US President Donald Trump has ordered the Navy to “shoot and kill” any Iranian boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s top negotiator said Tehran has received its first revenue from tolls it imposed on ships passing through the strait. Both sides see the vital waterway as pivotal to negotiations, and oil prices again rose amid the standoff.


Trump Asks Navy To 'Shoot Without Any Hesitation' Boats Laying Mines in Strait of Hormuz

Iran has deployed about a dozen mines in ​the Strait of Hormuz, two sources familiar with the matter ‌said, in a move likely to complicate the reopening of the narrow waterway, an important route for shipping oil and liquefied natural gas.
Exports of ​oil and LNG through the strategic chokepoint along Iran's ​coast have effectively been halted by the war launched 12 ⁠days ago by the United States and Israel, helping to ​drive a surge in world energy prices.

Iran War: US Intelligence Reports Says Iran Laying Mines in Strat of Hormuz

In Zambia, a river has reportedly "died" overnight, causing severe disruptions to local communities. Millions are now facing the impact as water sources dry up, threatening livelihoods and access to resources.

Chinese-owned mine triggers disaster; toxic dump threatens millions of Zambians

At least several miners are trapped inside a coal mine in the remote area of the northeastern Indian state of Assam. Around 27 workers were reportedly inside the mine when water flooded its shaft. Watch in for more details!

India: At least 9 workers trapped in flooded coal mine; rescue operations underway

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich South Kivu province has suspended gold mining operations since July to curb hundreds of foreign companies, most of them Chinese-owned, from “illegal” extraction of the valuable metal without permits and without declaring their profits.

DR Congo Shuts Down Chinese Gold Mining Firms

The White House aims to increase U.S. production of critical minerals that China and other countries with weaker environmental standards have come to dominate. But local opposition is complicating the effort. VOA's Steve Baragona looks at the battle over one such mine in the northern U.S. state of Minnesota.

Biden government's plan to focus on minerals

Millions of minds and unexploded grenades are scattered across Afghanistan. Decades of war have led the country to deal with military explosives by itself. Even though Afghanistan has a team dedicated to clearing the remnants of conflict, the lack of resources and people moving back home to areas earlier turned inaccessible.

Afghanistan: Threat of mines, explosives scattered across the country

South Africa has been ranked the world's tenth least attractive destinations for mining, for the first time in the latest Fraser Institutes' annual survey of mining companies. This has raised concerns at multiple-levels, and experts feel that the country's mining sector needs urgent intervention. Here is a special report by WION correspondent Kalden Ongmu.

World of Africa: South Africa's 'unattractive mines'

Gone are the times when tourists lay down on the Black Sea beaches of the Ukrainian resort town of Odesa, the white sands are now covered in mines because of the war with Russia and police officers patrol the boardwalks.

Ukraine's military planted mines along the coast in case of a Russian amphibious assault after Moscow's February&nbsp;24 invasion, cordoning off beach entrances with red and white tape to ensure civilians don't get hurt.

Already reeling from the war, the local economy of the port city of Odesa in southwestern Ukraine will take a huge hit to its tourism industry this year. Long-time residents cannot imagine life in Odesa without the sand and sea.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-tensions-what-is-really-happening-heres-what-you-should-know-446848">Russia-Ukraine tensions: What is really happening? Here's what you should know</a>

"We can't live without the sea. If not for the sea, there would probably be no Odesa," said 82-year-old resident Viktor Holchenko.&nbsp;

In early May, Russian forces pounded the port with missiles, leaving buildings in Odesa in ruin. 
Signs posted by Ukraine's military warn residents to stay away from the beaches where mines have been buried. From a seaside restaurant, the view is now of a "Danger! mines" sign.

Residents laid out beach towels along boardwalks instead of on beaches to tan in their bathing suits. 
"They (the military) said not to go there (to the seaside)," said 18-year-old resident Kyrylo Zinchenko. "Why would you go there? This is the summer we will have."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/battle-analysis-russian-tank-armada-vs-ukraine-who-will-win-459067">Battle analysis: Russian tank armada vs Ukraine - who will win?</a>

Once a driver of the local economy, tourism in Odesa has dried up.

"We realize that the tourism business and recreational component is an important element ... but we also realize that if we don't hold the defence of our region, there will be no budget to fill," said Nataliia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman of the southern military command.&nbsp;

The local economy will take a broad hit, said tourism office owner Oleksandr Babich. "It is hotels, restaurants, souvenirs, all kinds of beach services. It is things related to the cultural sector ... I don't know how the city economy will do without them."

[with inputs from agencies]

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Gone are the times when tourists lay down on the Black Sea beaches of the Ukrainian resort town of Odesa, the white sands are now covered in mines because of the war with Russia and police officers patrol the boardwalks.

Gone are the times when tourists lay down on the Black Sea beaches of the Ukrainian resort town of Odesa, the white sands are now covered in mines because of the war with Russia and police officers patrol the boardwalks. Ukraine's military planted mines along the coast in case of a Russian amphibious assault after Moscow's February 24 invasion, cordoning off beach entrances with red and white tape to ensure civilians don't get hurt. Already reeling from the war, the local economy of the port city of Odesa in southwestern Ukraine will take a huge hit to its tourism industry this year. Long-time residents cannot imagine life in Odesa without the sand and sea. Also Read: Russia-Ukraine tensions: What is really happening? Here's what you should know "We can't live without the sea. If not for the sea, there would probably be no Odesa," said 82-year-old resident Viktor Holchenko. In early May, Russian forces pounded the port with missiles, leaving buildings in Odesa in ruin. Signs posted by Ukraine's military warn residents to stay away from the beaches where mines have been buried. From a seaside restaurant, the view is now of a "Danger! mines" sign. Residents laid out beach towels along boardwalks instead of on beaches to tan in their bathing suits. "They (the military) said not to go there (to the seaside)," said 18-year-old resident Kyrylo Zinchenko. "Why would you go there? This is the summer we will have." Also Read: Battle analysis: Russian tank armada vs Ukraine - who will win? Once a driver of the local economy, tourism in Odesa has dried up. "We realize that the tourism business and recreational component is an important element ... but we also realize that if we don't hold the defence of our region, there will be no budget to fill," said Nataliia Humeniuk, a spokeswoman of the southern military command. The local economy will take a broad hit, said tourism office owner Oleksandr Babich. "It is hotels, restaurants, souvenirs, all kinds of beach services. It is things related to the cultural sector ... I don't know how the city economy will do without them." [with inputs from agencies] WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Odesa's popular white sand beaches now off-limits due to planted mines

