The U.S. dollar rose 0.2% to 109.88 against a basket of currencies , hovering near its strongest since November 2022.

The yuan has faced renewed depreciation pressures, weighed down by a triple-whammy of a broadly stronger greenback, falling Chinese yields and rising trade tensions with other economies.

Marked by the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine and escalating tensions at the Polish-Belarusian border -- which Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called an example of "hybrid warfare" -- the Polish Presidency will take a broad view of strengthening European security and defence.

South Korea has voted to impeach its acting president Han Duck-soo, two weeks after parliament voted to impeach its President Yoon Suk Yeol.

A total of 192 lawmakers voted for his impeachment, more than the 151 votes needed for it to succeed.

South Korea’s intelligence agency has reported that a North Korean soldier, believed to be the first captured while supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, has died after being taken alive by Ukrainian forces.

South Korea’s spy agency earlier on Friday confirmed Ukrainian reports that an injured North Korean soldier had been captured by Ukrainian forces, in what was likely to have been the first capture of its kind since Pyongyang had sent combat forces to bolster Russian forces in the war in Ukraine.

A top police official said on Friday that criminal groups with Russian backing were intent on disrupting Moldova's presidential election, including attempts to seize government buildings.