A budget of 114.4 trillion yen ($875 billion) for fiscal year 2023 (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024) was passed by the upper house of the Japanese parliament. The budget was approved by Japan's lower house of parliament on February 28. Even if the upper house deputies were to reject the budget later, it would still go into force automatically 30 days after the lower house approved it, according...

U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order banning the use of commercial spyware that could threaten the country's national security, according to the White House press service. This is the first-ever ban that is applicable to computer software. "The use of commercial spyware presents tangible and growing counterintelligence threats and risks to the United States, including endangering...

The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) published figures for February's retail sales. The sales volume increased 1.2% when compared to January, exceeding expectations by 0.2% and representing the fastest rate of development since last October. The ONS added that "February 2023 saw a return of retail sales to levels seen before February 2020." The most significant growth in February was...

A law pertaining to Finland's NATO membership has been signed by Sauli Niinistö, the country's President. The paperwork needed for Helsinki to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has now been ratified. The Finnish government declared in May of last year that they made a quick decision to apply for NATO membership in light of the conflict in Ukraine.  The majority of...

Egypt will receive seven billion dollars from the World Bank for domestic initiatives up until 2027. According to Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt will receive $7 billion from the World Bank for initiatives in the country between 2023 and 2027. "The World Bank Group and the Arab Republic of Egypt have agreed to a new country plan for the years 2023–2027. Seven...

According to NHK television, the Japanese government has decided to allot over 2 trillion yen ($15.2 billion) for inflation-control measures. In order to address the nation's increasing prices, the government convened a conference of the "general issue on prices, wages, and welfare." The additional measures were agreed upon at the meeting. "Price rises around the world are still challenging to...

A bill requiring intelligence organizations to disclose any knowledge they have regarding the genesis of COVID-19 has been signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden. In order to safeguard against the disclosure of information that could "harm national security," Mr. Biden pledged to declassify as much information as he could. This was done "pursuant to a constitutional mandate." "In order to...

According to a report published by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, the EU forecasts that member states' defense spending will increase by €70 billion by 2025 compared to 2021. "According to the 2022 Annual Defense Review, the EU spent €214 billion on security in 2021 (an increase of 6 percent over 2020). By 2025, additional development is anticipated...

Iraq plans to work on gas fields so that it can export gas in the future to other nations, including the European Union, according to the foreign minister of Iraq, Fuad Hussein, speaking before the Iraq-European Union cooperation council. "We'll talk about various areas of collaboration, like gas and oil. Iraq, which already produces crude, will also start producing gas." "We are investing in...