Briefly

HUNGARY

Export ban on energy sources ordered

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has ordered an export ban on energy sources and scrapped a yearslong cap on utility prices for households using energy above average consumption levels, Reuters quoted a senior Hungarian aide as saying on Wednesday. The measures, which include a plan to boost domestic gas output to 2 billion cubic meters from 1.5 billion, will take effect from August to ensure the continued supply of energy in winter, Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas said. Orban convened a cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss supply problems affecting the European energy market, Orban's press chief said in a statement.

JAPAN

TEPCO former bosses ordered to pay $95b

The Tokyo district court on Wednesday ordered four former executives of the Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, to pay 13 trillion yen ($95 billion) in damages to the operator of the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, reported national broadcaster NHK. The ruling, in a civil case brought by TEPCO shareholders, marks the first time a court has found former executives responsible for the nuclear disaster, local media reports said. The court judged that the executives could have prevented the disaster if they had exercised due care.

BRAZIL

At least 6 killed in favela shootout

At least six people were killed and two others were wounded on Tuesday after a shootout between police officers and alleged criminals in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's second-largest city, police sources said. The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police said the event took place in the favela of Manguinhos in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday morning when a group of agents were shot at as they passed. When police reinforcements arrived at the scene, a fierce shootout ensued, which also caused the interruption of train service in the area.

Agencies - Xinhua