Star Metro - News from Calgary, Canada, USA and around the world

For Sahar Saidian, past and present collide every day on the airwaves as she hosts a Persian-language show on Israeli public radio for listeners in Israel and in Iran, the country she left behind years ago.

At a massive shipyard in North Vancouver, Canadian workers grind metal beams for a powerful new icebreaker crucial to cementing the country's presence in the increasingly contested Arctic.

The northeastern Brazilian city of Recife, where the Oscar-nominated movie "The Secret Agent" is set, is revelling in its moment in the limelight as tourists flock to film locations and a classic local shirt flies off the shelves.

When a film stays with you, it is often because of the magical chemistry among the actors. You can thank casting directors for that, and finally, the Academy is honoring them too.

A red fox that managed to slip onto a US-bound ship in Britain was discovered by customs officers in the Port of New York, a zoo in the city has said.

Austria's Sepp Straka and American Sahith Theegala were among five players sharing the lead at five-under par 67 when darkness halted Thursday's opening round of the US PGA Players Championship.

Saudi forces intercepted more than two dozen drones Friday after Iran vowed to attack oil resources in the Middle East and said it would maintain a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz that has sent crude prices soaring.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Redwood AI Corp. (CSE:AIRX)(Frankfurt:Y0N, WKN: A422EZ) ("Redwood" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a name change to its proprietary AI-powered chemical synthesis platform. The platform, formerly known as 'SythesAltzer', has been renamed Reactosphere (the "Software" or "Platform"), a name chosen to reflect the Platform's evolution beyond synthesis route generation into a more advanced intelligence system capable of supporting applications across multiple industries.

The original news release incorrectly listed the executive contact as Sean Samson, President and CEO. The correct contact information should read:John PatersonInterim President and CEOEV Nickel Inc.Email: [email protected] other information contained in the news release remains unchanged.NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR TO US WIRE SERVICESDistinct deposit to CarLang A with significant "Mt. Keith Style" primary sulphide mineralization with higher confirmed nickel recoveriesGemini North Zone Resources total 93.5M tonnes, averaging 0.23% Ni (US$7.35/t NSR cut-off), split between:Indicated Resources of 9.5M tonnes at 0.27% containing 56Mlbs of nickel, andInferred Resources of 84.0M tonnes at 0.22% Ni containing 411Mlbs of nickelThe Gemini North Zone contains a potential Pit Constrained Starter Zone of 25.5M tonnes grading 0.27% Ni and 0.34% S consisting of both Indicated and Inferred Resources

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Alset AI Ventures Inc. (TSXV:GPUS)(OTC:GPUSF)(FSE:1R60, WKN:A40M0J) ("Alset AI" or the "Company") an artificial intelligence ("AI") venture company advancing innovation through strategic investment and cloud computing solutions, is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously-announced shares for debt transaction pursuant to debt settlement agreements dated January 4, 2026 (the "Debt Settlement Transaction"). The Debt Settlement Transaction was completed through the issuance of an aggregate of 3,475,646 common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at a deemed price of $0.055 per Common Share in full and final satisfaction of $191,160.37 of accrued and unpaid fees for consulting and additional services rendered by certain arm's length creditors of the Company.

Commissioning of Inserma hard disk drive magnet pre-processing system at the ILS facility in Williston, South CarolinaOperational milestone advances U.S. rare earth magnet recycling platform and supports domestic supply chains for advanced manufacturing and AI infrastructureThe Williston site houses two automated mobile skid-mounted Inserma pre-processing units that separate magnet assemblies from end-of-life hard disk drives in approximately three seconds per drive, with combined capacity exceeding 60,000 drives per week.

HERMOSILLO, MEXICO / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Tocvan Ventures Corp. (the "Company" or "Tocvan") (CSE:TOC)(OTCQB:TCVNF) (WKN: TV3/ A2PE64) is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with VRIFY Technology Inc. ("VRIFY"), a global leader in artificial intelligence software for mineral exploration. The collaboration will see Tocvan integrate VRIFY Predict, specifically DORA, an AI prospectivity mapping software, to generate and prioritize new high-confidence exploration targets at its flagship Pilar Gold-Silver Project in Sonora, Mexico.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Canada's real estate development sector is facing a challenge that no amount of rezoning, financing reform, or government incentive can fully resolve on its own: a deepening shortage of skilled construction workers that is driving up costs, extending timelines, and threatening to derail the housing supply Canada so urgently needs. Industry leaders are sounding the alarm, and few are more direct about its consequences than Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi, President & CEO of Sky Property Group Inc.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Canada is experiencing a quiet revolution in the way it builds. From the soaring wooden towers rising above Vancouver's skyline to the pioneering mixed-use developments reshaping downtowns across Ontario and Quebec, mass timber construction has emerged as one of the most exciting and consequential shifts in Canadian real estate development in a generation. For developers and investors paying attention, the opportunity is significant - and the moment to act is now.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / As Canadian cities grapple with an acute housing shortage and intensifying pressure on greenfield land at the urban fringe, a powerful and often overlooked solution sits right beneath the surface: brownfield redevelopment. Across the country, thousands of acres of former industrial sites, contaminated properties, and underutilized commercial land lie dormant in established neighbourhoods - land that, with the right policies and investment, could be transformed into vibrant mixed-use communities and desperately needed housing.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Across Canada's fastest-growing urban centres, a powerful planning philosophy is gaining momentum - one that promises to transform not only how cities are designed, but how real estate is developed, financed, and valued. The concept of the 15-minute city - where residents can access work, schools, groceries, healthcare, parks, and recreation within a short walk or bike ride from home - is moving from academic theory to active municipal policy in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Canada's housing crisis has sparked a quiet revolution in how families choose to live. Across the country, a growing number of households are embracing multi-generational living arrangements - grandparents, parents, adult children, and sometimes extended family sharing a single home or a purpose-built duplex with connected suites. What was once considered a cultural practice primarily within immigrant communities has become a mainstream response to soaring home prices, aging demographics, and a generational wealth gap that makes solo homeownership increasingly out of reach.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Canada's housing affordability crisis has pushed municipal governments into uncharted policy territory. Across the country, cities are turning to inclusionary zoning - a planning tool that requires market-rate developers to include a percentage of affordable units within new residential projects - as a mechanism to generate affordable housing supply without direct government funding. The debate over whether inclusionary zoning is a practical solution or a well-intentioned barrier to supply is one of the most consequential conversations in Canadian real estate right now. Few people are better positioned to weigh in than Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi, President & CEO of Sky Property Group Inc.

