Fuel protests worldwide

Thousands of truckers went on a half-day strike in Thailand yesterday demanding government help against rising fuel prices, the latest in a series of protests that have swept across the globe.

In Europe, two truck drivers were killed on picket lines in Spain and Portugal.

With United States petrol prices setting records, presidential nominee John McCain's fellow Senate Republicans blocked a move by Democrats to impose a windfall profit tax on American oil giants, a vote likely to play into the hands of Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama.