International
Liberia: Senate to Hear Proposed Land Rights Act
Aug 7, 2015
|
The New Dawn
The Liberia Legislature is expected to hold a public hearing on the 2014 proposed Land Rights Act on Monday, August 10, 2015. According to press…
South China Sea: ASEAN Again Split on South China Sea Reclamation Issue
Aug 7, 2015
|
Today
The Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN), which wound up meetings of regional foreign ministers yesterday, said some members had “serious concerns” about land reclamation…
Myanmar: While Myanmar Military Touts Reforms, Villages Still Fight Land Grabs
Aug 6, 2015
|
Simon Lewis and John Zaw, Union of Catholic Asian News
The problem has been reported across Myanmar, including in ethnic minority areas where many Catholics and other Christians live. A report released in June by the…
Conflict Minerals: Assent/Tulane Study Illustrates Difficulty of Conflict Minerals Compliance…Even for Mylar Balloons
Aug 6, 2015
|
Jeff Yoders, MetalMiner
US companies shelled out roughly $709 million and 6 million staff hours last year to comply with regulations to disclose conflict minerals in their supply chains,…
Businesses: Can Big Brands Like Nestlé Really Play a Role in Halting Land Disputes?
Aug 6, 2015
|
Oliver Balch, The Guardian
Globally, over 70% of land lacks clear registration or is subject to ownership disputes. This phenomenon directly increases the vulnerability of the world’s poorest, as…
Japan/Philippines/South China Sea: Japan May Give Planes to Philippines for Aerial Patrols, sources say
Aug 6, 2015
|
ABC News
Tokyo is looking to offer Manila three Beechcraft TC-90 King Air planes that could be fitted with basic surface and air surveillance radar, four sources…
China/United States/South China Sea: John Kerry Says US Will Not Accept Restrictions on Movements in the Sea
Aug 6, 2015
|
ABC News
US secretary of state John Kerry has accused China of not allowing freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed South China Sea, despite giving…
Iraq: The Electricity Uprising in Iraq
Aug 6, 2015
|
Abdul Latif Al-Saadoun, Middle East Monitor
"If we cannot provide enough electric power for the Iraqis, why don't the families buy private generators?" asked an Iraqi official during a recent press…
Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan/ Uzbekistan/Fergana Valley: Border Problems – A Threat to Central Asia’s Future
Aug 6, 2015
|
Elena Kosolapova, Trend
Two days ago, there was a shootout along the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which resulted in the injury of six Tajiks. As of now,…
Turkey: Turkey to Boost Security for Energy Infrastructure as PKK Attacks Rise
Aug 6, 2015
|
Orhan Coskun and Humeyra Pamuk, Reuters
Turkey will deploy thermal cameras and horse-back patrols to heighten security around key oil and gas pipelines as Kurdish militant attacks increase, in a bid…
Conflict Minerals: Conflicts May Hinge on Phosphorus Supply
Aug 6, 2015
|
Paul Hanley, The Starphoenix
Life without phosphorus, and plenty of it, is impossible. It's a central component of DNA, shared by every living creature on earth. Human cells use…
United States: Pentagon Prepares for Century of Climate Emergencies and Oil Wars
Aug 6, 2015
|
Nafeez Ahmed, Middle East Eye
The US Army is preparing for a new era of war for oil. While energy has always played a role in military conflicts, US military…
China/South China Sea: China 'Stops Reclamation Work in South China Sea'; US Voices Concerns over Military Role for New Islands
Aug 5, 2015
|
ABC News
China has stopped land reclamation work in the South China Sea, according to foreign minister Wang Yi. Mr Wang's remarks at the Association of South-East…
Liberia: 14 Illegal Gold Miners Victims of Landslide in Liberia
Aug 4, 2015
|
Associated Press
State radio in Liberia says 14 men illegally mining for gold in Liberia's west fell victim to a landslide. They were trapped under rubble and…
Rwanda: Rwanda Discovers New Precious Stone
Aug 4, 2015
|
Patrick Bigabo, KT News
Rwanda has announced it may have large amounts of rare precious stones underneath; the discovery could boost image of the country’s mining sector. Mr. Evode…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Denounces Kurdish Plan to Annex Sinjar
