Kai Ryssdal talks to Jon Temin, head of the Sudan program for the United States Institute of Peace, about the upcoming referendum in Sudan and how it'll affect potential North and South Sudans and the world economy.

The commission appointed by the president to investigate the BP oil spill released a key chapter of its report today. It put the blame on BP, Halliburton and Transocean. But it also pointed a finger at the entire oil industry.

A series of cost cutting tactics and management failures by BP and other companies, including Halliburton, are to blame for the Gulf oil spill…

The Presidential panel's report examining Deepwater warns a disaster is likely to happen again without significant change in industry practice and government policies. Stephen Beard has more.

Kai Ryssdal talks to oil analyst Tom Kloza about his predictions on the future of price of crude, and by extension, the price at the pump.

Increasing oil prices could end the global economic recovery, according to Fatin Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency. Birol…

The International Energy Agency says the rising cost of oil could affect the global economic recovery. Stephen Beard explains.

Fatin Birol is the chief economist at the International Energy Agency. This week, Birol warns that increasing price of oil could send economic recovery efforts into a tailspin.

Major oil companies are lobbying GOP congressional representatives to act in favor of off-shore drilling. Scott Tong has more.

A new survey shows oil companies plan to increase spending more than 11 percent next year. And despite the Gulf oil spill, companies plan to spend even more on deepwater drilling. Stephen Beard has more.