UNGA Day 4 opened with remarks from Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam as well as the prime ministers of Iraq and Pakistan and others Salam called for peacekeepers to remain in his country as Israel operates in a self-declared 'security zone' in south Lebanon The address came one day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered defiant and controversial remarks on Thursday afternoon The president of Kiribati and the vice president of the Maldives, two island nations acutely threatened by rising sea levels, will also address the General Assembly on Friday Welcome back to our coverage We are resuming our coverage of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, September 25. The general debate is scheduled to begin its fourth day of the assembly at 9 a.m.

New York time (1300 UTC). Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon and others are to speak in today's morning session, while countries such as Egypt, Mexico, Kazakhstan and Sweden will take the stand in the afternoon.

Friday's debate comes after a day of speeches that was centered on Gaza, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address sparking a walkout by several delegates.

That's a wrap on Day 3 of UNGA We're wrapping up for the day, with the third day's sessions of the 81st General Assembly now complete.

Gaza dominated the speeches today.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the assembly, denying that his country's actions in Gaza amount to genocide, an accusation leveled by several speakers on Thursday, including Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

Several delegates exited the hall as the Israeli prime minister began his speech. Protesters had also gathered outside the UN Headquarters in New York ahead of Netanyahu's address, with some being arrested.

Before the session wrapped up, the representatives of Iran, Turkey and Qatar used their right of reply to lambast Netanyahu's address.

Join us on Friday, when Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Egypt, Mexico, Haiti, Norway, Sweden and others are due to address the assembly.

Nepal's leader says his country is paying the price of climate change Four weeks after catastrophic flash floods ravaged Nepal the small Himalayan country's young prime minister stood at the podium of the UN General Assembly to warn leaders about the impact of a warming world. "I wish I could stand here today simply to speak about development, democracy, peace and the hopes of a young nation. Instead, I must speak about death and destruction of epic proportions," said Balendra Shah as he began his address to the UNGA on Thursday.

Nepal's leader calls for international cooperation for protecting the Himalayas The Nepalese leader stressed that the perils of climate change transcend national borders as he made a case for greater international cooperation for protecting the Himalayas. "The Himalayas are not peripheral to the planet. They are part of the planet's life-support system," Shah said, proposing the establishment of a "Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism," which he said would be led by Nepal, India and China.

Shah elaborated that the mechanism would help countries share satellite data and expertise, as well as monitor glacial lakes that pose a threat He also called for stronger joint early-warning systems and coordinated, cross-border assistance in the event of a disaster. "Let the Himalayas become a laboratory of international cooperation, rather than a frontier of fragmented information," the prime minister said.

Shah noted that his country only contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. "We did not create this crisis. Yet we are paying a colossal price for it," he said, adding that he wasn not blaming any nation or continent. "We are not here to turn climate change into another geopolitical battlefield. We are here to ask everyone to recommit to shared responsibility and solidarity," Shah said.

Nepal seeks grants, not loans, for flood recovery The Nepalese prime minister emphasized the principles of "Responsibility, Reparation and Resilience" as he called for grant-based support rather than loans.

Shah said that vulnerable nations should not be forced to take on additional debt to recover from climate catastrophes.

"When a climate-driven disaster destroys the infrastructure of a poor country, the answer cannot simply be another mega loan or a patchwork of small grants. We need adequate grant-based support from the world," he said.

36-year-old Shah was the youngest head of government to speak at the 81st session of the UNGA.

'Hands off ICC,' Dutch PM says amid growing US pressure Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten, addressing the General Assembly on Thursday, said the International Criminal Court which is based in The Hague was "under attack." Jetten did not name the US or President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday urged countries to leave the court, the latest move in his administration's campaign against the ICC.

"How can you possibly be opposed to prosecuting the very worst crimes?" Jetten asked the assembly, drawing loud applause from the delegates.

"I believe there can be only one response. To say: hands off the ICC, and all those other institutions that protect the international legal order. Because the reality is that we still need to fight impunity."

Washington has imposed financial sanctions and visa bans on ICC staff, with officials reportedly preparing additional sanctions that could curtail the court's ability to operate.

US takes aim at the International Criminal Court To view this video, and Yemen, Kuwait stress freedom of navigation at UNGA Yemen Kuwait both heavily impacted by the Iran war and its regional spillover, have used their General Assembly addresses to stress the importance of the freedom and safety of navigation, while condemning Iran and its proxies in the region.

Abdullah Abdulkader Al Alimi-Bawzer, vice resident of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, represents the internationally recognized government, which has been at war with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for more than a decade.

Alimi-Bawzer devoted his address to highlighting recent Houthi actions and their impact on global trade.

The Houthis' conflict with Saudi Arabia, which has led a coalition against them, has recently escalated, with the Yemeni rebels declaring a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial global shipping route. This has further squeezed the Saudi kingdom as Iran continues to block access through the Strait of Hormuz. "Ensuring security at sea begins with eliminating the source of the threat on land," Alimi-Bawzer said, in an apparent reference to the Houthis.

Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah stressed that freedom and safety of navigation, as well as the right of passage through the Straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, must be guaranteed. "To inflict harm on the economies of the region and the world, and to disrupt global trade and oil markets, Iran is obstructing maritime navigation and closing the Strait of Hormuz, using it as a bargaining chip in the war, in violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions," he said.

Kuwait has been among the countries targeted by Iranian strikes since the start of the in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes. Nigeria says don't 'surrender our technological future to paranoia' Nigeria' s Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed the assembly on behalf of President Bola Tinubu Among a range of issues, he weighed in on the question of AI with an appeal for an optimistic and proactive approach more than what he deemed undue caution. "We refuse to surrender our technological future to paranoia," he said. "An invention can be destructive or beneficial, depending on the purpose it serves and the judgment of those who use it.

A knife can take a life in the hands of an assailant, and can save one in the hands of a surgeon." He said that while AI could be used to wage war, it could also "transform" an array of areas like healthcare, education and agriculture. "Much of the anxiety surrounding AI reflects the distrust we have allowed to grow amongst us," Shettima said.

He said Nigeria wished to invite the world "to work with our inventive, resourceful and enterprising young people to direct AI towards humanity's advancement rather than its destruction."

