Asahi Shimbun

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Denmark’s largest energy company said Russia cut off its gas supply Wednesday because it refused to pay in rubles, the latest escalation over European energy amid the war in Ukraine. Russia previously halted natural gas supplies to Finland, Poland and Bulgaria for refusing a demand to pay in rubles. And on Tuesday, the tap was turned off to the Netherlands. Danish energy company Ørsted said it still expected to be able to serve its customers. “We stand firm in our refusal to pay in rubles, and we’ve been preparing for this scenario,” Ørsted CEO Mads Nipper said. ”The situation underpins the need of the EU becoming independent of Russian gas by accelerating the build-out of renewable energy.” In response to Western sanctions imposed against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree saying foreign buyers needed to pay in rubles for Russian gas as of April 1. Recent Stories from ABC NewsTop Articles READ MORE 4 killed in s...

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africans are feeling the bite of fuel price increases as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine and the rise in the Brent crude oil price. Neighboring Zimbabwe and other African countries are also grappling with increasing fuel prices. South Africa, the continent's most developed economy, saw gas prices go above 24 rand ($1.50) per liter, more than $5.80 per gallon. Diesel prices also went up. The latest increases make fuel in South Africa about 40% more expensive than a year ago. To try to hold down the spike in price, the government has reduced its tax on fuel sales. The government said the increases were a result of the rise in the price of Brent crude oil. The fuel price increase is the latest addition to South Africa’s economic woes, which include a 34.5% unemployment rate and an economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in the loss of an estimated 2 million jobs. Economists are warning of further increases throughout the year, which ...