Oil’s drop in 2018 Still haunts investors, energy aspects’ Mallinson says

As EU member states consider tightening restrictions on Russian energy imports, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is among those calling for closer European integration. He says the bloc needs “structural solutions” to deal with soaring energy prices. Meanwhile, Italy and the UK take different stances over “windfall taxes” for energy giants as they reap record profits, and India's heatwave pushes electricity consumption to a record high.

Coal mining has long polluted the natural environment, with devastating consequences. But today, could it be a source of renewable energy? Down to Earth travels to the UK where disused, flooded coal mines are now reservoirs of geothermal energy.

Hungary's government is "holding European Union decision makers hostage" by refusing to join an EU-wide embargo on Russian oil, according to Lithuania's foreign minister. This comes as EU leaders continue their efforts to gather support for a sixth sanctions package on Russia from all 27 EU member states. The government of PM Viktor Orban has claimed that an import ban on Russian oil would ruin the Hungarian economy. Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tells FRANCE 24 that "Europe is weaker" as a result, and that he is "still hoping Budapest will be responsible in their decisions".

Nigerian entrepreneur Mustapha Gajibo has been converting petrol mini-buses into electric vehicles at his workshop, but he is now going a step further to build battery-powered buses from scratch in a push to promote clean energy and curb pollution.

Russia's president has said banning oil imports from his country would be impossible for some dependent European states, after the EU failed to reach consensus to impose the measure.

The European Union plans to invest up to €300 billion to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, the European Commission announced.

It took the invasion of Ukraine for Europeans to realise that decades of short-sighted energy policy have caught up with them. As Germany strips its former chancellor of parliamentary privileges over his refusal to sever ties with Gazprom, Gerhard Schröder's downfall is a reminder that it's all of Germany and most of Europe that went for a quick buck by buying Russian oil and gas.

As Berlin seeks to ween itself off Russian energy sources, Chancellor Scholz has said Qatar "plays an important role" in energy policy. The visiting Emir of Qatar has confirmed could start LNG deliveries by 2024.

Germany's race to cut its reliance on gas from Russia has injected urgency into the first official visit to Africa by Olaf Scholz as he hunts new sources of energy supplies.

Where do you get oil and gas if you want to end dependence on Russia? Germany imported more than 500,000 barrels of crude oil from Russia every day in 2020. In theory, Iran could step in. But it's complicated.

German Economy Minister said the EU was close to finally agreeing on a ban on Russian oil imports as the war in Ukraine enters the fourth month.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Niger, continuing a three-country tour of Africa. One of the main motivations is that Germany is interested in new sources of energy. We get analysis from Dr. Douglas Yates of the American Graduate School in Paris. Also, as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is sworn in as president of Somalia, we take a look at the challenges ahead for him. Elsewhere, it's been a year since the explosion of Mount Nyiragongo near Goma in eastern DR Congo, with many still homeless as a result.