
1402: Sour Crude
President Joe Biden released 50 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a coordinated effort with India, Japan, and the UK to combat rising energy costs. Despite the historic move, Brent and WTI crude prices surged as market analysts questioned the political timing of the release. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm defended the administration's projections while admitting that predicting fuel costs remains more of an art than a science. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced sharp criticism from the BBC after a bizarre address to the CBI where he imitated engine noises and praised Peppa Pig World. Meanwhile, NASA launched the DART mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 to test asteroid redirection, and the James Webb Space Telescope faces naming controversies involving LGBTQ discrimination during the Truman era. In the legal sphere, the House Select Committee issued subpoenas to Roger Stone and Alex Jones regarding the January 6th Capitol investigation. Dr. Anthony Fauci introduced the concept of vaccine durability to justify a shift toward a three-dose definition of being fully vaccinated. Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna projected record-breaking annual revenues of $36 billion and $18 billion respectively as global mandates intensify. From the deployment of the Australian Defence Force in the Northern Territory to the Turkish Lira's collapse under President Erdogan, the global landscape remains in a state of high-stakes transition.



















