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BERLIN — The International Energy Agency says the world could quickly reduce global oil demand by 2.7 million barrels a day by cutting down on car and plane travel, helping easing the supply crunch caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Germany threw its weight behind a European Union proposal that only emission-free new cars and vans can be sold from 2035 as the bloc moves forward in talks on an ambitious green overhaul at a time of an extraordinary energy crisis.

Legislation that would establish a grant program at the U.S. Department of Transportation to assist with the adoption of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate.

American Trucking Associations is among the groups proposing that the California Air Resources Board consider supply chain pressures for granting the industry alternatives to certain regulatory compliance.

U.S. airline stocks climbed as the carriers said they will trim flying to remain on track toward profits even as fuel prices soar.

The national average price of diesel recorded its second dramatic spike in as many weeks, this time 40.1 cents to reach $5.25 a gallon, according to Energy Information Administration data released March 14.

House Democrats are asking the U.S. Postal Service’s inspector general to investigate the agency’s decision to replace its mail-truck fleet with almost all gasoline-powered models, a move that paved the way for a contract with Wisconsin military truck maker Oshkosh Corp. worth as much as $6 billion.

The war in Ukraine has touched off a feud between the White House and U.S. oil industry as many companies reap record profits from rising prices despite pumping less crude than before the pandemic, leaving American consumers beset by surging gasoline costs.

Gasoline soaring above $4 a gallon this month has inspired comparisons to 2008, when pump prices sapped demand for fuel-guzzling SUVs and helped push Detroit’s automotive behemoths into bankruptcy.