Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day.

On today's podcast:

(1) The White House insisted that peace talks with Iran are ongoing, even as Tehran publicly rejected US overtures and issued fresh conditions of its own to end the conflict that’s wreaked havoc across the Middle East and global markets.

(2) Even as Donald Trump pushes for talks to end the war against Iran, the US has ordered thousands of troops to the region, fueling fears that the president is gearing up for exactly the sort of risky ground invasion that he once campaigned against.

(3) Bloomberg's strategic energy team, BNEF, says the price of Brent crude could top $154 a barrel if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed until mid-June.

(4) The Italian government is set to cut its economic growth forecast, reflecting a hit from the war in the Persian Gulf.

(5) The threat of surging inflation has knocked UK consumer confidence to the lowest level recorded under Keir Starmer’s Labour government.

(6) A landmark jury verdict holding Meta Platforms and Alphabet’s Google liable for harming a young user with products designed to be addictive threatens to put the social networking companies in the same category as Big Tobacco and opioid makers — a potential crack in their shield from legal responsibility for what happens on their platforms.

(7) Slovakia became the world’s biggest per capita car producer along with the Czech Republic because of demand from auto companies for cheaper, skilled labor. Now war is turning the tiny nation into a critical ammunition powerhouse.

Podcast Conversation: The ‘Don Tzu’ Solution to Ending the Iran War

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Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day.

On today's podcast:

(1) The US has drafted a 15-point plan intended to help bring the war with Iran to a close, according to people familiar with the matter, highlighting the intensifying urgency within the Trump administration to resolve the conflict as the economic toll mounts.

(2) The Trump administration has ordered the 82nd Airborne Division to deploy about 2,000 soldiers to the Middle East, a person familiar with the matter said, as the White House weighs options to ease Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

(3) Iran said foreign ships are allowed to cross the Strait of Hormuz, as long as they aren’t supporting acts of aggression against the country and follow regulations put in place by Tehran.

(4) The Kremlin is earning the most from its oil exports since just after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine as it cashes in on the war in the Middle East, boosting crude flows amid soaring prices and eased sanctions.

(5) Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s party won a closely contested election by pledging stability in global turmoil, setting the stage for difficult coalition talks to secure a third term in power.

(6) Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni called on Tourism Minister Daniela Santanche to resign as she attempts to clean house after a defeat in a key referendum this week, in a sign of growing turmoil within her government.

(7) The trading hub Yiwu provides a small glimpse of the existential threat a prolonged war may pose to China. A collapse of global demand will dent the economy’s only bright spot — exports that the government has counted on to help meet its annual growth targets.

Podcast Conversation: NASA to Spend $20 Billion on Moon Base, Create Mars Craft

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Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day.

On today's podcast:

(1) Oil resumed gains — paring a steep drop from Monday — on concern that other nations may be drawn into the Middle East war.

(2) Donald Trump’s decision to back down from his threat to destroy Iran’s power infrastructure came after US allies and Gulf countries privately warned the president of the dangers of following through with his threat, according to people familiar with the matter.

(3) The supply shockwaves from the US and Israel’s war in Iran are spreading across the global economy, raising concerns about an inflation hit to companies and consumers that will require policymakers to raise borrowing costs.

(4) UK prime minister Keir Starmer said he is looking at wider measures to support Britain’s economy through the Iran crisis as he prepares to chair an emergency meeting on the economic impact of the conflict.

(5) The European Union and Australia agreed to a free-trade deal, wrapping up almost a decade of talks as the two sides push to tighten ties and reinvigorate a rules-based order that’s under assault from the Trump administration.

Podcast Conversation: Trump’s Wild, 5-Minute Rally Sends Clear Message to Wall Street

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