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Oil Prices Are Spiking — Here's What It Means for Your Gas Tank and Grocery Bill

  Published July 17, 2026 Crude oil is trading near one-month highs this week, and if you've filled up your tank recently, you've probably already felt it. The culprit: an escalating conflict in the Middle East that's disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes — and it's starting to show up at Canadian pumps and, eventually, on grocery store shelves. What's happening with oil prices West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the North American benchmark, has been trading around the $79–$80 per barrel range this week — up roughly 5% over the past month. Brent crude, the global benchmark that matters more for what Canadians pay at the pump, has been hovering near $85 per barrel, also near a one-month high. The spike traces back to renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and has intensified strikes, while Iran has responded with attacks on U.S. bases and threats to disrupt regional energy shipments further. ...

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Sudan's Famine Crisis Worsens Amid Ongoing Conflict

 

War-hit Sudan is sliding deeper into a famine crisis, with worsening starvation and a surge in acute malnutrition, according to an independent group of food security experts. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has identified famine in five areas, including the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, where about half a million people are taking refuge. The crisis has been exacerbated by a 20-month civil war between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

The IPC report highlights that 24.6 million people, about half of Sudan's population, urgently need food aid. The conflict has severely disrupted farming activities, resulting in farmers abandoning their crops and widespread looting. The situation is particularly dire in Darfur and South Kordofan, where violence has led to scores of civilian casualties and displacement.

The Sudanese government has suspended its cooperation with the IPC, accusing it of issuing unreliable reports. However, the IPC warns that without an end to the conflict, the situation could worsen, with famine potentially spreading to additional areas.

The international community continues to call for urgent humanitarian aid and a peaceful resolution to the conflict to prevent further suffering and loss of life.




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