Fuel Choices, Food Crises and Finger-Pointing Published: April 15, 2008 Food Prices Rise But now a reaction is building against policies in the United States and Europe to promote ethanol and similar fuels, with political leaders from poor countries contending that these fuels are driving up food prices and starving poor people. Biofuels are fast becoming a new flash point in global diplomacy, putting pressure on Western politicians to reconsider their policies, even as they argue that biofuels are only one factor in the seemingly inexorable rise in food prices.

Europe's Food Supply Not At Risk From Biofuels

Biofuels Threaten Food Access In Latin America

wheat fungi may have reached pakistan: A fungus, deadly for wheat, may have reached Pakistan two years earlier than predicted, said researchers at a recent meeting in Syria. The meeting was to

Haiti govt falls after food riots Reuters/bdnews24.com . Port-Au-Prince Haiti's government fell on Saturday when senators fired the prime minister after more than a week of riots over food prices, ignoring a plan presented by the president to slash the cost of rice. Sixteen of 17 senators at a special session voted against the prime minister, Jacques Edouard Alexis, an ally president Rene Preval placed at the head of a coalition cabinet in June 2006 that was meant to unite the fractious Caribbean nation.

Finance Ministers Emphasize Food Crisis Over Credit Crisis STEVEN R. WEISMAN Published: April 14, 2008 WASHINGTON

WB meets as rising food prices spark unrest Agence France-Presse . Washington The World Bank opened its spring meeting here Sunday as rising food prices spark deadly unrest in developing countries, underscoring the urgency of ensuring desperate people get fed. Policymakers of the anti-poverty bank are due to discuss a massive plan to reduce hunger announced earlier this month by bank president Robert Zoellick.

EU Can Hit Biofuels Goal Without Conflicts - Germany SLOVENIA: April 14, 2008 BRDO - The European Union can achieve its 2020 target to get 10 percent of all transport fuel from biofuels without adding to soaring food prices and harming rainforests, Germany's environment minister said on Saturday. "We can meet the 10 percent target through biofuel production in the European Union (and imports of) raw materials, which do not lead to a conflict with food or rainforests," Sigmar Gabriel told reporters on the fringes of a meeting of EU environment ministers in Slovenia.

France Says Food Should Take Priority Over Biofuels FRANCE: April 14, 2008 PARIS - Production of food must take precedence globally over biofuels as prices surge and the threat of famine grows, France's farm minister said on Friday, calling for a European Union initiative on world supplies. "Absolute priority must be given to agricultural production for food," French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier told Reuters, saying France would unveil proposals at next Monday's European Union Agriculture council.