Latest news with #Abdel-Rahman
Egypt Independent
14-04-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Rising vegetable and fruit prices in Cairo leave citizens worried
Cairo markets have witnessed a significant increase in prices of vegetables and fruits, coinciding with a two-pound increase in octane and diesel prices per liter. This has impacted the prices of certain daily necessities for every household. During a tour of al-Sayeda Zeinab market on Sunday, Al-Masry Al-Youm observed a significant increase in the prices of some goods. The price of bananas rose by LE15 per kilogram, from LE 30 to LE 45. The price of tomatoes jumped to LE 10 per kilogram from five LE. Eggplants rose from seven LE to LE 12.5, guava from LE 30 to LE 40, and onions from LE10 to LE 12. Citizens express concern Market vendor Abdel-Rahman attributed this increase to increased transportation costs, a direct result of the fuel price hike. He said, 'We are forced to raise prices because the cost of transporting goods from farms to markets has increased significantly, and suppliers have also raised their prices.' Housewife Samia Hassan expressed her concern about this sudden increase, stressing that her family's income is no longer sufficient to cover basic needs, prompting them to stop purchasing fruit every week and reduce the quantity of vegetables they consume. An employee and mother of five, Amal Saeed, shared similar worries: 'All prices have increased dramatically. We can no longer afford basic daily needs. A kilo of lemons has reached LE 120.' Economic expert Ali al-Idrisi anticipates markets to witness a significant wave of price increases and inflation rates, all as a direct result of the increase in fuel prices. He emphasized that this increase will not be limited to energy prices alone, but will also impact various goods and services, both directly and indirectly through its impact on economic activity. Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, he added that although current inflation rates remain high, new increases could further complicate the economic landscape, posing significant challenges for both the state and citizens. He called for rapid intervention and balanced measures to limit the effects of inflation and ease the burden on citizens. A complex relationship Agricultural expert Saddam Abu-Hussein believes that the increase in the cost of agricultural production will not necessarily lead to an immediate or direct increase in product prices in the markets, as prices are subject to other factors such as supply and demand and various pricing mechanisms. He explained that the relationship between cost and final price is more complex than some people think. In statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm, he stated, 'The cost of growing a particular crop may increase, while its market prices remain stable or even decrease, depending on market conditions and the quantity supplied.' Abu-Hussein said that for example, tomatoes used to sell for five LE per kilo, even though their cost exceeded that amount, and now, after fuel price hike, they are selling for up to LE 10 – whereas the cost of growing them before the increase did not exceed six LE. The rising costs of diesel may impact the ability of farmers to maintain the same farming pace and may prompt some to reduce their cultivated areas, he added, particularly for crops that require significant effort and expense. This ultimately impacts supply and leads to a gradual rise in prices, Abu-Hussein explained. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Monitor: More than 700 dead in further escalation in Syria
More than 700 people, including more than 500 civilians have died in massacres and fighting in the new escalation in Syrian coastal areas, Rami Abdel-Rahman, the head of a Syrian monitoring group, told dpa on Saturday. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which has been documenting violence in Syria since 2011, spoke of massacres in more than 20 locations in the Latakia, Tartus and Hama governorates. Abdel-Rahman said the Latakia Governorate recorded the highest number of victims. He said the Syrian coastal region and the mountains of Latakia have witnessed tragic events, with sectarian and regionally motivated executions claiming the lives of hundreds of civilians, including women and children. SOHR said young men were executed in ways reminiscent of the brutal operations previously carried out by security forces under the regime of Basher al-Assad, in what appeared to be an act of collective retaliation. The forces under Syria's now interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa deposed Assad some three months ago. On Saturday afternoon, Syrian government forces entered the city of Qardaha, located in Latakia province, following 48 hours of intense clashes with remnants of the former regime. "After 48 hours of fighting against remnants of the former regime, our forces have taken control of the city and have begun extensive search operations," sources close to the close to the General Security Directorate told dpa. Qardaha holds great symbolic significance for loyalists of the former regime, as it is the birthplace of the al-Assad family, which ruled Syria for over 54 years. Earlier in the day, government forces fully secured Jableh, a key stronghold of the former regime in the coastal region. With control over the most significant cities in the Syrian coastal area, government forces are now advancing toward rural areas in Tartus, Latakia, and Hama provinces. The Syrian military command has declared a state of high alert and maximum readiness across all military forces amid escalating security and battlefield tensions in multiple areas. According to informed sources, all military units have received orders to be on immediate standby and to respond based on developments on the ground. Earlier SOHR said the total of those killed in executions had reached 428 since the outbreak of attacks against security and military forces on Thursday. Abdel-Rahman expected the toll to exceed 1,000 and called on Syria's interim President al-Sharaa to intervene to stop what he described as "massacres and displacement" of the Alawites. "The young men were liquidated in a way not different from the operations carried out by the security forces of the former [al-Assad] regime, in a collective act of revenge," added the monitor that relies on a network of activists inside Syria. One resident in Baniyas said fear and terror were rife, especially among the Alawites. 'There are many transgressions and killings based on sectarian affiliation. There are also thefts," he told dpa on condition of anonymity due to fear for his safety. Clashes erupted on Thursday in Syria's coastal region after transitional government forces were targeted in a string of attacks and ambushes blamed on al-Assad's armed supporters. Gripped by fears of more massacres as security forces search for insurgents, many Alawite families have left their villages in the coastal region seeking safer places, the observatory said. Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a defence source, reported on Saturday that an emergency committee had now been formed to refer violators of the military command's orders to the military court. Authorities have closed the roads leading to the coastal region to "control violations, prevent transgressions, and gradually restore stability to the area," the source said, without elaborating. Since al-Assad's overthrow, Syria's new leadership has been pushing for the lifting of sanctions imposed during his rule and trying to re-establish security in the country ruined by a long civil war.
