International


Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone News: Five Mining Companies Still in Operation

Sep 16, 2014 | Abibatu Kamara, Awoko

Despite the weak market conditions in the country, only five mining companies: African Minerals Limited, London Mining, OCTEA, Sierra Rutile and Sierra Minerals are continuing…


Food Security: Hunger is Falling, but Climate and Conflict Threaten Progress: Report

Sep 16, 2014 | Chris Arsenault, Reuters

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Land redistribution in Brazil, community gardens in Indonesia, and rising incomes across much of the developing world have helped end…


China/India/Kashmir: India and China Step Back From Standoff in Kashmir

Sep 16, 2014 | Hari Kumar, The New York Times

NEW DELHI — India and China have agreed to defuse the nearly three-week-old standoff between troops in the disputed border region of Ladakh, Kashmir, the…


Africa: First Volume of the New Climate Diplomacy Book Series Released

Sep 16, 2014 | adelphi

The new edited volume “Conflict-sensitive adaptation to climate change in Africa” presents solutions for climate adaptation that specifically consider the conflict potential arising from the…


Asia-Pacific: Military Conference: Cooperation Needed to Combat Non-Traditional Risks

Sep 15, 2014 | Dhaka Tribune

Top-level land forces military officials yesterday sought cooperation from different nations for combating non-traditional threats and challenges, saying no single nation now was able to…


China/ South China Sea:China Discovers Major Gas Field in South China Sea

Sep 15, 2014 | China Central Television

China has discovered a major natural gas field in the South China Sea. It is the country’s first independent deep-sea discovery. CCTV reporter Han Peng…


Iraq/ Syria: Islamic State Fighters Drawing on Oil Assets for Funding and Fuel

Sep 15, 2014 | The Washington Post

Oil has helped fund and fuel the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, with small amounts coming from fields in northern Iraq and being smuggled…


Iraq: Islamic State Bombs Baiji Oil Refinery in Iraq

Sep 15, 2014 | Hydrocarbon Processing

Islamic State militants set fire to an oil storage tank at Iraq’s largest refinery as the US prepares to escalate the campaign against the extremist…


Iraq/ Syria: EU Members Purchased Oil from ISIL

Sep 15, 2014 | Press TV

A senior European Union official has revealed that some EU member states have purchased oil from ISIL Takfiri militants despite their rhetoric against the group.

In…


Iraq: Oil Pipeline Sabotaged in Diwaniya

Sep 15, 2014 | Iraq Business News

An oil pipeline passing through the governorate of Diwaniya has reportedly been sabotaged by an explosion, the first event of its kind in the province.

Aswat…


Myanmar: Twenty-One More Farmers Falsely Convicted for Pursuing Their Land Rights

Sep 15, 2014 | Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that twenty-one more farmers from Kanbalu Township have been convicted regarding an attempt to defend…


Conflict Minerals: SEC Official Offers Three Pointers on Issuers’ Conflict Mineral Disclosures

Sep 15, 2014 | Yin Wilczek, Bureau of National Affairs

After staff review of issuers' inaugural conflict mineral disclosures, Keith Higgins, the director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance, Sept. 12…


Iraq/Kuwait: Kuwait Energy Makes First Oil Discovery in Block 9, Iraq

Sep 14, 2014 | Arab News

Kuwait Energy has announced that the consortium comprising Kuwait Energy (70 percent and operator) and Dragon Oil (30 percent) has made its first oil discovery…


Iraq/Syria: Report: US Unable to Persuade Turkey to Cut Off ISIL's Oil Revenue

Sep 14, 2014 | Today's Zaman

The United States has been trying to prevent the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from obtaining oil revenue; however, it failed to…


Liberia: Global Witness Frowns On The Sales Of Four Additional Oil Blocks By NOCAL

Sep 14, 2014 | The Perspective

In urgent need of revenue to fight the country’s Ebola epidemic, the Liberian Government has tendered four offshore oil blocks. Global Witness believes that, if…


Conflict Minerals: 'Nearly All Intel Chips Will Be Conflict Mineral Free From 2016'

Sep 14, 2014 | Will Green, Supply Management

Armin Sarstedt, vice president in the technology and manufacturing group at Intel, told a conference the company had a “passion for sustainability”.

“We are one of…


Russia: Fresh Sanctions Catch Russia's Oil Industry Off Guard

Sep 14, 2014 | Olesya Astakhova, Katya Golubkova, and Vladimir Soldatkin, Reuters, Business Insider

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Fresh U.S. and EU sanctions imposed on Moscow will bring an abrupt halt to exploration of Russia's huge Arctic and shale oil…


Iraq: Islamic State Bombs Iraq Oil Refinery as U.S. Hardens Stance

Sep 13, 2014 | Kadhim Ajrash and Khalid Al-Ansary, Bloomberg

Islamic State militants set fire to an oil storage tank at Iraq’s largest refinery as the U.S. prepares to escalate the campaign against the extremist…


Iraq/Syria: Examining the ISIS Oil Business

Sep 13, 2014 | Karen Leigh and Syria Deeply, ABC News

On Wednesday, as part of President Barack Obama's plan to "systematically degrade, dismantle and defeat" the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the U.S.…


Iraq/Syria: Isis Crisis: An Unholy Alliance - Islamic State 'Selling Oil to President Assad's Regime'

Sep 13, 2014 | Mark Piggot, International Business Times

Terrorist group Isis (Islamic State) is so desperate to fund its military activities in Iraq and Syria that it is secretly selling oil to its…


South Sudan: Oil Worker Goes On the Run After Accusing Government of Role in Sacking

Sep 13, 2014 | Sudan Tribune

September 12, 2014 (JUBA) – A sacked oil worker says he has gone on run for his own safety after alleging the South Sudanese government…


India/Pakistan: Pakistani Troops Expand Rescue in Flood-Hit Areas

Sep 12, 2014 | Zarar Khan and Ashok Sharma, Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) -- The Pakistani military stepped up rescue efforts as floods wreaked havoc in more districts of the country's eastern Punjab province on Friday,…


India: Water Wars Have Begun: HC on Hijack of Water Tanks in Dwarka

Sep 12, 2014 | The Indian Express

“This is the beginning of water wars. In some years the situation will worsen,” the Delhi High Court on Thursday observed, while voicing concern over…


South Sudan: South Sudan to Split Oil Concession as Lawmakers Question Award

Sep 12, 2014 | Mading Ngor, Bloomberg

South Sudan plans to split an oil block awarded to Star Petroleum SA, a Luxembourg-registered company, as part of a review of a concession criticized…


Myanmar: Farmers Face Eviction in Mandalay

Sep 12, 2014 | Naw Noreen, Democratic Voice of Burma

Twenty-eight farmers near Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Division, are facing eviction after years of property battles, villagers say.The Burmese military allegedly seized 18 acres of…


Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan/Uzbekistan: Water Pressures in Central Asia

Sep 11, 2014 | International Crisis Group

Political rivalries, economic competition, heightened nationalism and mistrust hamper the search for a solution to the region’s growing water and energy needs. In its latest…


Russia/Ukraine: With Gas Cut Off, Ukraine Looks West

Sep 11, 2014 | Danny Hakim, The New York Times

UZHGOROD, Ukraine — Keeping Ukraine warm keeps Andriy Kobolev up at night.Mr. Kobolev, the head of Ukraine’s state energy company, Naftogaz, is scrambling to keep…


China/Vietnam: Vietnam Accuses China of Beating Fishermen, Urge Strict Punishment

Sep 11, 2014 | The China Post

HANOI -- Vietnam has accused Chinese authorities of beating several of its fishermen and demanded severe punishment for those involved. China denied the allegation on…


Myanmar: Irrawaddy Headmaster Accused of Selling Off School Property

Sep 11, 2014 | Democratic Voice of Burma

The headmaster and the village headman sold off a school property in Irrawaddy Division, without providing any prior notification to the staff, trustees or villagers,…


Conflict Minerals: Online Resource for Industry Takes On the Challenges, Regulations, and Best Practices behind Conflict Minerals Reporting

Sep 11, 2014 | MFR Tech

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., - To simplify the challenges, regulations, and best practices behind conflict minerals reporting, the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) created an informative new…