MOSCOW, Sept 21, 2023 (AFP) – Russia’s government announced Thursday it was temporarily limiting exports of petrol and diesel fuel to avoid shortages on the domestic market. The exchange price of domestic petrol soared to a record high this week, in part due to a weaker ruble, rising global oil prices and repair work at refineries curbing supplies. The announcement comes weeks after Moscow decided to extend a voluntary cut of oil exports until the […]
Tag: petrol
Sri Lankans queue at pumps for days with no promise of petrol
by Sean GLEESON and Mahesh PERERA Agence France-Presse COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Out of gas and stuck in line for days, a group of motorists kick off their shoes and settle on a sidewalk in Sri Lanka’s capital for a round of cards. Emergency curfews, tear gas plumes and the sudden departure and resignation of the president have all failed to budge the long vehicle queues snaking out of Colombo’s empty petrol stations. Chronic […]
Sri Lanka parliament shuts early after petrol runs out
by Amal JAYASINGHE Agence France Presse Sri Lanka’s parliament has cancelled its remaining sittings for the week to save fuel, officials said Thursday, with a disastrous economic crisis rapidly depleting the island nation’s already scarce petrol supplies. A foreign currency shortage has prevented the import of food, oil and medicines, while runaway inflation and regular blackouts have made life miserable for Sri Lanka’s 22 million population. Parliamentary officials said lawmakers decided to cancel sessions […]
Bankrupt Sri Lanka opens IMF talks, begins shutdown
Sri Lanka closed schools and halted all non-essential government services on Monday, beginning a two-week shutdown to conserve fast-depleting fuel reserves as the International Monetary Fund opened talks with Colombo on a possible bailout. The country of 22 million people is in the grip of its worst economic crisis after running out of dollars to finance even the most essential imports, including fuel. On Monday schools were shut and state offices worked with skeleton staff as […]
UK fuel industry denies govt claims crisis is easing
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — UK petrol stations are still running out of fuel, a retailers’ group warned on Thursday, contradicting government claims that a spate of panic-buying is ebbing. Queues continued to build at refuelling stations, especially in London and southern England, including at one site in Hampshire where a transport truck carrying a military helicopter was sighted. Troops are expected to be deployeed within days to help ease the crisis, with Prime Minister […]
UK vows action after envoy slams plans for UN climate talks
By Alice RITCHIE Agence France-Presse London, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday called for urgent action to deal with global warming, after his ex-climate envoy warned his own plans for UN talks later this year were “miles off track”. In a speech ahead of the COP 26 talks in Glasgow in November, Johnson said the evidence of climate change was “overwhelming”. At an event with naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough, he called […]
Mexico fuel theft tragedy death toll rises to 125
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — The death toll from a fiery pipeline explosion in central Mexico last month reached 125, the government announced Sunday. Another 22 people remain in hospital, many of them with burns covering at least 80 percent of their bodies, the social security office IMSS reported. On January 18, the fuel-line in Hidalgo state was deliberately punctured, drawing hundreds of people looking to gather gasoline before it ignited. The disaster occurred as […]
At least 30 killed in Nigeria pipeline fire
WARRI, Nigeria (AFP) — At least 30 people were killed when a petrol pipeline caught fire and exploded in southeast Nigeria after a raid by suspected oil thieves, a survivor and officials said on Saturday. The incident happened in the town of Aba on Friday when vandals burst the pipeline operated by the state-run Pipeline and Product Marketing Company. “The incident occurred at about 1:30 am. Those burnt are more than 30 with many […]
New Zealand’s fuel shortage hits more flights and petrol stations
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (Reuters) — New Zealand’s jet fuel shortage on Tuesday (September 19) forced 39 flights to be cancelled, 13 of them international, with concerns the fuel crisis may spread after fuel stations in the country’s largest city Auckland halted high-octane gasoline sales. The fuel shortage, caused by a damaged pipeline to Auckland Airport, has caused widespread disruption to air travel since the weekend and comes only days before Saturday’s (September 23) national election […]
Shell to invest $1 billion in Mexico
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Royal Dutch Shell said Wednesday it would invest $1 billion in Mexico over the next decade, after the oil giant opened its first retail gas station in the country. The investment in the world’s fifth-biggest consumer of gasoline depends on market conditions continuing to develop at their current rates, said Shell executive Istvan Kapitany. The money is earmarked for “expanding and improving the retail network, improving fuel logistics infrastructure and […]
UK to ban sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain said Wednesday it will outlaw the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans from 2040 in a bid to cut air pollution but environmental groups said the proposals did not go far enough. Environment minister Michael Gove announced the move as part of the government’s keenly-awaited £3 billion ($3.9 billion, 3.4 billion euro) air pollution plan, which will demand that councils propose measures by March next year […]
Cuba drills for own oil as Venezuelan flow falters
by Rigoberto Diaz Agence France-Presse BOCA DE CAMARIOCA, Cuba (AFP) – Near the Cuban seaside village of Boca de Camarioca, a giant drill runs into the ground and out to sea, probing for oil. Cuba once got most of its oil cheap from its socialist ally Venezuela, largely paid for by exporting medical staff and supplies — but economic crisis in Venezuela has stemmed the flow of crude. That has caused “instability” of supplies on the […]
