International
Iraq: Iraq’s Chronic Water Crisis Won’t be Fixed by Rain Gods
Mar 4, 2018
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Arab Weekly
Prolonged drought conditions left Iraq dealing with a water crisis, which was interrupted by heavy rainfall in late February. Overjoyed spectators argued that water reserves,…
Afghanistan: Ministry Moves to Start Mining Hajigak
Mar 4, 2018
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Zabihullah Jahanmal, TOLOnews
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) has started tackling issues around Hajigak iron ore mine which has been standing idle despite the awarding of a contract six years ago. At…
Afghanistan: Average Rainfall down by 30% in Afghanistan
Mar 3, 2018
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Tamim Hamid, TOLONews
The Afghanistan Meteorological Department says the average rainfall across the country this year is 30 percent down against previous years. Although showers are expected through…
South Sudan: A Lack of Food Prolongs Conflict in South Sudan
Mar 2, 2018
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Finn Church Aid
In South Sudan, the price of food claims people’s lives as well as guns. Hunger staggers society, with people only focused on where to get…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq’s Budget Commits KRG to Returning Revenue of Kirkuk Oil Sales
Mar 2, 2018
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NRT
Iraqi federal budget for the fiscal year 2018 commits the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to returning the revenue of Kirkuk oil sales between 2014 and…
Myanmar: Teak Plantation Harvests Planned
Mar 2, 2018
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IHB
News is circulating that the Forest Department in Myanmar is planning to allow harvesting of some mature (over 30-year-old) commercial teak plantations to partially compensate…
Myanmar: European Union Urges Myanmar to Act against Illegal Wildlife Trade
Mar 2, 2018
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Aye Sapay Phyu, Myanmar Times
The European Union (EU) has urged the government to take urgent action to end the illegal wildlife trade in domestic and border markets. The EU…
Afghanistan: How Greenhouses Are Warming Afghanistan up to Peace
Mar 1, 2018
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Nick Fouriezos, OZY
The opium capital of the world — Afghanistan produces some 70 percent of the global supply — sees many farmers like Hadi choose to start…
Climate Change: Military Site Faces 'Shocking' Risk of Being Swamped
Mar 1, 2018
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Scott Waldman, E&E News
A multibillion-dollar military installation in the Pacific that has provided key testing for the U.S. defense against a possible North Korean nuclear strike could become…
Land: Misinterpreting Islamic Law Robs Muslim Women of Land: Experts
Mar 1, 2018
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Reuters
The misinterpretation of Islamic law and a lack of knowledge about inheritance rights are major hurdles in improving women’s access to land in Muslim countries,…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Kurdish-Iraqi Deal Could Restore Oil Production
Feb 28, 2018
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Nick Cunningham, OilPrice
Iraq’s oil production could begin to rise after a tentative deal was agreed to by the Kurdish Regional Government and the central government in Baghdad.…
China/Philippines: Philippines Says Any South China Sea Energy Deal Must Be with Chinese Company, Not Govt
Feb 28, 2018
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Reuters
Any potential deals between Manila and Beijing on energy exploration in the South China Sea should be agreed with a company and not the Chinese…
Colombia: 60% of Colombia’s Farmers Do Not Formally Own Their Land
Feb 28, 2018
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Jarrod Demir, Colombia Reports
Six out of 10 peasant families in Colombia do not formally own their land, according to director of the National Land Agency, Miguel Samper. It…
Ghana: Farmers Lead The Way to Reduce Human-Elephant Conflict in Kakum
Feb 28, 2018
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Henrietta Asiedu, Modern Ghana
A training on biodiversity conservation and elephant crop raid prevention techniques is the most recent intervention in terms of building capacity of communities for elephant…
Iran: Iran Warns of Regional Tension over Water Resources
Feb 28, 2018
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Asharq Al-Awsat
Iranian spiritual leader’s advisor for military affairs, Yahya Rahim Safavi, warned of regional tensions between Iran and its neighbors over water in the coming years,…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Agrees Tentative Deal with Kurds to Resume Crude Oil Exports to Turkey
