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Interactive: Zika's origin and global spread

Indonesia executed four convicted drug traffickers, three of them Nigerians, in the early hours of Friday, leaving the fate of 10 others uncertain. 
 
The Africans and an Indonesian man were shot by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight on Nusakambangan Island in&nbsp;Central Java, as the government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with what it considers a war on drugs. 
 
The attorney general said on Wednesday that 14 prisoners, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed this weekend. 
 
An official said on Friday the planned executions would go ahead &quot;in stages&quot; but declined to give a timeframe. 
 
Security was stepped up at the Indonesian embassy in Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday as protesters gathered to urge Indonesia to halt the executions. Indian and Pakistani officials said they were making last-minute efforts to save their citizens. 
 
&quot;We considered several factors and decided that for now four death row inmates would be executed,&quot; Noor Rachmad, an official at the attorney general&#39;s office, told reporters shortly after Friday&#39;s executions. 
 
Just over a year ago, Indonesia executed 14 prisoners, mostly foreign drugs offenders, causing diplomatic outrage. 
 
Rights activists and governments have again called on Indonesia to abolish the death penalty. 
 
The death penalty is widely accepted by the Indonesian public, but police on Thursday had to break up a protest outside the prison by members of a migrant workers group who called for mercy for an Indonesian woman who was scheduled to be executed. 
 
Around 152 people remain on death row in the country, including convicted drug traffickers from the Philippines, France and Britain. 
 
Authorities plan to execute 16 prisoners this year and more than double that number in 2017. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The fate of remaining 10 drug convicts expected to face the firing squad still uncertain

Indonesia executed four convicted drug traffickers, three of them Nigerians, in the early hours of Friday, leaving the fate of 10 others uncertain. The Africans and an Indonesian man were shot by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight on Nusakambangan Island in Central Java, as the government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with what it considers a war on drugs. The attorney general said on Wednesday that 14 prisoners, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed this weekend. An official said on Friday the planned executions would go ahead "in stages" but declined to give a timeframe. Security was stepped up at the Indonesian embassy in Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday as protesters gathered to urge Indonesia to halt the executions. Indian and Pakistani officials said they were making last-minute efforts to save their citizens. "We considered several factors and decided that for now four death row inmates would be executed," Noor Rachmad, an official at the attorney general's office, told reporters shortly after Friday's executions. Just over a year ago, Indonesia executed 14 prisoners, mostly foreign drugs offenders, causing diplomatic outrage. Rights activists and governments have again called on Indonesia to abolish the death penalty. The death penalty is widely accepted by the Indonesian public, but police on Thursday had to break up a protest outside the prison by members of a migrant workers group who called for mercy for an Indonesian woman who was scheduled to be executed. Around 152 people remain on death row in the country, including convicted drug traffickers from the Philippines, France and Britain. Authorities plan to execute 16 prisoners this year and more than double that number in 2017. (Reuters)

Indonesia executes one local, 3 Nigerian drug convicts

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said today that Nigerian children are dying at high rates from malnutrition and disease in a growing humanitarian emergency in the northeast. 
 
The medical charity called on the United Nations (UN) to set up a steady food pipeline to the area being reclaimed by the Nigerian army from Boko Haram militants, where MSF said more than 500,000 people and possibly 800,000 have been cut off. 
 
&quot;The situation is a large-scale humanitarian disaster,&quot; MSF general director Bruno Jochum told a news briefing in Geneva. &quot;We are talking at least about pockets of what is close to a famine situation.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The medical charity called on the United Nations (UN) to set up a steady food pipeline to the area ?

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said today that Nigerian children are dying at high rates from malnutrition and disease in a growing humanitarian emergency in the northeast. The medical charity called on the United Nations (UN) to set up a steady food pipeline to the area being reclaimed by the Nigerian army from Boko Haram militants, where MSF said more than 500,000 people and possibly 800,000 have been cut off. "The situation is a large-scale humanitarian disaster," MSF general director Bruno Jochum told a news briefing in Geneva. "We are talking at least about pockets of what is close to a famine situation." (Reuters)

Nigerian children dying due to malnutrition: MSF sounds alert?

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militant group today claimed responsibility for an attack on a gas pipeline belonging to the state-run oil company in southern Nigeria. 
 
&quot;At 11:30 pm on Sunday, the NDA blew up Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) gas pipeline at Nsit-Ibom,&quot; in Akwa Ibom state, the group said in a terse statement. 
 
NNPC officials were not immediately available for comment, but the attack is bound to worsen gas supplies to power plants in a country reeling from daily outages. 
 
The Avengers have claimed a string of devastating attacks against the NNPC as well as oil majors Shell, Chevron, Exxon and Eni since February. 
 
The attacks have reduced output at a time when Nigeria is struggling with low global crude prices which have hammered government revenues, weakening the country&#39;s naira currency and pushing up inflation to near 11-year highs. 
 
The rebels want oil majors to leave the Niger delta, blaming them for contributing to widespread poverty and under-development of the region. 
 
The group also wants self-determination for the oil-producing states in the delta region and political autonomy. 
 
The Avengers have rejected a government truce to end violence. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The attack is bound to worsen gas supplies to power plants in a country reeling from daily outages.

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militant group today claimed responsibility for an attack on a gas pipeline belonging to the state-run oil company in southern Nigeria. "At 11:30 pm on Sunday, the NDA blew up Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) gas pipeline at Nsit-Ibom," in Akwa Ibom state, the group said in a terse statement. NNPC officials were not immediately available for comment, but the attack is bound to worsen gas supplies to power plants in a country reeling from daily outages. The Avengers have claimed a string of devastating attacks against the NNPC as well as oil majors Shell, Chevron, Exxon and Eni since February. The attacks have reduced output at a time when Nigeria is struggling with low global crude prices which have hammered government revenues, weakening the country's naira currency and pushing up inflation to near 11-year highs. The rebels want oil majors to leave the Niger delta, blaming them for contributing to widespread poverty and under-development of the region. The group also wants self-determination for the oil-producing states in the delta region and political autonomy. The Avengers have rejected a government truce to end violence. (AFP)

Rebels blow up state-run gas pipeline in southern Nigeria

The United Nations has made the first food aid delivery to thousands of people displaced by Boko Haram Islamists in the Nigerian town of Banki, where hundreds have starved to death since March, the UN said on Friday. 
 
