After Russia said on Monday it would end the Black Sea Grain Initiative – a deal to provide safe export routes for about 20 per cent of the world’s grain – governments have been trying to assess the impact on world hunger.
Ukraine, sometimes called the breadbasket of Europe, is a major producer of sunflower oil, wheat and maize, but when Russia invaded in February 2022, turning much of the agriculturally rich east of the country into a warzone, wheat prices were hit hardest amid a general surge in global food prices.
Wheat futures jumped 60 per cent within a week, but by July the UN, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine had signed a deal to allow food to be exported safely through the Russian navy-controlled Black Sea from three Ukrainian ports, Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhnyi.
By August, prices had stabilised but not before delivering a harsh blow to the finances of some of the poorest countries in the world.
Wheat prices have remained high as countries compete to secure new sources of the grain.
For Gulf nations – and major oil exporters such as Iraq, which have seen elevated oil prices for the past two years – the impact of the wheat price rises are manageable.
But for net energy importers including Syria, Tunisia and Jordan, coming after the economic shock of Covid-19, the economic stress was acute.
It was a similar tale for Egypt, which used to import 25 per cent of its wheat from Ukraine, and Lebanon, which used to import 80 per cent from the conflict-hit country.
In Tunisia, the war's impact on livelihoods has been very visible. In a study conducted by UN Habitat and released in May, Tunisia was said to import 93 per cent of its soft wheat and 40 per cent of its durum wheat in the period between 2018 and 2021. Most of these imports were from Russia or Ukraine at the war's onset.
Experts say that grain, fertilisers and energy costs all increased following the war, leading to an explosion of subsidy allocations that the government provides to support the local market and prevent it from falling apart.
This subsidy increase in turn worsened a budget deficit and the shrinking of public funds for other vital sectors such as health, education and investment.
Stabilising food prices
Last year, two things contributed to the stabilisation of prices: the Black Sea deal, which allowed for around 30 million tonnes of food to be moved from Ukraine’s ports, and a surge in production in wheat-growing areas as producers took advantage of high prices.
Those positive factors are now in doubt, not just because of the deal ending, but because record breaking temperatures will soon have an impact on harvests. Australia, where wheat exports surged last year, will see a slight decline this year.
So the picture is mixed when it comes to the struggles of import dependent countries.
Lebanon, a country suffering from a prolonged economic crisis that has rendered the vast majority of its population impoverished and left nearly 50 per cent food insecure, continues to rely on Ukraine’s wheat exports.
More than 500 days into the war, more than half of Lebanon’s wheat continues to be imported from the eastern European country.
Experts and rights organisations warn that the failure to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative would further deepen food insecurity in the troubled country and have devastating consequences on a population already struggling to receive even basic goods and services.
“Lebanon is now the country with the highest food price inflation in the world, at a staggering 352 per cent,” Jennifer Moorehead, Save the Children’s country director in Lebanon, warned in a report on Monday.
“Millions of people in Lebanon have been classified as experiencing crisis or emergency levels of food consumption gaps.”
Lebanon has suffered from chronic shortages of wheat and flour since its economic crisis began in 2019.
The interruption in wheat supply caused by the war in Ukraine exacerbated bread shortages and drove prices up at a time when soaring inflation, paired with a plunge in the value of the local currency, has debilitated the purchasing power of Lebanon’s citizens.
Unable to store wheat long term due to the destruction of its main wheat silos in the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, the small state has become reliant on regular wheat shipments, financed by the World Bank, to keep it afloat.
The situation remains fragile in Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer, annually buying around 10 million tonnes on world markets.
On the eve of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Egypt procured the vast majority of its wheat imports from the two warring countries. Egypt’s Supply Minister Ali Moselhy said in May that the nation’s reserves of wheat were sufficient for about six months.
A large segment of Egypt’s imported and locally grown wheat is used to make bread, a main staple for most Egyptians. At least 70 million of its 105 million people are entitled to heavily subsidised bread available on state-issued food cards, set aside for those with limited incomes.
A loaf of the local flat variety sells to card holders for 0.05 pounds. A slightly larger and better loaf sells for 10 times as much on the free market. The availability of bread in Egypt is commonly used as a reference point for how well a government is performing, given the political sensitivity linked to it.
With a rapidly growing population and a foreign currency crunch, Egypt has expanded the growing of local wheat and adopted legislation obliging farmers to sell to the government a percentage of their harvest.
But with water shortages looming – as in much of the region – and a lingering dispute with neighbouring Ethiopia over the massive Nile dam that Addis Ababa is intent on building, there are question marks over how sustainable this is.
Iraq's short-term relief
While global markets adjust, one outlier is Iraq, which is unlikely to be affected by the collapse of the grain deal as the country has sufficient strategic reserves of wheat from its procurement of local grain from farmers this season.
After years of drought, Iraq saw a good harvest of wheat in its 2022-2023 season, thanks to heavy and unexpected rains.
According to the chairman of the Iraqi Grain Board Haider Nouri, the season was the “most successful one” with 5.194 million tonnes of wheat purchased.
“We have reached self-sufficiency that exceeds all expectations,” Mr Nouri said in a statement on Monday.
In previous years and amid severe drought, Iraq cut the amount of irrigated farmland and imposed wheat quotas on farmers, leading to a significantly higher import bill.
The country went through severe drought the past two seasons due to lack or rains and dwindling flows of the two main rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, mainly as a result of upstream dams in Turkey and Iran, as well as poor water management.
Additional reporting by Ghaya Ben Mbarek, Hamza Hendawi and Sinan Mahmoud.
Courses%20at%20Istituto%20Marangoni%2C%20Dubai
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The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
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T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
BELGIUM%20SQUAD
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