International


Iraq: Sen. Nelson: "Appropriate" For Iraq To Reimburse U.S. With Oil For Freeing Them From ISIS

Sep 23, 2014 | Real Clear Politics

WOLF BLITZER: Would it be unusual to ask some of the oil-rich Arab countries, whether Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar -- they have a lot…


Iraq: IS Attackers Repelled From Baiji Refinery

Sep 23, 2014 | Iraq Oil Report

Recently reinforced Iraqi security forces at the Baiji refinery, backed by Iraqi Army helicopters, repelled on Tuesday the latest attempt by anti-government militants to take…


Iraq/Kuwait: Iraq, Kuwait Deepen Oil Ties

Sep 23, 2014 | Daniel J. Graeber, United Press International

BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi Oil Ministry welcomed a delegation from Kuwait to discuss ways in which the two countries could expand bilateral ties in the…


Liberia: Sime Darby Delays Liberia Palm Oil Mill Construction Over Ebola

Sep 23, 2014 | Alphonso Toweh, Reuters

WASHINGTON - Malaysian palm oil firm Sime Darby has delayed construction of a mill for its Liberia plantation and has suspended talks to expand its…


Taiwan/South China Sea: Pixel by Pixel, Taiwan Maps Out Claims to Contested South China Sea (+video)

Sep 23, 2014 | Ralph Jennings, The Christian Science Monitor

Taipei, Taiwan — Wang Cheng-gi laughs nervously as he discusses the detailed new maps of the disputed South China Sea being drawn in his corner…


China/Philippines/South China Sea: Philippine Leader Questions Intent of China Ships

Sep 23, 2014 | Matthew Pennington, Associated Press, ABC News

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said Tuesday his nation will stick up for its territorial rights in the disputed South China Sea and voiced concern…


Myanmar: ‘Colonial Style’ Red Tape Blamed for Delay in Returning Seized Land

Sep 23, 2014 | Paing Soe, Democratic Voice of Burma

Burma’s parliamentary Farmland Investigation Commission has cited the overwhelming layers of bureaucracy – said to resemble archaic practices from the days of colonial rule –…


Russia/Ukraine: Conflict Keeps Gas 'Steppingstone' in Spotlight

Sep 22, 2014 | Natural Gas Europe

Months before winter, markets in Europe are already shivering as the war in Ukraine threatens to curtail natural gas deliveries from Russia.But as U.S. lawmakers push for greenlighting…


Myanmar: Yangon's Urban-Development Plans Are Self-Defeating, Critics Say

Sep 22, 2014 | Eleven Myanmar

The government’s efforts to build low-cost housing for them in Yangon have been self-defeating, urban planning experts say. The projects have merely driven up the…


Iraq/Syria: The Truth About Turkey and Islamic State Oil

Sep 22, 2014 | Mustafa Akyol, Turkey Post

The Sept. 20 release of 49 Turks held by the Islamic State (IS) for 101 days came as a great relief for Turkey. They were…


DRC: Mining Sector CSR: Responsible Returns in a Warm Investment Climate

Sep 22, 2014 | Joseph Kirschke, Insurance News Net

In January, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Mining Minister Martin Kabwelulu asked mining companies to cease expansions amid a severe electricity shortfall. "We'll spend the…


Liberia: Liberia Oil Bid Round Courts ECOWAS Companies

Sep 22, 2014 | Business Day

A new Liberian bid round for four offshore oil blocs is courting investment from ECOWAS companies, using an incentive that targets regional upstream operators that…


Indonesia/South China Sea: South China Sea Conflict a Real Threat to Indonesia

Sep 20, 2014 | The Jakarta Post

Indonesia has been warned that the territorial conflict over the South China Sea is a real threat that will sooner or later impact this country.

