Oil Relief, Drone Threats, & Robot Rabbits

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
March 12, 2026

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The International Energy Agency said member countries unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves — the largest coordinated release in its history — to help stabilize markets after prices surged during the war with Iran.
The move comes as fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz has escalated. Iranian projectiles have struck several commercial vessels in recent days, and Iran is reportedly deploying naval mines to block the narrow waterway, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil supplies.
IEA nations collectively hold more than 1.2 billion barrels of strategic reserves, but analysts say the release may provide only limited short-term relief. Oil from reserves can take weeks to reach global markets, and experts warn prices may remain elevated unless tanker traffic through Hormuz resumes safely.

The FBI warned California law enforcement in late February that Iran may have been planning a drone attack on the West Coast using an unidentified vessel off the US coast, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News. The warning was distributed just as the Trump administration launched its strikes against Iran. The FBI said it had no information on timing, method, or specific targets.
A separate September 2025 bulletin warned that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorized drone attacks carrying explosives against US law enforcement and military personnel along the southern border — an unprecedented but "plausible" scenario, according to the bulletin.
Former DHS intelligence chief John Cohen said Iran has "an extensive presence in Mexico and South America" and now has "the drones and the incentive to conduct attacks." Intelligence officials have long been concerned about Iranian equipment being pre-positioned on ships or land. The FBI alert also warned that Iran may be activating sleeper cells outside the country.

Britain's Parliament voted Tuesday to remove the last hereditary aristocrats from the House of Lords, ending more than 700 years of inherited political power. Dozens of dukes, earls, and viscounts who inherited their parliamentary seats along with their aristocratic titles will leave when the bill receives royal assent this spring.
The House of Lords, which scrutinizes legislation passed by the elected House of Commons, currently has more than 800 members — the second largest legislative chamber in the world after China's National People's Congress. About 1 in 10 are hereditary peers. In 1999, Tony Blair evicted most of the 750 hereditary peers but allowed 92 to remain temporarily.
A small, undisclosed number of titled nobility will be "recycled" into life peers as part of a compromise. Labour has committed to eventually replacing the Lords entirely with a more representative chamber.

Outdated intelligence likely led a US missile to hit an Iranian elementary school on Feb. 28, killing more than 170 people, mostly children, according to sources familiar with preliminary findings. (More)

A major storm system killed two in Indiana overnight and threatens 65 million people with tornadoes, baseball-sized hail, and winds up to 80 mph from Houston to Philadelphia. (More)

The government restarted Global Entry on Wednesday after suspending it two weeks ago during the partial shutdown, letting pre-approved travelers skip long customs lines again. (More)

A legal study says El Salvador’s mass arrests under President Nayib Bukele—jailing 1.4% of the population—may constitute crimes against humanity, citing torture, killings, and disappearances despite sharply reducing gang violence. (More)

Swiss police are investigating whether a bus fire that killed at least six people in Kerzers was deliberately set, possibly by someone who poured flammable liquid on themselves. (More)

Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the February 28 U.S.-led airstrike that killed six family members including his father. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday (S&P -0.08%, Nasdaq +0.08%, Dow -0.61%) as investors continue to monitor the Middle East conflict and oil. (More)

Oracle shares jumped 12% Wednesday after strong third-quarter earnings and the CEO's promise to take on no additional debt beyond the $50 billion already planned for 2026. (More)

More than two dozen states are refusing to join the Justice Department's antitrust settlement with Ticketmaster. (More)

Italy beat Mexico, saving Team USA from World Baseball Classic elimination. The Americans needed Italy to win after Tuesday's loss left their fate out of their hands. (More)

The NFL is considering adding a Wednesday game the day before Thanksgiving starting in 2026, which would create 10 days of nearly continuous football from Nov. 21 through Nov. 30. (More)

The Colts re-signed quarterback Daniel Jones on Wednesday to a two-year, $88 million deal with $50 million fully guaranteed, as he recovers from a torn Achilles. (More)

A European trial found the drug sulthiame cut breathing interruptions by up to 47% in sleep apnea patients, potentially offering a pill alternative to CPAP machines. (More)

Bumblebee queens can survive a week underwater by extracting oxygen from water, slowing their metabolism to near-zero, and switching to anaerobic energy to outlast flooded burrows. (More)

Babies who get severely ill from E. coli have lower protective antibodies from their mothers, a Cincinnati Children's study found, suggesting a probiotic could help prevent infection. (More)

Visualizing where the world’s oil comes from.

Florida is deploying robot rabbits to combat invasive snakes.

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