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Derek Mathews watches as an old fuel pump fills a tractor with diesel on his 1,700-hectare arable farm in South Africa's North West Province. He frets over a nagging concern: how to secure and afford more fuel supplies before harvesting starts.’It's terribly expensive to buy fuel at the moment, but the question I need to answer right now is can I get fuel?’ Mathews, 64, told Reuters.Farmers in South Africa and many other countries are struggling with a double price blow — fuel and fertiliser costs have shot up as the US-Israeli war against Iran stifles key energy transit routes like the Strait of Hormuz.While South African government officials and fuel industry executives have assured that the country's stocks are sufficient for April, farmers say suppliers are grappling with higher demand, logistics constraints and hoarding of diesel.Mathews, who purchased 20,000 litres of diesel in February at 18 rand a litre, said he had about 12,000 litres left by March 30, or six days' worth of fuel for his farm as he prepares to harvest his sunflower and maize crops.According to a March survey by agricultural body AgriSA, slightly fewer than half of farmers surveyed had difficulty sourcing diesel. Others managed inadequate purchases of between 50 and 500 litres.’It's the uncertainty that keeps you awake,’ AgriSA CEO Johann Kotze said, adding that disinformation about fuel supplies has induced panic buying.Mathews, who also produces dry beans and peanuts, ordered more diesel in March, by which time the price was 24 rand a litre, but the supplier has yet to deliver it.Diesel prices are not strictly regulated in South Africa. However, the government said Wednesday that it will temporarily intervene to cushion sharp fuel hikes by lowering the general fuel levy by 3 rand for April.In its latest fuel adjustment, the government said that diesel wholesale prices will rise by up to 7.51 rand a litre on April 1 to just under 26 rand, while petrol prices will rise by 3.06 rand a litre.For now, South Africa has sufficient crop production to keep a lid on food prices.’South Africa had a favourable agricultural season and has ample supplies that should contain excessive price increases,’ Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, said during a Citibank client call on March 25.Mathews, however, fears that could change if the war in the Middle East leads to a prolonged rise in fuel prices.’If fuel prices remain at these elevated levels, with already depleted profit margins it doesn't make any financial sense at all to grow maize,’ he said of a food staple in South Africa. Source link
African governments have imposed sharp fuel price increases as the Iran war sends global oil prices surging and threatens to spark inflation across the continent.African countries import most of their petroleum products, leaving many highly vulnerable to supply disruptions.South Africa, one of the continent’s largest economies, Wednesday reduced its fuel levy for one month to help curb further prices rises in April, after trade unions and business groups pressured the government to intervene.CONSIDERING FURTHER STEPSIn Ghana, the National Petroleum Authority raised mandatory minimum price floors for the April 1-15 pricing window, pushing petrol prices up around 15% to 13.30 cedis ($1.21) per litre (0.26 U.S. gallon) and diesel up roughly 19% to 17.10 cedis.President John Mahama said on Monday that the government was considering steps to cushion consumers, including reducing fuel margins and reviewing a recently imposed levy on petroleum products.He also raised the prospect of a formal supply agreement with Nigeria’s Dangote refinery to secure alternative sources of refined petroleum. Ghana imports about 70% of its refined fuel.In Malawi, the Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) imposed even steeper increases, raising petrol prices by 34% to 6,672 kwacha ($3.89) per litre and diesel by 35% to 6,687 kwacha from Wednesday.Petrol and diesel jumped by 42% and 87% between January and March on a free-on-board basis, MERA said, and that suppliers had shifted to fortnightly pricing averages.Tanzania’s Energy and Water Utility Regulatory Authority has set a new petrol price cap of 3,820 shillings ($1.49) per litre in Dar-es-Salaam, up 33% from March. Diesel also rose 33% to 3,802 shillings.The regulator said fuel supply remained adequate to meet the country’s needs.Mauritania Wednesday raised petrol by 15.3% and diesel by 10%. Economic Affairs Minister Abdallah Ould Souleymane, who compared the situation to the 1973 oil crisis, said the government would offset the impact on vulnerable households by raising the minimum wage and providing cash transfers to low-income families.Gambia increased fuel prices by 18.79% for petrol and 12.20% for diesel Wednesday, a finance ministry official told Reuters.Authorities in Botswana and Mali have also announced sharp fuel price increases. Related Story Source link
