Colombia hosted nearly 60 countries at pivotal time on world stage for fight to transition to a clean energy future

Looking out to sea from the grey sandy beaches of Santa Marta, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, it is never hard to spot evidence of the country’s thriving fossil fuel export trade. Oil tankers ride at anchor on the horizon and sometimes, locals say, lumps of coal wash up on the shore, blown off the collier ships that carry cargos from the nearby mines.

It was here, on Wednesday evening, that the Colombian government took a bold step to shift its economy – and that of the rest of the world – away from dependence on coal, gas and oil and into a new era of clean energy. With the first ever conference on “transitioning away from fossil fuels”, the host joined nearly 60 countries determined to loosen of the grip of petrostates on the world’s future.

ISTANBUL, May 1 — Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed on Friday to reclaim “every inch” of occupied territory and push forward economic recovery efforts, in a message marking Labour Day, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

In a statement posted by the prime minister’s office on US social media company X, Salam addressed workers across Lebanon, acknowledging the hardship many face amid a prolonged economic crisis.

“I understand the extent of the suffering many of you are experiencing, from job losses and declining purchasing power to daily pressures weighing heavily on you,” he said.

Salam pledged that the government would continue working to improve living conditions, restore occupied land, and press ahead with reforms.

“We will continue serious work to improve your living conditions, restore every inch of our occupied land, and advance reform efforts and economic recovery,” he said.

Since 2019, Lebanon has been experiencing a financial collapse described by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern history. The Lebanese pound has lost more than 98 per cent of its value, weakening from about 1,500 to around 90,000 to the dollar.

Salam added that the government aims to create new job opportunities, restore stability, and place the country on a path towards “real recovery”.

Lebanon’s economic crisis has deepened recently, compounded by ongoing Israeli attacks and displacement. A Wednesday update from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme found that about 1.24 million people — nearly one in four assessed — are expected to face acute food insecurity at crisis levels between April and August 2026.

The report said escalating violence and displacement since early March have driven the deterioration in food security conditions.

In response to Hezbollah’s retaliation related to the Iran war, Israel has waged an offensive in Lebanon since March 2, killing nearly 2,600 people and displacing over 1 million.

A 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17 was later extended until May 17, but Israel continues to violate it daily through airstrikes and the demolition of homes in southern Lebanon.

In April, the Israeli army announced the imposition of the so-called “Yellow Line” south of the Litani River, a notional boundary designating the area stretching to the border as a “security buffer zone,” in a step reminiscent of the Gaza model.

Israel says the zone is intended to prevent displaced residents from returning and to target any armed activity, classifying it as a “combat zone” not subject to ceasefire understandings. — Bernama-Anadolu

SINGAPORE, May 1 — Singapore’s prime minister warned Friday that economic growth will slow this year and some countries may slip into recession as the Middle East crisis keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed.

In a May Day speech, Lawrence Wong said the war was not expected “to be over anytime soon” and supply disruptions may worsen in the months ahead.

Shipping through the strait, which handles a fifth of global oil and gas, has been effectively stopped since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28.

“Here in Asia, we are especially affected because of our high dependence on energy and other critical supplies from the Gulf,” Wong said.

Some regional countries are already facing fuel shortages, airlines have cut flights and factories are reporting delays, he said.

“Globally, inflation will rise, spreading from energy to food and then other essentials. Some economies may well slip into recession, and Singapore will feel the impact directly,” he said.

“Our growth this year will slow, and inflation will be higher, and all this will put real pressure on businesses, workers and households.”

He did not give any figures, but the trade ministry in February said it expected the economy to expand 2.0-4.0 per cent this year, a bump from its previous forecast of 1.0-3.0 per cent.

“We must brace ourselves and be prepared for a more difficult period ahead. And I want to be upfront with all of you so that we are mentally prepared,” he said.

Singapore, however, is dealing with the crisis from a position of strength because of policies it implemented in the past to build energy resilience, including being a major oil refining hub and energy trading centre.

Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, a return to normal will likely not be immediate, Wong warned.

“Ports and energy infrastructure have been damaged. Shipping lanes will need to be cleared of mines,” he said.

“Confidence must be restored that it is safe for ships to sail through, that insurance can be obtained, and people are prepared to take risks to go through the Strait.” — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — The impact of the global supply crisis on the cost of living is expected to begin to be felt by Malaysians within one to two months, said senior political advisor to the Prime Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

He said this was driven by increased costs in the supply chain including logistics, fertiliser and other industrial inputs.

“Based on studies and analyses conducted, this impact will have an effect on the prices of food and daily goods, although the increase may not be very significant at the initial stage,” he told Bernama after a visit to the Taman Muda Market, here today.

Tengku Zafrul said among the sectors expected to be affected first are logistics, followed by agriculture and industries that rely on raw materials such as plastic.

He said the situation was the result of disruptions to the global supply chain which not only put pressure on oil prices, but also involved the cost of production and distribution inputs.

Regarding the outlook for the market, Tengku Zafrul said so far, the impact on raw material prices had not yet been noticeable, but there were early signs such as an increase in the cost of packaging materials such as plastic.

However, he said the situation in the country is still under control due to fuel subsidies which helped curb transportation costs, while reminding the people to be more prudent in their use of energy including fuel. — Bernama

Workers wrote ‘Katrina declaration’, warning that funding cuts made US dangerously unprepared for natural disasters

Fourteen employees with the US Federal Emergency Management Agency returned to work this week, after spending eight months on administrative leave for signing a public letter criticising the Trump administration.

The so-called “Katrina declaration”, sent last August to members of Congress and a federal council formed to help determine Fema’s future, was written as a rebuke from the workers about the dangerous erosion in US capacity to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

Lee Zeldin claims before Senate that Trump administration plan will make Environmental Protection Agency ‘more efficient’

Senate Democrats accused the Trump administration of abandoning the Environmental Protection Agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment at a congressional hearing Wednesday, slamming agency leadership over a proposal to cut its budget in half.

Lee Zeldin’s appearance before the Senate environment committee was the EPA administrator’s last of three budget hearings this week where he argued for sharply reduced funding for the agency, which already has seen its staffing reduced to its lowest level in decades under his leadership. During much of the week, the former Republican congressman from New York took an aggressive approach, responding to Democrats in the House and Senate with his own questions and at times accusing them of being unprepared or failing to care about the EPA’s record.

Shares in Domino’s Pizza, KFC operator Collins Foods and multi-brand food franchise owner Retail Food Group have all suffered double-digit falls

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Once a symbol of cheap eating, fast food is transforming into a luxury many can no longer afford due to resurgent living costs.

This shift is reflected on the ASX, where major pizza, fried chicken and doughnut outlets are seeing significant price drops, raising the question: are consumers so downbeat that they are even giving up on fast food?