Fiji calls for cheaper financial transfers for remittances, saying 'they are not aid' Fijian President Ratu Naiqama Tawakecolati Lalabalavu addressed the chamber on behalf of one of the low-lying island nations at severe risk from climate change on Thursday.

He said that many of the UN's sustainable development goals remained off track with 2030 approaching and said that aid and financial assistance often did a poor job of reaching remote islands exposed to more natural disasters than average. But then he called for a wider financial system that would better enable Fijians to help themselves. "There is one measure of delivery that reaches Fijian households directly," he said. "Remittances are now Fiji's third-largest source of foreign exchange." Lalabalavu said these funds paid for school fees, rebuilt homes after cyclones and sustained families between harvests.

"Your excellencies, they are not aid. They are earnings of Fijians abroad, sent home. Yet Pacific corridors remain among the most expensive in the world through which to send money."

He noted how the chamber had in May committed to work to keep such transfer costs below 3% and to eliminate corridors costing more than 5% — he said that Pacific countries like Fiji wanted this to be "treated as an obligation and not an aspiration."

"Labor mobility must also not become a one-way transfer of the people that we have trained," the president said. "Fiji does not begrudge any Fijian the chance to build a life abroad. We ask only that those recruit our nurses, our teachers invest in the systems that recruited them." Lalabalavu also alluded to Fiji recently declaring a national HIV emergency and said that organized crime and drug trafficking was exacerbating this problem. He said that as a small impoverished country, Fiji had three requests for the international community: "That treatment and diagnostics reach small states at prices we can pay. That the Global Fund and UNAIDS be resources at a level that does not force triage between regions, and that our partners treat Pacific narcotics interdiction as the shared security interest it is."

Netanyahu calls genocide allegations 'the greatest lie of the century' The Israeli prime minister said allegations of genocide in Gaza leveled at Israel by various world leaders or groups were false.

"It will take time for the world to acknowledge what is so plain to see. That Hamas used Palestinian civilians as human shields. That it used hospitals, schools, mosques as terrorist command posts.

That it sold much of the food we let into Gaza," Netanyahu alleged. "And while Hamas did everything possible to keep Palestinians in harm's way — often at gunpoint — Israel did everything possible to get them out of harm's way," he said, listing measures like warnings to civilians.

"I want to ask you a question: what genocidal regime gives a million polio vaccinations to the enemy's population? What genocidal regime enables the distribution of 2 million tons of food into Gaza? Accusing Israel of genocide is the greatest lie of the century," he said.

He also called out New York's "antisemitic" mayor, Zohran Mamdani as one of the people spreading this message. He said that since Mamdani's election "many Jews no longer feel safe in New York."

Netanyahu said the "simple truth" was not that Israel committed genocide but that it prevented one, saying "that's exactly what Mr. Mamdani's Hamas buddies would have done to us if we had not stopped them." Netanyahu says he 'drew a red line' on same podium 14 years ago Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his speech with a reference to his notorious General Assembly appearance in 2012, when he stood with illustrated graphics depicting how near to creating a nuclear bomb he thought "Ladies and gentlemen, 14 years ago I stood on this podium and I drew a red line," he said.

"I vowed to prevent Iran's murderous dictatorship from developing atomic bombs.

Nuclear weapons that could destroy the state of Israel, nuclear weapons that could threaten the whole world. That's exactly what we did."

Netanyahu said that while it was "very hard" to devastate Iran's nuclear facilities, he said it was "one of the easiest decisions" he'd had to make as prime minister, "because if we hadn't done it, we'd all be dead." Iran contends that its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes like electricity generation, a claim that Israel and the US dispute.

Netanyahu also referred to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa's call for Israel to pull back its forces in the Golan Heights border area, addressing al-Sharaa and saying "you should know that the Jews have been in the Golan Heights since the days of Moses," referring to the Old Testament prophet thought to have lived more than 3,000 years ago.

Delegates leave the chamber in large group as Netanyahu enters As Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu 's turn to speak at the UN General Assembly came, a large number of delegates from various countries stood up and left the chamber to cheers and jeering.

Only after repeated appeals for calm was it possible for him to begin his address. "Before I begin, just a quick announcement: if there any other moral cowards who have not yet left this hall, please do so now. Thank you very much," Netanyahu said.

He returned to the issue of the walkout later when discussing his decision to target Iran and its nuclear capabilities. "Now do you want to hear the ultimate irony? In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall. In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran's nukes," he claimed, saying "it's hard to imagine more mind-blowing hypocrisy."

Protesters had also gathered outside the building in New York ahead of Netanyahu's address. Some were arrested by police. A Democratic nominee for New York's 10th congressional district in November's midterm elections, Brad Lander, also joined the demonstrators, albeit wearing a suit and tie rather than a slogan-laden T-shirt. READ: Nigeria and US sign mining deal On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and the United States agreed to increase American investiment in the West African nation's mining sector.

Nigeria's Minister for Solid Minerals Dele Alake announced the deal on Thursday, a day after he signed the framework deal with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. "Nigeria cannot remain a source of raw materials while others capture most of the value. We want more local processing, quality jobs, stronger skills and greater opportunities for Nigerian businesses," Alake said. US-Nigeria mining agreement Abbas calls for saving two-state solution and Palestinian self-determination Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas used his remarks to implore nations to support the two-state solution, saying his people seek a non-militarized, democratic Palestinian state that can exist alongside Israel in peace.

He said the first step to preserving the idea of such a solution is to protect the lands upon which a future Palestinian state would be based, as well as protecting those people who have lived upon them for generations.

Abbas underscored the fact that the Palestinian people would not be displaced by "military occupation, nor settlement expansion, annexation, nor settler terrorism." He further said that "no lasting security can be built upon the occupation of another people and the denial of its legitimate rights," adding that the Palestinians have their own plans for an independent state and emphasizing the need to end the Israeli occupation in order to negotiate a solution.

This plan, Abbas said, is based on protecting Palestinians from displacement, preserving their lands, democratically renewing political institutions and building a new sovereign Palestinian state — with east Jerusalem as its capital.

All of this, he said, would be carried out with a "commitment to international law" and the right to exercise self-determination with the aim of achieving security and peace with Israel to, "pave the way to regional integration, cooperation, prosperity and security for everyone." Abbas concluded his remarks by thanking those 160 nations whom he said have recognized Palestinian statehood calling for its inclusion in the United Nations. Palestinian leader Abbas blasts US and Israel in General Assembly Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressing those gathered at the UNGA via video because the US State Department refused to allow the Palestinian delegation into the country, has rejected Washington's approach as "unlawful and punitive." Abbas described the denial of visas as a US failure to live up to its responsibility as the host nation of the international body.

