Podcasts about ukraine's black sea

Turkey is joining forces with Bulgaria and Romania to clear mines from the Black Sea, which have posed a danger to cargo ships since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine. But Ankara, the gatekeeper to the crucial waterway, insists that it won't allow any other Nato countries to send warships to assist. In a ceremony in Istanbul earlier this month, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania signed an agreement to clear mines that the war in Ukraine has left in the Black Sea."With the start of the war, the threat of floating mines in the Black Sea has arisen," said Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler, announcing that Ankara had formed a mine task force with its Bulgarian and Romanian allies.Guler said the tripartite agreement was the fruit of months of diplomacy.With several cargo ships already hit by mines, they are an increasing menace to one of the world's most important waterways for exporting grain and energy."These sea mines are floating on the water. They are not stationary, and there is no telling when or where they might strike a vessel," explains Tayfun Ozberk, a former Turkish naval officer and now a defence analyst."This is a serious problem in terms of navigational safety, because the merchant ships can't detect these mines as they are semi-submerged in the water," he says."And when they do detect them, it might be too late for them to save themselves."Black Sea grain dealAnalysts say removing the threat of mines will significantly boost Ukraine's efforts to export grain to world markets after the collapse of a deal with Russia brokered by Turkey and the United Nations."Mine clearing is very supportive of maritime safety and navigation. I hope it is very beneficial for the Ukraine side in order to export their grain," says Mesut Casin, a professor of international relations at Istanbul's Yeditepe University and adviser to the Turkish president.Moscow is widely seen as threatening Ukrainian exports, saying it can't guarantee the safety of ships carrying them.But Ankara hopes increasing security for Ukrainian vessels could provide an impetus for Moscow to return to the grain deal with Ukraine.Casin believes mine clearing could push Moscow to rethink its stance. "Perhaps Russia may come again to the table," he suggests. France slams Russia's suspension of Black Sea grain deal as 'blackmail' Turkey may be key to salvaging Ukraine's Black Sea grain exportsTurkey as gatekeeperThree mine-hunting ships from each of the coastal countries and one command ship will be assigned to the new task force, according to the Turkish defence ministry.While the Turkish navy has modern mine-clearing capabilities, which Romania and Bulgaria will support, experts say the challenge facing the Nato allies is considerable."The locations and numbers of the sea mines are unknown, and you have to detect them first; you have to seek and destroy, and this will take time," warns naval analyst Ozberk. How one man's ship-spotting hobby is helping thwart Russian sanction-bustingWith the Black Sea a key trade route, the United Kingdom also offered Ukraine two mine-clearing ships – but Ankara denied them permission to transit its waters."There is some pressure by the Nato allies, such as the UK, to assist Ukraine militarily. But in accordance with the Montreux Convention, Turkey did not give permission," explains presidential adviser Casin.Turkey has controlled access to the Black Sea since 1936 under the international convention and has been blocking entry to all warships since the start of the war in Ukraine. Casin says that stance won't change, given its importance in containing the conflict."If you give this permission to British or American allies, then Russia will compete, saying, 'I am part of the Montreux regime, I will send new battleships'," he argues. "And this is the beginning of warfare in the Black Sea between Nato and Russian ships."While Turkey is a member of Nato, analysts say it is seeking to perform a balancing act between the two sides in the Ukrainian war in a bid to contain the conflict. Removing the danger of mines is seen as a small step towards that goal, albeit a vital one for world trade.

Narrative construction; Ukraine's Black Sea naval victory

As the Russia-Ukraine war stretches on, the Black Sea has emerged as a crucial theatre. Last week, Russia is reported to have attacked a civilian ship moored at Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa. Meanwhile, Ukraine claims to have used sea drones to sink two Russian vessels off Crimea, part of its continued attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet. In Ep 951 of Cut the Clutter — originally published 4 March 2022 — Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta explains why the Black Sea is a geopolitical hotspot.----more----Read ‘The Russia-Ukraine Conflict, the Black Sea, and the Montreux Convention' by Mark Nevitt here: https://www.justsecurity.org/80384/the-russia-ukraine-conflict-the-black-sea-and-the-montreux-convention/

Hope to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative has all but vanished in the wake of Russia's latest strikes on Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa and Ukraine's strike against Russia's naval fleet in Crimea. RFD Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports AgriGold Agronomist Brett Leahr talks about red crown rot showing up in central Illinois soybeans. Review of the weekly crop progress and conditions report Mark Henderson, WIFR Rockford. Part of his area is now extreme drought. Darin Newsom, important notes about this week's corn price action

Despite Russia facing ever-tightening sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, it has managed to keep up a steady trade with international markets, thanks to the Bosphorus waterway through Istanbul. RFI spoke to one man whose hobby is helping to thwart Russian sanctions-busting. Watching closely with his camera and telescopic lens, Yoruk Isik can see a Russian cargo ship announce its passage through the Bosphorus waterway on its way from a Black Sea Port to international markets."I'm interested in Russian foreign policy, and watching ships on the Bosphorus really gives clues about Russian foreign policy and what they are doing, who they're engaging [with]," Isik tells RFI."If there's a ship that I'm really, really interested in, I can go down by the water and take a better picture and explain the significance of it," he adds.Isik is an international analyst whose hobby for more than a decade is monitoring ships passing through Istanbul's Bosphorus waterway, known to locals as "the throat". West looks on as Turkey-Russia relations deepen following Sochi summit Turkey may be key to salvaging Ukraine's Black Sea grain exportsSpecial placeThe waterway divides the city of 20 million people between Asia and Europe and is the only outlet for the Black Sea."Here you can be in a cafe or tea house or walking on the street, and you can literally see the ships are passing, you know, hundreds of metres away from it. You can do without any special equipment. You can just read the ship [name], and follow the ship. So in that sense, it is a very special place," Isik says. He also points out that the waterway is essential for Russian trade and major military exports."All its military naval connection to the Mediterranean happens through the Bosphorus, and most of the ships passing in from the Bosphorus are related to Russia. This is the vital commercial and military route for Russia," he says.Russia also happens to be the world's most sanctioned country."Most of the people who are engaged in trade with Russia  are trying to hide their activities because they are worried that somehow some sanctions will come back and harm them," Isik says. Watching Russian shipsSince Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Isik has been focusing on Russian ships, working with an international network of volunteers and non-government organisations that share data online on their movement.Isik's website and Twitter have become a go-to resource for media. With ships often turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) that allows them to be tracked by international authorities, monitoring efforts by people like Isik are vital, say organisations that work to expose Russian sanction-busting ships."I think this ship monitoring is very valuable," explains George Voloshin, a global financial crime expert at ACAMS, a US-based watchdog."A common technique is to manipulate your AIS signal by just turning down your transponder or trying to manipulate it.""This makes it appear that the ship is in a different place, in a different location. All those leads are potentially valuable," he adds.Monitoring by the likes of Isik has helped expose Russia's exports of stolen Ukrainian grain and coal from Black Sea ports that it occupied in Ukraine.Moscow has denied the accusations. Turkish jurisdictionThe waters off Istanbul are under limited Turkish jurisdiction and are an international hub for hundreds of empty cargo ships and tankers that frequently change owners.Experts say this makes tracking difficult and creates conditions favourable to those seeking to circumvent a long list of sanctions."There are lots of ships here. There's a good ship market," says Isik."At the same time, Turkey offers major quality shipyards immediately to the east of Istanbul, actually violating sanctions more than the anchorage area in the shipyard. It's because Turkey is not part of EU and the US sanctions, which are not necessarily universal," Isik explains."We see many sanctioned vessels come in to get services from the shipyards to the east of Istanbul, and they are not breaking any domestic laws."Ankara refuses to enforce many international sanctions against Russia, claiming they're not bound by them. Trade between Russia and Turkey has surged since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is set to grow further, with Turkish and Russian Presidents committing themselves to increasing trade from $70 to $100 billion.That means more ships for Isik to follow. 

