Madrid A lorry driver who defied a strike against soaring global fuel prices received burns to 25 per cent of his body in an arson attack on his vehicle. Spain said it had arrested 71 picketers for offences including intimidation since the stoppage by 75,000 lorry drivers began on Sunday.

Oil prices have risen by roughly 40 per cent since the start of the year to a record high above $139 last week.

Spain and Malaysia tightened security yesterday to stop strikes turning violent, as well as blocking roads and slowing deliveries of food and raw materials.

With fishermen already on strike and Madrid taxi drivers due to stop working for 24 hours from today, Spain is being hit hard by the protests. Spain said deliveries of food and other goods were returning to normal although food distribution centres reported shortages.

Malaysia boosted security to halt a planned march of an expected 20,000 people after Muslim prayers today, from a poor, mainly ethnic Malay part of the city to the landmark twin towers in the centre.

Indian lorry drivers plan a strike for next month, taking four million vehicles off the roads. In Thailand, driver are ready to block roads into the capital and in the Netherlands, protesters slowed their lorries to 50kph (30mph) for half an hour yesterday against a rise in diesel tax.

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