Exploitation of Western Sahara’s natural resources
For more than two decades, Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) has documented the exploitation of Western Sahara’s natural resources. Ahead of the UN Secretary-General’s forthcoming report and the Security Council’s renewal of the MINURSO mandate, WSRW has written to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council members urging them to bring the resource question firmly into the UN’s political process.
WSRW’s concern is not simply what might happen in the future. The economic and physical landscape of Western Sahara is already being transformed. Fisheries, large-scale agricultural projects, phosphate exports, renewable energy and emerging green hydrogen plans are creating infrastructure, commercial interests and economic dependencies in a territory whose decolonisation is pending.
OPEC+ keeps oil production goals for Oct equal
The OPEC+ grouping of major oil producers said on Sunday it kept its output policy unchanged for as the nations need to agree new quotas before deciding next output steps.
The meeting of seven core OPEC+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Oman — comes as the Iran war continues to disrupt oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting OPEC+’s influence over prices and market share.
In August, OPEC agreed its production boost for September, completing a phased rollback of a 1.65 million-barrel-per-day supply cut first agreed in 2023.
US gas output and demand set for record highs in fy2027
US natural gas supply and demand are expected to reach record highs in 2026 and 2027, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook.
Dry natural gas production is projected to increase from a record 107.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2025 to 111.7 bcfd in 2026 and 115.9 bcfd in 2027.
Meanwhile, domestic gas consumption is forecast to rise from a record 91.9 bcfd in 2025 to 92.2 bcfd in 2026 and 94.3 bcfd in 2027.
The EIA’s September production and demand forecasts for 2026 were higher than its August estimates of 111.2 bcfd and 92.0 bcfd, respectively.
US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are also expected to increase, reaching an average of 17.4 bcfd in 2026 and 18.6 bcfd in 2027, up from a record 15.1 bcfd in 2025.
Moist fodder hits milk production
A significant fodder and silage shortage has resulted in decrease in milk production in the district. Fodder and other crops were badly affected by recent floods in the River Ravi and storm water channels A livestock farmer said his animals are physically weak due to lack of fodder.
There are more than 500,000 cows, buffaloes and other large animals in Narowal district. He said cows give seven to 10 liters of milk per day while a buffalo gives four to six liters.
Heavy rains have damaged the quality of fodder and silage due to wet conditions.
Dr Azhar Shaheen, Veterinary Officer, Livestock Department, Narowal, said that due to heavy rains and flood conditions, animals are under environmental pressure.
He said due to the lack of healthy fodder and silage for the animals, they are becoming weaker day by day. He said that milk production has decreased due to the weakness of the animals.
India’s iron ore and pellet imports climb to 11-year high
India’s iron ore and pellet imports climbed to an 11-year high in August 2026, reaching 2.22 million tonnes (mnt), according to provisional data maintained by BigMint. The sharp increase was driven by a combination of domestic supply disruptions, lower global iron ore prices, and strong demand for higher-grade raw materials from domestic steelmakers.
Of the total imports, iron ore fines and lumps accounted for approximately 1.1 mnt, while pellet imports stood at around 0.5 mnt.
Brazil remained the largest supplier to India during the month, contributing nearly 0.9 mnt. Meanwhile, Australian iron ore shipments to India resumed after a five-month hiatus, providing additional support to import volumes.
1,300 hectares abandoned or destroyed
Tea production in Burundi has declined by 30 percent over the past ten years, mainly due to demotivated farmers, a lack of fertilizer, and a shortage of labor. More than 1,000 hectares of plantations have been abandoned, and more than 300 others have been uprooted or destroyed. To reverse this trend, the Burundi Tea Board (OTB) is considering raising the purchase price of green tea leaves and increasing the supply of fertilizers.
The Burundian tea production is experiencing a worrying decline. According to Yves Mukundwa, Director General of the Burundi Tea Board (OTB), the price of tea has fallen by 30 percent over the past ten years.
He stated this on Thursday, September 3, 2026, during a meeting held at the Rwegura tea factory in Kayanza district, Butanyerera province, northern Burundi, for local administrative officials. The price of green leaves is a major concern.
Global coal demand set to increase in 2026
Energy market disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East are pushing global coal demand higher this year as sharp rises in natural gas prices prompt countries to turn to alternative sources, according to the IEA’s latest update on the coal sector.
Although virtually no coal shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz – as the Middle East is neither a major producer nor consumer of coal – disruptions associated with the war have nonetheless affected coal markets by driving up natural gas prices due to the huge drop in liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments through the Strait. This has encouraged higher electricity generation from coal in countries that have gas-fired power fleets and spare coal capacity, the IEA’s Coal Mid-Year Update 2026 finds. These dynamics have contributed to higher coal use in Europe, Japan, Korea, China and other markets than previously expected.