Turkey&nbsp;on Monday said a second mine which could have come from Ukraine was discovered off its coast near Bulgaria, adding that experts had been sent to defuse it.

Russia had warned more than a week ago that some aged mines that Ukrainians had deployed in the Black Sea against its invading troops had become dislodged from their cables by storms and could drift as far as the Straits of Bosphorus and the Mediterranean Sea.

On Monday, the Turkish defence ministry tweeted that "A mine was detected off Igneada near the Bulgarian border" on the Black Sea.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-oligarchs-welcome-in-turkey-says-foreign-minister-mevlut-cavusoglu-465935">Russian oligarchs welcome in Turkey, says Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu</a>

"The mine has been secured... and an intervention launched to neutralise it," it said.

A first mine was found on Saturday and defused by the Turkish navy, after a fisherman had reported seeing it about two kilometres (1.2 miles) off Rumelifeneri, on the entrance of the Bosphorus north of Istanbul.

Ankara has spoken to Ukrainian and Russian authorities to follow up "coordination on this subject,"&nbsp;Turkey's defence minister said on Saturday.

In its warning on March 19, Russia's FSB security service said that "dilapidated" mines that Ukrainians had deployed against its forces had broken from their cables and were floating in the Black Sea.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-world-cannot-burn-bridges-with-moscow-465999">Turkey says world cannot 'burn bridges' with Moscow</a>

Several days ago, Turkish authorities warned on the NAVTEX maritime alert system that there was a risk of mines floating from Ukrainian waters after being dislodged from their anchors by a storm.

Underwater mines normally have to be equipped with systems that render them harmless if they break free from their anchors.

But older mines could lack &nbsp;this safety measure, Turkish media reported.

Watch | Gravitas: Turkey taking advantage of war in Ukraine?

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Turkey on Monday said a second mine which could have come from Ukraine was discovered off its coast near Bulgaria, adding that experts had been sent to defuse it.

Turkey on Monday said a second mine which could have come from Ukraine was discovered off its coast near Bulgaria, adding that experts had been sent to defuse it. Russia had warned more than a week ago that some aged mines that Ukrainians had deployed in the Black Sea against its invading troops had become dislodged from their cables by storms and could drift as far as the Straits of Bosphorus and the Mediterranean Sea. On Monday, the Turkish defence ministry tweeted that "A mine was detected off Igneada near the Bulgarian border" on the Black Sea. Also read | Russian oligarchs welcome in Turkey, says Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu "The mine has been secured... and an intervention launched to neutralise it," it said. A first mine was found on Saturday and defused by the Turkish navy, after a fisherman had reported seeing it about two kilometres (1.2 miles) off Rumelifeneri, on the entrance of the Bosphorus north of Istanbul. Ankara has spoken to Ukrainian and Russian authorities to follow up "coordination on this subject," Turkey's defence minister said on Saturday. In its warning on March 19, Russia's FSB security service said that "dilapidated" mines that Ukrainians had deployed against its forces had broken from their cables and were floating in the Black Sea. Also read | Turkey says world cannot 'burn bridges' with Moscow Several days ago, Turkish authorities warned on the NAVTEX maritime alert system that there was a risk of mines floating from Ukrainian waters after being dislodged from their anchors by a storm. Underwater mines normally have to be equipped with systems that render them harmless if they break free from their anchors. But older mines could lack this safety measure, Turkish media reported. Watch | Gravitas: Turkey taking advantage of war in Ukraine?

Turkey says second mine found floating off its coast

Chinese authorities have ordered dozens of coal mines to expand production amid a nationwide energy crunch, state media reported Friday.

Dozens of mines in China's Inner Mongolia, a major coal producing region, were instructed to increase their capacity by more than 98 million tonnes in an official notice not released to the public, the state-run Securities Times reported.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/power-cuts-in-china-force-suppliers-factories-homes-to-stay-in-dark-416450">Power cuts in China force supplier’s factories, homes to stay in dark&nbsp;</a>

Nearly 60 per cent of China's energy-hungry economy is fuelled by coal, and the country has struggled to wean itself from the fuel despite its pledge to become carbon neutral by 2060.

China has been hit by widespread power cuts that have forced factories to delay production as businesses are ordered to minimize energy usage.

Record coal prices, state electricity price controls and tough emissions targets have combined to squeeze the power supply, pushing over a dozen provinces and regions to announce curbs on energy usage in recent months.

The 72 mines in Inner Mongolia were asked to "accelerate the release" of production capacity, the official Securities Times said, citing the current supply crunch as a likely factor behind the order.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/electricity-crisis-chinese-switch-to-flashlights-generators-to-meet-emission-targets-ease-coal-shortages-416787">Electricity crisis: Chinese switch to flashlights, generators to meet emission targets &amp; ease coal shortages</a>

China's coal supply has been disrupted by the pandemic, under pressure from tough emissions targets and squeezed by a drop in coal imports exacerbated by a trade tiff with Australia.

Earlier this month, coal prices hit a record high.

