Global food crisis looms

Across the United States - and around the globe -- from farms to factories prices are on the rise.

On Tuesday the US Labor Department reported overall producer prices rose 1.1 percent in March. Energy costs shot up 2.9 percent, with food moving up a sharp 1.2 percent..

As prices soar, the World Bank has warned of a global food crisis that could bring social disruptions. The Caribbean nation of Haiti has already seen its government fall after people unable to pay for food took to the streets in protest.

Food riots have also erupted elsewhere in Latin America and in Africa.

Even US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice was questioned about food and fuel costs.

SOUNDBITE: US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, saying (English):

"We clearly have twin problems. We have an energy and a food problem. There are some relationships between them."

While some observers see food costs rising as corn and sugar farmers turn to ethanol. Rice says that is only part of the problem.

SOUNDBITE: US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, saying (English):

"We also think a significant part of the food problem relates not from biofuels but from simply the costs of energy in terms of fertilizer and in terms of transportation costs for food and that that is in part maybe an even larger part of spiking the food crisis that we have."

Economists point to many factors. There is increasing demand from China as well as India, and the fact that Australia has been hit with the worst drought in 100 years.

And there is the questions of incentives, like subsidies in the US for farmers to grow corn for ethanol.

Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress.

SOUNDBITE: Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress, saying (English):

"If you are a farmer now, it is very tempting to shift your growing corn from feed and move t towards fuel, so we have to reduce some the economic incentive to do that by redirecting subsidies that we have for ethanol ...they really are not necessary when oil is over one hundred dollars a barrel."

The US Congress has granted ethanol producers a 51 cent tax credit for each gallon of ethanol produced through 2010.

For American consumers, there is not much relief in sight.

SOUNDBITE: Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress, saying (English):

"There is no question that high oil prices have put real pressure on American families budget, both paying more for gas, more money for electricity and more money for food...all of these things are going (continue)(increase) the middle class squeeze that is already under way."

Outside the US, the fear is high rising prices could lead to increasing malnutrition in Central America and the Caribbean.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters

loom intr.v. loomed, loom·ing, looms

1. To come into view as a massive, distorted, or indistinct image: "I faced the icons that loomed through the veil of incense" Fergus M. Bordewich. See Synonyms at appear.

2. To appear to the mind in a magnified and threatening form: "Stalin looms over the whole human tragedy of 1930-1933" Robert Conquest.

3. To seem imminent; impend: Revolution loomed but the aristocrats paid no heed.

n.

A distorted, threatening appearance of something, as through fog or darkness.
soar intr.v. soared, soar·ing, soars

1. To rise, fly, or glide high and with little apparent effort.

2. To climb swiftly or powerfully.

3. To glide in an aircraft while maintaining altitude.

4. To ascend suddenly above the normal or usual level: Our spirits soared. See Synonyms at rise.

spike - manifest a sharp increase; "the voltage spiked"

drought (drout) also drouth (drouth)

n.

1. A long period of abnormally low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects growing or living conditions.

2. A prolonged dearth or shortage.

squeeze v. squeezed, squeez·ing, squeez·es

v.tr.

1. To press hard on or together; compress.

2. To press gently, as in affection: squeezed her hand.

3. To exert pressure on, as by way of extracting liquid: squeeze an orange.

4. To extract by or as if by applying pressure: squeeze juice from a lemon; squeezed a confession out of a suspect.

5. To extract by dishonest means; extort.

6. To pressure or intimidate (someone) to comply with a demand, as to make an extortion payment.

7. To obtain room for by pressure; cram: squeezed her books into the briefcase.

8. To manage to find time or space for.

Monroe sex tape sold

A silent, 15-minute black-and-white Marilyn Monroe sex film will be kept from public view by a New York businessman who has bought it for $1.5 million.


Memorabilia collector Keya Morgan said he recently arranged the sale of film from the son of a dead FBI informant who possessed it to a wealthy Manhattan businessman who wants to protect Monroe's privacy.

SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Keya Morgan, memorabilia collector saying:

"It's a great investment, number one. Number two, documented and verified by the FBI, by Joe DiMaggio who saw it and was very upset. He tried to purchase it for $25 thousand back in the 1960's but they did not want to sell it. It's been verified not only by me as one of the number one experts in Marilyn Monroe and the producer of this documentary, but also by Joe DiMaggio the FBI and many agents."

Monroe was rumored to have had an affair with U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and Morgan said then FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, a Kennedy rival, went to great lengths to try to prove it was Kennedy in the film. However, the man in the sex tape has not been identified.

Jon Decker, Reuters.

