* Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan named Dafallah Al-Haj Ali as acting prime minister and cabinet affairs minister on Wednesday, the ruling Transitional Sovereign Council (TSC) announced.
* Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday called on BRICS countries to strengthen unity and cooperation to act as the most reliable force in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
* The United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement to establish the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, the U.S. Treasury Department announced on Wednesday.
* Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday spoke with the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, highlighting the country's economic ties with the European Union.
* Bulgarian officials on Wednesday called for joint, coordinated efforts to tackle the country's demographic issue, warning of its wide-ranging impact on national development and security.
* The Afghan interim government's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has signed five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with five leading aid agencies to improve people's livelihoods, an official from the ministry said on Thursday.
* The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) on Wednesday announced the reinstatement of Gabon to the union's family.
* Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Wednesday called for heightened international and regional efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Sudan and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas.
* Yemen's Houthi group said on Wednesday it had downed a U.S. F-18 fighter jet during an earlier assault on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, and launched fresh drone attacks over the past 24 hours targeting another U.S. carrier and Israeli cities.
* President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday reaffirmed his country's commitment to supporting Lebanon's national unity, sovereignty, and institutional stability.
* Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah on Wednesday ordered the closure of 25 diplomatic missions abroad and a reduction in the number of Libyan diplomats as part of efforts to curb public spending.
* The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday by nine days, until 9 May, to allow more time for members to discuss the matter amid escalating tensions in the country.
* The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge rose 2.3 percent in March, slowing from a 2.7 percent increase in February, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Wednesday.
* Russia's gas production is expected to grow by 1.7 percent in 2025, according to a forecast by the Russian Economic Development Ministry released on Wednesday.
* Italy's economy grew by 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday by the National Statistics Institute, ISTAT.
* Thailand's central bank lowered its key interest rate by 25 basis points for a second straight meeting on Wednesday in support of a slower domestic growth outlook amid global trade uncertainties.
* Austria's economic output grew by 0.2 percent in the first three months of this year compared to the previous quarter, a flash estimate showed on Wednesday.
* Slovenia's annual inflation rose to 2.3 percent in April, the highest level since May 2024, the country's Statistical Office reported on Wednesday.