Chile’s President Jose Antonio Kast speaks next to a group of soldiers near the Chacalluta border post along the Chile-Peru border. (AFP/File photo) Just three weeks into his term, Chile’s new President Jose Antonio Kast has lost no time in tilting the rudder sharply to the right as he looks to slash spending and crack down on immigration, both policies a major about-turn on predecessor Gabriel Boric.Kast, a lawyer of 60, has promised not to shrink from making radical policy choices to revive the economy but also bring illegal immigration under control.This week saw Kast’s team cancel leftist Boric’s plans to grant legal status to tens of thousands of migrants who entered the country without permission.Boric had prepared a decree giving the green light to 182,000 people who applied for legal status.But after Kast campaigned with a pledge to crack down on the issue, Migration Service director Frank Sauerbaum told AFP “we are not going to proceed with a massive granting of residency papers as proposed by the Boric government.”Kast had already ordered the start of construction of new barriers on the Peruvian border to crack down on people sneaking in. The border with Bolivia will also be tightened.He blames a rise in murders, kidnappings and extortion on undocumented immigrants.He has also axed more than 40 environmental decrees which he sees as holding back economic activity and cut ministry budgets by some three %.One of the new government’s most controversial measures is the scaling back of government schemes designed to cushion the impact of fluctuations in fuel prices, which have soared by 30% for petrol and 60% for diesel in a country heavily reliant on imports.Kast’s election brought the most right-wing president to power in Chile since the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet from 1973-1990.But the opening gambits of the professed Pinochet admirer have shocked some.”They’re undoing everything the left has achieved, and I don’t think they understand how ordinary people feel,” complains Rodrigo Araya, a 27-year-old chef from Santiago.For political scientist Rodrigo Espinoza, the change of direction was at least expected.Espinoza points out that “reversing certain decisions made by the previous administration was part” of Kast’s campaign pledges.Measures such as the migration clampdown were largely introduced by decree, bypassing congress, where the president lacks a majority.”These are tough measures,” Kast concedes.”But we cannot buy popularity with money we do not have.”The government cites a budget deficit running at 3.6% and public debt topping 40%, both as a portion of GDP.Kast’s embrace of austerity measures has already sparked protests, chiefly by students and environmental activists.Gonzalo Mueller, director of the Centre for Public Policy at Chile’s private University of Development, says the goal is to rectify controversial decisions rather than to “dismantle a legacy” of what went before Kast arrived.Kast has sought to hit the ground running on policy yet his approval rating has slumped from 57% to 43% since he took office on March 11, says a recent poll by the Cadem institute.Some of that loss of support is a reaction to scaling back Boric’s environmental protections.One focused on the protection of species such as the Humboldt penguin, which is endemic to the Chilean coast and classified as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.The measure proposed designating the creature a ‘natural monument’ and extending its protection to the whole of Chile, prohibiting any activity likely to affect it.”This sends the wrong signal,” warns Chilean scientist Alejandro Simeone, a specialist in the species.”We are in a situation where everything is so negative, so complex, that it is likely” the species will disappear within a few decades.According to a study he led, the population of the bird slumped 63% between 2022 and 2025, due to the combined effects of avian flu, the El Nino weather phenomenon and pressure from industrial fishing.Cristina Dorador, a specialist in salt desert conservation, said austerity and conservation are not mutually exclusive.”It is a mistake to frame the issue as a stark dichotomy: protecting nature does not mean giving up all economic activity.” Related Story…
Four astronauts are set to embark on Wednesday on the first crewed journey around the Moon since 1972, an odyssey that aims to launch the US into a new era of space exploration.The Nasa mission dubbed Artemis 2 has been years in the making after facing repeated setbacks and massive cost overruns, but is finally scheduled to take off from Florida as early as 6:24pm (2224 GMT).Under bright Florida sunshine, the rocket's giant tanks started filling with liquid hydrogen and oxygen at 8:35am.The team featuring Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen will set forth on the approximately 10-day mission and hurtle around Earth's nearest celestial neighbour without landing — much like Apollo 8 did in 1968.The journey marks a series of historic accomplishments: it will send the first person of colour, the first woman and the first non-American on a lunar mission.It is also the inaugural crewed flight of Nasa's new lunar rocket, dubbed SLS.The mammoth orange-and-white rocket is designed to allow the US to repeatedly return to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a permanent base that will offer a platform for further exploration.’It's a stepping stone to Mars, where we might have the most likelihood of finding evidence of past life, but it's also a Rosetta Stone for how other solar systems form,’ Koch told reporters on the weekend.The mission was originally due to take off as early as February.But repeated setbacks stalled the