FTAV’s further reading
Nappies; Burning Man; vibecoding; Jia Tolentino; horses; and the universe
World Cup madness
BofA weigh up who they think can do it on a warm, balmy night in Jersey — amongst many, many other things
‘Keep calm and carry on’ with Trump, says EU president Costa
Also in this newsletter: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expected to reaffirm Italy’s commitment to good ties with Washington
FirstFT: Reform UK surges in early election results
Also in today’s newsletter: US-Iran truce strained and ‘potential’ EU talks with Putin
Big money, hot markets and ‘blissful ignorance’ at Milken
Financiers convening in Beverly Hills were brimming with optimism in spite of the Iran war and stress in private markets
Trump’s World Cup chief defends high ticket prices
‘We don’t really believe in price controls’ says Andrew Giuliani, despite outcry from fan groups
Warming seas are brewing extreme weather in months ahead, scientists forecast
Concerns raised about the development of an El Niño warming cycle this year combined with climate change
Can art triumph in a Venice Biennale marked by protests?
Provocative pavilions and revelatory satellite shows compensate for a fatally flawed main exhibition
US and South Africa hold talks on mining deals after year of tensions
Officials discussed resources investments as Washington tries to break China’s control of critical minerals production
US businesses urge Trump to intervene over new EU consumer rules
American companies fear an update to Brussels’ ‘Product Liability Directive’ will make it easier for consumers to sue
The jury is still out on AI in finance
Recruiting digital natives with critical thinking skills is going to be crucial
Best new thrillers — five pacy tales of money, mafiosi and betrayal
A Sopranos-style story of drugs and family in Bogotá, an interpreter finds that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, Bond is back — and more
Protectionism makes everyone poorer during global shocks
When countries act to insulate domestic markets, the result is often higher prices and greater volatility
Investors dump Indian assets as energy shock sends rupee sliding
Fallout from Iran war has made fastest-growing major economy ‘not a country to be invested in’
How Hizbollah fought back
The Lebanese militant group was sharply diminished by its 2024 war with Israel — but the latest conflict has shown it is not a spent force
Great rail journeys: across Spain aboard a lavish hotel-on-wheels
Kate Maxwell joins the Al Andalus for its first departure on a new, week-long journey from Madrid to Seville — via multiple cities and millennia of history
Big Tech’s $725bn AI spending spree sends free cash flow to a decade low
Silicon Valley giants have transformed from asset-light cash machines to huge infrastructure investors
UK private schools see jump in interest from pupils leaving Gulf
Families look for safer options for their children’s education since the outbreak of war in the Middle East
Trump’s generational boost to US savings should be expanded
Congress should introduce auto-enrolment for American Dream Accounts and widen the eligibility for savings incentives
Anthropic weighs deal for near $1tn valuation as revenue surges
Start-up behind Claude tool is fielding inbound investment offers that could lead to it surpassing rival OpenAI in value
Express Yourself — a tribute to women from the queen of pop
Madonna’s song has courted controversy and inspired female stars from Lady Gaga to Sabrina Carpenter
Tulip mania at Longwood Gardens is filled with tips to take home
Despite wild temperature swings, the Pennsylvania heartland of horticulture puts on a riotous spring display, with many a trick worth imitating
You can wait ages for a Rothko — now five have come along all at once
Works by the American abstract painter lead a May auction season in New York peppered with postwar heavyweights
Why is Shoji Yamasaki pretending to be a discarded piece of paper?
Littered Mvmnts turns street debris into art. People are picking up his message