Who is skipping the UN General Assembly — and why

Few world leaders would miss a stage like the United Nations General Assembly. Donald Trump , Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Emmanuel Macron are among those in New York for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly — or UNGA81 for short — where the speeches from the green marble lectern make headlines around the globe. That makes the no-shows all the more surprising. Here is a look at some of the leaders staying away — and why. The German chancellor, in his second year in office, would like to be much more present on the international stage and has described himself as a "foreign-policy chancellor." But domestic politics have been keeping him busy.