Officials from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) delivered 30 tonnes of &quot;various lifesaving food items&quot; transported from neighbouring Cameroon, the OCHA said in a statement.&nbsp;The convoy reached Banki on Thursday and distributed food to the more than 25,000 people in the town, it said. 
 
&quot;An additional 700 kilograms of supplementary food for malnourished children was airlifted from the state capital Maiduguri to Banki on the same day.&quot;&nbsp;It was the first aid delivery to the thousands of internally displaced in the northeast region in the last four months following deadly Boko Haram raids. 
 
They have been without food and basic supplies and relied on paltry food handouts from soldiers who have been sharing their rations.&nbsp;Last month a soldier and a vigilante assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram told AFP at least 10 people were dying from hunger every day, highlighting warnings about a food crisis in the Sahel region. 
 
The vigilante said the cemetery in Banki, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri, was dotted with 376 graves of displaced people who died of starvation.&nbsp;The soldier said people had been reduced to &quot;walking corpses&quot; facing imminent death without food aid. 
 
When Boko Haram intensified attacks on villages in the area, residents fled to Banki where a military detachment has been based since they retook it in September.&nbsp;The United Nations said in May that 9.2 million people living around Lake Chad, which forms the border of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, were in desperate need of food. 
 
According to the OCHA aid distribution in Banki and other areas recently liberated by the Nigerian military was &quot;scaling up&quot; but more funds were needed to meet the &quot;lifesaving needs&quot; of people affected by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria. 
 
Only 28 per cent of the $279 million required by the UN to help those affected by the violence has been realised, leaving a $200 million shortfall. 
 
The Borno state government and aid agencies have warned about acute food shortages in the Lake Chad region as a result of seven years of violence. 
 
Boko Haram&#39;s insurgency has left at least 20,000 dead in Nigeria and devastated infrastructure in the impoverished northeast. The unrest has also displaced more than 2.6 million.&nbsp;Nigeria&#39;s government has been encouraging people to return home since the recapture of swathes of territory lost to the Islamist militants in 2014 but most are still largely reliant on food handouts. 
 
There have been concerns about high death rates from severe acute malnutrition in camps for the internally displaced, while it is feared some inaccessible areas could be suffering from famine.&nbsp;A UN official compared the situation with the crisis in Darfur and South Sudan. 
 
(AFP)

The camps have seen high death rates from severe acute malnutrition in camps, even famine. A UN official compared it to the Darfur crisis

The United Nations has made the first food aid delivery to thousands of people displaced by Boko Haram Islamists in the Nigerian town of Banki, where hundreds have starved to death since March, the UN said on Friday. Officials from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) delivered 30 tonnes of "various lifesaving food items" transported from neighbouring Cameroon, the OCHA said in a statement. The convoy reached Banki on Thursday and distributed food to the more than 25,000 people in the town, it said. "An additional 700 kilograms of supplementary food for malnourished children was airlifted from the state capital Maiduguri to Banki on the same day." It was the first aid delivery to the thousands of internally displaced in the northeast region in the last four months following deadly Boko Haram raids. They have been without food and basic supplies and relied on paltry food handouts from soldiers who have been sharing their rations. Last month a soldier and a vigilante assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram told AFP at least 10 people were dying from hunger every day, highlighting warnings about a food crisis in the Sahel region. The vigilante said the cemetery in Banki, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri, was dotted with 376 graves of displaced people who died of starvation. The soldier said people had been reduced to "walking corpses" facing imminent death without food aid. When Boko Haram intensified attacks on villages in the area, residents fled to Banki where a military detachment has been based since they retook it in September. The United Nations said in May that 9.2 million people living around Lake Chad, which forms the border of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, were in desperate need of food. According to the OCHA aid distribution in Banki and other areas recently liberated by the Nigerian military was "scaling up" but more funds were needed to meet the "lifesaving needs" of people affected by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria. Only 28 per cent of the $279 million required by the UN to help those affected by the violence has been realised, leaving a $200 million shortfall. The Borno state government and aid agencies have warned about acute food shortages in the Lake Chad region as a result of seven years of violence. Boko Haram's insurgency has left at least 20,000 dead in Nigeria and devastated infrastructure in the impoverished northeast. The unrest has also displaced more than 2.6 million. Nigeria's government has been encouraging people to return home since the recapture of swathes of territory lost to the Islamist militants in 2014 but most are still largely reliant on food handouts. There have been concerns about high death rates from severe acute malnutrition in camps for the internally displaced, while it is feared some inaccessible areas could be suffering from famine. A UN official compared the situation with the crisis in Darfur and South Sudan. (AFP)

UN delivers food to starving displaced by Boko Haram

Inflation surged to 16.5 per cent in Nigeria last month -- its highest level in more than decade -- as prices of imported food and energy jumped after the government stopped propping up the currency, the National Bureau of Statistics said today. 
 
The rate rose from 15.6 per cent in May, the fifth increase in as many months, the NBS said in an emailed statement. The new rate is the highest since October 2005, according to the central bank. 
 
The highest increases were seen in electricity prices, kerosene, furniture and furnishings, road passenger transport, as well as fuels and lubricants, the statistics agency said. 
 
Food prices rose 15.3 per cent year-on-year in June, compared with 14.9 per cent in May.&nbsp;Yvonne Mhango, an economist at Renaissance Capital, told Bloomberg she expected inflation to rise further in the coming months. 
 
&quot;We see inflation averaging in the mid 20 per cent by year-end, mainly because of the foreign exchange rates,&quot; she was quoted as saying. 
 
Nigerians are struggling with spiralling cost of living after a 67 per cent hike in the price of petrol in April and last month&#39;s scrapping of the peg of the Naira exchange rate at 197/199 to the Dollar.&nbsp;The Naira now trades at around 360 to the Dollar on the black market. The official rate is at about 280 to the Dollar. 
 
Nigeria, one of Africa&#39;s main oil producers, normally gets 70 per cent of its revenue from oil sales.&nbsp;But the global fall in crude prices since mid-2014 has left the government cash-strapped and even unable to pay wages. 
 
Public sector workers in most of the country&#39;s 36 states are on strike because of unpaid salaries, with some owed six months&#39; back pay.&nbsp;The International Monetary Fund has said Nigeria&#39;s economy could contract for the first time in more than two decades this year, as a fall in oil revenue and electricity shortages weigh on output. 
 
