Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Here is your Morning Brief for Thursday, March 26th. I'm Luke Vargas for The Wall Street Journal. Nearly a month into the war in Iran, President Trump has privately told advisers that he believes the conflict is in its final stages and hopes for a diplomatic solution to bring it to an end within weeks.
We report that while there are no easy options for ending the war, and the president still has objectives like securing U.S. access to some of Iran's oil, Trump's attention has at times shifted. In discussions with political allies, he's begun focusing on November's midterms, tightening voter eligibility rules, and addressing long lines at airports.
Close advisors also want him to prioritize the most pressing issue facing voters, concerns about the cost of living, which have been exacerbated by the war. Meanwhile, facing the risks of tariffs on top of war-related costs, EU lawmakers are voting today on whether to back a trade deal reached with the U.S.
Chapter 2: What does President Trump envision for the end of the Iran war?
last year where the U.S. agreed to cap tariffs for most EU exports to the U.S. at 15 percent. To cushion against changes in U.S. policy, EU lawmakers have made the bloc's tariff cuts conditional on Washington fulfilling its side of the bargain. And it's the end of an era for the world's second biggest miner, Rio Tinto, which says it's dug up its last diamond.
After producing more than 150 million carats of diamonds at its Diavik mine in Canada's Northwest Territories, the mine is no longer profitable, and Rio Tinto is shifting its focus to commodities like copper, which it expects to drive future growth. American jeweler Harry Winston formerly held a stake in the Diavik mine, which primarily produced white gems and, on occasion, rare yellow diamonds.
Asian stocks have ended the day lower. European stocks have dipped in midday trading. And U.S. stock futures are also trading downward ahead of weekly jobless claims data due out at 8.30 a.m. Eastern. And we've got a lot more coverage of the day's news on the WSJ's What's News podcast. You can add it to your playlist on your smart speaker or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.