Let's get physical: Singapore's seniors turn to parkour

The World Bank is "extremely concerned" about the effect the war on Iran will have on inflation, jobs and food security, and is in talks with member states on how to address immediate needs in the crisis, a top official told AFP on Wednesday.

Managing Director Paschal Donohoe's comments came as his organization announced a new partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and International Energy Agency (IEA) to coordinate aid responses to the war.

Donohoe flagged that countries in Asia and Africa were particularly vulnerable to the energy, price and supply-side shocks of the crisis.

"At the moment, we are consulting with many governments and countries in relation to what their needs will be, and I would anticipate within the next number of weeks that will become far clearer," Donohoe said.

The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, igniting a war that has engulfed the Middle East, snarled key supply chains and sent energy prices soaring.

The World Bank offers development assistance and immediate budgetary support to member nations in the form of loans and technical assistance.

Donohoe said the organization was currently offering both forms of support in talks with countries in need.

"We are extremely concerned regarding the effect that this will have on inflation, on jobs and on food security," he said. "That is why we will put in place responses that have a financing element and a policy element that can and will be of support.”

Discussions regarding financial options -- which could take the form of immediate loans -- were "underway," but were not expected to conclude for "a number of weeks."

On the policy advice front, Donohoe expected talks to wrap up "in a few days' time." 

- Risks go beyond energy -

Since the start of the war, Tehran has virtually blocked the key Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas -- and one-third of its fertilizers -- pass.

Much of that is bound for Asian countries, which have seen energy flows abruptly dry up, as prices spike and supplies shrink. 

Several countries -- including top World Bank borrowers Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh -- have implemented widespread fuel-saving measures to address the crisis, saving what they have for use in key industries and sectors.

Vulnerable countries in Asia and Africa have flagged several issues of concern to the bank.

"They're calling out the income shock that will be created due to rising prices, what that will mean for households and businesses," said Donohoe.

In addition to the shock of lower energy availability -- which can lead to a drop in economic output -- there are also concerns about food security related to fertilizer supply chains being frozen.

Earlier this week, the IMF flagged that the war could have a serious effect on low-income countries if food prices rise significantly.

"People in low‑income countries are most at risk when prices rise because food accounts for about 36 percent of consumption on average, compared with 20 percent in emerging market economies and nine percent in advanced economies," said an IMF report.

In Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, the IMF warned that a number of countries were already struggling with meager foreign reserves and "limited market access," making them vulnerable to "dangerous" debt shocks.

Donohoe, of the World Bank, said the lender was "well positioned to assist countries in their economic response" and was engaged in "intense" talks with member states.

"While this challenge is going to begin in energy, it really has the ability to have consequences that go across entire economies," he said.

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American rapper Megan Thee Stallion said Wednesday that she had a "wake-up call" after she was taken to hospital in the middle of a Broadway performance of "Moulin Rouge!" in New York City. 

"I've been pushing myself past my limits lately, running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me," the 31-year-old wrote on Instagram. 

"I thought I was gonna faint on stage, I really tried to push through my performance but I just couldn't."

Megan Thee Stallion, who has been playing club owner Harold Zidler in the musical, was replaced halfway through the show Tuesday night after she fell ill. 

She said she would be back on stage Thursday after taking off Wednesday to rest.

A spokesperson for the artist, who has won three Grammy awards, said she was transferred to a hospital after experiencing "concerning symptoms."

"Doctors ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms," the spokesperson told AFP. 

"Megan has since been treated, discharged and is now resting."

One of the leading women in American rap alongside the likes of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion is known for her powerful stage presence, freestyles and aggressive flow.

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Canada's defense of its territory and the Arctic are entering a new phase, the country's top military officer Jennie Carignan told AFP, saying that "geography" no longer offers protection "as well as it did in the past."

With only the United States -- long considered an ally -- on its physical borders along with two oceans and the vast Arctic region, Canada has never really had to worry much about its territorial security.

But climate change and the melting of Arctic ice caps have made its northernmost land more accessible -- and thus more coveted. This, along with rising tensions between Ottawa and Washington, has changed the status quo.

