International
South Sudan: South Sudan Economy on Edge Amid War, Low Oil Production
Mar 22, 2015
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Jason Patinkin, The Associated Press
Hit by falling oil revenues, South Sudan’s economy is also troubled by a violent conflict that looks set to continue. It could get worse in this…
Iraq: Iraq's Economy: An Empty Chest
Mar 21, 2015
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The Economist
Almost 90% of government revenue in Iraq comes from oil. Yet the price of the stuff has fallen by more than half over the past…
China/South China Sea: China State Media Tells US to Stop ‘Kibitzing’ over South China Sea Dispute
Mar 21, 2015
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Malay Mail Online
Chinese state media turned to Yiddish today in the war of words over territorial disputes, criticising the United States as a “kibitzer” for what it…
Liberia: GVL Constructs Palm Mill
Mar 20, 2015
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N. Dweh Nimley, The NEWS
Southern Liberia first oil palm production plant is expected to be completed in Tarjuowon, Sinoe County, by 2016, according to Virgil Magee, Head of Communications…
South Sudan: South Sudan Rebels Repulse Multiple Attacks by Government Forces: Spokesperson
Mar 20, 2015
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Tesfa-Alem Tekle, Sudan Tribune
South Sudanese rebels led by former vice-president Riek Machar said on Friday they had managed to repulse multiple attacks by government forces in Unity and…
Nile River: Nile Musicians Urge Cooperation, Not Conflict, in Battle Over Water Rights
Mar 19, 2015
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Renee Lewis, Al Jazeera
A collective of musicians from 11 Nile basin countries performed in New York City on Thursday night in a bid to demonstrate the need for…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Lawmaker Skeptical of Kurdistan Oil Prospects
Mar 19, 2015
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Jun Ji-hye, The Korea Times
Rep. Hong Young-pyo has downplayed expectations over oil exploration projects by the Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) in Kurdistan.
"Given the enormous amount of taxpayers' money…
Food Security: Report: Conflict, Climate Affect Food Security
Mar 19, 2015
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Joe DeCapua, Voice of America
The International Food Policy Research Institute has released its Global Food Policy Report. IFPRI Director-General Shenggen Fan listed some of the accomplishments of last year.
“We…
MiddleEast: New Age of Water Wars Portends 'Bleak Future'
Mar 19, 2015
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Nafeez Ahmed, Middle East Eye
Behind the escalating violence in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, as well as the epidemic of civil unrest across the wider region, is a growing shortage…
South Sudan: S. Sudan’s Kiir Says Farming Will Address Economic Hardship
Mar 19, 2015
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South Sudan
South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir has advised citizens to turn to farming in order to address the country’s economic hardship, worsened by the ongoing conflict.
“We…
Iraq: Iraq May Issue $5 Billion Bonds, to Pay Oil Firms Soon: Minister
Mar 18, 2015
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Maggie Fick, Reuters
Iraq is considering an international issue of $5 billion worth of five-year, U.S. dollar-denominated bonds to help cover its budget deficit, and will soon start…
Iraq: French Graft Trial Over Iraq 'Oil for Food' Programme
Mar 18, 2015
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Dunya News
Fourteen companies, including Renault Trucks and Legrand, went on trial Wednesday, accused of siphoning off cash to Saddam Hussein s Iraqi regime during the "oil for…
Liberia: Citizens Demand Pay for Damaged Crops
Mar 17, 2015
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Alloycious David, The NEWS
The Commissioner of Cinta Township in Margibi County, William Julye is demanding that Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) makes immediate payment for crops it destroyed in…
Timor-Leste: Government Will Not Give Up in Dispute Over Oil, Maritime Boundary
Mar 17, 2015
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Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australia and Timor-Leste are currently locked in a standoff over the maritime boundary between the two countries, which determines who is entitled to what share…
Conflict Minerals: Catholic Aid Network Urges European Action on Conflict Minerals
Mar 17, 2015
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Catholic Sentinel
An international consortium of Catholic aid agencies charged that European businesses are causing suffering and death by importing minerals from regions of the world experiencing…