Meanwhile China's power needs in the first half of the year exceeded pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Energy Administration, as demand for factory goods picked up with the rest of the world emerging from Covid lockdowns.

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng had recently warned fuel companies to make sure there is enough fuel to keep the country running, according to Bloomberg News.

Chinese authorities have ordered dozens of coal mines to expand production amid a nationwide energy crunch, state media reported Friday. Dozens of mines in China's Inner Mongolia, a major coal producing region, were instructed to increase their capacity by more than 98 million tonnes in an official notice not released to the public, the state-run Securities Times reported.

Chinese authorities have ordered dozens of coal mines to expand production amid a nationwide energy crunch, state media reported Friday. Dozens of mines in China's Inner Mongolia, a major coal producing region, were instructed to increase their capacity by more than 98 million tonnes in an official notice not released to the public, the state-run Securities Times reported. Also Read | Power cuts in China force supplier’s factories, homes to stay in dark Nearly 60 per cent of China's energy-hungry economy is fuelled by coal, and the country has struggled to wean itself from the fuel despite its pledge to become carbon neutral by 2060. China has been hit by widespread power cuts that have forced factories to delay production as businesses are ordered to minimize energy usage. Record coal prices, state electricity price controls and tough emissions targets have combined to squeeze the power supply, pushing over a dozen provinces and regions to announce curbs on energy usage in recent months. The 72 mines in Inner Mongolia were asked to "accelerate the release" of production capacity, the official Securities Times said, citing the current supply crunch as a likely factor behind the order. Also Read | Electricity crisis: Chinese switch to flashlights, generators to meet emission targets & ease coal shortages China's coal supply has been disrupted by the pandemic, under pressure from tough emissions targets and squeezed by a drop in coal imports exacerbated by a trade tiff with Australia. Earlier this month, coal prices hit a record high. Meanwhile China's power needs in the first half of the year exceeded pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Energy Administration, as demand for factory goods picked up with the rest of the world emerging from Covid lockdowns. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng had recently warned fuel companies to make sure there is enough fuel to keep the country running, according to Bloomberg News.

China orders mines to up coal production by nearly 100 million tonnes: State media

Afghanistan has vast minerals reserves which are all worthy of trillion dollars and are now in the hand of Taliban fighters. In this report watch all details of copper mines from Logar Province.

Future of Mes-Aynak post Taliban takeover

Four branches of France's hardline&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-government-urges-end-to-strikes-a-week-from-euro-soccer-194">CGT&nbsp;union</a>, including railway and transport workers, threatened on Sunday to step up&nbsp;protests&nbsp;unless the government withdraws its pension reform proposal this week.

In a major&nbsp;overhaul of France's complex pension scheme, the government has proposed that people work longer to get a full pension, drawing a hostile response from trade&nbsp;unions which called for a new mass protest on Tuesday.

Concern has risen that the travel chaos that has hit the country since December 5. would extend to the year-end period

"The&nbsp;CGT&nbsp;Federations of Railway, Transport, Mines, and Energy, and Chemical Industries say that the Government has one week to announce the withdrawal of its project and the relaunch of real negotiations for the improvement of the current system," the&nbsp;union&nbsp;branches said in a joint statement

"If the Prime Minister persists in affirming that 'the country is disturbed but not blocked', the employees of the public and the private sector will draw the conclusion from this that they must redouble their mobilisation, multiply calls to strike in all companies and further increase the level of&nbsp;protests."

CGT&nbsp;leader Philippe Martinez denied that this was an ultimatum.

"If the government pulls its&nbsp;plan&nbsp;and we discuss seriously on how to improve the system everything will be fine," he told BFMTV. "Otherwise strikers will decide on Thursday or Friday on what to do."

Asked if transport might be disrupted at Christmas, Martinez said: "Today I cannot tell you. The question should be put to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Republic."

By contrast, the reform-minded CFDT&nbsp;union&nbsp;said on Sunday it was opposed to transport strikes&nbsp;over&nbsp;the Christmas period but would call for action in January if the government did not meet some of its demands, chiefly to remove the inducement to work until 64 through a system of bonuses and discounts.

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-macron-reappoints-edouard-philippe-as-pm-after-sundays-vote-17027">Edouard Philippe</a> told Le Parisien Dimanche weekly that he&nbsp;planned to meet&nbsp;unions next week, adding that he was open to negotiation.

French&nbsp;retailers and hoteliers have warned that their crucial Christmas season could be derailed if the transport strike drags on for much longer.

Four branches of France's hardline CGT union, including railway and transport workers, threatened on Sunday to step up protests unless the government withdraws its pension reform proposal this week.

Four branches of France's hardline CGT union, including railway and transport workers, threatened on Sunday to step up protests unless the government withdraws its pension reform proposal this week. In a major overhaul of France's complex pension scheme, the government has proposed that people work longer to get a full pension, drawing a hostile response from trade unions which called for a new mass protest on Tuesday. Concern has risen that the travel chaos that has hit the country since December 5. would extend to the year-end period "The CGT Federations of Railway, Transport, Mines, and Energy, and Chemical Industries say that the Government has one week to announce the withdrawal of its project and the relaunch of real negotiations for the improvement of the current system," the union branches said in a joint statement "If the Prime Minister persists in affirming that 'the country is disturbed but not blocked', the employees of the public and the private sector will draw the conclusion from this that they must redouble their mobilisation, multiply calls to strike in all companies and further increase the level of protests." CGT leader Philippe Martinez denied that this was an ultimatum. "If the government pulls its plan and we discuss seriously on how to improve the system everything will be fine," he told BFMTV. "Otherwise strikers will decide on Thursday or Friday on what to do." Asked if transport might be disrupted at Christmas, Martinez said: "Today I cannot tell you. The question should be put to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Republic." By contrast, the reform-minded CFDT union said on Sunday it was opposed to transport strikes over the Christmas period but would call for action in January if the government did not meet some of its demands, chiefly to remove the inducement to work until 64 through a system of bonuses and discounts. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told Le Parisien Dimanche weekly that he planned to meet unions next week, adding that he was open to negotiation. French retailers and hoteliers have warned that their crucial Christmas season could be derailed if the transport strike drags on for much longer.

French CGT union threatens more protests over pensions plan

Flooding at a key Coal India Ltd&nbsp;mine in Chhattisgarh will stop production there for at least 30 days, a senior Coal India Ltd official told Reuters on Wednesday.

Large parts of the Dipka mine, which has an annual production capacity of over 30 million tonnes and supplies utilities including NTPC Ltd's plant in Korba, are submerged after embankments of a nearby river broke due to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/imd-predicts-heavy-rainfall-for-bihar-himachal-pradesh-252582">heavy rainfall</a>, the official said.

"This is a huge loss for us, and is a big setback to our production goals," the Coal India official said.

He declined to be named as he is not authorized to speak to the media.&nbsp;

The flooding comes as Coal India said on Tuesday its output for the six months to end-September was down 6 per cent, with September production falling 23.5 per cent.

The state producer has targeted 660 million tonnes of coal output for the year to end-March 2020, up 8.7 per cent from 606.9 million tonnes it produced in 2018/19.

Coal accounts for about 75 pct of India's power generation, and India wants to arrest rising imports.

However, the government has failed to open the industry to competition, despite passing a liberalization policy 19 months ago.

Flooding at a key Coal India Ltd mine in Chhattisgarh will stop production there for at least 30 days, a senior Coal India Ltd official told Reuters on Wednesday.

Flooding at a key Coal India Ltd mine in Chhattisgarh will stop production there for at least 30 days, a senior Coal India Ltd official told Reuters on Wednesday. Large parts of the Dipka mine, which has an annual production capacity of over 30 million tonnes and supplies utilities including NTPC Ltd's plant in Korba, are submerged after embankments of a nearby river broke due to heavy rainfall, the official said. "This is a huge loss for us, and is a big setback to our production goals," the Coal India official said. He declined to be named as he is not authorized to speak to the media. The flooding comes as Coal India said on Tuesday its output for the six months to end-September was down 6 per cent, with September production falling 23.5 per cent. The state producer has targeted 660 million tonnes of coal output for the year to end-March 2020, up 8.7 per cent from 606.9 million tonnes it produced in 2018/19. Coal accounts for about 75 pct of India's power generation, and India wants to arrest rising imports. However, the government has failed to open the industry to competition, despite passing a liberalization policy 19 months ago.

Coal India's 30 million tonnes Dipka mine to stop output for a month on flooding

Thirteen miners died and 10 were injured after a fire caused by burning methane erupted in a mine in the east of the Czech Republic, a spokesman said Friday.

"In total, we have 13 dead miners, 11 Polish and two Czech," Ivo Celechovsky, spokesman for the OKD mining company, told AFP.

The accident occurred at the CSM mine in the city of Karvina, about 300 kilometres (200 miles) east of Prague, on Thursday afternoon.

"The blast at the CSM mine is a huge tragedy," tweeted Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who will travel to the site on Friday morning along with his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki.

Celechovsky said on Thursday the dead Polish miners were from the Poland-based Alpex mining company.

"We're one big family, it's a terrible tragedy," a Czech miner told the local Polar TV.

Czech media said Friday the accident occurred at a depth of about 3,000 feet&nbsp;and that the fire had not been put out yet.

OKD, which runs the mine, is controlled by the Czech state and expects to extract five million tonnes of coal this year.

Thirteen miners died and 10 were injured after a fire caused by burning methane erupted in a mine in the east of the Czech Republic, a spokesman said Friday. "In total, we have 13 dead miners, 11 Polish and two Czech," Ivo Celechovsky, spokesman for the OKD mining company, told AFP.

Thirteen miners died and 10 were injured after a fire caused by burning methane erupted in a mine in the east of the Czech Republic, a spokesman said Friday. "In total, we have 13 dead miners, 11 Polish and two Czech," Ivo Celechovsky, spokesman for the OKD mining company, told AFP. The accident occurred at the CSM mine in the city of Karvina, about 300 kilometres (200 miles) east of Prague, on Thursday afternoon. "The blast at the CSM mine is a huge tragedy," tweeted Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who will travel to the site on Friday morning along with his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki. Celechovsky said on Thursday the dead Polish miners were from the Poland-based Alpex mining company. "We're one big family, it's a terrible tragedy," a Czech miner told the local Polar TV. Czech media said Friday the accident occurred at a depth of about 3,000 feet and that the fire had not been put out yet. OKD, which runs the mine, is controlled by the Czech state and expects to extract five million tonnes of coal this year.

13 dead, several injured after fire in Czech mine

"It is very obvious that the army is protecting the jade business and trying to control the land", says the head of Kachin Baptist Organisation

