The Latest: Italian police tear gas protesters near G-7 site

TAORMINA, Sicily — The Latest on Group of Seven summit (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

A stand-off between Italian riot police and protesters during which police used tear gas has ended without further incident.

The tensions took place when anarchists, communists and other anti-global protesters held a demonstration after the Group of Seven summit in Taormina, Sicily.

The protest took place in Giardini Naxos, a seaside town near Taormina, where the leaders had met for two days.

The leaders had left before the protest began.

___

Italian police have used tear gas against anarchists, communists and other anti-global protesters after the Group of Seven summit in Sicily.

A stand-off is underway between Italian riot police and the protesters on Saturday evening in Giardini Naxos, a seaside town down the hill from Taormina, where leaders of seven large industrialized democracies had gathered for a two-day summit.

The leaders had all left before the protest began.

Many of the protesters carried flags or wore bandanas over their faces with the hammer and sickle symbol, a communist symbol.

___

After a two-day summit in Italy, French President Emmanuel Macron had warm words for Donald Trump, despite the fact the U.S. president did not join in with other Group of Seven nations in supporting the Paris accord on fighting global warming.

Macron praised Trump's "capacity to listen" and said "I found someone who is open and willing to deal well with us."

The new French president, a centrist, told reporters that "I saw a leader with strong opinions on a number of subjects, which I share in part — the fight against terrorism, the willingness to keep our place in the family of nations — and with whom I have disagreements that we spoke about very calmly. I saw someone who listens and who is willing to work."

Macron said he told Trump that is "indispensable for the reputation of the United States and the interest of the Americans themselves that the United States remain committed" to the Paris agreement.

Marcon and Trump were both attending a G-7 summit for the first time. Macron won the French presidency on May 7.

4:35 p.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the G-7 agreed to step up pressure on North Korea, including sanctions. He told reporters it was the first time that the G-7 had recognized the North Korean threat as a priority issue.

He says "the threat has entered a new stage" as North Korea tests missiles and nuclear weapons.

Abe adds, "there is a danger it can spread like a contagious disease."

___

President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, says the other G-7 leaders respect the U.S. position that more time is needed for Trump to make a final decision on whether to stay in the Paris climate accord. Trump tweeted Saturday that he'll make a decision next week.

Cohn told reporters: "They understand where we are, we understand where they are and it's most important that we continue to work together."

Cohn describes the conversation among the leaders was "very robust" and said there was a "lot of give and take."

___

4:15 p.m.

Gentiloni says: "Discussing is always useful. I think that all of the leaders present, starting with President Trump, appreciated the informality with which one in this format ... can discuss things calmly and freely."

He notes that the American people chose Trump and adds, "so we are coming to terms with this choice."

___

4:05 p.m.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised President Donald Trump's "capacity to listen" and his "intention to progress with us." Macron hailed this as "one of the true outcomes of this G-7."

The French leader says he believes the arguments made by the six other members enabled Trump to understand the importance of that issue and the necessity the Paris agreement for the U.S. economy.

___

3:50 p.m.

Alden Meyer, the director of strategy and policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists, an advocacy group in Washington, said the discord over climate change was unusual for G-7 meetings.

He says: "There have been differences, to be sure, in some past summits, but not a sharp open split like this."

He says: "President Trump should join these leaders in protecting Americans from the mounting impacts of climate change and reaping the economic benefits of the clean energy revolution, rather than trying to shore up the flagging fortunes of the polluting coal and oil industries."

___

3:25 p.m.

A summit of the leaders of the world's wealthiest democracies has ended without a unanimous agreement on climate change, as the Trump administration plans to take more time to say whether the U.S. is going to remain in the Paris climate deal.

The other six powers in the Group of Seven have agreed to stick with their previous commitment to implement that Paris deal to rein in greenhouse gases to fight climate change. The final G-7 statement expresses "understanding" for the U.S. review process.

Climate and trade were sticking points at the two-day summit in Taormina, Sicily. The leaders found agreement on other points, such as backing closer cooperation against terrorism in the wake of the concert bombing in Manchester that killed 22 people.

___

3:05 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says G-7 talks on climate change were "unsatisfactory." Six of the countries agreed to support the Paris climate change agreement; Trump tweeted he will decide next week.

Merkel says the seven wealthy democracies meeting at a summit in Sicily have had a "reasonable" discussion on trade and have agreed to reject protectionism. The agreement keeps a provision from early meetings in the face of a new approach from President Donald Trump, who has insisted trade must be fair as well as free. Merkel said the leaders agreed to "act against protectionism."

2:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he'll make a final decision next week on whether the U.S. will stay in the Paris climate agreement. Trump made the surprise announcement in a tweet after resisting pressure from European leaders to stay in the agreement.

Nearly every nation that signed the 2015 agreement, including the six other G-7 members, has agreed to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The president tweeted Saturday, "I will make my final decision on the Paris Accord next week!"

Trump's pending review of U.S. climate policies has left environmentalists bracing for the possibility of bland G-7 promises that say little after years of increasingly stronger commitments to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

___

1:10 p.m.

Shop owners in a Sicilian town have covered their windows with sheet metal and cardboard ahead of a protest expected to take place on the sidelines of a Group of Seven meeting.

Several thousand people are expected to march through Giardini Naxos, the seaside town bordering Taormina, the hill top venue of the G7. The march was organized by unions protesting economic inequality, current migration policies and demanding lower military spending.

The march is set for Saturday afternoon, as leaders of the world's seven largest democratic economies wrap up their two-day summit.