News


Afghanistan: Afghanistan's Minefields: Citizens Urged Not to Flee as Shifts in Territorial Control Leave Earth 'Paved with Landmines'

Jan 6, 2016 | Catherine James, ABC News

Afghanistan tops the list for civilian casualties by victim-activated landmines out of the 58 states recorded as having anti-personnel mines in their territory, according to…


Myanmar: Authorities Move to Clear Squatters from Town Water Supply

Jan 6, 2016 | Si Thu Lwin, Myanmar Times

Pyin Oo Lwin officials are cracking down on forest dwellers squatting near a road construction site alongside the city’s only water supply. The township’s Department…


Myanmar: NLD to Compile Land Grabbing List for Karenni State

Jan 6, 2016 | Htoe Myar, Burma News International

The National League for Democracy (NLD) issued an announcement at the end of last month indicating that it will make a list of expropriated farmland…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Kurds Make Payments for Oil Exports

Jan 6, 2016 | Daniel J. Graeber, United Press International

Energy companies working in the Kurdish north of Iraq said they've received payments from the regional government for crude oil exports. Norwegian energy company DNO…


EnPAx Icon Environmental Peacebuilding: 2015 in Review

Jan 5, 2016 | ELI and UNEP

The field of environmental peacebuilding continued to grow quickly in 2015. We are pleased to share with you some highlights from the Environmental Peacebuilding partnership…


Financing for Resilience: 3 Lessons to be Learned in Climate Finance

Jan 5, 2016 | Katharina Nett

When it comes to accessing and making best use of climate finance, states in situations of fragility are faced with particular challenges that are largely…


Myanmar: Jade Probe Targets Ministers

Jan 5, 2016 | Ye Mon, Myanmar Times

Kachin State’s chief minister and two members of his cabinet are under investigation for their alleged role in the state’s lucrative jade mining trade, the…


Afghanistan: Iran, Afghanistan to Establish Environmental Commission

Jan 5, 2016 | MEHR News Agency

Abdullah Abdullah who is in Tehran was received by President Rouhani on Tuesday evening. Both leaders discussed bilateral issues when Mr. Rouhani believed that improved…


NR&E Fall 2016 Call for Article Proposals (Water Conflict)

Jan 4, 2016 | ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources’ magazine Natural Resources & Environment

The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources’ magazine Natural Resources & Environment will devote its Fall 2016 issue to articles on Water Conflicts. The…


International: Researchers for Resource Governance

Jan 4, 2016 | Natural Resource Governance Institute

The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) helps people to realize the benefits of their countries’ endowments of oil, gas and minerals. We do this through…


Donald Trump’s First Campaign Ad Promises Blood for Oil

Jan 4, 2016 | Jeet Heer

The long-awaited ad contains a curious line: “He’ll quickly cut the head off of ISIS and take their oil.” ISIS, of course, controls oil fields…


Missing the Big Picture in Challenging Africa’s “Land Grab” Narrative

Jan 4, 2016 | Chris Jochnick

Who walks away from fertile agricultural land available to lease for as little as $1 per year per hectare? Recent reports indicate international investors are…


China/Vietnam/South China Sea: Flight to Spratly Reef Airfield within China's Sovereignty: Beijing

Jan 4, 2016 | Straits Times

China's flight to a newly built airfield on Yongshu Reef, also known as Fiery Cross Reef, on the Nansha Islands is a matter "completely within…


Myanmar: Power Project Generates Anxiety

Jan 4, 2016 | Oliver Slow, Frontier Myanmar

The Ministry of Electric Power estimates that demand for electricity will rise by between 13 percent and 15 percent a year in the coming years.…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq's Kurds to Continue Exporting Crude Independently in 2016

Jan 4, 2016 | Khalid Al Ansary, Bloomberg

Authorities in Iraq’s cash-strapped Kurdish region will withhold delivery of oil to the central government and export crude independently in 2016 to ensure revenue amid…


