🥁 Axios PM: Food supply alarm

Plus: Batman stamina | Monday, March 07, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Amazon   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Mar 07, 2022 Good afternoon: Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 493 words, a 2-minute read. 🏁 Debuting tonight: We're launching Finish Line, a four-nights-a-week newsletter by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei, business reporter Erica Pandey and me. Why it matters: This new newsletter (which you'll get as part of your PM subscription) will be short, essential and aspirational — tips & tricks for thinking smarter about life and the big trends shaping it.     1 big thing: Food supply alarm Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Russia's invasion of Ukraine is threatening the global food supply. The big picture: The two countries combine for nearly 1/3 of global wheat and barley exports, AP reports. Ukraine is a major exporter of corn. 🌾 Lebanon, Egypt and Syria are among the countries most dependent on affordable wheat. "Any [price] hikes will be catastrophic not only for me, but for the majority of the people," Ahmed Salah, an Egyptian father of seven, told AP. Supplies were already tight because of droughts hitting the wheat belts of North America, NPR notes. 🐖 European livestock farmers are heavily reliant on Ukraine for corn and other grain additives for animal feed. Between the lines: This also threatens efforts to help famine-stricken countries like Afghanistan, Yemen and Ethiopia, the Financial Times reports (paywall). The bottom line: Ukraine and Russia "account for about 12% of the calories the world trades," NPR reports. Go deeper: Tomorrow's Axios Markets will dive into what the war means for global wheat markets.     2. Russia "nearly 100%" deployed A woman arrives at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland. Photo: Visar Kryeziu/AP Russia has now deployed "nearly 100%" of the combat power that it had massed on Ukraine's borders, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters today. The Pentagon confirmed reports that Russia is recruiting Syrian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine. The World Health Organization confirmed at least 14 attacks on Ukrainian health facilities since the start of Russia's invasion, reports Axios' Oriana Gonzalez. ⚡️The U.S. is deploying another 500 troops to Europe in response to the invasion, a senior defense official said today, "pushing the total number of American forces in the region to 100,000." — The Wall Street Journal     A message from Amazon "Amazon's health benefits start the day you sign on the dotted line"     Shortly after starting at Amazon, Carlton found out he had stage four prostate cancer. Getting health care benefits starting on day one helped him receive the care he needed when he needed it. The bottom line: Health care starts for Amazon employees and their families on day one. Learn about Carlton's story.     3. Catch up quick Photo: Steve Parsons/Pool via AP Queen Elizabeth II is back after recovering from COVID: Her first in-person engagement was with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. — NBC News The Pentagon will permanently shut down the Navy's massive fuel tank facility in Hawaii that leaked petroleum into Pearl Harbor's tap water, and will remove all the fuel, AP reports. The Supreme Court rejected an appeal of a court ruling that overturned Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction.     4. 🎞 1 film thing: Batman stamina Data: The Numbers; Table: Will Chase/Axios The winning opening weekend for "The Batman" shows the staying power of the Batman franchise: It has had an astonishing 26 installments spanning five decades, reports Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer. Zoom out: Over the past few years, moviegoing has trended toward action and adventure movies that warrant a more cinematic viewing experience — pushing more dramas and comedies to streaming. Watch the trailer. P.S. MoviePass is plotting a reboot this summer, original co-founder Stacy Spikes told Axios Pro Media Deals co-author Tim Baysinger. Go deeper.     A message from Amazon "Amazon allows me to be the parent I want to be"     Chatonn got a raise when she joined Amazon, where starting wages are at least $15 an hour. A bigger paycheck boosted her buying power and allowed her to afford art supplies for her daughter and karate classes for her son. Amazon's starting wage gives employees like Chatonn the freedom to do more.   Like this email style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: