* The Russian consulate in Istanbul said Thursday that progress has been made on ensuring banking and financial services for Russian and U.S. diplomatic missions during the second round of bilateral talks in Istanbul.
* China will raise the additional tariffs on products imported from the United States to 125 percent, effective from Saturday, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced Friday.
* The European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to kick off free trade negotiations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.
* French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Friday the European Union (EU) members that U.S. President Donald Trump's 90-day pause on his so-called "reciprocal" tariffs remains "fragile."
* South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday called on the international community to strengthen the multilateral trading system that is under threat of unilateral and protectionist measures.
* The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday issued an urgent evacuation order for residents in several neighborhoods of eastern Gaza City as military operations intensified in the area.
* The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Thursday called on Sudan's conflicting parties to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to avoid worsening the humanitarian situation in the country.
* The number of Malaysia's jobless people continues to reduce to 532,800 persons in February, with an unemployment rate of 3.1 percent, official data showed Friday.
* British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday that 3,000 neighbourhood officers and community support officers will be in place next year.
* As many as 745 people have lost their lives in 8,861 disasters in Nepal in one year by Friday, the authorities said. And 1,702 others have been injured and 69 remained missing in the disasters, while 18,991 households have been affected, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said in a report.
* A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River around Pier 40 in Manhattan, New York City, on Thursday afternoon killing all the six people on board, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference.
* At least 197 people were hospitalised in the southern Mongolian province of Umnugovi over suspected food poisoning, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said Friday.