Recent tensions in relations between Ankara and Moscow had stoked hopes among Turkey's Western allies of a rupture in the close relationship. But a summit on Monday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin may have dashed those hopes, as they committed themselves to deepening their cooperation. Meeting at Russia's Black Sea resort Sochi on Monday, Erdogan failed in his bid to persuade Vladimir Putin to return to the 2022 UN-brokered Ukraine grain export deal as the Russian leader reiterated his stance that key sanctions against Moscow need to be lifted for any resumption of Ukrainian exports.Putin's rebuttal is a blow to Erdogan, given he was a key architect of the deal along with the United Nations Secretary general Antonio Guterres.But Erdogan's close relationship with Putin was seen to have cooled of late after he angered Moscow with his support for Ukraine's NATO membership bid.Bilateral cooperation securedBut the Turkish leader didn't leave the summit empty-handed, with the two leaders committing themselves to wide-ranging cooperation from tourism to energy to foreign aid.The bilateral deals will dash the hopes of Turkey's Western allies of a rupture in the Erdogan-Putin relationship."The Sochi meeting definitely demonstrated that the interaction grew between two sides between Russia and Turkey, and both sides are in certain way indispensable for each other," according to Russia expert Zaur Gasimov at Bonn University in Germany. "They continue to cooperate. They continue to interact. And a number of chapters in that book of cooperation between Moscow and Ankara grew tremendously since the last two or three years, and the Sochi meeting demonstrated that very clearly," Gasimov added.At the Sochi meeting, Putin said a deal between Russia, Turkey, and Qatar to supply a million tonnes of grain to six African countries was close to fruition – on Wednesday, Moscow confirmed Turkey's participation in the accord. Turkey may be key to salvaging Ukraine's Black Sea grain exportsFears of sanction 'loophole'Under the agreement, Turkey would process the grain into flour, with Putin adding that Turkey would also receive grain for its own market.  Experts warn, however, that Russia could use the deal to export stolen Ukrainian grain, breaching international sanctions, putting the spotlight on Ankara's stance of not enforcing Western sanctions against Russia – to which, Turkey says, it is not bound."Turkey is very important [to Russia]," said George Voloshin for ACAMS, a financial crime watchdog."There are many intermediaries in Turkey that help Russian interests, that help Russia procure goods from the West, including basic goods, as well as very sensitive goods."So it's really up to Turkey's government to make sure there's no re-exportation of European, American or UK goods into Russia. And I think there's a lot to do in this respect," added Voloshin.Since the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia, imports to Turkey from European countries have surged with a corresponding increase in exports from Turkey to Russia, fuelling suspicions companies in Europe are using Turkey to circumvent the sanctions. Erdogan hopes a U-turn can salvage Turkey's floundering economyTrade and infrastructure investmentsMeanwhile, Putin and Erdogan committed themselves to increasing bilateral trade from $70billion to $100billion, including turning Turkey into a regional hub for distributing Russian gas.The leader's discussions also included Russian companies starting construction of a second nuclear reactor in Turkey. Boosting trade and infrastructure investments are seen as vital for the ailing Turkish economy.Experts claim the Sochi summit characterized by smiling and relaxed leaders and a commitment to deepen cooperation underlines that despite recent strains between Ankara and Moscow, Erdogan is too important for Putin to lose."Putin cannot face losing Erdogan," says Columnist Ilhan Uzgel for the Kisa Dalga, a Turkish news portal. "So they [Moscow] tolerate anything Turkey is doing inside NATO membership. I mean, that is for sure."They don't care about what Erdogan is doing in his ties with Western countries and Western institutions," continued Uzgel. "They are more interested in what kind of cooperation they can have with Erdogan, and they cooperate in many, many areas."At least for now, some analysts say hopes of a diplomatic rupture between Ankara and Moscow are on hold, with Putin focusing more on areas of cooperation than points of difference.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast:(1) A leading HSBC Executive says the UK is 'weak' for siding with the US against China. (2) Speaking exclusively to Bloomberg, Israel's Prime Minister says he won't pursue his judicial overhaul in full. (3) Ukraine's Black Sea drone attacks point to a rapidly expanding war in the region. (4) Elon Musk says a potential cage fight with Mark Zuckerberg will be streamed on his X platform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank senior grains analyst comments on world prices, after Ukrainian ports were hit by Russian missiles and Russia's Ministry of Defence warned that all vessels travelling to Ukraine's Black Sea ports, including the largest port, Odesa,  will be considered as potential carriers of military cargo.  And could this grain supply crisis have a silver lining for New Zealand dairy farmers?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis made a direct call to Russia on Sunday to renew the deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain to countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. “I appeal to my brothers, the authorities of the Russian Federation, that the Black Sea Initiative be restored and grain be transported safely,” the pope said July 30 at the end of his weekly Angelus prayer and address. The Kremlin announced July 17 that the wartime grain deal would be suspended until “the part of the Black Sea deal related to Russia is implemented.” Russia has also bombed Ukraine's Black Sea ports since quitting the agreement. The move by Russia has sparked fears for even higher food prices and increased poverty in countries already suffering from hunger. Pope Francis also repeated Sunday his regular request for prayers for Ukraine. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254941/pope-francis-calls-russia-to-renew-ukraine-grain-deal World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, will take place in a few days, from August 1–6, and it promises to be unique in many ways. This is the first time WYD will take place in Portugal, the westernmost country in Europe with the oldest borders on the continent. It will be the second time that Pope Francis will visit Portugal; in 2017, he went to Fátima, one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, for the centenary of the apparitions there. He will pay another visit on this trip. The organizers of World Youth Day 2023 committed to promoting sustainability from the outset and are striving to fulfill this pledge. For those who can't travel to Lisbon and want to participate in WYD2023 virtually, there will be various ways to do that. Vatican News YouTube channel will be following all the events with the pope live. (Be aware of time zone differences.) WYD2023 social networks will also show, at every moment, everything that is happening. Be sure to follow the hashtags #WYD, #Lisboa2023, and #WYD2023. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254921/8-unique-things-to-know-about-wyd2023-in-lisbon Today, the Church celebrates Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The Spanish saint is known for founding the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, as well as for creating the “Spiritual Exercises” often used today for retreats and individual discernment. Ignatius was born into a noble family in 1491 in Guipuzcoa, Spain. He served as a page in the Spanish court of Ferdinand and Isabella. He then became a soldier in the Spanish army and wounded his leg during the siege of Pamplona in 1521. During his recuperation, he read “Lives of the Saints.” The experience led him to undergo a profound conversion, and he dedicated himself to the Catholic faith. The Jesuits remain numerous today, particularly in several hundred universities and colleges worldwide. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-ignatius-of-loyola-549

Russia's decision to walk out on a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to allow Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea has prompted fears of soaring prices and global famine. Turkey, the gatekeeper to the waterway, has a key role to play in finding a solution. The Turkish-flagged TQ Samsun was the last ship to carry grain from a Ukrainian Black Sea port under the deal that guaranteed safe passage to cargo ships leaving the war zone, after Moscow withdrew from the agreement earlier this week. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling for grain exports to continue through the Black Sea.Such a move would likely need support from the Turkish navy, which is second only to Russia in the Black Sea.  France slams Russia's suspension of Black Sea grain deal as 'blackmail'"I've been a proponent of this [Turkish naval support] from the very beginning," declares Yoruk Isik, a geopolitical analyst in Istanbul with the Washington-based Middle East Institute."There are some difficulties. The first one will be the insurance question. But we already hear from the Ukrainian government that it set aside a serious amount of money, like half a billion euros, to provide possible insurance."Isik also warned: "I think that Russia could do things that irritate Turkey, possibly in Syria and other places."Russian escalationMoscow warns that cargo ships attempting to carry Ukrainian grain will be considered hostile because they could potentially bear arms for Kyiv.After withdrawing from the grain deal, Russian forces have already started pounding Ukrainian ports. Russia defence ministry says navy carried out live fire 'exercise' in Black SeaBut it is not clear whether Moscow is ready for a confrontation with Turkey if it deploys its naval forces to protect ships carrying Ukrainian grain."They will try to create a hostile environment, possibly maybe dumping some sea mines," warns analyst Isik."But in reality, if Turkey is backing this trade [Ukrainian grain exports], I actually don't expect Russians will have either the ability or the desire to really confront the Turkish navy or the international vessels transiting on the western Black Sea," he added.But Ankara is wary of the risks involved, given the dangers of a possible confrontation with Russian naval forces."The Russian naval fleet is very powerful here, they have a lot of battleships; they have more than ten submarines here," explains Mesut Casin, an international security expert at Istanbul's Yeditepe University and adviser to the Turkish president."This could be a big headache for Nato and for Turkey's security, and this will trigger a kind of blowup in Turkey-Russian relations," he said.Turkey keeps the balanceIf Ankara doesn't offer assistance, other Nato members may want to step in to secure the continuation of Ukrainian grain exports, which experts say is essential to prevent surging food prices and famine in some parts of the world. Grain shortfall from Ukraine war exacerbates food insecurity in AfricaBut Turkey is the gatekeeper to the Black Sea under the international Montreux Convention on maritime traffic, and some analysts say it will be very reluctant to allow warships to enter the war zone."Those ships would make very easy targets," predicts Serhat Guvenc, a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, "and probably, their presence would not decrease but increase the risk of escalation between Nato and Russia."He adds: "That's the reason why Turkey has suggested to its allies and others that they should reconsider their plans to send in warships into the Black Sea." Erdogan weighs benefits of friendlier ties with Turkey's Western alliesSince the onset of the Ukrainian conflict, Turkey has blocked access to ships from both Russia and Nato countries, other than those that have ports on the Black Sea. The stance is part of what Ankara calls its balanced approach."Turkey is very, very careful here not to touch the security interest of Russia as directly as the United States and other European countries do," explains Huseyin Bagci of the Ankara-based Foreign Policy Institute."Turkey will have a unique position in this respect. As we say, neither West nor East but the Turkish security interest, which is keeping the balance there," Bagci said.Go-betweenTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims his close ties with his Ukrainian and Russian counterparts helped him broker the UN grain deal. Erdogan says he still believes Turkish diplomacy again can find a solution to avert escalating tensions."The Black Sea, even though a closed and small area, is one of the most dangerous areas in the world," warns presidential advisor Casin. "Someone has to open the gate with the Kremlin; this should be Turkey." Turkey maintains cordial links with Russia on first anniversary of Ukraine warTurkey, as the world's largest flour exporter and among the largest exporters of pasta, stands to lose if Ukrainian grain exports do not resume.With the Turkish waterways no longer full of ships carrying Ukrainian grain, world food prices are predicted to surge – along with pressure to find a solution.

