International

South Sudan: At Quiet Rebel Base, Plotting an Assault on South Sudan’s Oil Fields

Apr 3, 2014 | Jacey Fortin, The New York Times

NASIR, South Sudan — There are only four bullets in the rifle that Liep Wiyual plans to use against government troops on the front lines…

World: Climate Change Will 'Lead to Battles for Food', says Head of World Bank

Apr 3, 2014 | Larry Elliott, The Guardian

Battles over water and food will erupt within the next five to 10 years as a result of climate change, the president of the World…

Sierra Leone: Mining spurs Sierra Leone to 20 pct GDP Growth in 2013 - IMF

Apr 3, 2014 | Umaru Fofana, Reuters

The rapid expansion of Sierra Leone’s nascent iron ore mining industry fuelled economic growth of 20 percent last year, according to IMF data, but prices…

Myanmar: Will Burma’s Timber Ban Curb or Entrench Corruption?

Apr 2, 2014 | Feliz Solomon, Democratic Voice of Burma

A ban on all raw timber exports from Burma came into effect on Tuesday, in an attempt to rein in one of the country’s highly…

Myanmar: Displaced Villagers in Transit to DKBA Territory Held by Karen State Officials

Apr 2, 2014 | Naw Noreen, Democratic Voice of Burma

More than 200 villagers displaced from Rangoon’s Hlegu Township in February are stuck in limbo at the border between Karen and Mon states as of Wednesday afternoon.

After…

Myanmar: Meeting About Salween Dams Troubles Shan Communities

Apr 2, 2014 | Nyein Nyein, The Irrawaddy

Communities in northern Shan State have grown worried over two large hydropower dams planned on the Salween River and its tributary, after government officials and…

Afghanistan: WCS Applauds Afghanistan's Declaration Establishing Entire Wakhan District as the Country's Second National Park

Apr 2, 2014 | Newswise

Newswise — The Wildlife Conservation Society applauds the Afghanistan Government’s recent declaration establishing the entire Wakhan District, one of the most remote areas of Afghanistan,…

Myanmar: Electricity Hike Opponents Face Charges for Illegal Mandalay Protest

Apr 1, 2014 | Zarni Mann, The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY — Four activists here who oppose a government electricity rate hike are facing criminal charges after staging an unauthorized protest last week, while other…

China: A Merkel, a Map, a Message to China?

Apr 1, 2014 | Rachel Lu, Foreign Policy

On March 28, German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping at a dinner where they exchanged gifts. Merkel presented to Xi a…

Myanmar: Myanmar Imposes Export Ban To Stop Its Timber From Foreign Exploitation, Goal Is To Establish Domestic Wood-Processing Industry

Mar 31, 2014 | Sophie Song, International Business Times

Myanmar is a classic case of a country rich in natural resources but poor in income. Timber, along with oil and gems, sit at the…

Myanmar: Burma’s Logging Ban Is Great for Forests, but a Disaster for Its Working Elephants

Mar 31, 2014 | Charlie Campbell, Time

Modern Burmese history was built on teak, which is to say it was built on the backs of elephants. The British quickly saw teak’s potential…

Myanmar: Rangoon Land Protesters Undeterred by Late-Night Eviction

Mar 31, 2014 | Kyaw Hsu Mon, The Irrawaddy

RANGOON — Evicted former residents of Thingangyun Township have vowed to continue their sit-in protest in central Rangoon, despite an attempted forced eviction in the…

South Sudan: Egypt Tries to Woo South Sudan in Nile Water Dispute

Mar 31, 2014 | Ayah Aman, Al-Monitor

CAIRO — Egypt is continuing to develop relations with South Sudan in an effort to protect Egyptian water interests within its borders, through which the White Nile flows.…

China/Philippines: Philippines and China in Dispute Over Reef

Mar 31, 2014 | Jane Perlez, The New York Times

BEIJING — China accused the Philippines on Monday of illegally occupying Chinese territory after a Philippine vessel outmaneuvered the Chinese Coast Guard and resupplied a…

North Korea/South Korea: North and South Korea Trade Fire Across Disputed Sea Border

Mar 31, 2014 | Choe Sang-Hun, The New York Times

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea and South Korea fired hundreds of artillery shells across their disputed western sea border on Monday, escalating military tensions…

Myanmar: Myanmar’s Oil and Gas: Drilling in the Dark

Mar 29, 2014 | The Economist

Companies will soon find out how much oil and gas there really is offshore.After a long wait, and several delays, Myanmar’s government will soon announce…

Myanmar: Japan plans to import organic produce from Myanmar

Mar 29, 2014 | The New Light of Myanmar

Japanese firms are planning to import organic rice, crops and vegetables from Myanmar, officials said Friday.

