* Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to the deployment of an ASEAN observer team as efforts to de-escalate their conflict continue, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday.
* Border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand are still going on, as the civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 18, Cambodian spokespersons said on Thursday.
* The latest round of Thailand-Cambodia conflict has left at least 19 Thai soldiers and 19 Thai civilians dead, with over 270,000 people displaced, Thailand's defense ministry announced on Wednesday.
* Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu was re-elected as speaker of the parliament of Kyrgyzstan, the parliament's press service reported on Wednesday. Deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, Kyrgyzstan's unicameral parliament, voted on the speaker at their first session after taking the oath of office.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the goals of Russia's special military operation (SMO) will be achieved.
* U.S. and Russian negotiators are expected to hold talks in Miami, U.S. state of Florida, this weekend over a peace deal aimed at ending the Ukraine crisis that has lasted nearly four years, U.S. media outlet Politico reported on Wednesday.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that a Ukrainian delegation is en route to the United States to continue peace negotiations. The talks with the U.S. negotiating team are set to take place on Friday and Saturday, with European representatives also expected to participate, Zelensky told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he personally supports the introduction of online voting in potential elections, but noted that there is currently no consensus with the parliament on the issue.
* The European Council announced on Thursday that it had imposed restrictive measures on an additional 41 Russian vessels allegedly linked to the country's so-called "shadow fleet," aiming to cut off their financial support for Russia.
* Russian law enforcement has thwarted a planned terrorist attack in the city of Volgodonsk in Russia's Rostov Region, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement on Thursday.
* U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded Venezuela return assets that he accused the oil-rich South American country took from U.S. oil companies years ago.
* Russia on Thursday urged the U.S. administration not to make a "fatal mistake" on Venezuela, warning of unpredictable consequences for the Western Hemisphere.
* The Norwegian government on Wednesday announced a new military aid package for Ukraine valued at about 3.2 billion Norwegian kroner (314 million USD), focusing on ammunition for F-16 fighter jets and advanced air defense systems.
* Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has refused to back any scheme that may lead to further support for the war in Ukraine, including the use of frozen Russian assets, the News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR) reported on Wednesday.
* Slovenia has extended temporary controls on its internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary for another six months, the government announced on Wednesday.
* The budget committee of the German Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, on Wednesday approved 30 new defense procurement projects for the German armed forces, with a total value of nearly 50 billion euros (58.75 billion USD).
* The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a proposal to strengthen the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), including an expansion of its product coverage, tougher anti-circumvention provisions, and a support tool for EU producers.
* The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a legislation to ban spot-market imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) once the regulation enters into force in early 2026, while imports of Russian pipeline gas will be phased out by Sept. 30, 2027.
* A senior Georgian lawmaker on Wednesday called for a realistic and pragmatic approach to NATO membership, noting that the alliance's eastward enlargement is unlikely in the near future, TV Imedi reported.
* The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a 901-billion-dollar defense policy bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, sending it to U.S. President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.
* Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned on Wednesday that if the EU-Mercosur trade deal is not signed as planned on Saturday, it will not be concluded during his presidency.
* Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced a government crackdown on people who spread "hate, division and radicalization" in response to the Bondi Beach shooting.
* The Patriot air defence system in Poland has reached full operational readiness, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced Thursday.
* Saudi Arabia has officially cancelled an expatriate levy on foreign workers employed at licensed industrial facilities, a move aimed at supporting the sector's sustainability and global competitiveness, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
* Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he had approved a gas deal worth 112 billion shekels (about 34.7 billion U.SD) under which Israel will supply natural gas to Egypt.
* Israel announced on Wednesday that Germany has approved an expansion of an existing deal to purchase Israel's Arrow 3 missile defense system, adding about 3.1 billion U.S. dollars to the agreement.
* UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for de-escalation of tensions in Yemen.
* Four Palestinians were injured on Wednesday during clashes with the Israeli army, who also arrested 40 others in the West Bank, according to Palestinian sources.
* The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday announced that it would keep key interest rates unchanged amid tentative signs of economic stabilization in the eurozone.
* The economies of Eurasian countries are projected to grow by up to 9.3 percent in 2026, according to a report released by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) at a press conference on Thursday.
* France could see a modest rebound in economic growth in 2026, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) said on Wednesday, while warning that the improvement is unlikely to translate into stronger employment gains.
* Afghanistan recorded a notable increase in rice production during the current Persian calendar year of 1404, with total output reaching 447,000 metric tons, according to the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA).
* Kazakhstan exported 73.4 million tonnes of oil in the first 11 months of 2025, fulfilling the annual export plan of 70.5 million tonnes ahead of schedule, according to a senior energy official.
* Pakistan recorded a current account surplus of 100 million USD in November 2025, reversing a revised deficit of 291 million dollars in October, data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) showed on Wednesday.
* Nigeria has recently banned the export of wood and related products to curb illegal logging and deforestation across the country, local media reported on Thursday.
* Kenya's flower exports are expected to reach about 280,000 tonnes in 2025, up from 260,000 tonnes in 2024, buoyed by market diversification, the industry association said on Thursday.
* The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the fifth review of Ghana's reforms, paving the way for the immediate release of 385 million USD to boost the country's economic recovery, an IMF press release has said.
* Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has pledged Accra's preparedness to support Jamaica's recovery and reconstruction efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
* Influenza is spreading across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region earlier than usual this winter, with a newly dominant A(H3N2) strain putting added pressure on health systems in some countries, the WHO Regional Office for Europe said on Wednesday.
* Over 13,000 people in Malaysia have been displaced due to floods as of Thursday, according to the country's social welfare department. Victims are being housed in 103 flood relief centers in six states as of 9 p.m. local time, with Pahang state being the most severely affected, the department said.
* A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Thursday, according to the local geophysical service.
