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Russia quit its grain deal with Ukraine. The agreement, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last year, had been stabilizing global food prices and supply.
China recorded its hottest temperature ever. The township of Sanbao in Xinjiang’s Turpan Depression hit 52.2°C (126°F) on July 16, fueling fears of a repeat drought in the area.
Sony signed a deal with Microsoft. The Japanese company accepted a 10-year binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition, the deadline for which is today.
Ford cut prices for its F-150 electric trucks. The most affordable Lightning model is now under $50,000.
The G20’s actions (or lack of) on global debt relief are loud
Here’s one way to show you’re not taking the debts of low- to middle-income countries seriously: Don’t show up to talk about it.
At yesterday’s G20 gathering of finance leaders, German and British finance ministers were absent from a meeting to discuss restructuring the debts of Sri Lanka and Ghana. Argentina, Brazil, France, and Mexico only sent junior officials.
It’s not like they were starting from scratch. Last month, a deal was made to restructure $6.3 billion of Zambia’s $8 billion debt. The country could have been a blueprint for the G20’s treatment of other poor country debts, but no breakthrough was reached.
Charted: Canada’s wildfire problem is getting worse
There are now 880 wildfires burning across Canada, and 580 of them out of control. Read more about what that means for air quality in the US.
One big number: 8,000
Employees that work for Danone Russia, the country’s largest dairy company
The future of the company—a subsidiary of the French food and drinks giant Danone—is up in the air after the Kremlin seized control of its operations.
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Surprising discoveries
A massive copper-colored cylinder washed up on the shore of Western Australia. Its origin is unknown, but it could be part of an Indian rocket.
It’s still illegal for unmarried men and women to live together in one US state. Michigan just ended the rule for its residents, leaving Mississippi to hold the extremely outdated line.
An iPhone from 2007 sold for $190,000. That’s nearly 400 times its original price.
China’s foreign minister hasn’t been seen in public for three weeks. Qin Gang’s absence comes even as leaders from the US visit with government leaders.
Four of Taylor Swift’s albums are in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 list. No female artist has ever achieved that before.
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