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A Landmark Summit Sets the Stage for a Global Fossil‑Fuel Phase‑outGovernments in a coalition of 59 countries gathered in Santa Marta, Colombia, to draft voluntary 'roadmaps' that detail how each nation will end production and use of coal, oil and gas. The talks, co‑hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, aim to move climate ambition from slogans to concrete policy.Voluntary National Roadmaps Proposed at Colombia’s Climate CoalitionThe summit asked participants to develop national plans that map out the transition away from fossil fuels, with the first draft released by Colombia during the meeting. France became the first developed country to publish a full roadmap, signalling broader uptake.Scale of the “Coalition of the Willing”: GDP, Energy Demand and Fossil SupplyRepresents > 50 % of global GDP.Accounts for nearly 33 % of worldwide energy demand.Controls roughly 20 % of global fossil‑fuel supply.Why This Shift Challenges the Traditional UN Climate ProcessUnlike the three‑decade‑old UN negotiations, the Colombian talks focus on export‑related emissions and the role of fossil‑fuel producers, gaps that the Paris‑agreement NDCs have left open. Irene Vélez Torres, Colombia’s environment minister, warned that existing NDCs allow producers to sidestep the climate impact of their exports.What Comes Next: Roadmap Adoption, Financing and Global ExpansionCountries will receive technical assistance to flesh out their plans, while a new scientific panel will advise on feasibility. Future meetings, including a second conference slated for early next year in the Pacific, will aim to broaden participation and lock in financing for debt‑strapped nations.

The LeadIsrael's attacks on southern Lebanon have killed at least nine people, according to the country's National News Agency (NNA), despite a three-week extension to the United States-mediated "ceasefire" announced last week.Escalating Violence in Southern LebanonIn the municipality of Jebchit, three people were killed and seven wounded in an attack that destroyed a residential building. In the municipality of Toul, four people were killed and six wounded. While in the municipality of Harouf, two people were killed, and the attack also destroyed a house.Israeli forces have intensified their attacks in southern Lebanon over recent days, with artillery shelling reported in the towns of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Yohmor al-Shaqif, and Bayt al-Sayyad.In the past 24 hours alone, Israeli air attacks have killed more than 20 people, including two families, two Lebanese army soldiers, and three paramedics. More than 70 others, including children, were injured in the attacks.Rising Casualties and Displacement ThreatsThe Israeli army has also issued more forced displacement threats for 15 southern Lebanese towns and villages, including Jebchit, Toul, al-Samanieh, Sahel al-Hnieh, Qlailah, Wadi Jilo, al-Kanisa, Kafr Jouz, Majdal Zoun, and Seddiqine.Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz promised that southern Lebanon's fate will be like Gaza's, despite a temporary US-mediated "ceasefire" deal agreed between Israel and Hezbollah almost two weeks ago that was extended by three weeks last week.International Response and Regional ImplicationsLebanese President Joseph Aoun denounced the "continuing Israeli violations" in southern Lebanon on Thursday, saying they were occurring "despite the ceasefire, as do demolitions of homes and places of worship, while the number of killed and wounded rises day by day"."Pressure must be exerted on Israel to ensure it respects international laws and conventions and ceases targeting civilians, paramedics, civil defence, and humanitarian health and relief organisations," the Lebanese president added.Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for "the swift formation of an international fact-finding committee on the crimes of the Israeli occupation".Future Outlook and Diplomatic ChallengesReporting from Beirut, Al Jazeera's Malcolm Webb said "Lebanon's President Aoun has asked the US for a date for negotiations to restart but has also said that Israel must fully implement the ceasefire."The Lebanese government, Israel and the US have sought to distance the talks from the US talks with Iran. But with the fighting continuing to escalate, it seems the only thing that would slow it down is further pressure from Trump on Israel to stop," he said.Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed at least 2,576 people in Lebanon, with 7,962 wounded, according to the latest figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.

