Ignoring a "don't panic" plea from Downing Street, motorists across England and Wales lined up at gas stations to top off their tanks in preparation for a long weekend of industrial action. Tanker drivers supplying 10% of the UK's petrol stations are to halt deliveries June 13 as talks between the Unite union and haulers servicing more than 900 Shell stations broke down. (The Guardian, June 13)

See our last posts on the UK and the oil shock.