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a country with many names. Yet, ‘land of jade’ remains the most evocative of all, at least for the distant observer. But, behind this otherwise benign sobriquet, thrives a murky world of exploitation and high-handed subversion. A seminal 12 months-long investigation by the British NGO, Global Witness (GW), reveals the nasty face of Myanmar’s jade mines: slush-filled, begrimed stretches of uneven land dotted with diminishing rocky hills, rumbling heavy machinery, and armed personnel in military fatigues. Very tellingly, Burma’s jade is a gem shackled in the unenviable politics of blood and corruption, not unlike the diamonds of Africa. What, really, is the story of Myanmar’s precious green stone? Burma’s jade is a gem shackled in the unenviable politics of blood and corruption × Stone In The Dark Myanmar holds in its womb the world’s largest deposits of jadeite, a high-value ore that yields jade, a green ornamental gemstone famous world across, and particularly in China where it is popularly known as the “stone of heaven”. While jadeite deposits in Myanmar are spread out across the country in Lone Khin (Kachin State), Hkamti Township (Sagaing Region), and Mogok (Mandalay Region), the largest ores are concentrated in the country’s remote north, in and around Kachin State’s Hpakant Township. The Burmese jade industry is massive in scale and scope: according to GW, jade worth $31 billion - nearly half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - was mined in 2014 alone, while annual profits amount to nearly $40 billion. In the first quarter of the current fiscal year, Myanmar earned $23 million from jade exports, mostly to China and India. A mere kilogram of the stone can fetch millions in overseas markets. This lucrative industry operates within the confines of a sprawling black economy controlled by the country’s post-colonial elite, secretive companies owned by the military, and local drug lords. × But, a large fraction of this lucrative industry operates within the confines of a sprawling black economy controlled by the country’s post-colonial elite, secretive companies owned by the military, and local drug lords. In fact, GW has called it the “biggest natural resource heist in modern history." The GW investigation, presented through several multimedia reports including a 7-minutes long documentary called Jade and the Generals, unapologetically unravels the full scope and nature of Burma’s nefarious jade business. The elaborate investigation - called ‘Jade: Myanmar’s Big State Secret’ - reveals an unscrupulous past, an evolving present, and a contested future for the country’s most precious natural resource. Besides cronyism and vested profiteering by domestic stakeholders, the nefarious jade industry has thrived on unyielding demand from China where the gemstone features as a prime luxury product in popular culture. China’s imperial fascination with jade has continued through the ages till this date, with most of the rough jadeite extracts from Kachin ending up in the hands of nondescript Chinese producers. According to GW’s findings, $6.2 billion worth of mine site tax was lost in 2014 alone. But, very few in the region even know what transpires in these rocky, marshy mines. × However, none of this happens legally, as exporters routinely bypass existing customs and export tax regimes. According to GW’s findings, $6.2 billion worth of mine site tax was lost in 2014 alone. But, very few in the region even know what transpires in these rocky, marshy mines. Clearly, what happens in Kachin’s jade mines stays in the mines. Stone in Shackles Burma’s jade mining is a heavily ghettoised affair. Since the Tatmadaw (military) forcefully wrested control of the Hpakant mines from the powerful Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the early 1990s, inconspicuous companies with links to the army – once the dominant organ of the Burmese state – have remained at the helm of extracting the precious stone. These include conglomerates like the military-owned Myanmar Economic Holdings (MEH) and the defence ministry-owned Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC). A large part of the jade trade is tightly controlled and protected by families of top generals from the erstwhile junta that ruled Myanmar for six decades, including former Prime Minister, Than Shwe. × To be more categorical, a large part of the jade trade is tightly controlled and protected by families of top generals from the erstwhile junta that ruled Myanmar for six decades, including former Prime Minister, Than Shwe, and senior minister in Kachin State, Ohn Myint. Most of these shadow businesses are shielded from public view via front companies and shell entities based in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. “Most of the jade companies are connected to the army. It is very obvious that the army is protecting the jade business and trying to control the land,” the head of Kachin Baptist Organisation (KBO) is heard saying in Jade and the Generals. The existence of these subcutaneous profit-making entities has created a toxic shadow economy in the region, one that is grossly extractive, corrupt, invasive, and reckless in nature. The gargantuan profits, which seem to flow in only one direction (outward from Kachin), have served little for the region’s upliftment and only deepened the pockets of a select group of powerful elites. The largely non-competitive economy is premised on a well-guarded monopoly wherein the dominant stakeholder – the Tatmadaw – keeps outside entities at bay through both direct and institutional violence. For the powerful men behind the jade trade, “outsiders” is a broad category that includes journalists, recalcitrant politicians, humanitarian workers, and even locals. Army personnel shooting at stray jade-pickers, leading to both injuries and deaths, are not uncommon in the ashen mines of Hpakant. × The GW investigation quotes locals, who have little idea of who runs day-to-day operations in the sites or who the bulldozers and trucks belong to, complaining about how they are arrested if they lay their hands on high-value jadeite. What more, army personnel shooting at stray jade-pickers, leading to both injuries and deaths, are not uncommon in the ashen mines of Hpakant. Further, the shadow operators of this trade have shown little regard for environmental ramifications of rampant mining, gorging through large jadeite deposits for maximum output. The consequences have been drastic: in November 2015, a massive landslide in the Hpakant jade fields killed 116 people and swallowed 100 others. In the GW film, we also see locals ruefully talk about disappearing jadeite hills, indicating high topographical disruption. Thus, a high-value natural resource that could have formed the backbone of the national economy is today seen as a wretched curse, mostly by local Kachins living on the capricious, blackened land. Subdued by the barrel of the gun and the ensuing sense of fear, the local population has been systematically and rather, ruthlessly deprived of the potential benefits of the jade commerce, despite being the traditional owners of the ore-rich lands. At the most, they manage to accrue minuscule profits by occasionally hand-picking leftover stones after big miners have rummaged through the ores using heavy machinery. Beyond the sight of long convoys of trucks rumbling out of the towering jadeite hills and gun-toting military personnel patrolling the mines, the world has seen very little of Burma’s jade mines. But, is discriminatory extraction the only dark side of Myanmar’s imprisoned jade mines? Stone Soaked in Blood Myanmar has been ravaged by a six decades-long violent insurgency, involving the national army and a diverse set of ethnic armed groups, or Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs), fighting for political autonomy. The protracted war has destroyed a significant portion of the country’s domestic economy, displaced millions, pauperised frontier ethnic populations, and diminished the country’s human capital dividends. A pivotal part of the GW investigation is the intersection of the armed conflict and the nefarious jade business. Both sides of the conflict - the army and the various EAOs – happen to be the prime stakeholders in the jade trade. In fact, the whole business forms a core part of the broad conflict economy that has sustained the violent civil war for so long and buttressed the self-serving, rival interests of those directly engaged in the violence. Kachin State happens to be one of the most politically contested and restive regions of the country, sitting next to the porous Chinese border. × What has particularly sharpened the intersection between political violence and the extractive mineral industry is the endemic (and unfortunate) geographical location of the jadeite mines. Kachin State happens to be one of the most politically contested and restive regions of the country, sitting next to the porous Chinese border. The desire for autonomy has always run strong in the northern frontier peoples, translating into strong support for armed struggle. This, in turn, has fostered an ideal environment for a long drawn-out tussle between the army and powerful rebel groups in the region, most prominently the KIA and United Wa State Army (UWSA), for control of the jade mines in Hpakant. The chaotic mix of such one-off endemic factors has ultimately led to unending cycles of violence, massive internal displacement, and a thriving cross-border smuggling racket. Simply put, the gemstone commerce and violence have maintained a symbiotic relationship