Colombia's trade agreement blocked

President George W. Bush said a free-trade agreement with Colombia is dead unless House Speaker Nancy Pelosi schedules a vote on it and that blocking it is no way to treat an ally.

SOUNDBITE: US President George W. Bush, saying (English):

"That bill is dead unless the speaker schedules a definite vote. This is an unprecedented move. It's not in our country's interest that we stiff an ally like Colombia."

Bush was meeting with his Cabinet when he raised the issue.

Last week Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, led the U.S. House of Representatives in indefinitely delaying a vote on the free trade agreement.

Pelosi said the White House violated "protocol" by sending the agreement to Congress against her advice.

Peloisi said it was still possible Congress could pass the agreement this year if the White House and Democrats can agree on new legislation to bolster the U.S. economy.

The Bush administration reacted angrily to the move last week, accusing the Democratic-led Congress of changing the rules in the middle of the game on free-trade votes and insisting it had consulted heavily with lawmakers in fashioning the agreement.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters

ally - a friendly nation
stiff tr.v. stiffed, stiff·ing, stiffs Slang

1. To tip (someone) inadequately or not at all, as for a service rendered: paid the dinner check but stiffed the waiter.
bolster tr.v. bol·stered, bol·ster·ing, bol·sters reenforce, reinforce - make stronger

Beijing's Olympic clean up

The race is on to clean up the air athletes will breathe at this year's Beijing Olympics.

Authorities plan to close temporarily a number of big local factories for two months.

The period coincides with the Games as well as the Paralympics.

Heavy polluters are also being forced to reduce emissions by 30 percent.

Du Shaozhong is from Beijing's environmental protection agency.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) BEIJING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPOKESPERSON, DU SHAOZHONG SAYING

"I should say that all of these measures put together, when compared with the measures adopted by all the other Olympic cities, are very great. Because of this I think, through our hard work, we will provide good air quality for the Olympics. There should be no doubt, everybody should have faith."

In recent weeks the build up to the Olympics has been overshadowed by human rights issues in Tibet.

It's taken some of the media spotlight away from Beijing's environmental problems.

That's likely to change as the Games draw (nearer)(closer).

But officials say Beijing is already moving in the right direction.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) BEIJING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPOKESPERSON, DU SHAOZHONG SAYING:

"If you look at the air now, every day there are a lot of people doing sports and sporting activities, and our health is not affected"

The air quality will also heavily hinge on weather conditions during the actual Games.

But authorities say athletes have (to) nothing to fear.

They insist contigency measures will be in place for all eventualities.

Darcy Lambton, Reuters.

build up

1. To develop or increase in stages or by degrees: built up the business; building up my endurance for the marathon.

2. To accumulate or collect: sediment building up on the ocean floor.

3. To bolster: build up the product with a massive ad campaign; built up my hopes after the interview.

4. To fill up (an area) with buildings.
hinge n.

1.

a. A jointed or flexible device that allows the turning or pivoting of a part, such as a door or lid, on a stationary frame.

b. A similar structure or part, such as one that enables the valves of a bivalve mollusk to open and close.

2. A small folded paper rectangle gummed on one side, used especially to fasten stamps in an album.

3. A point or circumstance on which subsequent events depend.

v. hinged, hing·ing, hing·es

v.tr.

1. To attach by or equip with or as if with hinges or a hinge.

2. To consider or make (something) dependent on something else; predicate: "convenient and misleading fictions for hinging an argument" Stephen Jay Gould.

v.intr.

To be contingent on a single factor; depend: This plan hinges on her approval.

France's first lady nude

It's hard to upstage actress Brigitte Bardot, unless you're the charismatic first lady of her country.

This nude portrait of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy pulled in a whopping 91-thousand dollars at a Christie's auction Thursday.

That's more than 20 times the expected price.

Josh Holdeman heads the photographs department at Christie's.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) JOSH HOLDEMAN, HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS DEPARTMENT, CHRISTIE'S, SAYING:

"WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. WE ALL KIND OF WERE TRYING TO IMAGINE THIS MORNING WHAT IT WOULD GO FOR. WE HAD A NUMBER IN OUR HEAD, BUT THIS FAR EXCEEDED WHAT WE EXPECTED. IT WAS A VERY PLEASANT SURPRISE."

The buyer: an unnamed Chinese art collector.

Photographer Michel Comte took the black-and-white still during Bruni's modeling days 15 years ago.

She has become a favorite of the paparazzi ever since she married French president Nicolas Sarkozy in February.

Born in Italy, Bruni became a singer following her supermodeling days.

Just as she has taken a lot of attention away from her husband, her nude upstaged portraits of other supermodels that were expected to draw more dollars.

