* The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) inspected a nuclear-material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute, stressing the country's firm stance to develop nuclear counteraction posture indefinitely, state media reported on Wednesday.
* Any potential peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine should guarantee the long-term security of both countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during an interview with local media on Tuesday.
* A Ukrainian drone was shot down in Russia's Smolensk region during an attempted attack on a nuclear power facility, regional governor Vasily Anokhin said on Wednesday.
* The long-standing border dispute between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is on the verge of resolution, with bilateral procedures now underway, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said in an interview with the official Kabar news agency on Tuesday.
* Two Colombian Aerospace Force planes with migrants deported from the United States landed Tuesday in the country's capital Bogota, Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed.
* Argentine railway workers went on strike Tuesday to demand higher wages, a move criticized by President Javier Milei's government for leaving a million passengers stranded.
* Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday approved a legal amendment that requires banks, telecom operators and social media platforms to take responsibility for damages caused by call-center scams as part of intensified efforts to combat tech-related crimes.
* Russia plans to expand its orbital constellation of satellites to 650 by 2030, said Yury Borisov, head of Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos on Tuesday.
* UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday talked over the phone with the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to discuss the escalating conflict in the DRC, a UN spokesman said.
* Uganda said on Tuesday that the United Nations has evacuated part of its staff from Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following intense fighting.
* Visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Tuesday that Russia is willing to deepen ties with Syria and support its reconstruction, according to a Russian media report.
* Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington next week at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office on Tuesday.
* Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said on Tuesday that approximately 300,000 citizens have returned from southern Gaza to their homes in the northern part of the strip.
* Hamas said on Tuesday that a delegation led by the head of its leadership council, Mohamed Darwish, has met with Egypt's intelligence chief, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, in Cairo for discussion on the implementation of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement.
* Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that the country's military forces will remain in Syria for an "unlimited time."
* The Lebanese Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that the death toll from three days of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon has risen to 25, with 160 others wounded.
* Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said on Tuesday his government considers the World Bank a key partner in the reform process.
* The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday that Cambodia's economy is forecast to grow by 5.8 percent in 2025, up from 5.5 percent in 2024, boosted by strong growth in garment and agricultural exports, and improving tourism activity.
* Thailand's rice exports reached a six-year high in 2024, with a total volume of 9.95 million tons, marking a 13 percent increase from a year earlier, official data showed on Tuesday.
* The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday said it has approved a policy-based loan of 500 million USD to provide the Philippines with quick access to financing in case of disasters triggered by natural hazards or health-related emergencies.
* Spain concluded 2024 with record employment figures, according to the Economically Active Population Survey (EPA) published by the country's Statistical Office on Tuesday. The survey revealed that in the fourth quarter of 2024, 21,857,900 people were employed, marking an increase of 34,900 (0.89 percent) compared to the previous three months.
* Sri Lanka earned 1.43 billion USD from tea exports in 2024, with an increase of more than 9 percent year-on-year, state media reported on Wednesday.
* Bangladesh's leading Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) has received a 35-million-USD loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to support working capital and trade-related lending program.
