International


Myanmar: Hunting Endangered Animals in the Jungles of Myanmar

Jun 9, 2016 | Katie Arnold, Al Jazeera

The Asiatic black bear, characterised by the white crescent that adorns its chest, is a globally threatened species that roams a vast territory stretching from…


Climate Change: NATO Secretary General: “Climate Change is Also a Security Threat”

Jun 9, 2016 | Shiloh Fetzek, The Center for Climate & Security

In advance of the NATO Summit Warsaw in July, the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg sat down for an interview with POLITICO Europe. When…


Myanmar: Team Investigating Missing Gem Funds Submits Report to Myanmar Government

Jun 9, 2016 | Radio Free Asia

A team investigating the disappearance of nearly U.S. $100 million in funds belonging to a gem association submitted its findings on Wednesday to Myanmar's minister…


Colombia: Colombia Rural Strike Stands Strong as Police Repression Mounts [Photos]

Jun 9, 2016 | teleSUR

Tens of thousands of peasants, rural workers, and Indigenous people in Colombia have been fighting against massive land inequality and privatization decrees, as well as…


Côte d’Ivoire: Ivory Coast Land Disputes Threaten New Violence as War Refugees Return

Jun 9, 2016 | Joe Bavier, Reuters

A post-war economic recovery has made Ivory Coast the darling of investors in Africa. But as refugees from the war trickle back - around 16,000…


India/Pakistan/Kashmir: Kashmir: A Water War in the Making?

Jun 9, 2016 | Baba Umar, The Diplomat

Today Pakistan and India are locked in a bitter water conflict. Though diplomatic exertions have prevented a major escalation, both countries are entangled in legal…


Nigeria: Nigeria Delta Avengers Say Oil Rich Region Could Break Away

Jun 9, 2016 | TV360Nigeria

A Nigerian militant group, which has claimed a string of attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta, said on Thursday the region might break…


China/Japan/East China Sea: A First: Chinese Naval Vessel Enters Senkaku Contiguous Zone in East China Sea

Jun 9, 2016 | Ankit Panda, Diplomat

Early on Thursday, a Chinese Navy frigate entered the contiguous zone adjacent to the 12 nautical mile Japanese territorial sea around the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands…


DRC: Congo Mining Sector Sheds 3000 Direct Jobs since Last Year- Chamber

Jun 8, 2016 | Aaron Ross, Reuters

Democratic Republic of Congo's mining sector has lost at least 3,000 direct and 10,000 subcontractor jobs since commodity prices began to tumble last year, the…


Rwanda: "Feminine" Virtues Blamed for Unequal Land Rights in Rwanda, Research Shows

Jun 8, 2016 | Anna Pujol-Mazzini, Thomson Reuters Foundation

Female "silence and submissiveness" continue to be valued feminine traits in Rwanda, stopping women from taking advantage of equal land and property laws, researchers said.


Afghanistan: Afghan Security Forces Deploy to Prevent Illegal Mining

Jun 8, 2016 | Rahim Faiez, Associated Press

Afghan authorities are deploying security forces to ensure that insurgents fighting to overthrow the government do not benefit from illegal mining, an official said on…


Myanmar: Forest Dept Replants Trees in Shan State

Jun 7, 2016 | Maung Zaw, Myanmar Times

More than 100,000 trees will be planted in northern Shan State by mid-June to mark World Environment Day, forestry officials said. Kyaukme district forest department’s…


Afghanistan: Afghanistan, Turkish Company Sign MoU for Extension of Kajaki Hydropower Dam

Jun 7, 2016 | Khaama Press

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Energy and Water of Afghanistan and a Turkish company for the extension of Kajaki…


Myanmar: Kyaukphyu Farmers Refuse Pipeline Compensation

Jun 7, 2016 | Su Phyo Win, Myanmar Times

Holdout farmers are threatening to sue the Southeast Asia Gas Pipeline Company unless they receive the compensation they demand for damage caused by a pipeline…


Iraq: Iraq is Pumping Oil at Record Pace Despite Chaos

Jun 7, 2016 | Matt Egan, CNN

Iraq is pumping more oil than ever before, even as ISIS-fueled chaos grips parts of the Middle Eastern country. Iraq, which relies on oil to…


Myanmar: Fragrant Oil, Rare Fungi, Big Bucks

Jun 7, 2016 | Ann Wang, Frontier

The remote northern town of Putao is poised to reap rich rewards from a project that capitalises on the production of a prized raw ingredient…


Colombia: In Colombia, Abundant Water Brings No Security

Jun 7, 2016 | Stratfor

The country is just as vulnerable as those that have much less water.


