Officials in Cuba reported an island-wide blackout on Monday as the energy and economic crises deepen in this country of some 11 million people. It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months. Two blacksmiths are seen in their shop in Havana on Monday, amid a blackout that happed after Cuba's national electric grid collapsed. A man leans into the window of a car to talk to someone inside the vehicle on Monday, amid a blackout in Havana. In February, Canada announced $8 million in aid for Cuba to "strengthen local food security and nutrition" amid the energy and humanitarian crisis on the island.

Indigenous leaders welcome Mackenzie Valley Highway newsNewsDuration 1:05Indigenous leaders in the Northwest Territories are welcoming Ottawa's recent announcement that it wants to build the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered the message in Yellowknife last week. It's something many in the Sahtu region have wanted to hear for decades. Sarah St-Pierre has more on how leaders from the region are reacting to the news.

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WATCH | The Strait of Hormuz, explained:Début du widget . Fin du widget . Retour au début du widget? WATCH | Trump seeks help in dealing with blockage of Strait of Hormuz:Début du widget . Fin du widget .

Canada's annual inflation rate fell to 1.8 per cent in February, Statistics Canada said on Monday, with the end of last year's "tax holiday" reflected in the year-over-year numbers but the Iran war still missing from the picture. Food prices saw the biggest slowdown, mostly driven by slower growth in prices for fresh and frozen beef. Gas prices likely to jump in March reportHowever, the full brunt of the war's impact, which began on the last day of February, won't be reflected until next month's inflation report. That would be "well above year-ago levels, driving headline inflation towards 3 per cent in [the] coming months," wrote Douglas Porter, chief economist at the Bank of Montreal, in a note to clients. "With most measures of core inflation close to the Bank's 2 per cent target, policymakers can more readily 'look through' the oil-driven spike that is surely coming to headline inflation in the next few months," wrote Porter.

Carney, other world leaders call for de-escalation in LebanonNewsDuration 0:52The joint statement released by the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom called for an ‘immediate de-escalation’ in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah saying an Israeli ground offensive ‘would have devastating humanitarian consequences.’

Police search for driver in fatal hit and runNewsDuration 1:09A 23-year-old woman was found dead near Hills Road in Albert Bridge on Sunday. She was hit by a vehicle, but Cape Breton Regional Police still haven’t found the driver. Kyle Moore has that story.

What's making news on March 16NewsDuration 1:15RCMP are looking for witnesses after a shooting on Highway 2, the province is providing an update on how much it spent on its border security initiative and Alberta is in for double-digit highs in the forecast this week.

As the U.S. asks allies to assist in defending the Gulf region from Iran, Canada’s Defence Minister David McGuinty said his government is “leaving the door open” to military support in the region, but reiterated Canada will play no offensive role against Iran. The closure has caused global oil prices to increase, with the price of Brent crude around US$100 per barrel as of Monday. The impact on the global oil market has increased pressure on the U.S. administration to find a solution to the strait’s closure. Trump said it would be “very bad for the future of NATO” if allies don’t assist the U.S. on this matter. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed on Monday that 10,000 Canadians have left the region and are back in Canada.

A paltry eight per cent think the U.S., Israel and other allied nations in the now-three-week-old war are deserving of the same backing. When factoring in the poll’s 2.5 per cent margin of error, support for the Iranian regime was virtually zero among those 45-54 (three per cent), 55-64 (one per cent) and the 65-plus Boomers (zero per cent). On average, a quarter of those think Canada ought to bolster its historic allies — 23, 25 and 26 per cent, respectively. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementFor those closely following, 29 per cent said Canada should be supporting the U.S. and its allies, while only six per cent feel the same about the terrorist-backed Iranian regime. Less than a fifth (18 per cent) think it’s possible but more than a third were unsure.

Environment Canada has a severe thunderstorm watch in place four days before the start of spring. It covers Ottawa-Gatineau and stretches north, east and south to an area including Brockville, Cornwall and La Pêche. Some places in the watch could see daily heat records before the cold front whips up conditions for the storm. Watches mean severe weather is possible. There is also a wind warning for southern Prince Edward County about gusts up to 90 km/h Monday afternoon and evening.

EU shows 'no appetite' to expand naval mission in MideastNewsDuration 1:28EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says despite U.S. President Donald Trump's appeal for other countries to help police the Hormuz Strait, there is "no appetite" to change the EU's current mission in the region, which consists of a fleet patrolling the Red Sea to protect transiting ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group.

A Cambridge endometriosis advocate’s petition calling for change in how the disease is treated and recognized in Canada has received sponsorship by a member of Parliament. Symptoms include pelvic pain, pain during sex, bowel symptoms, bladder symptoms, fertility issues and fatigue. LISTEN | Laura Cairns wants to change attitudes toward endometriosis: The Morning Edition - K-W 8:58 Cambridge woman starts petition to have endometriosis recognized as disabiltiy Endometriosis is a condition that affects one in 10 women. Green MP fully supports the petitionAfter reaching out to four MPs, who declined to accept her petition, Cairns said May was her last hope. He says most people in Canada who research endometriosis and adenomyosis are actually surgeons.

Heavy dump of snow shuts down much of Sudbury, Ont. NewsDuration 3:36A major winter storm has buried parts of northeastern Ontario under deep snow, with freezing rain compounding what Environment Canada calls 'extremely hazardous' travel conditions. In Sudbury, the weather has prompted school closures and cancellation of some hospital procedures.

OTTAWA — Former Alberta NDP environment minister Shannon Phillips wants an apology from NDP leadership frontrunner Avi Lewis, after a years-old video re-emerged of Lewis and wife Naomi Klein laughing over Phillips losing her cabinet post. “We’re still married and she’s not environment minister anymore,” riffs Klein, adding “That’s really horrible to say.”Both Klein and Lewis crack up at the comment. “Let’s situate ourselves in what (Lewis and Klein) are doing here,” said Phillips, who continued to sit as an NDP MLA until 2024. Phillips has endorsed Edmonton MP Heather McPherson to be the next federal NDP leader. Former Alberta NDP MLA Shannon Phillips.