A shortage of natural gas, which accounts for over a third of the country's power output, plunged large areas into hours of darkness last year.

Russia has managed to offset lower gas imports to Europe by higher energy prices at its budget revenues from oil and gas jumped by over a third in the first 10 months of the year.

The tanker had been transporting 60,000 litres of LPG gas.

The state is one of several to announce measures to help households in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis after food and fuel prices surged in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The cap is the 27-country EU's latest attempt to lower gas prices that have pushed citizens' energy bills higher and driven record-high inflation this year after Russia cut off most of its gas deliveries to Europe.

Activist groups that have been critical of HSBC mostly hailed the move by one of the biggest lenders to energy companies in the world as a keenly awaited update that will drive companies towards a cleaner future.

QatarEnergy and German utility firms have been thrashing out long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) deals for much of this year as Berlin looks for alternatives to Russia, which is Germany's biggest gas supplier.

At least three houses were completely destroyed by the explosion of a cooking gas cylinder that was installed on the rooftop of one of them.

The bloc's 27 member states have been squabbling for months over measures to lower energy bills, and a Brussels summit began in a chilly mood.

While 15 countries including France and Poland push some form of a cap, they face strong opposition from Germany and the Netherlands – respectively Europe's biggest economy and gas buyer, and a major European gas trading hub.

Dwindling flows of gas from Russia has left the European Union struggling to unite over how to respond to surging prices that have deepened a cost-of-living crisis for families and businesses.

Reduced demand means China should yield its top importer title back to Japan this year, easing pressure on the global market and offering relief to Europe after Russia cut pipeline gas flows amid the Ukraine crisis.