* The EU must prepare for the arrival of millions of refugees as they flee war in Ukraine, the bloc's top home affairs official said on Thursday, adding that she expected governments to agree a temporary protection scheme in the coming days.
* Leaders of the Quad group of countries - the United States, Japan, Australia and India - will hold a previously unannounced online meeting on Thursday, India and Australia said.
* The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to drive COVID-19 transmission ever higher and in turn increase the risk of large numbers of people developing severe disease.
* Oil prices sped higher as the Ukraine war drove a mad dash for resources in an ominous sign for global inflation, while Asian shares eked out gains after reassuring comments from the Federal Reserve helped Wall Street bounce.
* Finland's President Sauli Niinisto will meet US President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday, Niinisto's office said on Thursday.
* The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency will visit Tehran on Saturday, the agency confirmed on Thursday, raising the prospect of progress on one of the last thorny issues blocking a revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
* The World Health Organization does not expect any immediate impact on vaccine supply to Africa from Russia-Ukraine conflict, senior officials on the continent said on Thursday.
* Growth in Ireland's services sector accelerated sharply last month after the lifting of almost all restrictions, but cost pressures intensified with both input prices and prices charged rising at the fastest rate in 21 years, a survey showed.
* A World Health Organization (WHO) panel on Wednesday backed the use of Merck & Co Inc's COVID-19 antiviral pill for high-risk patients.
* Japan is set to loosen border controls to allow more people to enter the country, especially students, while extending infection control measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus in several areas, including Tokyo.
* The US Defense and Justice departments are no longer requiring masks be worn indoors at Washington-area facilities, they said on Wednesday, following the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
* Greece will lift its requirement of mask-wearing outdoors from Saturday, as COVID-19 infections are trending lower.
* At least 200 gunmen were killed in the past three days in Nigeria's central-northern state of Niger during a security operation to clear armed gangs from the area, a state commissioner said on Thursday.
* At least 18 people were killed when an informal gold mine collapsed this week in western Guinea, the government spokesman said on Thursday.