(AFP)

Public sector workers in most of the country's 36 states are on strike because of unpaid salaries, with some owed six months' back pay

Inflation surged to 16.5 per cent in Nigeria last month -- its highest level in more than decade -- as prices of imported food and energy jumped after the government stopped propping up the currency, the National Bureau of Statistics said today. The rate rose from 15.6 per cent in May, the fifth increase in as many months, the NBS said in an emailed statement. The new rate is the highest since October 2005, according to the central bank. The highest increases were seen in electricity prices, kerosene, furniture and furnishings, road passenger transport, as well as fuels and lubricants, the statistics agency said. Food prices rose 15.3 per cent year-on-year in June, compared with 14.9 per cent in May. Yvonne Mhango, an economist at Renaissance Capital, told Bloomberg she expected inflation to rise further in the coming months. "We see inflation averaging in the mid 20 per cent by year-end, mainly because of the foreign exchange rates," she was quoted as saying. Nigerians are struggling with spiralling cost of living after a 67 per cent hike in the price of petrol in April and last month's scrapping of the peg of the Naira exchange rate at 197/199 to the Dollar. The Naira now trades at around 360 to the Dollar on the black market. The official rate is at about 280 to the Dollar. Nigeria, one of Africa's main oil producers, normally gets 70 per cent of its revenue from oil sales. But the global fall in crude prices since mid-2014 has left the government cash-strapped and even unable to pay wages. Public sector workers in most of the country's 36 states are on strike because of unpaid salaries, with some owed six months' back pay. The International Monetary Fund has said Nigeria's economy could contract for the first time in more than two decades this year, as a fall in oil revenue and electricity shortages weigh on output. (AFP)

Nigerian inflation rises to 11-year high

Some 250 people who were arrested and held on suspicion of links to Boko Haram Islamists have been released and given $10, Nigeria&#39;s army said today. 
 
&quot;Yesterday (Sunday), a total of 249 cleared suspected Boko Haram terrorists and accomplices were released as approved by the chief of army staff in Maiduguri,&quot; said army spokesman Sani Usman. 
 
Colonel Usman said in a statement that those released included 169 men, 46 women and 34 children.&nbsp;They were handed over to the Borno state government in northeast Nigeria and told &quot;to remain law-abiding and go about their lawful business&quot;, he added.&nbsp;&quot;Each of them was given a token of N3,000 (naira, $10.40),&quot; he said. 
 
It was not stated how long they were all held in custody. 
 
Most of those held were from Borno, epicentre of the violence that has claimed at least 20,000 lives and made more than 2.6 million homeless since 2009.&nbsp;But one came from Lagos, 1,200 kilometres away in the southwest, and two from neighbouring Cameroon. 
 
Nigeria&#39;s military has been repeatedly criticised for the arbitrary detention of civilians during the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the remote region.&nbsp;Human rights groups have accused the army of keeping suspects in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, and have said many have died from disease, hunger, dehydration and injury. 
 
In May this year, Amnesty International called for one military detention facility in Maiduguri to be shut down after nearly 150 people, among them babies and children, died in custody.&nbsp;Troops have also been accused of carrying out torture and summary executions.&nbsp;Security analysts say arbitrary detention has robbed the military of key on-the-ground intelligence from local people as sweeping arrests have led to hostility and resentment. 
 
In February, 275 detainees were freed, including 50 children. Amnesty said none had been brought before a court or allowed access to lawyers while in detention. 
 
(AFP)

Those released included 169 men, 46 women and 34 children. They were handed over to the Borno state government in northeast Nigeria

Some 250 people who were arrested and held on suspicion of links to Boko Haram Islamists have been released and given $10, Nigeria's army said today. "Yesterday (Sunday), a total of 249 cleared suspected Boko Haram terrorists and accomplices were released as approved by the chief of army staff in Maiduguri," said army spokesman Sani Usman. Colonel Usman said in a statement that those released included 169 men, 46 women and 34 children. They were handed over to the Borno state government in northeast Nigeria and told "to remain law-abiding and go about their lawful business", he added. "Each of them was given a token of N3,000 (naira, $10.40)," he said. It was not stated how long they were all held in custody. Most of those held were from Borno, epicentre of the violence that has claimed at least 20,000 lives and made more than 2.6 million homeless since 2009. But one came from Lagos, 1,200 kilometres away in the southwest, and two from neighbouring Cameroon. Nigeria's military has been repeatedly criticised for the arbitrary detention of civilians during the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the remote region. Human rights groups have accused the army of keeping suspects in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, and have said many have died from disease, hunger, dehydration and injury. In May this year, Amnesty International called for one military detention facility in Maiduguri to be shut down after nearly 150 people, among them babies and children, died in custody. Troops have also been accused of carrying out torture and summary executions. Security analysts say arbitrary detention has robbed the military of key on-the-ground intelligence from local people as sweeping arrests have led to hostility and resentment. In February, 275 detainees were freed, including 50 children. Amnesty said none had been brought before a court or allowed access to lawyers while in detention. (AFP)

Nigerian army releases Boko Haram suspects, gives them $10

Two Indian nationals, who were kidnapped by suspected terrorists from an area called Boko near Makurdi in Benue State of Nigeria on June 29, were released today morning, said government sources. 
 
Mangapudi Srinivas, who hails from Visakhapatnam, and his colleague Kaushal Anish Sharma were released at 10.30 in the morning and had spoken to their families. 
 
Anish Sharma&#39;s wife thanked Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for ensuring their safe release. She also thanked the ministry and the mission for keeping the family informed of developments almost on daily basis. 
 
Sharma and Srinivas were reportedly travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car from their residential quarters at around 7.20 pm on June 29 when a group of armed men kidnapped them at a traffic signal. 
 
(ANI)

Anish Sharma, Mangapudi Srinivas were travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car when a group of armed men kidnapped them

Two Indian nationals, who were kidnapped by suspected terrorists from an area called Boko near Makurdi in Benue State of Nigeria on June 29, were released today morning, said government sources. Mangapudi Srinivas, who hails from Visakhapatnam, and his colleague Kaushal Anish Sharma were released at 10.30 in the morning and had spoken to their families. Anish Sharma's wife thanked Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for ensuring their safe release. She also thanked the ministry and the mission for keeping the family informed of developments almost on daily basis. Sharma and Srinivas were reportedly travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car from their residential quarters at around 7.20 pm on June 29 when a group of armed men kidnapped them at a traffic signal. (ANI)

Two Indians kidnapped in Nigeria released after fortnight

Oil prices sank in Asia today after data indicated a rise in US stockpiles, reigniting concerns about a supply glut, while profit-takers stepped in after the previous day&#39;s rally. 
 
