* UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday (November 28) praised the developing countries' contribution to the global growth as the UN prepares for a major conference on South-South cooperation.
* As the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Argentina draws closer, International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde on November 28 called for swift joint actions to reduce trade barriers and improve global trade system.
* Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 28 called on the United States to stop imposing unilateral sanctions and seek common ground with its partners.
* Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed separately the recent tension in Kerch Strait with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts on Wednesday, state-run Anadolu News Agency reported.
* The White House said on November 28 that US President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the recent Kerch Strait incident.
* US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on November 28 that the central bank's benchmark interest rate is near a neutral level, a modification of what he said two months ago on the same issue.
* The Ukrainian parliament newspaper "Golos Ukrayiny" published on November 28 a parliamentary decree, which said the next presidential elections in Ukraine will be held in accordance with schedule on March 31, 2019.
* China and the European Union (EU) share similar views on economic and trade issues, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said at a meeting with EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager on November 27.
* Fires are continuing to threaten homes in Australia's North East State of Queensland on November 29, with thousands more residents being told to evacuate. Extremely hot, dry and windy conditions were fanning flames and making blazes unpredictable and difficult for fire crew to bring under control.
* The suggestion by the European Commission that the EU area would become carbon neutral by 2050 was met with applause in Finland on November 28, even though the Finnish plans to increase the use of wood may now face more obstacles.
* Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro Wednesday announced three new members of his cabinet. Bolsonaro has completed almost a whole list of 19 cabinet members. The Brazilian President-elect had planned to reduce the number of offices but later said he would work with 20 or more ministries.
* Instability in US dollar-based settlements is forcing many economies including Russia to cut the share of such settlements with other countries and look for alternative currencies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
* Saudi Arabia announced on November 28 to provide US$50 million to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).
* German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will pay a state visit to China from December 5 to 10 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang announced Thursday.
* US Department of State said Wednesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would travel to Argentina for the Group of 20 (G20) summit during November 29 and December 1. Pompeo would support President Donald Trump's participation in the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, according to a statement issued by the State Department.
* China and Spain have pledged to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era, jointly safeguard rules-based multilateralism and promote cooperation in various areas.
* US House Democrats voted on November 28 to nominate Representative Nancy Pelosi, 78, for speakership in the new Congress.
* Nearly 200 schools in South Australia (SA), Australia, have closed, with hundreds of the state's teachers going on a half-day strike.
* A top Afghan security official said that a conference that ended in Geneva on November 28 has put a renewed focus on a peace process owned and led by those in the country, and now it is up to Taliban to come forward and play a constructive role.
* The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched its earth observation satellite -- HysIS and 30 co-passenger satellites onboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C43 on November 29 morning, officials said.
* Yemen's Houthi rebels fired a salvo of ballistic missiles toward a military airport in southern Saudi border region of Najran on November 28, the Shiite rebels said in a statement.
* The number of passengers in Moroccan airports reached 18.8 million during the first ten months of 2018, up 10.14 percent year on year, the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) said Wednesday.
