Europe

Leaders agree in Paris on helping African economies revive

PARIS — More than 20 African heads of state and top officials from European governments, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund agreed Tuesday to seek an additional $100 billion for reviving Africa's economies crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Europe

US-Russia showdown looms as top diplomats meet in Iceland

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Top diplomats from the United States and Russia are set to square off this week in Iceland for their first face-to-face encounter that comes as ties between the nations have deteriorated sharply in recent months.

Europe

Kosovo, Serbia clash over Balkan border issues at summit

BRDO, Slovenia — Serbia and Kosovo clashed Monday at a summit of Western Balkan nations over state border changes, a thorny issue in a region that is still recuperating from bloody civil wars in the 1990s.

Europe

Islamic nations hold emergency summit on Israel-Gaza attacks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation opened an emergency meeting Sunday over the heavy fighting between Israel and the Gaza Strip’s militant Hamas rulers, the first major move among Mideast nations still grappling with how to address the conflict.

Europe

UK backs plans for in-person COP26 climate meeting

LONDON — Britain hopes to host the U.N.'s delayed COP26 climate summit in person in November despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the U.K. official leading the preparations said Friday.

Europe

Romanian leader tells Biden more NATO troops needed in east

BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania's president told U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on Monday that more NATO troops are needed on the alliance's eastern flank given Russia actions that are perceived as threatening by many in the region...

Europe

David Attenborough to address leaders at UN climate summit

LONDON — Veteran British broadcaster David Attenborough has been appointed the “people’s advocate” at the global climate summit this year, where he is expected to address political leaders about the need for urgent action to tackle the “crippling” threat of climate change...

Europe

Sturgeon: Scotland independence vote matter of when, not if

LONDON — Scotland's leader told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Sunday that a second Scottish independence referendum is “a matter of when, not if," after her party won its fourth straight parliamentary election...

Business

Solidarity or frugality? EU leaders discuss coronavirus plan

BRUSSELS — As they brace for the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, leaders of the European Union's 27 member states are to discuss the bloc's future long-term budget and a...

General News

No agreement in sight as EU leaders meet for big money talks

BRUSSELS — With much discord still among European Union leaders, a video summit this week seems to have no hope of finding a compromise on a multibillion-euro post-coronavirus recovery plan...

Belgrade

With US summit planned, Russia prefers EU-Kosovo mediation

BELGRADE, Serbia — Russia's foreign minister said Thursday that Moscow will need to approve any solution reached in peace talks between Kosovo and Serbia that have gained momentum after U.S....

General News

Bolton: Trump said Xi was right to detain ethnic minorities

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump told China's Xi Jinping that he was right to build detention camps to house hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities, former U.S. national security...

General News

Bolton says Trump asked China to help him get reelected

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump asked China’s Xi Jinping during a 2019 summit meeting to help his reelection prospects by purchasing more American farm products, according to a new book...

Summits

S Korea’s leader calls on North to stop raising tensions

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president called on North Korea to stop raising animosities and return to talks, saying Monday the rivals must not reverse the peace deals that he and North...

Summits

On summit anniversary, North Korea vows to build up military

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea on Friday again vowed to build up its military force to counter what it perceives as U.S. threats and said there would be little reason for a personal...

General News

UK vaccine summit calls for freely available virus vaccine

LONDON — A vaccine summit hosted by Britain on Thursday raised billions of dollars to immunize children in developing countries as experts wrestled with the difficult question of how any...

Ukraine

Kremlin: Trump tells Putin about idea for summit with Russia

MOSCOW — U.S. President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday to tell him about his proposal to convene an international summit that would involve Russia, the Kremlin...

Angela Merkel

Merkel won’t attend G7 summit in person if US goes ahead

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel will not personally attend a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the world’s major economies if President Donald Trump goes ahead with it, unless the...

General News

The Latest: Japan set to end Tokyo’s state of emergency

The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can...

Beijing

The Latest: China reports 4 new confirmed virus cases

The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can...

General News

Nearly 39 million have lost jobs in US since virus took hold

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits in the two months since the coronavirus took hold in the U.S. has swelled to nearly 39 million, the government reported...

G-7 Summit

Trump considering hosting G-7 summit in US after all

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he's considering holding a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the world's major economies after all because it would be a “great...

U.S. News

Unlike 2008 crisis, pandemic has no leader, no global plan

UNITED NATIONS — When financial markets collapsed and the world faced its last great crisis in 2008, major powers worked together to restore the global economy, but the COVID-19 pandemic has...