Molly McKew joins Frank Salder, Andy Kroll, and Ron Steslow to discuss Russia's decision to halt Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports and its ramifications on the conflict and the rest of the world—especially Africa. She also addresses the US running out of the ammunition it pledged to Ukraine. What we read:  Bloomberg—US Suspends Wuhan Institute of Virology's Access to Federal Funding - Bloomberg Newsweek—Pentagon Making Race-Specific Bioweapons to Target Citizens, China Says NYPost—RFK Jr. says COVID may have been 'ethnically targeted' to spare Jews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has a plan to consolidate even more power if he wins in 2024. So, where's the political will to constrain such a power grab while there's time? Join our host, Ron Steslow, as he and guests Frank Sadler (Chief of Staff to Carly Fiorina) and Andy Kroll (Investigative Reporter at ProPublica) delve deep into these pivotal discussions. Segments to look forward to: (2:11) We dive into Donald Trump's announcement that he's the target of the grand jury investigation into 2020 election subversion, and other Republican candidates' reluctance to confront him. (12:23) We then examine Trump's re-election agenda to reshape the executive branch for more control over independent agencies, explore the 'unitary executive theory,' and consider the implications of Congress' failure to check growing executive power. (We'll also delve into Julian Assange's indictment for leaking classified materials.) (42:12) We inspect the Health and Human Services' move to halt funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology, probe the handling of the COVID-19 origin investigation, and discuss how failures in dominant media breed uncertainty. [Politicology+] Molly McKew joins the panel for this week's Politicology+ episode to unpack Russia's decision to halt Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports and its ramifications on the conflict and the rest of the world—especially Africa. She also addresses the US running out of the ammunition it pledged to Ukraine. Politicology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts. Follow this week's panel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://twitter.com/AndyKroll Related reading: Segment 1:  CNN—Donald Trump says he's a target of special counsel's criminal probe into 2020 election aftermath | CNN Politics NBC News—Trump lashes out after target letter from special counsel leading Jan. 6 probe CBS News—16 Michigan residents face felony charges for fake electors scheme after 2020 election - CBS News Segment 2:  NYT—Trump Plans to Expand Presidential Power Over Agencies in 2025 - The New York Times Rolling Stone—Biden's DOJ Is Pressuring Journalists to Help Build Its Case Against Assange Segment 3 Bloomberg—US Suspends Wuhan Institute of Virology's Access to Federal Funding - Bloomberg Newsweek—Pentagon Making Race-Specific Bioweapons to Target Citizens, China Says NYPost—RFK Jr. says COVID may have been 'ethnically targeted' to spare Jews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Today examines the events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.

Russia continues to attack Ukraine's Black Sea ports in what Moscow says is a retaliatory move. Various countries in Asia, Europe, North Africa and the Americas grapple with persistent heatwaves and torrential rains amid rising temperatures. Japan is pushing ahead with its plan to release one million tonnes of wastewater from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The World Today examines the events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.

Russia's defence ministry said that all ships bound for Ukraine's Black Sea ports would be considered “potential carriers of military cargo” starting at midnight on Thursday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia has attacked Ukraine's Black Sea port Odesa, a day after exiting a grain deal and leaving poorer nations in doubt over how to feed their people. President Joe Biden has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a visit to the United States – we look at why he's changed course after months of the cold shoulder. Plus, tourists to Europe are considering new itineraries as traditional hot spots such as Italy and Spain are becoming too, well, hot. And the race to perfect the AI assistant. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt-out of targeted advertising.

Nonprofitnewsfeed.com   Russia Pulls Out Of Black Sea Initiative Risking Global Grain Price & Supply Shock The Black Sea grain export deal, which has facilitated the safe export of grain from Ukraine for the past year and played a significant role in easing a global food crisis, is set to expire after Russia announced it would suspend its participation, as reported by Reuters and other outlets. The United Nations-brokered deal has enabled Ukraine to export approximately 32 million metric tons of corn, wheat, and other grains amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The end of this deal could have considerable ramifications for global grain prices, which had soared due to Russia's invasion in February 2022. A key Russian demand has been to reconnect the Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT international payments system, which the EU had severed in June 2022 due to Russia's invasion. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, run by the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, has seen over 32 million tonnes of food commodities exported from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports to 45 countries across three continents in the last year, significantly helping to reverse global food prices that had hit record highs shortly before the agreement's inception. Ukraine is a key supplier of grain on international markets and is relied on heavily by humanitarian organizations and NGOs, which had previously warned of dire consequences of a grain shortage for their operations.Read more ➝   Summary NYC nonprofits struggle to help existing clients, migrants | New York 1 UK charity foundation to abolish itself and give away £130m  | the Guardian New York's Public Theater Lays Off 19 Percent of Staff, Citing Reduced Audiences and Rising Costs | The Hollywood Reporter by Caitlin Huston   

Officials from Alberta Emergency Management Agency and Alberta Wildfire will provide an update on Monday regarding the Alberta wildfire situation.As of Monday morning, Alberta Wildfire had 95 wildfires burning across the province, 23 of which were listed as out of control.Officials continue to thank Albertans for being safe and requested people continue to take all measures to avoid human-caused fires, including abiding by the fire ban in effect, so that firefighters can continue to focus on the fires already burning.“Given the conditions, it is imperative that everyone continue to respect the fire ban and off-highway vehicle restriction that is in place,” Josee St-Onge, a spokesperson for Alberta Wildfires, said.St-Onge said there were over 1,500 Albertans working on wildfires, a number that includes firefighters, Alberta Wildfire staff and others.She said 284 firefighters from outside the province are also now helping and another 250 firefighters from Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Montana, South Dakota and Idaho have arrived in Alberta and will be deployed.Firefighters have been successful creating fire guards around the perimeter of fires, and they have been holding, St-Onge said. She added that crews will continue to be challenged, though, as temperatures and winds pick up.Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, noted that the humanitarian operating environment in Ukraine remains complex and dangerous. Nonetheless, he said, thanks to the courage of humanitarian workers, particularly and mostly local workers, the UN and its partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance to front line areas and wherever they are needed across the country. Mr. Griffiths also emphasized that food exported under the Black Sea initiative – and food and fertilizer exports from the Russian Federation – continue to make a crucial contribution to global food security. Over the past month, he said, we have unfortunately seen a significant reduction in volumes of exports moving out of Ukraine's Black Sea ports, due to challenging dynamics within the Joint Coordination Centre and a related slowdown in operations. Mr. Griffiths noted that in recent weeks, we have engaged in intensive discussions with the parties on the Black Sea Initiative, to secure agreement on its extension and the improvements needed for it to operate effectively and predictably, and that we will continue over the coming days. In parallel, he said that Rebeca Grynspan and her team have continued to deliver a wide range of support with concrete results under the Memorandum of Understanding on the facilitation of export of Russian food and fertilizer. He stressed that the continuation of the Black Sea initiative is critical, as is the recommitment by the parties to its smooth and efficient operation, and we call on all parties to meet their responsibilities in this regard. The world is watching, he said.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has received reports of deadly attacks across the country over the weekend. In addition to civilian casualties, there was damage to schools, hospitals and other critical facilities on both sides of the front line in eastern and southern Ukraine. In the city of Mykolaiv, an attack on Saturday damaged a bakery contracted by the World Food Programme (WFP) to supply bread to communities there and in the neighbouring city of Kherson. The vehicles used to store and transport bread were also damaged. Thankfully, the staff were safe and able to return to work.The Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, said that the humanitarian community will continue to support their courageous work being done by the staff working in that bakery in efforts to bring bread to front-line communities.Once again, the UN calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

As talks of Ukraine's counteroffensive ramp up, the UK has pledged to provide Kyiv with much-needed long-range missiles. Allies have previously restricted their support to shorter range weapons, with this new supply offering greater potential in Ukraine's fight. It comes as negotiations to extend Ukraine's Black Sea grain deal are yet to reach an outcome.

Episode 5 of a special six-part series of Lloyd's List Podcasts examining how the war in Ukraine has had a lasting impact on different aspects of the shipping industry. This fifth edition of the podcast looks the knock-on effect that Russia's war in Ukraine has had on trade in the Black Sea. To listen to the full series go to: http://bit.ly/3KbnQpS The headline creation of the grain corridor, allowing safe transport of grain out of Ukraine, rightly gathered headlines. It was an extraordinary and unprecedented agreement between enemy combatants. And the fact that it has seen over 25m tonnes exported to date has, quite literally, been a matter of life and death as well as a minor diplomatic miracle. But the initiative is deeply flawed and survives despite its status as a political bargaining chip and routine threats from Russia to shut it down. It is also only part of the story of Ukraine's Black Sea trades. Ukraine's seaports were effectively blockaded at the onset of the invasion, cutting off the country's major supply routes and rattling global markets. The government, in war mode, had to move quickly to keep goods flowing out to the foreign markets that rely on its key commodities, and establish alternative logistics chains so imports could reach the Ukrainian people. A handful of very small government-run ports along the Danube River emerged as critical hubs for wartime trade. The ports of Reni, Izmail and Kiliia, were the country's only operational ports up until the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and they continue to be the only ports where trade can flow unrestricted. These small river ports significantly boosted capacity throughout the first months of the war and have received heavy investment over the last year to improve operational efficiency. In this edition of the podcast Lloyd's List data analyst Bridget Diakun leads an expert analysis of the lasting impact the war has had on Ukraine's seaborne trade and the significance of the grain corridor Featured on today's edition of the podcast: • Katerina Kononenko, a port agent at Avalon Shipping, a shipping agency that specialises in the transit of vessels through the Sulina channel to ports in Romania and Ukraine, explains the significant role that Danube traffic has played in re-routing exports. • Yuliia Matalinets, surveyor at Odesa-based Lloyd's agents Eurogal talks about the rerouting of logistics lines through neighbouring countries. • Daniil Melnychenko a data analyst at Informall Business Group based in Odesa, walks us through the evolution of boxship trade in the Black Sea over the past year.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its occupation of large parts of Ukraine's Black Sea littoral zone caused serious problems for the exports of Ukrainian food worldwide. Although a “grain deal” was signed, it remains fragile, with Russia threatening to end it and blaming Ukraine for causing a food security crisis. In this episode of our “Propaganda Diary,” we analyze how Russia talks about the grain deal in its discourse to manipulate the global public and blame the victim. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld's chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analyst Alona Hryshko. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English about Ukraine, brought to you by Internews Ukraine. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. Support our humanitarian trips to the frontline areas: Paypal - ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

In this special episode, we look at one of the biggest supply chain challenges to affect both retail and global food supplies, in decades. Russia's effective blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports has forced it to seek alternative methods of exporting nearly 25 million tonnes of grains. With supply chain delays continuing to see global food prices soar, the pressure is on to find a solution. As a result, the European Commission recently launched the action plan ‘EU Ukraine Solidarity Lanes', which is aimed at facilitating the Ukraine's agricultural export and bilateral trade with the EU. A key part of this plan is to scale up rail freight and any other convenient transportation to unlock bottlenecks. But that is not without its challenges. It's led to concerted calls on for those within the logistics community to take part, contribute transportation equipment, and help open up freight corridors. To discuss how the ‘EU Ukraine Solidarity Lanes' plan aims to get Ukrainian agricultural produce back in motion, and the challenges that lie ahead, we're joined by guests Serge Schamschula, senior partner manager and Georgia Leybourne, CMO, at Transporeon – a key supporter of the EU Solidarity Lanes initiatives.

