The Middle East conflict is pushing millions of people closer to hunger, as rising ‌fuel and transport costs drive up food prices while funding shortfalls force aid agencies to scale back assistance, the U.N. World Food Programme said on Friday.

Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February triggered a regional conflict stretching across the Gulf and into Lebanon, disrupting key shipping routes, ​including the Strait of Hormuz, forcing vessels to reroute and sharply constraining global energy flows and supply chains.

In March, the ​WFP forecast as many as 45 million people could fall into acute food insecurity if oil ⁠prices remained around $100 per barrel through June. That scenario is now unfolding, the agency said, with benchmark crude prices staying ​above that level since early March.

Households in Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka are among the most seriously affected and face mounting ​pressure due to higher fuel costs, food price spikes, income losses and disrupted trade.

In Somalia, 6.5 million people – roughly a third of the population – are expected to face severe hunger in 2026, while Afghanistan could see 17.4 million people affected, the WFP said. The situation is projected ​to worsen, with an additional 2.5 million Somalis and 2.3 million Afghans at risk of falling into food insecurity if ​disruptions persist. Both countries are reliant on imported energy and food.

FOOD SHORTAGES TO HIT VERY VULNERABLE CHILDREN

The Middle East crisis comes amid a ‌deep ⁠funding shortfall for aid agencies. The WFP said it expected to serve 1.5 million fewer people globally in 2026, and 9 million fewer if the situation persists for six months.

In Somalia, supplies of nutritious food for children under 5 suffering from moderate malnutrition will run out as soon as July, as the WFP faces an 89% funding gap in the country.

“We ​are running out of food. ​The food is not available ⁠for distribution, and the ones who will experience the impact of this are going to be very vulnerable children,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, the director of WFP’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis ​Service.

The situation is being worsened by supply chain issues, with fewer ships stopping ​in Somalia because ⁠of disruptions which have affected shipping in the Indian Ocean.

Some WFP stocks have also been held up in Salalah Port in Oman, causing critical delays. Soaring jet fuel prices are also leading to higher operational costs for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service – the ⁠only ​means to safely access hard-to-reach areas, the WFP said.

In Afghanistan, surging fuel prices ​have driven up aid transport costs as much as fivefold, and delivery times have shot up from 10 days up to as many as 75 days ​as trucks had to use alternative corridors, the WFP said.

 The Thomson Reuters

I’ve been advised to increase the iron in my diet but, as a vegetarian preoccupied with getting sufficient protein, I’m at a loss.
June, by email
Last year, a study by Randox Health found that almost one in three women who attended its UK clinics have an iron deficiency, which is to say that June isn’t alone. Yes, there are good sources that vegetarians can tap into, but we first need to address a few key points: “The heme iron you get from animal sources – red meat and darker poultry, say – is in a form that’s slightly better absorbed than non-heme iron, which is found in the likes of beans, tofu and leafy greens,” says Dominique Ludwig, nutritionist and author of No-Nonsense Nutrition. This is where vitamin C is your friend: “When we eat non-heme iron and vitamin C together, it increases absorption, so it might be a case for having peppers or tomatoes with your tofu.” But there’s another potential hitch: “On a vegetarian diet, some of that iron can be blocked from absorption because of things such as phytates [a plant compound found in whole grains, legumes, etc], or tannins in tea and dairy,” Ludwig adds, so it’s not simply about how much iron you’re getting, but how good your absorption is.

“Women aged 19-49 should aim for 14.8mg iron a day, but after menopause that drops to about 8.7mg, which falls in line with men’s requirements,” Ludwig says. “If you’re vegetarian, then, you can’t just be having pesto pasta, you need to be eating beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy products, and leafy greens, too.” Tofu can have 3-5mg iron per 100g, cooked lentils 3-4mg, chickpeas 2½-3mg, cashews 6-7mg and sesame seeds 14-15mg. So, much like getting dressed, layering is important.

Oats in the morning are a no-brainer: “A 40g serving will give you 2mg iron, so have them with milled flaxseed and berries for the vitamin C,” Ludwig advises. The same principle applies to the likes of a tofu scramble: “Throw in some kale and tomatoes [again, for the vitamin C] and serve it with wholemeal bread, and you’re looking at about 7mg iron,” Ludwig adds. In other words, your day is getting off to a good start.

Also, seeing as Jane is vegetarian rather than vegan, she has eggs to play with, too, which is good news considering each one contains about 2mg iron. “Try a frittata with cottage cheese and broccoli, then sprinkle over some pumpkin seeds [a fantastic source of iron] before baking.” You can see how this all starts to add up.

Cashews, edamame, dried fruit (apricots, figs, prunes) and that perennial favourite, carrots and hummus, will all help. An evening stir-fry, meanwhile, can bring the odds and ends in your fridge together into an ultra-fast dinner that ups your iron. There are greens (kale, broccoli), of course, but June could also add tofu or seitan, and nuts, perhaps, and serve it with brown rice. “Or add lentils to your pasta, and stir through lots of green veg,” Ludwig adds. It can be easy being green.

The Guardian

I first cemented the allure of the “chew” aged 14, working illegally as a chambermaid (I lied about my age) and finding a guest’s Gummy Bears laid open – a breach I heavily exploited. Recently this chew need has been sated by dates and their use in chocolate as a healthy caramel. Dates do have nutritional benefits over mere sugar: fibre, minerals, antioxidants and make a great pre-workout boost.

My favourite, and how it all started, was with Solkiki’s excellent date bonbons: almond ganache in a date, surrounded by 66% Bolivian chocolate. When I’m eating chocolate dates for personal pleasure, the cocoa content needs to be high to counterbalance the tooth-jarring sweetness of dates, so these really did it for me. Another great contender was Sam Joseph’s 70% covered peanut butter medjool dates.

My young testers are obsessed with Forest Feast’s chocolate-covered fruit, so its date offerings are an easy segue. Best in the ring here are the peanut butter and milk chocolate: dates, chocolate and peanut butter are a menage a trois made in heaven. And in terms of the biggest, most pillowy dates, Birley Bakery wins with its selection boxes. These are sweet – especially the caramelised white with pecan – but I couldn’t resist biting into them for the sheer marshmallowness of the dates: epic. Meanwhile, if you’re in London, visit Makers in Chelsea for its date-stuffed offerings: I liked the gingerbread almond praline, although peanut butter is also available.

For using dates as sweetener, Cosmic Dealer is my current obsession. I love everything about their 75% chocolate-covered low sugar chocolate squares stuffed with a variety of nut butters and extras. I buy in bulk; my favourites are the peanut butter and smoked salt and the salty fig.

The Guardian