with one feeding the other. The GW investigation categorically highlights how the KIA maintains its own systems of revenue collection in the mines. Notably, top UWSA operatives to have direct interests in the shadow business. GW points at strong evidence of a longtime drug kingpin and UWSA commander, Wei Hsueh Kang, controlling a certain group of companies that are now dominant players in the jade industry. In fact, private entities owned by Kang – who has a $2 million US bounty on his head – and other UWSA affiliates have been frontal players in the jade industry since the 1990s. Everyone wants a slice of the pie – quite a big pie here – by taking advantage of the secrecy around the whole industry and the overall lawlessness created by the insurgency. × Unsurprisingly, everyone wants a slice of the pie – quite a big pie here – by taking advantage of the secrecy around the whole industry and the overall lawlessness created by the insurgency. Thus, the gun has emerged as an effective instrument for operational control in a situation where the jade mines dole out large sums of profit for its extractors. On the other hand, the precious mines serve as near-limitless treasure chests for both the army and the rebel groups to maintain their ranks, arsenal, and strike capacities, in addition to surplus profits. In a way, whoever controls the mines, enjoys the upper hand in the near-symmetric conflict. Jade and Democracy Myanmar today stands at the crossroads of history, with a popularly-elected government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi spearheading the country’s landmark transition to democracy. A key component of this transition is an ambitious peace process that intends to engage almost all ethnic groups that operate in the country. The ultimate aim is to reach a permanent negotiated settlement based on a federal structure, much like the one envisaged by Suu Kyi’s father and pioneer of Burmese democracy, General Aung San, in 1947. But, does every political actor in Myanmar want peace? Enter, jade. An end to the conflict would mean greater transparency and fairness in administrative dealings in addition to new institutional safeguards against unilateral actions by private entities. × The highly rewarding jade industry is, unquestionably, one of the key hurdles between the Suu Kyi administration and an effective national peace deal. An end to the conflict would mean greater transparency and fairness in administrative dealings in addition to new institutional safeguards against unilateral actions by private entities. This openness would be highly disadvantageous for the shadow operators of the jade trade, who have traditionally benefited from the opaqueness of the transactional environment, institutional corruption, and absence of legal safeguards. Naturally, the powerful benefactors of this trade would do everything in their capacity to maintain the status quo. GW’s investigation, once again, sheds light on this aspect. It reveals a certain ‘recognisable pattern’ of conflict intensification in light of fresh scrutiny by the new civilian government. In April 2016, just a few weeks after Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), came to power in Nay Pyi Taw, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment toured Hpakant for an inspection of the mines. The visit was immediately followed by fresh military offensives by the army against KIA. Since then, the fighting has only gotten worse, with thousands displaced and rendered impoverished due to lack of basic resources and no access to humanitarian services. The deliberate flare-up in violence was a clear attempt by the Tatmadaw – the key benefactor of the jade trade – to deflect attention from potential reforms under a democratic state structure. What was perhaps more surprising was the government’s refusal to grant access to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar for her proposed visit to Hpakant, something that she mentioned bluntly in her January 2017 report. Clearly, even the reformed Burmese state is hesitant to open its jade mines up to public scrutiny. Clearly, even the reformed Burmese state is hesitant to open its jade mines up to public scrutiny × But, it would be wrong to say that the Suu Kyi government has blindly protected the shady jade business. In fact, a lot of progressive action has been undertaken by her administration on this front. After all, no ‘ethically upright’ country would want to invest in a country that runs a parallel shadow business. In July 2016, barely three months since it came to power, the NLD government moved to halt fresh licensing of mines in Hpakant till a revised legal framework is not put in place. The new licenses, to be doled out pursuant to a fresh gemstone law, will also follow a certain Environment Management Plan (EMP) that the Department of Mines is currently preparing. However, the moratorium does not cover extensions of previous licenses and those that are yet to lapse. Hence, operators continue to mine jade in Hpakant and are lobbying for favourable laws so as to continue their activities. On 11 July, moreover, the national parliament approved amendments to the Special Commodity Tax Law (2016) that would render revenue collection on items like jade more effective. Despite the progress made, the civilian administration remains apprehensive of taking full-spectrum action against illegal jade mining and trading: bringing past offenders to account and cleansing the mines of nondescript operators. The reason behind this is apparent: the military controls most of the mining business, and the fledgling civilian administration remains hesitant to indict the powerful Generals out of fear of forceful subversion. This skewed dynamic has emerged as a peculiar, and rather reverting, feature of post-2015 Burmese democracy and is continually redefining state-society relations in the country. Without negotiating this impasse, the popular government would find it impossible to effect multi-sectoral reforms. The Way Forward The jade issue is intrinsically tied to political aspirations of the Kachins, who seem to be fast losing faith in the Suu Kyi administration, and forms a core element in the ethnic desire for greater autonomy. × The government of Suu Kyi must tackle the jade business on a priority basis, for it could be the key to managing the violent conflict in the north and achieving a durable ceasefire. The jade issue is intrinsically tied to political aspirations of the Kachins, who seem to be fast losing faith in the Suu Kyi administration, and forms a core element in the ethnic desire for greater autonomy. As GW points out, past experiences of conflict resolution in Kachin have proved that imposing a ceasefire or disarming rebel armies without dealing with the root causes of the violence is an exercise in vain. But, what does tackling the jade issue even entail? The idea is not to completely stop jade mining and the commerce around it but to simply allow the local community to decide how it is to be undertaken. This is because they are the ones who face the direct consequences of the mining. × In the short term, it involves ensuring open access to critical information about day-to-day operations, equitable sharing of profits amongst national and local stakeholders, local ownership of profits, installing an environmental protection regime, instituting legal safeguards against rights abuses, and democratising the decision-making structure around the entire business. The idea is not to completely stop jade mining and the commerce around it but to simply allow the local community to decide how it is to be undertaken. This is because they are the ones who face the direct consequences of the mining. One local Kachin activist puts its aptly, “My dream is a situation where communities are allowed to choose themselves which [mining] company is best.” At the core of democratising the industry, lies throwing open the information matrix to the public. GW highlights how "ordinary people have been unable to access basic data on which companies hold mining licences; who those companies’ real owners are; how licences are allocated; what the terms of their contracts are; what they are paying the government; and how much they are producing.” This information black hole has fueled greater suspicion and lack of trust, triggering in turn, political violence. Furthermore, the introduction of legal safeguards against corruption and human rights abuses must be part of a broader framework of labour rights protection and commercial ethics, wherein the state ensures that industry owners do not exploit locals for their own benefit or to maximise outputs. All stakeholders must have institutional grievance redressal mechanisms to voice their concerns, rather than resorting to violence for resolution. Needless to say, the jade industry must be a central agenda point in the ongoing peace process. Without addressing this, a permanent ceasefire in the north will remain a distant dream. Giving back control over natural resources – a penumbral component of land-oriented local identity – to the local community would automatically pave the way for deeper consensus on other political and economic issues between the union government and the frontier populations. Thus, Myanmar’s emancipatory shift to democracy will remain incomplete if its precious green gemstone remains imprisoned. There is little doubt that the powerful forces, which benefit from the trade, will continue to defend the status quo, largely by force. But, Nay Pyi Taw has to step in and stand tall to establish rule of law and a robust regulatory regime before its too late.

