Oil prices hit four year high: Latest news on the Middle East conflict on 9 March
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $...
The U.S. Treasury has released a draft $1 coin design featuring President Donald Trump as part of plans to mark 250 years since American independence in 2026.
The draft coin, revealed on Friday by Treasurer Brandon Beach on X, shows Trump in profile on the front with the word "liberty" above him and the years "1776-2026" below. The reverse depicts Trump raising a clenched fist, with the words "fight, fight, fight" and a U.S. flag in the background, referencing his remark after surviving an assassination attempt last year.
A Treasury spokesperson said no final decision has been made on the design, but stressed that the first draft "reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles."
The design has sparked legal debate, as U.S. law states that no coin commemorating the nation's anniversary may feature a head and shoulders portrait of a living person. Experts noted, however, that the broader illustration of Trump may not fall under that restriction. An 1866 law also bars living persons from appearing on U.S. paper currency, but that does not extend to coins minted by the U.S. Mint.
Congress authorised commemorative $1 coins in 2026 through a 2020 law, continuing a tradition from the 1976 bicentennial when the Treasury held a national competition. That design featured the Liberty Bell alongside the moon, while the other side showed former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had died several years earlier.
Asked whether Trump had seen the draft, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said she was unsure but added, "I'm sure he'll love it."
Beach confirmed that further details would be released after the government shutdown ends, which has delayed many federal operations.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers will meet on Monday to discuss a global rise in oil prices and a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 9th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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