agreements

Faced with a nearly $1-billion budget shortfall, the Los Angeles City Council met behind closed doors to take a fresh look at its salary agreements with labor unions.

This includes fast-tracking agreements with the EU, UK and Canada, while deepening ties with China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Asean.

The BBC has asked Reform UK and the Conservatives to clarify how they would authorise agreements to share power after the local elections.

In January, Zimbabwe began paying compensation for foreign investors whose farms were protected under bilateral investment agreements.

Only direct negotiations with trading partners, on an individual basis, could potentially result in new trade agreements that would lift or ease some restrictions, officials said.