World food prices the highest ever in over 10 years

Nov 9 2021

World food prices have sky-rocketed to the highest level in more than 10 years, driven mostly by increased demand and lacklustre harvests.

The prices shot up for the third month in October, rising 3% over September 2021, according to an index published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

The FAO Food Price index tracks monthly changes across a range of food commodities. The gains in prices were driven by a rise in vegetable oil and wheat prices, and it rose by more than 30% over the past year.

Standing at the highest level since July 2011, the price of wheat surged 5% in October because of reduced harvests from major exporters.

The FAO also cited high global demand for products such as milk powder, poultry, vegetable oils and barley. Food supplies and prices are also under pressure from extreme weather, snarled supply chains, worker shortages and rising costs.

Supermarkets in major economies have also struggled to keep shelves fully stocked because of the pandemic. Rising food commodity prices are leading to higher costs for consumer goods companies.

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DB Seabank Hotel chef Kiran creates astounding food statues

Nov 9 2021

Racking up thousands of views on TikTok for his exquisite art, Chef Kiran is leaving hotel guests in awe.

@kirpa100

#art #my #best #it #is #my #live #🇪🇺🇪🇺🇲🇹🇲🇹😍🇳🇵🇳🇵

♬ original sound – Music Clips 🇳🇵

From Nepal, Kiran works at the DB Seabank Hotel Malta and, apart from being a master chef, takes the time to create masterpieces with food products.

@kirpa100

#🇪🇺🇪🇺🇲🇹🇲🇹😍🇳🇵🇳🇵 #art #foryou #malta

♬ original sound – asmitaadhikari

He is able to carve out different statues expressing varying emotions on pumpkins and flower-like patterns on watermelons. Watching him produce these fine pieces is truly remarkable!

He quickly rose to some prominence, racking up, as of time of writing, 11.5K followers on the platform. Artists like Kiran often go unnoticed, but they definitely deserve the spotlight.

#MaltaDaily

Rosianne Cutajar raises concerns over morning after pill inaccessibility

Nov 9 2021

PL MP Rosianne Cutajar hit out in parliament at the inaccessibility of the morning-after pill following a MaltaToday investigation.

‘This is how behind we are. Imagine having to take the bus down to Malta just to buy the MAP from a pharmacy. How are we still discussing accessibility to the morning-after pill in 2021?’

She made reference to the fact that no pharmacies open on Sunday and public holidays. Women need to jump from pharmacy to pharmacy, remarked Cutajar. ‘It’s 2021, and we still have people who impost their morality on others.’

The MaltaToday probe found that no pharmacies in Qormi and Santa Venera that will be open on Sunday over the coming weeks will be selling MAP.

The pill was introduced in in Malta in 2016 and can be sold over the counter without a doctor’s prescription to anyone over 18.

Despite this, certain pharmacists still refuse to sell or hand it out. It remains a contentious subject, leaving women to hop towns in search for it.

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: Rosianne Cutajar FB

If you hate the heat, we’ve got some bad news for you…

Nov 9 2021

Should the world’s temperature rise by 2°C, a billion people will be affected by extreme heat.

According to UK Meteorological Office research released during the COP26, if efforts to end the climate emergency fail and temperatures rise drastically, heat stress is set to impact around 3.5 billion people.

Tropical countries like Brazil, Ethiopia and India are already being hit by extreme heat stress. North China is also expected to experience the deadliest future heatwaves by 2099.

Warnings of deadly heat and humidity levels have been part of scientists’ warnings throughout the years. Head of the Earth System Mitigation Science Andy Wiltshire said that any one of the climate impacts presents a scary vision for the future.

#MaltaDaily