* China is fully confident in achieving the economic growth target of around 5 percent this year as there is solid foundation, support and guarantee, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference on Thursday.
* Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru on Wednesday stressed that Japan determines its defense budget by itself, dismissing a U.S. call to boost defense spending.
* U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has received a letter from his Ukrainian counterpart saying that Kiev is ready to enter peace negotiations without delay.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that his country plans to take the first steps towards peace in the near future.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's readiness to begin peace talks is positive, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
* The director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency said Wednesday that the United States has paused intelligence support to Ukraine, on top of halting weapons shipments to the country that's still at war with Russia.
* The White House confirmed Wednesday that the Trump administration is having direct talks with Hamas aimed at releasing hostages.
* U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his pledge to take both the Panama Canal and Greenland.
* Denmark has strongly opposed U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed push for Greenland to join the United States, following his remarks during a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
* Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday denied his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump's saying about retaking control of the Panama Canal, assuring the public that the waterway continues to be Panamanian.
* Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, discussing trade and fentanyl, local media reported.
* The Czech government announced on Wednesday its decision to gradually increase defense spending to 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.
* The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled an action plan to strengthen the automotive industry's resilience and sustainability, committing 1.8 billion euros (1.94 billion USD) to developing a competitive supply chain for battery raw materials within the European Union (EU).
* The White House said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump is granting a one-month exemption to three major automakers from the newly imposed 25-percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada.
* U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his tariff strategy but acknowledged that such policies will cause "a little disturbance."
* Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday called for protecting Europe from unfair tariffs and defended an international order based on cooperation and mutual benefit, "where justice prevails rather than the law of the strongest."
* Mexico will not yield to tariff pressures from the United States and, if necessary, will seek closer trade ties with Canada and other countries, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday.
* French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that he has decided to open strategic discussions with European allies on potential nuclear protection.
* As part of the Slavkov format, the presidents of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria met on Wednesday to discuss cross-border cooperation, transport infrastructure, and regional developments.
* Israel said on Wednesday that it has conveyed to Washington its position on direct talks between the United States and Hamas regarding the release of American hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.
* Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Wednesday rejected "baseless" claims by British officials that Tehran seeks to threaten Britain's national security.
* The closure of all Gaza cargo crossing points is undoing critical progress in delivering vital, life-saving assistance since the ceasefire took effect on Jan. 19, UN agencies said on Wednesday.
* South Africa has strongly condemned Israel's refusal to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and its closure of border crossings, calling it a "clear violation" of the ceasefire agreement and international humanitarian law.
* The Gaza Strip will never see stability before witnessing Israeli withdrawal and finding a comprehensive political solution, an official of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said Wednesday.
* The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said it has a funding gap of 297 million USD to meet humanitarian needs in Somalia for the next six months.
* Libyan Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabelsi stressed Wednesday the importance of support from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to advance the voluntary departure of migrants from Libya to their home countries.
* Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani held a telephone conversation on Wednesday with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, during which they discussed bilateral relations.
* South Africa hosted the first virtual Tourism Working Group meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) on Wednesday, bringing together senior officials, authorities, and experts to advance sustainable tourism growth among G20 countries.
* The World Bank said on Thursday that it has approved two projects to improve transport connectivity and boost health services in mostly the southern Philippines' Mindanao region.
* Singapore will provide grants to support owners of zero-tailpipe emission heavy vehicles and expand the charging network for electric heavy vehicles as part of its latest vehicle electrification push toward decarbonization, according to the Land Transport Authority.
* Indonesia plans to launch up to 21 energy projects valued at approximately 45 billion USD in the first phase this year, according to the country's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia.
* Italy's economy grew just 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of last year compared with the previous quarter, and was 0.6 percent larger than in the same quarter a year earlier, according to the data released by Italy's * Israel's natural gas exports to Egypt and Jordan rose by 13.4 percent year-on-year in 2024, Israel's Energy Ministry said in a report on Wednesday.
National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) on Wednesday.
* As many as 146.48 million Indonesians are expected to travel for the 2025 Eid homecoming, marking a 24.33 percent decline from the 193.6 million recorded last year, according to projections from the Ministry of Transportation.
* Severe flooding caused by heavy rains in Bolivia since November has left at least 39 people dead, seven others missing, and more than 161,000 families impacted, authorities said Wednesday.
* Indonesia will conduct the second phase of a weather modification operation next week to mitigate severe flooding in Jakarta and its surrounding areas, the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency (BNPB) announced on Wednesday.
