New York - The US presidential election is going international as Republican rival John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin will be joining an annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this week.

Details of their visit to New York remain sketchy.

McCain has accepted an invitation to speak at former president Bill Clinton's Global Initiative Foundation, which focuses on climate change, energy and development issues and will include more than 50 current and former heads of state.

New York - The UN General Assembly will review efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger next week, just as the world economy is slumping and high food prices have stripped the poor of their purchasing power.

The summit at UN headquarters in New York on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Thursday takes place at a time the world's biggest donors, like the United States and European nations, are struggling to prop up their failing economies and may no longer be able to assist the UN with big checks.

The UN has asked those donors to increase development assistance by 18 billion dollars a year on top of their commitment to provide annually 50 billion dollars to help poor countries.

Brussels- The European Union on Friday reiterated its opposition to Taiwan joining international organizations which require statehood, such as the United Nations.

"The European Union reiterates its policy of One China. It does not support Taiwan membership in international organizations which require statehood," EU governments said in a joint statement.

The statement from Brussels came two days after Taipei's request to join UN agencies was turned down in New York.

New York - World leaders meeting at the United Nations General Assembly starting Tuesday will most likely look to a humble Roman Catholic priest from Nicaragua for direction in solving their earthly problems.

That priest is Father Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, a leftist clergyman and former foreign minister under the Sandinist government in Managua in the 1990s. Pope John Paul II had publicly scorned him for his leftist leanings when he visited Central America.

Elected president of the 63rd session of the 192-nation assembly in New York, d'Escoto Brockmann bluntly said he has not changed from the time he was a Sandinist. He still does not like the policies of the United States, he added.

Taipei - Taiwan expressed regret Thursday for its failure to gain membership in United Nations agencies at the current UN General Assembly but vowed to continue the fight next year.

China - which has veto power on the Security Council, the UN's highest decision-making body - has long opposed Taiwan membership in international organizations.

"China's response was expected," Foreign Minister Francisco Ou said. "It takes a long time to win support from the international community. We now are focussing on joining the World Health Organization and are cautiously optimistic about it."

New York, Sept. 17: Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin will meet with foreign leaders next week at the United Nations, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday

Citing an unnamed strategist with John McCain’s campaign, the paper said that McCain and Palin are expected to visit the U. N. next Tuesday, when President Bush will address the international body.

The meeting with heads of state will come during the annual opening of the U. N.’s General Assembly, the strategist said.