Climate change is driving dangerous heat waves across the Northern Hemisphere, with Christiana Figueres highlighting the global impact. Rising carbon emissions trap heat, making heat waves hotter and more frequent. The global temperature has increased 1.3 degrees Celsius since the Industrial Revolution.
Karnataka BJP has staged a 'cycle jatha' in various locations across the state to protest the state government's hike in fuel rates. Workers in Bengaluru were detained midway, calling the detention unconstitutional. The party accused the government of suppressing protests and urged the people to revolt against the government.
Elon Musk envisions a future driven by self-driving cars and humanoid robots, potentially transforming Tesla into a trillion-dollar enterprise. However, uncertainties loom over Tesla's ability to deliver on these promises to both consumers and shareholders. Despite Musk's ambitious projections of unlocking ten times Tesla's current value through autonomous vehicles, Chinese competitors are advancing in key technologies like lane-navigation and battery economics.
A study by a group of scientists have found that climate change caused by anthropogenic factors has caused an increase in the number of high intensity heat waves in North America. This serves as an early warning for all the stakeholders to tackle the issue of increased emissions.
The report suggests that five key stories emerge from the 2023 data, starting with record global energy consumption, with coal and oil pushing fossil fuels and their emissions to record levels. "Global primary energy consumption overall was at a record absolute high, up 2 per cent on the previous year to 620 Exajoules (EJ). Global fossil fuel consumption reached a record high, up 1.5 per cent to 505 EJ (driven by coal up 1.6 per cent, oil up 2 per cent to above 100 million barrels for first time, while gas was flat)," said the report.
Indian refiners also turned to Asia amidst a saturated European market for diesel cargoes
India is considering reducing the mandatory blend of imported coal with locally produced fuel for thermal power units from 6% to 4-5% due to higher coal stocks at plants. The advisory on coal blending, extended in March to ensure power availability during peak demand, is set to expire on June 30.
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar addressed concerns over potential water tariff increases in Bengaluru, noting that rates have not been adjusted in a decade despite financial losses. He stressed the necessity for new projects and highlighted difficulties in obtaining financing from banks for the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
Budget Expectations: FICCI has proposed simplifying the capital gains tax system by categorizing assets into equity instruments, debt, and other assets with specific rates for long-term and short-term gains. They have also advocated for uniform tax rates for residents and non-residents.
State-run Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) is speculated to set up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) units at its three refineries. This plan will help support the government's 1% blending target. For the said project, the company will invest up to Rs 1,400 crore in setting up these facilities.SAF is produced from various sources such as agricultural waste, fats, used cooking oil, or non-food crops.
CM Siddaramaiah blames GST regime for fuel price hike, leading to protests by BJP leaders. Petrol price in Bengaluru now Rs 102.84, diesel Rs 88.95.
The Centre aims to reduce the fiscal deficit to 5.1% of GDP, with allocations for food and fertiliser subsidies slightly lower than previous estimates. Plans include reducing dependency on imports for better fertiliser subsidy management.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah challenged the BJP to protest against the Centre's treatment of the state, citing fuel price hikes and lack of central funds. He criticized the BJP for failing to address issues like rising petrol prices despite lower crude oil costs. Siddaramaiah highlighted discrepancies in fund allocation and accused the BJP of neglecting Karnataka's development needs.
Petrol and diesel prices in India: The petrol price in Karnataka are still lower than neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Here are the petrol and diesel prices of major cities in India, as on June 17, 2024.
Gruner Renewable Energy announced plans to set up a CBG plant in Gujarat's Navsari, costing Rs 220 crore, to produce 44 TPD of biogas from various feedstocks, aiding India's shift towards sustainable energy solutions.
In June, India's diesel demand fell due to extreme heat reducing travel, continuing a declining trend despite typically high election season sales. Diesel sales dropped 3.9% year-on-year and remained flat month-on-month. Petrol consumption also decreased by 4.6% annually. Contrarily, jet fuel and LPG demand saw year-on-year increases.
The Karnataka Government on Saturday hiked sales tax on fuel.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied a link between election results and petrol and diesel price hikes, despite a backlash from citizens. He acknowledged the Congress's loss in Vijayapura and the BJP's drop in seats. Petrol and diesel prices were reduced after the Centre cut autofuel taxes.
While Industries minister MB Patil on Sunday defended the hike, saying the money was necessary for funding the state’s guarantee schemes, citizens took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, with the topic generating over 11,000 posts on X.
Oil prices slipped on weaker U.S. consumer demand. China's economic data indicated deflation, impacting markets in Singapore and other countries.
Ethanol blending in petrol exceeded 15% in May, driven by increased purchases from biofuel makers. Oil companies achieved an average blending ratio of 15.4%, surpassing April's 12.7%. State-run oil marketing companies blended about 670 million litres of ethanol in petrol, as per oil ministry data.
The Congress-ruled Karnataka government's move to raise local tax on auto fuels pushed petrol prices above Rs 100 a litre and diesel to Rs 89, but rates are lower than neighbouring Andhra Pradesh which has the costliest fuel in the country, oil industry data showed. The Karnataka government on June 15 hiked local VAT (value added tax) from 25.92 per cent to 29.84 per cent on petrol and from 14.3 per cent to 18.4 per cent on diesel.
Karnataka raises fuel taxes, pushing petrol prices above ₹100, still lower than neighbouring states
The Karnataka government has announced a sudden increase in petrol and diesel prices due to a revision in sales tax. Petrol price has risen by Rs 3 to Rs 102.84 per litre, while diesel price has increased by Rs 3.02 to Rs 88.95 per litre. The Petroleum Dealers Association attributes the hike to the state government's sales tax revision. The Finance Department of Karnataka aims to boost state revenue with this move.
Pakistan slashes petrol and diesel prices ahead of Eid ul Adha, providing relief to the inflation-hit masses
The Pakistani government has announced significant reductions in petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices ahead of Eid ul Adha, cutting petrol prices by Rs 10.20 and HSD prices by Rs 2.33 per litre. Effective from Saturday, this move aims to alleviate inflation pressures on the public. The decision, based on international market price variations, is expected to provide relief to a population grappling with double-digit inflation.
The BJP accused the Congress government in Karnataka of poor financial management after petrol price hikes. The party said that they will protest against the decision on Monday. The government announced a substantial increase in petrol and diesel prices, drawing criticism from citizens and opposition. The BJP lambasted the timing of the hike post-election, calling for its withdrawal due to the financial strain it places on the public and various industries in the state.
The decision also stated that the sales tax for petrol increased from 25.92 percent to 29.84 percent and from 14.34 percent to 18.44 percent for diesel
The BJP in Karnataka is set to protest against the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices, following the state government's decision to increase sales tax on fuel. The hike has led to a Rs 3 per litre increase in petrol prices and a Rs 3.5 per litre increase in diesel prices. State BJP President B Y Vijayendra criticized the Chief Minister for the decision, calling it desperate and aimed at resource mobilization. Protests are planned across the state, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the hike.
India's coal imports surged 13.2% to 26.10 million tonnes in April 2024, driven by early summer demand. Non-coking coal reached 17.40 MT and coking coal 4.97 MT. Amid calls for boosting domestic production, imports continue to rise, expected to meet power and industrial sector needs ahead of monsoon season restocking