Abbas quickly pivoted to blast Israel's "genocidal war" in as well as the sanctioned "ethnic cleansing" perpetrated by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank Saying that Israeli violations of international law put the two-state solution at grave risk, Abbas described the situation in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem as part of a "malicious colonial scheme" and warned of a "new Nakba." He also referenced attacks on Muslim and Christian religious sites by radical Jews as having the potential to transform the current security situation into a wider religiously fueled conflict.

Not only Middle East, rising sea level threat also on slate for day 3 meetings Beyond and the headline-grabbing conflict in the Middle East the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday will discuss another pressing issue that impacts the world’s citizens —rising sea levels A high-level meeting is slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. (1400 GMT) on Thursday as swelling seas redraw coastlines and pose existential risks for islanders and those who live in low-lying areas near the shores of the world's oceans and seas.

The UN says nearly 900 million people live in such areas, adding that another one million could be impacted by mid-century.

Rising sea levels, says the UN, threaten not only land but also livelihoods and even the existence of entire nations. In the words of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, "Rising seas are sinking futures."

Israeli and Palestinian leaders set to address UNGA on day 3 Israeli Prime Minister are both expected to address members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, with the issue of the Middle East writ large on the day 3 agenda.

Netanyahu, who is increasingly unpopular at home and abroad, will not meet with US officials or Arab leaders during his stay. His office cited a "tight schedule" as the reason, listing as many as nine meetings during his visit, including with the presidents of Argentina and Bolivia, the vice president of Colombia and the prime minister of Papua New Guinea.

The increasingly isolated Israeli leader's Palestinian counterpart, President Mahmoud Abbas, will also address the General Assembly. Abbas, however, will do so via video, as the US State Department refused to issue him an entry visa The broader subjects of Gaza's future and Palestinian statehood will also be topics of discussion. The UK will convene a meeting on 's current and future status, and Saudi Arabia and Norway will host a ministerial meeting to hash out plans for the implementation of the so-called "two-state solution."

That's a wrap on Day 2 of the UNGA Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the ongoing war between the countries, calling him "patient zero." The Ukrainian leader also announced new defense deals with Finland and Australia.

Elsewhere, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa called for the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights to end, saying the territory belongs to Syria.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also addressed Israel, calling for what he described as the "genocide" in Gaza to stop.

This comes ahead of a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

'Too much power in too few hands' — AI leaders warn about technology dangers Besides world leaders, top bosses at AI companies also addressed the UN about dangers concerning artificial intelligence.

AI executives spoke to the UN Security Council and urged international cooperation on the hotly debated technology.

Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, highlighted two big risks with AI.

"First, we could lose control of the future to AI. The risk is that it moves so fast that people can no longer follow what's happening or intervene when needed," he said, adding that such a scenario would be "terrible."

Second, he said AI systems "could concentrate too much power in too few hands." "No one person or company or country should be able to use the most powerful AI models to impose their worldview on everyone else."

Anthropic boss Dario Amodei used the platform to call for a ban on the use of AI in the development of biological weapons, describing AI as the most crucial global security issue facing the world.

"If managed poorly, I even believe AI could be a risk to humanity as a whole," he said. Amodei also urged global standards for testing new AI models. What is AI's biggest risk: Speed or autonomy? Spain PM Pedro Sanchez calls for reforming the UN Security Council Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for reforming the UN Security Council so that "all of the regions in the world" would be fairly represented.

Sanchez quoted the UN Charter, saying "no country should be a judge in its own case, no matter how powerful they are." The Spanish leader continued to condemn the "genocide that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is still perpetrating in " while pointing to Madrid's sanctions against Russia as an example of his government's willingness to take action against countries whose conduct violates the UN Charter. Ebola outbreak 'major' test for country, Congo's PM tells UNGA Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka described the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a "major test" for the country.

"For the DRC, fighting this epidemic is an absolute priority. After having contained 16 previous outbreaks, the DRC is mobilizing recognized scientific and operational expertise. And thanks to national mobilization and the support of our partners, the response has recently begun producing tangible results," she told the UN General Assembly.

As of 22 September 2026, Congo reported a total of 7, 773 confirmed cases, including 3,759 related deaths. A total of 839 patients are hospitalized in isolation. Venezuela to hold elections, Rodriguez tells UNGA Venezuela 's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, delivered her first address to the UN General Assembly since coming to power, promising her country would hold elections when the nation's people determine the "right moment."

"I want to make this very clear at this General Assembly: there will be elections in Venezuela," Rodriguez said, adding that her country "has initiated the process of democratic transformation for its rebirth" following two blows this year.

First, "strangulation of its internal political life and the heightened confrontation with the United States" and second, the earthquakes on June 24 that caused the deaths of more than 6,500 people. Rodriguez took power after the US toppled the then-president Nicolas Maduro in January. Rodríguez briefly met US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly as well. Anger in Venezuela over earthquake response Ukrainian foreign minister met with Iranian delegation on the sidelines of UNGA DW's US Correspondent Misha Komadovsky reported that the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Sybiah earlier in the day told a UN Security Council meeting that Ukraine was ready for an immediate and complete ceasefire without preconditions, if Moscow did too.

German FM calls on Iran to end Hormuz blockage In a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Iran to end its closure of the "It is up to Iran to engage constructively in negotiations and to loosen its stranglehold," Wadephul told journalists ahead of the meeting. Wadephul also urged Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to engage seriously and credibly in sustainable negotiations with the US and neighboring states in the region, sources in the German delegation were cited by the DPA news agency as saying.

"There must now be an overall willingness to compromise in order to bring about a solution to the deadlocked conflict in the region," Wadephul was quoted as saying.

He stressed the readiness of Germany and the so-called E3, which also includes France and the United Kingdom, to support mediation efforts.

Wadephul also stressed in the talks the need for Iran and militias it supports in the region, namely Yemen's Houthi rebels, to halt attacks on civilian ships. He added that Berlin expects free transit through the Strait of Hormuz to be restored immediately, stressing the rejection of any fees for passage through the critical waterway.