Canada's armed forces have been forced to "transform" themselves, Carignan said in an interview in Ottawa, calling it a "pivotal moment" for the country.

Citing the seismic shift brought by climate change, Carignan said it is crucial for Canada to "position itself differently" to "ensure that we are in control and taking responsibility for our defense."

"There has been a modernization of our infrastructure, the pre-positioning of materials and equipment... and an increasing number of exercises" and other military operation in northern Canada.

The Arctic, where temperatures are rising three to four times faster than elsewhere on the planet, has become a coveted area for multiple countries, the melting of sea ice has improved access to crucial natural resources such as minerals and fish, and new maritime routes are now open. 

- Defense investments -

More broadly, Canada has had to adapt to changing global realities and move on from the targeted missions of the last three decades, such as in Afghanistan.

Canadian forces must prepare for "larger-scale" conflicts, Carignan said, while also rebalancing its military supply chains to rely less and less on the United States.

The country has created an agency dedicated to defense-related investments to reinforce its own domestic industrial base. That has required budgetary changes.

Carignan says she is pleased that military spending has reached two percent of GDP, in line with a NATO target.

However, she said that "sustained and stable investments over the next 10–15 years" are necessary to carry out these transformation and modernization efforts.

Carignan, who was named Chief of the Defense Staff in July 2024, is the first woman to occupy such a post in a Group of Seven country.

She says she hopes her example can serve as a "model" for other women, noting that a recent influx of candidates shows that recruitment efforts are bearing fruit in Canada.

The country aims to invest CAN $500 billion (US $360.1 billion) in defense over the next 10 years.

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(The Center Square) – Seven weeks into the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, President Donald Trump is working with Republican congressional leaders to craft a party-line budget reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies.

Congress has failed to come to an agreement over a Homeland Security appropriations bill since February, when Democrats demanded that any bill with funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol also include a laundry list of changes to immigration enforcement.

After the most recent funding negotiations crumbled, with House Republicans rejecting a deal Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made with Senate Democrats, lawmakers left for a two-week recess with no shutdown end in sight.

Trump is now taking matters into his own hands, announcing Wednesday that he, Thune, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., “are going forward to fund our incredible ICE Agents and Border Patrol through a process that doesn’t need Radical Left Democrat votes, and bypasses the Senate Filibuster.”

“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us. We will not allow them to hurt the families of these Great Patriots by defunding them,” Trump posted on TruthSocial. “I am asking that the Bill be on my desk NO LATER than June 1st. Our Law Enforcement Officers and the American People should not have to wait until the Democrats see reason[.]"

While other DHS agencies have struggled due to the six-week funding lapse, ICE and CBP have continued operations by dipping into their respective $70 billion funding boost allocated by the Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill passed last year. 

That dynamic influenced Thune’s decision to cut a deal with Senate Democrats, passing a bill last week via voice vote that would have funded all of DHS except immigration enforcement.

Thune’s idea was for the House to approve the Senate’s funding deal, then use another reconciliation bill to allocate ICE and Border Patrol their fiscal year 2026 money – without changes to immigration enforcement.

Trump’s announcement, while not explicitly calling on the House to return and pass the Senate compromise, is a strong hint for House Republicans to do just that. 

Many Republicans have already discussed crafting a second reconciliation regardless of the DHS shutdown outcome and including other policy priorities like funding for the Iran conflict.

Trump’s June 1 deadline acknowledges that they will have to move quickly before midterm elections in November, where the balance of power in Congress could change.

“These Radical, Weak, and Incompetent Democrats have made clear that if they resume power, they will never again provide funding to secure our Border, or enforce our Immigration Laws,” Trump added in his post. “They want America to be OPEN AND AVAILABLE to Violent Criminals, Thugs, and Lowlifes, not our Great and Loving American Patriots. Don’t forget that in November. WIN THE MIDTERMS!”

French authorities Wednesday charged a young man in connection with an attempted attack against a Bank of America branch in Paris, as investigators explored suspicions a pro-Iran group was involved.

