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Gas Prices Are Spiking Again — Here's How to Protect Your Wallet as the Iran Conflict Escalates

  Published July 20, 2026 If it feels like you're filling up more often for the same money lately, you're not imagining it. Oil markets jolted higher to start the week, and Canadian drivers are almost certain to see it at the pump in the next few days. What just happened Brent crude — the global benchmark that drives Canadian gas pricing — jumped nearly 4% on Monday to trade above US$90 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded near US$84. The move came after the United States and Iran escalated hostilities over the weekend, including strikes on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on an oil facility in Kuwait. That strait matters enormously to your gas bill: roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply normally passes through it. When shipping through it slows or stalls, traders price in a "risk premium" almost immediately — and that shows up at Canadian pumps within days, not weeks. What it mea...

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Hamas Releases Video of Two Israeli Captives Held in Gaza

 

Hamas, the militant group in Gaza, has published a video showing the first proof of life of two hostages being held: Keith Siegel, a 64-year-old American-Israeli citizen, and Omri Miran. In the undated footage, Mr. Miran states that he has been held captive for 202 days, while Mr. Siegel mentions the Passover holiday, suggesting the clips were filmed recently.

Mr. Siegel was kidnapped along with his wife Aviva on October 7. Aviva was freed in November during a brief truce, but at that time, she did not know if Keith was still alive. The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters confirmed that the Siegel and Miran families are aware of the latest video. This proof of life is the clearest evidence that the Israeli government must do everything to approve a deal for the return of all the hostages.

The video comes after another proof-of-life video released earlier in the week, showing Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who lost his lower left arm during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October.

In the video, both Mr. Siegel and Mr. Miran urge the Israeli government to agree to a deal with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. However, weeks of indirect negotiations have failed to produce an agreement. Hamas has previously insisted that any deal should include a permanent end to the war, full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, and unrestricted return of displaced people to their homes. Meanwhile, Israel maintains its stance that it must destroy Hamas in Gaza and free the hostages.

Despite warnings of potential humanitarian consequences, Israel appears to be moving ahead with plans for an offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.



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