The World Oil depot fires in Iran impacting people's health
Mar 12, 2026
Orla Berry, Europe correspondent who covers community stories, Nabi Boulos, LA Times Middle East bureau chief reporting on Sudan, and Ladan Tetong, director at the Tibetan Action Institute on China’s language policy. They discuss toxic smoke from strikes on Tehran fuel depots and health risks. They examine Gulf roles and drone logistics in Sudan’s war. They explore China’s new law enforcing Mandarin and its threat to minority languages.
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Prioritize Monitoring And Health Studies During Smoke Events
- Immediate priority is to stop the bombings and monitor exposures so health impacts can be assessed and treated over time.
- Anna Hansel urges gathering air monitoring data and conducting health studies even during conflict to inform long-term medical follow-up.
New Law Codifies Mandarin Assimilation Across China
- China's new ethnic unity law mandates Mandarin across schools, government and public life, codifying assimilation practices already in place under Xi Jinping.
- Ladan Tetong highlights forced boarding schools for Tibetan children and targeted suppression of Uyghur, Tibetan, Mongolian and even Cantonese language rights as part of a state goal to erase minority identities.
Expect Resistance As Language Policy Intensifies Assimilation
- Watch for grassroots resistance and unrest as the law deepens resentment among ethnic minorities and even officials from those communities.
- Ladan Tetong predicts the policy will alienate Tibetans and Uyghurs and likely spark protest and opposition despite repression.