How jade, the precious stone, is funding ethnic conflicts in Myanmar

Afghanistan&#39;s campaign to clear millions of landmines left by the Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war is in danger of stalling, as international aid slumps and militant violence makes more of the country inaccessible. 
 
The mammoth task, vital to the country&#39;s economic recovery, was to have been completed by 2013, and nearly four fifths of the country is now considered mine free. 
 
But slowing progress means the deadline set by the international community was pushed back 10 years, and even that looks a tall order in a country that remains one of the most heavily mined in the world. 
 
&quot;The longer these minefields last, the higher the human cost,&quot; said Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, chief of the Afghan government&#39;s Directorate of Mine Action Coordination. 
 
&quot;They kill and maim people, prevent economic growth, investment, and tourism, hurt livelihoods and cause psychological fear that cannot end until they are gone.&quot; 
 
Nearly 600 square km of old minefields and battlefields remain to be cleared, encompassing more than 3,000 known sites and affecting 1,570 communities, according to the United Nations. 
 
One such area lies near the Salang Pass, some 80 km (50 miles) north of Kabul, where earlier this month mine clearers dressed in bulky blue kevlar armour and protective face masks lumbered slowly across fields waving metal detectors before them. 
 
When they hear a warning beep, they painstakingly scrape layers of soil and rock away by hand until the metal object is revealed. Sometimes it is an old drinks can. Here it is more likely to be a rusty mortar shell or old Soviet land mine. 
 
&quot;I choose this profession to serve my country and feed my family,&quot; said Abdul Wakil, a deminer working for a company contracted by the government. 
 
Standing on a hill where any step could be his last, Wakil shrugs off the risk. 
 
&quot;There are dangers, but we have to cope with it to provide a better environment for our people.&quot; 
 
RISKS RISING AGAIN 
 
Recently the crew made a potentially deadly find: a 30-year-old landmine connected by trip wire to a grenade. 
 
From April to June, at least 28 people were killed and 53 wounded by landmines and other unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, according to the government. 
 
That is sharply down from the average of 507 casualties per quarter recorded in 2001, when the Taliban regime was toppled by a U.S.-led military operation. But it is an increase over the same period last year, when 38 civilians were killed or injured. 
 
Nearly 80 percent of casualties from landmines and other explosives this year were children, the United Nations said. 
 
&quot;It is like one war on top of another,&quot; said Abdul Qadir Halimi, a liaison between the Afghan government and demining organizations, as he dropped a shattered hunk of metal back into a pile of grenades, mortar shells, and bullets that testify to ferocious battles that haunt these hills. 
 
Demining has always been a dangerous job, but increasing insurgent violence around the country has meant clearance operations are limited to fewer areas, and deminers face more risks. 
 
In the first six months of 2016, they faced 25 security incidents, with six people killed and nine wounded. Another 67 were kidnapped and eventually released. In 2015, 35 incidents were recorded, with eight killed, 34 wounded and 63 kidnapped. 
 
&quot;Security is an increasing problem,&quot; Yosufi said. 
 
