A vicious cycle linking the depletion of natural resources with violent conflict may have gone past the point of no return in parts of the world and is likely to be exacerbated by climate change, a report said on Thursday.

Food insecurity, lack of water and the impact of natural disasters, combined with high population growth, are stoking conflict and displacing people in vulnerable areas, the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) think-tank said.

IEP uses data from the United Nations and other sources to predict the countries and regions most at risk in its "Ecological Threat Register".

Serge Stroobants, IEP director for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa said the report identified 30 "hotspot" countries - home to 1.26 billion people - as facing most risks.

This is based on three criteria relating to scarcity of resources, and five focusing on disasters including floods, droughts and rising temperatures.

"We don't even need climate change to see potential system collapse, just the impact of those eight ecological threats can lead to this - of course climate change is reinforcing it," Stroobants said.

Afghanistan gets the worst score on the report, which says its ongoing conflict has damaged its ability to cope with risks to water and food supplies, climate change, and alternating floods and droughts.

Conflict in turn leads to further resource degradation, according to the findings.

Six seminars including governments, military institutions and development groups last year returned the message that "it is unlikely that the international community will reverse the vicious cycles in some parts of the world", IEP said.

This is particularly the case in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, which has seen more and worsening conflicts over the last decade, it said.

"With tensions already escalating, it can only be expected that climate change will have an amplifying effect on many of these issues," the report said.

A vicious cycle linking the depletion of natural resources with violent conflict may have gone past the point of no return in parts of the world and is likely to be exacerbated by climate change, a report said on Thursday.

A vicious cycle linking the depletion of natural resources with violent conflict may have gone past the point of no return in parts of the world and is likely to be exacerbated by climate change, a report said on Thursday. Food insecurity, lack of water and the impact of natural disasters, combined with high population growth, are stoking conflict and displacing people in vulnerable areas, the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) think-tank said. IEP uses data from the United Nations and other sources to predict the countries and regions most at risk in its "Ecological Threat Register". Serge Stroobants, IEP director for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa said the report identified 30 "hotspot" countries - home to 1.26 billion people - as facing most risks. This is based on three criteria relating to scarcity of resources, and five focusing on disasters including floods, droughts and rising temperatures. "We don't even need climate change to see potential system collapse, just the impact of those eight ecological threats can lead to this - of course climate change is reinforcing it," Stroobants said. Afghanistan gets the worst score on the report, which says its ongoing conflict has damaged its ability to cope with risks to water and food supplies, climate change, and alternating floods and droughts. Conflict in turn leads to further resource degradation, according to the findings. Six seminars including governments, military institutions and development groups last year returned the message that "it is unlikely that the international community will reverse the vicious cycles in some parts of the world", IEP said. This is particularly the case in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, which has seen more and worsening conflicts over the last decade, it said. "With tensions already escalating, it can only be expected that climate change will have an amplifying effect on many of these issues," the report said.

Climate change set to worsen resource degradation, conflict, report says

A Baloch political activist has accused <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-government-raises-partial-airspace-ban-matter-with-pakistan-216393&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiX79iNzojiAhUfTI8KHSvWATsQFjACegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2mLiBFt0MWC2FIqtRJMXQ5">Pakistan </a>of taking away the resources and eliminating the people of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-launches-protest-with-iran-over-inaction-against-balochistan-bus-attack-211987&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi0xoTS0YjiAhXMqo8KHVZUAxwQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw33taDvAponKZBG3vYZ_8H3">Balochistan</a>, the province with immense geo-strategic importance and huge untapped natural resource reserves.

Karima Baloch, former chairperson of Baloch Students Organisation - Azad said in a recent interview, "Pakistan always talks about acquiring the land. They don`t want the Baloch people but want the resources there. It has been its policy of exploiting the resources and make use of its geo-strategic importance since a pro-freedom struggle is ongoing in Balochistan."

Balochistan, which is Pakistan`s largest province, is rich in natural reserves including gold, copper, oil, valuable stones, chromite and natural gas.

It has an oceanic coastline that stretches along with one of the world`s most important shipping routes i.e., the Straits of Hormuz. Despite being rich in natural resources, the people in Balochistan are deprived of employment, quality education and clean drinking water.