The first caravan of ships carrying grain has left Ukraine's Black Sea ports under a landmark deal to prevent a global food crisis.

The first cargo ship carrying grain from Ukraine is on its way to Lebanon. The ship left Ukraine's southern Black Sea port of Odesa on Monday.

Five months into Russia's invasion, Ukraine's military goes on the counteroffensive, including efforts to reclaim Kherson. And Russia has launched airstrikes on Ukraine's remaining Black Sea coast. And, ahead of Kenya's upcoming presidential election, Facebook is failing to detect hate speech that could fuel political violence in the country, according to a recent study by two nonprofits. A government agency is now warning that the platform could be suspended if they don't do better. Also, Zimbabwe's central bank this week launched gold coins as a way for people to park their cash and slow the demand for US dollars. But at $1,800 each, many are dubious about the plan and who can actually afford the coin. Plus, we hear the story of one woman who reclaimed her native language through immersion trips back to her birthplace, the Czech Republic.

This week, the world's wheat futures markets have recovered all the losses they took last Friday. Prices then fell sharply due to Russia and Ukraine signing a deal with Turkey and the United Nations (UN). The deal set out to ship trapped wheat and other grains and oilseeds from Ukraine's Black Sea ports. However, the market is now reacting to the reality that shipping through these ports will, for some time, be a slow process as there are challenges in securing the resources needed to resume operations whilst the hostilities with Russia continue. Russia launched a missile attack on a vessel in Odessa a day after the deal was signed, which highlighted the fragile nature of the agreement. A week later we are still waiting to see the first vessel to sail.During current intense volatility, markets can move significantly - sometimes in a matter of minutes and outside regular hours. Our MyFarm platform is free to Frontier customers and offers 24-7 access to market information and live grain prices, as well as the option to sell grain at a time that's more convenient. Find out more: www.frontierag.co.uk/myfarminfoFor other topical updates and advice from our experts, subscribe to our blog: www.frontierag.co.uk/blog/subscribeFollow Frontier Agriculture on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FrontierAg See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Fed is expected to announce an increase of up to three-quarters of a percentage point in its benchmark interest rate, triple its usual margin. Investors worry such aggressive action against inflation by the Fed and other central banks in Europe and Asia might derail global economic growth. China's government has rejected as a “political lie” a report by The Wall Street Journal that Beijing tried to recruit informants in the Federal Reserve system to obtain U.S. economic data. The report, citing an investigation by a Senate panel, adds to accusations of Chinese computer hacking and other efforts to steal U.S. commercial and government information. U.S. officials say they have little fear China would attack Nancy Pelosi's plane if she flies to Taiwan. But the U.S. House speaker would be entering one of the world's hottest spots, where a mishap, misstep or misunderstanding could endanger her safety. So the Pentagon is developing plans for any contingency. Britain's railway network has ground to a crawl after 40,000 staff walked off the job in a dispute over jobs, pay and working conditions. A giant Mega Millions lottery jackpot ballooned to $1.02 billion after no one matched all six numbers and won the top prize on Tuesday. People in a southwestern Japanese city have come under attack from monkeys that are trying to snatch babies, biting and clawing at flesh, and sneaking into nursery schools. The monkeys terrorizing the community are Japanese macaque, the kind often pictured peacefully bathing in hot springs. The intensifying rivalry between former President Donald Trump and his once fiercely loyal vice president, Mike Pence, has been put on stark display in Washington. The two gave dueling speeches Tuesday on the future of the Republican Party. Trump, in his first return to Washington since Democrat Joe Biden ousted him from the White House, repeated the false election fraud claims that sparked the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Pence, in a separate address, implored the party to move on from Trump's defeat. Both men have been laying the groundwork for expected presidential runs in 2024. A strong earthquake has killed at least five people, injured dozens and damaged buildings in the northern Philippines. Scientists say the 7-magnitude quake Wednesday morning was centered around Abra province in a mountainous area, where one person was killed and dozens of others injured. A man who attacked police officers with poles during the U.S. Capitol riot has been sentenced to more than five years in prison. The sentence that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan gave Mark Ponder on Tuesday matches the longest term of imprisonment so far among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions. Lots of baseball action Tuesday including the battle of New York and a possible All-Star catcher who might be traded soon. Also in football, a star wide receiver is signing with a new team and a young quarterback will soon undergo a surgical procedure.  Russia has targeted Ukraine's Black Sea regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv with airstrikes despite a deal that was supposed to allow grain shipments from ports to resume. U.S. consumer confidence slid again in July as concerns about higher prices for food and gas continue to weigh on Americans. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 95.7 in July from 98.4 in June, largely due to consumers' anxiety over four-decade high inflation. Stocks are closing lower on Wall Street Tuesday after Walmart warned that inflation is negatively impacting American consumers' spending power. Walmart shares plunged after the retail giant cut its profit outlook for the second quarter and the full year, saying rising prices on food and gas are forcing shoppers to cut back on more profitable discretionary items. Record rainfall caused widespread flash flooding across the St. Louis area early Tuesday, killing one person, displacing many others and prompting rescues from vehicles and homes. One person died when a car in St. Louis was found covered in more than 8 feet of water. Folk legend Joni Mitchell has performed her first full-length concert in nearly two decades. The Boston Globe reports she took the stage Sunday at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. A 102-year-old woman is being honored for her service with an all-female, all-Black military unit that got mail to U.S. troops in Europe during World War II. Romay Davis was recognized for her service during an event in her home of Montgomery, Alabama. The Biden administration is working to increase supplies of Monkeypox vaccine, which includes production in this country. Former U.S. women's national team star goalkeeper Hope Solo has pleaded guilty to driving while impaired, almost four months after she was found passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle in North Carolina with her 2-year-old twins inside. She was given 30 days' credit for time she spent at an in-patient rehabilitation facility. Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow are top contenders with seven nominations at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Both performers along with Drake, Bad Bunny, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Lizzo will compete for artist of the year. TBS is canceling “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” after seven seasons, removing a rare female voice from late-night TV. The channel in a statement Monday says it has made to make some difficult but business-based decisions as part of its new programming strategy. —The Associated PressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports on Russia-Ukraine-War-Odessa.

Russia and Ukraine, un the presence of the Turkish President and the UN Secretary General, signed a landmark agreement to open Ukraine's Black Sea ports for grain exports, raising hopes of easing the international food crisis exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. - Россия и Украина  при посредничестве президента Турции и в присутствии генерального секретаря ООН подписали знаменательное соглашение об открытии украинских черноморских портов для экспорта зерна, что дает надежду на уменьшение масштабов международного продовольственного кризиса, усугубленного российским вторжением в Украину.

*) Ukraine grain exports deal set to be signed in Türkiye An agreement to restart grain shipments from Ukraine is set to be signed in Istanbul — a move that could ease a global food crisis that has sent wheat and other grain prices soaring. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN chief Antonio Guterres will attend the ceremony, where officials from Russia and Ukraine will be present. Ankara and the UN have been working on a plan to export grain stuck in Ukraine's Black Sea ports due to the conflict between Kiev and Moscow. *) Sri Lanka gets new PM as security forces clear key protest site Senior Sri Lankan lawmaker Dinesh Gunawardena has been sworn in as the crisis-hit country's new prime minister. Seen as an ally of the Rajapaksa family, his appointment came hours after security forces cleared a protest site occupied by demonstrators angry at the Rajapaksas over a dire economic crisis. The 73-year-old Gunawardena is a school classmate of new President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was elected by lawmakers and sworn into office earlier this week. *) Israel's Supreme Court rules 'disloyal' citizens can be stripped of status Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that the state can revoke the citizenship of people who are involved in actions such as terrorism, espionage or treason. Thursday's ruling came after separate appeals in the cases of two Palestinian citizens of Israel. The court denied the removal of their citizenship, but said the practice itself was constitutional. It said the interior minister would have to grant permanent residency in such cases. Palestinian rights activists fear the law could be used "against Palestinian citizens of Israel". *) US Capitol riot probe slams Trump inaction, urges accountability A House panel probing the assault on the US Capitol laid out a searing indictment of Donald Trump's refusal to halt or condemn the violence and insisted he should be held accountable. Committee chairperson Bennie Thompson, speaking at the televised finale of a series of public hearings, said Trump "recklessly blazed a path of lawlessness and corruption" as he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 US election. Trump was “the only person in the world who could call off the mob” that stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, but he refused to do so for several hours, Thompson said. *) Conservationists: Tiger numbers rising, monarch butterflies near extinction There are 40 percent more tigers in the wild than previously thought, but they remain an endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The jump in numbers is due to improved monitoring, with a maximum of 5,578 tigers on the prowl, IUCN says. Habitat protection projects showed that "recovery is possible". The reassessment came as the IUCN updated its Red List of Threatened Species.The monarch butterfly is now classified as an endangered species due to climate crisis and habitat destruction.