Officials said there were recorded minefields or other hazardous areas in at least 26 of Afghanistan&#39;s 34 provinces that are now too dangerous for clearance operations. 
 
In some cases, insurgents or criminals have targeted deminers. In others, Taliban fighters have respected them. 
 
Ghulam Dastigir, a team leader, said his demining identification card may have saved him when militants pulled him and other passengers off a bus. 
 
WHERE IS THE MONEY? 
 
International funding earmarked for demining in 2016 is $22 million, a fraction of the $85 million United Nations officials say is needed. 
 
Donations have plunged since 2011, when donors provided $97 million for demining. At the same time, yearly funding needs have increased, partly due to more minefields being discovered and partly because of the shortfall in past years. 
 
Last year $38 million was provided for demining, out of $65.9 million required. 
 
Afghan and U.N. officials fear that this year&#39;s total may not be enough, as international attention and spending shifts to other conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq. 
 
&quot;If these concerns continue, there is a risk we won&#39;t be able to attain our goal of clearing the country by 2023,&quot; Yosufi said. 
 
The United States, the largest contributor to demining programmes, said it was committed to maintaining support of around $20 million per year, but that work was needed to encourage others to do the same. 
 
&quot;The United States has actively worked in diplomatic channels to re-energize other international donor nations to keep this effort moving forward,&quot; said David McKeeby, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State&#39;s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. 
 
Representatives of some previous donor nations that have reduced or ended funding for demining in Afghanistan did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
McKeeby added: &quot;The United States, together with our many international partners, has helped Afghanistan make significant progress. Despite this progress, much work remains before Afghanistan reaches its goal of becoming mine free by 2023.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The target was to be achieved by 2013, and four fifths of the country is currently considered mine free

Afghanistan's campaign to clear millions of landmines left by the Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war is in danger of stalling, as international aid slumps and militant violence makes more of the country inaccessible. The mammoth task, vital to the country's economic recovery, was to have been completed by 2013, and nearly four fifths of the country is now considered mine free. But slowing progress means the deadline set by the international community was pushed back 10 years, and even that looks a tall order in a country that remains one of the most heavily mined in the world. "The longer these minefields last, the higher the human cost," said Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, chief of the Afghan government's Directorate of Mine Action Coordination. "They kill and maim people, prevent economic growth, investment, and tourism, hurt livelihoods and cause psychological fear that cannot end until they are gone." Nearly 600 square km of old minefields and battlefields remain to be cleared, encompassing more than 3,000 known sites and affecting 1,570 communities, according to the United Nations. One such area lies near the Salang Pass, some 80 km (50 miles) north of Kabul, where earlier this month mine clearers dressed in bulky blue kevlar armour and protective face masks lumbered slowly across fields waving metal detectors before them. When they hear a warning beep, they painstakingly scrape layers of soil and rock away by hand until the metal object is revealed. Sometimes it is an old drinks can. Here it is more likely to be a rusty mortar shell or old Soviet land mine. "I choose this profession to serve my country and feed my family," said Abdul Wakil, a deminer working for a company contracted by the government. Standing on a hill where any step could be his last, Wakil shrugs off the risk. "There are dangers, but we have to cope with it to provide a better environment for our people." RISKS RISING AGAIN Recently the crew made a potentially deadly find: a 30-year-old landmine connected by trip wire to a grenade. From April to June, at least 28 people were killed and 53 wounded by landmines and other unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, according to the government. That is sharply down from the average of 507 casualties per quarter recorded in 2001, when the Taliban regime was toppled by a U.S.-led military operation. But it is an increase over the same period last year, when 38 civilians were killed or injured. Nearly 80 percent of casualties from landmines and other explosives this year were children, the United Nations said. "It is like one war on top of another," said Abdul Qadir Halimi, a liaison between the Afghan government and demining organizations, as he dropped a shattered hunk of metal back into a pile of grenades, mortar shells, and bullets that testify to ferocious battles that haunt these hills. Demining has always been a dangerous job, but increasing insurgent violence around the country has meant clearance operations are limited to fewer areas, and deminers face more risks. In the first six months of 2016, they faced 25 security incidents, with six people killed and nine wounded. Another 67 were kidnapped and eventually released. In 2015, 35 incidents were recorded, with eight killed, 34 wounded and 63 kidnapped. "Security is an increasing problem," Yosufi said. Officials said there were recorded minefields or other hazardous areas in at least 26 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces that are now too dangerous for clearance operations. In some cases, insurgents or criminals have targeted deminers. In others, Taliban fighters have respected them. Ghulam Dastigir, a team leader, said his demining identification card may have saved him when militants pulled him and other passengers off a bus. WHERE IS THE MONEY? International funding earmarked for demining in 2016 is $22 million, a fraction of the $85 million United Nations officials say is needed. Donations have plunged since 2011, when donors provided $97 million for demining. At the same time, yearly funding needs have increased, partly due to more minefields being discovered and partly because of the shortfall in past years. Last year $38 million was provided for demining, out of $65.9 million required. Afghan and U.N. officials fear that this year's total may not be enough, as international attention and spending shifts to other conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq. "If these concerns continue, there is a risk we won't be able to attain our goal of clearing the country by 2023," Yosufi said. The United States, the largest contributor to demining programmes, said it was committed to maintaining support of around $20 million per year, but that work was needed to encourage others to do the same. "The United States has actively worked in diplomatic channels to re-energize other international donor nations to keep this effort moving forward," said David McKeeby, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Representatives of some previous donor nations that have reduced or ended funding for demining in Afghanistan did not respond to requests for comment. McKeeby added: "The United States, together with our many international partners, has helped Afghanistan make significant progress. Despite this progress, much work remains before Afghanistan reaches its goal of becoming mine free by 2023." (Reuters)

Afghan goal of mine-free country hampered by funding cuts, insurgency

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