By The Associated Press – May 27, 2008

The first global food crisis since World War II is the result of converging factors across the world. Some facts:

_ Food prices on international markets have nearly doubled in three years, threatening 100 million people with hunger, according to the World Bank.

_ Government policies and rising oil prices have led countries such as the United States and Brazil to divert corn into the production of ethanol for fuel.

_ Growing populations and changing diets in countries such as India and China have driven up demand for food.

_ Drought in Australia has nearly wiped out that country’s rice production, which normally feeds 20 million people worldwide.

_ Corn and grain production has fallen in southeastern and eastern Europe because of droughts.

_ Flooding last year in North Korea wiped out crops and threatens to double the country’s existing food deficit.

_ A new strain of fungus that attacks wheat is spreading from Africa to Iran, and most of the world’s wheat varieties are vulnerable. Meanwhile, research budgets for developing resistant wheat plants have been cut.