Turkey said Ukraine and Russia will sign a deal on Friday in Istanbul to resume grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ukraine and Russia have agreed a deal to resume grain exports through Ukraine's Black Sea ports. What will this mean for Africa? We hear from the head of policy at the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod). Health workers in South Sudan have carried out the world's first mass vaccination drive to curb an outbreak of hepatitis E. And the Resident Presidents mull over the recent developments in Sri Lanka and the ousting of President Rajapaksa.

Tracey Allen and Ruhani Aggarwal discuss the outlook for agri markets after the collapse in prices in June and July. The confluence of macro headwinds from decadal highs in the US dollar, rising recessionary risks and fears of a return to COVID lockdowns in China, to sharp losses across crude oil markets have continued to override ags markets fundamentals and associated weather-related production threats this week. Material progress towards mobilizing the grain and oilseeds stored at Ukraine's Black Sea ports appears to have been made during discussions between military delegations from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations on Wednesday in Istanbul. This apparent agreement is not an indication of a normalization in Ukrainian export flows but certainly a step in the right direction for global food supplies.   Speakers Tracey Allen, Head of Agriculture Research, J.P. Morgan Ruhani Aggarwal, Global Commodities Research, J.P. Morgan   This podcast was recorded on July 15, 2022. This communication is provided for information purposes only. Institutional clients can view the related report at https://www.jpmm.com/research/content/GPS-4146561-0 and https://www.jpmm.com/research/content/GPS-4145982-0 for more information; please visit www.jpmm.com/research/disclosures for important disclosures. © 2022 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved.  

Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations are due to sign a deal aimed at resuming Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports.

On #TheUpdate this Thursday, Russia has pulled back its forces from a Black Sea island where they have faced relentless Ukrainian attacks, but is keeping up its push to encircle the last bulwark of Ukraine's resistance in the eastern province of Luhansk. Russia's Defense Ministry said it withdrew its forces from the Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island off Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa in what it described as a "goodwill gesture."

A global food crisis is looming as Russia continues to block grain from leaving Ukraine, sending food prices soaring. Moscow's blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports has brought exports to a standstill and Russia is now being accused of war crimes, with many countries facing starvation.

Fears of an escalating global food crisis are prompting the United Nations to devise a strategy to free up millions of tonnes of grain trapped by a Russian blockade in Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Talks were held between Russia and Turkey on a UN plan to restart Ukrainian grain exports. Western countries have accused Russia of risking global famine by shutting Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Arnaud Petit is executive director of inter-governmental group the International Grains Council, and discusses the challenges involved in getting Ukraine's grain supplies moving again. Also in the programme, the UN's World Food Programme is working with the California ride-hailing app Uber to use its technology to help move emergency supplies of food and water within Ukraine. The BBC's Zoe Kleinman explains how the software might help lower the risk of delivery trucks becoming targets, by enabling supplies to be moved around in much smaller vehicles. Plans for compulsory quotas for women in senior positions have been agreed by the European Parliament and EU member states. A third of all directors in companies employing more than 250 people will need to be women within the next four years. We find out more from Lara Wolters, who is a Dutch socialist member of the European Parliament, and who also led negotiations on the change. Plus, the BBC's Vivienne Nunis reports on concerns around oil development in the Congo basin which may threaten peatland storing 30bn tonnes of Carbon Dioxide. Today's edition is presented by Mike Johnson, and produced by Nisha Patel, Elizabeth Hotson and Gabriele Shaw.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been trying to control Ukraine's Black Sea coast while putting hundreds of ships delivering goods including food at risk. Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the news that nearly ninety fighters were killed in an airstrike on a barracks. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Dr. Rebecca Grant, National security analyst and FOX News Contributor, about the Russian strategy to take Ukraine's coast and why they want it so badly.    Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: War On Ukraine' https://listen.foxaud.io/rundown?sid=fnr.podeve Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EU oil ban ‘in days', Russia-China closer The European Union is likely to agree an embargo on Russian oil imports “within days”, as Moscow says it anticipates its economic ties growing with China after being isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine. The comments came as US President Joe Biden toured Asia, where he said he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan against Chinese aggression – a comment that seemed to stretch the limits of the ambiguous US policy towards the self-ruled island. A pledge by Denmark to send Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a launcher to Ukraine, announced by the United States on Monday. The Harpoons, made by Boeing, could be used to push the Russian navy away from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, allowing exports of grain and other agricultural products to resume. Don't allow a crisis to go to waste. The Russia/Ukraine war, Monkeypox/Covid pandemic are all used by puppet masters such as the World Economic Forum to shape the Global future. The end goal is a Global Government and a One World Leader. This is just my opinion. J Fallon Apple Music J Fallon Spotify J Fallon YouTube The Slippery Slope Apple Podcasts The Slippery Slope YouTube The Slippery Slope Stitcher --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jason-fallon/message

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been trying to control Ukraine's Black Sea coast while putting hundreds of ships delivering goods including food at risk. Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the news that nearly ninety fighters were killed in an airstrike on a barracks. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Dr. Rebecca Grant, National security analyst and FOX News Contributor, about the Russian strategy to take Ukraine's coast and why they want it so badly.    Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: War On Ukraine' https://listen.foxaud.io/rundown?sid=fnr.podeve Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been trying to control Ukraine's Black Sea coast while putting hundreds of ships delivering goods including food at risk. Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the news that nearly ninety fighters were killed in an airstrike on a barracks. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Dr. Rebecca Grant, National security analyst and FOX News Contributor, about the Russian strategy to take Ukraine's coast and why they want it so badly.    Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: War On Ukraine' https://listen.foxaud.io/rundown?sid=fnr.podeve Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses Finland and Swedish membership in NATO, key factors to consider as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ways the international community could break Moscow's blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports, continuing lessons from the war, what the Maginot Line can teach modern strategists and planners, and a look ahead at the week in Washington with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

Each episode of Reorg's weekly EMEA Core Credit podcast series features detailed discussion on issues and companies across the credit lifecycle. This week, we speak about: - German real estate group Corestate's options ahead of its maturity wall in 2022-2023; - Norwegian stressed seismic exploration group PGS, its capital raise and potential restructuring options - Russian attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea coast and their impact on credits we follow - The light dealflow and large OIDs in the current primary market. If you are not a Reorg subscriber, request access here: go.reorg-research.com/Podcast-Trial.

*) Russia announces 3-day #ceasefire for civilian evacuations in Ukraine's Mariupol Russia announces a three-day cease-fire for evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Ukraine's Black Sea port city of #Mariupol. In a statement, Russia's defence ministry said an evacuation corridor would be opened in the #Azovstal area "based on humanitarian principles". The humanitarian corridor will be opened for the evacuation of civilians, including workers, women and children, from the Azovstal plant site on May 5-7, from 0500 GMT to 1500 GMT, the ministry said. *) UN: More than 300 evacuated from Mariupol Over 300 civilians have been evacuated from Mariupol and other areas in southern Ukraine as part of a joint UN-Red Cross operation, the United Nations said. The evacuations came as Ukrainian forces inside Mariupol's Azovstal steel works said they were fighting "difficult bloody battles" against Russian troops. Mariupol is one of the most battered cities in #Ukraine. A group of Ukrainian forces are still holding out at the plant with hundreds of civilians trapped inside. *) UK votes in local elections with historic N Ireland result predicted Polls have opened across the UK in local and regional elections that could prove historic in Northern Ireland and heap further pressure on embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The contest in Belfast could see a pro-Irish nationalist party win for the first time in the troubled history of the British province. On the other side, poor results could reignite simmering discontent within Johnson's ruling Conservatives about his leadership after a string of recent scandals. *) Colombia extradites 'world's most wanted' drug trafficker to US #Colombia has extradited the world's most wanted drug trafficker, Dairo Antonio Usuga David, to the United States, where he faces indictments in three federal courts Colombian President Ivan Duque said that Usuga David is "comparable only to Pablo Escobar", referring to the late former head of the Medellin drug cartel. The former rural warlord had stayed on the run for more than a decade by corrupting state officials and aligning himself with combattants on the left and right. Usuga David and his drug cartel are accused of illegally bringing over 73 tonnes of cocaine into the US between 2003 and 2012. And, finally... *) Real Madrid beat Man City, to face Liverpool in Champions League final Real Madrid have fought back from the brink of elimination to beat Manchester City 3-1 after extra time in an enthralling and dramatic Champions League semi-final. City led 1-0 on the night when Riyad Mahrez scored after 73 minutes, but Real substitute Rodrygo equalised in the last minute of normal time. Five minutes into extra time Karim Benzema converted a penalty awarded for a foul on him and Real held the shell-shocked English side at bay to reach the final. Real, the record 13-times European champions, will play Liverpool on May 28 in Paris. #RealMadrid

This is our first voicemail from Olga. She's a university professor living in Odesa, a city on Ukraine's Black Sea coast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

