Lawan threatens to sanction ministers, DGs who delay budget

The top envoys said they wanted African countries to be part of a more unified front against Russia. Many African nations have shown a reluctance to condemn Russia's invasion.

Warsaw has announced "unprecedented" plans to ratchet up spending on its military and security following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Poland is already among NATO's top spenders when adjusted for its GDP.

Russia has started selling its growing reserves of the Chinese currency to fill a budget deficit caused by falling oil and gas revenues and the costs of war. For how long will the yuan shore up Putin's ailing economy?

Women in low-income communities in India learn how to use energy efficiently. It’s a win-win for the climate as well as the household budget. For many it is the first time they understand the connection between fossil fuels and global warming.

Robert Habeck and Bruno Le Maire are in the US for talks on the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act. The EU argues that some of the US' green subsidy plans are protectionist and could even risk a trade war.

As the National People's Congress opened this year's session, China set an economic target of "around 5%" — one of the lowest in decades — and announced a 7.2% increase in its defense budget.

The European Union is looking at how to boost ammunition supplies in both the short and long term at a meeting in Stockholm. A top EU official has called for "a war economy."

Japan's foreign minister met his Chinese counterpart in Beijing and openly talked about disputes between their countries. The two Asian powers are seeking common ground amid rising tensions in the region.

The foreign ministers of the world's major economies are gathered for a second day of meeting, with host Japan urging a unified stance on China.

US President Joe Biden has announced that an agreement has been brokered with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to raise the government's debt ceiling This pivotal piece of legislation, now poised for a vote in Congress, requires a simple majority for its enactment. If passed, it would circumvent an unprecedented debt default potentially looming as early as June 5. President Biden characterises the proposed legislation as a "compromise", outlining a two-year budget plan which, in essence, holds non-defence spending steady for 2024.

EU states have agreed long-stalled reforms to migration and asylum rules. Critics say Europe is shirking responsibility.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell said foreign ministers would discuss a €20 billion military aid deal for Ukraine. The global food supply and Turkey's ties to the bloc will also be on the agenda.