Morning Briefing — May 5, 2026

World News

Driver kills two in Leipzig shopping area — A driver plowed into people in a busy shopping area in central Leipzig, Germany on Monday afternoon, leaving two people dead, according to authorities. The incident occurred in the city centre during peak shopping hours. CBC

Canadian PM to name new governor general — The Canadian prime minister is set to name Canada's next governor general on Tuesday, CBC News has learned. The appointment marks a significant moment for the country's constitutional monarchy. CBC

Stay Free Alberta petition surpasses referendum threshold — Stay Free Alberta petitioners say they have collected 301,620 signatures, well over the 178,000 threshold needed to potentially prompt the province to consider a referendum question. The development could trigger significant political consequences for Alberta's relationship with the rest of Canada. CBC

White House calls Iran hostilities 'terminated' ahead of war powers deadline — The White House says the U.S.-Iran war is 'terminated' for the purposes of an approaching congressional war powers deadline, even as President Trump huddles with military leaders over potential new strikes. The framing comes as political pressures mount in Congress over the conflict's continuation. Reuters

Hantavirus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship kills three — A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus on a cruise ship in the Atlantic off Africa killed three people and sickened at least three others, according to health officials. Authorities are investigating the source of the infection on board. CBS News

Canada flood risk portal incomplete and ignores climate change — A new report from the Auditor General's office finds Canada's promised personal flood risk portal doesn't yet work, and when it does, it won't take climate change into account. The federal government's strategy to protect over $100 billion of key infrastructure from climate impacts has significant gaps, with three key departments well behind schedule. CBC

U.S. begins escorting ships through Strait of Hormuz under 'Project Freedom' — The U.S. says it has begun guiding commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz under the Project Freedom initiative announced by President Trump. The naval escort program comes amid continued tensions with Iran in the critical shipping corridor. CBS News

Calgary father charged with murdering his children appears in court — A Calgary father accused of murdering his young children before driving their bodies to a police station, where officers say he called 911 and confessed, made a brief court appearance and will remain in custody for the foreseeable future. The case has shocked the Calgary community. CBC

Business

Canada launches $1.5 billion package to support tariff-hit industries — The Canadian federal government announced $1.5 billion to support tariffed industries, including a new $1 billion Business Development Bank of Canada program for firms producing or exporting goods containing steel, aluminum or copper. The package is in response to the U.S. tightening its tariff regime on April 6, 2026 to apply to more products. Government of Canada / BNN Bloomberg

Spirit Airlines shuts down, stranding ticketed customers — Discount carrier Spirit Airlines has ceased operations, leaving some customers with flight tickets out of luck. Reuters has linked the airline's collapse to economic shocks from the Iran war. CBS News

GameStop launches $125-per-share takeover bid for eBay — EBay said it will 'carefully review' GameStop's unsolicited $125-per-share takeover offer. Shares of GameStop fell sharply on the news while eBay rose more than 5%. CBS News

Bitcoin climbs above $80,000 for first time since January — Bitcoin has climbed back above $80,000 for the first time since January, as crypto enthusiasts gathered in Las Vegas struggle to engineer a broader rally. Wall Street's growing role in crypto continues to reshape the asset class. Bloomberg

Mumbai redevelopment squeezes low-income residents as global businesses pour in — As global businesses pour into India's financial capital, millions of low-income residents face redevelopment deals that will determine whether they can stay in the city. Bloomberg's investigation examines how Mumbai's soaring skyline is putting pressure on housing affordability and tenure. Bloomberg

S&P 500 futures slip after disputed Iran missile reports — S&P 500 Index futures fell 0.2% in early New York trading after a Bloomberg report noted U.S. officials denied an Iranian media claim that Iran had struck an American naval vessel with missiles. Markets remain sensitive to escalation in the Middle East conflict. Bloomberg

Energy costs become unusual force in U.S. midterm elections — Voters across the U.S. are angry about rising energy costs, making the price of electricity an unusual force in high-stakes midterm elections for the first time ever. The political potency of household energy bills could reshape congressional races. Bloomberg

Bloomberg wins 2026 Pulitzer for India 'digital arrests' investigation — Bloomberg News won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary for 'trAPPed,' a graphic investigation into India's wave of so-called digital arrests. Pulitzers also went to The Washington Post, The New York Times and other outlets. Bloomberg

Nobel-winning economist warns AI threatens 'jobs with dignity' — MIT economist Simon Johnson, a Nobel laureate, warned that AI could erode middle-class jobs and widen inequality unless policymakers begin tackling the issue now. He urged faster public-policy responses as deployment accelerates across industries. Bloomberg

