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Fuel Crisis
Gas stations have run dry in some regions of Russia after Ukrainian drones struck refineries and other oil infrastructure in recent weeks, with motorists waiting in long lines and officials resorting to rationing or cutting off sales altogether. Wholesale prices on the St Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange for A-95 gas the highest octane spiked to record highs last week, soaring to about 50 per cent higher than in January, as demand soared from farmers seeking to bring in the harvest and Russians hitting the roads for their last big vacation of the summer. Russian media outlets reported fuel shortages are hitting consumers in several regions in the Far East and on the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Moscow in 2014. Media outlets in the Primorye region, which borders North Korea, reported long lines and prices of about 78 rubles per litre (approximately USD 3.58 per gallon) at gas stations in the area, where the average monthly wage is about
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight killed at least 31 people, according to local hospitals, as UN agencies warned that critical fuel shortages put hospitals and other critical infrastructure at risk. The latest attacks came after US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held two days of talks last week that ended with no sign of a breakthrough in negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release. Twelve people were killed by strikes in southern Gaza, including three who were waiting at an aid distribution point on Monday, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which received the bodies. Shifa Hospital in Gaza City also received 12 bodies, including three children and two women, after a series of strikes in the north, according to the hospital's director, Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia. Al-Awda Hospital reported seven killed and 11 wounded in strikes in central Gaza. The Israeli military says it only targets militants and tries to avoid ...
Two trains with petrol and diesel headed to Tripura on Saturday amid a fuel crisis due to disruption in railway freight services in Assam's Dima Hasao, an official said. Goods train services have been disrupted on the line since April 26, following the derailment of a freight train in Jatinga area of Dima Hasao. However, passenger train services remained normal. "Two trains carried petrol and diesel today. Three-four days back, we had sent another freight train with essential commodities like sugar and edible oil," North East Frontier Railway spokesperson Sabyasachi De told PTI. One of the trains has 49 wagons and is heading to Dharmanagar in Tripura, he said. The other train has 50 wagons, of which 25 were meant for Dharmanagar and 25 for Silchar in Assam, he added. De said work on the restoration of the tracks was underway. "We could send the two trains today as there was no rain for the last two-three days. The restoration work depends on how the weather is. We are trying our
A leaking fuel tanker exploded as people gathered to collect the gasoline, leaving more than 40 dead, authorities in Liberia said Thursday. The blast on Tuesday also injured at least 83 people in Totota town in the central part of the West African country, health officials said. Bong County health official Dr. Cynthia Blapook said many of the dead were buried in a mass grave on Wednesday because their remains were unrecognizable. Health authorities said an exact death toll was difficult because of how badly the bodies were burned. Liberian Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor attended the mass funeral. We never expected to start the new year like this, Howard-Taylor said. Health officials said the number of injured could rise as they were not certain everyone had been brought for care. A doctor at one hospital treating the injured urged the Liberian government to deploy a disaster management team and to have one in each county to respond to emergencies. Dr. Minnie Sankawolo-Rocks
British Prime Minister Liz Truss on Wednesday ruled out a windfall tax on oil companies to pay for her plans to tackle the energy crisis. Speaking during her first session of prime minister's questions in the House of Commons, Truss rebuffed opposition calls for a new windfall tax, even as she refrained from explaining how she would fund a plan meant to help the public pay energy bills skyrocketing because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The plan is expected to be delivered on Thursday. "I am against a windfall tax," she said. "I believe it is the wrong thing to be putting companies off, investing in the United Kingdom just when we need to be growing the economy." Truss, 47, was appointed prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday after winning an internal election to lead the governing Conservative Party. In her first speech as prime minister on Tuesday, Truss said she would cut taxes to spur economic growth, bolster the NHS and deal hands on with the energy crisis, though s
Britain's new prime minister has pledged to rebuild the economy and ride out the storm gathering over the country, but Liz Truss faces a daunting job. She inherits an ailing economy on the brink of a potentially long recession, with record inflation that's forecast to worsen in coming months and millions crying out for government help to cope with soaring energy bills. Here's a look at the scale of the economic challenges that Truss faces and how she is expected to tackle them: HIGH ENERGY COSTS At the top of Truss' agenda is a cost-of-living crisis driven by spiralling natural gas and electricity costs. Starting in October, millions of households will see their average yearly energy bill jump to about 3,500 pounds (USD 4,000) almost triple what they paid a year ago. The bills are expected to continue to climb and could exceed 4,000 pounds in January. The sharp increases began last year, as economies worldwide recovered from the coronavirus pandemic and global demand for natural
In her first visit to India, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson will be in the country from September 7-8 to explore means to boost two-way energy cooperation. The European Union said Simson's visit to Delhi signals the grouping's strong engagement with India in the area of energy. The 27-nation EU and India have robust cooperation in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. Simson said as the world faces an energy crisis and climate change challenge, India, with its vast renewable resources, has a strategic role to play in the clean energy transition. The EU and India established a 'Clean Energy and Climate Partnership' in 2016 and have been working closely together on clean energy transition, speeding up the deployment of renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, collaborating on smart grid and storage technology and modernising the electricity market. Commissioner Simson will hold bilateral meetings with relevant Indian ministers, officials of the
French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for a sharp 10% reduction in the country's energy use in coming weeks and months to avoid the risk of rationing and cuts this winter, amid tensions with supplier Russia over the war in Ukraine. Macron warned Monday that forced energy savings might have to be considered in coming months if voluntary efforts aren't sufficient. He said energy rationing plans are being prepared in case' and that cuts will happen as a last resort. The best energy is that which we don't consume, the French leader said at a news conference, where he urged French businesses and households to save energy, including by turning down heating and air conditioning.