The European bloc is moving closer to banning Russian oil with Germany changing course to support the embargo. But many questions remain open.

The 27 EU member states are deliberating a gradual ban on Russian oil imports. Some countries, such as Hungary, Slovakia and Cyprus, are concerned about the repercussions of such a move on their economies.

At the beginning of December, Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro, said he would make sure that fuel prices go down. Just the opposite has happened, and now unrest in the South American country is growing.

Inflation is at its highest level in decades in many parts of the world. In the US, consumer prices were 8.3 percent higher in April than a year earlier. In the eurozone, they rose by around 7.5 percent. Energy prices have been driving the surge, with Russia's war in Ukraine further fuelling the trend. But higher inflation tends to have a bigger impact on low-income households. Xavier Jaravel from the London School of Economics discusses this and more with FRANCE 24's Kate Moody.

Hungary's government is "holding European Union decision makers hostage" by refusing to join an EU-wide embargo on Russian oil, according to Lithuania's foreign minister. This comes as EU leaders continue their efforts to gather support for a sixth sanctions package on Russia from all 27 EU member states. The government of PM Viktor Orban has claimed that an import ban on Russian oil would ruin the Hungarian economy. Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tells FRANCE 24 that "Europe is weaker" as a result, and that he is "still hoping Budapest will be responsible in their decisions".

Top G7 diplomats meeting in Germany have warned the war in Ukraine is stoking a crisis that threatens the world's poorest. They also pledged to continue their military assistance to Ukraine for "as long as necessary."

The war in Ukraine is having a drastic impact on Africa. Prices for wheat, gas and gasoline are at record highs. Crisis regions could see things get worse than they already are.

Russia's president has said banning oil imports from his country would be impossible for some dependent European states, after the EU failed to reach consensus to impose the measure.

Japan's GDP fell at an annualised rate of 1 percent in the first three months of this year as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus hampered consumer spending. Rising commodity prices also weighed on businesses in the world's third-largest economy. Plus, as unemployment remains stable in France at 7.3 percent, a steelworks factory in the northern city of Dunkirk is offering a cash bonus to employees to encourage them to recruit family members.

Where do you get oil and gas if you want to end dependence on Russia? Germany imported more than 500,000 barrels of crude oil from Russia every day in 2020. In theory, Iran could step in. But it's complicated.

German Economy Minister said the EU was close to finally agreeing on a ban on Russian oil imports as the war in Ukraine enters the fourth month.

As a government fuel subsidy kicks in, Tanzanians greet the fall in fuel prices with a sigh of relief.