Chief…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Is Close to an Oil Agreement Prior to Meeting With Kurdistan Officials

Sep 20, 2014 | Karen Hagar, Examiner

On September 17th Basnews agency reported Erbil and Baghdad are close to an oil agreement. Yet, it appears the Kurdistan Regional Government officials were not…


Iraq/Syria: Turkey Collaborating with U.S. Against ISIS Oil Trade

Sep 19, 2014 | Daily Sabah

ISTANBUL — Turkey is collaborating with the U.S. in preventing the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) from selling the oil from the wells…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq Intends to Strengthen Ties with Russia, Kurdistan with China

Sep 19, 2014 | Examiner

On September 18th, the Iraqi Government has stated it plans to strengthen cooperation with Russia in political and military areas. Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Hoshyar…


Iraq/Syria: Oil Smuggling Continues as Turkey Emerges As a Key Player

Sep 19, 2014 | Fareed Rahman, GulfNews

Abu Dhabi: Turkey is the key player in resolving the issue of cross-border smuggling of oil by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Isil)…


Liberia: Liberia's Interest First - Nocal Affirms Oil Bid Round Reports

Sep 19, 2014 | AllAfrica

Monrovia — The National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) welcomes the recent comments provided by Global Witness on the current bid round. The solicitation of…


North Korea/South Korea: South Korea Says It Fired Warning Shots at Patrol Boat From North

Sep 19, 2014 | Choe Sang-Hun, The New York Times

SEOUL, South Korea — A North Korean patrol boat crossed a disputed western sea border with South Korea on Friday and retreated after warning shots…


Vietnam/South China Sea: South China Sea Spat Deflects Attention From Vietnam’s Real Issues

Sep 18, 2014 | Joe Buckley, Asian Correspondent

Ask anyone, anywhere in the world, what the most important Vietnam-related issue has been over the past few months, and I bet that lots of…


Myanmar: Surging Land Prices, Opaque Tender Process ‘Deterring Foreign Investment’

Sep 18, 2014 | Eleven

Foreign investors are disappointed that only domestic construction firms are being granted contracts to build government housing projects as surging land prices continue to make…


Iraq: Iraq Loses U.S. Appeal in U.N. Oil-For-Food Lawsuit

Sep 18, 2014 | Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal appeals court on Thursday rejected Iraq's effort to sue dozens of companies for allegedly conspiring with the Saddam Hussein regime…


Conflict Minerals: Conflict-Mineral Audits Get Few Takers

Sep 18, 2014 | Emily Chasan, The Wall Street Journal

Only four out of 1,300 U.S.-listed companies sought external audits of their efforts to root out so-called conflict minerals in their supply chains, according to…


China/India: India Takes Tough Stance With China on Kashmir

Sep 18, 2014 | Gardiner Harris, The New York Times

NEW DELHI — Smiles rarely left the faces of the top leaders of India and China here on Thursday, but India’s new prime minister sent…


Myanmar: Conservation Minister Admits Govt Has Failed to Stop Illegal Logging

Sep 18, 2014 | Eleven Myanmar

The Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry is unable to control the illegal timber trade despite the export ban on raw logs imposed on April…


Iraq: Here's How ISIS Is Wrecking Iraq's Oil Industry

Sep 17, 2014 | Armin Rosen, Business Insider

The Islamic State has taken over several oil-producing areas in Iraq and Syria, raising fears that the group could leverage its hydrocarbon wealth to the…


Iraq: Iraq's Oil Output Revival at Stake for Want of Water

Sep 17, 2014 | Rania El Gamal, Reuters

DUBAI - A lack of water threatens Iraq's plans to raise its oil output, boost its stumbling economy and become a leading producer in the…


China/South China Sea: China’s New Cruise to the Paracels: When Business is not just Business

Sep 17, 2014 | Hoang Do, International Policy Digest

On September 2, China opened a new cruise route from Hainan province, transferring over 200 passengers to the Paracel Island. The state-owned Xinhua implied that…


Myanmar: Govt Says Tasang Dam Will Benefit Burma

Sep 17, 2014 | Paing Soe, Democratic Voice of Burma

Deputy Minister of Electric Power Maung Thar Thwe fielded questions about the controversial Tasang hydropower project during a lower house parliamentary session on Tuesday, assuring…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraqi Kurdistan Oil Heads To Asia — And China Reportedly Wants A Bunch

Sep 17, 2014 | Ron Bousso, Jonathan Saul, and David Sheppard, Reuters, Business Insider

At least 3 million barrels of Iraqi Kurdish oil are on ships heading to Asia, with trade sources naming China as a possible destination as…