Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris on Monday for talks seen as a critical opportunity to take steps to end five years of conflict in the east of Ukraine.

Iraq's foreign ministry Monday summoned four Western envoys for their statements condemning a weekend attack in Baghdad that left 20 anti-government demonstrators and four police officers dead.

Iran said Monday it was open to more prisoner swaps with the U.S. while stressing an exchange at the weekend was not the result of formal negotiations with its arch-foe.

More than 160 cars were vandalized in a Palestinian neighborhood of Jerusalem with anti-Arab slogans scrawled nearby, Israeli police said Monday, in a suspected hate crime.

Israel edged closer to a third election within a year Monday as neither the embattled premier Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival appeared close to forming a government two days before a deadline.

EU leaders will renew economic sanctions against Russia when they meet for a summit this week, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday.

The death toll from an eruption at the popular White Island volcano in New Zealand has risen to five with many others injured, police said Monday.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday hosted a Lebanese-born Swiss real estate mogul who purchased Nazi memorabilia at a German auction and is donating the items to Israel.

Rivlin called Abdallah Chatila's gesture an "act of grace."

Thousands attended angry protests in Baghdad and southern Iraq Saturday, grieving but defiant after 20 of them were killed in an attack the previous day that demonstrators described as "slaughter".

At least 43 people were killed Sunday in a devastating fire that ripped through a bag factory in the cramped, congested old quarter of the Indian capital New Delhi, trapping scores of workers who were sleeping inside.