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A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 25 July 2023
UN chief urges Russia to revive grain deal with Ukraine, warning

‘the most vulnerable’ will suffer

By FRANCES D’EMILIO U.N. World Food Program
Associated Press regained a top supplier, al-
ROME (AP) — The U.N. chief lowing 725,000 metric tons
on Monday urged Russia of humanitarian food aid
to resume the internation- to leave Ukraine and reach
ally brokered deal so that countries on the brink of
grain can be shipped from famine, including Ethiopia,
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, Afghanistan and Yemen.
saying that otherwise, the The deal’s suspension as
world’s most vulnerable well as Russian attacks
among the hungry will suf- on the Black Sea ports of
fer the worst consequenc- Ukraine have irked Russian
es. ally China and as well as
U.N. Secretary-General An- developing nations heav-
tonio Guterres made the ily dependent on the ship-
appeal during a speech in ments to feed their people.
Rome at the opening of a Besides the grain deal, the
three-day food summit. effects of climate change
With the recent collapse on food production and
of the Ukraine-Russia grain distribution will figure in dis-
deal, “the most vulnerable cussions at the Rome sum-
will pay the highest price,’’ mit.
Guterres said. He lament- “We need food systems
ed that there are already U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, left, and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni arrive for the that can help end this
negative effects on global opening session of a three-day U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency’s summit on food systems in senseless war on our plan-
wheat and corn prices. Rome, Monday, July 24, 2023. et,’’ Guterres said. “Trans-
Wheat prices have risen Associated Press formation means new, sus-
more than 14% since Mon- half of all sunflower oil. Black Sea Initiative, in line sian exports of food and tainable food systems that
day, when Russia pulled “For my part, I remain com- with my latest proposal,” fertilizer to the world are can reduce the carbon
out of the grain deal, and mitted to facilitating unim- Guterres said, urging the met. footprint of food process-
corn prices are up more peded access to global international community The accord had been bro- ing, packaging and trans-
than 10%. markets for food products to stand united to find solu- kered by the United Nations portation.’’
Both Russia and Ukraine are and fertilizer from both tions for the issue. and Turkey as a way to keep Such transformation also
“essential to global food Ukraine and the Russian Russia’s refusal to renew grain flowing to developing demands that govern-
security,’’ the U.N. leader Federation and to deliver the accord triggered the countries, especially in Af- ments and businesses “take
said. He noted that they the food security every per- deal’s collapse earlier this rica and the Middle East, stronger and faster action
have historically account- son deserves,’’ Guterres month. despite the war unleashed to tackle the climate crisis
ed for 30% of global wheat said. “I call on the Russian It said the Black Sea Initia- by Moscow against Ukraine and deliver environmental
and barley exports, a fifth Federation to return to tive would be suspended in February 2022. When the and climate justice,’’ he
of all maize and more than the implementation of the until demands to get Rus- grain deal was struck, the added.q

Mayor of Ecuador port city slain in shooting that kills 1 other,

wounds 4

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — ing involved in the attack tention under police surveil- A motive for the attack, Quito, on a section of Pa-
The mayor of Ecuador’s were receiving medical at- lance. which occurred while cific coast used by gangs
third largest city was slain the mayor was making a to move large shipments of
Sunday in a shooting that neighborhood visit, was not drugs to other parts of the
killed one other person and immediately disclosed. Americas and Europe.
wounded four more, in- President Guillermo Lasso Ecuador is gripped by a se-
cluding two suspected at- wrote on Twitter that he rious outbreak of violence
tackers, officials said. had instructed the coun- that authorities attribute
Agustín Intriago, a 38-year- try’s highest police author- to disputes among orga-
old lawyer, belonged to ity to locate those respon- nized crime groups. The
the local Better City move- sible. Police reported that government is also grap-
ment in the port city of specialized units were de- pling with a surge in crime
Manta and was recently ployed at the scene. that includes armed at-
re-elected to a term that The victim’s sister, Ana In- tacks, kidnappings, robber-
began in May. triago, wrote on her Twitter ies and extortion. Authori-
On his Twitter account, In- account that “this crime ties also said Sunday that a
terior Minister Juan Zapata cannot go unpunished. ... battle between rival gang
reported Intriago’s slaying Soldiers leave the after taking control of the Litoral Penitentiary Let’s not let them win.” members held in a prison
and the other casualties. where a riot broke out that so far has left 5 prisoners dead, Manta is about 260 kilo- in Guayaquil had resulted
He said the two wounded according to a statement from authorities, in Guayaquil, meters (160 miles) south- in the five inmates being
people suspected of be- Ecuador, Sunday, July 23, 2023. Associated Press west of Ecuador’s capital, killed and 11 wounded.q