UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

António Guterres, the secretary-general, giving a toast at a luncheon for world leaders gathered at UN headquarters, Sept. 25, 2018. The General Assembly may have laughed at President Trump in his speech that day but, more broadly, leaders are realizing the extent of the US government’s disregarding a constructive role across the earth, the writer says. LI MUZI/POOL
The UN audience could only gasp when Donald Trump made his stormy debut in the United Nations General Assembly in 2017 as president of the United States. This year they laughed in his face.

Russia has vetoed several draft resolutions on Syria which it says are unfair and biased, often following “fabricated” evidence [Xinhua]The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a new resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, following reports of heavy fighting and mass casualties near the capital Damascus.
Russia had called for the Security Council to meet to discuss the resolution, while Kuwait and Sweden called for a vote.