Oil Prices Go Up By $1

Good morning, The world’s on edge—Gaza mourns another tragic day, Ukraine’s drones hit deep into Russia, and Americans are watching their savings disappear faster than their morning coffee. Meanwhile, oil prices are on a rollercoaster thanks to fresh U.S. sanctions, and Claude the AI just learned how to Google.

Chaos never takes a day off!

WORLD
Gaza’s darkest day

The conflict in Gaza has entered another deadly phase, with at least 110 people have been killed today alone as Israel escalates its offensive. As Israeli forces push deeper into Gaza, the human toll continues to rise. With thousands still buried under rubble, the true scale of devastation remains unknown.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that 49,617 Palestinians have been confirmed dead, with casualties soaring past 112,950. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signals a wider confrontation, warning of intensified military action in the West Bank. The ceasefire collapse has reignited full-scale violence, with civilians bearing the brunt of the destruction. In Israel, at least 1,139 people were killed in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, further deepening the conflict’s wounds.

With airstrikes, ground battles, and a growing humanitarian crisis, the war shows no signs of slowing. The world watches as Gaza’s suffering mounts—how much further will this spiral before a resolution is forced?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

Ukraine's drones hit Russia’s Engels airfield, home to nuclear-capable bombers, triggering a massive explosion and fire. Over 700 km from the front lines, the strike caused widespread damage, with black smoke filling the sky. Russian officials confirmed the attack, claiming to have downed 132 drones.

Engels, a key base for Russia’s Tu-160 bombers, has been targeted before, but this strike reportedly hit munitions storage. As Ukraine intensifies deep strikes, Moscow faces growing threats to its military infrastructure.

ECONOMY
Americans are running out of their emergency savings

A growing number of Americans are struggling to find cash for emergencies, with financial cushions shrinking as inflation bites. The latest New York Fed survey shows just 62.7% of households could raise $2,000 within a month—its lowest level since tracking began in 2015. Adjusted for inflation, the reality is even bleaker.

With rising costs and concerns over tariffs, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warns inflation may climb faster than expected. Meanwhile, retailers like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods report consumers cutting back, signalling financial strain at all income levels. As household budgets tighten, the question looms: How will Americans weather the next economic shock?

ENERGY
Oil prices increase by over $1 per barrel

Fresh U.S. sanctions targeting Iran and its oil supply chains sent crude prices climbing over $1 per barrel, reigniting tensions in global markets.

The new measures, which include sanctions on Chinese refineries processing Iranian crude, pushed Brent crude to $71.94 per barrel, while U.S. WTI crude also saw gains. Meanwhile, OPEC+ outlined plans for further production cuts, adding another layer of volatility. Despite rising inventories and a stronger U.S. dollar pressuring prices, analysts predict a choppy yet upward trend. Oil markets brace for further turbulence with geopolitical risks mounting in the Middle East.

AI & TECHNOLOGY
Claude steps into the search game

Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot, just got a major upgrade—it can now search the web.

This long-awaited feature finally brings Claude in line with competitors like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, but is it ready for prime time? Web search allows Claude to pull real-time information and cite sources, but early tests suggest it doesn’t always trigger when expected.

While AI chatbots have revolutionized information retrieval, they still struggle with accuracy. Studies show major chatbots, including ChatGPT and Gemini, frequently provide incorrect answers. With this update, Anthropic hopes to give Claude an edge in real-time knowledge, but whether it avoids common pitfalls like misinformation and hallucinated sources remains to be seen.