World Food Program chief presses billionaires ‘to step up’

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — The head of the U.N.’s World Food Program is telling billionaires it’s “time to step up” as the global threat of food insecurity rises because of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Agency Executive Director David Beasley told The Associated Press at the World Economic Forum gathering on Monday (May 23, 2022) that he’s seen encouraging signs from some of the world’s richest people, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Musk and Bezos didn’t immediately respond to emails or other messages seeking comment. Beasley’s challenge came as a new study projected that nearly 1.9 billion people could face insecurity by November 2022.