Italy

EU agrees budget, recovery plan needed to beat virus impact

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders agreed Thursday to revamp the EU's long-term budget and set up a massive recovery fund to tackle the impact of the coronavirus and help rebuild the 27-nation...

Health

Tensions mount as EU leaders mull huge virus recovery plan

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders are preparing for a new virtual summit to take stock of the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on the lives and livelihoods of around half a billion...

Global trade

Virtual summit: SE Asia leaders meet by video on pandemic

HANOI, Vietnam — Forced apart by the coronavirus pandemic, Southeast Asian leaders linked up by video Tuesday to plot a strategy to overcome a crisis that has threatened their economies and...

Diplomacy

Global diplomacy under the gun in the time of coronavirus

WASHINGTON — Entire countries are on lockdown, state visits canceled, travel curtailed, key meetings postponed or moved online.

Italy

EU tempers fray as virus hits lives, livelihoods, economies

As the coronavirus claims lives, ruins livelihoods and wreaks economic havoc, tensions are rising between European Union countries over how best to respond as the pandemic overwhelms some member...

Emmanuel Macron

EU leaders order up recovery plan for after coronavirus

BRUSSELS — European Union national leaders told the bloc’s finance ministers Thursday to draw up new measures to tackle the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic after...

General News

Half-million infected worldwide as economic toll rises

The human and economic toll of the lockdowns against the coronavirus mounted Thursday as India struggled to feed the multitudes, Italy shut down most of its industry, and a record-shattering 3.3...

Dubai

World leaders vow to coordinate virus response in video call

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The head of the United Nations told leaders of the world’s 20 major industrialized nations during an emergency virtual summit on Thursday that "we are at war...

International News

The G20 video call: In virus era, even summits are virtual

LONDON — The face-to-face tension among foes was gone. So was the in-person camaraderie among allies.

International News

France says people must stay home to slow spread of virus

PARIS — France said Monday that it would follow other European countries in confining residents mostly to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the European Union considered closing...

Dominican Republic

The Latest: Puerto Rico sees its first cases of coronavirus

The Latest on the world's coronavirus pandemic:

International News

EU condemns Trump travel ban from Europe as virus spreads

BRUSSELS — The European Union on Thursday lashed out at President Donald Trump’s “unilateral” decision to restrict travel from Europe to the United States over the coronavirus, saying that...

Virus Outbreak

EU vows united response as virus hits its political heart

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders vowed Tuesday to stand united in combating the spread of the coronavirus ravaging member country Italy, and agreed to draft a plan to address any medical...

General News

Airstrike in northwest Syria kills 15 ahead of Moscow summit

BEIRUT — An airstrike on a rebel-held village in northwest Syria hit a poultry farm where several displaced families were sheltering early Thursday, killing at least 15 people including...

Turkey

Russia-Turkey talks a last chance to avert Idlib calamity

ANKARA, Turkey — A summit between the Turkish and Russian leaders on Thursday may be the last chance to work out a deal that avoids further calamity in Syria’s northwest.

Summits

Kim’s sister’s 1st official remarks hint at elevated status

SEOUL, South Korea — In her first known official statement, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un leveled diatribes and insults against rival South Korea for protesting her...

General News

Trump pushing for three-way arms control with Russia, China

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has informed Moscow that the U.S. is open to holding a summit with other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in hopes of pushing for...

Charles Michel

Testy EU budget talks blocked, new summit in March likely

BRUSSELS — Major contributors to the European Union's budget blocked progress at an emergency summit on Friday, insisting that they would not stump up more funds for the bloc's next long-term...

Italy

Abuse survivors seek more progress 1 year after papal summit

VATICAN CITY — Survivors of church sex abuse have descended on Rome this week, marking the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ summit of church leaders on preventing abuse with calls for more...

International News

1 trillion euros: worth a big, long fight at the EU summit

BRUSSELS — Everything is set for the EU's bruising trillion-euro summit.

Turkey

Powers renew pledge to uphold Libya arms embargo

MUNICH — Countries with interests in Libya's civil war recommitted themselves Sunday to uphold a barely working arms embargo, four weeks after a peace summit in Berlin was followed by...

Charlotte

Trump airs impeachment gripes while pushing economic agenda

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to showcase a new economic revitalization program, but he quickly took a verbal detour to reprise complaints about...

Climate

UK boosts climate effort by banning new gas vehicles by 2035

LONDON — Britain announced Tuesday that it plans to ban the sale of new gas and diesel cars by 2035 — five years earlier than its previous target — in a bid to speed up efforts to tackle...