LUIGI DI MAIO

The main candidates in Italy's general election on Sunday to elect a new Parliament and determine who next governs the country include both familiar names and lesser-known ones.

European Union countries have agreed on the need to make it harder for Russian citizens to enter the 27-nation bloc.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi's decision to turn in his resignation after his “unity” coalition broke apart dramatically in Parliament was the latest step in a political crisis that could take months before a new government is solidly in place to lead the European Union's third-largest economy.

Mario Draghi announces his resignation after a populist coalition partner withdraws its support.

Italy's president has rebuffed Premier Mario Draghi's offer to resign after a key ally refused to back the government in a Senate vote.

Italy's Premier Mario Draghi is meeting with Italy’s president to discuss the future of his government amid simmering tensions with a coalition member, the 5-Star Movement.

Germany hosted officials in Berlin to discuss ways to blunt the impacts of the global food crisis, which has left 200 million acutely food insecure.

Italy’s political landscape has shifted after Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio formalized his departure from the 5-Star Movement.

An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office says Russian troops have changed their tactics in the battle for Sievierodonetsk.

The Italian government has prepared a plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine, La Repubblica reports with reference to the document.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi has secured a deal for more natural gas across a Mediterranean pipeline from Algeria.

With the U.S., EU and U.K. looking to phase out Russian gas imports, western leaders could look to LNG projects in sub-Saharan Africa to soften the landing.

European Union countries are accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.

European governments are moving against Russian oligarchs to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to back down on his war in Ukraine, seizing superyachts and other luxury properties from billionaires on sanctions lists.

The head of the Polish bishops’ conference has done what Pope Francis has avoided doing by publicly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After tough talk between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin over the Russian troop buildup on the Ukraine border, both sides insist they are hopeful that a pathway to easing tensions could open during diplomatic talks set for January.

The Group of Seven economic powers have told Russia to “de-escalate” its military buildup near the Ukrainian border, warning that an invasion would have “massive consequences” and inflict severe economic pain on Moscow.

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven nations were meeting in Liverpool for talks dominated by Russia’s military buildup near its border with Ukraine and what host country Britain called Moscow’s “malign behavior" around the world.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi says a bilateral treaty signed with French President Emmanuel Macron to deepen bilateral cooperation will in turn strengthen the European Union.

A 39-year-old man who served as a translator for the Italian military and embassy in Afghanistan says he is relieved to be safe in Italy but worries about how his wife and four young children are faring back in Kabul.

Taliban forces have sealed off Kabul’s airport to most Afghans as NATO nations wrap up evacuation flights out of Afghanistan.

Military planes carrying British troops and diplomats from Kabul are landing at a U.K. air base after the U.K.’s two-week evacuation operation ended.

The Albanian government says 154 more Afghans evacuated from their country fearing the Taliban have arrived on two charter flights.

The Taliban have appointed a hard-line cleric as the women’s affairs minister in Herat, a province they captured earlier in the week in their blitz across Afghanistan.

A meeting of G-20 foreign and development ministers has ended with officials vowing to join efforts to fight hunger in the world, especially in Africa, in the wake of the pandemic, as well as climate change.

With the pandemic providing painful lessons on how interconnected the world is, ministers from nations accounting for more than half the world’s population were meeting in Italy on Tuesday to explore how to better cooperate, including on vaccines and climate change efforts. Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio cited both as areas where it’s imperative that countries pull together. “In an interconnected world, multilateralism and international cooperation are the only effective instruments in facing global challenges," Di Maio said.

As the Biden administration rapidly completes the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, members of the global coalition fighting the Islamic State are meeting to plot future steps against the extremist group.

A Hong Kong pro-democracy website was temporarily taken down after police warned the Israel-based hosting company that it breached a national security law.

Securing Libya's southern borders is a priority for the country's transitional government as it aims to stem the flow of illegal migrants setting off from its shores, Libya’s interim foreign minister said Friday. Najla al-Manqoush made the statements in a press conference following meetings with Foreign Minister of Italy Luigi Di Maio, his Maltese counterpart Evarist Bartolo and European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi who visited the country Friday, along with Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.

The head of the U.N. refugee agency says he has urged Italy not to unnecessarily impede NGOs that operate migrant rescue ships in the central Mediterranean, as warmer weather is expected to bring the usual seasonal uptick in the departure of smugglers’ boats from Libya.

An Italian Navy captain accused of passing classified documents to Russia says his client is defending himself.

A view of the Russian Embassy in Rome, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Italy has ordered two Russian Embassy officials expelled and arrested an Italian Navy captain on spying charges after police caught the Italian allegedly giving classified documents to one of the Russians in exchange for money. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)ROME – Italy’s spy thriller took a decidedly mundane turn Thursday with indications that the Italian Navy captain accused of passing classified documents to Russia was desperate for extra money to pay his mortgage and support his four children. Walter Biot, an Italian Navy frigate captain most recently assigned to a policy position at the Defense Ministry, was being held at Rome’s Regina Coeli prison. He voiced concern that if his father receives a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, the family would face even more devastating financial problems.

A view of the Russian Embassy in Rome, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Italy has ordered two Russian Embassy officials expelled and arrested an Italian Navy captain on spying charges after police caught the Italian allegedly giving classified documents to one of the Russians in exchange for money. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)ROME – Italy ordered two Russian Embassy officials expelled Wednesday and arrested an Italian Navy captain on spying charges after police caught the Italian allegedly giving classified documents to one of the Russians in exchange for money. The Russian observed with him, a member of the Russian armed forces stationed at the Russian Embassy in Italy, was initially detained but not immediately placed under arrest given his diplomatic status. AdHe was ordered expelled along with another Russian Embassy official allegedly involved, Di Maio told lawmakers.

