World Report - May 1: Friday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: May 1, 2026

The head of a major fertilizer firm warns of global food shortages as the war with Iran chokes off a key supply route.President Trump claims the war in Iran is over as a 60-day legal deadline forces a showdown with Congress over military authority.British police charge the suspect in this week's anti-Semitic attack in north London with attempted murder.Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomes US president Donald Trump's approval of oil pipeline expansion.Concerns grow over impending drought in metro-Vancouver.Vancouver fans rally to save the Whitecaps as a U.S. group bids to move the club to Las Vegas.

This week on two blocks from the White House, we're talking about a Supreme Court decision that could have a big impact on American elections. The decision narrows, some argue guts the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and it's expected to lead to a major redrawing of electoral maps. Join me, Paul Hunter, and my fellow Washington correspondence, Katie Simpson and Willie Lowry as we break down U.S. politics from a Canadian perspective. Find and follow two blocks from the White House, wherever you get your podcasts, and watch us on YouTube. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm John Northcott. The price at the pump is rising again,

with the average cost of gas across Canada hitting $1.85 a liter. The war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are fueling the spike. But that route is also critical for the global supply of fertilizer. There are growing concerns. The disrupted supply chain is creating food insecurity,

especially for the world's poorest nations. Anna Cunningham has more. Since the start of the U.S. Israeli war on Iran, the price of fertilizer has rocketed by 80%. Food producers are being stretched by the costs. Svein Tora Houssita, chief executive of Yara International, one of the world's largest fertilizer companies, and this stark warning. So what does that mean for food production? I would get to up to 10 billion meals that will not be produced every week as a result. of lack of fertilizers.

Hussiter wants nations to avoid a bidding war, what he calls a global auction on food. He says that could see the world's poorest regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, struggle with crop yields. Navigational rights and freedoms must be restored immediately. Urges Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary General. Despite a fragile ceasefire, Guterres says there is a risk of strangling the world's economy. We confront the specter of a global recession with very,

The dramatic impacts on people, on the economy and on political and social stability. There are warnings too for Western nations of increased food inflation, a point raised this week by Andrew Bailey, the Bank of England governor. The longer the conflict in the Middle East continues, the worse the impact will become. With negotiations stall, US President Donald Trump faces a deadline today to end the war or make the case to the US Congress for extending it. Anna Cunningham, CBC News, London. As Anna just mentioned, Donald Trump faces a deadline today to either end the war in Iran or seek approval from Congress.

The president is now claiming the war is terminated, but critics say he is simply trying to sidestep the law. Under the War Powers Act, he has 60 days to get the green light from lawmakers or pull the troops out. Willie Lowry joins us now from our Washington Bureau. So, Willie, what is this all about? So, John, under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, that's a law dating back to the law. the end of the Vietnam War era, the president has 48 hours to notify Congress of deploying U.S. forces into combat. That starts a 60-day clock, where if the president chooses not to seek congressional approval,

which Donald Trump has not done so far, he must, under the law, begin withdrawing troops. But the law allows for a 30-day extension, which Trump may well seek, though the administration appears to be pursuing a different legal argument. Here's Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaking yesterday at the Senate Armed Services Committee. Ultimately, I would defer to the White House and White House counsel on that. However, we are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire. So they're not in. It's our understanding, just so you know.

So, Willie, we know Democrats in Congress are demanding they get a vote on the war, then. Where do Republicans stand? Thus far, Republicans have largely stuck with the president six times, including just yesterday they voted against efforts to end the war, but a handful of prominent Republican lawmakers have emphasized the importance of this 60-day marker. Republican Senator Tom Tillis, who is not seeking re-election, says it's time for Congress to have a say. It just can't go on forever. If they don't want to have a discussion about AUMF, then we need to have a discussion about an extent. under the war powers resolution. That's going to require details. The problem? Congress is on a break next week.

CBC's Willie Lowry in Washington. Thanks, Willie. My pleasure. British police say they've charged the man suspected in this week's stabbing in North London. Two Jewish men were attacked in the Golders Green area on Wednesday. Essa Suleiman is charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of what's called possession of a bladed article in a public place. The 45-year-old is a British citizen who emigrated from Somalia in the early 1990s. While community leaders have raised concerns about the targeting of the victims,

London police say they are not currently treating the investigation as a hate crime. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is welcoming U.S. President Donald Trump's approval of an oil pipeline expansion. The Bridger pipeline could open more American markets to Canadian crude in what is being considered a partial revival of the Keystone XL project. That original plan was famously cancelled by the Biden administration, but as Anis Hadari reports, this new version takes a different path south. This is a trans-border pipeline. Officials called what Donald Trump just approved similar to the Keystone XL pipeline. It wouldn't approve anything having to do with the pipeline.

