Germany has largely lifted its ban on trucks using roads at weekends to compensate for restricted water vessel traffic, as water levels on the Rhine and other rivers drop further.
Permitting weekend road haulage was the most immediate practicable measure raised during a crisis meeting between German transport minister Steffen Bilger and representatives of industries and interest groups last week. On Wednesday, Berlin and Brandenburg were among the last of 16 German states to give the green light for truck transport on Sundays.
However, “big volumes of freight cannot be transferred to truck or train that easily, because the space is not available that quickly, and costs are much higher than for water transport,” one Frankfurt rebar distributor writes in a note to customers. “It remains to be seen how this will affect steel prices in the coming weeks.”
Although it has not been mentioned explicitly so far, Badische Stahlwerke, in particular, could be impacted as it conducts most incoming scrap supply and outgoing deliveries by water on the Rhine.
Meanwhile, Tata Steel Nederland (TSN) tells Kallanish it has phased out regular transport via the Danube River. “We have ceased using it as a routine shipping route till regular water levels will return and shipping over the river is once again a viable option,” a spokesman writes in a statement. For deliveries to Central and Eastern Europe, the company has established rail-based transport routes.
“We have invested significant effort over the past several years in strengthening the resilience of the TSN transport network,” he says. TSN has developed alternative transport routes and enabled modal shifts to rail, alongside the existing waterway network. “As a result, the extreme drought so far had only limited impact on the TSN transport network. However, with drought conditions expected to persist over the coming weeks, it is anticipated they will eventually begin to affect the transport network operations,” he concludes.
https://eurometal.net/drought-impacted-germany-eases-trucking-restrictions-tata-avoids-danube/
Amman, August 16 (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah II’s official visit to China on Monday will map out the next decade of strategic cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Guo Wei.
Guo told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the upcoming summit marks a key milestone as Jordan and China approach the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.
Economic cooperation between Amman and Beijing expanded rapidly, according to the ambassador. China became Jordan’s top trading partner in 2025, with bilateral trade surging over 25 percent to exceed USD6.7 billion. Jordan’s exports to China jumped 80 percent in the first five months of this year alone, reaching nearly USD300 million.
Chinese investments in Jordan now exceed USD3 billion, supporting major sectors such as engineering, textiles, steel, ceramics, energy, logistics, and e-commerce, while employing thousands of Jordanians.
Notably, a Chinese firm is now the largest shareholder in the Arab Potash Company, driving record production and sales.
Guo voiced Beijing’s commitment to encouraging further business in Jordan, pointing to emerging opportunities in green development, the digital economy, and advanced manufacturing. Beyond economic ties, cultural and educational exchanges continue to grow. Over 600 Jordanian students are currently learning Chinese across seven institutions, while around 500 Chinese students study in Jordan.
Chinese culture is also gaining strong traction across Jordan, with tea, culinary, and poetry events reaching local schools and communities. Initiatives like Spring Festival celebrations, youth concerts, and language competitions continue to draw widespread interest alongside annual performances by Chinese artistic troupes at the Jerash Festival.
On global and regional issues, Guo noted that Amman and Beijing maintain shared stances on key priorities, particularly the Palestinian cause and broader Middle East stability, as both nations work together to promote regional peace.
Looking ahead, China plans to expand development opportunities and deepen cooperation with Jordan across trade, investment, energy, minerals, media, and human resources, Guo said. He added that both nations will also explore emerging fields, including green development, the digital economy, and advanced manufacturing.
//Petra// HA
Mainland buyers account for 40 percent of Hong Kong's property market purchasing power, Far East Consortium International (0035) chairman and chief executive David Chiu Tat-cheong stated in view of recent tightening of capital outflow measures by mainland China.
When attending an interview in Malaysia, Chiu stated that restrictions on mainland buyers are sure to affect the market, maintaining his forecast of a 15 percent increase in property prices over the next two years.
Additionally, Chiu encouraged Hongkongers to start businesses in Malaysia, but advised against investing in Malaysian properties, stating that investing in Hong Kong is easier.
Having moved to Kuala Lumpur in the mid-1980s to build his real estate business, Chiu owns and operates several listed companies in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. He is the founder and the Chairman of Malaysia Land Properties.
Meanwhile, in Gold Peak Technology’s (0040) new generation of nickel-zinc battery production facilities and R&D centers in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, nickel-zinc batteries used for backup power in data centers are expected to become a new growth engine for the company.
The company stated the data centers are consuming a great amount of energy, with a robust demand driven by AI.
Published On 15 Aug 202615 Aug 2026
Iran is still undecided about resuming talks with the United States to end the war, amid disagreements about ceasefire violations and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have not yet made a decision to restart negotiations with the United States,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on Telegram on Saturday, reiterating remarks he made to Iranian news outlet Shahrara News.
Mediators from both Qatar and Pakistan are exchanging messages and are in contact with Iran, “but this does not mean negotiations”, he said.
Araghchi blamed the US for the return to violence following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Pakistan in June, and said a new path out of the conflict must be defined.
He said Iran is separately working with Oman on a technical process to establish new routes for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but any transit of ships is contingent on a political solution being reached.
“The routes that previously existed are no longer functional, and a new route must be defined. We are currently designing a temporary route that will become the final route in the next stages,” the minister said.
He added that “whether or not shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz resumes … depends on the fulfilment of other conditions that the United States must adhere to”.
Araghchi’s comments came on the same day that US President Trump said: “After we finish defeating Iran … I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”
In response, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said on X that the “Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian”.
As the two sides trade remarks, control over the key waterway remains contested.
On Friday, the UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said that one of its ships had come under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz – the latest in a string of such incidents over the past weeks.
US shifting to economic pressure
Following six months of fighting that has failed to fulfil Washington and Israel’s aim of overthrowing Iran’s leaders or opening the Strait of Hormuz, the US now appears to be signalling a move towards the use of economic pressure to achieve its goals.
On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US will soon apply new economic measures to pressure Iran.
“It will be a combination of economic isolation the world has never seen before, and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that will keep anything from going in or out of the Iranian ports,” he said in an interview on Newsmax.
In August, the US announced steps to dismantle a web of currency exchange houses and shell companies that it said helped Iran secretly move hundreds of millions of dollars through the international financial system.
“Iran’s shadow banking system is buckling under Economic Fury, and the regime is running out of ways to move money,” Bessent said when those sanctions were announced.
This strategy is not new: Iran has faced a web of ever-tightening economic sanctions from the US and others since the revolution in 1979. Economic troubles have repeatedly led to highly destabilising protests – but none have triggered meaningful regime change.
Marc Ginsberg, a former US ambassador and White House Middle East policy adviser, told Al Jazeera that while the US has long used maximum pressure tactics, the current situation is distinct, and the White House lacks a clear strategy to resolve the standoff.
“This is sort of a game of economic chicken. Which of the two parties is going to jump off the side of the road before a collision?” he said. “I think in the end, the administration’s going to cave before the Iranian government does.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/15/iran-says-no-decision-yet-on-a-return-to-talks-with-the-us
New Delhi: LPG customers have been advised to complete Aadhaar-based e-KYC through the official channels of their respective oil marketing company. The process is also applicable to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
According to the information provided by Indian Oil, customers who have not completed the required verification may face difficulties with LPG refill services at domestic rates until their e-KYC is completed.
What Happens If e-KYC Is Not Completed?
Failure to complete e-KYC does not mean that an LPG connection will be permanently cancelled.
However, customers who have not completed the verification could face restrictions or difficulties in accessing certain LPG services, including domestic-rate refills, until the verification process is completed.
Customers can restore the relevant services by completing their Aadhaar-based verification.
How to Complete LPG e-KYC Online
Customers can complete e-KYC through the official mobile application of their LPG provider.
The main apps include:
The process can be completed through Aadhaar-based face authentication, subject to the facilities available through the respective oil company’s official platform.
Customers should use only official applications and websites when submitting Aadhaar-related information.
Biometric Verification Also Available
Customers who are unable to complete the process online can approach their gas agency or authorised distributor for biometric verification.
After completing e-KYC, consumers should check their status through the relevant official application or service channel to confirm that the verification has been successfully updated.
e-KYC for Ujjwala Beneficiaries
Aadhaar-based biometric verification is particularly relevant for PMUY beneficiaries, as Aadhaar authentication is used to verify beneficiaries and facilitate access to applicable scheme benefits and subsidies.
Ujjwala customers should therefore ensure that their e-KYC status is updated through official channels.
Keep Your Mobile Number Updated
Customers should also ensure that the mobile number linked to their LPG connection is active and up to date.
