After Iraqi Kurds held an independence referendum last month, the government in Baghdad — which deemed the vote unconstitutional — sent in troops. It wasn't the first time Kurds have pushed toward independence, only to be beaten.
Why it matters: It's likely not the last time, either. The complicated history behind the regional struggle spans across decades and borders, and Kurdish support for independence are coming to a head, not just in Iraq, but in neighboring countries as well.
Exxon Mobil's Q3 earnings jumped to $3.97 billion Friday, up 50% up from the $2.65 billion reported in Q3 last year, thanks to higher crude oil and natural gas prices.
Disaster impact: Exxon said Hurricane Harvey, which pummeled the Gulf Coast in August, undercut earnings by an estimated $160 million.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairwoman Lisa Murkowski has scheduled a hearing Thursday on opening the coastal plain of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration.
Why it matters: The announcement came just hours after the House approved the Senate budget blueprint. The budget is important procedurally because it paves the way for Murkowski — an Alaska Republican who favors ANWR drilling — to write ANWR legislation that's immune from filibuster in the closely divided Senate.
Flashback: Yesterday we looked at why producing oil from ANWR is no sure thing even if legislation reaches the finish line.
