Podcasts about ukrainian black sea

In this episode we return in person to Ukraine, but we start in Ukraine's neighbouring state of Moldova, a fellow former soviet republic where we were joined by friend of the podcast Julius Strauss and Kimberley Reczek. Prior to our arrival they had spent the day in Transnistria, a tiny breakaway region of Moldova which is effectively controlled by Russia, they gave us some fascinating insight into this relatively unknown and fascinating region. We also document the first stages of our latest trip into Ukraine, with our first stop in the historic Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odesa. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - battlegroundukraine@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X: @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Geopolitical issues triggered spells of speculative short covering in futures markets this week. Trader concerns over the wider repercussions of a potential retaliation by Israel against Iran increased crude oil prices by over 3% on Monday to over $80/t, its highest since 19th July. This had a positive impact on other commodity markets, including wheat.Away from the tensions in the Middle East, Russian missile strikes on two Ukrainian Black Sea ports, including Odessa, resulted in damage to grain carrying vessels - another reminder of the potential risk around shipping from the world's cheapest wheat source. During 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/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an eventful week for the wheat markets, speculative fund short-covering spurred a sharp ascent, propelling London November 2024 wheat futures past £200/t - their highest level since 10th January. Geopolitical tensions and weather fluctuations initially fuelled the surge, although values retraced mid-week. Escalating missile attacks on the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa by Russia over the weekend, coupled with the US government's proposed $61 billion support for Ukraine's war efforts against Russia, prompted speculative funds to reduce their near-record short positions in global agricultural futures markets. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by James Rogers as the first large ship leaves a Ukrainian Black Sea port since Russia quit the grain deal. And Joana Ramiro has the latest as Brazil's Supreme Court prepares to vote on abortion rights. Plus: Andrew Mueller's musings on the week and we check in with Monocle's fashion editor, Natalie Theodosi, at Milan Fashion Week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swedish-Ukrainian company Grain Alliance has found a new route for its grain exports via Slovakia. China is one of the main recipients, but Russia is blocking Ukrainian Black Sea ports and therefore maritime shipments.

A cargo ship left Odessa, a Ukrainian Black Sea port, after being trapped there since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Lissitsa is an agribusiness expert, a Presidium member with the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club and CEO of the Warsaw-listed agricultural company IMC. He discusses the current Russian blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea grain exports and shipping and its impact on global food insecurity. www.linkedin.com/in/alex-lissitsa/

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.

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   

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   

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   

*) Israel-Palestine fighting in Gaza intensifies Israel continues with its air attacks on Gaza, killing at least 23 Palestinians, including 10 civilians and the head of Islamic Jihad movement's rocket-launching force. Palestinian armed groups have also launched volleys of rockets towards Israel. The United Nations condemned Israel, saying the country must abide by international humanitarian law, including the proportional use of force, and take all feasible precautions to spare civilians. *) Black Sea grain deal meeting begins in Istanbul The two-day talks for an extension of the Türkiye brokered Black Sea grain deal between Russia and Ukraine began in Istanbul on Wednesday, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said. Deputy defence ministers of the three countries met with UN officials to extend the deal from last July, which resumed grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports. So far, 30 million tons of grain have been transported to those in need under the deal, which is set to expire on May 18th. *) Pakistan deploys army to quell violence Pakistan's government has brought out the military in areas roiled by deadly violence following the arrest of former premier Imran Khan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the unrest by Khan's supporters "damaged sensitive public and private property," forcing him to deploy the military in the capital Islamabad, the province of Punjab and in volatile regions of the northwest. At least eight people have been killed, nearly 300 wounded, and over 1,900 detained across the country according to local media. *) Sudan's rival armies make progress in talks Talks between Sudan's army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Saudi Arabia have reportedly made progress, and a ceasefire agreement is expected soon. Envoys of the warring generals have been meeting in Jeddah since this weekend. During the fighting, which killed more than 750 people and wounded over 5,000, multiple ceasefires have been declared and flouted. Negotiations aim to secure an effective truce and allow access for aid workers and supplies. *) Microsoft signs deal with nuclear fusion company Nuclear fusion company Helion Energy has announced that it will provide Microsoft with electricity in about five years, in the first such deal for the power source. The nuclear fusion plant will target power generation of 50 megawatts or greater after a one-year ramp-up period. Government labs and more than 30 companies are racing to generate power from fusion, which could one day help the world slash emissions linked to climate change.

