- Beirut digs for victims at building flattened in Israeli strike
- Verstappen stages protest over 'ridiculous' swearing punishment
- Bayern boss Kompany lauds 'special talent' Olise
- Diaz fires Liverpool top of Premier League, Spurs bounce back
- Heavy fire over Israel-Lebanon border after deadly Beirut strike
- Ramos guides unbeaten Toulouse to Montpellier win despite Hogg scuffle
- Myanmar flood death toll jumps to 384
- Chelsea owners 'happy' with win at West Ham amid rift report
- Kane and Olise run riot as Bayern thump Bremen
- Ramos guides unbeaten Toulouse to Montpellier win
- Norris pips Verstappen to dramatic Singapore pole after Sainz crash
- Carey takes Australia to 270 in 2nd ODI against England after collapse
- Two Hezbollah leaders killed in Israel's Beirut strike
- Hungary Danube waters reach decade high after Storm Boris
- Bagnaia cuts Martin's MotoGP lead with Emilia-Romagna sprint win
- Jackson double fires Chelsea to victory at woeful West Ham
- Fiji beat Japan to lift Pacific Nations Cup
- Kasatkina to face Haddad Maia in Korea Open final
- S.Africa snowfall closes roads, strands motorists overnight
- Lawyers of women alleging Al-Fayed sex abuse receive over 150 new enquiries
- President Museveni's son backs Ugandan strongman for 7th term
- Norris quickest as Verstappen bounces back in Singapore practice
- Wallabies lament All Blacks' fast start
- Germany's Oktoberfest opens under tight security after attacks
- Environmental protesters block French cruise liner port
- Hezbollah in disarray after Israeli strike kills top commanders
- No place like home: Biden hosts 'Quad' leaders
- One dead, 7 missing as heavy rains trigger floods in central Japan
- Zelensky says no UK, US go-ahead to use long-range missiles
- New Zealand edge Australia 31-28 in Bledisloe Cup thriller
- Japan orders evacuations as heavy rains trigger floods in quake-hit area
- New Zealand pilot freed in Indonesia after 19 months in rebel captivity
- Hezbollah in disarray after Israeli air strike kills top commanders
- Leading climate activist released from Vietnam jail
- Ethiopians struggle with bitter pill of currency reform
- Sri Lanka votes in first poll since economic collapse
- Feminist author warns of abortion disaster if Trump wins US election
- US city of Flint still reeling from water crisis, 10 years on
- Arsenal's mean defence faces acid test to shut out Man City again
- Late surge lifts Thailand's Jeeno to LPGA Queen City lead
- DeChambeau says PGA's Ryder Cup decision 'just the start'
- Alcaraz defeated on Laver Cup debut
- Postecoglou embraces 'struggle' to make Spurs a success
- Nice hand 'ashamed' Saint-Etienne 8-0 Ligue 1 mauling
- Boeing CEO says ending strike 'a top priority'
- Stock markets mostly fall after Fed-fueled rally
- Harris slams Trump for hypocrisy on abortion as US starts voting
- Academy to host first overseas ceremony to honor young filmmakers
- No doctor necessary: US okays nasal spray flu vaccine for self-use
- Gurbaz, birthday boy Rashid lead Afghanistan to 177-run rout of South Africa
Shell set to stop Russian energy purchases
Energy giant Shell said Tuesday it will withdraw from Russian gas and oil and immediately stop purchases of its crude, citing the country's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The company also apologised for buying a cargo of Russian oil last week, adding that it should not have happened.
"Shell today announced its intent to withdraw from its involvement in all Russian hydrocarbons, including crude oil, petroleum products, gas and liquefied natural gas in a phased manner, aligned with new (UK) government guidance," it said in a statement.
"As an immediate first step, the company will stop all spot purchases of Russian crude oil."
The group will also shut its service stations, aviation fuels and lubricants operations in Russia.
A wide-range of international companies have stopped doing business in Russia since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine late last month.
The United States said it was in talks with allies about banning oil imports from Russia, but Germany and other European nations have balked at the idea as the continent is highly dependent on Russian crude and gas.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated Monday that it was "the right thing to do" to move away from Russian hydrocarbons -- but called for a gradual "step by step" approach.
Shell came under fire last week after it bought a shipment Russian oil at a vast discount, despite international outcry over the assault on Ukraine.
- 'We are sorry' -
"We are acutely aware that our decision last week to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil to be refined into products like petrol and diesel -– despite being made with security of supplies at the forefront of our thinking -– was not the right one and we are sorry," said chief executive Ben van Beurden.
The group has already pledged to commit profits to a dedicated fund for Ukraine.
"We will work with aid partners and humanitarian agencies over the coming days and weeks to determine where the monies from this fund are best placed to alleviate the terrible consequences that this war is having on the people of Ukraine," added van Beurden.
Shell had already announced just over one week ago that it will sell its stake in all joint ventures with Russia's state-controlled Gazprom.
The news came after rival British energy major BP decided to exit Russia, pulling its 19.75-percent stake in Rosneft.
Shell remains in "continuous discussions" with governments about "the need to disentangle society from Russian energy flows, while maintaining energy supplies", van Beurden added on Tuesday.
"These societal challenges highlight the dilemma between putting pressure on the Russian government over its atrocities in Ukraine and ensuring stable, secure energy supplies across Europe.
"But ultimately, it is for governments to decide on the incredibly difficult trade-offs that must be made during the war in Ukraine."
Shell will continue to work with governments to manage the impact on energy supplies particularly in Europe.
- 'Unwinding tentacles' -
The group's share price dipped 0.2 percent in early afternoon deals on London's flat stock market.
"Shell's apology for buying Russian oil shows just how strong the winds of change are blowing through the corporate world," noted Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter.
"But unwinding Shell's tentacles from the economy is set to be a complex affair and ... Shell has also warned that exiting Russia's energy sector will be hugely challenging, requiring concerted government action to ensure stable and secure supplies across Europe."
O.Lorenz--BTB