Oh, and as for Brigitte, her portrait by Richard Avedon fetched 181-thousand, twice that of Carla Bruni.

Fred Katayama, Reuters, New York.

upstage tr.v. up·staged, up·stag·ing, up·stag·es

1. To distract attention from (another performer) by moving upstage, thus forcing the other performer to face away from the audience.

2. To divert attention or praise from; force out of the spotlight: a vice president who repeatedly tried to upstage the president.

3. To treat haughtily.
whop·ping Slang

adj.Exceptionally large: "yet another whopping pay raise" Lee Atwater.

adv.Used as an intensive: a whopping good joke.

Global food crisis warning

At a time when people in different parts of the world have taken to the streets over the cost of food, World bank chief Robert Zoellick warns that the price of food and the increasing volatility in food prices present a growing emergency to the world

SOUNDBITE: World Bank President Robert Zoellick, saying: (English)

"This is about recognizing a growing emergency, acting and seizing opportunity too. The world can do this, we can do this we can have a new deal on global food policy. (First for the immediate crisis the international community must fill the at least five million dollar food gap identified by the UN's food program to meet emergency needs.)"

Speaking ahead of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington, Zoellick called on rich industrial nations to immediately fill a $500 million funding gap at the UN World Food Program.

SOUNDBITE: World Bank President Robert Zoellick, saying: (English)

"While many are worrying about filling their gas tanks many others around the world are struggling to fill their stomachs and it's getting more and more difficult everyday. In many developing countries the poor spend up to 75 per cent of their (salary)(incoming) on food. When prices of basic foods rise it hits hard."

Zoellick said the World Bank could help by supporting emergency measures that support the poor and to encourage countries to produce and market food as part of a broader development agenda.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters

seizing - the act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles)

MOSCOW - Bush, Putin final talks

George Bush said he was looking forward to a last "heart-to-heart" with Vladmir Putin before the Russian leader leaves the Kremlin next month.

The two men hugged as they greeted each other outside Putin's holiday villa in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Bound by a strong personal friendship that hasn't cooled despite the chilly relations between their two countries.

Ties are strained with the U.S. over plans for the enlargement of NATO and a U.S. proposal to locate anti-missile defences in Poland and the Czech Republic.

While no breakthrough was anticipated at the two-day summit, an agreement - outlining the strategic framework of U.S.-Russian relations - fell short of expectations.

Both leaders conceded there was much work to do in the search for a compromise, but the Russian president said the agreement contained "positive developments."

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, SAYING:

"We haven't solved all the problems connected to the missile defence shield and the third positioning region in Europe, but I have already said it and today we once again saw that our American partners not only see that we have problems with their plans but we are sincerely trying to resolve them."

Addressing Russia's concerns, Bush said the U.S. would have to work harder to convince the Kremlin that it had nothing to fear.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE W.BUSH, U.S. PRESIDENT, SAYING :

"Obviously we got a lot of work to do to convince the experts that the system is not aimed at Russia, (it's really have to deal with the threats with we all are going to face.)"

Washington wants to station interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic to protect against missile strikes from what it calls "rogue states", specifically Iran.

Putin is fiercely opposed to the plan, saying it will threaten Russian security.

Helen Long, Reuters

look forward to

To think of (a future event) with pleasurable, eager anticipation: looking forward to graduation.

hug v. hugged, hug·ging, hugs v.tr.

1. To clasp or hold closely, especially in the arms, as in affection; embrace.

2. To hold steadfastly to; cherish: He still hugs his outmoded beliefs.

3. To stay close to: a sailboat hugging the shore.

v.intr.

To embrace or cling together closely.
strained adj.

1. Having been passed through a strainer: a bowl of strained peaches.

2. Done with or marked by excessive effort; forced: strained humor.

3. Extended beyond proper limits: a strained meaning.

4. Antagonized to the verge of open conflict: strained relations.

5. Twisted; wrenched: a strained ankle.

rogue adj.

1. Vicious and solitary. Used of an animal, especially an elephant.

2. Large, destructive, and anomalous or unpredictable: a rogue wave; a rogue tornado.

3. Operating outside normal or desirable controls: "How could a single rogue trader bring down an otherwise profitable and well-regarded institution?" Saul Hansell.

fierce adj. fierc·er, fierc·est

1. Having a savage and violent nature; ferocious. See Synonyms at cruel.

2. Extremely severe or violent; terrible: "the fierce thunders roar me their music" Ezra Pound.

3. Extremely intense or ardent: fierce loyalty. See Synonyms at intense.

4. Strenuously active or resolute: a fierce attempt to escape.

5. Informal Very difficult or unpleasant: a fierce exam.