"Not only the Gulf States, but large parts of Asia, Africa and also Europe are suffering under this blockade," Wadephul said.

He added that Germany welcomes renewed talks between the US and Iran on the sidelines of the General Assembly, adding that he planned to speak to his counterparts from Jordan, Pakistan, Iraq and Oman. Zelenskyy announces defense deals with Finland, Australia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also announced fresh deals with Finland and Australia related to defense, adding that another deal with Canada will follow Kyiv's defense experience against Russian drone strikes has now made it a world leader in the field. "We are already working with partners in the Gulf, the South Caucasus, and across Europe through drone deals.

Today, I signed a drone deal, a serious drone deal, with Finland," he said. "Also today, I signed [a] security agreement with Australia, and drones are part of it too."

Zelenskyy calls Putin 'patient zero,' from whom 'this idea of war keeps spreading further'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also addressed the ways the war in Ukraine had spread, not least North Korea sending troops to fight on Russia's behalf "Recently we sent two North Korean prisoners of war the the Republic of Korea," Zelenskyy said, referring to South Korea by its formal name.

"And these guys are not easy to capture alive. One of them, when he realized he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself."

He said this spoke to how personnel in North Korea were trained and an attitude that "they must die, no matter what." "Do you really want to give such a force more time to learn how to wage war?" he asked.

Zelenskyy said that North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un provided troops to Russia in a transactional way. He said he presumed North Korea's neighbors must have noticed what he said was the country's recently-improved missile capabilities Zelenskyy alleged that Putin never seemed satisfied in his territorial ambitions and argued that this pattern applied beyond Ukraine.

He said that many around the world, in the south Caucasus, in Syria across Africa "also know very well what Russian killers are." "After all of this, can you even imagine [Putin] without war?" Zelenskyy asked. "He is patient zero, the one from whom this idea of war keeps spreading further. And wherever it spreads, it brings only pain, instability, new risks and of course new crises." The more space Putin has to operate, he argued, the more dangerous the world became for everyone else.

"That is why patient zero must be stopped. He must be denied the space to act and the space to spread this evil further," Zelenskyy said.

North Korea expands role in Russia's war with Ukraine Ukraine's Zelenskyy opens speech with critique of Putin, overture to Trump Ukraine 's President opened his speech not just with a message targeting Russia after more than four and a half years of open war but also aimed squarely at the sensibilities of his host in New York. "This morning on my way to New York, somewhere in the sky over the big and beautiful Atlantic Ocean, I read President Trump's post on Truth Social," Zelenskyy began.

He relayed how Trump had written that Russia lost control of its diesel oil industry due to its war with Ukraine, an embarrassment for a UN Security Council member so proud of its oil industry. "And this is true, Russia messed up," Zelenskyy said. "And the conclusion of the post is also right: this ridiculous and never-ending war with Ukraine must be ended. I do not know a single world leader who would say otherwise. I do not know anyone who is openly for this war: except one man." He said that Russia had been trying to carry out what he called Putin's "crazy orders" to seize eastern Ukraine for more than four years.

"Just this year, from January through August" the Russian army "lost" 248,964 people on the battlefield in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said. He later clarified that this constituted military casualties — so soldiers "killed and badly wounded" and said "we have video confirmation for every one of these losses." He said that amid these losses, Russia had only managed to capture "around 1,000 square kilometers (380 square miles) of our land this year," adding that "we have already liberated a significant part of it." He compared this to Russia's own vast territory spanning some 17 million square kilometers.

He said of the continued fighting: "It's madness, but they still keep going there to die, because that is what Putin wants." Palau says UN exclusion of Taiwan 'marginalizes' 23 million people Palau's President Surangel Whipps began his address with thanks to outgoing UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres who is nearing his term limit.

"Your climate leadership, steadfast defense of multilateralism, international law, human dignity and the voices of the vulnerable carries a special meaning for small island developing states," said Whipps, who leads an archipelago of more than 500 islands but only around 17,600 people, which only completed its independence process in 1994.

However, he also issued a stern criticism of the UN later in his address, arguing that there was one small island state whose sovereign rights the UN did not honor.

As one of just a dozen countries to have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan partly as a result of its historic and current ties to the US, Whipps also made the case for its inclusion in the UN.

"In Palau we say we are a friend to all," he said. "We choose our partners based on our shared values of democracy, human rights and a rules-based international order: principles that underpin our friendship with Taiwan."

He described Taiwan as "a trusted partner that can contribute even more fully if given the space to do so." Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations and has been excluded from the organization since 1971 — when the Communist People's Republic of China took over the Chinese seat and the veto rights on the Security Council that came with it. This happened amid the normalization of ties between Beijing and much of the West, roughly two decades after the Chinese Communist Revolution.

"The UN marginalizes Taiwan's 23 million people," Whipps said. "We stand with likeminded partners in calling for the reversal of misinterpretations of the rules and procedures that have constrained Taiwan's meaningful participation in this body." The leader of the island nation on the front lines of the battle against climate change and rising tides concluded with a traditional adage he said offered a lesson to the wider UN.

"Be strong, and do not give up. The shore is near," Whipps said, translating the saying. "The promise of multilateralism is that even the smallest can be heard, and that the many voices — shaped by different histories and experiences — can move toward a common shore." Why Taiwan's last 12 allies support it in US-China rivalry Venezuela's Rodriguez, Trump hold brief but 'important' talks on sidelines Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez— in office since the US abducted her predecessor at the start of the year — and US President Donald Trump met in person for the first time on the sidelines of the assembly.

Rodriguez first announced the meeting on social media, calling it "historic" and saying they discussed "strengthening the bilateral relationship" and enhancing cooperation in "strategic areas such as energy, mining and security and other matters of common interest." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday described the meeting as brief but important. One issue the pair discussed was the South American country's large debt load, Rubio said.

"There's a lot that needs to be fixed in order for to be successful," Rubio told reporters. "Debt restructuring is key to that."

He described the country as having "probably the world's largest debt that has to be restructured," and said the US wanted to help to ensure this is done "in the right way." Rodriguez also thanked Trump and his administration for their support following a pair of severe earthquakes at the end of June.

Venezuela's former President and his wife Cilia Flores are both being held in a New York prison a short distance from the UN building. They are set to face trial on charges of alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Argentina's Milei lambasts UN as 'useless organization' Argentina Javier Milei issued a fiery rebuke not just against the UK, amid renewed tensions with the UK over the Falkland Islands but also against another pet peeve of his — the UN itself.

