THAILAND

Ex-PM Paetongtarn quits as party leader

Thailand's recently removed prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resigned on Wednesday as leader of the party founded by her father, former premier Thaksin, signaling the potential end of the family's decades-long political dynasty. In a statement, Paetongtarn expressed her intention to initiate a comprehensive "overhaul "of the party before the next election. Paetongtarn, 39, served less than a year as prime minister before being sacked by a court in August over an ethics breach related to her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia. Paetongtarn confirmed that she will remain a party member and "Head of the Pheu Thai Family", committing to help build a new era for the party.

PERU

Emergency declared to combat violence

Peru's President Jose Jeri declared on Tuesday a 30-day state of emergency in the capital Lima and the neighboring province of Callao, saying the move was to battle rising crime. The announcement follows protests last week that left one person dead and more than 100 injured. Jeri said the measure, starting just after midnight on Tuesday and approved by the Council of Ministers, authorizes the deployment of the armed forces alongside the police to maintain public order. Jeri was sworn in earlier this month following the ouster of former president Dina Boluarte. He unveiled a new cabinet last week, vowing to make tackling crime a top priority.

NIGERIA

39 people killed as fuel truck explodes

A tanker truck laden with gasoline exploded on Tuesday in North Nigeria, killing at least 39 people, police said. The explosion occurred in the Bida area of Niger State after the truck fell and as local residents rushed to the scene to scoop up spilling fuel, police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement. Dozens more were injured in the blast and were taken to nearby hospitals. Scavenging gasoline has become common in Nigeria as fuel prices have soared. In January, at least 98 people were killed in Niger State when people tried to transfer gasoline from a crashed oil tanker into another truck using a generator.

AZERBAIJAN

Curbs lifted on transit of goods to Armenia

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev announced on Tuesday that Azerbaijan has lifted all restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia. The first shipment under the new arrangement was Kazakh grain bound for Armenia. Aliyev said this is a strong indicator that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia exists not only on paper but also in practice. The office of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomed the move, describing it as a key step for regional connectivity and confidence-building.