The people of Balochistan are fighting a decades-long war over their rights with Pakistan, but are being labelled as traitors and extremists. Karima Baloch said, "If raising a voice for our rights is extremism then we are extremists. They have occupied our province by using force. Pakistan always talks about the freedom of Kashmiris at various international forums. Why Pakistan did not criticize the Kashmiris then? If speaking about freedom and preserving our culture, language and territory is extremism, then we are extremists. They can call us anything, but we will not stop our struggle."

A large number of political activists, intellectuals and students have gone missing from Balochistan in the past few years. These people have been allegedly abducted by the Frontier Corps (FC) and other intelligence agencies including ISI, and are languishing in detention centres.

Family members of the missing persons have alleged that they are being brutally tortured without any crime."In Pakistan, no one listens about the missing persons. The Frontier Corps, intelligence agencies and the Army kidnap innocent civilians in broad daylight. They are not answerable to the court. It`s a country where the judiciary is weak and the Army and intelligence agencies are powerful."

The difficulties of Baloch people have multiplied since the launch of the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project as the Pakistan Army has intensified its operations to ensure safe passage to China in Balochistan.

China is investing huge money in building infrastructure at the deep-sea port in Gwadar, which it says, will be used as the hub of transit goods to rest of Asia and Europe.

A Baloch political activist has accused Pakistan of taking away the resources and eliminating the people of Balochistan, the province with immense geo-strategic importance and huge untapped natural resource reserves.

A Baloch political activist has accused Pakistan of taking away the resources and eliminating the people of Balochistan, the province with immense geo-strategic importance and huge untapped natural resource reserves. Karima Baloch, former chairperson of Baloch Students Organisation - Azad said in a recent interview, "Pakistan always talks about acquiring the land. They don`t want the Baloch people but want the resources there. It has been its policy of exploiting the resources and make use of its geo-strategic importance since a pro-freedom struggle is ongoing in Balochistan." Balochistan, which is Pakistan`s largest province, is rich in natural reserves including gold, copper, oil, valuable stones, chromite and natural gas. It has an oceanic coastline that stretches along with one of the world`s most important shipping routes i.e., the Straits of Hormuz. Despite being rich in natural resources, the people in Balochistan are deprived of employment, quality education and clean drinking water. The people of Balochistan are fighting a decades-long war over their rights with Pakistan, but are being labelled as traitors and extremists. Karima Baloch said, "If raising a voice for our rights is extremism then we are extremists. They have occupied our province by using force. Pakistan always talks about the freedom of Kashmiris at various international forums. Why Pakistan did not criticize the Kashmiris then? If speaking about freedom and preserving our culture, language and territory is extremism, then we are extremists. They can call us anything, but we will not stop our struggle." A large number of political activists, intellectuals and students have gone missing from Balochistan in the past few years. These people have been allegedly abducted by the Frontier Corps (FC) and other intelligence agencies including ISI, and are languishing in detention centres. Family members of the missing persons have alleged that they are being brutally tortured without any crime."In Pakistan, no one listens about the missing persons. The Frontier Corps, intelligence agencies and the Army kidnap innocent civilians in broad daylight. They are not answerable to the court. It`s a country where the judiciary is weak and the Army and intelligence agencies are powerful." The difficulties of Baloch people have multiplied since the launch of the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project as the Pakistan Army has intensified its operations to ensure safe passage to China in Balochistan. China is investing huge money in building infrastructure at the deep-sea port in Gwadar, which it says, will be used as the hub of transit goods to rest of Asia and Europe.

Pakistan don't need Baloch, but their resources, claims activist

Resource stocks were on a roll in Asia on Thursday as oil prices hit heights not seen since late 2014, though the potential boost to inflation globally also pressured fixed-income assets. Brent crude futures climbed another 34 cents in early trade to $73.82 a barrel, adding to a 2.7 percent jump overnight. U.S. crude gained 30 cents to $68.77.

The surge came on a Reuters report that OPEC’s new price hawk Saudi Arabia would be happy for crude to rise to $80 or even $100, a sign Riyadh will seek no changes to a supply-cutting deal even though the agreement’s original target is within sight.

“The Saudis and their colleagues in OPEC need higher oil for their fiscal positions and the Kingdom is on a bold – and costly – reform program,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and FX provider AxiTrader. “So, they might continue to squeeze the lemon while they have the chance and the hand.”

The leap in oil combined with fears that sanctions on Russia could hit supplies of other commodities to light a fire under the entire sector. Aluminium prices reached their highest since 2011, alumina touched an all-time peak and nickel jumped the most in 6-1/2 years. Such increases, if sustained, could fuel inflationary pressures and investors hedged by selling sovereign bonds.