The plot thwarted before dawn on Saturday came more than a month after US-Israeli strikes on Iran sparked regional conflict, sending energy markets into a tailspin.

A source following the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man in his early twenties from a Paris suburb had been charged with "terrorist criminal conspiracy" and remanded in custody.

French counter-terrorism prosecutors suspect he asked teenagers to place an explosive device outside the US financial institution near the Champs-Elysees.

Contacted by AFP, his lawyer did not wish to comment.

The investigation suggested he recruited three minors in the night of Thursday to Friday, offering to pay them 500 to 1,000 euros for the job, the National Counterterrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said earlier in the day.

After a failed attempt that night, "two of three minors tried again the following night", it said.

Police on Saturday arrested a 17-year-old who had placed the explosive device near the bank and was about to light it.

The PNAT says the incident could be linked to a little-known Islamist group with possible links to Iran, though no firm link has yet been established.

The Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) group, meaning The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand, has claimed responsibility for attacks targeting the Jewish community in the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Police had on Monday last week been informed of a HAYI propaganda video on social media "specifically targeting the French headquarters" of Bank of America, the PNAt said.

The adult suspect told investigators "a third party, presenting themself as an intermediary, had approached him via a social network's messaging service to have the explosive device planted as part of a personal vendetta", it said.

"The explosive device was allegedly delivered to his home by a person he did not know," it added.

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Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday.

The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources. 

Media reports have said the initial public offering could be valued at a whopping $75 billion or more, for a venture with stratospheric ambitions.

The IPO looks set to blow past a record from 2019, when the oil group Saudi Aramco raised $25.6 billion.

SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment, and officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission declined to comment.

If successful, SpaceX could arrive on Wall Street with a valuation exceeding $1.75 trillion, putting it among the world's ten biggest companies by market capitalization.

After its acquisition of xAI in early February, SpaceX was valued at $1.25 trillion.

Analysts have said that taking SpaceX public will require it and Musk to maintain greater transparency, particularly about its revenues.

It could also expose the company to investor pressure to focus on profits instead of long-term investments -- such as Musk's plan to build a rocket for sending people to Mars.

- 'Enamored' investors -

When the documents are released, SpaceX's IPO filing will likely reveal details about its operations, including its satellite and rocket manufacturing, alongside its xAI artificial intelligence arm.

Given that investors appear "enamored" with Musk's space and artificial intelligence ambitions, SpaceX could "probably get away with listing in a less exuberant market than some other companies might," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers.

Matthew Kennedy, a senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, said he had little worries that SpaceX would be able to raise such a massive amount of capital, even as markets are roiled by the ongoing war in the Middle East.

"US markets are some of the largest, most robust fundraising in the world, and this is a unique company that has captured the imagination of a lot of investors," Kennedy said.

He also noted investor enthusiasm in potential advancements on space exploration and in AI, alongside the cash to be made in the telecoms sector.

Besides SpaceX, two other tech heavyweights, the AI developers OpenAI and Anthropic, are reportedly planning IPOs this year.

SpaceX, which dominates the space launching market with its reusable rockets, is owned by Musk alongside several investment funds and tech companies including Google's parent Alphabet.

The company's rockets vastly reduce the cost of putting satellites into orbit. SpaceX is also the owner of the Starlink satellite constellation.

In February, Musk announced that SpaceX would take over his artificial intelligence outfit xAI, a step in the billionaire's plan to use SpaceX's rockets to launch solar-powered, satellite-based data centers to run future AI models.

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(The Center Square) – Electricity prices and other measures of consumer energy affordability are highest in states with the most extensive policy mandates, compliance requirements, and the most rigid regulatory structures, according to a report released Wednesday.

The American Legislative Exchange Council, a nonprofit organization whose members draft and promote model state legislation and legislative policies, contends states with Renewable Portfolio Standards, cap-and-trade programs, and broad net metering mandates generally face higher average electricity prices compared to states with freer, more competitive markets.