Union Calls for Dispute Procedure Over FT’s Four‑Day Office PlanFinancial Times journalists, represented by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), have unanimously voted to trigger the company’s formal dispute process. The union argues that management has "not made a compelling case" for increasing office attendance from the existing three days to four days a week by the end of 2026.Dispute invoked after a “fiery meeting” with managing editor Tobias Buck.NUJ officers were notified of the dispute this week.Potential escalation to a strike ballot remains on the table.Details of the Proposed Four‑Day Office PolicyThe FT’s proposal targets the London editorial team based at Bracken House, comprising roughly 500‑600 staff members. About two‑thirds of these employees are union members.Current arrangement: three days in the office, two days remote.Proposed change: mandatory presence for four days each week.Excludes other FT divisions (commercial, IT, events, HR, FT Specialist) and overseas bureaus, which would retain flexible hybrid schedules.Key concerns raised: discrimination against parents (especially mothers), financial strain, and breach of prior hiring commitments based on a three‑day model.Financial Context: FT’s Revenue Growth vs. Profit PressuresDespite the labour dispute, the FT reported solid top‑line performance:Global revenues rose 6% to £540 million in 2024.Global operating profit jumped 41% year‑on‑year to £42.2 million.UK‑specific revenue grew 2% to £454.6 million, but operating profit fell 19% to £7.3 million, attributed to inflation and the addition of 30 new employees.Paying audience expanded from 2.57 million (end‑2023) to 2.83 million (end‑2024); total FT readers reached 1.48 million, with 1.35 million digital subscribers.The FT is owned by Japanese media group Nikkei, which acquired it in 2015 for £844 million.Implications for UK Journalism and Hybrid Work TrendsThe dispute highlights a broader tension in the media sector between cost‑control, productivity expectations, and evolving work‑life balance norms.Potential precedent: If the FT enforces a stricter office mandate, other legacy publishers may follow, reshaping hybrid policies across the industry.Risk of talent attrition, especially among parents and younger journalists who value flexibility.Union pressure could force a renegotiation of hybrid contracts, influencing future collective bargaining in UK newsrooms.What May Come Next: Potential Strikes and Industry Ripple EffectsBoth sides remain in talks, but several scenarios are plausible:Negotiated compromise: A reduced office requirement (e.g., three‑and‑a‑half days) or opt‑out provisions for parents.Industrial action: A NUJ‑led strike could disrupt FT publishing schedules, prompting advertisers to reconsider placements.Sector‑wide impact: Other media organisations may pre‑emptively adjust hybrid policies to avoid similar disputes, accelerating a shift toward more flexible work models.Stakeholders will watch closely as the FT balances financial performance with staff morale and the evolving expectations of a post‑pandemic newsroom.

The Fuel Price Shock Pakistan is facing the most serious fuel price shock in over half a century, which threatens to unleash a flood of cascading crises that could batter all aspects of the economy and undermine the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Economic Impact Earlier this week, Sharif said Pakistan's oil import bill had surged from $300 million before the conflict to $800 million now, which he said erased all the economic progress the country had made over the past two years. Analysts say the knock-on effects will be increasingly severe, impacting everything from agriculture and transport to the price of food and basic goods, worsening the plight of families already facing a cost-of-living crisis. The Data Analysis The State Bank of Pakistan raised its key policy rate by a full percentage point to 11.5 percent. The bank said: "The Committee noted that prolonging the Middle East conflict has intensified risks to the macroeconomic outlook. In particular, the global energy prices, freight charges and insurance premiums continue to remain significantly above pre-conflict levels. Furthermore, the supply chain disruptions have contributed to the prevailing uncertainty." The Impact Analysis Soaring fuel costs have a global impact, but Pakistan is particularly vulnerable. It is heavily dependent on imported energy, and higher costs worsen its already precarious balance-of-payments position. Fuel prices feed directly into inflation – diesel powers trucks, buses, tractors, generators and parts of the food supply chain, while petrol affects commuting and consumer transport. The Prediction The government is caught between two bad options, say analysts – pass on global oil prices to consumers and face public anger, or subsidise fuel and blow a hole in the budget. Pakistan is under strict IMF supervision, which limits the government's ability to spend its way out of the problem. The government has been widely criticised by analysts for botching negotiations in April when it sought IMF approval for higher fuel subsidies and was rebuffed.

