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• European stocks experienced volatility on Thursday, eventually reversing initial losses to finish the trading session higher. • The market shift followed an order from Iran's Supreme Leader to keep near-weapons-grade uranium within the country. • Simultaneously, flash PMI data for May indicated a slump in economic activity across both France and the United Kingdom.

• Pakistan increased its diplomatic efforts on Thursday to accelerate peace negotiations between the United States and Iran. • The push comes as Tehran maintains a rigid stance regarding the nuclear issue and the U.S. faces internal political instability. • President Trump is dealing with domestic pressure and declining approval ratings ahead of November's midterm elections, largely driven by rising fuel prices.

• A new social media group dubbed the 'Cockroach' group has gone viral in India, surpassing the Instagram follower count of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within just five days of its creation. • The group focuses on mobilizing Gen Z by discussing critical socio-economic issues, including inflation, unemployment, and national politics, utilizing a humorous tone to engage young audiences. • This surge in popularity highlights a growing trend of youth-led digital activism and a shift in how India's younger generation expresses political discontent.

• Pakistan is intensifying its diplomatic efforts to facilitate a resumption of peace talks between the United States and Iran. • President Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu aim to dismantle Iran's nuclear and missile programs while curbing its support for regional militias. • The initiative comes as Trump faces domestic pressure and declining approval ratings due to rising fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections.

• Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, with notable gains including South Korea's Kosdaq (over 3%), Kospi (0.52%), Hong Kong's Hang Seng (0.66%), and China's CSI 300 (0.78%). • Investors are reacting to diplomatic efforts regarding a U.S.-Iran peace deal, though tensions remain as Tehran intends to keep its enriched uranium stockpile domestically. • Economic data showed core inflation dropped to 1.4%, falling below both the previous March reading of 1.8% and the 1.7% forecast by Reuters economists.

• Indian duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin in the men's doubles final of the BWF Super 500 Thailand Open 2026. • The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, and will take place at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok. • Satwik and Chirag reached the final after a challenging tournament run, including a hard-fought semifinal victory over Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.

• Indian doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty finished as runners-up at the Thailand Open Super 500 after a straight-games defeat. • The duo lost 12–21, 23–25 to Indonesia's Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin in a match that lasted 53 minutes, despite saving four championship points. • This result marks a strong return for the pair following Satwik's recovery from a shoulder injury and represents their first final appearance of the current season.

• North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum delivered a speech to the oil industry praising the integration of artificial intelligence and the expansion of AI data centers to boost the state's economy. • During his remarks, Burgum controversially described the ongoing conflict involving Iran as a "gift to the world," suggesting that geopolitical instability strengthens the global position of U.S. energy production. • The speech highlights Burgum's strategy to leverage North Dakota's energy resources to attract high-tech infrastructure, positioning the state as a hub for AI-driven industrial growth.

• Stephen Colbert is officially signing off from "The Late Show" tonight, marking the end of his tenure as the host of the storied CBS program. • Colbert succeeds the legacy of former host David Letterman, having served as a central figure in network late-night comedy. • His departure highlights the current instability and fragility of the network comedy industry as it navigates shifting viewership and media trends.

• Viral social media posts have falsely claimed that the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest was secretly bought, sparking widespread accusations of rigging. • These claims gained significant traction online, fueling a broader debate regarding the transparency of the competition's voting rules and promotional strategies. • The controversy highlights the vulnerability of high-profile international events to misinformation and the intense public scrutiny surrounding the contest's integrity.

• A viral feud between two AI startup founders over $31 million in funding has highlighted the volatile nature of Silicon Valley's current "attention economy." • Both companies are targeting users in developing markets, reflecting a trend where massive capital is being deployed into nascent sectors and very young founders. • The conflict underscores a shift in venture capital trends; a recent Crunchbase analysis shows that in 2025, over half of seed rounds exceeded $10 million.

Budget airline, which took £25m hit on jet fuel in March, says passengers are waiting later to book tripsThe budget airline easyJet has said its summer holiday bookings are lagging behind last year as the Iran war weights on consumer confidence and has left passengers waiting later to book trips.The carrier said it had to spend an unexpected extra £25m on jet fuel in March after the start of the US and Israel’s war on Iran. Continue reading...

• The United States seized an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight, according to three U.S. officials cited in the FDD overnight brief. • President Donald Trump has warned he could resume military strikes on Iran, while Tehran remains in a standoff over its nuclear program and highly enriched uranium. • The move comes amid broader concerns about Iranian maritime and military capabilities, including a newly disclosed U.S. assessment that identified at least 10 sophisticated naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Director of Armageddon and Transformers to team up with Universal Pictures for drama based on recent eventsMichael Bay is set to direct a military drama based on the recent rescue of two US crew members who crashed in Iran.According to Deadline, the director of action films such as Armageddon and Transformers will work with Universal Pictures to bring the story to the screen. In April, two soldiers were rescued after their fighter jet was downed, something Donald Trump called “one of most daring search-and-rescue operations in US history”. Continue reading...

Populist former president’s falling-out with the Tehran regime allegedly drew him into a takeover plotUS and Israel hoped to install Ahmadinejad as Iran’s leaderFor all their outward differences, there always seemed to be things that linked Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Donald Trump.A visit to the then Iranian president’s rather humble Tehran neighbourhood nearly 20 years ago highlighted cost of living problems that prefigured those facing Trump now. Continue reading...

Airstrike at the start of the war was aimed at freeing populist ex-president from house arrest, US newspaper claimsMiddle East crisis – live updatesFresh questions have been raised over the US and Israeli effort to depose the Iranian regime after it was claimed that Israel wanted to put the populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power.Ahmadinejad’s turbulent presidency from 2005 to 2013 was marked by incendiary attacks on Israel but he recast himself as a critic of the regime and champion of the poor after falling out with the supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Continue reading...

• European shares moved higher on Wednesday afternoon, with London’s FTSE 100 up 11 points to 10,335, Paris’s CAC 40 up 23 points to 8,011 and Frankfurt’s DAX up 200 points to 24,508 by 2:50pm. • The rally came after investors welcomed news that the United States had paused an attack on Iran following Tehran’s latest peace proposal, easing some geopolitical pressure. • Dublin’s ISEQ index was a mild laggard, slipping 6 points to 12,598, even as individual Irish names such as Origin Enterprises and FBD Holdings posted gains.

• Asian stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday as higher bond yields and renewed concern over the war with Iran weighed on risk assets across the region. • Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.2% to 59,804.41, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.7%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.3%, and South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.9%. • The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.66% from 4.61% late Monday, and U.S. crude prices and Brent also slipped as investors assessed inflation and energy risks.