ALEC contends these policies can require utilities to purchase specified generation sources regardless of cost, acquire emissions allowances for carbon usage, or compensate rooftop solar owners through net metering at above-market rates.

“The costs of such activities are often passed down to consumers in an electric bill or at the gas station,” ALEC says.

“By contrast, states that emphasize market competition and regulatory predictability are more likely to maintain affordable energy for households and businesses,” ALEC concludes in the fifth edition of its Energy Affordability Report.

The three states in the contiguous United States with the lowest average retail electricity prices in 2024 are North Dakota at 7.93 cents per kilowatt-hour, Louisiana at 8.80 cents per kilowatt-hour, and Nebraska at 9.07 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to ALEC.

“These states consistently maintain electricity prices well below the national average of 13.69 cents per kilowatt-hour, reflecting policy environments that place relatively fewer regulatory mandates on electricity generation,” the report says.

The contrast between these low-cost states and higher-priced regions highlights a recurring pattern, according to ALEC. States that avoid burdensome or prescriptive mandates, such as renewable portfolio standards and cap-and-trade programs, generally achieve lower electricity costs for consumers and businesses, the analysis found.

California and Connecticut consistently rank among the most expensive states for electricity in the contiguous United States, with costs frequently exceeding 20–25 cents per kilowatt-hour, the data shows. The report attributes these high rates to rigid regulatory structures, including cap-and-trade programs and renewable portfolio standards.

To address these disparities, ALEC promotes a suite of Essential Policy Solutions intended to guide state legislators toward market-driven reforms. These recommendations include repealing or weakening renewable energy mandates; adopting an affordable, reliable energy strategy" that prioritizes dispatchable sources like natural gas and nuclear; and ensuring that traditional power plants are not retired before ready replacements are online.

According to ALEC, these reforms are necessary to restore regulatory clarity and ensure that affordability remains the primary goal of state energy policy.

To drive costs down, ALEC advocates for a shift toward market-based solutions, such as the Affordable, Reliable, and Clean Energy Security Act which the organization touts as a model for legislation at the state level designed to prioritize "dispatchable" power sources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear. ALEC maintains these energy sources must remain a cornerstone of state energy grids to ensure reliable and affordable electricity.

Beyond the ARC Act, ALEC is also calling on states to adopt measures like the Electric Reliability Act and the OPEN Act to prevent premature power plant closures. These model bills would require state regulators to prove that retiring existing coal or gas plants won’t trigger blackouts or price hikes before decommissioning. Additionally, the organization’s proposed State Nuclear Coordinator Act aims to streamline the permitting process for new nuclear projects, which ALEC identifies as a critical component of a long-term, affordable energy strategy.

Finally, ALEC encourages governors to withdraw from regional climate initiatives that implement cap-and-trade or other carbon reduction mandates. The organization’s State Withdrawal from Regional Climate Initiatives model resolution says these programs place a disproportionately high burden on lower-income households and increase consumer prices for essential goods like electricity, fuel, and food.

"Ultimately, energy affordability is not just a policy goal; it is a fundamental pillar of American prosperity," ALEC concludes.

ALEC is the nation’s largest voluntary membership organization of state legislators with more than 2,000 members across the nation.

The fourth and final phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup in North America began on Wednesday, FIFA announced.

The phase for the June 11–July 19 event in the United States, Mexico and Canada involves more than three million tickets.

This "last-minute" sales phase opened at 1500 GMT on the official website, FIFA.com/tickets, the global governing body stated in a press release.

Tickets are being sold on a "first-come, first-served" basis and will remain available until the end of the competition on July 19, it added.

Tickets will be released for sale on a rolling basis -- including, on occasion, for matches taking place on the very same day -- according to FIFA.

At the scheduled time, prospective buyers were directed to a "waiting" page to "queue" while awaiting access to the site, a wait that could last several hours.

"A countdown will appear before you can enter the ticket sales phase. Once the countdown is over, an 'Enter' button will be available for 5 minutes. Click it to access," instructions specify.

