Global Military Spending Reaches Record High Amidst Ukraine War and Visa Disputes.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its global impact helped push global defense spending to a record high of $2.24 trillion last year, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Meanwhile, Russia accused the United States of violating its obligations by not issuing visas to journalists planning to cover Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's trip to the United Nations in New York. Leaked American intelligence documents suggest that the Wagner Group discussed a plan in February to recruit and train rebels from Chad, a key U.S. security partner in the region, to topple the Chadian government.