A registered mobile number may be required for OTP-based authentication and for receiving booking, delivery and other service-related notifications.
Check Official Updates Before Taking Action
LPG booking, refill and delivery procedures can change periodically. Customers should therefore verify the latest requirements directly through their LPG distributor or the official website and app of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum or Hindustan Petroleum.
Consumers should avoid relying on unofficial messages or links for Aadhaar verification and LPG-related services.
https://patnapress.com/lpg-ekyc-deadline-august-16-aadhaar-verification/
(Aug 16): India has directed its state companies and private refiners to prepare for a sharp increase in cooking gas production, seeking to bolster domestic supplies as the Iran war prolongs uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway for about 90% of the country’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports.
Refiners and crude oil explorers have been ordered to “implement all technically and economically feasible measures” to maximise LPG output beyond current minimum producible levels, according to an Aug 13 government notification. That includes exploring alternative uses of feedstocks, such as converting naphtha into LPG.
India, which relies on imports for about two-thirds of its LPG consumption, has scrambled to secure enough cooking fuel since the US-Iran war disrupted traditional supply routes. Buyers have turned to the US and newer suppliers including Algeria following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Domestic refiners, which produced about 36,000 tonnes of LPG a day before the war, have already lifted output to as much as 54,000 tonnes a day to help meet demand.
The government now wants the industry to be capable of producing as much as 63,810 tonnes a day, according to the notification. It has set upper-limit production targets for individual refiners, with Reliance Industries Ltd’s domestic-market-focused unit assigned the largest target at 18,000 tonnes a day.
State-run explorers Oil and Natural Gas Corp and Oil India Ltd, along with the national gas pipeline utility Gail India Ltd, have also been asked to contribute about a tenth of the nationwide target.
The South Asian nation had traditionally relied on LPG imports rather than domestic production because the fuel is less profitable than gasoline and petrochemical feedstocks.
Refiners have additionally been told to expand infrastructure for LPG storage, evacuation and transportation. Companies will be required to raise production within stipulated timelines, while the government plans to review the output targets every January and July.
This should be headline news! For the sake of leaving behind a planet fit for human life, we need more such victories.
Well done to all who opposed Shell’s intended actions!!
“Shell could not be reached for immediate comment.” In my opinion, any potential comment can remain buried along with whatever fossil fuel there was to be found.
As much fossil fuel as possible should stay exactly where it is - buried. Ricky Stone’s ending quotes from this victory against the fossil fuel industry say it all.
“This is a monumental victory for the rule of law, and indeed, for the principle that people and nature must always come before profit.”
If anyone has any doubts as to how well the fossil fuel industry is held to legislated standards of emissions and accountability for environmental degradation, you need look no further than Sasol’s operations.
Sasol launched aggressive legal action in the High Court to challenge the Highveld Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan. They are actively trying to get a declaratory order stating that the state’s 40% emission reduction targets for 2030 are non-binding or should be set aside entirely.
I also sincerely hope the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) returns to court regarding Sasol unlawfully discharging heavy chemical waste (including vanadium and potassium carbonate) into the Vaal River catchment area.
All the while, Sasol continues to publicly argue that their litigation against emissions compliance does not undermine its sustainability roadmap.
I do not think the Shell ruling with change Sasol’s approach to lawfare one iota.
By Tsvetana Paraskova - Aug 16, 2026, 6:00 PM CDT
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright this week said that the oil exports from the Middle East have rebounded to 15 million barrels per day (bpd) and even topped the pre-war average of 20 million bpd on Sunday.
Vessel-tracking services and commodity analysts are baffled and struggling to reconcile these numbers with their observations of tanker loadings and traffic in the region.
Ship-tracking data shows oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz are, at best, half the volume cited by Secretary Wright.
Of all oil exports out of the Middle East, various tanker-monitoring data show a gap of between 3 million bpd and 5 million bpd, as most vessel-tracking companies are estimating only about 9 million bpd leaving the region via all its export channels so far this month, per the data compiled by Reuters columnist Clyde Russell.
In the middle of this week, the U.S. energy secretary posted on X that oil flows from the Middle East have normalized, with Sunday traffic alone above pre-conflict averages, in a claim that appears not to be backed by ship-tracking data.