Syria/Islamic State: Weaponizing Syria’s Water

Jan 4, 2016 | Alisa Reznick, Boston Review

By spring 2015, Ain al-Fijah had become a ghost town, marked by crude barricades and rebel checkpoints, and its water had been weaponized. In the…


Myanmar: Land Confiscation Problems Worsen

Jan 4, 2016 | Htet Htet, Mizzima

Farmers from Shan State held a press conference at Taunggyi Catholic Church memorial hall in southern Shan State on January 3, 2016, to protest against…


Colombia: Colombian Chocolate Couverture Coming to Europe through Swiss Trade Deal

Jan 4, 2016 | Oliver Nieburg, Confectionary News

Colombian cocoa processor Cacao Pacifico will sell chocolate couvertures made with fine flavor Colombian cocoa in Europe through a partnership with Swiss Global Enterprise.


Colombia: Agreement to Curb Rising Prices and Speculation in Food

Jan 4, 2016 | Fresh Plaza

The price of food and the Colombians' personal economy have been affected by the rising dollar, the phenomenon of El Niño, and the structural problem…


The Business of War

Jan 3, 2016 | Asad Zaman

As plans for war against Syria heat up, new myths are being manufactured to support it. In line with Major General Smedley Butler’s thesis, we…


Colombia: Inside Colombia’s (New) Cocaine Explosion

Jan 3, 2016 | Jeremy Kryt, Daily Beast

Steep hills rise out of the morning mist like a junky’s dream of paradise: the slopes teeming with lush, illicit vegetation. Palm and banana trees…


China/Vietnam/South China Sea: Vietnam Protests after China Lands Plane on Disputed South China Sea

Jan 2, 2016 | Reuters

Vietnam formally accused China of violating its sovereignty and a recent confidence-building pact on Saturday by landing a plane on an airstrip Beijing has built…


Myanmar: Low Water Hinders Kayah Hydropower Plants

Jan 2, 2016 | Eleven Myanmar

Water levels supplying the Baluchaung hydropower plants in Lawpita, Loikaw Township, Kayah State, have been declining for a month. Myint Maung, a farmer near no.1…


Iraq: Iraq Says It Exported More Than 1 Billion Barrels of Oil in 2015

Jan 1, 2016 | Khalid Al-Ansary and Kadhim Ajrash, Bloomberg

Iraq said it exported 1.097 billion barrels of oil in 2015, generating $49.079 billion from sales, according to the oil ministry. It sold 99.7 million…


Afghanistan: Salma Dam: Another Key Indian Project in Afghanistan

Dec 31, 2015 | Ranjana Narayan, The Statesman

India’s major development works in Afghanistan are going at a fast pace. The parliament building was inaugurated in Kabul last week by Prime Minister Narendra…


Israel/Palestine: Further Land Grabbing in Jordan Valley

Dec 31, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement

During the past 6 months, the Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign has registered further land grabbing in Fasayal village in the Jordan Valley. The land, which…


Colombia: Landmines in Colombia Biggest Challenge for Post-War Nation

Dec 30, 2015 | Maria Myka, LATINONE

After decades of war, the Colombian government has finally negotiated peace with the rebel group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). However, despite…


Iraq/Syria/Islamic State: Thousands of Foreign Workers Help ISIS Keep its Crude Oil Flowing

Dec 29, 2015 | ARA News

The extremist group of Islamic State (ISIS) has recruited thousands of workers with experience in the oil industry to help the group keep crude pumping…


Colombia: Demining Colombia Will Take 'a Generation': Minister

Dec 29, 2015 | Agence France-Presse

Clearing the landmines from the half-century conflict in Colombia, which has the most mines of any country outside Afghanistan, will take a generation, Defense Minister…


U.S. Policy Shifts from Détente to Deterrence in the South China Sea

Dec 28, 2015 | Andrew Lam

In geopolitics, when détente fails, it's time for deterrence, and nowhere more so than in the South China Sea. China's expansionist designs on the region's…