Myanmar: Myanmar Targets Closure of Notorious Wildlife Trade Hub on Chinese Border

Jun 7, 2016 | Agence France-Presse

Myanmar authorities plan to shut down a notorious border town where exotic animal parts are sold openly, an official said on Tuesday, as Southeast Asia…


China: We Have No Fear of Trouble': China Talks Tough over South China Sea

Jun 6, 2016 | Tim Hume, CNN

A senior Chinese admiral strongly defended his country's activities in the South China Sea Sunday, restating Beijing's sovereignty in the region and warning it "had…


Afghanistan: Illegal Mining of Lapis Lazuli Fuels Taliban's Rise in Afghan Province

Jun 6, 2016 | Joe Boone, The Guardian

Struggle for control of mines producing blue stone is claiming lives in Afghanistan’s once peaceful province of Badakhshan.

 


Afghanistan: Blood Lapis: How Mining Funds Afghanistan’s Violence

Jun 6, 2016 | Megan Alpert, Foreign Policy

In northern Afghanistan, a man ties a 200-pound chunk of lapis lazuli to his back and hauls it down a mountain that is too steep…


Afghanistan: India Out to Damage Pakistan’s Water Interests on Kabul River

Jun 5, 2016 | Khalid Mustafa, The News

Afghanistan’s authorities with the help of Indian experts have completed the feasibilities and detailed engineering of 12 hydro-power projects with capacity to generate 1,177MW of…


Afghanistan: Greed, Corruption and Danger: A Tarnished Afghan Gem Trade

Jun 5, 2016 | Mujib Masal, New York Times

The local people called the militia’s takeover of the giant lapis mine in northeastern Badakhshan Province a white coup — easy and bloodless. Perhaps, but…


Afghanistan’s First-Ever Environmental Short Films Contest Held for World Environment Day

Jun 5, 2016 | UNDP

Filmmakers, actors and writers from across Afghanistan today received awards in the country’s first-ever Environmental Short Films Contest, organized by the United Nations Development Programme…


Iraq: As Iraq Repays Debt, Lukoil Pledges to Unlock Investment

Jun 3, 2016 | Dmitry Zhdannikov, Reuters

Iraq has positively surprised oil majors by starting quickly to repay accumulated debts, the head of Russia's Lukoil said, pledging more investment to allow OPEC's…


South Sudan: IMF Warns of Further Deteriorating Economy in South Sudan

Jun 3, 2016 | Sudan Tribute

The world’s economic centre house - the International Monetary Fund (IMF) based in New York - has warned of further deteriorating economic situation in South…


Japan: Japan Protests Chinese Gas Rig Construction in East China Sea

Jun 3, 2016 | Ryutaro Abe, The Asahi Simbun

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida lodged a protest with the Chinese Embassy on June 2 after the ministry confirmed that China is constructing drilling towers in…


Myanmar: Minister Promises to Ban Timber Trade

Jun 3, 2016 | Eleven Myanmar

Ohn Win, minister for natural resources and environmental conservation, says he is working to stop timber extraction completely this financial year.


Myanmar: Chinese Delegation Visits Myanmar Locals Displaced by Controversial Dam Project

Jun 3, 2016 | Kyaw Myo Min, Radio Free Asia

China’s ambassador to Myanmar met on Friday with residents forced to relocate for the construction of the controversial China-backed Myitsone Dam project in Kachin state…


Myanmar: USDP to Sue Newspapers over Gems Corruption Story

Jun 3, 2016 | Sam Yamin Aung, The Irrawaddy

The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), has said it will sue two Burmese weekly newspapers... for defaming former President Thein Sein and the USDP…