mineral wealth is being exploited by greedy international companies and corrupt middlemen with close relations to President Joseph…


Afghanistan: Afghanistan’s Saffron Revenue up by 33pc

Nov 7, 2017 | Pajhwok Afghan News

The ‘Fifth National Saffron Conference’ was held in capital Kabul on Monday with the aim to create jobs, particularly for women, in the poverty-stricken country.…


Colombia: Black Leaders Who Urged Farmers to Dump Coca on Run from Colombia Gangs

Nov 7, 2017 | Florence Panoussian, Agence France-Presse

There is a price on their heads, and one of them has already been gunned down. Now, the leaders of a black community in Colombia…


Myanmar: Big Dams Can Wait, Myanmar Overhauls Energy Strategy

Nov 7, 2017 | Simon Lewis and Shoon Naing, Reuters

Big hydropower dams are not a priority in Myanmar’s strategy to tackle chronic power shortages, the country’s new energy minister said in an interview that…


Protect Environment from Wars and Conflicts, UN Urges on International Day

Nov 6, 2017 | UN

Commemorating the international day for lessening the impact of armed conflicts and wars on the environment, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the need to…


Afghanistan: Afghan National Saffron Conference Held in Kabul

Nov 6, 2017 | Zhou Xin, Xinhua

A national saffron conference was held in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday, aiming at creating jobs, particularly for the women, in the poverty-stricken country. "Fortunately,…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Cabinet Plans to Cut Kurdistan Share in 2018 Federal Budget

Nov 6, 2017 | Ahmed Rasheed and Raya Jalabi, Reuters

Iraq’s cabinet proposed on Sunday to slash the Kurdish share of the country’s revenue in the 2018 federal budget, a move that Kurdish officials said…


DRC: DRC’s State Mining Company Hiding Revenues – Carter Center

Nov 6, 2017 | Martin Creamer, Mining Weekly

Certain revenues of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) State mining company Gécamines are not directed to the public treasury and are largely beyond the realm…


Sudan: West Kordofan Herders Refuse to Hand in Their Weapons

Nov 6, 2017 | Radio Dabanga

West Kordofan nomad herders are refusing to hand their weapons to the authorities in the current disarmament campaign. Misseriya and other pastoralists, in particular those…


Colombia: Farmers in Colombia’s Troubled Northeast Agree to End Shut-Down

Nov 5, 2017 | Adriaan Alsema, Colombia Reports

Farmers in northeast Colombia agreed to end a shut-down of their province after the government on Sunday vowed to respect a peace agreement with Marxist…


Afghanistan: Above 18,000 Acres of Land Saved from Grabbing: MoJ

Nov 4, 2017 | Naheed Bashardost, Pajhwok Afghan News

Government land measuring at least 18,000 acres across the country has been prevented from being usurped during the past three years, the Ministry of Justice…


Sudan/South Sudan: South Sudan Agrees to Pay Sudan $262M Oil Debt

Nov 4, 2017 | Parach Mach, Anadolu Agency

South Sudan’s government has agreed to pay $262 million it owes for the transfer of oil through Sudan, according to South Sudan media reports. Most…


Myanmar: Jade Export Earnings Down

Nov 4, 2017 | Eleven

Myanmar has earned US$251.16 million (342.65 billion kyat) from exports of jade as of October 20, down US$70 million compared with jade export earnings of…