* French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou survived his sixth no-confidence vote on Wednesday night since taking office on Dec. 13 last year. The no-confidence vote, initiated by the Socialist Party (PS), received only 181 votes in the French National Assembly, far below the 289 needed to unseat Bayrou, according to the results announced by the Speaker's representative.
* Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's three-party coalition government has agreed on a redistribution of cabinet seats, the Slovak Government Office said in a press release Wednesday.
* Republic of Korea's constitutional court will hold the 11th and final hearing of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial on Feb. 25.
* Cambodia on Thursday launched the National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF) 2024-2035, aiming at better improving the welfare and livelihoods of citizens.
* Australia's Prime Minister (PM) and the Premier of South Australia (SA) have announced a 1.5 billion USD support package for a major steelworks after its owner was placed into administration.
* Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Wednesday that the Thai government's series of measures to combat telecom fraud have achieved significant results, and the country will continue to crack down on transnational crimes.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet as early as this month, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was informed about the recent Russia-U.S. talks in Riyadh, describing the results as positive, local media reported on Wednesday.
* French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the United States for discussions with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, focusing on the Ukraine issue and impending U.S. tariffs, French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad confirmed on Thursday.
* Potential plans to deploy North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces to Ukraine are concerning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. Peskov said Moscow was closely monitoring all the statements made by European officials.
* U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday traded barbs at each other over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
* Kazakh diplomats will discuss with Ukraine the recent attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium given the pipeline's importance for the Kazakh economy, Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov said, as reported by the Kazinform news agency on Wednesday.
* The U.S. Department of Defense said on Wednesday that about 50 billion USD in funding was being redirected to President Donald Trump's priorities for national defense. The Pentagon has ordered the military to draw up a list of potential cuts totaling 50 billion dollars from the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2026.
* The Danish government announced on Wednesday that it will allocate an additional 50 billion Danish kroner (6.98 billion USD) over the next two years to accelerate the strengthening of its defense forces, raising the country's total defense spending to more than 3 percent of its GDP.
* Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday said she does not fear U.S. President Donald Trump and his threats of mass deportations, steep trade tariffs and military "intervention" to combat the drug cartels, as she has the backing of the Mexican people.
* The White House has stopped all funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, The Washington Post reported Wednesday, citing U.S. and Palestinian officials.
* The United States should refrain from wielding the big stick of tariffs and using them as a coercive tool, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.
* Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to take control of Gaza and relocate its residents elsewhere for redevelopment.
* The Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday night seized three Indian fishing boats and apprehended 10 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the navy said in a press release on Thursday.
* Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley on Wednesday called for proactive climate action at the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.
* Palestinian armed groups on Thursday handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources.
* Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed Wednesday that Palestine is not for sale and that no part of its land, whether in Gaza, the West Bank or Jerusalem, will be abandoned.
* Hamas said on Wednesday that it had submitted a proposal to Israel, through mediators, for a comprehensive prisoner-for-hostage swap based on the principle of "all for all" as part of ongoing negotiations.
* Iran expects Qatar to return its funds currently held in Qatari banks despite pressure from the United States, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Wednesday.
* Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed on Wednesday that Lebanon will spare no effort in utilizing diplomatic channels and support from Arab and allied nations to liberate its land from Israeli occupation.
* A UN agency on Thursday called for addressing disparities in the Arab region as 187 million individuals there are marginalized and 292 million lack social protection.
* Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani confirmed Wednesday Iraq's support for the people of Lebanon, including providing fuel.
* The security department of the southeastern Libyan city of Kufra announced on Wednesday the rescue of 21 migrants of different African nationalities who were kidnapped by criminals for ransom in the southeastern area of Rebiana.
* The United Nations and its partners in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have launched this year's Humanitarian Response Plans to assist 2.2 million people in need, seeking a total of 306 million USD, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.
* Cambodia's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has increased to 2,713 USD in 2024, nearly nine times that of the year 2000, Prime Minister Hun Manet said here on Thursday.
* The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) lowered its 2025 economic growth forecast to 0.6 percent from 1.2 percent in its fourth-quarter 2024 Inflation Report released Wednesday, citing uncertainty over policies under the new U.S. administration.
* Uzbekistan plans to save 1.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 3.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity this year, local media reported on Thursday, citing the press service of the Uzbek president.
* The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday said it has approved a loan of 125 million USD to modernize water management, improve water security, and increase access to safe and reliable water in Uzbekistan.
* The Philippines' overall balance of payments (BOP) posted a deficit of 4.1 billion USD in January 2025, higher than the 740 million dollars recorded in the same period last year, the country's central bank said Wednesday night.
* Thailand's industrial confidence rose in January, reaching the highest level in 10 months, boosted by exports, government stimulus measures and tourism, data showed on Wednesday.
* Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said on Wednesday that the country's annual imports total 70 billion USD, and stressed the government's commitment to supporting the local private sector to reduce that figure.
* The Brazilian state of Sao Paulo declared a health emergency Wednesday as dengue cases surge, allowing authorities to accelerate financial and medical response efforts.
* Mount Dukono, located in Indonesia's North Maluku province, erupted on Thursday, prompting the country's Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center to issue an aviation warning.