Yields on U.S. two-year Treasuries climbed to levels last visited in 2008 at 2.43 percent while 10-year yields jumped 6 basis points to 2.87 percent. Resource stocks were the big winners driving Australia’s main index up 0.6 percent. Japan’s Nikkei gained 0.4 percent, led by a 1.8 percent rise in basic material stocks.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.15 percent, while E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 edged up 0.1 percent. Wall Street had also seen hefty gains in the energy and industrial indexes, though that was offset by softness in sectors such as consumer staples and financials.

IBM’s 7.5 percent drop was the biggest drag on the S&P after the technology company’s quarterly profit margins missed Wall Street targets. The Dow ended down 0.16 percent, while the S&P 500 gained 0.08 percent and the Nasdaq 0.19 percent.

In currency markets, the U.S. dollar remained very much range bound with its index flat at 89.623. It was a fraction firmer on the yen at 107.33 yen, but still short of recent peaks at 107.78. The euro hovered at $1.2379, after easing from the week’s top of $1.2413.

The Canadian dollar hit a one-week low after the Bank of Canada sounded more dovish than expected, saying it did not know when or how aggressive it would need to be on tightening in order to keep inflation in check.

Sterling was softer at $1.4205 after a surprisingly tame reading on inflation led the market to reconsider the likely pace of future rate rises from the Bank of England. Data out on New Zealand on Thursday showed annual inflation there had slowed to just 1.1 percent in the first quarter, underlining expectations that interest rates would remain at record lows for many more months to come.

Resource stocks were on a roll in Asia on Thursday as oil prices hit heights not seen since late 2014, though the potential boost to inflation globally also pressured fixed-income assets.

Resource stocks were on a roll in Asia on Thursday as oil prices hit heights not seen since late 2014, though the potential boost to inflation globally also pressured fixed-income assets. Brent crude futures climbed another 34 cents in early trade to $73.82 a barrel, adding to a 2.7 percent jump overnight. U.S. crude gained 30 cents to $68.77. The surge came on a Reuters report that OPEC’s new price hawk Saudi Arabia would be happy for crude to rise to $80 or even $100, a sign Riyadh will seek no changes to a supply-cutting deal even though the agreement’s original target is within sight. “The Saudis and their colleagues in OPEC need higher oil for their fiscal positions and the Kingdom is on a bold – and costly – reform program,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and FX provider AxiTrader. “So, they might continue to squeeze the lemon while they have the chance and the hand.” The leap in oil combined with fears that sanctions on Russia could hit supplies of other commodities to light a fire under the entire sector. Aluminium prices reached their highest since 2011, alumina touched an all-time peak and nickel jumped the most in 6-1/2 years. Such increases, if sustained, could fuel inflationary pressures and investors hedged by selling sovereign bonds. Yields on U.S. two-year Treasuries climbed to levels last visited in 2008 at 2.43 percent while 10-year yields jumped 6 basis points to 2.87 percent. Resource stocks were the big winners driving Australia’s main index up 0.6 percent. Japan’s Nikkei gained 0.4 percent, led by a 1.8 percent rise in basic material stocks. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.15 percent, while E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 edged up 0.1 percent. Wall Street had also seen hefty gains in the energy and industrial indexes, though that was offset by softness in sectors such as consumer staples and financials. IBM’s 7.5 percent drop was the biggest drag on the S&P after the technology company’s quarterly profit margins missed Wall Street targets. The Dow ended down 0.16 percent, while the S&P 500 gained 0.08 percent and the Nasdaq 0.19 percent. In currency markets, the U.S. dollar remained very much range bound with its index flat at 89.623. It was a fraction firmer on the yen at 107.33 yen, but still short of recent peaks at 107.78. The euro hovered at $1.2379, after easing from the week’s top of $1.2413. The Canadian dollar hit a one-week low after the Bank of Canada sounded more dovish than expected, saying it did not know when or how aggressive it would need to be on tightening in order to keep inflation in check. Sterling was softer at $1.4205 after a surprisingly tame reading on inflation led the market to reconsider the likely pace of future rate rises from the Bank of England. Data out on New Zealand on Thursday showed annual inflation there had slowed to just 1.1 percent in the first quarter, underlining expectations that interest rates would remain at record lows for many more months to come.

Global stocks: Resource stocks rally as oil surges, bonds suffer

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