Ukraine and Russia account for nearly a third of all global wheat exports. And as you might expect, wheat prices have been soaring thanks to Russia’s war in Ukraine. So what can be done to increase supplies and tamp down prices? From the BBC, China is dealing with some new threats on the COVID front, and its markets are acting accordingly. We also check in on Maine, where there’s concern that vast fields of solar panels are going to take up too much space for farmland.

This week, we’ll hear from the Federal Reserve about its plans for interest rates. After a two-day meeting, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will have a press conference Wednesday. The Fed is expected to raise interest rates, and it’s a decision that affects everyone. As financial markets react to the Russia-Ukraine war, they also tell us things about economic and geopolitical risk. From the BBC, we hear about a Ukrainian-born, award-winning chef who has transformed her East London kitchen into an aid center to help family and friends in Ukraine.

From the BBC World Service: Statistics suggest that the number of COVID-19 cases so far this year in China exceed the total number reported for 2021. But it’s not just the pandemic that’s worrying markets. Plus, America’s largest natural gas producer believes the US can play a much bigger role in providing global energy security. And, for Ukrainians living abroad, fundraising and sending aid to their loved ones in a war zone isn’t easy.

Interest rates are making headlines in Europe, as the European Central Bank announced this week that it’s going to keep rates steady for now – but is prepared to move them higher. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates next week. Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer and the BBC’s Victoria Craig team up for a discussion about the approaches of both central banks. The people overseeing fracking operations are running into shortages on all fronts.

The Western sanctions on Russia’s wealthy elite have raised a variety of questions that range from who these people are to the effectiveness of the sanctions. We spoke to Dartmouth sociologist Brooke Harrington, who argues in a new piece for The Atlantic that the sanctions represent an existential threat for Russia’s elite — and, by proxy, the Kremlin itself. Consumer sentiment has dropped to lows not seen since the 70s and 80s, yet spending remains strong. What gives? The dating app Tinder has added a background check feature that allows users to see if a possible date has a criminal past.

From the BBC World Service: One of Ukraine’s biggest food producers says that Russian advances could prevent Ukrainian farmers from planting this year’s wheat and grain seeds. On the two-year anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic, China locks down a city of 9 million and a new study suggests that the global death toll could be three times higher than official records indicate.

Earlier this week, President Biden signed an executive order on cryptocurrencies, directing federal agencies to focus regulatory attention on six areas, protecting U.S. consumers and mitigating the risk of illicit activity. It also called for “urgency” around research and development efforts into a possible central bank digital currency (CBDC). For more, we spoke to Ari Redbord, head of legal and government affairs at TRM Labs, a cryptocurrency compliance firm. Congress has overhauled the U.S. Postal Service, but what kind of effects can actual postal workers expect? Diane Swonk wades through market activity with us.

Filling up your car with gas has not only become more painful for the average customer, but for small business owners as well. Businesses that rely on vehicles, such as caterers or equipment suppliers, are considering some big changes to their operations because of the pain at the pump. The House approved $1.5 trillion funding bill to keep the government running through the end of its fiscal year in September, and the bill now heads to the Senate. Native tribes are keeping watch on that situation, as short-term funding can cause issues for a key health program.

From the BBC World Service: The European Central Bank will likely be factoring the economic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into its interest rate policy. Ukraine’s central bank governor has called for reparations to be taken from Russia’s frozen assets around the world. And we explore the likely economic impact of South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol.