Escalating rhetoric from former President Trump threatening Iran unless it reopens the Strait of Hormuz has sent ripples through oil markets, even as Iran allows Iraqi ships passage and OPEC Plus warns of slow recovery and the IEA urges against fuel hoarding.

• Trump vows to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges unless it reopens strait — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Trump threatens to attack Iran’s power plants and bridges unless it reopens Strait of Hormuz — Financial Times -
• OPEC Plus Warns of Slow Recovery After War in Iran — The New York Times Business -

• Iran allows Iraqi ships through Hormuz strait — Financial Times -
• US rescues second fighter jet airman shot down over Iran — Financial Times -
• The U.S. Plastics Industry Was in the Doldrums. Then the Iran War Began. — Wall Street Journal -
• How big an impact will the war have on US inflation? — Financial Times -
• Oil Markets Doubt Trump’s Peace Signals as Tensions With Iran Grow — The New York Times Business -
• How Iran keeps firing missiles under bombardment — Financial Times -
• Countries must not hoard fuel during Iran war, warns IEA — Financial Times -
• Five elections, one month: India’s Modi faces voters amid Iran war risks — Financial Times -

The media landscape is buzzing with **Gulf funds nearing a deal to back Paramount's $81 billion Warner takeover and Nelson Peltz's bidding war driving asset manager consolidation, while the 'Super Mario' sequel sets box office records and the Hollywood Writers Union reaches a contract deal**.

• Gulf Funds Near Deal to Back Paramount’s $81 Billion Takeover of Warner — Wall Street Journal -
• PepsiCo, Diageo Drop Sponsorship of Kanye West-Headlined U.K. Music Festival — Wall Street Journal -
• ‘Super Mario’ Sequel Scores Year’s Biggest Movie Opening — Wall Street Journal -

• Hollywood Writers Union and Studios Reach Contract Deal — The New York Times Business -
• Despite Poor Reviews, ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Is a Megahit — The New York Times Business -
• Nelson Peltz’s bidding war highlights $25bn wave of asset manager consolidation — Financial Times -
• ‘I Will Destroy You’: The Battle Inside a Midwestern Media Dynasty — Wall Street Journal -

Discussions about AI's growing societal impact, from drones in schools for safety to concerns about data center backlashes, alongside Hong Kong's surge in AI and tech company listings and the UK courting AI startup Anthropic, highlight the industry's rapid evolution and regulatory challenges.

• Opinion | Cable’s Critical Role in Wireless Competition — Wall Street Journal -
• The Drones Coming to Schools to Stop Mass Shootings — Wall Street Journal -
• Is AI the new fracking? — Financial Times -

• How Trump became tech’s regulator-in-chief — Financial Times -
• AI and tech companies drive Hong Kong listings to five-year high — Financial Times -
• UK courts Anthropic to expand in London after US defence clash — Financial Times -
• US payments group with $20bn market value aims to boost UK truck electrification — Financial Times -

Headlines cover a diverse range of societal changes like job programs for autistic individuals and shifts in public discourse, environmental responses such as plastic ice rinks due to warming temperatures, economic impacts from science funding cuts and UK housing market anxieties, and workforce developments including a major beef plant strike ending.

• Opinion | The Cartoonist vs. the General — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | Provocative Podcast Pundits Degrade National Dialogue — Wall Street Journal -
• Hockey Rinks Turn to Plastic Ice as Planet Warms — The New York Times Business -

• Trump Slashed Science Funding. Now the U.S. Could Face a Costly Brain Drain. — The New York Times Business -
• New Chef Program Helps People With Autism Find Jobs in Fine-Dining Restaurants — The New York Times Business -
• New Owner of Shopping Plaza in Kansas City Pitches a $1.5 Billion Rescue Plan — The New York Times Business -
• How we gave up on forgiveness — Financial Times -
• Stagflation fears demolish confidence in UK housing — Financial Times -
• Pharma just ‘scratching the surface’ of weight-loss drug market — Financial Times -
• Renters’ Rights Act brings big changes to UK property market — Financial Times -
• ‘Police were never designed for this’: Pioneering UK force rethinks approach to domestic abuse — Financial Times -
• Striking Beef Plant Workers to Resume Work — Wall Street Journal -

Political developments across the globe include Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán facing an electoral reckoning, Zimbabwe's leader seeking to extend his tenure, and Berlin's debate over car restrictions ahead of elections.

• Orbán’s day of reckoning approaches — Financial Times -
• Orbán faces an electoral reckoning in Hungary — Financial Times -
• Campaign to curb cars in Berlin sparks uproar ahead of election — Financial Times -

• Zimbabwe’s ‘Crocodile’ leader eyes role as president for life — Financial Times -

Growing concerns over US aviation safety are highlighted by a LaGuardia crash raising alarms about an aging air traffic control system.

• ‘Lights are blinking’: LaGuardia crash raises alarm over US aviation safety — Financial Times -