South China Sea: U.S. Navy Urges Southeast Asian Patrols of South China Sea
Mar 17, 2015
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Sharon Chen, Bloomberg
The commander of the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet called on Southeast Asian nations to form a combined maritime force to patrol areas of the South…
Iran/Iraq/ Kuwait: Iraq Eyeing Development of Joint Fields
Mar 16, 2015
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Hellenic Shipping News
Iran’s media said on Saturday that Iraq has started a new round of talks with Iran and Kuwait over the development of oil wells that…
India: How Coal Fuels India’s Insurgency
Mar 16, 2015
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Anthony Loyd, National Geographic
The gunman at the jungle’s edge lived and died by different names. Some knew him as Prashant, others as Paramjeet. Occasionally he called himself Gopalji,…
Myanmar: Knowledge Vacuum and Conflict Plague Salween River
Mar 14, 2015
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Demelza Black, The Irrawaddy
Bright sunlight bears down on Saw Nyan Win as he unravels his fishing net with practiced hands on the bank of the Salween river, “I…
Timor-Leste: Timor Considers Buying Sunrise
Mar 13, 2015
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Peter Klinger, The West Australian
Timor-Leste Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Alfredo Pires said yesterday its national oil company, Timor Gap, could be used to buy out Woodside or other…
Iraq/Kurdistan: Kurdish Oil Deal with Baghdad Unravels as Tensions Rise
Mar 13, 2015
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Isabel Coles, Rania El Gamal, and Dmitry Zhdannikov, Reuters
A four-month-old oil deal between Iraq and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region is close to unraveling after payments from Baghdad dried up, prompting Arbil to threaten…
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone News: Rutile Falls but Sierra Rutile Tops 2014 Production
Mar 13, 2015
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Awoko
Of the five (iron ore, diamonds, rutile ilmenite, zircon and bauxite) heavily mined minerals in Sierra Leone only two (ilmenite and zircon) were able to…
South Sudan/Sudan/Abyei: Warrap Government Urges UNISFA To Block Bashir's Plan To Visit Abyei Region
Mar 12, 2015
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Ariik Atekdit, Gurtong
Omer Al-Bashir is believed to be planning a visit to the area for his April elections campaign.
Paul Dhel Gum, the State Minister of Information…
Nile River: On the River Nile, a Move to Avert a Conflict over Water
Mar 12, 2015
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Fred Pearce, Yale Environment 360
For thousands of years, Egyptians have depended on the waters of the Nile flowing out of the Ethiopian highlands and central Africa. It is the…
Iraq: Oil Companies Offer to Cut 2015 Spending in Iraq
Mar 12, 2015
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Reuters
Oil companies have proposed millions of dollars of cuts in development spending in Iraq, a senior oil ministry official said, after Baghdad told them low…
Myanmar: ‘Unprecedented Rate’ of Agriculture-Driven Deforestation: Report
Mar 12, 2015
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David Hopkins, The Irrawaddy
The conversion of forestlands for agricultural development is occurring at an “unprecedented rate,” aided by a weak legal framework governing forest management and land use,…
Liberia: Liberia Locals May Lose Land Rights To Palm Oil Industry
Mar 12, 2015
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John C. Cannon, Mongabay.com
The rights of local and indigenous peoples aren’t being adequately protected in the drive for economic development, according to a report published in February by…
South Sudan/Sudan: Abyei is Sudanese Territory and Will Remain So: President Bashir
Mar 12, 2015
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Sudan Tribune
During a visit to the West Kordofan state on Wednesday, Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir asserted that the contested Abyei area belongs to Sudan and…
Iraq: Iraq’s Continuing Struggle with Conflict Pollution
Mar 12, 2015
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Wim Zwijnenburg, Insight on Conflict
While Iraq is still recovering from the environmental impact of both Gulf wars, it now faces new environmental problems caused by the current conflict against…
China/Japan/South China Sea: Testing Beijing, Japan Eyes Growing Role in South China Sea Security
Mar 11, 2015
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Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo, Reuters
Seventy years after its imperial forces were kicked out of the South China Sea, Japan is quietly moving back into the region, forging security ties…