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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 Rejects Israel’s Ceasefire Response, Sticks to Main Demands



The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has firmly rejected an Israeli ceasefire proposal. In a statement issued on Saturday, Hamas conveyed its response to the proposal to mediators in Egypt and Qatar. The group remains steadfast in its core demands, which include:
  1. Permanent Ceasefire: Hamas insists on a lasting cessation of hostilities.
  2. Israeli Troop Withdrawal: The complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip.
  3. Return of Displaced Palestinians: Ensuring the safe return of displaced Palestinians to their original areas and places of residence.
  4. Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction: Intensifying the entry of relief and aid and commencing the much-needed reconstruction efforts.

Hamas’s readiness to engage in a prisoners-for-hostages swap deal with Israel, involving the release of 133 hostages, underscores the gravity of the situation. However, Israel has already dismissed some of these demands as delusional.

As tensions persist, the region remains on edge, awaiting further developments in this protracted conflict. The stakes are high, and the delicate balance between peace and continued strife hangs in the balance.

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