The American Petroleum Institute reported a 2.2 million barrel rise in reserves last week, confounding expectations of a dip at the height of the crucial summer holiday driving season. 
 
The figures rattled traders as the Department of Energy prepares to release official data later today, which is considered a key gauge of demand in the world&#39;s top oil consumer. 
 
At about 0645 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell 51 cents, or 1.09 per cent, to $46.29 while Brent was 60 cents, or 1.24 per cent, lower at $47.87. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s bearish for oil if stockpiles gain because seasonally speaking, inventories tend to decline at least until mid-August,&quot; Hong Sung Ki, a commodities analyst at Samsung Futures Inc., told Bloomberg News. 
 
&quot;But of course, we need to see whether this will be a one-time gain or not,&quot; the analyst added.&nbsp; 
 
Both contracts surged almost five per cent on Tuesday from two-month lows after The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said it expected the global supply glut to ease this year and next thanks to reductions in output from producers outside the cartel, particularly the United States. 
 
Prices have fluctuated between $44 and $52 a barrel over the past month after hitting near 13-year lows below $30 in February, but a surge in OPEC production in June revived fears about oversupply. 
 
Energy information provider S&amp;P Global Platts said production from the OPEC climbed 300,000 barrels per day in June, close to an eight-year high of 32.73 million barrels per day. 
 
This is due to a tentative recovery in production in Nigeria and Libya, and a &quot;steady&quot; rise in output from Saudi Arabia and Iran, it said. 
 
&quot;We had the bulls for a couple of weeks and the bears are starting to step in,&quot; David Lennox, an analyst at Fat Prophets in Sydney, said. 
 
&quot;The market has realised that surplus that we had was disrupted, and that it is coming back because those disruptions are going away,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
Canadian producers are also gradually coming back online, restoring supply for the biggest crude supplier to the US market, after wildfires swept through the Alberta oil sands region from May to July. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The figures rattled traders as the Department of Energy prepares to release official data later today

Oil prices sank in Asia today after data indicated a rise in US stockpiles, reigniting concerns about a supply glut, while profit-takers stepped in after the previous day's rally. The American Petroleum Institute reported a 2.2 million barrel rise in reserves last week, confounding expectations of a dip at the height of the crucial summer holiday driving season. The figures rattled traders as the Department of Energy prepares to release official data later today, which is considered a key gauge of demand in the world's top oil consumer. At about 0645 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell 51 cents, or 1.09 per cent, to $46.29 while Brent was 60 cents, or 1.24 per cent, lower at $47.87. "It's bearish for oil if stockpiles gain because seasonally speaking, inventories tend to decline at least until mid-August," Hong Sung Ki, a commodities analyst at Samsung Futures Inc., told Bloomberg News. "But of course, we need to see whether this will be a one-time gain or not," the analyst added. Both contracts surged almost five per cent on Tuesday from two-month lows after The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said it expected the global supply glut to ease this year and next thanks to reductions in output from producers outside the cartel, particularly the United States. Prices have fluctuated between $44 and $52 a barrel over the past month after hitting near 13-year lows below $30 in February, but a surge in OPEC production in June revived fears about oversupply. Energy information provider S&P Global Platts said production from the OPEC climbed 300,000 barrels per day in June, close to an eight-year high of 32.73 million barrels per day. This is due to a tentative recovery in production in Nigeria and Libya, and a "steady" rise in output from Saudi Arabia and Iran, it said. "We had the bulls for a couple of weeks and the bears are starting to step in," David Lennox, an analyst at Fat Prophets in Sydney, said. "The market has realised that surplus that we had was disrupted, and that it is coming back because those disruptions are going away," he added. Canadian producers are also gradually coming back online, restoring supply for the biggest crude supplier to the US market, after wildfires swept through the Alberta oil sands region from May to July. (AFP)

Oil prices sink in Asia triggering supply glut concerns

Oil prices rebounded in Asia today after tanking nearly five per cent the day before on fresh worries about an oversupply, while traders await the release of key US jobs data. 
 
The commodity plunged Thursday in response to official figures showing US commercial inventories fell less than expected last week, indicating softer demand in the world&#39;s top oil consumer as the crucial driving season kicks in. 
 
The data added to an already downbeat mood on markets as investors worry about the longer-term fallout from Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union (EU). 
 
At around 0650 GMT, the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was up 26 cents, or 0.58 per cent, at $45.40 and Brent gained 32 cents, or 0.69 per cent, to $46.72. 
 
WTI plunged 4.8 per cent and Brent sank 4.9 per cent on Thursday after the US Department of Energy (DoE) reported stockpiles fell 2.2 million barrels in the week ending July 1. The market was expecting a 2.5 million barrel drop, according to Bloomberg News. 
 
Both contracts are more than six per cent lower down from last Friday. 
 
The DoE also reported a much smaller than expected decline in petrol stockpiles during the peak summer driving season when Americans take to the road for their holidays. Gasoline stockpiles fell 100,000 barrels, well below the forecast 350,000. 
 
IG Markets analyst Bernard Aw said traders were looking for bargains after Thursday&#39;s &quot;substantial drop&quot; in prices, but added the oversupply concerns will linger. 
 
&quot;What&#39;s even more important was the lack of decline in the gasoline inventories, given that the summer driving season in the US still has two more months to go,&quot; Aw said. 
 
&quot;Traders now fear that we could see a worsening of the supply overhang when summer is over,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
Prices were also given some support after a militant group in Nigeria, Africa&#39;s biggest oil producer, said it attacked more oil infrastructure in the country&#39;s south, ignoring a call for unity from President Muhammadu Buhari. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The data added to an already downbeat mood on markets as investors worry about the longer-term Brexit fallout

Oil prices rebounded in Asia today after tanking nearly five per cent the day before on fresh worries about an oversupply, while traders await the release of key US jobs data. The commodity plunged Thursday in response to official figures showing US commercial inventories fell less than expected last week, indicating softer demand in the world's top oil consumer as the crucial driving season kicks in. The data added to an already downbeat mood on markets as investors worry about the longer-term fallout from Britain's vote to leave the European Union (EU). At around 0650 GMT, the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was up 26 cents, or 0.58 per cent, at $45.40 and Brent gained 32 cents, or 0.69 per cent, to $46.72. WTI plunged 4.8 per cent and Brent sank 4.9 per cent on Thursday after the US Department of Energy (DoE) reported stockpiles fell 2.2 million barrels in the week ending July 1. The market was expecting a 2.5 million barrel drop, according to Bloomberg News. Both contracts are more than six per cent lower down from last Friday. The DoE also reported a much smaller than expected decline in petrol stockpiles during the peak summer driving season when Americans take to the road for their holidays. Gasoline stockpiles fell 100,000 barrels, well below the forecast 350,000. IG Markets analyst Bernard Aw said traders were looking for bargains after Thursday's "substantial drop" in prices, but added the oversupply concerns will linger. "What's even more important was the lack of decline in the gasoline inventories, given that the summer driving season in the US still has two more months to go," Aw said. "Traders now fear that we could see a worsening of the supply overhang when summer is over," he added. Prices were also given some support after a militant group in Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, said it attacked more oil infrastructure in the country's south, ignoring a call for unity from President Muhammadu Buhari. (AFP)

Oil prices rebound in Asia as investors await key US jobs data

Sierra Leone&#39;s deputy high commissioner in Nigeria has been released four days after being kidnapped in the northern state of Kaduna, officials of the two West African countries said. 
 
Major general Alfred Nelson-Williams, who was abducted on Friday while travelling from Nigeria&#39;s capital, Abuja, to Kaduna state, was freed on Tuesday at around 4 p.m. (1500 GMT). 
 
The diplomat has been reunited with his family after having &quot;regained his freedom&quot;, Nigerian police spokesman Don Awunah said in a statement, adding Williams was &quot;in good condition&quot;. Further details about the release were not disclosed. 
 
The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 40 million naira ($141,985). Sierra Leone&#39;s minister of information, Mohamed Bangura, confirmed that the diplomat was freed on Tuesday but did not say whether or not a ransom was paid. 
 
Kidnapping for ransom is a common problem in parts of Nigeria, Africa&#39;s biggest energy producer and most populous country. 
 
(Reuters)

Sierra Leone's minister of information confirmed the diplomat was freed on Tuesday but did not say whether or not a ransom was paid

Sierra Leone's deputy high commissioner in Nigeria has been released four days after being kidnapped in the northern state of Kaduna, officials of the two West African countries said. Major general Alfred Nelson-Williams, who was abducted on Friday while travelling from Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to Kaduna state, was freed on Tuesday at around 4 p.m. (1500 GMT). The diplomat has been reunited with his family after having "regained his freedom", Nigerian police spokesman Don Awunah said in a statement, adding Williams was "in good condition". Further details about the release were not disclosed. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 40 million naira ($141,985). Sierra Leone's minister of information, Mohamed Bangura, confirmed that the diplomat was freed on Tuesday but did not say whether or not a ransom was paid. Kidnapping for ransom is a common problem in parts of Nigeria, Africa's biggest energy producer and most populous country. (Reuters)

Sierra Leone diplomat reunited with family four days after abduction in northern Nigeria

Suspected militants have blown up a pipeline in Nigeria&#39;s southern delta region, the military and locals said Tuesday, the latest in a string of attacks on oil facilities that have hit production. 
 
A military officer said the attacks happened at about 10:00 pm (2100 GMT) on Monday in the Batan and Makarava areas of Delta State. 
 
&quot;The Monday night attack was an oil well head located at Makarava community, which is being operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited,&quot; he said, asking for his name to be withheld. 
 
The chairman of the Batan community, Ogugu Dickson, added, &quot;We heard three blasts at about 10:00 pm last night and this morning (Tuesday) we sent out the pipeline surveillance team to go and confirm details of the incident. 
 
&quot;From findings by the team, an NPDC (Nigerian Petroleum Development Company) manifold was blown up while an NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) pipeline, which is about 800 metres from the manifold, was also blown up,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
Nigeria is dependent on oil sales for 70 percent of government revenue 
 
The NPDC is a subsidiary of Nigeria&#39;s state-run oil firm the NNPC and is involved in oil and gas exploration and production. 
 
Militants from the Niger Delta Avengers have previously used Twitter to claim responsibility but their account @NDAvengers was marked as suspended. 
 
The group said on Sunday it had sabotaged an NNPC pipeline, two belonging to the NPDC and two Chevron-operated oil wells in Delta state over the weekend. 
 
The attacks broke a relative lull in violence in the delta region that has hit production, exacerbating a wider financial crisis in Nigeria caused by low global oil prices. 
 
The country is dependent on oil sales for 70 percent of government revenue. 
 
Nigeria&#39;s government has made moves to end the attacks, including a reported ceasefire, although the rebels denied being party to it. 
 
The resumption of violence has been prompted by a combination of factors, including dire poverty in the region and the end of a government amnesty programme for former militants active in the 2000s. 
 
(AFP)

The attacks broke a relative lull in violence in the delta region that has hit production, exacerbating a wider financial crisis in Nigeria

Suspected militants have blown up a pipeline in Nigeria's southern delta region, the military and locals said Tuesday, the latest in a string of attacks on oil facilities that have hit production. A military officer said the attacks happened at about 10:00 pm (2100 GMT) on Monday in the Batan and Makarava areas of Delta State. "The Monday night attack was an oil well head located at Makarava community, which is being operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited," he said, asking for his name to be withheld. The chairman of the Batan community, Ogugu Dickson, added, "We heard three blasts at about 10:00 pm last night and this morning (Tuesday) we sent out the pipeline surveillance team to go and confirm details of the incident. "From findings by the team, an NPDC (Nigerian Petroleum Development Company) manifold was blown up while an NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) pipeline, which is about 800 metres from the manifold, was also blown up," he said. Nigeria is dependent on oil sales for 70 percent of government revenue The NPDC is a subsidiary of Nigeria's state-run oil firm the NNPC and is involved in oil and gas exploration and production. Militants from the Niger Delta Avengers have previously used Twitter to claim responsibility but their account @NDAvengers was marked as suspended. The group said on Sunday it had sabotaged an NNPC pipeline, two belonging to the NPDC and two Chevron-operated oil wells in Delta state over the weekend. The attacks broke a relative lull in violence in the delta region that has hit production, exacerbating a wider financial crisis in Nigeria caused by low global oil prices. The country is dependent on oil sales for 70 percent of government revenue. Nigeria's government has made moves to end the attacks, including a reported ceasefire, although the rebels denied being party to it. The resumption of violence has been prompted by a combination of factors, including dire poverty in the region and the end of a government amnesty programme for former militants active in the 2000s. (AFP)

Military confirms fresh sabotage of oil facilities in Nigeria, production hit

Eleven Indians who had been languishing in a Nigerian prison for two years have been released, confirmed India&#39;s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. 
 
Employees of a Indian merchant navy firm, the crew&#39;s ship got stranded in Nigeria and the entire crew was arrested for violating laws of international waters in 2014. 
 
In a tweet, Swaraj also appreciated the efforts of Indian high commissioner in Nigeria B N Reddy for expediting their repatriation. 
 
Meanwhile, Swaraj has said that the government is making all efforts to secure the release of two Indians abducted from Gboko, a town in the Benue state of north-central Nigeria. 
 
The abducted men are Anish Sharma from Karnataka and &nbsp;Mangipudi Sai Srinivas from the southern Indian state of Andhara Pradesh. 
 
Both were travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car from their residential quarters last Wednesday, when a group of armed men kidnapped them at a traffic signal. 
 
Swaraj said that she spoke to Anish Sharma`s wife and assured her that the Government is doing its best to secure their release from abductors. 
 
In a tweet she said she has deputed a senior officer to update the family regularly.External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on Friday described the abduction as &quot;nothing surprising or new in that area&quot;, saying such incidents keep happening there. 
 
&nbsp;(ANI)&nbsp;

Employees of a merchant navy firm, their ship got stranded, and the crew was arrested for violating laws of International waters in 2014

Eleven Indians who had been languishing in a Nigerian prison for two years have been released, confirmed India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. Employees of a Indian merchant navy firm, the crew's ship got stranded in Nigeria and the entire crew was arrested for violating laws of international waters in 2014. In a tweet, Swaraj also appreciated the efforts of Indian high commissioner in Nigeria B N Reddy for expediting their repatriation. Meanwhile, Swaraj has said that the government is making all efforts to secure the release of two Indians abducted from Gboko, a town in the Benue state of north-central Nigeria. The abducted men are Anish Sharma from Karnataka and Mangipudi Sai Srinivas from the southern Indian state of Andhara Pradesh. Both were travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car from their residential quarters last Wednesday, when a group of armed men kidnapped them at a traffic signal. Swaraj said that she spoke to Anish Sharma`s wife and assured her that the Government is doing its best to secure their release from abductors. In a tweet she said she has deputed a senior officer to update the family regularly.External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on Friday described the abduction as "nothing surprising or new in that area", saying such incidents keep happening there. (ANI)

11 Indians released from Nigerian prison

The family of an Indian national kidnapped in Nigeria by suspected militants on Thursday appealed to the government to step in and secure his release. 
 
The family members of S Srinivas approached the local authorities in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh state after he and his colleague, Anish Sharma went missing while going to work on Wednesday. 
 
Both of them work with a cement company and were going to the company&#39;s plant in Gboko town in Benue state in north central Nigeria in their car, when a group of armed men kidnapped them. 
 
&quot;On Wednesday morning around 8&#39;o clock my husband was kidnapped. He works with Dangote. The head of the company informed me about his abduction this morning,&quot; said Srinivas&#39;s wife, Lalita Merena in Visakhapatnam town. 
 
She filed a police complaint in Visakhapatnam about her husband&#39;s abduction. 
 
&quot;I have filed a written complaint with the office of the police commissioner and even at the collector&#39;s office. Let&#39;s see what the government does,&quot; Merena added. 
 
Srinivas has been working as a civil engineer at the cement plant for the last three years. 
 
The local media quoted district authorities as saying that Nigerian authorities had launched an operation to find the two Indians and were in touch with the foreign ministry and as well as Indian embassy. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Both worked with a cement company, were on their way to the firm's plant in the north-central part of the country

The family of an Indian national kidnapped in Nigeria by suspected militants on Thursday appealed to the government to step in and secure his release. The family members of S Srinivas approached the local authorities in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh state after he and his colleague, Anish Sharma went missing while going to work on Wednesday. Both of them work with a cement company and were going to the company's plant in Gboko town in Benue state in north central Nigeria in their car, when a group of armed men kidnapped them. "On Wednesday morning around 8'o clock my husband was kidnapped. He works with Dangote. The head of the company informed me about his abduction this morning," said Srinivas's wife, Lalita Merena in Visakhapatnam town. She filed a police complaint in Visakhapatnam about her husband's abduction. "I have filed a written complaint with the office of the police commissioner and even at the collector's office. Let's see what the government does," Merena added. Srinivas has been working as a civil engineer at the cement plant for the last three years. The local media quoted district authorities as saying that Nigerian authorities had launched an operation to find the two Indians and were in touch with the foreign ministry and as well as Indian embassy. (Reuters)

Two Indians abducted by gunmen in Nigeria

Oil prices fell in early trade on Thursday, with Brent futures struggling to defend $50 per barrel as fears over strike outages in Norway faded and as Nigeria&#39;s production improved. 
 
Brent Blend is a type of sweet crude oil that is used as a benchmark for the prices of other crude oils. It&nbsp;is most often found in parts of the North Sea off the coast of the UK&nbsp;and Norway. Brent blend makes up more than half of the world&#39;s globally traded supply of crude oil, which is why it makes an obvious choice for the benchmark of crude oil. 
 
International Brent crude oil futures were trading at $50.10 per barrel at 0126 GMT, down 51 cents, or 1 per cent, from their last settlement. US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 38 cents, or 0.76 per cent, at $49.50 a barrel. 
 
Traders said the lower prices were a result of an improving supply outlook. 
 
Initial fears of sharp production cuts from a looming strike by Norway&#39;s oil and gas workers seemed to ease as output from the North Sea&#39;s biggest producer would only fall by about 7 per cent even in case of a walk-out, according to data from Norway&#39;s Petroleum Directorate. 
 
In Nigeria, violent attacks on the oil infrastructure knocked out some 600,000 barrels of daily oil production to around 1.25 million barrels per day (bpd) between January and mid-June. But a tentative ceasefire means output has recovered by 200,000-300,000 bpd since then. 
 
&quot;If sustainable, this ceasefire would pave the way for higher output, with the government optimistically aiming for a return to normal production by end-July,&quot; Goldman Sachs said, although it added that there was a risk of attacks resuming. 
 
Prior to the disruptions, Nigerian production stood around 2 million bpd. 
 
Goldman Sachs also said that production outages from Canadian wildfires since May, which peaked around 1.5 million bpd, would recover over the coming months and virtually end by September. 
 
In other regions, however, there were signs of a tightening market. 
 
The US&nbsp;Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday that crude stockpiles fell 4.1 million barrels in the week to June 24, the sixth consecutive week of drawdowns, to 526.6 million barrels. 
 
US&nbsp;crude oil production was at 8.62 million bpd, down from a peak of over 9.6 million bpd in June 2015. 
 
In the Middle East, OPEC&#39;s second biggest producer Iraq is set to see output fall for a second straight month in June. 
 
Iraq&#39;s seaborne exports in the first 29 days of June have averaged 3.14 million bpd, according to loading data tracked by Reuters and an industry source. That would be down 60,000 bpd from May. 
 
(Reuters)

Sharp production cuts from possible strike by Norway's oil workers seem to ease as output would fall only by 7 per cent in case of walk-out

Oil prices fell in early trade on Thursday, with Brent futures struggling to defend $50 per barrel as fears over strike outages in Norway faded and as Nigeria's production improved. Brent Blend is a type of sweet crude oil that is used as a benchmark for the prices of other crude oils. It is most often found in parts of the North Sea off the coast of the UK and Norway. Brent blend makes up more than half of the world's globally traded supply of crude oil, which is why it makes an obvious choice for the benchmark of crude oil. International Brent crude oil futures were trading at $50.10 per barrel at 0126 GMT, down 51 cents, or 1 per cent, from their last settlement. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 38 cents, or 0.76 per cent, at $49.50 a barrel. Traders said the lower prices were a result of an improving supply outlook. Initial fears of sharp production cuts from a looming strike by Norway's oil and gas workers seemed to ease as output from the North Sea's biggest producer would only fall by about 7 per cent even in case of a walk-out, according to data from Norway's Petroleum Directorate. In Nigeria, violent attacks on the oil infrastructure knocked out some 600,000 barrels of daily oil production to around 1.25 million barrels per day (bpd) between January and mid-June. But a tentative ceasefire means output has recovered by 200,000-300,000 bpd since then. "If sustainable, this ceasefire would pave the way for higher output, with the government optimistically aiming for a return to normal production by end-July," Goldman Sachs said, although it added that there was a risk of attacks resuming. Prior to the disruptions, Nigerian production stood around 2 million bpd. Goldman Sachs also said that production outages from Canadian wildfires since May, which peaked around 1.5 million bpd, would recover over the coming months and virtually end by September. In other regions, however, there were signs of a tightening market. The US Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday that crude stockpiles fell 4.1 million barrels in the week to June 24, the sixth consecutive week of drawdowns, to 526.6 million barrels. US crude oil production was at 8.62 million bpd, down from a peak of over 9.6 million bpd in June 2015. In the Middle East, OPEC's second biggest producer Iraq is set to see output fall for a second straight month in June. Iraq's seaborne exports in the first 29 days of June have averaged 3.14 million bpd, according to loading data tracked by Reuters and an industry source. That would be down 60,000 bpd from May. (Reuters)

Oil prices fall as supply outlook of Nigeria and Norway improves

&nbsp;A suicide bomber belonging to the Nigerian jihadist group&nbsp;Boko&nbsp;Haram&nbsp;killed at least 11 people when he blew himself up close to a mosque in Cameroon near the Nigerian border, military sources and local officials said on Thursday.

The attack, which took place late on Wednesday, occurred after the breaking of the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan.

&quot;After the prayer, the faithful gathered under a tent in Djakana,&quot; said a local official. &quot;A suicide bomber exploded and killed 11 people. Four others were injured.&quot;

A Cameroonian army officer said the bomber was a young boy.

Since a regional offensive last year drove the insurgents from most of their strongholds,&nbsp;Boko Haram&nbsp;has been waging a guerrilla-style campaign targeting civilians. In Cameroon, teenage girls have killed dozens in suicide bombings.

More than 15,000 people have been killed and 2 million displaced in Nigeria and neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon during&nbsp;Boko&nbsp;Haram&#39;s seven-year campaign to create an Islamic caliphate in northeast Nigeria.

The group pledged its allegiance to Islamic State last year, while the practical extent of its links with the Syria&nbsp;and Iraq-based group is not known.
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The attacker was a young boy, a Cameroon army official said.

A suicide bomber belonging to the Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram killed at least 11 people when he blew himself up close to a mosque in Cameroon near the Nigerian border, military sources and local officials said on Thursday. The attack, which took place late on Wednesday, occurred after the breaking of the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan. "After the prayer, the faithful gathered under a tent in Djakana," said a local official. "A suicide bomber exploded and killed 11 people. Four others were injured." A Cameroonian army officer said the bomber was a young boy. Since a regional offensive last year drove the insurgents from most of their strongholds, Boko Haram has been waging a guerrilla-style campaign targeting civilians. In Cameroon, teenage girls have killed dozens in suicide bombings. More than 15,000 people have been killed and 2 million displaced in Nigeria and neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon during Boko Haram's seven-year campaign to create an Islamic caliphate in northeast Nigeria. The group pledged its allegiance to Islamic State last year, while the practical extent of its links with the Syria and Iraq-based group is not known. (Reuters)

Boko Haram suicide bomber kills 11 in Cameroon

Gunmen in Southern Nigeria have killed a local driver and kidnapped seven people, at least three of whom are Australian citizens and one an Australian resident, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
There was some initial confusion over the number of victims and nationalities of those involved, as police in Nigeria gave conflicting accounts.&nbsp; 
 
The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 4:30 am GMT, police said. 
 
Calabar is a coastal city about 354 miles east of Lagos, and the capital of Cross River State in the Niger Delta region, where both criminal gangs and militants have been active. 
 
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the incident a &quot;very serious kidnapping&quot; in response to a journalist&#39;s question and urged calm in reporting the incident.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;These are the facts as we know them: three Australians and one Australian resident were among seven people kidnapped in an attack on an Australian contractor`s operations in Nigeria. One person was killed in the attack,&quot; Turnbull told reporters. 
 
Two expatriates managed to flee, said Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. 
 
Ugbo had earlier said that only two of the kidnapped were Australians, and one was a New Zealander, while another police officer said a South African had been abducted. 
 
The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. 
 
Kidnappings of foreigners are common in the Delta region, which holds most of the crude oil whose sales make about 70 per cent of Nigeria&#39;s national income.&nbsp; 
 
OPEC member Nigeria was Africa&#39;s top oil producer until a recent spate of attacks on oil facilities pushed it behind Angola. Production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels, helping push up global oil prices. 
 
Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. 
 
&quot;Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation,&quot; said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa.&nbsp; 
 
Macmahon Holdings Ltd, which was placed on a trading halt in the wake of the incident, could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
(Reuters)

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed the kidnapping of three Australians and one Australian resident

Gunmen in Southern Nigeria have killed a local driver and kidnapped seven people, at least three of whom are Australian citizens and one an Australian resident, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday. There was some initial confusion over the number of victims and nationalities of those involved, as police in Nigeria gave conflicting accounts. The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 4:30 am GMT, police said. Calabar is a coastal city about 354 miles east of Lagos, and the capital of Cross River State in the Niger Delta region, where both criminal gangs and militants have been active. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the incident a "very serious kidnapping" in response to a journalist's question and urged calm in reporting the incident. "These are the facts as we know them: three Australians and one Australian resident were among seven people kidnapped in an attack on an Australian contractor`s operations in Nigeria. One person was killed in the attack," Turnbull told reporters. Two expatriates managed to flee, said Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. Ugbo had earlier said that only two of the kidnapped were Australians, and one was a New Zealander, while another police officer said a South African had been abducted. The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. Kidnappings of foreigners are common in the Delta region, which holds most of the crude oil whose sales make about 70 per cent of Nigeria's national income. OPEC member Nigeria was Africa's top oil producer until a recent spate of attacks on oil facilities pushed it behind Angola. Production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels, helping push up global oil prices. Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. "Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation," said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa. Macmahon Holdings Ltd, which was placed on a trading halt in the wake of the incident, could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reuters)

Nigerian gunmen kill one and kidnap seven, including Australians

The oil market is now in balance thanks to unplanned outages and robust demand, particularly from emerging economies, but this equilibrium will tilt into surplus again early next year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today. 
 
The agency said in its monthly report that demand growth in 2017 is likely to reach 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd), the same level at which it estimates growth for this year, having revised up its May 2016 forecast of 1.2 million bpd. 
 
&quot;Again, on the planning assumption that OPEC oil production grows modestly in 2017, we expect to see global oil stocks build slightly in the first half of 2017 before falling slightly more in the second half of 2017. For the year as a whole, there will be a very small stock draw of 0.1 million bpd,&quot; &nbsp; said&nbsp;the IEA. 
 
&quot;At halfway in 2016, the oil market looks to be balancing; but we must not forget that there are large volumes of shut-in production, mainly in Nigeria and Libya, that could return to the market, and the strong start for oil demand growth seen this year might not be maintained,&quot; said&nbsp;the Paris-based agency . 
 
Most of the anticipated demand growth this year and in 2017 is expected to come from nations that are not part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the agency said. 
 
&quot;We must stress that this is our first look at 2017 and the huge number of moving parts will see us amend our numbers accordingly. However ... the direction of travel seems to be clear,&quot; said&nbsp;the IEA. 
 
The IEA&#39;s latest demand estimate for the first three months of this year shows global oil deliveries rising by 1.6 million bpd to 95.2 million bpd, with nine out of every 10 extra barrels going to a non-OECD economy. 
 
On the supply side, the IEA said output fell by 590,000 bpd year-on-year to 95.4 million bpd in May, the first major decline since the start of 2013, as spending cuts and outages reduced non-OPEC production by 1.3 million bpd from a year earlier. 
 
Having fallen by 900,000 bpd in 2016, non-OPEC supply growth is expected to rise by 200,000 bpd in 2017, lifting output to 57 million bpd, the IEA said. 
 
Crude output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries fell by 100,000 bpd in May to 32.61 million bpd, after a spate of attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria offset higher output from the Middle East. Production was still 500,000 bpd higher than in May last year. 
 
&quot;Iran has clearly emerged as OPEC&#39;s fastest source of supply growth this year, with an anticipated annual gain of nearly 700,000 bpd,&quot; the IEA said. 
 
The only other substantial increase from OPEC in 2017 could be from Nigeria, should security issues in the Niger Delta be resolved. 
(Reuters)

Large volumes of shut-in production from Nigeria and Libya can return to the market and that may change oil demand growth

The oil market is now in balance thanks to unplanned outages and robust demand, particularly from emerging economies, but this equilibrium will tilt into surplus again early next year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today. The agency said in its monthly report that demand growth in 2017 is likely to reach 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd), the same level at which it estimates growth for this year, having revised up its May 2016 forecast of 1.2 million bpd. "Again, on the planning assumption that OPEC oil production grows modestly in 2017, we expect to see global oil stocks build slightly in the first half of 2017 before falling slightly more in the second half of 2017. For the year as a whole, there will be a very small stock draw of 0.1 million bpd," said the IEA. "At halfway in 2016, the oil market looks to be balancing; but we must not forget that there are large volumes of shut-in production, mainly in Nigeria and Libya, that could return to the market, and the strong start for oil demand growth seen this year might not be maintained," said the Paris-based agency . Most of the anticipated demand growth this year and in 2017 is expected to come from nations that are not part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the agency said. "We must stress that this is our first look at 2017 and the huge number of moving parts will see us amend our numbers accordingly. However ... the direction of travel seems to be clear," said the IEA. The IEA's latest demand estimate for the first three months of this year shows global oil deliveries rising by 1.6 million bpd to 95.2 million bpd, with nine out of every 10 extra barrels going to a non-OECD economy. On the supply side, the IEA said output fell by 590,000 bpd year-on-year to 95.4 million bpd in May, the first major decline since the start of 2013, as spending cuts and outages reduced non-OPEC production by 1.3 million bpd from a year earlier. Having fallen by 900,000 bpd in 2016, non-OPEC supply growth is expected to rise by 200,000 bpd in 2017, lifting output to 57 million bpd, the IEA said. Crude output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries fell by 100,000 bpd in May to 32.61 million bpd, after a spate of attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria offset higher output from the Middle East. Production was still 500,000 bpd higher than in May last year. "Iran has clearly emerged as OPEC's fastest source of supply growth this year, with an anticipated annual gain of nearly 700,000 bpd," the IEA said. The only other substantial increase from OPEC in 2017 could be from Nigeria, should security issues in the Niger Delta be resolved. (Reuters)

IEA sees oil market balance in 2016, surplus to re-emerge next year

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