World News Roundup: EU's top diplomat visits east Ukraine front to show support against Moscow; Kremlin warns against outside interference in Kazakhstan and more

North Korea's first launch since October underscored leader Kim Jong Un's New Year vow to bolster the military to counter an unstable international situation amid stalled talks with South Korea and the United States. China's foreign minister visits Kenya amid unease over rising debt China's foreign minister begins a visit to Kenya on Wednesday, where the government has relied on Chinese loans to develop infrastructure but faces criticism over the resulting debt burden.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

EU's top diplomat visits east Ukraine front to show support against Moscow

The European Union's top diplomat visited the frontline of Ukraine's war with Russian-backed forces on Wednesday, in what Kyiv welcomed as a show of solidarity against the threat of a major new military confrontation with Moscow. Josep Borrell flew by helicopter to the easterly Luhansk region, the first EU High Representative to do so since the outbreak of the conflict in 2014, as part of a Western diplomatic push in support of Ukraine.

Kremlin warns against outside interference in Kazakhstan

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Kazakhstan could solve its own problems and it was important that no one interfered from the outside, RIA news agency reported. It quoted Peskov as saying Kazakhstan had not requested Russian help to deal with protests, triggered by a fuel price increase, that prompted the resignation of its government on Wednesday.

Brazil's Bolsonaro discharged from hospital after gut blockage

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he was discharged from hospital on Wednesday morning, two days after being admitted with an intestinal obstruction, his latest health complication from a 2018 stabbing. "Being discharged now. Thank you all," Bolsonaro posted on Twitter alongside a religious message and a photo of himself and his doctors giving a thumbs-up.

North Korea fires suspected missile as S.Korea breaks ground for 'peace' railway

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, just hours before South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a rail line he hopes will eventually connect the divided Korean peninsula. North Korea's first launch since October underscored leader Kim Jong Un's New Year vow to bolster the military to counter an unstable international situation amid stalled talks with South Korea and the United States.

China's foreign minister visits Kenya amid unease over rising debt

China's foreign minister begins a visit to Kenya on Wednesday, where the government has relied on Chinese loans to develop infrastructure but faces criticism over the resulting debt burden. The Kenyan foreign ministry described the visit by Wang Yi, who is also state councillor, as "historic". It said security, health, climate change and green technology transfer would be discussed and new bilateral agreements would be signed.

Taiwan air force stages drill to intercept Chinese planes amid tensions

Taiwan air force jets screamed into the sky on Wednesday in a drill simulating a war scenario, showing its combat readiness amid heightened military tensions with China, which claims the island as its own. Before takeoff, flight crews at a base in the southern city of Chiayi - home to U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets that are frequently scrambled to intercept Chinese warplanes - rushed to ready aircraft as an alarm sounded.

Exclusive-U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa Feltman to leave post

U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman will step down from his post this month after more than nine months in the job, and David Satterfield, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Turkey, will take up the role, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Feltman, a veteran U.S. diplomat, assumed the post in April and quickly found himself in the middle of two major crises - Ethiopia's deepening civil war between forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the army of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as well as a military coup in Sudan in October.

French parliament suspends COVID debate amid anger over Macron remark

French parliament suspended debate on a new COVID-19 law early on Wednesday as opposition lawmakers demanded explanations from President Emmanuel Macron about comments in which he said he wanted to "piss off" unvaccinated people. With a presidential election looming in April, in which he is expected to run, Macron may have calculated that enough people are now vaccinated - and upset with those who have not been vaccinated - for his comments to go down well with voters.

Thailand fears "tens of thousands" of new COVID-19 cases, weighs curbs

Thailand is considering measures such as limiting large gatherings and banning alcohol sales in restaurants to discourage customers to avert a wave of coronavirus infections, a health official said on Wednesday. The country reported 3,899 cases on Wednesday, up from an average of 2,600 daily cases towards the end of last year, and the Omicron variant itself has tripled from last month's holiday period, government data showed.

Kazakh protesters torch public buildings; emergency declared, Cabinet resigns

Kazakhstan declared emergencies in the capital, main city and provinces on Wednesday after demonstrators stormed and torched public buildings, the worst unrest for more than a decade in a tightly controlled country that promotes an image of stability. The Cabinet resigned but that failed to quell the anger of the demonstrators, who have taken to the streets in response to a fuel price increase from the start of the new year.

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