People flock to Indonesia for subsidized rice
The long queues of women in Indonesia to buy subsidized rice illustrate the country's economic woes. Indonesian women flocked to a makeshift market run by the state-run food procurement agency Bulog in the town of Bekasi, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) east of the capital, Jakarta. The news agency Reuters gave the news in a report.
The long queues of women in Indonesia to buy subsidized rice illustrate the country's economic woes. Indonesian women flocked to a makeshift market run by the state-run food procurement agency Bulog in the town of Bekasi, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) east of the capital, Jakarta. The news agency Reuters gave the news in a report.
Masih, A 55-year-old coconut seller, was scrambling to buy 5 kg (11 pounds) of rice. He told Reuters, 'It is better to buy rice from here and keep it at home. The price of rice is high in the market. And here it is available cheaply.'
The price of rice in the market has been fixed at 10,600 rupees per kg. The price of rice per kg in the open market is 14 thousand 300 rupees. To ensure that no one can stockpile too much rice, Bulog has fixed a maximum purchase of 10 kg of rice per customer.
The government usually sells food products at subsidized prices only when the prices are too high. BULG has distributed 300,000 tonnes of rice from government stocks to hundreds of markets across the country since January after reports of shortages surfaced at various retail stores.
The National Food Agency, which oversees BULG, said it operated 429 temporary markets in January and plans to set up another 315 by the end of February.
Harvesting in Indonesia has been delayed by a month this year due to planting delays and lack of rain. According to data from the country's Ministry of Agriculture, rice supply was short of 1.63 million tonnes in January and 1.15 million tonnes in February.
Indonesia imported a record amount of rice in 2023. 2 million tonnes of rice was earlier approved for 2024. Along with this, the country's government has allocated another 1.6 million tons of rice for additional import.
Over 30,000 people were killed in the attack by Israeli forces in Gaza
More than 70 people have been killed by Israeli forces firing on Palestinians waiting for food in Gaza. After the start of the war, 30,000 people were killed in the valley.
- The Ministry of Health there has given such information.
The ministry made the announcement on Thursday amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is on the brink of famine. Meanwhile, Israeli forces are again threatening ground operations in Rafah, home to 1.5 million people, most of whom have been displaced by the fighting.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a cease-fire, writing on social media, calling for an end to the horrific violence and suffering. More than 70,000 Palestinians were injured there.
Defying international condemnation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the operation would continue in Rafah, a key entry point for supplies of urgently needed food and medicine.
He said only a prisoner exchange deal would delay an attack on the crowded city. It is part of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US.
William Marks, Al Jazeera's correspondent from occupied East Jerusalem, said if the area became the center of conflict, the ability of aid agencies to distribute food to people there would be severely affected.
In a video posted on the X handle citing the deteriorating situation in Gaza, USAID chief Samantha Power said Israel should open more crossings so that much-needed humanitarian aid can be rushed through. It is a matter of life and death.
Israeli forces systematically attack Palestinians waiting for food and relief.
On Thursday, Israeli forces attacked civilians waiting to collect flour for their families. 70 Palestinians were killed. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates described the incident as cold-blooded destruction.
On the same day, at least 30 people were killed in separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes and bombings targeting refugees in Nusairat, Bureiz and Khan Yunis.
According to the Ministry of Health, 30 thousand 35 people were killed in this conflict. Among them more than 13 thousand children and 8 thousand 800 women. 70 thousand 457 people were injured. Among them, 11,000 people are in serious condition.
