* The New Zealand government has agreed to introduce legislation that will enable a four-year term of Parliament subject to a referendum, which means a standard term of Parliament will remain at three years, but with the ability to extend the maximum term of Parliament to four years.
* Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Wednesday that Brazil's BRICS presidency will strengthen BRICS' push for a multipolar world and fairer global relations.
* China stands ready to enhance communication with the United States to create a stable expectation and sound policy environment for mutually beneficial cooperation between business communities of the two countries, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said during a meeting with a U.S. company counselor.
* Russia advocates to resume dialogue on multilateral disarmament and arms control agreements, including a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said on Thursday.
* U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday Ukraine could "forget about" joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and he would try to get Ukraine as much land as possible from Russia.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that U.S. and Ukrainian teams are preparing for negotiations on Friday. In his evening address, Zelensky said he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
* Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced Wednesday that his government adopted a set of measures needed for signing the minerals partnership agreement with the United States, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
* Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday reiterated his country's willingness to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks, saying that Turkey "has great potential in this regard."
* The European Union (EU) was born to "screw" the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday during the first cabinet meeting of his second presidency.
* Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that top security officials will travel to Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and finalize a bilateral security coordination agreement.
* The Belarusian parliament ratified an agreement between Belarus and Russia on security guarantees within the Union State, the press service of the Belarusian parliament said on Wednesday.
* Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged over 2 billion USD to fund transport projects in the country's second-most populous state in a major pre-election commitment.
* Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced on Wednesday that 4,834 families whose homes were flooded in 15 villages in Gresik Regency, East Java, have received assistance.
* The Mazhilis, or the lower house of Kazakhstan's parliament, ratified an agreement on free trade in services, establishment, operations, and investment during a plenary session, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.
* Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza to the Red Cross early Thursday as part of an exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners amid an ongoing ceasefire agreement, Israel's state-owned Kan broadcaster reported, citing an Israeli official.
* UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Wednesday stressed the urgent need for regional and international coordination to create conditions for a "lasting and inclusive peace" in Yemen, according to a statement issued by his office.
* United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday voiced opposition to proposals for annexation and forced transfers in Palestinian territories, warning that such measures could threaten security across the region.
* Humanitarian crisis is worsening as violence escalated in three eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians said on Wednesday.
* The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on Wednesday announced the suspension of its operations at the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur state, western Sudan, due to the escalating violence.
* China’s Beijing saw the establishment of 2,012 new foreign-invested enterprises in 2024, marking a 16.4 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau.
* The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday said it has approved a loan of 200 million USD to enhance the development of climate- and disaster-resilient sewerage and drainage infrastructure in Kolkata, India.
* Thailand's central bank lowered its key interest rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday to better align monetary conditions with the economic and inflationary outlook while addressing increased downside risks.
* The average price of rice at supermarkets across Japan continued to rise, reaching 3,892 yen (about 26.05 USD) per 5 kg in the week ending Feb. 16, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
* Kazakhstan intends to deliver 1.5 million tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline in 2025, according to a report from KazMunayGas, Kazakhstan's national oil and gas company, presented at a board meeting of the country's Ministry of Energy, the Interfax agency reported on Wednesday.
* A forest fire in the northeastern Japanese prefecture of Iwate has damaged at least 84 residential buildings, triggering evacuation orders for over 2,000 people living in the vicinity, local media reported Thursday.
* Frans Xavier Seda Airport in Indonesia's eastern province of East Nusa Tenggara was temporarily closed on Wednesday following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the island of Flores, according to the flight navigation service AirNav Indonesia.
