U.N. chief delays travel to try to bring Russia back into Black Sea grain deal

The head of the United Nations said he was "deeply concerned" by Russia's decision to suspend its participation in a U.N.-brokered grain deal and delayed a foreign visit to try to revive the agreement, which aims to ease a global food crisis.

Moscow halted its role in the Black Sea deal on Saturday, effectively cutting shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's top grain exporters. It said it was responding to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack earlier in the day on its fleet near the port of Sevastopol in Russian-annexed Crimea.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres was engaging in "intense contacts aiming at the end of the Russian suspension of its participation", U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. Guterres had delayed his departure for the Arab League Summit in Algiers for a day to focus on the issue, his statement added.