International Business Times

IEA Lowers Forecast For Oil Demand For Third Consecutive Month Due To Weakest European Activity Since 1980s

msingleton — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:53:58 +0000

Weak demand for crude oil and pessimism about the global economic outlook caused the International Energy Agency (IEA) to reduce its forecasts for global oil demand in 2013 for a third consecutive month.

The IEA released its April Oil Market Report (OMR) on Thursday. The report highlighted the significant supply risks that continue to threaten the market. It cut expectations for oil demand growth to 795,000 barrels a day from the previous forecast of 820,000 barrels a day that was made last month.

New Bat With Panda-Like Markings Found In South Sudan [PHOTOS]

r.palmer — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:30:18 +0000

Scientists stumbled upon a new kind of bat at the Bangangai Game Reserve in South Sudan that’s so different from anything previously discovered, it gets its own new genus (the next level up from species).

Motaba The Gorilla Photobombs Two Sisters At Australia Zoo, Hates Being Taunted With Bananas [PHOTO]

Zoe Mintz — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:52:18 +0000

Photo: Rex USA Motaba the gorilla photobombed sisters Ella and Bridget O'Brien at the Werribee Open Range Zoo in Melbourne, Australia.

Madonna Calls Malawi President Joyce Banda A Liar After Blackmail Claims

j.heller — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:42:18 +0000

The rift between Madonna and Malawi President Joyce Banda deepened on Thursday, when the pop star issued a statement responding to Banda’s criticisms of her behavior on a recent trip to Malawi, calling Banda a liar and claiming that the condemnation was retribution for firing Banda's sister from her charity.

Nigerian Minister Suggests Death Penalty For Convicted Rapists

gooch7 — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:31:47 +0000

A female Nigerian government minister has proposed imposing the death penalty on defendants convicted of rape.

Hajiya Zainab Maina, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, expressed her concern about sexual violence against women rising in the country and said drastic steps must be taken to combat it.

Maina said up to 10 cases of rape are reported in the country each week.

"This has reached an alarming rate," she said, according to Nigerian newspaper This Day.

Oscar Pistorius Family Statement: Accuses Social Media Of Insensitivity As Athlete Faces Murder Charges

a.tate — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:21:30 +0000

The family of South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has released a statement on his behalf, claiming social media is disregarding the accused murderer’s feelings.

Spokesperson Anneliese Burgess told the media on Thursday, “The disregard that is being shown by some — specifically those commenting via social media — for the profound pain that Reeva’s family and friends are going through is very troubling.

GM South Africa Expects A 20% Boom In Its Chevy and Isuzu Car Sales In The Next Two Years, Mostly In North Africa And South Africa Markets

msingleton — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:58:16 +0000

General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is betting that its next big international markets will be populous urban centers in Africa. The U.S. car giant sold 180,000 vehicles on the continent in 2012, giving it a 10 percent market share, just behind Toyota, which sold 237,000. The GM South Africa subsidiary (GMSA) anticipates hitting the 2 million-car sales mark sometime in the next two years as the growing middle classes in North Africa and South Africa trade up from motorbikes and jalopies to brand-new vehicles.

World Cup 2014: Brazil To Miss FIFA Deadline For Stadiums

BobbyIlich — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:25:56 +0000

More than half a million tickets have been sold for the Confederations Cup in June, but host nation Brazil has yet to finish the main stadiums to be used in the dress rehearsal for the 2014 soccer World Cup.

On the eve of yet another FIFA deadline, Brazil has delivered only three of the six venues for the eight-nation warm-up starting in two months.

Mantis Shrimp Gets Popular Thanks To New Web Comic By The Oatmeal [PHOTOS]

Zoe Mintz — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:27:46 +0000

Photo: Wikimedia Commons The mantis shrimp, a tropical sea species, is gaining popularity after The Oatmeal published a web comic extolling the ocean-dweller.

Death Penalty On Decline; China, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, US Top Executors Of Capital Punishment: Amnesty

Gayathri — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:27:40 +0000

The U.S. retained its position among the top five countries that carried out the most executions last year, behind China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Amnesty International said on Wednesday in an annual report, which noted that the global trend towards ending the death penalty continued, despite the resumption of execution in several countries.