He said he wanted to highlight the shortcomings he perceived in the UN "in a constructive spirit," decades after it undertook to "uphold international law, defend the sovereignty of nations and provide a forum through which conflicts could be resolved through cooperation, rather than immediately through the force of arms." That, he said, was the original contract member states signed, but this "sacred covenant" had in practice been broken.

"That's to say it's become a useless organization whose only purpose is to sustain a cast of fatally arrogant parasites masquerading as well-intentioned bureaucrats," Milei said.

He said they had failed in their task of ensuring collective global security and human rights: "Instead, they allowed chaos, violence and international terrorism to flourish."

Milei accused these "alleged defenders of human rights" of sheltering "bloodthirsty dictators and regimes that stone women in the streets" and of "systematically" voting against Israel "while remaining silent in the face of Islamic terrorism and the genocide of Christians in Africa." From this point, he turned his gaze directly to the isolated Falkand Islands of some 2,000 residents, some 550 kilometers (350 miles) off Argentina's coastline. He referred to them using their Spanish name, the Malvinas "And, as if that were not enough, an organization established to defend the territorial sovereignty of its members decided to look the other way with regard to the situation of the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas," he said of the disputed British territory that Argentina's defunct military dictatorship invaded in the 1980s, just a matter of months before it collapsed.

"For us, the Malvinas are a national cause," he said, before repeating for emphasis. "They are also a test of the gulf that can exist between the words of international institutions and the reality upon which they purport to act."

He complained, for instance, about UK oil extraction operations in waters that Argentina claims, saying this violated a past UN resolution designed to prevent further tensions in the dispute. Milei said that "for far too long" Argentina had opted for a "rhetorical" and "peaceful" defense in this dispute, and said his country again called on the UK "to resume negotiations with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute, as required by international law."

Pezeshkian say Iran can't let others use Hormuz Strait to 'impose their aggression on us' Iran's president also to defend his country's moves to restrict commercial shipping through the in his speech, in part by citing the US military's attempt to blockade Iran's ports. "We cannot let some have free access and bolster their interests from the waterway, while at the same time using that waterway to impose their aggression upon us," Masoud Pezeshkian said.

He went on to mention efforts to close access to "our waterway" for Iran in his comments. The speech did not make any solid proposal or suggestion for how to resolve the impasse in the key commercial shipping lane — where Iran is trying to restrict international shipping and the US Navy is trying to restrict access to Iranian ports in an uneasy and costly standoff.

Pezeshkian concluded by saying that Iran was not and never had been averse to negotiating, but at the same time said that President Donald Trump should have learned that it would not "bend the knee" when faced with "bullying" and military pressure.

Iran stands by desires for 'peaceful nuclear technology' Iranian President Madoud Pezeshkian said during his speech that Iran was not prepared to give up its nuclear program which it says is for peaceful power generation purposes. This follows the US government and Donald Trump repeatedly insisting that one of its terms for a potential peace deal with Iran is that the country "can never have a nuclear weapon."

"For our country, peaceful nuclear technology is part of our inherent progress," Pezeshkian said. "For our sick people, it's cure and treatment.

For our agricultural sector, it's food security. For industry's advancement and progress and supply of electrical energy. Iran does not accept for nuclear technology to be at the exclusive disposal of some, of a handful." He said that the country would not "bow our head and give up the right that is inherently ours."

Pezeshkian summed up his country's position on the nuclear question as: "no nuclear weapons and no limitations to peaceful nuclear technology." This has been Iran's public position for years. However, various US governments have been at least somewhat skeptical of the stated stance, while Israel has openly labeled it dishonest — Benjamin Netanyahu famously brought visual aids of his own to the UN General Assembly in 2012, as Pezeshkian did on Tuesday, showing how close to attaining a nuclear bomb he thought Iran was at the time.

Iran's Pezeshkian: 'We have been the victims of terrorism' Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took the stage at just after 10 a.m. local time in New York, wearing an Iranian flag pin on his lapel.

"Yesterday, the United States president described us as terrorists," Pezeshkian told the chamber. "We have been the victims of terrorism."

Holding up a portrait of Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli airstrikes at the start of the war, he said, "I come from an Iran in which our esteemed supreme leader was assassinated without any legal framework or reason."

He then mentioned the bomb attack that struck a school early in the attacks on Iran, again holding up various images he said showed "innocent children who in truth had committed no crimes." Only one member of the US delegation was in the chamber amid the speech, and he stood up and left after these opening statements, as Pezeshkian was accusing the US and Israel of being "terrorists" and of training and protecting terrorists, only to describe Iran as such. However, both governments reject these accusations.

"We have only defended ourselves, we are not terrorists," he asserted. "Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed on our country. And we defended ourselves with utmost strength."

Pezeskhian said Iranian people "stood steadfast" in response to the attacks, claiming that Iran retaliated but did not hit "civilian populations," accusing Iran's attackers of targeting "our universities, our healthcare centers, our schools, our hospitals, our infrastructure, all of it against international law." Later in his speech, Pezeshkian claimed that "in the past seven months our people have been in the streets every night demonstrating in support of their land, of their homeland." He made no mention of the Iranian regime's violent suppression of major public protests in the weeks prior to the attacks on the country.

Latvia's Rinkevics: Different threats, 1 lesson — 'none of us can face them alone' Latvia's President Edgar Rinkevics sought to stress the value of the UN and its charter in his speech, alluding to the much-trodden warnings that "the world order is breaking down" and that "the rules-based order is under growing strain."

"The world has changed. International trade, mobility, technology — what happens far away is no longer far away. Instability travels.

Conflicts cross borders. What happens in Ukraine does not stay in Ukraine. What happens in the Middle East, in the Red Sea, in Sudan, does not stay there." Similarly, Rinkevics said, technology was also making "distance matter even less." "And nature respects no borders either. Heat waves do not stop at checkpoints," he said after a record-breaking summer in Europe. Rising sea levels, he said, were another climate change threat, but not the only one: "In the mountains, a river may turn into a deadly flood.

It can happen in seconds," he warned, referring to the flooding in Nepal in which 33 Latvian citizens died. "Different threats, the same lesson: none of us can face them alone. We are in the same boat. Perhaps Noah's Ark is no longer just a biblical story," Rinkevics said. "And when we share the same boat, we need something that holds us together. And we already have it: the United Nations charter and its principles." These principles, he said, "were not written for an easy world, quite the opposite."

Rinkevics said they had emerged from the devastation of the second World War and from the determination not to repeat it.

"Peace was its purpose then. Peace remains our responsibility today. And peace will be relevant tomorrow," he said.

Rubio meets with Lavrov to discuss Ukraine war met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.

Lavrov had previously indicated that the war in Ukraine would be a major topic of discussion with Rubio, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.

Ahead of the meeting, the Kremlin said that its stance on Ukraine peace talks had not changed. "For now, there are no prerequisites for moving onto a peaceful negotiating track, although we, as the Russian side, remain open to peace talks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He reiterated Russia's position that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would need to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv has suggested that talks place in a neutral country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to address the United Nations later on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump the previous day, saying that both Kyiv and Washington want to end the war with Russia "before winter."

Al-Sharaa hails Syria's reconstruction, criticizes Israeli 'aggressions' Syria 's relatively new President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in his second appearance at the assembly since toppling Bashar Assad that the civil war-torn country's reconstruction was gathering pace.

"Last year I mentioned that Syria had come back, today I say to you that Syria is rising," he told the audience, before listing a series on achievements in what he termed "our journey in the struggle between good and evil." "The country was united. We controlled arms. We rebuilt military and civilian institutions, sanctions were lifted, projects for reconstruction have continued," al-Sharaa said, also hailing moves to combat drug trafficking, bring "transitional justice" to Assad regime members and reach out to the international community diplomatically.

He paid special tribute to the initiative dubbed "the Breath of Freedom" his administration launched with six regional partners to dispose of chemical weapons stores in conjunction with international bodies like the OPCW and IAEA.

The Syrian president, formerly the founder of the Islamist terror group known as the al Nusra Front, said this outreach with the international community stood in stark contrast to his administration's ties with Israel since taking over in December 2024.

"The world is overjoyed about our return but Israel is launching attacks against Syria," he said. "There have been 500 airstrikes, more than 1,200 incursions and 300 detentions." He said that "any attempts that violate our sovereignty, violate international law will be stopped," adding that the "will remain Syrian territories," in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 497 from 1981, which deemed Syria's occupation of the Golan Heights to contravene international law.

Israel retained de facto control of the area despite the resolution and has taken up more advanced positions in the aftermath of al-Sharaa's forces seizing power citing security concerns.

"It is reminiscent of an era that we thought was long gone," al-Sharaa said. "We call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the lines of December 8, 2024 [when the Assad regime fell]. We reject Israeli attempts to impose a , we reject their aggressions." Brazil, Germany, India and Japan renew calls for Security Council reform The foreign ministers of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan on Wednesday called for the reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) saying it was more urgent than ever.

"Given the increasingly challenging geopolitical environment, UNSC reform is more necessary than ever before," the four foreign ministers said in a joint statement issued after the diplomats met on Tuesday.

The Security Council is a 15-member body with five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and US — known as the P5 and 10 rotating members elected to two-year terms by the General Assembly.

Permanent members enjoy veto powers, which often means the body is kept from carrying out resolutions due to conflicts with the interests of one or more of them. UNGA day 2: AI, Iran war, climate to dominate debate Beyond speeches by the presidents of ), the US-Israeli war in Iran and the still-pressing issue of climate change are set to dominate the agenda at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday.

On day 2 of this 81st UNGA session, tech industry leaders Sam Altman (OpenAI), Dario Amodei (Anthropic) and Clement Delangue (Hugging Face) will brief an emergency meeting of the 15-member Their attendance comes as international concerns —raised from within the industry— prompt debate over slowing AI development before the new technology potentially spins out of control with unknown consequences.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted calls to slow the technology as part of a "globalist scheme," brushing aside warnings that it could wipe out humanity within years if left unchecked.

After Trump used his General Assembly speech on Tuesday to threaten the annihilation of Iran and to drive its people "into hell," the Islamic Republic's President Masoud Pezeshkian will directly address world leaders for the first time since the start of the war against Iran in February.

The conflict in Iran has settled into a hot stalemate, directly impacting neighboring states militarily and the entire globe economically Iranian and US representatives have met on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York, but, as has been the case for months, a peace deal remains elusive and the flow of oil through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz stunted.

Russia's more than four-and-a-half-year full-scale assault on Ukraine will also be the topic of diplomatic debate on Wednesday, with a Security Council session scheduled for the morning and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set to address the General Assembly in the afternoon.

Lastly, climate urgency is on the slate, with outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres blasting fossil fuel giants for treating the Earth's atmosphere like an "open sewer" for emissions. He further chided "big oil" for its greed as the world grapples with armed conflict.

"Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, five major Western oil companies have pocketed nearly half a trillion dollars in profits," he said, noting that at the same time just $34 billion (€29.8 billion) had been invested in helping developing countries adapt to a warming world.

Thanks for reading — we'll be back with more soon Thanks for following this blog for on the first day of the UN General Assembly debate. We'll restart coverage later on Wednesday for day 2 of the event. What's expected on Wednesday?

On day 2 of the debate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to take the stage as his country fends off Russia for another winter. US top diplomat Marco Rubio is also expected to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines on Wednesday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is slated to speak Wednesday, as the US continues its war with Iran.

The UN Security Council will also hold a meeting on Open AI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei are expected to attend the session.

US top diplomat Rubio to meet Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on Wednesday US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York City on Wednesday morning, the US State Department said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters on Tuesday to discuss an end to the 4-year-old war with Russia, including a potential bilateral ceasefire on energy-related targets. UK's Andy Burnham: 'Britain is back' In his debut as UK prime minister at the UNGA debate, Andy Burnham declared "Britain is back" 10 years after the country dealt with the turbulence caused by Brexit.

Burnham said the UK is "restoring our stability" and "building a more dynamic economy" while seeking trade and working together with other countries to tackle shared problems.

However, he said the UK needs to deal with forces of division and instability. He said this begins with Britain boosting its defense expenditures as a NATO member state and strengthening European capabilities. Another issue Burnham addressed was disinformation being sowed online by Russia-aligned actors.

"Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people's fear," Burnham said. "They've used bots and fake websites. Falsified newspaper articles. Forged the branding of 28 British organizations — including universities and the BBC. They've amplified far-right narratives." The UK prime minister said there is evidence that Russia tried to interfere in the 2019 UK general election. He said the Kremlin spends around £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion, €1.5 billion) annually to sow disinformation.

As a solution, Burnham announced the National Centre for Information Defence to fight disinformation which hurts British interests.

Burnham also addressed the issue of AI, saying global standards are needed because "fundamental decisions on this technology are too important to be left to chance." Burnham said the UK will work on convincing other countries regarding rules on AI transparency and access to AI models.

Japan's mission is to lead efforts towards world without nuclear weapons, Takaichi says Japan's conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said it her country's "mission" to lead efforts towards a "world without nuclear weapons." She said this is because Japan is the "the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war." The US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II in 1945 killed and maimed hundreds of thousands people, with the radiation causing illnesses in survivors in the years after.

Takaichi urged a stronger Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime. She also warned that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs along with other activities are a "serious threat to international peace and security." In regards to technology, Takaichi said Japan intends to host an AI safety summit in the future.

The Japanese prime minister also called for a reform of the UN Security Council by expanding both the number of permanent and non-permanent members. IN PICTURES: Mongolia, Vietnam, Dominica among afternoon speakers Here are some photos of leaders who spoke during this afternoon's session of the UNGA: North Korea's vice foreign minister traveling to UNGA North Korea's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kim Son Gyong has departed from Pyongyang to attend the UN General Assembly debate in New York City, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported. It's unclear whether Kim will meet with officials from the Trump administration.

During his first term, Trump pushed for a deal where North Korea would give up its nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.

Trump had met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, Hanoi and the Korean Demilitarized Zone in 2018 and 2019 to discuss a possible deal, but ultimately a final agreement never materialized after talks broke down in Sweden in October 2019.

South Korea proposes talks to officially end war with North Zelenskyy meets Trump, says US and Ukraine want war to end before winter Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly debate.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy characterized the meeting with Trump as "positive and productive." "Both the US and Ukraine want to see this senseless Russian war ended before winter. We discussed potential de-escalatory steps that can open up the way to diplomacy," Zelenskyy said.

"I am grateful that in the meantime our teams keep working on launching Patriot interceptor production in This is what will help proect lives, should Russia spurn the negotiations and keep betting on ballistic missile terror against our people this winter and beyond," the Ukrainian leader added. Zelenskyy said he also discussed a winter package of air defense for Ukraine with Trump, among other issues.

The negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia is still stalled, with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner visiting Moscow and Kyiv earlier this month to jumpstart the talks. It comes as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine will hit its 5-year anniversary in February 2027.

In comments to journalists after the 40-minute meeting, Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed an energy ceasefire. Zelenskyy said "we are ready for any kind of format of energy ceasefire" if Russia agrees to "not attack our energy system." Donald Trump blames Ukraine for record US diesel prices Trump has criticized Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. He has, without evidence, blamed the Ukrainian attacks for raising the price of diesel fuel, as the US war with Iran disrupts energy shipments from the Strait of Hormuz.

Macron calls for open-source AI model not dependent on US, China Towards the end of his wide-ranging address, French President Emmanuel Macron said there was a need for nations to develop their own artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities so as not to be beholden to the US and China "France is proud to have a competitive frontier model" he said, likely referring to Mistral AI.

Macron said likeminded nations such as India, Brazil, Singapore, African nations and the Gulf states should pool not only their financial resources but also their data processing capacity.

"I don't want anyone to become the vassal of one of the great powers. Rather, we must come together to build an open-source frontier model, a cutting-edge model," he told the UN General Assembly. "Our investment capabilities must be pooled to build a cutting-edge open-source AI model, which we will share. We should not depend on somebody else," he added.

Macron: 'Shame on all of us' of failing to do more for Gaza French President Emmanuel Macron was addressing the General Assembly for the last time, as his term limit approaches and presidential elections beckon early next year.

He alluded to his previous visit to the event in New York, when a dozen countries including France announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood "I understand that some of you are very cynical," Macron said, and some people would argue this recognition was only on paper and did not address the reality of the situation. "But what is our credibility worth if we remain inactive on Gaza?" he asked. "Some claim that peace has been achieved, but this has not opened up humanitarian deliveries.

The scenes, the spectacle, it is shameful. Shame on all of us!" Macron said that what was needed was respect for the "legitimate rights" of the Palestinian people, arguing that this was a "prerequisite for security" not just for Palestinians but also for Israel. "But all those who claim that Israel's security requires the violation of the sovereignty of all of its neighboring states are making a very fateful error," Macron said. "They are weakening Israel's security, today, and going forward. They are threatening Israel's security, in fact." What did Macron suggest regarding Ukraine?

Macron said that France and its allies would continue providing "unstinting support" to Kyiv, but he also floated a suggestion similar to those made by others involved either in the conflict or the efforts to broker a stop to the fighting.

He proposed a "double moratorium," saying that both Ukraine and Russia should commit to stop strikes on each others's energy infrastructure and on grain shipments in the Black Sea. "Winter is coming," Macron said, explaining, "We'd like to express our support [for] a double moratorium. A moratorium on strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure, that's first. And a Black Sea moratorium which would allow us to release grain shipments." In times of peace both Russia and Ukraine are prolific agricultural exporters, and use the Black Sea to ship their produce.

Part of supporting Ukraine, Macron said, was working to ensure that "useful negotiations" between the two sides start as quickly as possible. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was attending Tuesday's session; Russia's Vladimir Putin was not expected to travel to New York, or at least he has not done so since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Trump tells reporters US and Iranian officials met A few hours after his speech at the assembly warning he was prepared to "annihilate" Iran if necessary, US President told reporters that American and Iranian officials had met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "The had a very good meeting, a very productive meeting," Trump told reporters, saying it had lasted roughly three hours. "They have another one scheduled in the very near future," he said.

Trump's speech, not unusually for the US president, contained mixed messages on Iran: a combination both of bombastic threats but also assertions that a "deal" to end the fighting was also a realistic prospect. "I have a big decision to make,” Trump had said during his speech earlier. “Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?”

