* The Israeli government on Saturday approved a ceasefire agreement aimed at the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, following a lengthy cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister's Office said.
* The Republic of Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday attended the warrant hearing on whether to be detained for up to 20 days. Vehicles with the arrested president aboard, which departed from the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, arrived at the Seoul Western District Court, about 20 km north of the detention center, TV footage showed.
* Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday held a telephone conversation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at the latter's request. Xi and Trump exchanged views on major international and regional issues of common concern and agreed to establish strategic communication channels and maintain regular contact on major issues of common concern.
* Russia does not anticipate a shift in the incoming U.S. administration's stance on sanctions policy, despite Washington's expressed openness for dialogue, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday signed a new comprehensive strategic partnership agreement following bilateral talks in Moscow.
* Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Friday said on his X account that he ordered the suspension of peace dialogues with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group after the attacks that occurred in the country's northeastern Catatumbo area on Thursday.
* U.S. President Joe Biden won't enforce a ban on TikTok just a day before he leaves office on Monday, leaving the incoming Donald Trump administration to make the decision, according to a White House official.
* The Philippines and the Republic of Korea have agreed to pursue digital transformation and innovation, the Philippines' National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Friday.
* Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze visited Baku on Friday for official talks, marking his first foreign trip after being reappointed to office, and focusing on enhancing the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Georgia.
* President-elect Donald Trump announced on social media that his inauguration is expected to be moved indoors Monday due to freezing weather projected in Washington, D.C.
* Indonesia welcomed a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that supports the archipelago nation in its dispute over "palm oil discrimination" by the European Union (EU), government ministers said on Friday.
* The number of internet users in China hit 1.1 billion by December 2024, up 16 million from the previous year, according to an industrial report on the country's internet development released on Friday. This milestone highlights the vast potential of China's digital economy and its key role in driving technological innovation.
* Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has asked concerned departments to enhance coordination to tackle transnational crimes and protect tourists. Chairing a high-level meeting at the government house Friday, Paetongtarn directed relevant agencies to intensify promotion for travelers to boost confidence.
* The Fijian government has implemented a series of strategic measures to build local capacity and reduce dependence on foreign labor, said the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Biman Prasad.
* The Israeli Ministry of Justice on Friday released a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and minors, slated for release in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
* UN humanitarians said on Friday they and partners are mobilizing supplies for a widening pipeline of aid and commercial goods into Gaza with the implementation of a long-sought, impending ceasefire.
* Tunisian Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Bouderbala met on Friday with Italy's Senate President Ignazio La Russa in Tunis to strengthen bilateral relations, according to a statement from the Tunisian parliament.
* Visiting French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed on Friday France's commitment to supporting the Lebanese army, announcing plans to establish a new training center for Lebanese soldiers.
* A total of 59,080 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in 2024, an increase of 9.9 percent year on year, the Ministry of Commerce said Friday.
* Malaysia's economy is expected to grow 4.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, following a stronger 5.3 percent growth in the previous quarter, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said. Overall, Malaysia's economy is seen to grow 5.1 percent in 2024 after posting a growth of 3.6 percent in 2023, it said in a statement on Friday.
* The Belarusian economy increased by 4 percent in 2024, the country's Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said on Friday while summing up the economy's results of the year.
* The World Bank has confirmed its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for Kazakhstan at 4.7 percent in 2025 and 3.5 percent in 2026, which affirmed the bank's projections in October.
* Italy's consumer price index rose by an average of 1 percent in 2024, despite higher year-on-year increases toward the end of the year, the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) reported Thursday.
* Iran on Friday staged a drill on the Sea of Oman along the shores of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
* The number of mpox cases reported in Africa since the start of last year has surpassed 77,800, with the death toll rising to 1,321, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has disclosed.