Technology

Apple beats Wall Street earnings expectations — Apple's latest earnings report beat Wall Street expectations, with CBS News contributor Patrick McGee discussing the results. The company's new CEO will inherit strong sales alongside even greater investor expectations. CBS News / CNN

Pentagon strikes deals with seven Big Tech firms after shunning Anthropic — The Pentagon has struck artificial intelligence and cloud deals with seven major technology companies, notably excluding Anthropic from the cohort. The defense contracts highlight which AI firms are gaining favor in U.S. national security work. CNN

Musk-Altman OpenAI courtroom showdown enters second day — Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI's Sam Altman, accusing him of betraying the company's founding mission to remain a non-profit, continued with Musk's testimony laying out his souring relationship with OpenAI. Opening arguments began earlier this week. CNN

Families of Tumbler Ridge shooting victims sue OpenAI and Sam Altman — Families of victims of the Tumbler Ridge shooting have filed suit against OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman. The lawsuit adds to a growing wave of legal action against the AI company. CNN

OpenAI weighs smartphone challenge to Apple, Samsung and Huawei — OpenAI is mulling a possible battle with Apple, Samsung, Huawei and other device-makers to create its own smartphone. The move would mark a major hardware push for the company best known for ChatGPT. Bloomberg Businessweek

Alberta data centre and gas plant proposal upends rural town — Marnie Desjardins says her mostly quiet life in Olds, Alta. has been upended since January after Synapse Data Center Inc. proposed a massive data centre project and accompanying natural gas plant near her home. The case highlights growing tension over the energy footprint of AI infrastructure. CBC

Planet Labs imagery restrictions reshape satellite industry — Planet Labs' decision to restrict Middle East satellite imagery is raising questions within the multibillion-dollar satellite imagery industry about commercial independence and global accountability. The U.S. data restrictions tied to the Iran conflict are forcing the sector to reassess its role. Bloomberg Businessweek

Consulting careers reshaped as AI changes entry-level work — Consulting, once considered a dream first job for graduates, has been transformed by AI, according to Bloomberg Businessweek's reporting on a dozen young job hunters. The piece details what it now takes to get hired in a profession reshaped by generative AI tools. Bloomberg Businessweek

Renewable Energy

U.S. defense department halts 165 onshore wind projects — The U.S. Department of Defense has stalled approvals for around 165 onshore wind projects on private land, citing national security concerns, according to the Financial Times. The delayed projects could total nearly 30GW of capacity—enough to power around 15 million homes—marking a significant policy shift affecting U.S. renewable investment. Financial Times / GreentechLead

EDP Renewables and Meta sign 250MW Arkansas solar PPA — EDP Renewables North America has signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Meta for the 250MW Cypress Knee Solar project in Arkansas, bringing total clean energy procured between the two companies to 545MW. The project, expected to be completed by 2028, is projected to generate around $25 million in revenue for Chicot County. GreentechLead

Germany's SWB to build 85MW battery on former coal site — German utility SWB AG has partnered with Be.storaged to develop an 85MW/170MWh battery energy storage system at a decommissioned coal-fired power plant in Bremen's industrial port. The mid double-digit million euro investment will repurpose existing grid infrastructure, with completion targeted by early 2028. GreentechLead

GreenGo Energy approved for 19.5MW Italian agrivoltaic project — GreenGo Energy received Single Regional Authorisation for the 19.5MW Canalicchi agrivoltaic project in Italy's Crotone province, with construction planned for the first half of 2028. The single-axis tracker project will produce around 36GWh annually, enough to power approximately 13,300 households. GreentechLead

Solar Ireland calls for renewables 'clearing house' — Solar Ireland has urged the Irish government to establish a national 'clearing house' to speed up renewable energy deployment, citing planning and grid delays. Ireland's solar output recently exceeded 1GW and peaked at 1.2GW, but the industry warns administrative inefficiencies are slowing project delivery. GreentechLead

57 nations chart fossil fuel exit roadmaps at Santa Marta summit — Countries attending the first conference on 'transitioning away' from fossil fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia from 24-29 April walked away with plans to develop national roadmaps to move away from fossil fuels, plus new tools to address harmful subsidies and carbon-intensive trade. The 57 attending countries represent one-third of the world's economy. Carbon Brief

China's clean-tech exports surge 70% year-on-year — China's exports of the 'new three' clean-energy technologies surged by 70% year-on-year in March 2026, reaching $21.6bn, according to new analysis for Carbon Brief's China Briefing. The surge reflects continued global demand for Chinese solar, EV and battery products despite tariff pressures. Carbon Brief

