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Kenya Transport Strike over Fuel Price Increases Suspended for One Week
The government of Kenya announced on Tuesday, one day after protests in the country left four people dead, that it would call off a strike by public transport workers to protest against fuel price increases triggered by war with Iran. Kipchumba Mukomen, the Interior Minister, said in a televised news conference that the suspension of the strike for one week would allow more discussions between the government and the transport operators. The government agreed to lower the price of diesel, but negotiations on Monday failed to produce an agreement. On Tuesday morning, bus and minibus services were disrupted across Kenya and some schools closed. As anger over the cost of living grew, many commuters had to walk or pay more to get to their jobs. Kenya imports ?nearly all ?its fuel products from the Middle East via government-to-government deals with ?Gulf suppliers. The recent fuel price increases have risen transport costs and increased the cost of basic goods, putting further pressure on households who are already struggling to pay their bills.
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Nickel prices jump as Indonesian supply concerns resurface
Nickel prices increased on Tuesday as concerns about Indonesian supplies resurfaced. China's Tsingshan group asked its Weda Bay Industrial Park smelters to divert their power to aluminum production. Benchmark nickel prices were?up?1.8% at $18,900 per metric ton as of 0946 GMT. The price of nickel hit a two-year high earlier this month at around $20,000, with the buying being sparked by a sulphur scarcity caused by the war in Iran and lower ore quotas. Tsingshan asked producers of nickel-pig iron used to produce stainless steel to "curb" output, according to reports on Monday. The group is now focusing more on aluminium, after higher prices improved margins. Electricity is used in both aluminium and nickel pig iron smelting. The traders said that reports that Indonesia had suspended nickel mining licenses because companies had failed to submit the required 2026 plans, had created further momentum. Aluminum prices are nearing four-year highs due to disruptions in Middle East smelting, where 9% of the global capacity is located. The closing of the Strait of Hormuz also caused a halt in the shipments of aluminum to the United States, Europe and Middle East smelters. Morgan Stanley analysts stated in a note that "events in the Middle East" had removed >4% from global aluminium supplies. Damage to facilities has caused a 12-month delay in restarting a large part of this. According to our estimates, the market will be in a deficit of 1.85 million tons by 2026 due to?China reaching its smelting cap and tight power markets. The withdrawal of aluminum from LME-registered warehouses is due to shortages The large premiums or backwardations for contracts with shorter maturities compared to those nearer the LME. Aluminium for three months was up by 0.8% at $3,597 per ton. Copper fell 0.8% to $13,474 per ton. Zinc gained 0.1%, to $3,528, while lead was down 0.6%, to $1970. Tin retreated by 0.4%, to $52,375.
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Gas prices are forcing Americans to be creative, from toy cars to bus rides.