This new approved project by U.S.-based Bridger Pipeline will take Canadian crude from the border between Alberta and Montana down to Wyoming. It will use some parts of the repeated. canceled Keystone project, but on a different and shorter route in the U.S. There's already pipe in the ground left over from when Joe Biden canceled Keystone XL on his first day in office. Heather Exner-Pero is the director of energy with the McDonald-Loreau Institute. She says it'll be easy for this new, retooled American project to connect to the Canadian side of the border. And so it's quite seamless on the Canadian side. There was no problems in the Canadian side.

Even the liberals, the Justin Trudeau liberals, had approved Keystone XL. It was the American side. We had the problem. In Canada, it's a company called Southbow that's taken over the remnants of Keystone XL. In a statement, the company wrote that it's still evaluating the project. But as Canadian officials talk about expanding exports beyond the United States, this project would sell more to them. And the Americans, wily as they are, have made, you know,

sending more Canadian oil as easy as it can possibly be. They wouldn't sign a pipeline deal as we have pipelines going up. It's still very unclear. how fast this project could get going, and there could still be legal challenges. Any Cedare. CBC News, Calgary? Well, it's not even close to summer, but there is growing concern. Metro Vancouver could soon face a significant drought. Officials are worried a dwindling snowpack won't be enough to replenish reservoirs,

especially with dry weather in the forecast. It means residents are facing an early ban on all lawn watering starting today. Yasmin Renaya reports. Lawns will go brown. It's not aesthetically pleasing, but Metro Vancouver Commissioner Jerry Dobrevalny says the lawn watering ban is necessary to ensure there's enough water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. There are usually limits in May, but for the first time ever, the region is skipping right to stage two restrictions. And at this point, we are expecting that we will need to go to stage three in June. That hasn't happened in over a decade.

Warm temperatures, limited rain, and a low snowpack on the mountains are threatening a summer drought, with some wildfires already popping up in parts of the province. And with the weather pattern El Nino expected to hit Western Canada this summer, drought conditions could become even worse, meaning water conservation will likely last for the months ahead. Yasmin Ganea, CBC News, Vancouver. And finally, BC soccer fans are worried they may lose one of their professional men's franchise. The Vancouver Whitecaps have been in Major League Soccer since 2011, and the team's name has been associated with soccer in the city since 1974.

But ownership and stadium issues have put the team's future in doubt. Now a group from the U.S. is making a formal bid to buy the team and move it to Las Vegas. CBC's Lawrence Watt has more. Fans of the Vancouver White Caps gathered Thursday outside the 76th FIFA Congress. They rallied in a bid to stop the club. from leaving the city. Matthew Turpin is a long-time fan. We're here to stay and Vancouver's our home and let's go white caps. And then, reports emerged that a private investor group had submitted a bid to buy the soccer team

and relocate it to Las Vegas. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says the news is concerning and that the city is doing everything it can to keep the team. We're just working really hard to make sure that we give bank rates every opportunity to keep caps in Vancouver. A lot of groups have reached out over the last 48 hours. And so, you know, I don't want to give anyone false hope because, you know, we do have a hill to fly. Despite the

reports, BC Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, Ravi Kalon, says the province is committed to finding a way to keep the caps in Vancouver. If the MLS is genuine in wanting to support communities to develop the game, genuine about the fans, they'll find a solution.

Las Vegas can easily have a team with an expansion. Premier David Eby has spoken to MLS Commissioner Don Garber on the future of the team and said the two have committed to working together. Meanwhile, the MLS says the league remains focused on working with the white caps and local stakeholders to see whether a sustainable path forward for the club can be achieved. In the meantime, the club's fans are hoping for the best. Lawrence Swatt, CBC News, Vancouver.

And that is the latest national and international news from World Report. If you are enjoying World Report or if you ever miss World Report, remember we have a podcast and let some of those in your circle know and they can all be part of the club. I'm John Northcott. This is CBC News. For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.ca slash podcasts.