Oil price falls despite deal to extend            output cut

Image copyrightREUTERS

The price of oil has fallen by about 5%, despite oil-producing nations agreeing to extend production cuts for a further nine months.

Meeting in Vienna, energy ministers from both Opec and non-Opec countries agreed to maintain output curbs, due to expire next month, until March 2018.

But investors had been hoping the oil producers would go further.

Brent crude fell $2.60 to $51.36 a barrel on Thursday, and was trading at $51.47 on Friday morning.

West Texas Intermediate slipped $2.58 to $48.78 a barrel on Thursday and had reached $48.82 on Friday.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, who co-chaired the meeting with his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak, said: "We considered various scenarios from six to nine to 12 months and we even considered options for higher cuts.

"All indications are solid that a nine-month extension is the optimum, and should bring us to within the five-year average of inventories by the end of the year."

Opec countries and 11 other oil-producing nations, including Russia, first agreed to reduce production last December in an effort to boost flagging prices.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionKhalid al-Falih said Opec had decided against deepening the cuts

The reduction was almost 1.8 million barrels per day - equivalent to about 2% of global oil production.

Analysts criticised Opec's failure to make deeper cuts to production.

Chris Beauchamp at online trading firm IG, described Mr Falih's belief that greater reductions were not needed as "quaint", while Alexandre Andlauer of equity research firm Alphavalue said Opec's strategy was "old-fashioned".

Neil Wilson at ETX Capital said Opec members "bottled it", adding: "A nine-month extension just isn't enough to really lift oil prices as we'll continue to see US shale fill the gap. Having said they'd do whatever it takes, Opec is looking a bit toothless now.

"Faced with kind of glut and the scale of the market, the cartel would be better off cutting a lot deeper but for less time than trying to prolong fairly timid cuts."

Gary Ross, head of global oil at PIRA Energy, part of S&P Global Platts, said: "Russia has an upcoming election and Saudis have the Aramco share listing next year, so they will indeed do whatever it takes to support oil prices."

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Analysis: Andrew Walker, BBC economics correspondent

Investors in the financial markets weren't much impressed by this agreement. The price of crude oil has fallen.

The Vienna deal was perhaps the minimum they expected, after reports of widespread support among the countries concerned for a nine-month extension.

Some thought the production cuts might be deepened and were disappointed when the group simply extended the existing ceiling.

In any event Opec and the other countries involved have a problem with the American shale oil industry.

Cutting production creates a space in the market that shale producers can step into and higher prices make them more profitable. They will be the unintended beneficiaries of the Vienna agreement, even if it does succeed in the group's objective of getting commercial stocks of crude oil down.

There is quite an irony in that. After all the rise of US shale is one of the central reasons Opec, Russia and the other countries had a problem to start with.

Citation :- BBC

Manchester attack: Courtney Boyle and Philip Tron named as victims

Image copyrightFAMILY PHOTO

Image captionCourtney Boyle was a student in Leeds

Tributes have been paid to a 19-year-old girl and her mother's partner who have been confirmed as victims of the Manchester terror attack.

Courtney Boyle and Philip Tron, 32, had travelled from Gateshead to attend the Ariana Grande concert on Monday.

A statement from Miss Boyle's mother, released by Greater Manchester Police, described the Leeds Beckett University student as "her rock".

Mr Tron's family said he had been a "fun-loving and energetic soul".

Miss Boyle's mother, Deborah Hutchinson, said: "My stunning amazing beautiful daughter, you were my rock you made me so proud with all you had achieved.

"My gorgeous, crazy, Philip, you made my world a happy place and now you are both my angels flying high in the sky."

Miss Boyle's father Rob Boyle said: "I am going to miss my baby girl Courtney Boyle for the rest of my life.

"I will never forget you and I will love you forever. Grandad Bob misses you loads also."

• Who were the other victims
• Latest updates: Manchester attack

Her sister Nicole added: "Courtney my wonder of a sister who is now a shining yellow star in the sky.

"Phil, my stepdad, my Costa buddy, you were always there no matter what to keep me safe and make me happy."

Image copyrightFAMILY PHOTO

Image captionMr Tron "lit up the darkest room" his family said

Mr Tron's family said: "Firstly, we would like to thank the emergency services, police, nurses, support staff, family and friends and the people of Manchester for their continued help and support which they have given us throughout this harrowing time.

"Our most amazing son, partner, brother, father, uncle, nephew and cousin, Philip Tron, sadly passed away on the 22nd May 2017. Philip was such a fun loving, energetic soul, he would light up the darkest room and lift your spirits with his infectious laugh, witty sense of humour and his beautiful smile.

"Words cannot express the huge void his passing has left in all our lives."

Miss Boyle's boyfriend Callum Maundrill said: "My Courtney was an adventurer, a precious and joyous soul. She made people feel loved and feel safe.

"She was a soul mate, a friend, a daughter and a sister. No-one had what that lass had, she was like no other.

'Great loss'

"And she was on a path to fulfilment, and was happy when she passed.

"Nobody has ever made me as happy as her and I'm the person I am today because of her."

The vice chancellor at Leeds Beckett University where Miss Boyle studied said everyone was "deeply saddened".

Professor Peter Slee said: "Courtney was a lovely, bright and hardworking student who had achieved excellent marks in her first semester with us.

"She is a great loss to the university and to her fellow students."

Principal of Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy, Mark Lovatt, paid tribute to his former pupil, whom he described as the "epitome of a perfect student".

"She really grasped life with both hands and she will be dearly missed and remembered by all who knew her," he said.

SOURCE :- BBC

Manchester attack: Chloe Rutherford and Liam Curry confirmed dead

Image copyrightTWITTER

Image captionRelatives described Chloe Rutherford and Liam Curry as a devoted couple who enjoyed travelling

A teenage couple killed in the Manchester Arena explosion "adored each other", their families have said.

"Inseparable" Chloe Rutherford, 17, and Liam Curry, 19, from South Shields were among 22 victims killed in Monday's suicide bomb attack.

The pair were described as "perfect in every way for each other" by their relatives in a joint family tribute released through police.

"They wanted to be together forever and now they are", it added.

Keep up to date with this and other developments on our Local Live page.

The statement, posted on Facebook, said the couple "lived to go to new places together and explore different cities".

Chloe described herself as "ditzy", her family said, while Liam "would do anything for [her], including dealing with Chloe's demands for chocolate".

Mr Curry's father Andrew died suddenly in March.

The Union flag above the town hall in South Shields is flying at half mast as a mark of respect for the pair and the other 20 victims of Monday's attack.

The leader of South Tyneside Council, Iain Malcolm, said the whole area was "feeling the loss and sharing the pain" with the families of the couple.

Image copyrightFAMILY PHOTO

Image captionThe couple had "so much to look forward to"

He said: "Liam not so long ago undertook a 260 mile cycle ride to Paris for the Bobby Robson Foundation. Chloe was a talented actress who appeared on the stage at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle.

"This was a young couple who were doing nothing but enjoying their life and enjoying each other's company and it's just desperately, desperately sad for South Tyneside and particularly for their families.

"Chloe and Liam had so much to look forward to and were simply enjoying life at a pop concert.

"We are absolutely devastated by the tragic injuries and loss of innocent young lives in such a callous and cowardly attack."

Mr Curry, a former pupil of Gateshead College, was studying for a degree in sport and exercise science at Northumbria University.

The university, college and Mr Curry's former school, St Wilfred's RC college in South Shields, separately paid tribute to him as a conscientious student and a "fine young man".

He was very well liked and would be missed, they said.

Marsden Cricket Club, where Mr Curry was a member, said: "Liam has been part of the club from the age of just six and we have all seen him develop into an incredibly strong and mature young man, supporting his family through the loss of his father Andy earlier this year.

"He was developing into a fine cricketer and coach and was undoubtedly going to be part of our first team for many years to come.

"Chloe, like Liam, was an incredibly strong person. Quiet but not shy, she was a pleasure to be with around the club."

Image copyrightWESTOE TRAVEL

Image captionChloe Rutherford was training to be a travel adviser

Miss Rutherford's employer, Westoe Travel in South Shields, described her as "part of the family"

A spokesman said: "This is something we will never be able to understand. When you watch these events on television you never expect them to impact on those around you.

"As a small family business, Chloe was part of our family, working part-time as she completed her college studies before starting full-time with us on 26 June to begin her travel apprenticeship.

"We loved her friendly happy personality and she was a great asset and had a great future ahead in the travel industry, which she was really looking forward to.

"Liam would meet her from work and they were a perfect loving couple.

"The families have lost two beautiful young people who were a credit to them and our thoughts and prayers go to both families at this terrible time."

Image copyrightSIR BOBBY ROBSON FOUNDATION

Image captionLiam Curry, shown here in 2012 with his grandfather, Jack Allen, and Lady Elsie Robson, fundraised for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation

Staff at cancer charity the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, for whom Liam Curry had fundraised, said they were "devastated".

"Liam was an outstanding young man and a great credit to his family," a statement said.

"At 14, he began fundraising for us after his granddad, Jack Allen, was diagnosed with cancer and he proudly completed a Coast to Coast cycle ride.

"Cruelly, his dad, Andrew Curry, was also diagnosed with cancer and died in March this year."

Image copyrightSIR BOBBY ROBSON FOUNDATION

Image captionLiam Curry ran the Great North Run for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation

The foundation's statement said Liam had continued to fundraise during his father's illness, doing a 260 mile sponsored cycle ride from Calais to Paris and a Great North Run.

"No words can adequately convey feelings at a time like this," it said.

Northumberland County Council has opened a book of condolence for all victims of the attack.

SOURCE :- BBC

Wedge-tailed eagle captured swooping on drone

Image copyrightLEIGH NAIRN

Image captionThe drone crashed to the ground and needed to be repaired

A farmer in Western Australia has described the moment a wedge-tailed eagle attacked his drone and sent it crashing to the ground.

Leigh Nairn said his drone was badly damaged in the incident at Binnu, 550km (340 miles) north of Perth.

The drone, used to monitor barley-seeding equipment on his property, was sent off to be repaired.

He said he was "100% lucky" that the drone managed to capture an image of the bird as it swooped.

"That's the only photo I have of it," he said.

"I'm not sure where it came from, but I was obviously in the wrong spot and [it] wanted to let me know that."

Image copyrightLEIGH NAIRN

Image captionMr Nairn uses the drone to get a birds-eye view of the farm

The eagle flew off unscathed, he said.

He said the species, Australia's largest bird of prey, sometimes attacked lambs on the 7,500-acre (3,000-hectare) farm.

Despite being a nuisance the birds were "fantastic to look at", he said.

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"They are protected, as they should be, but they do give you a lot of trouble during lambing season," Mr Nairn told the BBC.

It is not uncommon for the species to take down drones. In November, an Australian mining company lost nine surveying drones to bird attacks at a total cost of more than A$100,000 (£60,000; $75,000

But in "a low-tech solution to a high-tech problem", Dutch police have trained eagles to take down unauthorised drones.

SOURCE :- BBC

    Is heroin being smuggled on Pakistani       planes into Heathrow?

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionHeroin was found on two PIA flights to London (File photo)

Pakistan's national carrier says it is taking measures to ensure its planes are not used to carry drugs after heroin was found on two of its London-bound aircraft.

Aviation authorities are also investigating how the drugs might be making their way on to the planes of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

What happened?

On 15 May, UK's Border Force officials impounded a PIA flight from Islamabadon arrival at London Heathrow airport and searched it for several hours.

The National Crime Agency later said that a quantity of heroin had been found hidden in different panels of the plane.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionIncidents happened on flights headed to London's Heathrow airport

There were suggestions that the British authorities had acted on a tip-off from Pakistan.

No-one was charged. The pilot was allowed to return to Pakistan the next day, while the crew members were given their passports back a day later.

The episode caused considerable embarrassment to PIA, which was already reeling from a plane crash in that killed dozens of people in December and a number of near-misses subsequently, sparking allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

Then on 22 May, Pakistani officials at Islamabad airport seized more than 20kg (44lb) of heroin from another aircraft headed to Heathrow.

An investigation is continuing.

• The mysterious case of the drug-smuggling fishermen
• Why I bought my daughter heroin

What is Pakistan doing about it?

Investigations were launched to identify suspects within the PIA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with possible links to a drug trafficking ring that may have been using PIA to smuggle the drug abroad, Mashhood Tajwar, a PIA spokesman, told the BBC.

The investigation is being conducted by a team of officials from airport security, customs and the anti-narcotics force (ANF).

Mr Tajwar said pre-flight searches of aircrafts had been a part of standard operating procedures in the past, but surveillance had been stepped up since the May incident at Heathrow.

On Friday, a high-level meeting presided by the prime minister's adviser on aviation, Mehtab Ahmad Khan, finalised new security measures and a Central Operational Committee headed by the CAA chief was constituted to oversee their implementation.

On Monday, four aircraft expected to fly to foreign destinations were scheduled for checking, one of which - as mentioned above - was carrying drugs.

How surprising is this?

This is not the first time drugs have been found on PIA planes.

Last December, 17kg (37lb) of heroin was seized by officials at Karachi airport from a plane being readied for a flight to Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia. The flight was delayed for over 11 hours as a result.

• WATCH: 'Cold turkey' only option for Karachi's addicts

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionPoppy crops are still found in large parts of Afghanistan

Pre-flight checks are part of routine procedure and sniffer dogs are regularly used to clear aircraft for operations, PIA officials say.

But the presence of heroin on some aircraft shows that officials responsible for such checks may either have been complacent or linked to drug mules among employees.

While poppy crops across Pakistan have largely been eliminated, it is still grown in large parts of southern Afghanistan where insurgent groups wield influence and officials have little power.

Analysts say poppy and heroin are among the main sources of income for these groups.

And since some of them are said to have the tacit support of Pakistani authorities, they are said to be able to enter the country and smuggle heroin into Pakistan for onward shipment to the West.

Such smuggling is further helped by large-scale movement of Afghan refugees across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, experts say.

How damaging is this for PIA?

Pakistan International Airlines has also courted controversy recently for other reasons.

In February its management was accused of trying to cover up an air safety breach when it boarded seven extra passengers on a flight from Karachi to Medina, Saudi Arabia. They were allowed to stand in the aisle during the flight.

In April, a passengers photographed the chief pilot of a London-bound flight taking a nap in the passenger compartment, leaving the controls in the hands of a first officer and a trainee pilot.

The pilot denied he had breached safety rules, but the PIA management said they were investigating the incident.

In early May, another pilot on a flight from Tokyo was accused of allowing an unauthorised foreign national into the cockpit. The passenger, a Chinese woman, remained there for two hours during the Tokyo-Beijing leg of the flight.

The incident was filmed by a journalist who was traveling on the same flight.

In 2013 a PIA pilot who admitted being over the legal alcohol limit to fly after being arrested in the cockpit was jailed for nine months in the UK.
SOURCE :- BBC