Aug 4, 2015
|
Middle East Monitor
The State of Law Coalition yesterday rejected remarks by Kurdish President Masoud Barzani that he plans to include Sinjar to his remit, theAnadolu Agency reported.…
Iraq/Kurdistan/Turkey: KRG Says PKK Oil Pipeline Sabotage Cost $250M
Aug 3, 2015
|
Rudaw
A Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) sabotage operation against a Kurdistan region oil pipeline in Turkey has temporarily halted oil export to Turkey since last week…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Kurds Announce Oil Payment Mechanism
Aug 3, 2015
|
Daniel J. Graeber, United Press International
The Kurdish government in Iraq said Monday it would allocate some of its revenue to international oil companies on a monthly basis to help cover…
Iraq: Temperatures, And Tempers, Soar In Iraq
Aug 3, 2015
|
Peter O’Dowd, Here & Now
A year after the U.S. launched air strikes against ISIS in Iraq, the fight continues, but now there’s a new threat to the Iraqi people —…
China/ASEAN: China-ASEAN Sea Spat Hotline in the Works
Aug 3, 2015
|
Rio N. Araja, AFP
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China are discussing setting up a hotline to handle emergencies stemming from territorial disputes over the South China…
China: Police in China's Hainan Beat, Detain Villagers over Land Protest
Aug 3, 2015
|
Shiny Li and Feng Xiaoming, Radio Free Asia
Chinese police attacked a protest rally in southern China’s island province of Hainan on Friday, beating and detaining 10, as more than a thousand villagers…
Cambodia: Gov’t Still Disputing Licadho Land Grab Report
Aug 2, 2015
|
Chea Vannak, Khmer Times
The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction responded on Saturday to a scathing report by rights group Licado which claimed that land disputes…
Iraq: Rivers Dry Up in Iraq as Country Struggles through Unprecedented Heatwave Three Days after Temperatures Hit 71C
Aug 2, 2015
|
Mark Duell, Daily Mail
The people of Iraq today continued to battle through temperatures so hot that the country has been given a mandatory four-day holiday. Scorching weather is…
South China Sea: AMM to Discuss South China Sea Dispute
Aug 1, 2015
|
Rahimy Rahim, The Star
Malaysia is encouraged by the progress to finalise the code of conduct (CoC) among claimant countries in the South China Sea, but expressed concern that…
Iraq: Angry Protests over Poor Services Spread across Iraq
Aug 1, 2015
|
AFP
Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrated Saturday over the poor quality of water in the southern city of Basra, as protests demanding better services from the government…
South Sudan: Sad About Cecil? These African Animals Are Slaughtered by the Thousands
Aug 1, 2015
|
Margot Kiser, The Daily Beast
A hopeful myth persists in this region that “wildlife refugees”—fauna in flight from war-ravaged habitats—will return one day when the conflict is over. Would that…
China/South China Sea: China Is Building a New South China Sea Fleet for its Maritime Militia
Jul 31, 2015
|
Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat
China is building a new South China Sea fishing fleet for its maritime militia in a move that could intensify regional disputes, an expert told…
Myanmar: Freeing of Chinese Loggers Riles Myanmar Citizens
Jul 31, 2015
|
Tim McLaughlin and Hnin Yadana Zaw. Reuters
Myanmar's newspapers and social media users reacted with anger and disappointment on Friday to the government's decision to include 155 Chinese in a mass amnesty,…
China/Malaysia/South China Sea: How Worried Should Malaysia Be about the South China Sea Dispute?
Jul 30, 2015
|
Arief Irsyad, Malaysian Digest
Just two days ago, China's navy carried out a 'live firing drill' in the South China Sea, supposedly in a bid to improve its maritime…
Conflict Minerals: Fair-Trade Thinking in Smartphone World
Jul 30, 2015
|
Derek Scally, Irish Times
The Fairphone is about bringing fair-trade thinking to the smartphone world. The story began five years ago with a campaign to raise public awareness of…