The Comeback Story: Coleman's French RenaissanceThere are few Bordeaux Bègles players better qualified to explain how it feels to be at the center of European rugby's newest force quite like Adam Coleman. Three years ago, their paths collided in almost perfect timing, with Bordeaux mid-table and Coleman unceremoniously dropped into rugby purgatory after London Irish's collapse. His move to France has proven to be an inspired decision for both parties, with Coleman playing a pivotal role in UBB's rise to the top of club rugby, culminating in their Champions Cup triumph over Northampton last year.From Career Crisis to Champions Cup GloryColeman's career looked to be over when London Irish went out of business in the summer of 2023 before his move to France with Bordeaux. As a dual-international with both the Wallabies and Tonga, as well as experiencing rugby in almost all corners of the sport's geographical footprint, Coleman is used to the unconventional. Being one of the few non-French speakers in the Bordeaux squad hardly feels too challenging for the 34-year-old, who has taken this challenge in stride to give his career fresh impetus.The Financial and Professional Impact of Overseas RugbyWhen London Irish went down, Coleman genuinely didn't know what would happen next for his career. "But to come here, to meet the people and live in Bordeaux: it's an incredible place," he says. "You get this incredible lifestyle and the opportunity to play with so many great French internationals. There's all the benefits of playing overseas." This move represents more than just a career extension—it showcases how financial instability in one league can lead to unexpected opportunities in another, with clubs like Bordeaux benefiting from experienced international players seeking new challenges.Transforming French Rugby's European AmbitionsThis is no end-of-career French sojourn. There is history aplenty to be made in Bordeaux, with the reigning champions now just two wins away from joining the elite list of clubs who have gone back-to-back in European rugby's premiere competition. Coleman's arrival at Bordeaux in 2023 coincided with Yannick Bru joining as head coach, and while a maiden Top 14 title remains elusive, UBB's success in European rugby suggests more silverware is not too far away. "I can't comment on the last coach because I wasn't here but maybe it was a fresh start that UBB needed," Coleman explains. "It's really showed in the way we're playing and the professionalism of the team and really taking that step forward from where we were when I joined."Path to Back-to-Back Glory: Bath as the First HurdleBath are the first obstacle in Bordeaux's way this Sunday as they seek to defend their Champions Cup title. It promises to be an intriguing affair of contrasting styles. "They like to control the game, put a lot of structure into the game and we like to play a brand of more elusive rugby," Coleman says. "It'll be a good game of rugby." With players like Finn Russell in Bath's ranks and Louis Bielle-Biarrey in Bordeaux's—who Coleman describes as a "once in a generation player"—the quality on display will be exceptional. Coleman turns 35 later this year but there is no sign of him slowing down, with the French lifestyle and the journey Bordeaux are on having clearly gotten under his skin.

Urgent Search for New Capital as Saudi Funding Winds DownLIV Golf disclosed that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the league at the close of the 2026 season, prompting an immediate hunt for fresh investors to safeguard the tour’s future.Board Revamp Signals Shift to Multi‑Partner Investment ModelThe league appointed a new independent board, stripping out Yasir al‑Rumayyan and installing seasoned consultants Gene Davis and Jon Zinman. The board’s mandate is to transition from a “foundational launch phase” to a diversified, multi‑partner structure.Board chairs: Gene Davis (lead) and Jon ZinmanGoal: attract long‑term capital and formalise league governanceTimeline: immediate rollout, with sponsor outreach underwayFinancial Stakes: $5 bn Initial Saudi Backing and Potential £63 m Player FinesThe PIF injected roughly $5 bn (£3.7 bn) into LIV Golf since its 2022 launch. Concurrently, players contemplating a return to the PGA Tour may face hefty reinstatement penalties – for example, Brooks Koepka reportedly paid about £63 m to re‑join.Implications for the Global Golf Landscape and PGA Tour RelationsThe funding gap could reshape professional golf:Potential migration of top talent back to the PGA Tour if stable financing isn’t securedIncreased pressure on LIV to prove commercial viability without sovereign backingStrategic leverage for the PGA Tour in negotiations over player penalties and return pathwaysOutlook: Prospects for Sponsorship, Structural Reform, and Tour ViabilityAnalysts anticipate that LIV Golf’s success hinges on securing a consortium of corporate sponsors and media partners. The new board’s focus on “formalising structure” and “attracting long‑term capital” suggests a pivot toward a more conventional sports‑business model. If successful, the league could maintain a foothold as a third‑tier global golf circuit; failure may accelerate a consolidation of talent back into existing tours.

The Lead Pakistan has opened six overland transit routes for goods destined for Iran, formalizing a road corridor through its territory as thousands of containers remain stranded at Karachi port due to the US blockade of Iranian ports and ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistan's New Transit Routes The Ministry of Commerce issued the Transit of Goods through Territory of Pakistan Order 2026 on April 25, bringing it into immediate effect. The order allows goods originating from third countries to be transported through Pakistan and delivered to Iran by road. The six designated routes link Pakistan's main ports, Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar, with two Iranian border crossings, Gabd and Taftan, passing through Balochistan via Turbat, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Quetta and Dalbandin. The shortest route, the Gwadar-Gabd corridor, reduces travel time to the Iranian border to between two and three hours, compared with the 16 to 18 hours it takes from Karachi – Pakistan's biggest port – to the Iranian border. Economic Impact of the Blockade The current US-Iran war began on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched attacks on Iran. In the weeks that followed, Iran restricted commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil and gas passes during peacetime, disrupting one of the most critical arteries of global trade. More than 3,000 containers destined for Iran have been stuck at Karachi port for several days, with vessels unable to collect the cargo. War-risk insurance premiums have surged from about 0.12% of a vessel's value before the conflict to roughly 5%, making shipping to the region too expensive for many operators. Shifting Regional Dynamics The corridor also signals a shift away from Afghanistan, whose relations with Pakistan have deteriorated sharply. The two sides engaged in clashes in October 2025 and again in February and March this year, with skirmishes continuing along the northwestern and southwestern borders. The Torkham and Chaman crossings have ceased to function as reliable commercial routes since tensions escalated, limiting Pakistan's overland access to Central Asian markets. “This is a paradigmatic shift. Pakistan's relations with the Afghan Taliban, the de facto rulers in Kabul, have no reset switch,” Iftikhar Firdous, cofounder of The Khorasan Diary, told Al Jazeera. Future Outlook The transit order appears to be a direct economic response to the impasse between the US and Iran. Pakistan brokered a ceasefire on April 8 and hosted the first round of direct US-Iran talks on April 11, in Islamabad. The negotiations lasted nearly a day but ended without a deal. Iran has ruled out direct negotiations with Washington while the blockade remains in place, though Araghchi told Pakistani officials that Tehran would continue engaging with Islamabad's mediation efforts “until a result is achieved”.

