Fuels

Price of dairy product has risen fivefold after users of GLP-1 medications advised to increase protein consumptionThe growing popularity of weight-loss drugs has fuelled global demand for whey protein, sparking concerns among industry experts over a potential shortage.The price of whey has risen fivefold to record levels as companies race to secure supplies amid a boom driven by growing use of GLP-1 drugs, such as Mounjaro, which often require higher protein intake to preserve muscle mass. Continue reading...

• Investors anticipate that massive funding rounds for AI leaders like OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX will trigger a new global wave of technology spending. • This capital influx is expected to benefit a broad supply chain, including manufacturers of server parts, specialized materials, cooling components, and power equipment. • The trend could catalyze a further rally for Asian hardware firms, following the success of industry giants such as TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix.

• Massive investments in companies like SpaceX and OpenAI are triggering a new wave of tech spending across the global artificial intelligence sector. • This financial windfall is expected to significantly benefit Asian manufacturers specializing in server components and advanced materials. • The trend matters as it shifts the focus toward the hardware supply chain, potentially creating a new class of "AI winners" in the Asian markets.

• Wealthy Asian investors have committed $24.3 billion to AI in 2025, spurred by OpenAI's $122 billion funding round and SpaceX's IPO. • South Korean chipmakers Samsung and SK Hynix have reportedly secured supply agreements to support OpenAI’s "Stargate" infrastructure project. • AI startup funding in Asia reached a record $11.2 billion in Q1 2026, with a heavy concentration of investment flowing into Chinese firms.

• Trinamool Congress challenged Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) removing 89 lakh voters—11.6% of electorate—slightly above TMC's 2021 winning margin. • Bengal's 294-seat election pits Mamata Banerjee's TMC against BJP, testing saffron expansion in a BJP-resistant state. • High-voltage campaign and disputes heighten stakes as counting ensures make-or-break outcomes for regional power dynamics.

Colombia hosted nearly 60 countries at pivotal time on world stage for fight to transition to a clean energy futureLooking 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. Continue reading...

‘Coalition of the willing’ gathers in Colombia to try to bypass petrostate blockages of Cop summits and chart fresh pathThe world’s first Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels conference, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, takes place in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24 to 29 April. A “coalition of the willing” – including 54 countries and various subnational governments, civil society groups and academics – will try to chart a new path to powering the world with low-carbon energy. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Former UN climate chief to co-chair Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequalityCountries are being “held hostage” by their reliance on fossil fuels, a former UN climate chief has warned, describing the health impacts of climate change as “the mother of all injustices”.Christiana Figueres, an international climate negotiator who helped deliver the Paris agreement signed in 2016, made the comments as she was announced on Wednesday as co-chair of a Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequality. Continue reading...

Veteran justice, 76, was treated for dehydration in March; a retirement would give Trump new chance to shape courtUS supreme court justice Samuel Alito was reportedly taken to a hospital after becoming sick at a Federalist Society dinner in Philadelphia in March, further fueling speculation that Donald Trump could have more chances to shape the land’s highest court through new appointments.A CNN report said Alito was checked by medical staff and given fluids due to dehydration. He later returned to his home in Virginia that same night with his security detail. In the weeks since, Alito has resumed his duties, including participating in oral arguments. Continue reading...

South Korea will delay the shutdown of coal-fired plants, while the Philippines also plans to boost the output of its coal-burning plantsGovernments across Asia are ramping up their use of coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, as they try to cover huge energy shortfalls triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.The move has triggered warnings from climate experts who point to coal’s devastating environmental impact, and say the energy crisis should be a wake up call for governments to invest in renewables, which can offer a more stable supply that is not exposed to price shocks. Continue reading...

Yields on 10-year debt reach highest since the 2008 financial crisis, raising concerns of faster interest rate risesUK government borrowing costs have risen above 5% amid an intensifying global bond market sell-off fuelled by the Iran war.The yield – or interest rate – on 10-year debt hit its highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, rising 13 basis points to 5.081%, as investors acted on concerns about the economic fallout from the conflict. Continue reading...

Rising energy bills give Reform and Tories opening to attack net zero while government hesitant to make case for clean energyCould net zero become “the next Brexit”? That is the fear stalking climate advocates as the oil crisis caused by the war on Iran starts to bite.A powerful coalition of the well-funded Reform party, led by Nigel Farage, the Conservative party, some business interests, and the UK’s right-wing media, are engaged in an onslaught against the longstanding target of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Continue reading...

Israeli defence minister says IDF instructed to destroy ‘terror infrastructure’ in southern villagesIsrael’s announcement on Monday of a ground campaign in new areas of southern Lebanon is fuelling fears of a prolonged occupation among hundreds of thousands of displaced Lebanese.Concerns intensified after Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, drawing comparisons with Gaza, warned displaced Lebanese forced from their homes would not be allowed to return until the safety of Israelis near the border was guaranteed, remarks that appeared to suggest the presence of Israeli troops could become prolonged. Continue reading...

Post-apocalyptic bunker sci-fi is huge this year as TV front-runners Fallout, Paradise and Silo return. Bethan Ackerley asks whether this is a signal we’ve given up on our real world, or if there is hidden hope

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's daughter Sunday Rose, 17, debuted on a New York Fashion Week runway, intensifying debates over celebrity nepo babies. Bored Panda reports 1.2 million Instagram views of her walk, criticized as unearned privilege. Fashion insiders note her poise but question industry nepotism, with 68% of polled Gen Z opposing family connections. The event ties into broader cultural entitlement discussions.