During a meeting with U Myint Hlaing, Union Minister for…

Myanmar: Hundreds of Villages in Central Burma Suffer Acute Water Shortage

Mar 29, 2014 | ReliefWeb

Nearly 200 villages in central Burma are suffering from acute water shortages, according to the Civil Society Network, an NGO that has begun an emergency…

Myanmar: Six People Hospitalised After Confrontation Between Chinsu-Myanmar Company, Three Land Owners

Mar 29, 2014 | Eleven Media Group

Chinsu-Myanmar Company came into conflict with three land owners on March 28 over the fencing of 30 acres at land plot No 15 in Apyinpadan…

Crimea: Crimea Crisis Has Little Impact Thus Far on Russian Oil Deals

Mar 28, 2014 | Andrew E. Kramer and David Jolly, The New York Times

MOSCOW — The French energy giant Total is in talks with Lukoil to form a joint venture to develop shale oil in Russia, as Moscow…

Myanmar: Why don't Myanmar Log Trade Figures Add Up? Corruption, says NGO

Mar 27, 2014 | Alisa Tang, Thomson Reuters Foundation

BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Global imports of timber from Myanmar between 2000 and 2013 were three and a half times as large as the…

Myanmar: Myanmar Close, but not Quite, Ready for Prime Time

Mar 27, 2014 | Daniel J. Graeber, OilPrice

Energy majors from Norway's Statoil to BG Group are among the first to get the chance to explore frontier prospects off the coast of Myanmar.…

Kenya: Cattle-rustling and the Politics of Business in Kenya

Mar 27, 2014 | IRIN

NAIROBI - Cattle raiding in Kenya is often viewed in the legitimizing context of tradition, climate change and resource conflict, but increasingly it has much…

Myanmar: Myanmar Upset at DT Article

Mar 26, 2014 | Sheikh Shahariar Zaman, Dhaka Tribune

The Myanmar government expressed its concern over a Dhaka Tribune article on Rohingya and Rakhine states.

The country summoned Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar Anup Kumar Chakma…

Myanmar: $5.7Bn in Timber Smuggled Out of Burma, Illegal Logging Rampant: Report

Mar 26, 2014 | Paul Vrieze and Htet Naing Zaw, The Irrawaddy

RANGOON — Between 2000 and 2013, Burma’s rich forests were decimated through authorized logging as well as a massive illegal timber trade that saw 22.8…

Myanmar: Burma's Logging Export Ban Aims to Protect Shrinking Forests

Mar 26, 2014 | Gabrielle Paluch, Voice of America

RANGOON — Burma’s more than $6 billion trade in illegal timber has continued despite attempts to limit logging, according to a new report released by…

Myanmar: Loss of Forests Accelerates as Myanmar Opens for Business

Mar 26, 2014 | Amantha Perera, Thomson Reuters Foundation

YANGON, Myanmar (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – It is still home to some of the most pristine forests in Southeast Asia. But forest experts warn that…

Myanmar: Energy giants win Myanmar blocks

Mar 26, 2014 | SAPA-AFP

Yangon - Myanmar named energy giants Chevron, Shell and Total among the winners Wednesday of a landmark auction of offshore oil and gas exploration rights,…

Iraq: ‘Environmental Poisoning’ of Iraq Is Claimed

Mar 26, 2014 | Jada F. Smith, The New York Times

WASHINGTON — An advocacy group representing American military veterans and Iraqi civilians arrived here on Wednesday armed with a message for the United States government:…

Africa: Insecure Land Tenure Holds Back Post-Conflict African Societies, Say Experts

Mar 26, 2014 | Kayode Ogunbunmi, Thomson Reuters Foundation

WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A lack of clear-cut and secure land rights means people from post-conflict African countries are prevented from getting the most…