— Anya Taylor-Joy somehow crafted a very poised response when asked the most convoluted question. Talk about mental chess.
Iran War
Is It Too Late To Clean Up This Oil Spill?
What's going on: At the end of February, crude oil prices hovered around $70 a barrel. Three weeks later, prices spiked to nearly $120 amid the US war in the Middle East. Americans are feeling it: AAA estimates the national average at the pump is $3.88 per gallon — up 30%. Tit-for-tat attacks this week have only upped the ante. On Wednesday, Israel struck South Pars — part of the world’s largest gas field, shared by Iran and Qatar. In response, Iran hit Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, which is home to the biggest liquefied natural gas plant in the world. (Global helium supplies didn’t need this.) President Donald Trump maintains the US didn’t know about Israel’s plan — though Israeli officials tell a different story. While Israel promises not to carry out a repeat attack, experts see signs of a growing rift between the allies.
The Trump admin’s response: To ease prices at home, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US “may unsanction” roughly 140 million barrels of already-shipped Iranian oil. The catch: It would undo years of foreign policy and potentially put more money in Iran’s pocket during wartime. The US might also release more oil from its reserves, but that has provided little to no relief so far. In the meantime, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requested $200 billion for the war, saying, “it takes money to kill bad guys.”
What it means: Experts say the attacks on energy infrastructure signal a new phase in the war that threatens to reshape the global economy and supply chain. They warn that oil could hit $150 a barrel, affecting prices on food, tech, and even health care. Not helping: Analysts say oil costs likely won’t come down right away, even if the war ends today and the Strait of Hormuz reopens. But as people stress about the price at the pump, at least 13 US soldiers have died, one human rights group says more than 1,300 civilians have been killed in Iran, and more than 1 million are displaced in Lebanon.
