* The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Tuesday rolled out a calendar of events ahead of the Sept. 16 general election in the southern African country, with the campaign period officially kicking off on July 14.
* Cambodia recorded 14.44 billion USD in its international trade during the first quarter of 2025, up 15.6 percent over the same period last year, a report said Thursday. Cambodia's top five trading partners are China, the United States, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan, the report said.
* US and Russian delegations met in Istanbul on Thursday for a second round of talks aimed at restoring normal operations of diplomatic missions in each other's country.
* The Czech Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday that the government has accepted a joint recommendation from the ministry and the Czech National Bank not to set a date for adopting the euro for the time being.
* Starting Thursday, Brazil will reinstate visa requirements for travelers from the United States, Canada and Australia, ending a six-year visa-free entry for those countries.
* The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled the AI Continent Action Plan, aimed at streamlining artificial intelligence (AI) regulations and accelerating the development of AI infrastructure, as part of efforts to ensure the European Union (EU) remains competitive in the global AI race.
* Pressure and threats from the United States will not resolve the ongoing China-U.S. trade dispute, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday, calling for a return to fair dialogue.
* Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday call on Latin America and the Caribbean to act as a "guiding light" for multilateralism in a world increasingly troubled by division and unilateralism.
* Cote d'Ivoire will explore new markets following the imposition by the US government of new tariffs on its products exported to the United States, said government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly on Wednesday.
* Dozens of Palestinians were killed and many others wounded as the Israeli military continued intensive airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, while ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel remain deadlocked.
* Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday the discovery of 14 new oil and natural gas fields and reservoirs in the Eastern Province and the Empty Quarter desert region.
* As of Thursday, Myanmar has experienced 112 aftershocks ranging from magnitudes of 2.8 to 7.5, according to the country's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology. The aftershocks followed a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on March 28.
* A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's eastern South Papua province on Thursday, according to the country's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency. The tremor occurred at 14:53 local time, with epicenter located 105 km southeast of Asmat regency at a depth of 60 km.
* The death toll from the roof collapse at a nightclub in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, has risen to 184, Dominican authorities confirmed late Wednesday, as rescue efforts continue with no new survivors found since Tuesday afternoon.
