Author: Press Room

BEIJING: China is expected to pass a law on a “shared” national identity among the country’s 55 ethnic minority groups on Thursday (Mar 12), a move critics say will further erode the identity of people who are not the majority Han Chinese and risk making anyone challenging that “unity” a separatist punishable by law.Called “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress”, the ethnic minority law aims to forge national unity and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at its core, a draft copy of the law showed.It is due to be passed at the closing…

1. Barrel roll-outPumpjacks operate while others stand idle in the Belridge oil field on March 10, 2026 near McKittrick, California. Mario Tama | Getty ImagesThe member states of the International Energy Agency yesterday agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from its reserves, the largest release from the agency’s emergency stockpile ever. The move did little to help oil prices, though: Crude prices rose about 5% overnight, with Brent crude briefly hitting the $100 per barrel mark.Here’s what to know:The IEA did not provide a timeline for the reserves release, which agency chief Fatih Birol said is aimed at…

As oil prices rise, the US, Israel and Iran seem ready to keep fighting no matter the costs.The price of oil has soared over $100 a barrel globally as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Iran has effectively shut down shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel has attacked critical Iranian oil depots. Despite public pressure and outrage, all parties seem prepared to continue the war. What will it mean for the global economy and the people caught in the crossfire?Listen to more about the Strait of Hormuz here.In this episode:  Zein Basravi (@virtualzein), Al Jazeera…

A father of three felt that he had no other choice but to quit his job as a Transportation Security Administration officer and find other work as the partial government shutdown goes on.Robert Echeverria worked the TSA checkpoints at Salt Lake City International Airport for nine years.”I love the agency. I love the people that I worked with,” he said. “But it just, my family has to come first.”With no paycheck or end in sight to the latest shutdown, which has so far lasted nearly a month, Echeverria made what he said was a difficult decision to quit. He’s among…

European markets faced a turbulent day as geopolitical tensions and regulatory crackdowns rattled investor sentiment.Stocks slipped across the continent while oil prices surged amid concerns over the Iran conflict and supply disruptions.At the same time, governments and regulators tightened scrutiny on major technology firms and global corporations, from child safety rules targeting social media giants to tax probes and new trade investigations.Meanwhile, Tesla’s expansion into Britain’s power market signals fresh competition in the energy sector.European stocks tumbleEuropean stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 ending about 0.7% down as investors weighed the Iran conflict.Markets stayed focused on…

Descrease article font size Increase article font size Starting next week, 102 Avenue will be fully closed from 107 Street to 102 Street for the rest of 2026, as construction on Edmonton’s Valley Line West LRT continues. In a release, the City of Edmonton says the work on 102 Avenue will happen in phases, with the first phase expected to begin on March 16 and lasting approximately 20 weeks. Get daily National news Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories. The city says there will still be pedestrian access, and bike…

new video loaded: How Trump’s Election Lie Could Impact 2026 MidtermsThe Trump administration is putting the weight of the federal government behind his false claims about the 2020 election in order to investigate key swing states ahead of the midterms. Nick Corasaniti, a New York Times reporter focusing on elections, homes in on the states that have become the prime targets and why.By Nick Corasaniti, Coleman Lowndes, James Surdam, Nikolay Nikolov and Rafaela BalsterMarch 12, 2026

Doctors are warning that complex elective surgery will be in limbo as the result of a decision to close two theatres at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital ‘essentially permanently’, according to a leaked email.

“MAJOR SHOCK”Export industries remain particularly vulnerable, while energy-dependent sectors such as manufacturing are also feeling the strain as Pakistan grapples with mounting economic pressure.Economists say the government’s measures are necessary to prevent a full-blown energy emergency.Ali Salman, CEO of the Policy Research Institute and Market Economy, described the war as a “major shock for Pakistan’s economy”.“If the prices double from where they are now, it will affect two things – the inflation on households … cost for goods and services will increase. It will also affect government revenue,” he said.The Middle East crisis is also hitting Pakistan’s textile sector, a…

Listen to this article | 4 minsinfoThe United States military is “not ready” to accompany oil ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a top official in President Donald Trump’s administration says as Iran continues to block the strategic waterway.US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the CNBC business news channel on Thursday that the markets are experiencing a “short-term disruption”, predicting that the war would go on for “weeks, not months”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listDespite Trump’s repeated threats, Iran has largely succeeded in shutting down the strait, which links the Gulf to the Indian Ocean. The closure has sent oil…