State leaders

Chinese President Xi Jinping has departed Beijing for Washington, in what is described as his first state visit to the US capital since 2015. President Trump is expected to greet him personally on the tarmac rather than at the White House, a gesture some observers read as a sign of warmth ahead of high-stakes US-China trade and diplomatic discussions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping missed the dinner for world leaders at the G20 summit in New Delhi because he was unwell, according to people familiar with the matter. The report has fueled fresh speculation about the 70-year-old leader's health, coming just days before he was scheduled to travel to the United States, and has drawn wide attention and debate about his condition and absence from a key diplomatic gathering.

World leaders are meeting in New York for the UN General Assembly, with the annual gathering focused on ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainty and global security. Discussions around peace efforts for Ukraine are among the prominent topics drawing international attention at this year's session.

Iran's president addressed the United Nations while the country is at war, an unusual move for an Iranian leader during active conflict. The speech is drawing wide attention as diplomats and observers look for signals about Tehran's position on the fighting, potential negotiations, and its standoff with the United States and Israel.

Posts discuss a state dinner at the White House where President Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with technology executives reportedly among the guests. Users are sharing clips and reactions to the meeting, with commentary focused on the symbolism of the two leaders dining together and the presence of tech industry figures at the table. The discussion appears to centre on US-China relations and what the gathering signals.

Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at a White House state dinner, an event marked by elaborate formalities and heavy media coverage. The meeting between the two leaders is drawing attention as a symbolic moment in US-China relations, with commentators weighing the significance of the lavish reception and what it signals for trade and diplomatic tensions.

Nearly every world leader is gathering in New York for the annual UN General Assembly, where heads of state deliver addresses and hold diplomatic meetings on the sidelines. The BBC explains what draws so many leaders to the city at once and why the week matters for global diplomacy.

The leaders of the United States, Denmark and Greenland have signed a new security agreement covering Greenland, according to a breaking announcement. The deal would touch on the Arctic island's defence arrangements, an issue of renewed attention given Washington's strategic interest in Greenland and Denmark's sovereignty over the autonomous territory.

A Hamas leader says the Gaza roadmap the group agreed to includes the establishment of a Palestinian state. The statement frames the deal as going beyond ceasefire arrangements and touching long-term political questions. Observers are weighing how the claim aligns with the terms accepted by other parties and what it signals for negotiations over Gaza's future governance.

The United States and China have reached an agreement to reduce tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods, following a summit in Washington between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The deal marks a step toward easing trade tensions between the world's two largest economies, though details of which products will be affected have not yet been fully outlined.

The UN General Assembly, the biggest event in world diplomacy, begins this week, with world leaders gathering in New York for annual speeches and meetings. Coverage focuses on what to expect from the high-level session, including key addresses and diplomatic encounters. The event draws global attention as heads of state address pressing international issues on one stage.

World leaders are addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York as the annual high-level debate reaches its sixth day. Heads of state and government are delivering speeches covering global conflicts, climate change and international cooperation. The general debate traditionally draws wide attention as countries outline their foreign policy priorities before the world body.

The United Nations General Assembly's annual 'High-level Week' is under way, drawing heads of state and government to UN headquarters in New York for a series of speeches and diplomatic meetings. The gathering is one of the busiest weeks in the international diplomatic calendar, with world leaders addressing the assembly and holding bilateral talks on the sidelines.

EU defence discussions in Brussels are being overshadowed by an unresolved shortfall in funding for Ukraine. As member states weigh future support, the funding gap has become a central sticking point, raising questions over how Europe will sustain military and financial aid to Kyiv and what role the bloc will play if United States backing remains uncertain.

European Union officials are confronting a shortfall in funding for Ukraine as defence negotiations proceed in Brussels. The funding gap is set to complicate agreements on the bloc's long-term support for Kyiv and its broader defence planning. Member states remain divided over how to cover the shortfall, making it a central sticking point in the current round of EU defence discussions.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered his final address to the UN General Assembly, warning that superpowers cannot solve the world's problems on their own. Speaking in New York, he argued that global challenges like climate change demand multilateral cooperation rather than reliance on a few dominant states. The speech, covered by the Guardian, is being shared widely as a closing message from a leader known for pressing major powers to act together.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has resigned from the presidency in order to run for prime minister in an early parliamentary vote. The populist leader's move reshuffles Serbia's political landscape, allowing him to retain power through the premiership rather than the presidency, with the election expected to determine the country's governing majority in the coming months.

Iranian leaders are making defiant statements on US soil during a diplomatic visit to New York, with coverage focusing on their confrontational rhetoric toward Washington. The remarks come amid ongoing tensions over Iran's nuclear program and sanctions, raising questions about the future of diplomacy between Tehran and the United States.