Wheat futures markets rose sharply earlier this week, with traders concerned over the flow of grain from the Black Sea. Prices increased by around 6%, with Russia casting doubt on its renewal of the Ukraine Black Sea export deal next month. Subject to the terms of the deal, vessels entering or exiting the Ukrainian Black Sea must be inspected. However, Russia has blocked inspections as vessels passed through Turkish waters for a second day, which has prompted Ukraine to say that the export deal is at danger of collapse. Russia warned that prospects of an extension to the deal will be low once its previous 60-day extension ends in the middle of May unless certain criteria are met in respect to Western sanctions. Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, will meet UN representatives next week. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kia ora,Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz.Today we lead with news wars and holidays are the features of today's roundup.First up today, it is a Federal holiday in the US, Columbus Day (which is morphing into Indigenous Peoples' Day in a growing number of States and communities). But many businesses there don't treat it as a day-off - and that includes the stock exchanges.Nor the currency markets of course, and the US Dollar is rising again and at a 20 year high. It is now +20% higher than a year ago. This is a sharp headwind against the on-shoring movement which is happening due to logistics pressures. It is also a sharp headwind against profits of American companies that have substantial international operations. It will only help countries hurt by a rising greenback if the domestic US economy stays healthy and imports more. So far, that has been the case. The domestic US economy remains the engine of the global economy.In Canada, it is their Thanksgiving Day holiday.In Ukraine, Russia is lashing out with indiscriminate bombing of population centers, using terror tactics in reaction for its invasion failures. This angry change is driving up the cost of wheat, with worries that that Russia could suspend the safe grain trade corridor from Ukrainian Black Sea ports that was agreed to in an UN-brokered deal. Prices have risen +15% in a month.In England, their central bank expanded its support of pension funds at the heart of their bond-market crisis even as borrowing costs jumped. It is a clear sign that stress in the British financial system isn't going away.In Sweden, they handed out the Nobel Prize in Economics to, among others, Ben Bernanke, the former US Fed boss. It is for research he did in helping build policy responses that protect jobs in economic crises. They were used widely in the 2020 pandemic emergency.In Australia, the AiGroup services PMI fell rather sharply, from a moderate expansion (53.3) to a contraction (48). The increasingly uncertain economic environment is dragging on their service industries. All services activity indicators have worsened in the last month. Lower consumer and business confidence following repeated interest rate rises and persistent inflation were major factors in the fall-off. The indicators for sales, new orders, and selling prices all fell, while input prices continued their upward march adding to inflationary pressures which is boosting nominal turnover levels.And staying in Australia, the OECD's chief economist has come out in favour of their Stage 3 tax cuts going ahead, on the basis that they will tackle the issue of bracket creep. He told the ABC. “This is important. High inflation means that people are getting pushed to high-income brackets even when the real income does not warrant that,” he said.The UST 10yr yield starts today at 3.89% and unchanged.The price of gold will open today at US$1668/oz. This is down -US$27 from this time yesterday.And oil prices start today down -US$1.50 from this time yesterday at just on US$91/bbl in the US while the international Brent price has risen to be just under US$96.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar will open today at 55.6 USc and a -½c lower from this time yesterday. Against the Australian dollar we are marginally firmer at 88.3 AUc. Against the euro we are -¼c softer at 57.3 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 66.2 and down about -30 bps.The bitcoin price is now at US$19,154 and -1.8% lower than this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just over +/- 1.0%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.And get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow.

World wheat markets continued to rise this week, driven higher by heightened tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Threats to the longevity of the safe Black Sea export corridor amidst the increasingly aggressive rhetoric from the Kremlin has encouraged further short covering and speculative buying of wheat futures. Over 210 vessels carrying agricultural produce have now left Ukrainian Black Sea ports since the UN-brokered deal was signed with Russia, but there is increasing doubt the deal will extend beyond the expiry of the initial agreement in November.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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest: Grain shipments from Ukraine are gathering pace under the agreement hammered out by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations in July. Russia's blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports had sent food prices soaring and raised fears of more hunger in the Middle East and Africa. At least 18 ships, including loads of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, have departed. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/you-betterknow4/message

The latest: Grain shipments from Ukraine are gathering pace under the agreement hammered out by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations in July. Russia's blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports had sent food prices soaring and raised fears of more hunger in the Middle East and Africa. At least 18 ships, including loads of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, have departed. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/you-betterknow4/message

