BANGKOK -- Thailand on Wednesday confirmed 35 new COVID-19 infections, mostly domestic, according to the country's Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

Of Wednesday's new cases, 25 were domestic infections while 10 others referred to imported cases, the CCSA spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin said during daily briefing. (Thailand-COVID-19)

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NEW DELHI -- Indian President Ram Nath Kovind got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday in the capital Delhi, an official at his office said.

Kovind received the jab at the army's Research and Referral Hospital.

The COVID-19 vaccination drive in India began on Jan. 16. The second phase kicked off on March 1 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being among the first people to take a shot. (India-President-Vaccine)

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SEOUL -- Negotiators from South Korea and the United States will hold talks in Washington later this week to discuss how to share the upkeep cost for the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

The ninth round of negotiations for the 11th Special Measures Agreement (SMA), a South Korea-U.S. deal to share the defense cost for about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed here, will be held in the U.S. capital on Friday. (South Korea-U.S.-Cost-sharing)

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CANBERRA -- Latest national accounts figures showed that Australian economy continued to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, Australia's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.1 percent in the December quarter while the growth figure for the September quarter was revised up from 3.3 to 3.4 percent.

It marks the first time in the 60-year history of the national accounts that Australia's GDP has grown by more than 3 percent in consecutive quarters. (Australia-Economy-GDP-Recovery)