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UK moves to stave off panic buying of fuel

The UK government has activated emergency planning with the oil industry ahead of a proposed four-day strike by tanker drivers, amid fears that filling stations across Britain could start running out of fuel from this weekend. John Hutton, business secretary, fears the strike could prompt much more extensive fuel shortages than those caused by the strike at a major refinery in Scotland in April, and has ordered officials to draw up contingency plans.