A New York Times analysis examines why China has resisted international appeals for stricter artificial intelligence safety commitments, suggesting Beijing views such calls through strategic and economic lenses. The piece argues Chinese officials see Western-led safety agendas as potential tools to slow China's A.I. progress, while Chinese leaders also weigh domestic priorities of technological competitiveness and state control.

President Trump said the United States will not restrain artificial intelligence development, speaking after a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. His comments came despite calls from some governments and experts for international safeguards on advanced AI. The statement signals the US intends to keep pushing AI innovation at full speed, even as other countries push for coordinated global oversight.

The race to select the next UN secretary-general is under way, with candidates framed as needing to be a 'mediator-in-chief' for a divided world. Commentary on the contest argues it highlights the multiple crises confronting the United Nations, from wars to institutional gridlock, as member states weigh who can restore the organisation's diplomatic clout.

Sudan says it will not yield to 'pressure or blackmail' after the United States declined to grant a visa to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. Khartoum's authorities denounced the move as political coercion, while the US decision has drawn attention to Washington's strained relations with Sudan's military leadership amid the country's ongoing war.

Global diplomacy dominated the past week, with the UN General Assembly in session in New York and Chinese President Xi Jinping travelling to the United States for high-stakes talks with American leaders. The meetings put relations between Washington and Beijing, along with multilateral cooperation at the UN, at the centre of international attention and commentary.

The contest to select the next United Nations Secretary-General is intensifying as world leaders gather in New York for the General Assembly's high-level week. Diplomatic lobbying and positioning around the top UN job are drawing attention alongside the annual speeches, with candidates and member states vying for support in what is shaping up to be a closely watched race.

Iran has signalled openness to talks with the United States over the Strait of Hormuz as both Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian prepare to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. It would be the first time the two leaders appear at the same event since Trump launched what he called 'Operation Epic Fury', raising speculation about a possible diplomatic opening between the two governments.

Leaders of the Israeli opposition have formed a united front with the stated aim of removing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power. The coalition represents a significant escalation in domestic political tensions, as rival factions set aside differences to pursue a common goal of ending Netanyahu's tenure.

The UN General Assembly's annual general debate has continued into its fourth day, with world leaders delivering speeches at UN headquarters in New York. The event draws global attention each September as heads of state and government set out their foreign policy priorities before the assembled international community.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly delivered his country's statement at the General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The remarks form part of Egypt's annual address to the world body, where national positions on regional and international issues are presented to member states. Further details of the speech's content have not yet been widely reported.

Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi said Japan and the United States have agreed to work together on a range of issues relating to China. The announcement points to continued coordination between the two allies on security, economic and diplomatic concerns in the region. The remarks drew attention as tensions between Tokyo, Washington and Beijing remain a central topic in Asia-Pacific diplomacy.

Across the United States, people have been showing up in immigration courtrooms to accompany immigrants and deter ICE from detaining people at hearings. Among them is Sister Rose Patrice, a Catholic nun, whose presence supporters say can influence outcomes, since faith leaders standing beside defendants has been shown to affect how cases proceed. The practice has spread as a form of peaceful accompaniment.

Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs took the floor at the United Nations in New York to address the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The address forms part of Germany's annual statement of its foreign policy positions before the international community, delivered alongside speeches from other member states during the assembly's high-level week.

The president of Palau addressed the United Nations General Assembly, pressing the international body on climate change and rising global tensions. As leader of a small Pacific island nation highly vulnerable to rising seas, the president used the speech to call for stronger global commitments on emissions and to highlight how geopolitical instability compounds the threats facing small island states.

Commentary argues that direct engagement between the leaders of China and the United States is the key mechanism keeping bilateral relations stable despite ongoing tensions. The piece frames top-level diplomacy as providing 'dynamic stability' to the relationship. Analysts continue to watch whether leader-level contacts can sustain momentum on trade, security and diplomatic disputes between the two powers.

US President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a summit that is now being scrutinised for what each side actually gained. Commentators are asking whether Beijing walked away with more concessions than Washington, with trade and strategic issues at the centre of the debate over the meeting's outcome.

A Blue House official says Donald Trump asked his chief of staff to arrange golf diplomacy with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung during the G20 summit in Miami. The reported move points to an informal attempt at building rapport between the two leaders, with golf long a favored tool of Trump's personal diplomacy. The claim has drawn attention in both Korean and international media as observers weigh what it signals for Seoul-Washington ties.

Donald Trump is escalating a confrontation with California over the state's role as the national leader on climate policy, setting up a battle over emissions rules and the state's authority to set its own standards. The outcome is expected to shape how far states can go on climate action and how far a president can push back.