Trump Urges Tehran to Surrender as Day 62 UnfoldsDonald Trump declared the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports a success and told Iran to “just give up”.Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the blockade’s impact, saying no oil wells have exploded and storage is not full.U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, face criticism for “junk advice” on the policy.Escalating Standoff Over the Strait of HormuzThe blockade aims to force Iran’s oil storage to capacity, potentially halting production; analysts estimate current storage covers only ~20 days of output.Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Donald Trump not to resume attacks on Iran, calling the cease‑fire extension “the right one”.Key negotiation dead‑locks remain: Iran’s nuclear programme, $20 bn of frozen assets, and Tehran’s demand for $270 bn in war reparations.Oil Prices Surge and War Costs Climb Above $25 bnBrent crude jumped above $119 a barrel, WTI above $105, pushing global oil to >$120 per barrel.U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated the war’s cost at “less than $25 bn” after 60 days.Washington seized nearly $500 m in Iranian crypto assets under “Operation Economic Fury”.Global Economic Ripple Effects and Regional TensionsOPEC entered “crisis mode”; the UAE plans to exit the group amid the energy shock.Asia‑Pacific economies face higher inflation as fuel and food prices rise; the Asian Development Bank cut growth forecasts.Bahrain’s revocation of citizenship for 69 individuals sparked Iranian condemnation, adding diplomatic strain in the Gulf.What the Next Weeks May Hold for the Iran ConflictAnalysts expect a gradual tightening of the blockade, with a possible acceleration in May if storage fills.U.S. officials are preparing for a “long blockade” to pressure Tehran into a non‑nuclear deal.Potential diplomatic pathways include renewed U.S.–Iran talks, but success hinges on resolving nuclear and reparations disputes.

The US-Iran Conflict Escalation Two months since the US and Israel launched a joint surprise attack on Iran, negotiations appear deadlocked, as competing blockades of the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt global energy supplies, and the future of Iran's nuclear programme remains unresolved. The Frozen Conflict Scenario All military options remain on the table, despite a ceasefire in force since April 8 having paused the conflict. Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday cautioned against the possibility of a 'frozen conflict', where the critical waterway is used as a pressure card amid the possibility of violent flare-ups. The Cost of a 'Frozen' War The war between the US and Iran can already be described as 'frozen', but this no-war-no-deal scenario comes at too high a cost for both parties, Mehran Kamrava, an expert on Iran at Georgetown University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera. The American foreign policy think tank Quincy Institute estimated that Washington's costs incurred over the first month of the war were between $20bn and $25bn. A large-scale ground operation in Iran similar to that of Iraq in 2003 would require at least 500,000 personnel and some $55bn a month, or more than $650bn a year. Prolonged versus Protracted Conflict In Trump's initial projection, the war in Iran was intended to last 'four to five weeks'. Two months into the conflict, Chandler Williams, researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), says the prolonged conflict has lasted longer than forecast. The Impact of a Protracted Conflict Washington is betting on sustained economic and diplomatic pressure backed by Trump's constant threat to renew strikes to see if it can 'finish what air strikes alone cannot achieve', Williams said. For its part, Iran is aware of the US's military superiority and has opted for leveraging the Strait of Hormuz until the US decides that a negotiated settlement is preferable. 'Mowing the Grass' in Iran On Tuesday, the US Department of Defense requested $53.6bn for autonomous drones for the 2027 fiscal year, a roughly 24,000 percent increase from last year. If the tactics of the conflict shift towards drone warfare and towards a low-intensity conflict, this has lower costs for the attacker but a higher impact for the recipient as we've seen in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Michael Kerr, a historian and political scientist at King's College London, told Al Jazeera.