Authorities say massive floods in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state have killed at least 75 people over the last seven days and another 103 are reported missing

Chinese President Xi Jinping is kicking off a three-country trip to Europe with the continent divided over how to deal with Beijing’s growing power and the U.S.-China rivalry

SYDNEY – The World Bank has urged the largest Pacific Island nation, Papua New Guinea, to address a “human capital crisis” and invest more in educating children, who suffer high rates of stunted growth and illiteracy, as a way to boost economic growth and security.

HONG KONG – A senior U.S. official on Thursday urged China and Russia to match declarations by the United States and others that only humans, and never artificial intelligence, would make decisions on deploying nuclear weapons.

The United States has imposed new sanctions on hundreds of companies and people tied to Russia’s weapons development program, as well as more than a dozen Chinese entities accused of helping Moscow find workarounds to earlier penalties

WASHINGTON/DUBAI  – The Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are finalizing an agreement for U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance, even as an Israel-Saudi normalization deal envisioned as part of a Middle East “grand bargain” remains elusive, according to seven people familiar with the matter.

BOGOTA – Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday he will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its actions in Gaza.

The European Union and United Nations abruptly rescheduled the launch of an anti-human trafficking program this week after being confronted with questions on the choice of venue: a Phnom Penh hotel owned by a Cambodian tycoon who has another property that has been used by human traffickers

ABU DHABI – The United States, Britain and the European Union are pressing the United Arab Emirates to show it is cracking down on firms evading sanctions imposed on Russia over the war in Ukraine, according to three sources aware of the diplomatic outreach.

Energy and environment ministers of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations have committed to phase out coal power by 2035