* Australian Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese said his ministers would be sworn in next Tuesday following his Labor Party's landslide federal election victory.
* Singapore has established a fully government-owned company to centralize the procurement and supply of natural gas for power generation companies.
* The Chinese and Cambodian armed forces will conduct a joint exercise in Cambodia in mid-to-late May, a Chinese defense spokesperson said on Thursday.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signed a strategic partnership agreement following bilateral talks in Moscow on Wednesday.
* Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that his country is fully capable of defending its geographical boundaries as well as responding to any kind of Indian aggression.
* Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday blamed the European Commission's proposal to completely halt energy imports from Russia, calling the plan unacceptable in its current form.
* Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Wednesday that he will summon the United States ambassador to Denmark for a meeting following media reports suggesting that Washington plans to intensify espionage activities targeting Greenland.
* The 28th Eurasian Economic Summit kicked off in Istanbul on Wednesday, with a focus on dialogue in tackling pressing global challenges like conflicts, climate change, economic inequality, and migration.
* Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, on Wednesday underscored the strategic importance of enhancing connectivity in Eastern Europe, describing it as a key factor for the region's economic development and investment potential.
* Greece and Egypt signed a strategic partnership agreement on Wednesday, with a focus on migration cooperation. Both countries agree to tackle regional challenges while deepening bilateral ties.
* French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday criticized Israeli strikes in Syria, warning such actions would not guarantee "Israel's long-term security."
* Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that a planned expanded military operation in the Gaza Strip would force the enclave's entire population to either relocate to a confined area in the south or to "voluntarily" emigrate, as Israeli forces prepare to seize control of the entire territory.
* At least 40 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in Israelis attacks in Gaza City on Wednesday, according to Palestinian medical sources.
* Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday lowered the number of living hostages in the Gaza Strip from 24 to 21.
* Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Wednesday dismissed a recent media report and the speculations about a proposal by Tehran on direct nuclear talks with Washington and an imminent meeting between the Iranian and U.S. presidents.
* The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has cut food rations for one million refugees in Uganda due to funding shortages. In a statement posted on its social media platform on Tuesday, the UN agency said it urgently needs 50 million USD to restore the life-saving support for refugees and asylum seekers in the East African country.
* Japan's rice prices per 5 kg rose to a record of 4,233 yen (about 30 USD) in the week through April 27, hitting its highest level for the 17th straight week and remaining at more than double the level a year earlier, according to the agriculture ministry.
* The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday left target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent, as the Trump administration's tariff policies are expected to lead to higher inflation and slower economic growth.
* The Philippines' gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2025 grew by 5.4 percent from a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Thursday.
* Poland's Monetary Policy Council (RPP) made a pivotal move on Wednesday by cutting interest rates by 50 basis points, marking the first reduction in 19 months.
* Cambodia exported garments, footwear, and travel goods totally worth 3.5 billion USD in the first quarter of 2025, up 20 percent year-on-year, an official said on Wednesday.
* Uzbekistan welcomed more than 1 million foreign tourists in a single month for the first time, the country's tourism committee said.
* Bolivia's rainy season has left 58 people dead, 10 missing and more than 860,000 families homeless since last November, a senior official said on Wednesday.
* China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Thursday issued yellow alerts for rainstorms and severe convective weather, as southern China braced for the most intense phase of a prolonged downpour, coupled with widespread severe convective conditions.
