SEOUL -- Defense and foreign ministers of South Korea and the United States held the so-called "two plus two" talks in Seoul on Thursday about the Korean Peninsula and regional issues.

The meeting, held in about four and a half years since October 2016, was attended by Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Defense Minister Suh Wook of South Korea, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. (South Korea-U.S.-Meeting)

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REMBAU, Malaysia -- Malaysia started inoculation with the COVID-19 vaccines made by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech on Thursday, as the country pressed ahead with its national immunization drive.

Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin became the first recipient of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine in the country, receiving the jab at the Rembau Hospital in Negeri Sembilan state. (Malaysia-China-Vaccination)

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KABUL -- Nine people were killed when an Afghan Air Force helicopter crashed in the country's eastern Wardak province, the Ministry of Defense confirmed on Thursday.

The Mi-17 helicopter crashed in Bihsud district of Wardak on Wednesday night, killing four crews and five Afghan National Army soldiers, the ministry said in a statement. (Afghanistan-Helicopter Crash)

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BANGKOK -- Thailand's legislation on constitutional amendment was aborted by members of parliament (MP) and senators on Wednesday.

Following a nine-hour debate during a joint House and Senate extraordinary session at the parliament, most lawmakers managed to abstain from casting votes, thus aborting the charter amendment bill. (Thailand-Constitutional Amendment)

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KABUL -- At least three civilians were killed and 11 others wounded when a roadside bomb hit a bus in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on Thursday, the capital police confirmed.

The explosion occurred in the morning rush hour in Khair Khana locality in Police District 17, in the northern part of the city, Kabul police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Bomb Attack)