Mali?Hightower found a toy in someone's garbage to solve the problem of high gas prices. The handyman, 30, from Ellenwood in?Georgia, stuck a broken pink Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper, a battery operated toy car that was less than four feet high, with a two gallon, one piston engine. The handyman, 30, from Ellenwood,?Georgia, stuck a two-gallon, one-piston engine from a power washer into 'a broken pink Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper -............... he was off to the store, with his knees up at his ears and....... Filling up his Mercedes-Benz convertible 1996 costs him about $90. Hightower said, "That's way too expensive." He also added a rack for groceries on the top. "I drive it when I can." The soaring price of gasoline has influenced the way Americans make decisions. Americans, who have been enamored of their cars for years, especially less fuel-efficient SUVs, are now looking at alternatives, such as public transportation or staying near home. According to AAA, Americans were paying an average of $4.52 per gallon of regular gasoline as of May 18. This is up from $3 before the Iran War began. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted by Ipsos in April 28, 44% of Americans had reduced their driving. Others are finding ways to make the most of economic hardship. Renee Tocci of Camp Farley, Mashpee Massachusetts, came up with an idea after spending $40 more to fill her Buick Enclave than normal. She would promote sleep-away camps as a way for parents to save money on the cost of schlepping around their children all summer. Tocci said that her colleague thought it was hilarious. "And I said, seriously, I will post it on social media." She started referencing fuel prices online and in email marketing to increase enrollment. One of her posts stated, "Here's an inexpensive tip that no one mentions: Send your children to overnight camp." "EVERY WALK IN LIFE" Dafne Flowers, a content creator from Silverdale, Washington, drives to Los Angeles several times per year to visit her friends. During her most recent two-month visit, Dafne Flores parked in Glendale to use public transportation. Flores (28), said, "We are used to high gas prices but not this high." Filling up her Toyota Highlander costs at least $95. She avoids stations near freeways where prices are as high as $9 per gallon. She can edit videos on the bus and save money by not parking. Flores claims that more Americans of her age are making similar choices online: "I see a lot videos of people taking public transportation." From coast to coast, the trend is clear. According to transit administrator Laurie Linscott in Maine, the number of passengers using Bangor's bus system rose 21% from January. The majority of this growth occurred during peak commuter hours. Linscott said, "I began watching people to try and get a demographic." "It was from every walk of life." GIVEAWAYS OF GAS CARDS A recent Thursday saw drivers waiting for more than an hour in a gas station at El Segundo in California. The tourism agency Visit Vegas offered up to $100 worth of gas to the 100 first drivers to get in line. Few people who attended the event were planning a vacation. Robert Jackson, of El Segundo, said that the fuel would last only a few days. He said, "I'm going to have to walk now and take the train." "It's tough. "It's really tough." Segette Frank, a Los Angeles resident, used to shop all over the city. She said, "I don't go far because I do not want to run out gas." In Chicago, the CityPoint Community church plans to give away $25 gas cards worth $5,000 in the next few weeks. Pastor Demetrius Davis stated that they distributed over 70 cards following Mother's Day service. He said that "Transportation is not a luxury to many families." "It's survival." The crunch so far hasn't caused an increase in electric vehicle sales, but it's vindicated existing EV owners, especially Tesla owners, who were caught up in the political backlash last year against CEO Elon Musk. John Stringer is the president of Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley, an organization of Tesla enthusiasts. He recently posted a TikTok clip showing a sign at a gas station with sky-high pricing. Stringer, a bit cheekily, says, "Oh man, I wish that was something that I had deal with," before turning the camera to his Cybertruck. Stringer's relief, while a joke at first, is not a joke. I don't remember the last time that I checked gas prices. Except for that video.
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Russian seaborne oil product exports rose 10% m/m between May 1-15, according to industry data.
According to LSEG data and other market sources, Russia's seaborne exports of oil products rose 10% a month on average in the first fifteen days of May as key ports re-established fuel loadings. The release of fuel inventories accumulated during previous disruptions due to drone attacks was the main driver for fuel export growth, traders reported. However, May shipments were still limited by unplanned and seasonally-related refinery maintenance as well as rising domestic demand. Primorsk is the largest port in Russia for the export of ultra-low sulphur (ULSD) diesel. In the first half, it loaded 710,000 tons of ULSD, which was essentially the same as the previous month. Ukraine has increased drone attacks on Russia's energy sector, targeting twice as many oil refineries since the beginning of the year. The major plants in Kirishi, western Russia, Nizhny Novgorod along the Volga and Perm near the Urals mountains were all targeted. Drone strikes in late March on the Baltic ports Primorsk & Ust-Luga caused fires to fuel tanks. Terminals were unable to handle oil products for several weeks. Market sources said that in May, fuel loadings at Baltic ports were gradually resumed, but not yet to full capacity. Ukrainian drones repeatedly attacked Russia's Black Sea Port of Tuapse, as well as the nearby Rosneft owned Tuapse Refinery last month. This forced a halt to oil processing and fuel-loading operations. The traders said that some exports had been rerouted into other Russian ports.
