International powers who support the Syrian opposition have firmly rebuffed any idea of a presidential election organized by the Syrian government in the midst of a civil war, describing the plans as a "parody of democracy" that would kill peace talks.

• April 3, 2014

Egyptians will vote on May 26-27 in a presidential election that Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win easily, meaning the former army chief who deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi could be sworn in as head of state by early June.

• March 30, 2014

Any escalation in the Ukraine crisis poses a threat to Cyprus's economy, the outgoing governor of the country's central bank said in an interview, noting that he expects the bailed-out euro zone member to return to growth in 2015.

• March 30, 2014

Ukraine won a $27-billion international financial lifeline on Thursday, rushed through in the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea, while Moscow's economy minister acknowledged that his country's growth would slow dramatically as funds flee abroad.

• March 27, 2014

The United States and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to work together to prepare possible tougher economic sanctions in response to Russia's behavior in Ukraine, including on the energy sector, and to make Europe less dependent on Russian gas.

• March 26, 2014

China's huge manufacturing engine stuttered in the early part of 2014 while a return to growth in French business activity this month suggested a solid, broad-based recovery was taking shape in the euro zone, surveys showed.

• March 24, 2014

The European Central Bank could buy loans and other assets from banks to help support the euro zone economy, Germany's Bundesbank said, marking a radical softening of its stance on the contested policy.

• March 24, 2014

Russia's annexation of Crimea underlines the need for the United States and the European Union to substantially deepen their economic ties, Washington's top trade official said on Saturday, opening the door to U.S. exports of natural gas to Europe.

• March 22, 2014