Hormuz Strait Closure Threatens Metals, Food, and Chips — Not Just Oil
When Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on March 2, global markets fixated on crude oil. Brent surged past $100 per barrel and politicians scrambled to release strategic reserves. But a quieter, slower shock is now moving through the metals, fertilizer, and semiconductor supply chains that keep the modern economy running. At […]
US and Brazil’s Goias State Ink Deal to Boost Critical Minerals and Rare Earths Cooperation
The United States is set to formalize a partnership with the Brazilian state of Goias through a memorandum of understanding focused on critical minerals and rare earths, marking a strategic push to secure supply chains for materials vital to technology and energy sectors. The agreement, slated for signing on March 18, aims to deepen ties […]
Boeing Sees Negative Margins For 2026 As Spirit Deal Reveals True Cost
Boeing has pushed back the timeline for achieving flat or positive margins at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, moving the target to 2027 as the cost of absorbing Spirit AeroSystems and new 737 MAX rework weighs on the division’s recovery. CFO Jay Malave said 2026 margins at BCA will remain negative, with first-quarter margins expected at negative […]
Saudi Aramco Reroutes Crude to Yanbu Amid Hormuz Crisis, Faces Capacity Constraints
Saudi Aramco is diverting crude exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu as the ongoing Middle East conflict shuts down oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for 14 million barrels per day (b/d) of Mideast Gulf shipments. The crisis, described by Aramco CEO Amin Nasser as the most severe the […]
Anand Rejects NATO Role in Hormuz Mission
Canada says NATO is not formally discussing any alliance role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, even as Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand called Iran’s blockade a violation of the UNCLOS and warned that the disruption is choking global flows of energy, fertilizer and food-linked goods. Anand said there has been no conversation within NATO […]
US Commits $500M to Strengthen Domestic Critical Minerals Supply Chain
The US Department of Energy is rolling out a $500 million funding initiative to enhance domestic processing of critical minerals and battery materials, aiming to cut reliance on foreign supply chains. This move targets key materials like lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, and aluminum essential for energy technologies. The funding, managed by the DOE’s Office of […]
GameStop Declares PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U Officially Retro — and Yes, You’re Old
GameStop (NYSE: GME) has issued what it calls an “official declaration” classifying the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U as retro consoles, triggering a wave of existential dread among millennials who distinctly remember buying them new. The announcement, posted Monday to GameStop’s X account and signed with the company’s media contact […]
After Driving Out Dozens of Performers, Kennedy Center Board Votes to Go Dark for Two Years
The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted unanimously Monday to close the storied performing arts institution for two years, with its doors shutting on July 4 and remaining dark through 2028 — capping more than a year of turmoil that drove dozens of performers to cancel appearances and sent ticket sales plunging. The board, convened […]
OpenAI Abandons Own Data Center Plans, Reshuffles Stargate Leadership as Financing Falters
OpenAI has scrapped plans to build and own its data centers, pivoting instead to renting server capacity from major cloud providers, as the company reorganizes the leadership of its flagship Stargate computing initiative amid mounting financing pressure. This decision, which was first reported by The Information, which cited two people familiar with the changes, is […]
Iran Trolls Trump With AI Video as Hormuz Coalition Falls Flat
A pro-Iranian military commentary account on X posted an AI-generated video this week that worked through the entire list of leaders President Donald Trump had publicly begged for help — and dismissed each one. French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer sing a children’s song. Japan’s prime minister and South Korea’s president […]