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Khaleej Times
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
Syria: Residential areas evacuated by rescuers amid major forest fires
Syrian rescuers evacuated residential areas in Latakia province because of major forest fires, authorities said on Friday. Fires have spreading across large parts of Syria, particularly on the coast, for several days, with firefighters struggling to control them due to strong winds and a drought. Abdulkafi Kayyal, director of the Directorate of Disasters and Emergencies in Latakia province, told the state SANA news agency that fires in the Qastal Maaf area had moved close to several villages, prompting the evacuations. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Syria's civil defence warned residents of "the spread of rising smoke emissions to the northern section of the coastal mountains, the city of Hama, its countryside, and southern Idlib areas." "Our teams recorded losses in the orchards due to the widespread spread of the forest fire in several areas of the Latakia countryside," the civil defence added, calling on citizens to report anyone they suspect of starting fires. Syrian minister of emergency situations and disasters Raed al-Saleh said on X that he was following events and "we will exert our utmost efforts to combat these fires". With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has been battered by heatwaves, low rainfall and major forest fires. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation told AFP that Syria had "not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years", noting that an unprecedented drought was on course to push more than 16 million people into food insecurity. The country is also reeling from more than a decade of civil war leading up to the end of the iron-fisted rule of Bashar Al Assad in December. Kayyal said the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance was hindering the work of rescuers, along with strong winds spreading the fires.
Al Arabiya
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Syrian authorities evacuate citizens amid major forest fires
Syrian rescuers evacuated residential areas in Latakia province because of major forest fires, authorities said on Friday. Fires have been spreading across large parts of Syria, particularly on the coast, for several days, with firefighters struggling to control them due to strong winds and drought. Abdulkafi Kayyal, director of the Directorate of Disasters and Emergencies in Latakia province, told the state SANA news agency that fires in the Qastal Maaf area had moved close to several villages, prompting the evacuations. Syria's civil defense warned residents of 'the spread of rising smoke emissions to the northern section of the coastal mountains, the city of Hama, its countryside, and southern Idlib areas.' 'Our teams recorded losses in the orchards due to the widespread spread of the forest fire in several areas of the Latakia countryside,' the civil defense added, calling on citizens to report anyone they suspect of starting fires. Syrian Minister of Emergency Situations and Disasters Raed al-Saleh said on X that he was following events and 'we will exert our utmost efforts to combat these fires.' With human-driven climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has been battered by heatwaves, low rainfall, and major forest fires. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization told AFP that Syria had 'not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years,' noting that an unprecedented drought was on course to push more than 16 million people into food insecurity. The country is also reeling from more than a decade of civil war leading up to the end of the iron-fisted rule of Bashar al-Assad in December. Kayyal said the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance was hindering the work of rescuers, along with strong winds spreading the fires.
Arab News
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Arab News
Syrian authorities evacuate citizens amid major forest fires
DAMASCUS: Syrian rescuers evacuated residential areas in Latakia province because of major forest fires, authorities said on Friday. Fires have spreading across large parts of Syria, particularly on the coast, for several days, with firefighters struggling to control them due to strong winds and a drought. Abdulkafi Kayyal, director of the Directorate of Disasters and Emergencies in Latakia province, told the state SANA news agency that fires in the Qastal Maaf area had moved close to several villages, prompting the evacuations. Syria's civil defense warned residents of 'the spread of rising smoke emissions to the northern section of the coastal mountains, the city of Hama, its countryside, and southern Idlib areas.' 'Our teams recorded losses in the orchards due to the widespread spread of the forest fire in several areas of the Latakia countryside,' the civil defense added, calling on citizens to report anyone they suspect of starting fires. Syrian minister of emergency situations and disasters Raed Al-Saleh said on X that he was following events and 'we will exert our utmost efforts to combat these fires.' With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has been battered by heatwaves, low rainfall and major forest fires. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization told AFP that Syria had 'not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years,' noting that an unprecedented drought was on course to push more than 16 million people into food insecurity. The country is also reeling from more than a decade of civil war leading up to the end of the iron-fisted rule of Bashar Assad in December. Kayyal said the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance was hindering the work of rescuers, along with strong winds spreading the fires.