As municipalities across Canada crack down on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, a growing chorus of housing advocates, policymakers, and real estate professionals are asking the same question: could stricter regulation of short-term rentals meaningfully ease Canada's housing crisis? Industry leaders like Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi, President & CEO of Sky Property Group Inc., believe the answer is yes - but only if policy frameworks are designed with long-term housing outcomes in mind.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / As housing affordability continues to strain households across Canada, a growing number of urban planners, policymakers, and real estate developers are turning their attention to one of the country's most underutilized assets: the backyard. Secondary suites - basement apartments, garden suites, and laneway homes - represent a powerful, lower-cost tool for expanding Canada's housing stock without the infrastructure burden of large-scale greenfield development. For Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi, President & CEO of Sky Property Group Inc., the conversation around secondary suites is long overdue.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / CCL Industries Inc. (TSX:CCL.A)(TSX:CCL.B), a world leader in specialty label, security and packaging solutions for global corporations, government institutions, small businesses and consumers, announced today that it has signed a binding Option Agreement to acquire Sleever International Company SA, its subsidiaries and related companies ("Sleever"), a family owned provider of shrink sleeve labels and application equipment plus decorating services for consumer packaged goods and healthcare customers globally. Headquartered near Paris, France, Sleever operates 11 manufacturing facilities in Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, China and Brazil. Sales for the calendar year of 2025 were approximately $213 million with an estimated 11.1% adjusted EBITDA margin. The purchase consideration, subject to customary closing adjustments, is estimated at approximately $151 million, paid in a combination of cash and assumed net debt. Net tangible assets are expected to represent approximately 90% of the CCL purchase price equation. The transaction should close by mid-2026, subject to the completion of certain procedures, including workers council consultations in France.

Ontario Superior Court Dismisses Claims Originally Exceeding $6 Million Against Zentek

Highlights:Preparing to drill test the one-kilometer diameter magnetic body with overlapping gravity and concentric IP anomalies at the High Life copper-gold porphyry target.Historic drilling returning 0.22% Cu, 3.24% Pb, 1.41% Zn and 76 g/t Ag* over 166 metres now a strong focus for drilling on its association with recently completed geophysical surveysMapping and surface sampling in progress of multiple exciting gold and copper targets on the Evening Star property.

This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for the purposes of the Company's amended and restated prospectus supplement dated November 18, 2025, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated May 15, 2025.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Battery X Metals Inc. (CSE:BATX)(OTCQB:BATXF)(FSE:5YW0, WKN:A41RJF)("Battery X Metals" or the "Company") an energy transition resource exploration and technology company, announces that it has granted stock options ("Stock Options") and restricted share units ("RSUs") to certain directors, officers, and consultants of the Company, effective March 12, 2026 (the "Grant Date"), in accordance with its Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (OEIP) (the "Plan").

WHITE ROCK, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Athena Gold Corporation (CSE:ATHA) (OTCQB:AHNRF) ("Athena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated February 26, 2026, it has completed the acquisition of the Forester Gold Project ("Forester" or the "Project") through the acquisition of Last Bounty Gold Corp. ("Last Bounty"), a private British Columbia company that holds a 100% interest in the Project, pursuant to a share purchase agreement dated February 25, 2026.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran's football team Thursday their "life and safety" would be at risk if they took part in the upcoming World Cup in North America.

Jury deliberations are set to begin Friday in a landmark social media addiction trial accusing Meta and YouTube of intentionally trying to hook young internet users.

The first foreign visit of Venezuela's US-backed interim leader since taking power was abruptly canceled on Thursday, just hours before she was due to arrive in Colombia.

Nottingham Forest suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Midtjylland in the Europa League last-16 first leg, while Ollie Watkins ended his goal drought as the Aston Villa striker sealed a 1-0 win at Lille on Thursday.

World number two Jannik Sinner powered past Learner Tien 6-1, 6-2 to book a semi-final showdown with fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells on Thursday.

Iran vowed Thursday to make the United States regret attacking the Islamic republic and said it would keep up a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz that has sent oil prices soaring.