China's clean-energy capacity tops 2,400GW, exceeds 60% of power mix — China's clean-energy grid capacity now exceeds 2,400 gigawatts as of March 2026, accounting for 60% of the total power mix, with combined wind and solar capacity reaching 1,900GW. However, new solar additions slowed sharply to a four-year low in March 2026, down from 60GW in Q1 2025 to 41GW. Carbon Brief

EIA projects 80GW of new U.S. solar, wind and storage by early 2027 — Utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage will add more than 80 gigawatts of new generating capacity in the U.S. by February 28, 2027, while total fossil fuel and nuclear capacity falls by almost 5GW, according to EIA data. Renewables' share of total U.S. utility-scale capacity will grow from 33.4% to 36.6%, with battery storage surging 51.4%. Electrek

Climate change tests resilience of European renewables — A SolarPower Europe analysis found that solar generation has saved Europe more than €3 billion in March alone and could save €67.5 billion by year-end if gas prices stay high. However, intense heat reduces photovoltaic efficiency, while wind curtailment cost Britain £1.47 billion last year and Germany €435 million in 2025. Euronews

Soil Science

FAO flagship report: better soil and water management key to feeding 10 billion — Feeding a projected 10 billion people by 2050 will require bold and smarter choices in managing land, soil and water, the FAO warns in its SOLAW 2025 report. The report stresses closing yield gaps, diversifying into resilient crop varieties, and adopting locally-tailored conservation agriculture, drought-tolerant crops and soil moisture conservation practices. FAO

Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts 1.3 million tonnes of fertilizer per month — The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since 2 March has cut off around 1.3 million tonnes of fertilizers per month with no viable land alternatives, the FAO reports. The reduced availability of ammonia, urea, phosphate and sulfur fertilizers threatens to lower production of staple crops like wheat, maize and rice within 6–9 months and push food prices upward. FAO

Governments roll out fertilizer subsidies in response to energy crisis — Multiple countries implemented direct financial aid to farmers to lower fertilizer costs in March 2026, with Spain allocating €500 million, the Dominican Republic providing $60 million in subsidies, and Ghana distributing fertilizers free of charge for the 2026 agricultural season. Cyprus and Greece introduced 15% percentage-based subsidies, while Thailand offered $42 per eligible farmer. FAO

Soil upgrade in Senegal cuts locust damage and doubles yields — Scientists working with farmers in Senegal have shown that improving soil health can dramatically reduce damage from locust swarms while doubling crop yields. The work points to soil enrichment as a low-cost intervention against pests that traditionally wipe out crops across entire regions. ScienceDaily

Tropical forests recover twice as fast on nitrogen-rich soils — New research shows tropical forests can recover twice as fast after deforestation when their soils contain enough nitrogen, based on decades of forest regrowth tracking across Central America. The findings highlight soil chemistry as a key lever for restoration projects. ScienceDaily

Crops irrigated with wastewater store pharmaceuticals in their leaves — Scientists studying crops irrigated with treated wastewater discovered that trace pharmaceuticals often collect in plant leaves, with tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce absorbing medications such as antidepressants and seizure drugs during the experiment. The findings raise questions about food-safety regimes for water-stressed regions reusing wastewater. ScienceDaily

Antibiotics accumulate in major Brazilian river, contaminating fish — Antibiotics are accumulating in a major Brazilian river, especially during the dry season when pollution becomes more concentrated, with scientists detecting a banned drug inside fish sold for food. The contamination raises concerns about human exposure through aquatic food chains. ScienceDaily

Chickpeas grown in simulated moon soil point toward lunar farming — Scientists have grown chickpeas in simulated moon soil mixed with worm-produced compost, offering a promising step toward farming on the lunar surface. The work supports planning for long-duration crewed missions that need self-sufficient food production. ScienceDaily

Patagonia's Holdfast Collective backs Ventura County regenerative transition — Patagonia's nonprofit shareholder Holdfast Collective committed $1.55 million to help the Rodale Institute transition Ventura County, California's agricultural industry to regenerative practices that improve soil health and natural disease resistance. The Regenerate Ventura initiative provides farmers with technical assistance to shift away from chemical-pesticide-heavy conventional methods. Agroforestry Partners

FAO to host Black Soils webinar and Global Soil Symposium — The FAO Global Soil Partnership is hosting a webinar on Black Soils management in North America on 7 May 2026, ahead of its Global Symposium on Soil Compaction in Aarhus, Denmark from 21–23 September. Soil compaction is described as a major and growing driver of land degradation worldwide. FAO