mission and even necessitated rolling the rocket back to its hangar for analysis and repairs.As of Tuesday afternoon, Nasaofficials voiced confidence that engineering operations and final preparations were proceeding smoothly.If Wednesday's launch is cancelled or delayed, there are more liftoff opportunities through Monday, although weather later in the week was looking slightly less favourable.Melinda Schuerfranz, a retiree from Ohio, traveled to Florida for the launch.’We're looking forward to it, we've never seen anything like this,’ the 76-year-old swimsuit-clad beachgoer told AFP.But Schuerfranz remembers the Apollo era, and thinks some of the magic might be lost in today's more fragmented media environment.’I think it was way more exciting then,’ she said. ‘Everybody tuned into it.’Artemis is facing pressure from President Donald Trump, who has pushed the pace of the ambitious program that's aiming to see boots hit the lunar surface before his second term ends in early 2029.Artemis 2's objectives include verifying that both the rocket and the spacecraft are in working order in the hopes of paving the way for a Moon landing in 2028.That deadline has raised eyebrows among experts, in part because Washington is relying on the private sector's technological headway.The astronauts will require a second vehicle to descend to the moon's surface, a lunar lander that remains under development by rival space companies owned by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.This contemporary era of American lunar investment has frequently been portrayed as an effort in competition with China, which is currently aiming to land humans on the Moon by 2030.For Nasa head Jared Isaacman, it's a multi-pronged pursuit related to scientific discovery, national security and economic opportunity — as well as some less tangible goals.’I guarantee after these astronauts fly around the moon, you're going to have more kids dressing up as astronauts for Halloween,’ Isaacman said during a recent television interview.’And that's going to inspire the next generation to take us further.’ Source link
French President Emmanuel Macron (third left) and his wife Brigitte Macron (second left) attend a dinner at Happo-en in Tokyo Tuesday. (AFP) French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Japan Tuesday for a visit that initially aimed to strengthen partnerships in nuclear energy and space innovation but will now be dominated by the Middle East war.Macron landed shortly before 5:30pm (0830 GMT) in rainy and windy Tokyo, ahead of an expected evening meeting with several cultural figures including a renowned kimono painter.He will then hold talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi today, and “the crisis in the Middle East will be at the heart of discussions”, the Elysee said ahead of his Asia trip, which will also include a visit to South Korea.The two leaders will discuss “how we can try to find common solutions”, it added.Japan depends on the Middle East for 95% of its oil imports and has had to dip into strategic stockpiles to temper the impact of rising fuel prices since the start of the war.Iran has virtually closed the vital Strait of Hormuz — through which a fifth of global crude and gas flows — since the US and Israel began striking the country on February 28.Economy and finance ministers of G7 countries, which include France and Japan, said on Monday they stood ready to take “all necessary measures” to ensure the stability of the energy market as they tackled the economic consequences of the war.Wednesday will be Macron’s “first full-fledged meeting” with Takaichi, according to a Japanese foreign ministry official, though the two met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in November.Among expectations for the talks was “continued communication” with a view towards the “calming down of the situation in Iran”, the official said.The two countries are also expected to discuss security and partnerships in the space sector, and intend to sign a roadmap on nuclear power in Japan, the Elysee said.Macron’s visit, his fourth to the country, comes as China-Japan ties worsen following Takaichi’s suggestion in November that Tokyo might intervene militarily in any Chinese attempt to take Taiwan.Macron visited China in December.He and his wife Brigitte are due to have lunch with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Thursday but a hoped-for viewing of Japan’s famous cherry trees in full bloom could be spoiled by rain forecast for the next three days in the Japanese capital.He will be in Japan until April 2, and he will then visit South Korea at the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung.”Macron will be the first European leader to make a state visit to South Korea since the launch of (our) new administration,” the South Korean presidential office said earlier this month. Related Story Source…
