Leaders of the world's top economic powers have reaffirmed their support for free trade but tempered the statement by acknowledging countries could defend their home companies and markets against unfair practices.

Anti-globalisation activists have clashed with police across the German port city of Hamburg, leaving scores of officers injured.

Latest: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have met briefly ahead of their highly anticipated meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany.

German police have clashed with protesters in Hamburg a day ahead of the G20 summit, using water cannons, pepper spray and batons to disperse marchers after some attacked them with bottles and other objects.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stood by her suggestion that Europe can no longer rely entirely on the US and declared that Germany and China can work together to help calm the world's problems.

Police in Turkey have detained some 20 people suspected of links to the Islamic State group ahead of a G20 summit near the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya.

At the G20 meeting in 2010, the US, Britain and several other countries decided that quantitative easing was the solution to the world financial crisis. Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, disagreed with everyone else.

Group of 20 leaders have agreed to take measures that would boost their economies by a collective $2 trillion by 2018 as they battle patchy growth and the threat of a European recession.

Russian president Vladimir Putin made an early exit yesterday from a two-day summit of world leaders where he was roundly criticised over Russia’s escalating aggression in Ukraine, but brushed off suggestions that he had felt pressured.

The leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies have revealed a plan to boost global GDP by more than $2 trillion (€1.6 trillion) over five years by investing in infrastructure and increasing trade.

Finance ministers are meeting in Moscow today amid fears a “currency war” is brewing among the world’s major nations.

The UK police officer cleared of killing Ian Tomlinson has today been found guilty of gross misconduct by a disciplinary panel for discreditable conduct and use of force.

A police officer has today been cleared of the manslaughter of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests in 2009.

A Scotland Yard officer will be charged with killing Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests after a dramatic U-turn by Britain’s top prosecutor.

President Barack Obama claimed today he had a stronger hand on the world stage despite electoral defeats at home, failure to get a free-trade agreement with South Korea and lacklustre international support for his policy with China on trade and currency disputes.

Police arrested four people who scuffled with riot police during anti-globalisation rallies ahead of this week’s Group of 20 summit, a police officer said today.

The G20 group of leading advanced and emerging countries today said that they have agreed to avoid potentially debilitating currency devaluations and will pursue policies to reduce global imbalances that threaten the economic recovery.

A high-level meeting of the world's major economies is moving closer to an agreement on policies to reduce currency tensions that threaten the global recovery, a US official said today.

US proposals to head off a global "currency war" were met with early resistance today as the G20 meeting of finance ministers got under way.

South Korea is planning a massive security screen to protect world leaders during next month’s G20 summit in Seoul.

The riot squad officer caught on camera pushing Ian Tomlinson to the ground before his death will face disciplinary proceedings for gross misconduct.

A police riot squad officer was told today he will not be prosecuted over the death of Ian Tomlinson during G20 protests.

The British Government’s decision to impose swift and deep spending cuts and tax increases to rein in Britain’s record deficit won international endorsement at the G20 summit in Canada.

At least 600 protesters have been arrested after a second day of clashes with police outside the G20 summit in Toronto.

Black-clad demonstrators have broken off from a crowd of peaceful protesters at the global economic summit in Toronto, setting fire to police vehicles and smashing windows with baseball bats and hammers.

Leaders of the G20 group of major economies are today expected to agree a way forward for nursing the global economy into recovery on the final day of their two-day summit in Toronto.

Climate change protesters in the UK have won a judicial review of police tactics during a G20 demonstration, their solicitor said today.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown tonight suffered an embarrassing rebuff when he floated the prospect of a new tax worldwide, only to have it flatly and publicly rejected by the United States and other major financial players.

Protesters in pinstripes rallied on the beach today, urging the world’s leading finance ministers not to “bury their heads in the sand”.

Gordon Brown today called for a new global “economic and social contract” with the financial institutions to ensure taxpayers around the world would never again have to bear the cost of banking failure.

Leading finance ministers and bank governors will today get down to business at the G20 summit as they try to nurse the global economy back to health.

The family of G20 protest victim Ian Tomlinson said their grief remains raw today as they demanded answers over his death.

Police in the UK did not properly respect the human rights of protesters and members of the public subjected to controversial “kettling” techniques during the G20 demonstrations in London, a parliamentary committee said today.

Public-order tactics used by British police are “inadequate” and should be reviewed, a report into the G20 protests found today.

Solicitors acting on behalf of protesters caught up in clashes at the G20 demonstrations in London will launch a legal challenge tomorrow.

A British police chief said today he was not satisfied that officers had sufficient training to deal with events such as the recent G20 protest in London.

A protester told MPs today he was punched in the face by a police officer during the G20 demonstrations.

A third post-mortem examination will be carried out on the body of newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson, who died during the G20 protests, the City of London coroner said today.

Some police actions during the G20 protests risked undermining the sacrifice of officers who have given their lives protecting the public, the police watchdog warned today.

British police faced new accusations of brutality against G20 protesters today.

The tactics used by British police during the G20 protests were under further scrutiny tonight after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it had received 90 complaints about the use of force.

A woman filmed being struck by a policeman at the G20 protests described his actions as “very violent and unnecessary”.

A British police officer seen striking Ian Tomlinson during G20 protests could face manslaughter charges after it was revealed tonight the newspaper vendor died of internal bleeding.