Kuwaiti man shot during family dispute in Jahra
Police abort bid to smuggle drugs via sea
Food security
Whether we are facing a virus, pandemic or a war, people will not stop demanding food, and this includes production and export and import operations of grains such as wheat and rice, other consumables or even water. I believe the topic of food security is a priority for all countries in the world facing the threat of COVID-19.
It is a challenge that must be faced and addressed in light of the spread of the coronavirus. No one knows for sure when it will end, especially lockdown measures in countries that will have a negative effect if this crisis prolongs. In April, the UN Security Council met to discuss the implications of the spread of the pandemic on global food security, and the G20 agreed to tackle food price turmoil.The G20 ministers of agriculture and food said the emergency measures in the coronavirus pandemic should not put unnecessary barriers to trade or hinder global food supply chains.
The extraordinary meeting occurred because isolation measures around the world slowed down global food supply chains, which made some farmers unable to deliver their products to consumers, while producing countries restricted major exports, which is dangerous for many importing countries. Stopping exports will undoubtedly lead to a global food crisis, especially since no one knows exactly when this nightmare will end!
Last month, UN agencies warned that uncertainties about the availability of food amid the coronavirus epidemic could lead to export restrictions, which would increase and fluctuate prices, and called for measures to reduce the potential impacts on the food supply chain.
For example, main grain supplies such as wheat are available globally, but some producing countries want to place restrictions on foreign sales to give priority to domestic supply. Although this appears to be a sound measure because of the priority of countries towards their populations, it can result in economic damage to importing countries in the long term.
So it is not surprising that an international report issued by the United Nations confirms that the world is experiencing an acute and unprecedented food crisis. The report revealed that by the end of 2019, more than 130 million people in 55 countries suffered from food insecurity, while more than 70 million children face health problems due to hunger. Also, political conflicts in the world add a new dimension to the increase in hunger cases, especially in situations of displacement.
International organizations have previously warned of the risk of food shortages in the global market due to the turmoil in international trade due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, so the demand not to place many restrictions on exports is important to prevent a food crisis. The global Food Security Index for the year 2019 measures progress of countries to maintain food security. The 2019 Food Security Index put Kuwait in a good position with an overall score of 74.8 percent. The index is based on three basic criteria: Food availability and affordability, as well as quality and safety.
During the past five years, for example, Kuwait was able to provide products in the local market, in addition to the adequacy of stocks of goods for the population and their validity for use, as well as agriculture and local production of food, the diversity of supply and import lines across several countries and sales outlets throughout the country.
But I believe that the food safety that lasted for several years was not exposed to a global virus like the one we are facing today, so caution in dealing with the issue of food security is required at this time, because the pandemic threatens the food security system and supply chains, with production disrupted by international measures to prevent the virus from spreading.
The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council are facing a number of important challenges, starting with the increase in demand for food, climate change and the scarcity of freshwater resources. Therefore, working towards finding practical solutions for the food security system in Gulf countries is important, and has become essential in light of the spread of the coronavirus, which is likely to turn into a threat to food security if not eliminated as soon as possible.
I believe that it is imperative to work to stabilize the demand for food and protect supply chains while implementing measures to protect food security, accompanied by the state’s tightening of medical procedures to prevent the return of a new wave of the virus, promotion of hygiene measures in the food industry and food safety to reduce the spread of the virus.
KUWAIT: A man was rushed to Jahra hospital after sustaining a gunshot wound during a family conflict in the Qasr district of Jahra, police said yesterday. The Kuwaiti citizen told officers that his brother-inlaw shot him during a dispute at home in the area, and the suspect later turned himself in to Naeem police. He was charged with attempted murder and possession of a fire arm.
Drug smuggling
In other news, police aborted a bid to smuggle 18 kilograms of narcotics via sea, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement. Drugs Control General Department personnel detained a person after attempting to smuggle 15 kilograms of hashish and three kilograms of ‘shabu (methamphetamine). The successful operation to thwart the trafficking bid was coordinated between the Drugs Control General Department and the Directorate General of the Coast Guard, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The detainee, during interrogations, confessed that he had planned to smuggle the drugs into Kuwait via sea and revealed where the narcotics had been dumped into the waters. He further indicated that he was a member of a network. According to the botched plan, he was supposed to retrieve the drugs after receiving coordinates from his accomplices. Police seized two unlicensed pistols in possession of the detainee, who was referred, along with the seized materials, to the concerned legal authorities.
Under the influence
Meanwhile, police responded to an emergency call reporting a person suspected of being under the influence of drugs inside a vehicle in Sabah AlAhmad. When police attempted to pull him over, he hit the patrol vehicle in an attempt to escape. He was chased until he hit a checkpoint barrier, forcing him to stop, and was eventually arrested after attempting to run away on foot. The man and another person who was in the car were arrested and sent to concerned authorities for questioning over a large amount of pills suspected of being drugs found in
their vehicle.
Reckless driving
Police also arrested a driver who appeared in a video that circulated on social media recently, showing him driving recklessly and jumping the red light. The man failed to produce a driver’s license at the time of arrest. Separately, Ahmadi police arrested a driver who hit a patrol vehicle before hitting two other vehicles in an attempt to escape. Police searched his car and found three air guns and suspected drugs inside. He was sent to the Drugs Control General Department.
Registrations renewal
The Interior Ministry said that the vehicles’ registrations department will start their gradual partial work today from 8 am to 4 pm in all governorates. Department offices will start welcoming car owners wishing to renew registrations of their vehicles that expired on March 3 and onwards. The renewal can be done without technical inspection provided that insurance papers are in order, it explained. Those who choose not to renew their registrations at this time will not be fined, it warned. It further reminded motorists to comply with health procedures.
Multiple arrests for reckless driving