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announce their statements after their talks at the Akasaka guesthouse in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday. (Reuters) Japan and Indonesia have agreed to step up coordination on energy security, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday, as the US-Israeli war on Iran squeezes oil and gas supplies vital to Asia.”In light of the Iran situation, the strategic importance of resources and energy security is once again being recognised globally. Indonesia is a major resource-rich nation,” Takaichi said alongside Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto after they met for talks in Tokyo.The summit comes amid mounting concern over the widening Middle East conflict, which has disrupted shipments of oil and gas through the key Strait of Hormuz.Indonesia is the world’s biggest exporter of thermal coal for power generation, supplying about half of global exports. It is also a major liquefied natural gas exporter, with roughly a quarter of its shipments bound for Japan.Japan said on Friday it will allow utilities to increase the use of coal-fired power plants from next month to cushion any disruption to liquefied natural gas imports caused by the war in the Middle East.Japan has also opened up its oil stockpiles, rolled out gasoline subsidies and is seeking energy supplies beyond the Middle East.Japan and Indonesia would “make their best efforts to convince all parties (in the Middle East) to de-escalate” the conflict, Prabowo said. He also invited “Japan’s participation” in the Indonesian economy, including in critical minerals, rare earths, industrialisation and nuclear energy.Neither leader gave details of how the two countries would coordinate in economic security. …
A satellite near-infrared image shows smoke rising from oil storage tanks at Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, which was struck multiple times in Ukrainian attacks,…
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Britain’s King Charles, as Trump departs Windsor Castle, in Windsor. (Reuters/File Photo) King Charles III will visit the US in late April, Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday, despite some calls for the trip to be cancelled or delayed amid strains over the Iran war.Confirmation of the monarch’s first state visit to the US comes at a rocky time for the so-called US-UK “special relationship”, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reticence over the US-Israel war against Tehran.But Trump, whose mother came from Scotland and is a big fan of the British monarchy, welcomed news of the visit as “TERRIFIC”.The US leader posted on his Truth Social platform that the trip would take place on April 27-30 and include a “beautiful Banquet Dinner at the White House on the evening of April 28th”.”I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect. It will be TERRIFIC!” he added.The visit will come as the US marks its 250th anniversary of independence and will be followed by an official visit by the king to Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory.Washington’s envoy to Britain, Warren Stephens, warned last week it would be a “big mistake” for the US visit to be cancelled.Trump has repeatedly railed against Starmer since the start of the war, accusing him of not doing enough to support the US.”This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” Trump said earlier this month, after Starmer initially declined to let US warplanes fly from UK bases to strike Iran.”I’m disappointed with Keir,” Trump has also said, slamming Starmer’s “big mistake”.Trump also caused offence with recent remarks about UK troops’ participation in Afghanistan.The visit will be Charles’s first trip to the US as king, after he hosted Trump for a lavish state visit last September.The mercurial US president has frequently expressed admiration for Britain’s royal family, which treated him to a full state dinner at Windsor Castle, military parades and a flyover during last year’s visit.— Soft power diplomacy —It was an unprecedented second state visit for Trump, who was also hosted in 2019 by the late queen Elizabeth II before her death.But in his latest broadside aimed at Starmer’s government, Trump told countries like Britain to secure the Strait of Hormuz themselves because “the USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us”.A YouGov poll published on Thursday found nearly half of British citizens opposed the king’s visit to the US, with only a third saying it should go ahead.Emily Thornberry, a senior MP in Starmer’s ruling Labour party, said earlier this month it would be “safer to delay” the trip.She warned Charles and Camilla could be left feeling “embarrassed” because of the ongoing conflict.”Why are we rewarding Donald Trump with a state visit from our king?” asked Ed Davey, leader of the minority opposition Liberal Democrats party.The last British monarch to make a state visit to the US was Queen Elizabeth II in 2007.That visit was the last of four made by the late queen whose visit in 1991 included an address to Congress.The royal family’s soft power diplomacy is viewed as an important way of engaging with Trump.Charles helped smooth Starmer’s visit to the White House last year by signing a letter inviting Trump to visit the UK which the prime minister handed to the president in the Oval Office.In front of the TV cameras a beaming US president read the invitation and declared the king “a beautiful man, a wonderful man”. Related Story Source link
Mayor of London and co-chair of C40 Cities, Sadiq Khan, speaks during an interview as he attends the COP30 Local Leaders Forum at the Museum of…
A person works inside a tunnel that was used to bring tonnes of hashish from Morrocco into Spain, in Ceuta, Spain, in an undated picture released…