20: Ukraine

Why Russia pulled out of its grain deal with Ukraine – and what that means for the global food system From 2019 to 2022, more than 122 million people were driven into hunger by a combination of the impacts of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine ........ The World Food Program, the world’s largest humanitarian agency, purchased 80% of its wheat from Ukraine. ........ But on July 17, 2023, it said it’s unwilling to stay in the deal unless its demands are met to ship more of its own food and fertilizer. Over the following two days, it attacked Odesa with drones and missiles in one of the largest sustained assaults on the port. Russia also said it would deem any ship in the Black Sea bound for a Ukrainian port to be a legitimate military target........ While Russia has extended the deal after previous threats, this time may be different. Russian strikes caused extensive damage to Odesa, which may severely limit Ukraine’s ability to export through the port in the future – deal or no deal.

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Workers doubt they can retire: Poll One in five Americans doesn't think they will ever retire, while only half feel like they can save for the future, per a new Axios-Ipsos poll. Just over a third of people nearing "typical" retirement age — 55 and over — believe they'll be able to retire when they expected to. While most workers say they want to retire someday, "roughly half the workforce, we’re talking 50 plus million people, work for an employer that doesn’t offer a retirement plan," says a senior policy advisor at AARP. But good news for those who've managed to retire: 68% say they feel better than ever. .



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