*) Taiwan unveils record defence budget Taiwan has proposed a record 19 billion dollars in defence spending for next year. This comes weeks after China conducted large-scale military exercises around the island. China sees Taiwan as its sovereign territory. The proposed defence budget is an increase of almost 14 percent compared to last year. The double-digit increase includes an additional three and a half billion dollars in spending for new fighter jets. *) Türkiye: Grain deal could restart Russia-Ukraine negotiations Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that the landmark Türkiye-brokered grain deal could work as a platform to restart negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Kalin said Türkiye believes that the trust built between the two sides could in fact work as a platform to restart the negotiations. Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal last month to resume grain exports from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports. *) Ethiopia's government, rebels trade blame over renewed clashes in Tigray Ethiopia's government and rebels in the restive Tigray region have traded blame after fighting erupted, ending a months-long truce and severely denting hopes of lasting peace. The government accused Tigray rebels of carrying out attacks on Ethiopian forces near Kobo district and effectively breaking the cease-fire. However, the Tigray People's Liberation Front said Ethiopian forces have launched a “large-scale offensive” on rebel positions. *) Drought hits half of China in the worst heatwave on record Half of China is now experiencing drought as the country goes through its hottest summer on record. A chart from the National Climate Centre shows swathes of southern China, including the Tibetan Plateau, experiencing "severe" to "extraordinary" drought. Scientists say the extreme weather phenomena are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. *) Pakistan to send troops for FIFA World Cup security in Qatar Pakistan is set to provide its troops for the security of the FIFA World Cup scheduled to be held in November in Qatar. The Pakistani government approved the agreement between Pakistan and Qatar to provide troops for the mega event. The development came ahead of Pakistan's Prime Minister's visit to Qatar, during which the two countries reaffirmed their resolve to further enhance bilateral cooperation.

One grain ship leaving a Ukrainian Black Sea port was sufficient for world wheat futures markets to come under notable selling pressure this week. US Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat fell to a six-month low...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.

29/07/2022. The latest news from Australia, Ukraine and rest of the World. Millions of Australians warned of rising electricity bills as energy prices soar to unprecedented highs. The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its forecasts for the 2022 and 2023 Australian economy. United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths believes the first shipment of grain from a Ukrainian Black Sea port could take place as early as this week, but crucial details for safe passage of the vessels were still being worked out. The U-S economy shrinks for its second consecutive quarter, sparking debates over a recession. The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. More: SBS Ukrainian   - 29/07/2022.  Бюлетень SBS новин українською мовою. Ціни на електроенерґію зросли і зростатимуть - провайдери послуг кажуть, що через кризу і закриття вугільних ґенераторів-виробників енерґії, а уряд і опозиція мають свої погляди на ціни і обіцянки перед виборами. МВФ змінює і дає не дуже добрий проґноз для економіки Австралії. ООН про транспортування українського зерна. Чи буде рецесія у США? Ігри Співдружності починаються. Про це і більше - на веб-сторінці SBS Ukrainian...

Russian and Ukrainian officials have signed a deal to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the agreement would help ease a global food crisis. Its this a good thing? Will it actually happen?

Russian and Ukrainian officials have signed a deal to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the agreement would help ease a global food crisis. Its this a good thing? Will it actually happen?

Russian and Ukrainian officials have signed a deal to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the agreement would help ease a global food crisis. Its this a good thing? Will it actually happen?

Since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, Moscow's navy has blockaded Ukrainian Black Sea ports. Its impact is having ripple effects all around the world. Also, pandemic restrictions have prevented most asylum-seekers hoping to enter the US from Mexico from entering. The Biden administration tried to end the practice on Monday, but a judge in Louisiana blocked it, at least for now. And in Israel, the Palestinian flag is seen as a threat. Plus, extreme weather in Iraq is deepening inequality. Flooding and dust storms are disproportionately impacting poor neighborhoods that lack adequate infrastructure to cope. And finally, a Zulu musician from South Africa hopes to transport listeners to Mars.

The mayor of the strategically important Ukrainian Black Sea port of Kherson said that Russian forces were now in control - making it the first major city to be taken by the Russians. In a message posted on Facebook, Igor Kolykhaev wrote that Russian troops had forced their way into the city council building. However, we hear from Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Ukraine's former defence minister, who believes that the Ukrainian and Russian forces are still battling for control. Also in the programme, with Vladimir Putin's government imposing ever stricter measures on media outlets, we find out how the war in Ukraine is reported in Russia. And, we talk to Jason Hungerford, partner at London-based law firm Mayer Brown International, about the potential liability of crypto exchanges in the context of sanctions. Plus, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has announced he will sell Chelsea FC, which he has owned for almost two decades. We discuss the implications of this with Trevor Watkins, the Head of Global Sports at the law firm Pinsent Masons and a former Chairman of the English club AFC Bournemouth. Presenter Fergus Nicoll is joined by guests Alison Van Diggelen and Peter Ryan PHOTO: Reuters