Stories written by Chris Arsenault

Mexican Official: CIA ‘Manages’ Drug Trade

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and other international security forces "don't fight drug traffickers", a spokesman for the Chihuahua state government in northern Mexico has told Al Jazeera, instead "they try to manage the drug trade".

U.S. Allies Call for Drug Legalisation

The Summit of the Americas, normally a subdued tri-annual gathering of regional leaders, could be more interesting than usual this year, as right-wing governments are set to clash with their U.S. allies over the war on drugs.

Websites Black Out over “SOPA Censorship”

The number one rule young journalists are taught when starting radio broadcasting is simple: No dead air. Cough into the microphone if you must, but don't allow silence to creep in.

The Dragon Goes Shopping in South America

The small restaurants and shops selling plastic sandals, tacky umbrellas, kitchen wares and paper lanterns in Buenos Aires's Chinatown do not give the impression of impending economic dominance.

TRADE: Glencore: Profiteering From Hunger and Chaos

The rapid rise in prices for food, fuel and commodities has been disastrous for the world's poor, including Indonesian market vendor Lia Romi. But it's a bonanza for multinational trading firms such as Glencore.

Peak oil theory predicts that production will reach a maximum point and then fall fairly sharply as demand outpaces possible supply.  Credit: wikimedia commons

OIL: A Market Psychology of Fear?

With or without a binding deal at the climate talks in Copenhagen this month, it seems the world may have to cut its oil consumption, as emerging geological and economic trends limit the availability and affordability of petroleum.

Malalai Joya Credit: Chris Arsenault/IPS

Q&A: “Karzai Assigned a Rabbit to Take Care of the Carrot”

In the aftermath of national elections widely condemned as fraudulent, the United States and its allies are wondering what to do about Afghanistan.

Schoolteacher Rick Koechl worries about sour gas wells near his home.  Credit: Chris Arsenault/IPS

ENERGY-CANADA: “It’s Like the Wild West Out Here”

The once serene road to Tim and Linda Ewert's organic farm near Tomslake in northeastern British Columbia has become a mess of dust clouds, drilling rigs and hordes of pick-up trucks as the area transforms into the newest frontier of Canada's natural gas boom.

Unknown saboteurs have blown up six sour gas pipelines in northern Canada.  Credit: Chris Arsenault/IPS

ENERGY: Pipeline Sabotage Blows Image of Stable Canada

North America's largest natural gas corporation hopes a one-million-dollar bounty will take down the saboteur who is blowing up their pipelines in northern Canada.

Jeff Rubin Credit: Chris Arsenault/IPS

Q&A: "The Global Crisis Is Really About a 140-dollar Barrel of Oil"*

Sitting in the restaurant of Vancouver's posh Fairmount Waterfront Hotel, the former chief economist for one of Canada's largest banks doesn't seem like the typical apocalyptic peak oil theorist.



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