Aid groups n By Sam Mednick and Samy Magdy TEL AVIV, Apr 5 (AP) AID groups are warning that the war in the Middle East has upended their ability to get food and medicine to millions of people around the world in need, and that the suffering will deepen if the violence continues. Not only has the conflict cut off vital shipping routes, creating a global energy crisis, it’s also disrupting supply chains for aid groups, forcing them to use costlier, more time-consuming routes. Key pathways such as the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively shuttered and routes from strategic hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have also been impacted. Transport costs have spiked with higher fuel and insurance rates, meaning less supplies can be delivered with the same amount of money. The World Food Programme says it has tens of thousands of metric tonnes of food heavily delayed in transit. The International Rescue Committee has USD 130,000 worth of pharmaceuticals intended for war-torn Sudan stranded in Dubai and nearly 670 boxes of therapeutic food meant for severely malnourished children in Somalia stuck in India. The UN Population Fund says it’s delayed sending equipment to 16 countries. Steep US cuts to foreign aid already had hobbled many aid groups, who say the war is exacerbating the problem.

 

WFP warns that if the conflict continues through June, 45 million more people will be acutely hungry, adding to nearly 320 million people facing hunger around the world. Iran war starts pinching US; gas prices, transport costs surge n By Sagar Kulkarni WASHINGTON, Apr 5 (PTI) THE war against Iran has started to impact Americans, with Amazon announcing a fuel surcharge for its e-commerce deliveries and some airlines hiking fees for checked-in baggage to offset higher fuel costs. The average price of petrol in the US has increased to USD 4.09 a gallon on Friday, up more than one dollar from just before the war and the highest level since August 2022. The cost of diesel has risen sharply from USD 3.64 per gallon a year ago to USD 5.53 per gallon on Friday, according to data maintained by the American Automobile Association (AAA). Diesel is widely used in farming, construction and transportation, besides other industries. E-commerce giant Amazon also said that, beginning April 17, it plans to add a 3.5 per cent fuel surcharge on third-party sellers. The US Postal Service on Wednesday said it is seeking to impose a temporary 8 per cent fuel surcharge for package and express mail deliveries to deal with rising transportation costs. If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the surcharge would take effect April 26 and remain in place until January 17, 2027, the Postal Service said in a notice on its website. If the war against Iran stretches longer, it will also lead to supply chain disruptions in the US.