* Belarus' presidential election will be held on Jan. 26 next year, the House of Representatives of the National Assembly announced on Wednesday.
* Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday reshuffled the cabinet, sacking five ministers and appointing new ones.
* BRICS is driving global economic growth as the world transforms to a multipolar system, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday in a speech at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan.
* China and Japan held the 17th round of high-level consultations on maritime affairs in Tokyo on Wednesday, exchanging in-depth views on maritime affairs and agreeing to make the East China Sea a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship.
* Indonesia is actively seeking investors to enhance its domestic oil production by exploring potential oil sources across the country. Presidential Advisor for Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Wednesday that while Indonesia is rich in oil resources, it needs more investment to continue exploration.
* Canada will sharply lower the number of immigrants it allows into the country for the first time in years, in a dramatic policy change for an unpopular government trying to hang on to power.
* New Zealand and Brazilian companies signed 13 trade Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on Thursday, covering a broad range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and education, according to a New Zealand government statement.
* European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in Tirana on Wednesday that Albania would receive over 920 million euros (around 993.6 million USD) as part of the EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This plan, launched in November 2023, aims to accelerate growth and integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union.
* New Zealand is looking to return to operation one of its idled offshore patrol vessels after a specialist dive ship sank this month, a defence spokesperson said on Thursday.
* Norway has announced extension of its internal border controls until Nov. 11 in response to an increased terrorist threat.
* The Indonesian government prioritizes child protection in counter-terrorism efforts, stressing that children recruited by terrorist groups are victims in need of special care, said the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT).
* The proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled last year compared to 2022, accounting for 40 percent of all deaths in war, according to a UN report released on Wednesday.
* World powers are meeting in Paris on Thursday aiming to raise at least 500 million euros in urgent humanitarian aid for Lebanon and push for a ceasefire, but with the U.S. focused on its own efforts, diplomats said they expect little concrete progress.
* U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday that Washington had concerns about strikes against the Lebanese armed forces while urging Israel to take steps to ensure the safety of the Lebanese army and the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, the Pentagon said.
* Germany will provide a further 96 million euros ($103.57 million) in humanitarian and development aid to Lebanon, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Thursday ahead of a meeting of some 70 delegations in Paris focused on helping the country.
* Israel launched strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus and a military site near the western city of Homs on Thursday, the Syrian defence ministry said, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured the region pushing for a halt to fighting.
* Hezbollah on Wednesday issued a statement mourning Hashem Safieddine, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, who Israel said earlier was killed in an airstrike on Beirut three weeks ago.
* Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Wednesday that a terrorist attack at the production facility of Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAS) in Ankara resulted in casualties.
* The U.S.-British naval coalition launched two airstrikes on the Houthi-held Yemeni airport in the port city of Hodeidah on Wednesday night, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
* Sudan on Wednesday accused Western countries of politicizing humanitarian efforts and unjustly blaming the Sudanese army and government for obstructing aid.
* The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lowered its forecast for Romania's economic growth in 2024 to 1.9 percent, down from its April projection of 2.8 percent, according to the latest World Economic Outlook report released on Tuesday.
* The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated on Wednesday that Lebanon's economy could shrink as much as 9.2 percent in 2024 if the escalating hostilities continue through the end of the year.
* Tropical Storm Trami made landfall in the northeastern portion of the Philippines' main Luzon island early on Thursday, forcing schools and government offices to shut for a second straight day as disaster agencies brace for more rains and floods.
