* Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. Vance arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for talks with the Iranian team to end the recent hostilities in the Middle East region.
* The Iranian team for talks with the United States on Saturday met with the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday ahead of their talks with U.S. counterparts, according to media reports.
* A senior Iranian source said on Saturday the United States had agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets that were held in Qatar and other foreign banks, according to Reuters reports.
* U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure ahead of U.S.-Iran talks set for Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan, claiming on Friday that Iran has "no cards" other than short-term "extortion" with the Strait of Hormuz.
* Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Friday demanded a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran's blocked assets prior to the commencement of negotiations with the United States.
* UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the U.S.-Iran talks that are mediated by Pakistan, scheduled to start in Islamabad over the weekend, his spokesperson said Friday.
* Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Friday stressed the need to safeguard regional peace and stability by building upon the recent ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
* The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday called on participants in upcoming talks between the United States and Iran to demonstrate a responsible approach and avoid actions that could undermine the chance for peace.
* British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday that Britain hopes the upcoming U.S.-Iran talks will pave the way toward a long-term resolution.
* Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday called on the European Union (EU) to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel, given its continued bombardment of Lebanon and actions in Gaza.
* Britain will hold talks with allies next week on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping without paying tolls to Iran, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an anonymous official familiar with the matter.
* Speaking during his meeting on Friday with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China is willing to work with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and to promote practical cooperation.
* Russia does not want a temporary truce, but lasting and sustainable peace, the Kremlin said on Friday after an Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Ukraine was announced Thursday.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Ukraine is ready for "symmetrical steps" if Russia adheres to an Orthodox Easter ceasefire.
* Kyrylo Budanov, a senior Ukrainian negotiator, said talks between Ukraine and Russia are moving toward a potential agreement, the Ukrinform news agency reported Friday.
* Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday that the principles of international law are being overshadowed by power politics, leading to heightened global tensions.
* Zoran Stevanovic, leader of the center-right party Resni.ca, was elected speaker of the Slovenia's parliament, which was inaugurated on Friday.
* Djibouti's incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh was re-elected for a sixth term with 97.81 percent of the vote, according to the provisional results released on Saturday.
* Guinea has postponed its legislative and municipal elections by one week to May 31, according to a presidential decree broadcast on national television on Friday. The vote was initially scheduled for May 24. Authorities said the delay would require adjustments to the campaign timetable in line with the electoral code.
* Colombia's trade ministry said Friday it will raise tariffs on imports from neighboring Ecuador to 100 percent from 30 percent, matching a decision made a day earlier by Quito, as tensions between the two countries escalate.
* Amid a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the Middle East, India dispatched two senior ministers to Gulf countries to strengthen energy security, India's foreign ministry said on Friday. Gulf countries are India's largest source of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
* In a joint statement issued after the 13th ASEAN Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting (AFMGM) held on Friday in Manila (Philippines), Finance ministers and central bank governors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) raised concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East and their potential impact on the global economy.
* Russia's foreign trade surplus declined sharply in the first two months of 2026, falling by 33.3 percent year on year to 14.1 billion USD, local media reported on Friday.
* Malaysia must accelerate the implementation of an artificial intelligence (AI) city model to support its national development goals, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday.
* The Thai government has finalized measures to support public travel and ensure a continuous fuel supply nationwide during the 2026 Songkran Festival, reaffirming its commitment to a safe and seamless holiday period.
* Uzbekistan's economic growth is projected to remain robust at 6.7 percent in 2026, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Friday.
* The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 115.8-million-U.S.-dollar loan to enhance environmentally sustainable and resilient urban services in Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) in Bangladesh.