Arab News
04-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
World food prices tick higher in June, led by meat and vegetable oils
PARIS: Global food commodity prices edged higher in June, supported by higher meat, vegetable oil and dairy prices, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has said. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in a basket of internationally traded food commodities, averaged 128 points in June, up 0.5 percent from May. The index stood 5.8 percent higher than a year ago, but remained 20.1 percent below its record high in March 2022. The cereal price index fell 1.5 percent to 107.4 points, now 6.8 percent below a year ago, as global maize prices dropped sharply for a second month. Larger harvests and more export competition from Argentina and Brazil weighed on maize, while barley and sorghum also declined. Wheat prices, however, rose due to weather concerns in Russia, the EU, and the US. The vegetable oil price index rose 2.3 percent from May to 155.7 points, now 18.2 percent above its June 2024 level, led by higher palm, rapeseed, and soy oil prices. Palm oil climbed nearly 5 percent from May on strong import demand, while soy oil was supported by expectations of higher demand from the biofuel sector following announcements of supportive policy measures in Brazil and the US. Sugar prices dropped 5.2 percent from May to 103.7 points, the lowest since April 2021, reflecting improved supply prospects in Brazil, India, and Thailand. Meat prices rose to a record 126.0 points, now 6.7 percent above June 2024, with all categories rising except poultry. Bovine meat set a new peak, reflecting tighter supplies from Brazil and strong demand from the US. Poultry prices continued to fall due to abundant Brazilian supplies. The dairy price index edged up 0.5 percent from May to 154.4 points, marking a 20.7 percent annual increase. In a separate report, the FAO forecast global cereal production in 2025 at a record 2.925 billion tonnes, 0.5 percent above its previous projection and 2.3 percent above the previous year. The outlook could be affected by expected hot, dry conditions in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly for maize with plantings almost complete.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Food and beverage companies shift to future-ready operations
How F&B companies can navigate rising input costs, shifting consumer demands, tightening regulations and increasing supply chain complexity. Global food commodity prices are still about a third higher than pre-Covid levels, according to the UN FAO Food Price Index. With significantly higher prices impacting margins, F&B companies need strategies to optimise costs by improving operational efficiency. Yet just 16 per cent of food and beverage processors expect to redesign or consolidate their plants in 2025. In this environment, operational efficiency is no longer about fine-tuning legacy systems; it requires reimagining performance through a more integrated lens. By evolving traditional lean, agile and six sigma (LASSi) methodologies into a future-ready strategy – one augmented by data, technology and adaptability – F&B companies can build more resilient, responsive, and sustainable operations. This approach gives F&B companies a powerful framework to drive efficiency, adaptability and quality. Lean boosts process efficiency, agile enables faster response to market shifts and six sigma reduces variability through data. – shifting operations from reactive to proactive. Lean foundations, digital liftoff Operational makeovers that endure always start lean. Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company cut the number of plants it runs by 30 per cent (from 80 to 56) between 2008 and 2021, yet boosted production lines per site by 44 per cent and trimmed distribution centres and warehouses by two-thirds, all while preserving overall capacity. Meanwhile, Nestlé's Continuous Excellence programme couples lean methodologies with total productive maintenance (TPM). Since Nestlé launched the programme in 2008, it has delivered 5 to 6 per cent organic growth every year and realises roughly $1.7 billion in annual savings. This demonstrates how LASSi boosts efficiency, capacity and growth – setting the stage for tech-driven gains. Building on that lean base, efficiency now means redesigning work by integrating digital technologies with physical processes and materials. Unilever shows the leap: by pairing AI and robotics with 3D printing, it fine-tunes portion-controlled ice-cream packs – dosing each unit at the exact weight, volume and temperature consumers expect while keeping lines agile for shifting demand. Looking to gain better return on investment (ROI) on promotions and compete with private labels, Kraft Heinz has taken an approach that marries tech investments with agile methodologies to develop its in-house capabilities in tandem with vendor partnerships. By integrating agile methodologies with tech, Kraft Heinz has shrunk its innovation timeline from three years to six months and improved promo ROI by 10 per cent using AI to better identify the right product mix for a region or retail location. These examples show the importance of combining structural shifts – plant consolidation, supply chain reconfiguration – with tech adoption, such as AI, robotics or 3D printing. Applying this dual layer is what moves the dial. Address implementation challenges These early wins set the stage for the toughest hurdle: implementation. Embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement helps break down resistance to change, while upskilling employees through continuous training in evolving LASSi principles eases labour market pressures and keeps frontline talent aligned. Companies such as Starbucks, JBS6 and Mondelez are investing in education programmes that build future-ready skills – helping close the digital readiness gap while boosting employee retention. At Starbucks, for example, 75 per cent of participants show career growth after graduation. Keeping training in sync with emerging methods and tech ensures skills keep pace. Long-term education partnerships close the readiness gap, and tomorrow's winners will be those who cultivate talent as boldly as they deploy smart tools New ideas and technologies driving operational efficiencies While LASSi methodologies remain a strong foundation for efficiency in the F&B sector, emerging technologies are reshaping what's possible. Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing – powered by IoT, AI and machine learning – are enabling smart factories with real-time decision-making, predictive maintenance and greater automation. Digital twins offer a way to simulate and optimise processes before implementation. Meanwhile, digital tools are driving sustainable manufacturing through circular economy models, renewable energy use and eco-friendly materials. Greater use of big data and analytics is enhancing supply chain visibility, demand forecasting and efficiency, while blockchain integration is boosting transparency and trust across operations. As companies evolve their performance strategies, many are also blending core methodologies with complementary ones – such as total productive maintenance (TPM), theory of constraints (ToC) and sociotechnical systems (STS) – to address equipment reliability, process bottlenecks and the human-tech interface. Strategic frameworks such as Hoshin Kanri and innovation tools such as design thinking further enrich this mix. The result is a multi-lens approach that strengthens not just efficiency, but resilience and adaptability too. F&B pressures vary plant by plant, yet the winning playbook is the same: fuse foundational operational-excellence disciplines with smart tech and human-centric design. The blend yields quick wins – higher overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), lower waste, faster changeovers – while fortifying operations against regulation and demand swings. Emerging technologies don't replace proven operational-excellence disciplines – they amplify them. Companies that keep iterating this trio – methodologies, machines and mindsets – will convert efficiency into durable competitive advantage.