“It is not possible to reconcile the disparity between what we see and what he is quoting,” Matt Smith, director of commodity research at Kpler, told CNN, commenting on Wright’s claim.
Kpler data showed earlier this week that vessel traffic at the Strait of Hormuz continues to decline as last week’s hopes of negotiations of a U.S.-Iran deal began to fade, yet again.
Secretary Wright then doubled down on this claim, posting that “In coordination with the U.S. military, the U.S. Department of Energy maintains the best available data related to oil and oil products leaving the Arabian gulf.”
He went on to add that “Many private businesses undercount the number of ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz due to ships moving covertly through the waterway.”
The U.S. official did not reveal how “the best available data related to oil and oil products leaving the Arabian gulf” is being compiled and/or analyzed.
The private businesses tracking the shipments estimate current oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz at up to 5 million bpd at best, and at about 9 million bpd-10 million bpd for the entire Middle Eastern region.
Even the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said this week in its monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) that traffic at Hormuz remains “severely constrained” and assumes this would be the case throughout August.
At any rate, the next five to six weeks will show how accurate (or not) the U.S. claim is, as the exports now leaving the Middle East will begin appearing in import data in various countries, Reuters’ Russell notes.
Of course, there is the possibility that vessel-tracking services could be underestimating the Middle East’s current export volumes, due to heightened dark-mode activity of tankers.
But it is equally possible that the U.S. Administration is spinning a wishful thinking of one outcome of the war in Iran, as this week showed a new deadlock in the U.S.-Iran talks and the contrasting claims of control over Hormuz.
Or simply the U.S. Administration could be trying to talk down oil prices again, with the midterm elections in November approaching but Americans still paying high gasoline prices.
The national average price of gasoline remained above $4 per gallon this week.
“While gasoline demand is down, crude oil prices are keeping pump prices higher than normal for this time of year,” AAA said on Thursday.
“So far, this is the highest August on record when it comes to the national gasoline average.”
This means that Americans have never paid so much for gasoline this late in the year.
“Going back to 2008, the cheapest national average price of gasoline on this calendar day- Aug. 13- was $2.13/gal in 2016 and the most expensive is today, at $4.06/gal,” Patrick de Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said on Thursday.
The Khuzdar Barite, Lead and Zinc project has made significant progress with the facilitation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), paving the way for an investment of 200 million dollars.
The project, being developed in Khuzdar by Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Bolan Mining Enterprises, is among Pakistan's major mineral projects. It has estimated reserves of 69 million tons and a mine life of 34 years.
The SIFC facilitated the resolution of longstanding lease-related issues, leading to the completion of the operational agreement and clearing the way for the project's implementation.
The project is expected to generate annual revenue of 150 to 230 million dollars and boost economic activity in Balochistan.
The development highlights Pakistan's vast mineral potential and growing opportunities for investment and effective utilization of its natural resources, reflecting increasing confidence among international investors.
The ArcelorMittal mining and metallurgical complex in Kryvyi Rih came under a missile attack by russia. Two people were killed, the plant reported, according to UNN.
Details
PJSC "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih" reports that our enterprise was hit by a missile from the aggressor country last night. As a result of the enemy attack, 13 employees of the enterprise and contractor organizations were injured. Unfortunately, one person was killed. Rescue and search operations are ongoing - the statement said.
It is noted that the emergency response plan was put into effect. Fire service, occupational safety department, rescuers, and medical personnel are working at the scene. The victims of the enemy missile strike are receiving all necessary medical assistance at medical facilities in the city.
As a result of the attack, the main production facilities of the energy and blast-furnace operations were damaged, and the plant's production processes were partially halted. Relevant specialists are currently assessing the extent of the damage and the possibilities and time frame for restoration.
Later, the company added that as of 10:16, the body of another person killed as a result of the enemy attack had been found. In total, the aggressor's shelling has already claimed the lives of two people.
Background
The largest metallurgical plant, "ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih," is owned by Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal through ArcelorMittal. The plant specializes in the production of long steel products, in particular rebar and wire rod made of ordinary and low-alloy steel grades; it also produces sinter, concentrate, coke, pig iron, steel, long and shaped rolled products.
To remind you
The number of people injured as a result of Russian strikes on Kyiv on the night of August 16 increased to 3.
https://unn.ua/en/news/russian-missile-strike-on-arcelormittal-kryvyi-rih-two-killed-13-injured