In total, nearly seven million tickets are being offered for the competition, taking into account the capacities of the 16 stadiums hosting the global tournament.

More than three million of these tickets have already been sold during the first three sales phases -- including over one million during the random selection draw phase alone (held in January and February), which received 500 million requests, according to FIFA.

The global governing body is likely to break the all-time record of 3.5 million tickets sold for a World Cup -- a mark set during the 1994 edition.

This summer, the tournament will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, 78 of which will take place on American soil.

The issue of ticketing has sparked controversy, with FIFA facing accusations of offering tickets at exorbitant prices, in disregard of promises made when the tournament was awarded to the three host nations.

On March 24, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) -- an organization representing European fans -- and Euroconsumers -- a group representing consumers across the continent -- announced they had filed a complaint against FIFA with the European Commission.

They alleged abuse of a dominant market position and seek to compel the organization to abandon its "opaque and unfair" ticket purchasing procedures. FIFA has defended its ticket pricing, which, according to president Gianni Infantino, is driven by "crazy" demand.

However, in December, the governing body did introduce a $60 ticket category reserved exclusively for official supporters' clubs; yet, according to the FSE, this quota was virtually sold out before sales even opened to the general public.

Additionally, FIFA is set to reopen its official ticket resale and exchange platform on Thursday. This platform has also come under fire due to the equally prohibitive prices at which tickets are listed for resale.

The global governing body explained that it does not intervene in this "fan-to-fan market," where the reseller "determines the listed price of each ticket" in Canada and the United States.

The legal framework differs in Mexico, however, where reselling a ticket for more than its original purchase price is prohibited.

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Some 300 tractors rolled down the streets of Vienna Wednesday in a rare such protest in the Austrian capital as farmers pushed for restaurants and supermarkets to list the country of origin for their prepared dishes.  

"The lack of mandatory origin labelling is threatening the very livelihoods of our farmers," said Hannes Royer, an organic farmer.

Austrian supermarkets must label the origin of raw products, and workplace cafeterias must say where the products in their dishes are from. But the rules do not apply to transformed food in supermarkets nor to restaurants.  

Hiding the use of imports "massively distorts competition and penalises those who provide quality", said Land Schafft Leben, or Land Creates Life, an Austrian farmers' association.  

"Consumers have a right to the truth on their plates. Those who conceal the origin are deliberately depriving them of their freedom to choose," said Royer, the farmer. 

Protests are rare in Austria, but the farmers' demonstration is part of a wider European agricultural crisis.

A free-trade agreement with South American countries, climate-related pressures, rising costs of diesel and fertilisers, and stagnant agricultural prices are threatening the entire sector, which also complains of increasing red tape.  

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Leaders of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) said Wednesday they are concerned about player safety if the league turns to replacement referees next season.

Negotiations have stalled between the NFL and its referees union over a new collective bargaining agreement and team owners passed a new rule for next season that would allow NFL officials to help replacement referees if they are used for the campaign that starts in September.

Not having experienced referees, however, creates safety worries for NFLPA executive director J.C. Tretter.

"Player safety requires trained, professional officials on the field," Tretter said. "They manage the game in real time, enforce the rules and stop situations from escalating.

"That can't be replaced by less experienced crews or handled remotely. If player safety truly matters, trained professional officials on the field are not negotiable."

NFLRA executive director Scott Green said veteran referees are essential to keeping players safe in a fast and hard-hitting sport.

"Professional officials are trained to control the game in real time," Green said. "They are the first responders on the field -- maintaining order, enforcing rules, and preventing dangerous situations from escalating."

Green and Tretter met Tuesday and agreed that moving certain decisions and support review to a centralized system would replace experienced officials making immediate, on-field judgments.

With several games played at the same time each week, Green and Tretter called it unrealistic to expect a remote operation to manage player interactions, de-escalate conflicts and enforce rules in real time.

They predicted less experienced officials would be more likely to miss calls or respond late in critical moments, increasing the risk of player injuries.

"We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached that avoids past disruptions and ensures the game continues to be officiated at the highest level," Green said.

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