Marathon US-Iran talks face a stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz, with Vice-President JD Vance arriving in Pakistan for peace discussions amidst concerns over damaged Middle East oil and gas supplies and the war's impact on global inflation and European jet fuel shortages, all while China's supply chains strain.

• US and Iran locked in marathon talks to end war — Financial Times -
• US-Iran talks at a ‘stalemate’ over Strait of Hormuz, negotiators say — Financial Times -
• How the Iran War Is Affecting Inflation — The New York Times Business -

• The Ships Sailing Through Iran’s Controlled ‘Tollbooth’ — Wall Street Journal -
• JD Vance arrives in Pakistan for ‘positive’ peace talks with Iran — Financial Times -
• The damage wrought to the Middle East’s oil and gas supplies — Financial Times -
• How Iran turned to memes to take on Trump — Financial Times -
• ‘Fortress China’ shows cracks as Iran war strains supply chains — Financial Times -
• Fallout of War Piles Economic Pain Onto Europe’s Political Stress — The New York Times Business -
• European Airports Warn of Jet Fuel Shortages if Strait of Hormuz Remains Shut — The New York Times Business -

The **S&P 500 experiences woes under Trump 2.0, as UK retail investors shun a falling stock market amid geopolitical tensions and high fuel costs strain US consumer spending, while employers remain wary of adding crypto to 401(k)s and inheritance tax impacts business owners**.

• Why Employers May Be Wary of Adding Crypto or Private Equity to 401(k)s — The New York Times Business -
• The S&P 500’s woes in Trump 2.0 — Financial Times -
• Only two events have mattered in my 30 years of investing — Financial Times -

• Isa season flops as UK retail investors shun falling stock market — Financial Times -
• Inheritance tax weighs on business owners: ‘Will it all be taken away in the end?’ — Financial Times -
• Mortgage borrowers seek shorter-term deals as market volatility saps confidence — Financial Times -
• Consumer Spending, Engine of the U.S. Economy, Is Under Strain — The New York Times Business -

The rapid growth of Anthropic is closing in on OpenAI with its Claude Code products, leading to banks being warned about the powerful new A.I. technology and its cyberthreats, while AI's societal impact on leisure time is also being considered.

• The tragedy of leisure — Financial Times -
• Anthropic closes in on OpenAI as US business use surges — Financial Times -
• Banks Are Warned About Anthropic’s New, Powerful A.I. Technology — The New York Times Business -

RFK Jr. navigates political waters by shifting stance on raw milk, while Germany's far right pledges migrant deportations ahead of regional elections, South Africa's ANC seeks to shore up power, and Hungary's election draws international attention amid concerns over autocracy, alongside discussions on the Anglo-American relationship and King Charles's visit with Donald Trump.

• RFK Jr. Once Touted Raw Milk. Now He’s Stopped Talking About It. — Wall Street Journal -
• German far right pledges migrant deportations and Russian school exchanges — Financial Times -
• South Africa’s ANC looks to shore up power as local elections loom — Financial Times -

• Hungary: the election the world’s big powers want to win — Financial Times -
• Royal balm will not rescue the Anglo-American relationship — Financial Times -

Southwest Airlines limits portable chargers as gas prices drive demand for EVs, while Lauren Sánchez Bezos influences the uber-rich and luxury watch factories emphasize storytelling, concurrently, The Athletic investigates a reporter's conduct, the Pentagon restricts journalists, and NFL media rights face a standoff.

• Southwest Airlines Imposes Further Limits on Portable Chargers on Flights — The New York Times Business -
• Someone Has to Be Happy. Why Not Lauren Sánchez Bezos? — The New York Times Business -
• The Athletic Investigates Conduct of Reporter Photographed With N.F.L. Coach — The New York Times Business -

• Pentagon Asks Court to Keep Its Restrictions on Journalists — The New York Times Business -
• Overlooked No More: Margaret Gipsy Moth, Fearless CNN Camera Operator — The New York Times Business -
• High Gas Prices Are Tempting Americans Back to EVs — Wall Street Journal -
• Looking for a College Scholarship on Social Media Sites? Buyer, Beware. — The New York Times Business -
• ‘Spring Clean’ Your Finances: How to Overhaul Your Spending and Savings to Stay on Track — The New York Times Business -
• No Doors, No Roof, No Worries: A Tiny Racecar Sets Its Sights on the U.S. — The New York Times Business -
• Luxury Watch Factories Do More Than Produce; They Sell Stories — The New York Times Business -
• NFL’s media rights stand-off hits a plot twist — Financial Times -
• Jacob’s Creek should come in smaller bottles — Financial Times -
• Yet more reasons to look on the bright side . . . — Financial Times -
• UK households turn to solar panels as energy bills bite — Financial Times -
• The perfect antidote to our tech-addled age? A magic lantern — Financial Times -
• The next matcha: coffee chains bet on ube’s viral appeal — Financial Times -
• Is your shower too boring? — Financial Times -

**California men are arrested in a $1 million Lego heist, while Big Pharma increasingly turns to China for new drug ideas, and UK police address unruly teen crowds, alongside an obituary for German intellectual Alexander Kluge**.

• 3 California Men Are Arrested in $1 Million Lego Heist — The New York Times Business -
• The UK police’s latest problem: crowds of unruly teens — Financial Times -
• Alexander Kluge, German intellectual, 1932-2026 — Financial Times -

• Big Pharma Is Turning to China for the Newest Drug Ideas — Wall Street Journal -