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Officials say that Russian drones and missiles have killed four people in the northern regions of Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials reported that Russian missiles and drone strikes in the northern Chernihiv and Sumy regions of Ukraine killed?four people? and injured several others on Tuesday. The regional governor said that a ballistic missile attack in the middle of Pryluky, in the Chernihiv Region, killed two people, and injured at least 17 others. One of them was a 14-year old. The attack damaged a business and also a nearby shopping centre and supermarket, said Governor Viacheslav Chaus on Telegram. Chaus shared photos of a metal structure damaged and a building whose windows were shattered on Telegram. The regional governor said that a separate Russian drone strike targeted civil?infrastructure in the neighbouring Sumy Region on Tuesday, without revealing any further information about the targets. Oleh Hryhorov, the governor of Oleh's?Hryhorov, said that two men aged 52 and 58 were killed and four others injured. Both?regions? border Russia and have been the target of frequent attacks during the war. Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka, Editing by Alison Williams & Peter Graff
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India's leading copper producers are against scrap-based rods being included in standards
Adani, Vedanta, and Hindalco are among the top copper producers in India. They oppose plans to make copper wire produced by secondary refiners meet government standards. A dispute over copper rods with high conductivity that are fire-refined has led to a standoff lasting months between primary producers and refiners. These rods are used primarily in electrical applications, such as transformers and power cables. Copper rods produced by smaller refiners that mainly use scrap as a raw material are not subject to the same standards, because they may not meet the required purity levels for electrical applications. The?large producers claimed that Indian fire (secondary refiners) may not possess the requisite technology, and are therefore unable to manufacture the FRHC-grade consistently. This was according to the minutes of a meeting of the Bureau of Indian Standards on March 23, which were reviewed by?. BIS, the state-run agency that oversees quality standards for Indian products. The minutes of the Indian Primary Copper Association (IPCPA) stated that "many manufacturers are not refining?and only re-melting?scrap to make?substandard products." IPCPA partners include Adani Vedanta Hindalco Hindustan Copper. In the minutes secondary producers defended the production method they use, stating that fire refining allows them to control the chemical composition and conductivity of copper, which is required internationally for cable manufacture. The BIS has not responded to any requests for comment from? The BIS did not respond to requests for comment. IPCPA Rohit Pathak stated that the industry group was seeking separate standards to be set for FRHC Copper because "fire refining, which uses scrap copper as its primary input cannot remove?impurities in order to achieve the 99.99% purity needed for electrical applications." Lower purity will increase the risk of overheating, and even fire. Pathak, also the CEO of Hindalco’s copper business, said in a press release that a separate?standard would help ensure safe use. Industry estimates estimate India's total demand of?copper bars in the fiscal period ending March 2025 at 1.2?million metric tonnes, with imports accounting for 0.1?million tons. FRHC copper bar production was at 0.4?million tons. The Middle East conflict has disrupted supplies this year, but imports are still largely sourced from the United Arab Emirates. A source in the industry said that as a result, around 400,000 tons copper wire rod are currently traded outside of the quality control regime. (Reporting and editing by Mayank Bhadwaj, Raju Gopalakrishnan).