German foreign Minister Heiko Maas speaks in Tripoli, Libya, Thursday, March 25, 2021. The European foreign ministers also called on mercenaries and foreign fighters to leave the country immediately. Ad“This (withdrawal) is indispensable so that Libya can regain its sovereignty and security,” said France’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. “We have talked about the tasks ahead and about how we can concretely support (Libya) where there is a wish for it,” said Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. EU top diplomats also stressed the need to reopen the country's Mediterranean coastal road linking the east and the west.

The U.S. sanctioned an additional 24 Chinese and Hong Kong officials over Beijing's ongoing crackdown on political freedoms in the semi-autonomous city, including a decision to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)HONG KONG – The U.S. sanctioned an additional 24 Chinese and Hong Kong officials over Beijing’s ongoing crackdown on political freedoms in the semi-autonomous city, just ahead of the Biden administration's first face-to-face talks with China. The planned changes to Hong Kong's electoral law give a pro-Beijing committee power to appoint more of Hong Kong’s lawmakers. Last June, Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the city and Hong Kong authorities have arrested most of the prominent pro-democracy supporters and outspoken critics. Starting last October, the U.S. had already sanctioned 10 officials including Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Zhang Xiaoming.

The trip was undertaken at the U.N.’s invitation, according to Di Maio. The Italian embassy in Kinshasha, Di Maio noted, has two armored vehicles at the ambassador's disposal for moving around the city and the country. But for Monday's mission, to visit a WFP school food project in Rutshuri in eastern Congo, Attanasio was traveling in U.N. vehicles. Only hours earlier, Di Maio, flanked by Premier Mario Draghi, met the arrival of the bodies of the two Italians at a Rome military airport. Italy will reinforce its commitments to aid Africa, Di Maio said, calling that the “best way to honor the memory″ of the two slain Italians.

An Italian Carabinieri unit is expected in Congo Tuesday to investigate the killings of the Italian ambassador to Congo, an Italian Carabinieri police officer and their driver in the country's east. In the specific area of the attack, several armed groups are active including the FDLR, the Nyatura militia and remnants of the former M23 rebels. AdIt’s unusual for a top diplomat to be targeted in eastern Congo, but attacks have been rising, Pierre Boisselet, coordinator of the Kivu Security Tracker, said. “Usually violence by armed groups targets civilians,” or civilians are hurt amid clashes between armed groups and the army. More than 2,000 civilians were killed last year in eastern Congo provinces by armed rebel groups, according to U.N. reports last week.

A passer-by takes a selfie with an extra newspaper reporting on President-elect Joe Biden's win in the U.S. presidential election, in Tokyo Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Other leaders who sent congratulations included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Prime Minister Janez Jansa was the only world leader who congratulated Trump even before all the votes were counted, and showed support after Biden’s win was announced. Many people, particularly in nations with turbulent politics, took Biden's win as improving the outlook for respect of democracy. In Egypt, where the government is cracking down on dissent, pro-democracy activists welcomed Biden’s win.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, right, and Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio say goodbye by using their elbows after their joint press conference, in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, June 19, 2020. Turkey says the EUs naval operation dubbed Irini is focusing its efforts on the Tripoli-based administration and not enough on Hifters forces who launched an offensive in April 2019 to capture the capital. We will continue to work with Italy for a last peace and a solution-oriented political process, Cavusoglu told reporters, praising Italy for what he described as its balanced stance on Libya. He maintained that the operation ignores alleged constant arms transfers to Hifter by France.Cavusoglus comments come amid growing tensions between Turkey and France over Libya. He also defended the EU naval operation, describing it as balanced.The aim is to control the arrival of all armaments, Di Maio said.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, right, and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio asign an agreement following their meeting , in Athens, on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Greece will lift all restrictions on Italian tourists entering the country gradually between June 15 and the end of the month, Greece's foreign minister said Tuesday. (Costas Baltas /Pool via AP)ATHENS ATHENS, GreeceGreece and Italy signed an agreement Tuesday demarcating their maritime boundaries, amid tension in the Mediterranean region over rights to natural resources. Greece and Cyprus in particular have been locked in a tense diplomatic standoff with Turkey over drilling rights at sea. Last November, Turkey signed a maritime boundary agreement with Libyas UN-backed government that was strongly opposed and considered illegal by Greece, Egypt and Cyprus.

NurPhotoItaly's prime minister has called for calm as the coronavirus spreads to other parts of the country, while lockdowns, closures and "fake news" provokes panic among the public. Italian media said that Lombardy had reported its first cases among minors, with four children infected with the virus. "It's time to turn down the tone, we need to stop panic," he said, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza and European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, met in Rome Wednesday to discuss the outbreak. The extraordinary commissioner to Coronavirus emergency Angelo Borrelli with Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte arrive at the Civil Protection headquarters, for an emergency meeting on Coronavirus infections on February 23, 2020 in Rome, Italy.

(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)VIENNA – The Latest on the Iran nuclear deal (all times local):8:05 p.m.Iran's deputy U.N. ambassador has responded to new concerns about the country's nuclear activities saying it "continues to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency to answer questions raised by it." He said: "While the interaction between the agency and Iran is ongoing, any conclusion by other parties is inconsistent with the agency's finding and thus unacceptable." The IAEA said in its latest report that uranium of a man-made origin has been discovered "at a location in Iran not declared to the agency." Iran invited inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to Fordo to see its work. Since the U.S. pulled out of the Iran nuclear pact last year and imposed sanctions, Iran has been slowly violating its provisions to pressure other nations to provide more incentives.