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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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Drone Strike Sparks Emergency in Russian Port City

The Russian port city of Novorossiysk has declared a state of emergency following a Ukrainian drone attack that damaged residential buildings and injured at least five people, including two children. Mayor Andrei Kravchenko announced the decision on his official Telegram account, sharing images of the destruction and directing officials to respond to the crisis.

One of the injured, a woman, remains in serious condition at a local hospital. The attack also affected a grain terminal, with debris from falling drones causing damage to storage units and sparking a fire, which has since been extinguished. Authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage and providing assistance to those affected.

Ukraine has yet to comment on the incident, though its air force reported that Russia launched 183 drones and two ballistic missiles overnight. The ongoing conflict continues to escalate, with both sides engaging in aerial strikes.

This latest attack underscores the growing intensity of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, raising concerns about civilian safety and infrastructure stability in the region.

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