Feb 28, 2018
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Platts
Iraq has agreed a deal with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government to resume crude oil exports through its pipeline to Turkey, halted since last July,…
Nigeria: On the Front Line of Climate Change and Conflict
Feb 28, 2018
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Paul Parks, Business Day
The Nigeria Watch Project at the University of Ibadan reported that in 2017 more than 8600 people were killed in Nigeria from civil strife, criminal…
South Sudan: South Sudan Accuses Oil Group of Pollution, Threatens Shutdown
Feb 28, 2018
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Denis Dumo, Reuters
South Sudanese lawmakers have accused the consortium running the country’s last working oilfields of dumping expired chemicals in the bush, and have threatened to shut…
Afghanistan/Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan, Afghanistan Mull Shore Protection Work along Amu Darya River
Feb 28, 2018
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Trend
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan held a meeting of specialists of water authorities of the two countries in Termez from Feb. 26 to Feb. 27, 2018, the…
Conflict Minerals: Price of Cobalt Tripled in Two Years
Feb 27, 2018
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Viliyana Filipova, Finance Apprise
The price of cobalt tripled in two years to 81,500 USD per tonne. The metal, which is used in high-tech battery products like iPhone smartphones…
Afghanistan: Gemstone Illegally Excavated from 370 Nuristan Sites
Feb 27, 2018
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Yousuf Zarifi, Pajhwok Afghan News
Illegal excavation of gemstones from nearly 400 mines has been underway in eastern Nuristan province, with half of the revenue going to militants, officials and…
Myanmar: Residents Rail against ‘Biased’ Gemstone Bill
Feb 27, 2018
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Kyaw Ko Ko, Myanmar Times
Local residents of Myitkyina township in Kachin State have vowed to launch a protest against the gemstone bill that was submitted to the Pyithu Hluttaw last…
Afghanistan: Afghanistan's Minefields: Living amongst Landmines [Video]
Feb 27, 2018
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Jennifer Glasse, Al Jazeera
Afghans have lived through decades of war and instability. One of the biggest threats they face now are landmines, left from either the Soviet invasion…
Liberia: Several Land Cases on Hold
Feb 26, 2018
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Alvin Worzi, Daily Observer
With the prevalence of land cases across Liberia, the Daily Observer has reliably learnt that several land cases are lingering at the Circuit Court in…
Australia/Timor-Leste: Australia, East Timor Agreement over $50 Billion Oil and Gas Field
Feb 26, 2018
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Lindsay Murdoch, Sydney Morning Herald
Australia and East Timor will sign a landmark agreement aimed at opening the way to share revenue from the $50 billion Greater Sunrise oil and…
Iran/Iraq/Kurdistan: Plan to Truck Oil from Iraq's Kirkuk to Iran Delayed by Security Concerns
Feb 26, 2018
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Reuters
A plan to truck oil from Iraq’s northern Kirkuk fields to Iran cannot be fully implemented at this stage due to security concerns, the head…
South Sudan: Nearly Two-Thirds of the Population in South Sudan at Risk of Rising Hunger
Feb 26, 2018
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
More than 7 million people in South Sudan - almost two-thirds of the population - could become severely food insecure in the coming months without…
Colombia: No Guns, No Drugs, No Atrocities, No Rape, No Murder. Just Bananas…
Feb 25, 2018
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Tm Adams, Guardian
In the previous days travelling among the banana workers of the provinces of Magdalena and Urabá Antioquia, on roads that until a year or two…
Iraq/Kurdistan: IS Militants Kill 2 Policemen in Attack on Oil Well in Iraq's Kirkuk
Feb 25, 2018
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Xinhua
Two policemen were killed Saturday and three wounded in an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants on an oil well in Iraq's oil-rich province of…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Denies Pull-out from Oil-Rich Kirkuk
Feb 25, 2018
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Middle East Monitor
Iraq’s Defence Ministry on Saturday denied media reports about the withdrawal of federal police forces from the oil-rich Kirkuk province. Local media said federal police…