Black Sea

Harsh weather curbs global wheat output, buoys prices

Harsh weather is reducing wheat production in major global exporters, cutting inventories that have already been projected to hit nine-year lows, while fuelling a sudden surge in prices. Dryness afflicting suppliers from Russia, the world's biggest, to Argentina, is making food production vulnerable as recent Russian attacks on grain ships in the Black Sea rekindles concerns about the war limiting supplies. While top southern hemisphere exporters Argentina and Australia have lost several milli...

September 16, 2024 6:09 PM

Rise of Sea Drone Warfare Challenges U.S. Navy Strategy

The U.S. Navy's efforts to build a fleet of unmanned vessels are faltering because the Pentagon remains wedded to big shipbuilding projects, according to some officials and company executives, exposing a weakness as sea drones reshape naval warfare. The lethal effectiveness of sea drones has been demonstrated in the Black Sea where Ukraine has deployed remote-controlled speed boats packed with explosives to sink Russian frigates and minesweepers since late 2022. Yemeni-backed Houthi rebels hav...