From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

The rising price of a sack of rice.

What can be done to ease the global food crisis?

I'm Sarah Terry sitting in for Warren Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Wheat, corn, soybeans, and now rice.

The price of the world's staple food products continues to soar.

Americans are feeling the cost of the grocery checkout line,

but in other parts of the world, politicians

are facing violent food riots and people are going hungry. What is causing the crisis? Biofuels,

climate change? What policy changes are needed to deal with the rising demand for basic foods?

On reporter's notebook, Reverend Wright breaks his silence. What's he saying? And what does it mean for Barack Obama? First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. McArthur

Foundation. I'm Sarah Terry sitting in for Warren Alley, back with To the Point from PRI. We'll be

talking about the global food crisis. What's behind the dramatic rise in the price of rice and other

food staples? How is Wall Street affecting those price increases? What impact does ethanol production

have on food shortages? What about increasing demand for food from rapidly developing countries

such as India and China? And what policy changes are needed in the West to help feed a hungry

world? On reporter's notebook, Barack Obama's former pastor finally speaks out about the

controversy over his remarks in a sermon he gave several years ago. But first, this news update.

In New York City this morning, three detectives were found not guilty on all charges in the

shooting death of an unarmed man who was killed just hours before his wedding.

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