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South Korea and Japan agree to strengthen security ties, as well as energy cooperation
Their leaders said that?South?Korea? and Japan?have agreed to expand their cooperation in the areas of LNG and crude oil supplies, including stockpiling, and swapping petroleum products. After a meeting held in Lee Jae Myung's hometown, Andong, the President and Prime Minister said they would intensify coordination to stabilize?energy supply and expand their cooperation with other Asian countries as disruptions in supply due to war in the Gulf are straining their import-dependent economy. In a joint press statement, Lee stated that "recent instability in energy markets and supply chains stemming from Middle East situation has further highlighted the need for closer cooperation between our countries." Takaichi also said that they launched a bilateral project focusing on strengthening the energy supply resilience. This included enhancing reserves in the Indo-Pacific and "assessing energy safety through measures such a mutual swap transactions for crude, petroleum products, and LNG." They also reaffirmed a stronger coordination in security, including trilateral co-operation with the United States as they face shared challenges, such as North Korea and wider regional tensions. Lee stated that the recent upgrade of vice ministerial level security talks between?two countries represented "meaningful progress" towards institutionalising defence dialog. The Andong summit was the sixth time the two leaders met since Lee came into office, and the second meeting this year within their "shuttle diplomatic" framework. Both leaders agreed that the rapid succession of meetings, including reciprocal visits to each other's hometowns, showed the level of trust between their countries. They also said it demonstrated a growing cooperation outside of capitals and into regional and economic ties. South Korea and Japan are attempting to strengthen their coordination, despite a long history of disagreements. Both governments have a greater focus on regional stability, economic security, technology cooperation, including artificial intelligence, and advanced technology. The leaders will attend a banquet in Andong that features a mix of Korean and Japanese cuisines, as a symbol of bilateral friendship. The leaders will also enjoy cultural performances, including a pansori and firework show along the river. (Reporting and editing by Bernadettebaum, Peter Graff, Kaneko Kaori)
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Shooting in southern Spain leaves at least two dead and four injured
Spanish police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested a 25 year old?man accused of?killing his two parents?and injuring four others including his son in an overnight shooting in the southern city El Ejido in Almeria Province. Guardia Civil said that the four injured are hospitalized and in "serious condition". The suspect's child was not the only injured person. A woman, a man and a minor were also hurt. The statement said that the shooting was reported for the first time after?11 pm (2100 GMT) Monday. The suspect was arrested by specialist units at 4 am on Tuesday. The police were looking into the motive of the shooting. They initially thought it was domestic violence. Also, they wanted to know the origin?of the gun that he used as he did not have a gun licence. Spain is relatively free of shootings, as firearms and gun ownership are strictly regulated. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and?Crime (UNODC), Spain recorded 53 firearm homicides?in?2023. That's 0.1 deaths for every 100,000 people - the lowest rate anywhere in Europe and the entire world. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong; Andrew Heavens, Sharon Singleton, and Jacqueline Wong)
China retaliates against US tariffs by imposing export controls on rare earths
China placed export restrictions on rare earth elements as part of its response to President Donald Trump’s tariff package. This could cut off the U.S. from vital minerals essential to everything from electric car batteries to smartphones.
China produces 90% of the world’s refined rare earths. This group of 17 elements is used in the electronics, defense, electric vehicles, and clean energy industries. Most of the rare earths imported by the United States come from China.
According to a Ministry of Commerce press release, seven categories of medium and heavier rare earths including samarium and related items such as gadolinium and terbium will be added to an export control list on April 4.
This latest move by China to weaponise their dominance in the mining and processing critical minerals, affects all countries not just the U.S.
Beijing has already banned the export of metals to the U.S., and placed export controls on a number of other products. Jacob Gunter, an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, believes that Friday's decision will likely galvanize efforts to create alternative supply chains in the West.
"The more China uses this trigger even if the United States is the only country affected, the more European companies, European governments, and other countries will also consider the risks of having export controls placed on them."
Beijing announced these controls late Friday night as part of an broader package that included tariffs and restrictions on companies in response to U.S. president Donald Trump's decision of raising tariffs to 54% against most Chinese goods.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, between 2019 and 2022 about three-quarters of rare earths imported by the U.S. came from China.
Beijing can limit shipments even though the export controls do not constitute a ban by limiting the number of export licenses that it issues. China has not exported antimony to European Union nations since March, after export controls were imposed on the metal in September.
China controls the mining and production of rare earths, despite the fact that they are common in the earth crust. It does this by imposing a strict quota system. Reporting by Amy Lv in Beijing and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Jan Harvey
(source: Reuters)