Nepal announces two-day weekend amid fuel crisis
The Nepali government on Sunday decided to introduce two-day weekly holidays in the government offices and academic institutions in a measure to counter disruptions in petroleum supplies, according to a minister, Xinhua reported.
Making public the cabinet decisions, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Sasmit Pokharel said the decision of holidays on Saturday and Sunday will be enforced with immediate effect. Nepal has been practicing a one-day weekend on Saturdays.
He also informed that the cabinet has decided to prepare laws necessary to facilitate conversions of fossil fuel vehicles into electric vehicles.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that the South African government had announced a temporary cut to fuel taxes to ease the impact of sharply rising petrol and diesel prices, which officials say are being driven by escalating conflict in the Middle East and pressure on global energy markets.