APAC stocks traded mostly lower with the region cautious heading into month-end and following the Shanghai lockdown announcement.The next round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Turkey on March 28th-30th.US President Biden stated that Russian President Putin cannot remain in power; White House official later said Biden was not calling for a change of regime in Russia.European equity futures are indicative of a slightly higher open with the Euro Stoxx 50 future up 0.2% after the cash market closed higher by 0.1% on Friday.DXY climbed back above 99.0, EUR/USD is back on a 1.09 handle, USD/JPY rose above 123.00.Looking ahead, highlights include ASEAN summit, US 2yr and 5yr supply, Speech from BoE Governor Bailey.US TRADEUS stocks finished mixed on Friday with trade choppy as yields surged on hawkish Fed calls.S&P 500 +0.5% at 4,542, Nasdaq 100 -0.1% at 14,754 , Dow Jones +0.4% at 34,861, Russell 2000 +0.1% at 2,077.NOTABLE US HEADLINESWhite House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive for COVID-19 and last saw President Biden in a socially-distanced meeting on Saturday, but added that the President is not considered a close contact.GEOPOLITICSRUSSIA-UKRAINENEGOTIATIONS/TALKSUkrainian President Zelensky said he would like an all for all prisoner exchange with Russia and that they have handed over a list to Russia. Zelensky added that they will not sit down for talks with Russia if discussions are about "demilitarisation and some kind of denazification". Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to discuss neutrality and non-nuclear status if backed by security guarantees, while he added that a deal is only possible with a troop withdrawal and that he wants a compromise with Russia regarding Donbass.Turkish President Erdogan told Russian President Putin in a call that there needs to be a quick ceasefire with Ukraine and that they need to improve the humanitarian situation in the region, while it was also reported that the next round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Turkey on March 28th-30th.US President Biden said NATO is a defensive alliance and it has never sought Russia's demise and that “swift and punishing” costs are the only things that will influence Russia to change course. Biden added that US forces are in Europe to defend NATO allies, not to engage with Russian forces and stated that Russian President Putin cannot remain in power, although Biden later said that he was not calling for a regime change in Russia.White House official said President Biden was not calling for a change of regime in Russia and the US envoy to NATO also commented that the US does not have a policy of regime change in Russia. In relevant news, a Kremlin spokesman responded that it is not for US President Biden to decide and said the President of Russia is elected by Russians.German Chancellor Scholz said a regime change in Russia is not NATO's goal. Furthermore, Scholz said that Germany is considering purchasing a missile shield.US Secretary of State Blinken said Israeli efforts to mediate on Ukraine-Russia are important and closely coordinated with the US.DEFENCE/MILITARYRussia launched 70 missiles on targets in Ukraine on Saturday which was the largest daily amount since the war began, although reports added only 8 of the 70 missiles reached the target, according to Pravda with most shot down by Ukrainian defence.UK Ministry of Defence said Russia is maintaining a distant blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast and effectively isolating Ukraine from maritime trade, while it noted that Russian naval forces are continuing their sporadic missile strikes against targets throughout Ukraine. UK Defence Ministry also said Russia is stepping up attempts to encircle Ukrainian forces directly facing the separatist regions in the east, advancing from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south, according to Bloomberg.US is to provide an additional USD 100mln in civilian security assistance to Ukraine, according to the State Department.ENERGY/ECONOMIC SANCTIONSUS is to sanction companies providing technology for Russian military and intelligence services, according to a WSJ report late on Friday.Japanese Finance Minister Suzuki said the government cannot confiscate foreign central banks' reserves parked with the BoJ under current laws, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said they will revise FX control laws swiftly to strengthen sanctions against Russia and hope to submit a bill at the current parliamentary session.OTHERIranian Foreign Minister said that France, Germany and UK agree on the text and that the US ‘accepts' it must address some remaining issues, while he also stated that a deal hinges on the US removing the IRGC from the terror list, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, Iran's Foreign Minister said Tehran welcomes normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia and is determined to expand cooperation with Syria, according to state TV.EU's Borrell said a nuclear agreement with Iran is very close.US Special Envoy for Iran Malley said he can't be confident that a deal is imminent and said they also thought they were close a few months ago.US Secretary of State Blinken said a return to the JCPOA is the best way to put Iran's nuclear program back in the box and that US commitment to the principle of Iran never acquiring a nuclear weapon is unwavering, while he added the US will continue to stand up to Iran if it threatens the US and its allies.Israeli PM Bennett said that he hopes the US will heed calls against the delisting of the IRGC from its terrorism blacklist, while Israel's Foreign Minister said Israel and the US will continue working together to prevent a nuclear Iran.Two police officers were killed and four people were injured during a shooting attack in Israel's Hadera, which ISIS claimed responsibility for.North Korean leader Kim said North Korea will keep developing formidable striking capabilities and their self-defence force cannot be bartered nor be bought according to KCNA, while it was separately reported that North Korea is to accelerate the restoration of its demolished nuclear test site, according to South Korea press.APAC TRADEEQUITIESAPAC stocks traded mostly lower with the region cautious heading into month-end and this week's various risk events, while higher yields and a lockdown in Shanghai contributed to the headwinds for risk sentiment.ASX 200 shrugged off weak business confidence and was kept afloat by strength in mining stocks and financials.Nikkei 225 is set to snap its 9-day win streak and tested the 28,000 level to the downside.Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp. were mixed with early weakness in the mainland amid a two-stage lockdown in Shanghai after asymptomatic cases in the city rose to a record high and with data also showing a slowdown in Industrial Profits for February YTD. However, the PBoC's liquidity boost eventually helped stem some of the losses in China, while the Hong Kong benchmark recovered into the green with advances led by Meituan Dianping and Sinopec post-earnings.US equity futures were subdued overnight with price action rangebound at the start of a risk-packed week.European equity futures are indicative of a slightly higher open with the Euro Stoxx 50 future up 0.2% after the cash market closed higher by 0.1% on Friday.FXDXY climbed back above the 99.00 level amid the cautious risk tone and the recent hawkish Fed calls.EUR/USD retreated further beneath 1.1000 but eventually found a floor around 1.0950.GBP/USD remained weak with the government expected to consider proposals to address higher costs of living.USD/JPY rose above 123.00 after the BoJ intervened to protect its yield cap.Antipodeans were mixed with underperformance in NZD/USD after Westpac noted that financial markets seem to be overpricing the extent of RBNZ rate hikes during the next couple of years.SNB Chairman Jordan said Swiss inflation is high for Switzerland but low in international comparison, while they will make policy adjustments to keep inflation under control if needed and consider the inflation difference between Switzerland and other countries when deciding on currency interventions. SNB Chairman Jordan added that the nominal value of CHF is different to its real value and businesses can cope with a stronger nominal CHF due to higher inflation abroad. Furthermore, he added that CHF remains highly valued and that they are ready to intervene to prevent it from becoming too strong, while parity with EUR is symbolic but not economically important and they look at all currencies and inflation differences not just at the euro.FIXED INCOME10yr USTs were subdued on hawkish Fed calls, while the 5yr/30yr yield curve inverted for the first time since 2006.Bunds prodded Friday's lows and fell below 158.00.10yr JGBs were lacklustre as the 10yr yield approached the BoJ's yield cap which prompted the BoJ to step in with an offer to buy an unlimited amount of JGBs at a yield of 0.25%, although no one took up the central bank on its offer, while the 10yr yield later reached 0.25% which prompted the BoJ to announce a second special operation for today.COMMODITIESWTI and Brent futures were pressured at the open amid a lockdown in Shanghai and as reports suggested an Iranian nuclear deal is close with Iran's Foreign Minister stating that France, Germany and the UK agreed on the text.US Baker Hughes Rig Count (w/e Mar 25th): Oil +7 at 531, Nat Gas unch. at 137, and Total +7 at 670US officials are considering another US SPR release but nothing has been decided yet, while it could be more than the 30mln bbls released earlier in the month, according to a Reuters source.Saudi-led coalition said it began an operation to neutralise the targeting of oil facilities with the goal to protect global energy sources from hostile attacks and ensure supply chains, while it carried out airstrikes against sources of threats in Yemeni cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah, according to Al Arabiya.SGH Macro Advisers noted on Friday that Russia is in active talks with Asian partners about the possibility of sending further oil supplies to the Asian market, while SGH Macro understands that China will import at least 10mln tons of Russian oil on top of its original import plan for this year and Beijing sources said the price that Russia offered is equivalent to about USD 70/bbl which is to be settled directly in CNY and RUB.Qatar's Foreign Minister said the conflict in Ukraine and its geopolitical ramifications, is spurring some countries to explore new ways of pricing oil outside of the dollar, according to CNBC.US, UK and Japanese banks are considering jointly extending USD 1bln in loans to Kuwait Petroleum Corp to help in increasing oil production, according to Nikkei.Spot gold marginally declined with the precious metal subdued by a firmer greenback.Copper was subdued amid the cautious risk tone.CRYPTOBitcoin took a breather overnight after it gained throughout the weekend and briefly pared all its YTD losses.Exxon is reportedly utilising excess natural gas to mine Bitcoin.Florida Governor DeSantis said the state should allow businesses to pay tax in crypto.UK is to disclose cryptocurrency regulations proposals in the coming weeks, according to CNBC.NOTABLE APAC HEADLINESPBoC injected CNY 150bln via 7-day reverse repos with the rate at 2.10% for a CNY 120bln net injection.PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 6.3732 vs exp. 6.3719 (prev. 6.3739)Shanghai announced a four-day lockdown of its financial district and nine other areas, in which it is to lockdown each half of the city by turns for mass COVID testing beginning on Monday after the city reported a new record high of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.US FCC designated China Telecom Corp and China Mobile International USA as a threat to national security.BoJ offered to buy an unlimited amount of 5yr-10yr JGBs at a fixed rate of 25bps although no one took up the central bank's offer for unlimited 5yr-10yr JGBs. BoJ said it made the offer in light of recent moves in long-term rates and that they need to guide 10yr yield around 0%, while it later announced a second similar operation.DATA RECAPChinese Industrial Profits YTD YY (Feb) 5.0% (Prev. 34.3%)Australian NAB Quarterly Business Confidence (Q1) 9 (Prev. 18, Rev. 14)EUROPENOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINESUK PM Johnson is expected to hold discussions with senior cabinet ministers this week regarding plans to address rising bills and bolster the country's energy security, according to The Observer.UK Chancellor Sunak is considering proposals for a new council tax rebate after his Spring statement failed to ease panic in Downing Street regarding the spiralling cost of living crisis, according to Sunday Times.German Chancellor Scholz said the ruling coalition has an agreement on debt brake and tax hikes, while he added that all parties will stick with them.ECB President Lagarde said euro area growth could be as low as 2.4% this year in a severe scenario due to the war and that inflation is expected to decrease and settle at levels around the 2% target in 2024 in all their scenarios, while she also commented that they stand ready to revise the schedule for net asset purchases in terms of size and duration.

