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Tanzanian leader orders smaller convoys and shared buses to cut fuel use as prices rise

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — Tanzania ‘s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose motorcades are reportedly among the largest in Africa, is cutting down on the number of official and luxury vehicles as part of measures to save fuel as oil prices rise.

Several African governments have announced steps to cope with fuel shortages and rising prices. Madagascar on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to reduce fuel consumption, while South Africa cut the fuel levy, and Ethiopia introduced rationing. Senegal banned all but essential foreign trips for government ministers.

“From today, whenever I travel, the officers accompanying me will use consolidated transport in small buses to reduce fuel consumption and operational costs during this period,” Hassan said Wednesday.

In the past, the president’s convoy had dozens of luxury vehicles carrying government officials, protocol officers and security personnel. A video of her 30-car convoy was once shared online, sparking conversations about African presidential convoys. Hassan has one of the continent’s longest motorcades.

She said Tanzania had fuel reserves that could last up to three months, but cautioned businesses against inflating prices.

The price of fuel has risen by $0.40 per liter in the last two weeks, fueled by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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