24: After 24 years as a member of the International Space Station — a major step in post-Cold War reconciliation — Russia announced Tuesday it’ll leave the module by the end of 2024. But the US says it didn’t get the memo.
3.2: The IMF now says the world economy will grow only 3.2% this year, 0.4 percentage points less than it predicted in April. Meanwhile, global inflation will rise one percentage point more than expected to 8.3%.
19: Only 19% of Peruvians polled believe President Pedro Castillo is doing a good job one year after his election. He's already survived two impeachment votes, and Congress may try again soon over allegations that he obstructed justice by firing his interior minister.
150 million: Lebanon's parliament voted Tuesday to use a $150 million World Bank loan to buy enough wheat for at least six months. The cash-strapped nation is almost entirely reliant on imports to feed its population, and its food inflation rate was at 332.25% in June.Ever since Donald Trump returned to office last year, governments have been hedging bets on the future of American power and what it might mean for them.
Microsoft is advancing its efforts to eliminate single-use plastics across its global packaging portfolio through material innovation and design changes across products like Surface and Xbox. By rethinking how packaging works—from cushioning to coatings and structural components—the company is reducing waste and demonstrating how design decisions at scale can deliver meaningful sustainability impact. Last week, Microsoft marked a key milestone in reducing single-use plastic in its packaging to just 0.07%, reflecting significant progress toward its broader commitment to become a zero-waste company by 2030. Read the full story here.
In this “ask ian,” Ian Bremmer says the United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC reflects a broader erosion of trust in longstanding institutions amid growing regional instability.