European bourses are firmer, extending on overnight futures performance, shrugging off a downbeat APAC handover amid COVID concerns.Stateside, futures are contained/marginally softer ahead of a quiet schedule and after a mixed close on Friday; NQ, -0.3%, modestly lags amid yield action.Russian Kremlin said face-to-face talks in Turkey with Ukraine are unlikely to commence on Monday, may start on Tuesday.AAPL intends to make ~20% less iPhone SE's next quarter than was originally planned, via Nikkei; while TSLA is seeking a stock split.DXY surpasses 99.00 while JPY lags amid BoJ JBG intervention, core-debt pulls back with curves flatter or more inverted pre-supply.WTI and Brent are clipped amid COVID measures from China and progress on the JCPOA; currently, off lows of USD 108.28/bbl and USD 115.32/bbl respectively.Looking ahead, highlights include the ASEAN summit, US Auctions & a speech from BoE Governor Bailey.As of 11:15BST/06:15EDTLOOKING AHEADASEAN summit, US Auctions & a speech from BoE Governor Bailey.Click here for the Week Ahead preview.GEOPOLITICSRUSSIA-UKRAINENEGOTIATIONS/TALKSUkrainian President Zelensky said he would like an all for all prisoner exchange with Russia and that they have handed over a list to Russia. Zelensky added that they will not sit down for talks with Russia if discussions are about "demilitarisation and some kind of denazification". Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to discuss neutrality and non-nuclear status if backed by security guarantees, while he added that a deal is only possible with a troop withdrawal and that he wants a compromise with Russia regarding Donbass.Ukrainian Interior Ministry Advisor says he expects no major breakthrough at peace discussions.Turkish President Erdogan told Russian President Putin in a call that there needs to be a quick ceasefire with Ukraine and that they need to improve the humanitarian situation in the region, while it was also reported that the next round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Turkey on March 28th-30th.Senior Turkish official says that talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators will begin in Istanbul later today. However, the Russian Kremlin said talks are unlikely to commence on Monday, may start on Tuesday. No substantial achievements/breakthroughs in talks, no progress re. a potential Putin-Zelensky meeting.Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov says President Putin never refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky, but since meetings must be well prepared, a (presidential) meeting to exchange views at this time would be counter-productive.Ukraine's Deputy PM says that no humanitarian corridors will be opened today as intelligence suggested potential Russian provocations on corridor routes.OTHER OFFICIALSUS President Biden said NATO is a defensive alliance and it has never sought Russia's demise and that “swift and punishing” costs are the only things that will influence Russia to change course. Biden added that US forces are in Europe to defend NATO allies, not to engage with Russian forces and stated that Russian President Putin cannot remain in power, although Biden later said that he was not calling for a regime change in Russia.White House official said President Biden was not calling for a change of regime in Russia and the US envoy to NATO also commented that the US does not have a policy of regime change in Russia. In relevant news, a Kremlin spokesman responded that it is not for US President Biden to decide and said the President of Russia is elected by Russians.German Chancellor Scholz said a regime change in Russia is not NATO's goal. Furthermore, Scholz said that Germany is considering purchasing a missile shield.US Secretary of State Blinken said Israeli efforts to mediate on Ukraine-Russia are important and closely coordinated with the US.DEFENCE/MILITARYRussia launched 70 missiles on targets in Ukraine on Saturday which was the largest daily amount since the war began, although reports added only 8 of the 70 missiles reached the target, according to Pravda with most shot down by Ukrainian defence.UK Ministry of Defence said Russia is maintaining a distant blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast and effectively isolating Ukraine from maritime trade, while it noted that Russian naval forces are continuing their sporadic missile strikes against targets throughout Ukraine. UK Defence Ministry also said Russia is stepping up attempts to encircle Ukrainian forces directly facing the separatist regions in the east, advancing from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south, according to Bloomberg.US is to provide an additional USD 100mln in civilian security assistance to Ukraine, according to the State Department.Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister said that Russian forces are regrouping but not able to advance anywhere within Ukraine, via Reuters. Subsequently, reports suggest that Russia is attacking to the east and northwest of Kyiv, trying to take key roads and settlements, according to a war reporter based in UkraineENERGY/ECONOMIC SANCTIONSUS is to sanction companies providing technology for Russian military and intelligence services, according to a WSJ report late on Friday.Japanese Finance Minister Suzuki said the government cannot confiscate foreign central banks' reserves parked with the BoJ under current laws, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said they will revise FX control laws swiftly to strengthen sanctions against Russia and hope to submit a bill at the current parliamentary session.Russian Kremlin says President Putin has instructed the CBR and Gazprom to use the RUB in gas sale transactions to unfriendly nations by March 31st, via AJA Breaking.OTHERIranian Foreign Minister said that France, Germany and UK agree on the text and that the US ‘accepts' it must address some remaining issues, while he also stated that a deal hinges on the US removing the IRGC from the terror list, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, Iran's Foreign Minister said Tehran welcomes normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia and is determined to expand cooperation with Syria, according to state TV.EU's Borrell said a nuclear agreement with Iran is very close.US Special Envoy for Iran Malley said he can't be confident that a deal is imminent and said they also thought they were close a few months ago.US Secretary of State Blinken said a return to the JCPOA is the best way to put Iran's nuclear program back in the box and that US commitment to the principle of Iran never acquiring a nuclear weapon is unwavering, while he added the US will continue to stand up to Iran if it threatens the US and its allies.Israeli PM Bennett said that he hopes the US will heed calls against the delisting of the IRGC from its terrorism blacklist, while Israel's Foreign Minister said Israel and the US will continue working together to prevent a nuclear Iran.Two police officers were killed and four people were injured during a shooting attack in Israel's Hadera, which ISIS claimed responsibility for.North Korean leader Kim said North Korea will keep developing formidable striking capabilities and their self-defence force cannot be bartered nor be bought according to KCNA, while it was separately reported that North Korea is to accelerate the restoration of its demolished nuclear test site, according to South Korea press.EUROPEAN TRADEEQUITIESEuropean bourses are firmer, extending on the pre-open futures performance, shrugging off a downbeat APAC handover amid COVID concerns.Sectors are primarily in the green though Tech and Energy names lag amid Apple and crude benchmark action, respectively.Stateside, futures are contained/marginally softer ahead of a quiet schedule and after a mixed close on Friday; NQ, -0.3%, modestly lags amid yield action.Apple (AAPL) intends to make ~20% less iPhone SE's next quarter than was originally planned, via Nikkei; reducing iPhone and AirPods output amid Ukraine war uncertainty. -1.8% in pre-marketTesla (TSLA) is to ask shareholders to vote on more shares for a stock split, according to Bloomberg. +3.6% in pre-marketClick here for more detail.FXBoJ intervenes to curb JGB yield but waves green light to further Yen weakness, USD/JPY breaches barriers from 123.50 all the way up through 125.00 before easing back.DXY tops 99.000 and mid-March high to expose Y-T-D peak as US Treasuries continue to sink and the curve flattens or inverts.Aussie maintains momentum on commodity related grounds, while Kiwi is hampered by less hawkish RBNZ outlook from Westpac; AUD/USD approaches 0.7550, NZD/USD hovers under 0.6950 and AUD/NZD tests 1.0850.Euro underpinned by EUR/JPY cross demand, EUR/USD recovers from sub-1.0950 to get close to 1.1000 at best.Loonie and Nokkie undermined by hefty retreat in WTI and Brent, USD/CAD circa 1.2485 and EUR/NOK around 9.4700.Franc softer after SNB President repeats that nominal value is not the same as real and inflation differentials are impacting moves, USD/CHF circa 0.9350 and EUR/CHF above 1.0250.SNB Chairman Jordan said Swiss inflation is high for Switzerland but low in international comparison, while they will make policy adjustments to keep inflation under control if needed and consider the inflation difference between Switzerland and other countries when deciding on currency interventions. SNB Chairman Jordan added that the nominal value of CHF is different to its real value and businesses can cope with a stronger nominal CHF due to higher inflation abroad. Furthermore, he added that CHF remains highly valued and that they are ready to intervene to prevent it from becoming too strong, while parity with EUR is symbolic but not economically important and they look at all currencies and inflation differences not just at the euro.Japanese Former currency diplomat Sakakibara (aka Mr Yen) says that the current weak JPY benefits the Japanese economy but further advances beyond 130 vs. the USD would cause issues, via Reuters.Click here for more detail.Notable FX Expiries, NY Cut:USD/CAD: 1.2545-55 (1.0BN), 1.2650 (336M)Click here for more detail.FIXED INCOMEBonds buckle again as the bear trend continuesCurves flatter or more inverted amidst a front-loaded and shorter-dated supply scheduleJGBs hold up a bit better as BoJ offers to buy unlimited amounts in defence of its YCT through to month/fy-endClick here for more detail.COMMODITIESWTI and Brent are clipped amid COVID measures from China and progress on the JCPOA; currently, off lows of USD 108.28/bbl and USD 115.32/bbl respectively.Saudi-led coalition said it began an operation to neutralise the targeting of oil facilities with the goal to protect global energy sources from hostile attacks and ensure supply chains, while it carried out airstrikes against sources of threats in Yemeni cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah, according to Al Arabiya.SGH Macro Advisers noted on Friday that Russia is in active talks with Asian partners about the possibility of sending further oil supplies to the Asian market, while SGH Macro understands that China will import at least 10mln tons of Russian oil on top of its original import plan for this year and Beijing sources said the price that Russia offered is equivalent to about USD 70/bbl which is to be settled directly in CNY and RUB.Qatar's Foreign Minister said the conflict in Ukraine and its geopolitical ramifications, is spurring some countries to explore new ways of pricing oil outside of the dollar, according to CNBC.UAE Energy Minister says everyone is saying to raise production, but financial institutions are hesitant to finance many oil/gas projects globally.US, UK and Japanese banks are considering jointly extending USD 1bln in loans to Kuwait Petroleum Corp to help in increasing oil production, according to Nikkei.Spot gold/silver are hampered amid broader price action and as other havens, particularly JPY and core-debt, experience marked weakness.Click here for more detail.NOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINESUK PM Johnson is expected to hold discussions with senior cabinet ministers this week regarding plans to address rising bills and bolster the country's energy security, according to The Observer.UK Chancellor Sunak is considering proposals for a new council tax rebate after his Spring statement failed to ease panic in Downing Street regarding the spiralling cost of living crisis, according to Sunday Times.German Chancellor Scholz said the ruling coalition has an agreement on debt brake and tax hikes, while he added that all parties will stick with them.ECB President Lagarde said euro area growth could be as low as 2.4% this year in a severe scenario due to the war and that inflation is expected to decrease and settle at levels around the 2% target in 2024 in all their scenarios, while she also commented that they stand ready to revise the schedule for net asset purchases in terms of size and duration.NOTABLE US HEADLINES:White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive for COVID-19 and last saw President Biden in a socially-distanced meeting on Saturday, but added that the President is not considered a close contact.Click here for the US Early Morning NoteCRYPTOExxon is reportedly utilising excess natural gas to mine Bitcoin.Florida Governor DeSantis said the state should allow businesses to pay tax in crypto.UK is to disclose cryptocurrency regulations proposals in the coming weeks, according to CNBC.APAC TRADEEQUITIESAPAC stocks traded mostly lower with the region cautious heading into month-end and this week's various risk events, while higher yields and a lockdown in Shanghai contributed to the headwinds for risk sentiment.ASX 200 shrugged off weak business confidence and was kept afloat by strength in mining stocks and financials.Nikkei 225 is set to snap its 9-day win streak and tested the 28,000 level to the downside.Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp. were mixed with early weakness in the mainland amid a two-stage lockdown in Shanghai after asymptomatic cases in the city rose to a record high and with data also showing a slowdown in Industrial Profits for February YTD. However, the PBoC's liquidity boost eventually helped stem some of the losses in China, while the Hong Kong benchmark recovered into the green with advances led by Meituan Dianping and Sinopec post-earnings.NOTABLE APAC HEADLINESPBoC injected CNY 150bln via 7-day reverse repos with the rate at 2.10% for a CNY 120bln net injection.PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 6.3732 vs exp. 6.3719 (prev. 6.3739)Shanghai announced a four-day lockdown of its financial district and nine other areas, in which it is to lockdown each half of the city in turns for mass COVID testing beginning on Monday after the city reported a new record high of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.US FCC designated China Telecom Corp and China Mobile International USA as a threat to national security.BoJ offered to buy an unlimited amount of 5yr-10yr JGBs at a fixed rate of 25bps although no one took up the central bank's offer for unlimited 5yr-10yr JGBs. BoJ said it made the offer in light of recent moves in long-term rates and that they need to guide 10yr yield around 0%, while it later announced a second similar operation.BoJ is to conduct bond buying operations for consecutive days; March 29th to 31st, to conduct unlimited fixed-rate purchase operations for 10yr JGBs at a yield of 0.25%.DATA RECAPChinese Industrial Profits YTD YY (Feb) 5.0% (Prev. 34.3%)Australian NAB Quarterly Business Confidence (Q1) 9 (Prev. 18, Rev. 14)

Sostieni Liberi Oltre le Illusioni diventando socio: vai su www.liberioltreleillusioni.it nella sezione "ASSOCIATI" e diventa socio. Ti aspettiamo #rassegnastampa #ucraina #russia Ukrainian rebel region Luhansk may vote to join Russia https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-rebel-region-may-hold-referendum-joining-russia-2022-03-27/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10656875/Leader-rebel-held-Luhansk-eastern-Ukraine-set-hold-referendum-joining-Russia.html "I think that in the near future a referendum will be held on the territory of the republic. The people will exercise their ultimate constitutional right and express their opinion on joining the Russian Federation." said Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic. Forze Russe Non Ancora Circondate a Hostomel https://twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1508111638381092869?s=20&t=Q7VCBq-pqZH2eNo11sXxIQ Governo Ucraino Chiede di Boicottare Alcune Compagnie Francesi Apparently, job losses in Russia are more important than the loss of life in Ukraine. If Auchan ignores 139 Ukrainian children murdered during this month of Russian invasion, let us ignore Auchan and all their products. Boycott @AUCHAN_France @alcampo @Leroymerlinfr @Decathlon https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1508050539887669255?s=20&t=Q7VCBq-pqZH2eNo11sXxIQ Zelensky Intervistato da Giornalisti Russi (Meduza, Novaya Gazeta…) https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1508129409072566276?s=20&t=Q7VCBq-pqZH2eNo11sXxIQ (VEDERE NOTIZIA 6B SOTTO PER DETTAGLI) Zelenskiy: Ukraine ready to discuss adopting neutral status in Russia peace deal Zelenskiy was speaking to Russian journalists in a 90 minute video call, an interview that Moscow authorities had pre-emptively warned Russian media to refrain from reporting [...] Intervista completa (messa anche in approfondimenti e sottotitolata in inglese): https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=n0jyxLQ2Z5o Informazioni approfondite qui: https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-27 Biden says he is not calling for regime change in Russia https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-envoy-nato-no-american-policy-regime-change-russia-2022-03-27/ UK Intelligence Update on Ukraine: Russia is maintaining a distant blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast, effectively isolating Ukraine from international maritime trade. Russian naval forces are also continuing to conduct sporadic missile strikes against targets throughout Ukraine. The destruction of the Saratov landing ship at Berdyansk will likely damage the confidence of the Russian Navy to conduct operations in close proximity to the coast of Ukraine in the future. ----------------------------

Still recovering from his immersion in Sigmund Freud, Jacke looks instead to one of the world's great literary cities: Odessa. More than 300 writers have lived in, traveled through, and/or written about Ukraine's "pearl of the Black Sea" - what did they find so compelling? And what did they write about afterwards? PLUS we continue our conversation with Scottish novelist Margot Livesey, who has been reading Boswell's Life of Johnson, generally considered one of the greatest biographies ever written (and one of Jacke's favorite books). Additional listening suggestions: Weeping for Gogol Natalia Ginzburg Chekhov's "The Lady with the Little Dog" Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/shop. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russian forces have destroyed over 90 percent of Mariupol - pummelling the the southern port city with rockets and missiles and cutting off access to electricity, water and supplies. If Mariupol is seized, Russia will gain control of 80 percent of Ukraine's Black Sea coastline - cutting-off its maritime trade. Western leaders are preparing further sanctions on Russia and France says there's no ceasefire agreement in sight. Worldwatch's Perlina Lau reports.

Odesa, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, is a fabled city of what historian Timothy Snyder calls the Bloodlands. Part of Odesa's legend was created by Jewish author Isaac Babel's story collection, Odessa Stories. Today the city is a prime objective for the current Russian invasion and while waiting for the assault to begin, FRDH host Michael Goldfarb, reads one of Babel's stories written nearly 100 years ago that looks at incomprehensible violence through a child's eyes. Think of the children's eyes you see in today's news photos as you listen.

Russian forces have captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine - the largest nuclear power plant in Europe - after firing on it. There's widespread condemnation at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Also in the programme: defiance from the Mayor of Ukraine's Black Sea port of Mykolaiv as Russian forces attack; and Moscow passes a new law threatening up to 15 years in prison for spreading "fake" information about the invasion. The editor of a Russian TV channel forced to close tells us why he and other independent journalists are leaving the country. (Image: surveillance camera footage shows a flare landing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant during shelling, Ukraine, 04 March 2022 / Credit: EPA / Zaporizhzhya NPP)

Ukraine's Black Sea NATO dilemma The Duran: Episode 1025 Vladimir Putin says US and UK both behind Black Sea 'provocation' https://www.euronews.com/2021/06/30/vladimir-putin-says-us-and-uk-both-behind-black-sea-provocation #NATO #Ukraine #Russia #TheDuran