ASEAN leads way to trade bloc with China
Ten nations' leaders agreed as part of ASEAN to promote regional stability by signing the world's biggest trade bloc with six countries including China in 2020.
Security & Geopolitics
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U.N. envoy sustains new Syria peace talks
Syria peace talks were held for the first time under the auspices of a new Syrian constitutional committee and were "impressive" enough to last another week.
U.K. backs new vote that may decide Brexit
Brexit will serve as backdrop to a weary electorate's choices after lawmakers voted to authorize the first December national election in almost a century.
U.N. chief hears message of mass protests
A year of mass street protests exposed an erosion of public trust in political leaders who need to listen more to people's real problems, the U.N. chief said.
Swiss add momentum to Europe's Greens
Voters in Switzerland's national elections delivered a major boost to left-leaning Greens who back urgent U.N.-led climate action and other ecological causes.
Top U.S. envoy for multilateralism resigns
The top U.S. diplomat to international organizations announced he will resign, after a report documented allegations he retaliated against career diplomats.
E.U. and U.K. reach tentative Brexit deal
E.U. leaders unanimously approved a tentative Brexit agreement with the U.K. if it leaves the 28-nation bloc in November.
United Nations faces severe cash shortage
The United Nations could run out of money by the end of this month in the worst budget crisis that the world body has faced in at least a decade.
UPU delegates reject Trump mail demand
The U.N. postal agency opened its Extraordinary Congress with a vote to reject the Trump administration's demand that it overhaul international delivery rates.
U.N. chief fears U.S.-China 'great fracture'
The U.N. chief opened the U.N. General Assembly with a plea for U.S.-China unity while pushing his top priorities of fighting climate change and more war.
Syrian cease-fire plan blocked in UNSC
Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution seeking to impose a cease-fire in northwest Syria's Idlib governorate, the last rebel stronghold.
UPU drama over Trump challenge affects U.S. voting and opioids
Delegates will consider what to do in the face of the announcement last year by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to withdraw his nation's participation.
IMF predicts hit to global GDP from tariffs
The IMF said tariffs imposed or threatened by the U.S. and China could reduce global economic output by 0.8% in 2020 and cause more losses later.
Trump ally fills long-vacant U.S. ambassador post to United Nations
Incoming envoy Kelly Craft took up her new job issuing a terse statement while declining to take questions from reporters.
U.N. rights chief wary of nationalism interfering with global cooperation
A warning that sovereignty and national borders are being invoked to prevent human rights issues from being addressed.
G-7 allies in turmoil over trade and climate as Trump takes hard line
The summit in France was overshadowed by fears of an escalating trade war between the United States and China.