Southeast Asia
Hague to rule in South China Sea dispute
Amid US brinkmanship in the South China Sea, a UN arbitration court agreed to hear the Philippines' challenge of Beijing's territorial claims.
Tag: control of oil
Africa
South Sudan: oil wealth as threat to peace plan
South Sudan's opposition charges that a plan by President Salva Kiir to redraw the country's internal borders aims at keeping oil wealth in the hands of his Dinka followers.
Planet Watch
Retreat on Arctic drilling —push to open ANWR
The Interior Department announced the cancellation of two pending Arctic offshore lease sales—as Alaska's governor makes a new push to open the ANWR to oil companies.
Greater Middle East
AKP-ISIS collaboration in Ankara massacre?
Several PKK sympathizers have been arrested in connection with the Ankara suicide blasts—but the Turkish left charges that the ruling AKP collaborated with ISIS in the attack.
Southern Cone
Brazil: party official sentenced in Petrobras scandal
A Brazilian court sentenced ex-treasurer of the ruling Worker's Party Joao Vaccari Neto to 15 years for charges related to the Petrobras corruption scandal.
Greater Middle East
ISIS seizes last oil-field from Assad regime
ISIS fighters seized the last oil-field still under the control of the Assad regime after several days of fighting. The Jazal field has a production capacity of 2,500 barrels per day.
The Amazon
Peru: indigenous protesters occupy oil installation
In new protests over the Bloc 192 oil-field in the north Peruvian Amazon, some 20 indigenous Achuar and Kichwa warriors occupied the local air-strip of multinational Pluspetrol.
The Amazon
Bolivia: police attack indigenous roadblocks
Bolivian National Police used batons and tear-gas to break up a road blockade launched by Guaraní indigenous residents to protest gas exploitation on their traditional lands.
Mexico
US eases oil export ban
The US Department of Commerce agreed to allow limited crude oil trading with Mexico, easing a ban on crude exports that has been in place for 40 years.
Iraq
Mass protests shake Baghdad regime
Tens of thousands took to the streets of Baghdad to protest economic conditions and corruption. The demonstrations are bringing together Sunnis, Shi'ites and leftists.
Planet Watch
Russia files revised bid for arctic territory
Russia’s Foreign Ministry submitted a new bid claiming over 350 nautical miles of oil-rich Arctic sea shelf before the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.
Planet Watch
Anishinaabe ‘Water Walk’ against pipeline plan
Anishinaabe activists in north Ontario are walking 125 kilometers of the proposed Energy East pipeline route to demonstrate their opposition, citing a threat to the region's waters.