Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss bilateral relations and the Middle East situation, the Kremlin announced on Wednesday. "The agenda included the current state of and prospects for the development of Russian-Syrian relations in the political, trade, economic, and humanitarian spheres, as well as the situation in the Middle East," the Kremlin stated.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed on a temporary 48-hour ceasefire to ease tensions along their border. This development was confirmed by Pakistan's Foreign Office on Wednesday.

In another incident, a tragic fire on Batam Island in Indonesia's Riau Islands province claimed the lives of ten people and left 21 others injured. The fire broke out aboard the oil tanker Federal II, which was undergoing repairs at PT ASL Shipyard Indonesia.

Meanwhile, in Australia, three people were found dead following a house fire in Queensland. Fire and rescue teams responded to the blaze at a two-storey home in Gladstone, located over 400 kilometers north of Brisbane, early on Wednesday morning.