The Sri Lankan government on Sunday urged the public to use fuel and electricity sparingly to cushion potential shortages amid volatile global oil markets. This came as the island nation raised fuel retail prices at midnight, the second such hike in a week. As a conservation measure, the government had rationed fuel retail distribution based on a QR code issued for each vehicle. "We urge the public to consume electricity and fuel mindfully and limit energy consumption to a minimum," said government spokesman and minister Nalinda Jayatissa. He warned against hoarding fuel and sought information on such attempts. The minister's statement comes in the backdrop of Iran's ongoing war with the US and Israel, which has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important choke point for the world's energy supplies. With the two cost escalations, the fuel retail prices are set to return to the levels of the 2022 economic crisis, when the island nation declared its first-