John Kerry has called for an immediate halt to airstrikes in Syria in an impassioned speech to the UN Security Council chaired by Prime Minister John Key.

Many New Zealanders might wonder why we bother with the UN, until they hear Key lament the council's performance on Syria in his speech.

John Key has used his speech at the UN General Assembly to go into bat for Helen Clark, advocate for the TPP and call for the Security Council to take action on Syria.

Iraq would welcome more New Zealand troops to train local forces, its Prime Minister tells John Key.

The bar of depravity is sinking lower, says Ban Ki Moon in blistering attack on Syrian Government.

John Key's session chairing UN Security Council on Syria crisis has a heightened significance after the bombing of a UN convoy delivering aid near Aleppo.

Helen Clark says she knows Vladimir Putin the best out of the leaders among the leaders of the Security Council's Permanent five members

'I think we now have some interesting opportunities for developing trade between UK and New Zealand,' says Theresa May.

John Key and Helen Clark are stepping up their sales pitch to advance Clark as a strong and independent candidate for United Nations Secretary-General.

Helen Clark says her aim is to still be standing before the "shoot-out at the OK Corral" takes place over the next UN Secretary General.

Afghanistan has shot back at New Zealand after Foreign Affairs Minister made stinging remarks about its government at the United Nations Security Council.

Gerard van Bohemen, NZ's Ambassador to the UN, announces "appropriate measures" aimed at Pyongyang being developed after 'insane' nuclear threat.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark says she will remain in the contest to be the next Secretary General after a slight improvement in her results in the fourth straw poll.

Angelina Jolie has called for a "new way" of peacekeeping focused on justice and inclusion of women during a surprise visit to a UN

In an ideal world the Secretary General of the United Nations would be a strong, clear-eyed, fair-minded and forceful personality.

Small developing states in the Pacific have traditionally relied on imports of fossil fuels.

Exclusive: Helen Clark has vowed to fight on as she plans the next phase of her campaign to become Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Key says Russia is not being duplicitous in any way with New Zealand in the position it is taking with the UN Secretary General.

COMMENT: As Key has pointed out publicly, Clark's abilities are widely acknowledged; her trouble is that she doesn't have a champion among the P5.

COMMENT: Claire Trevett assesses New Zealand's term at the UN's top table.

New Zealand hopes of a breakthrough in Syria during its Presidency of the Security Council next month will be a tough ask if a debate in the Security Council on Monday was anything to go by.

In a world in which 'sweeteners' are often put on the table as currency for votes, New Zealand's team on the UN Security Council has taken it literally.

New Zealand will hand over the responsibility of carrying out polls on the Secretary General job to Russia in September to ensure there is no perception of a conflict of interest.

Helen Clark's bid for the UN Secretary General job has been raised by Foreign Minister Murray McCully during a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow.

You would have thought he was stating the bleedingly obvious by saying it's time a woman was at the centre of the world's diplomatic stage.

COMMENT: Helen Clark has plenty of things consider as she contemplates the next step in the contest to lead the United Nations.

Helen Clark is thought to be considering whether to withdraw from the contest to become the next UN Secretary General.

Helen Clark says she is disappointed with the result of the latest UN Secretary General ballot.