Friday, March 13, 2026

Meridian

Your daily news, distilled.

Power Shift
7.8
The Big Signal

Oil Prices Hit $100 once again, this time at close, as Iran Vows to Keep Strait of Hormuz Shut

Via Aljazeera, Business-standard, Channelnewsasia, Bloomberg and France24

  • •Oil prices have reached near or above $100 per barrel, with Brent crude hitting its highest close since August 2022 amid what Bloomberg called one of the most volatile trading weeks ever.
  • •Iran has vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut and threatened to attack oil resources across the Middle East, according to multiple sources.
  • •The US energy secretary confirmed the military cannot yet escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, according to France24.
  • •Asian stock and bond markets declined as investors feared sustained energy supply disruptions and rising inflation.
Market Signal
7.8

IEA Warns Middle East War Creating Largest Oil Supply Disruption in History

Via The Guardian, Dailymail, bhpioneer, The Times, BBC World and Aljazeera

  • •The IEA has warned that the Middle East war is creating the largest oil supply disruption on record, surpassing the 1970s crisis in scale.
  • •Iran has launched attacks against Gulf energy targets, sending oil prices above $100 per barrel.
  • •A coordinated release of 400 million barrels from emergency reserves has failed to stabilize markets or ease supply fears.
  • •Gulf states face severe economic strain from rising defense costs and near-zero oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • •The conflict has exposed the depth of global dependence on Gulf oil and gas, triggering energy price shocks worldwide.
Power Shift
7.7

Iran Threatens Global Oil Supply by Mining the Strait of Hormuz

Via New York Times, Aljazeera, NPR News, France24, Euronews and hindustantimes

  • •Iran has reportedly laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial point for global oil transit.
  • •Approximately 20% of the world's oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbating the impact of disruptions.
  • •The blockade by Iran has already led to the destruction of multiple oil tankers, raising concerns about global economic stability.
  • •President Trump faces strategic challenges in addressing the immediate threat while considering long-term geopolitical implications.
Frontier Edge
7.4

NASA Targets April 1 Launch for Artemis II Crewed Moon Mission

Via google, Mashable, space, Yahoo, New York Times and NPR News

  • •NASA has scheduled the Artemis II launch for a six-day window opening April 1, 2026, after postponing earlier February and March opportunities.
  • •The mission will send four astronauts on a lunar orbital journey, the first crewed trip to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Power Shift
6.9

California Child Safety Law Upheld; Social Media Trial Nears Verdict

Via thestar_my, Japantoday, PBS NewsHour, New York Times and The Verge

  • •The law focuses on protecting minors from online content that could harm them mentally or physically.
  • •A social media addiction trial is concluding, with jurors deliberating the liability of platforms like Facebook.

More Stories

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Power Shift
6.8

US Launches Trade Investigation Into 60 Nations Over Forced Labor Practices

Via Business-standard, New York Times, Cnbc, Npr and orissapost

  • The US Trade Representative launched a Section 301 investigation into 60 countries, including India, China, Japan, and the EU, over forced labor trade practices.
  • China's Foreign Ministry condemned the investigation as a pretext for imposing new tariffs, according to NPR.
7
Power Shift
6.6

US Temporarily Eases Russian Oil Sanctions Amid Middle East Conflict

Via Dw, France24, Google, Washingtonpost and Politico EU

  • The US Treasury allows sale of Russian oil at sea until April 11, impacting shipments loaded by March 12.
  • Energy prices have surged due to US-Israeli military actions in Iran disrupting Middle Eastern oil supplies.
8
Power Shift
6.3

Australia Faces Uncertainty as Biggest Jet Fuel Supplier Cuts Exports

Via Dailymail and News

  • The development raises questions about fuel availability at Australian airports going forward.
  • Australia depends heavily on imported refined fuel, making it sensitive to supply chain changes.
9
Frontier Edge
6.1

Scientists Identify Universal Temperature Curve Governing Performance Across Thousands of Species

Via Science Daily, Yahoo, Newscientist and New York Times

  • A universal temperature performance curve has been identified across thousands of species, from microbes to reptiles, according to Science Daily.
  • The curve suggests evolutionary constraints on how species can adapt to shifting temperatures, with performance declining sharply past optimal thresholds.
10
Power Shift
5.9

Iran-Linked Hackers Claim Cyberattack on Medical Device Maker Stryker

Via startupnews, bioworld, Bgr, PBS NewsHour and Arstechnica

  • The Handala Team, a hacker group linked to Iran, claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Stryker's internal Microsoft environment on March 11.
  • The cybersecurity industry had previously warned of potential Iranian cyberattacks following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February, according to Startup News.
11
Power Shift
5.9

French Soldier Killed in Drone Attack During Training Exercise in Iraqi Kurdistan

Via France24, Euronews and Politico EU

  • Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion was killed and several French soldiers were wounded in a drone strike near Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan.
  • President Macron confirmed the attack and said the Iran conflict 'cannot justify' strikes on troops involved in counterterrorism training.

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Curated from 36 sources. Every summary is reviewed for accuracy, but may still contain errors. We always link to original sources for verification.