Finland's Stubb: Choose cooperation, and competition, over conflict Finland 's President Alexander Stubb told the audience that the world faced a "choice between cooperation and conflict." He said that a third "c" was natural and should not cause concern, provided the right balance was struck. "Competition will always be there. Nations compete now harder than they did a generation ago. This doesn't worry me. What does, is that more and more of them now compete against the rules on which the international order rests," Stubb said.

Stubb said he wanted to defend those rules and the spirit of cooperation and multilateralism underpinning them. "Small nations need it to survive, and large nations need it to be great," said Stubb, president of a country with a population only around the size of the US state of South Carolina or the Chinese city of Jinan.

Stubb said the rules were the best ways to ensure "that competition does not escalate into conflict, and that cooperation gains ground."

Stubb cited a quote, that itself seemed a riff on another Winston Churchill adage, that's sometimes attributed to former US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott: "Multilateralism is hell and can be a real pain in the neck, but it is the best option for humanity as a whole."

The Finnish president said that "currently, however, we appear to be going the other way — more towards a non-cooperative and multi-polar world order."

Though he said he see it might be tempting, particularly for larger powers, he called it a fundamentally "short-sighted approach" that "will turn against us, whether you represent a great power, a middle power, or a small state like Finland." Lithuania's President Nauseda urges assembly not to forget Ukraine The first Baltic leader to speak, Lithuanian Gitanas Nauseda began by delineating his country's plans to help defusing mines in the Strait of Hormuz or helping bring about the Gaza peace plan — but he urged the assembly not to forget the longer-running conflict closest to his home.

"Ladies and gentleman, the one conflict that poses the greatest threat to the world order is Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Nauseda said, even 12 years after it began with the annexation of Crimea and the beginnings of a Russian-backed uprising in eastern Ukraine.

In that time, Nauseda said, "Russia has escalated from clandestine operations and limited warfare in eastern Ukraine to massive military operations, mass killings, and ultimately the largest drone attacks against civilian infrastructure the world has ever seen." He noted how the full-blown war, starting with Russia's February 2022 invasion, had now lasted longer than the first World War. Nauseda said that despite massive casualties, Russian progress had slowed to a snail's pace and Ukraine's culture, language and institutions stood tall.

Nauseda said that only a Ukrainian victory could safeguard ideals like the UN Charter. "What we cannot allow is brute force prevailing over international law," he said. "We cannot tolerate any longer Moscow's colonial aspirations." He said these aspirations reached far into "Europe, Africa and Asia," and said that no country should consider itself immune.

In Lithuania's case, he said Russia's war of aggression had led to " numerous violations of our airspace by combat drones " to intensified hybrid attacks, disinformation and sabotage efforts.

He said that where Russia advanced in opening this "new Pandora's box of new techniques for destablization, other hostile actors follow, learning new skills and ideas."

Qatar's emir says Gulf going through 'one of its most dangerous phases' Qatar 's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said the current crisis in the Gulf "should come as no surprise to anyone" as he took to the podium in New York. "It is the cumulative result of years of postponing crisis management through temporary solutions and unrealistic policies," he said of the war between the US and Iran which has sprawled to impact a series of Gulf states. "At the heart of the dangerous situation we are witnessing lies an absence of a regional system of collective security," Al Thani said. "One that respects the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of states. One that promotes the peaceful settlement of disputes and the non-interference in the internal affairs of states."

He said Qatar had recently called "from this very podium" for such a system and was now reiterating the appeal "after recent events have demonstrated the urgent need for it."

The emir said, without naming Iran or the US at any point in his address, that the absence of such a regional accord had allowed "one party to drag its neighbors into a war that is not theirs, targeting their vital assets and installations, despite their strenuous efforts to avert escalation." Iran has sometimes struck targets in neighboring Gulf countries with close ties to the US.

Al Thani said that the restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz amounted to the "lifelines of the global economy" being turned into bargaining chips, "with people on every continent bearing the cost, despite being far removed from the causes of the conflict." The 46-year-old head of state said this was driving up prices not just for fuel but also for core other goods like food and medicine Turkey's Erdogan accuses Israel of 'genocidal mindset' against Palestinians Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the recognition of a Palestinian state in his address.

"Let everyone understand and accept the following," Erdogan said. "Attempts to strangle the state of Palestine will fail. God willing, we shall see those good days when an independent state of Palestine — based on the 1967 borders, with territorial integrity and with East Jerusalem as its capital — will be established."

Erdogan told the assembly that more than 1,500 people had been killed in Gaza even since the shaky ceasefire agreement was reached with Turkish help last year "Although the Palestinian resistance movement has agreed to move to the second stage of the peace plan," Erdogan said of the tiered approach long stuck on step 1, "the Israeli government refuses to stop the occupation." Israel denies that it has blocked progress with the peace plan and has accused Hamas of not meeting security requirements.

Erdogan also said the West Bank was experiencing what he regarded as escalating "settler violence and terror." Erdogan said he planned to "speak from the heart" and "without reservation," saying it was a "humanitarian issue" and a matter of conscience for everyone assembled. "We are faced with a genocidal mindset that cannot get enough of killing," he asserted. "We are faced with an extremely serious situation. No one with a sense of humanity, mercy or compassion, no one guided by justice and conscience, can possibly remain indifferent to this picture." Erdogan, the longstanding leader of NATO's only majority Muslim member, is known as a frequently staunch critic of Israel and its government.

The two countries are also at odds over the post-civil war situation in their mutual neighbor Syria Last month, Turkey announced it had sought an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged genocide, with Netanyahu's office responding that the Israeli prime minister was "unimpressed by Turkey's hypocrisy."

Trump lauds 'freedom,' sovereignty and strength on 250th anniversary of US independence US President began and concluded his lengthy UN speech with references to the US Declaration of Independence from colonial British rule 250 years ago He said the US would stand for national sovereignty and independence and against what he termed "globalism" — whether in the shape of global taxes or international controls on artificial intelligence (AI) or at UN institutions like the "Freedom was not a gift that Americans won easily after 250 years," he said. "And it is not one that we will ever, ever surrender." He went on to tell of George Washington ordering the Declaration of Independence to be read to his troops in New York in 1776 as a British fleet approached the shore.

Trump said that the first Americans "knew that it was not enough merely to believe in great principles, we must also have the will and the courage and the strength to defend them." He said this was the challenge "for every nation in this room," saying they should "go forward strong against the enemies of all humanity" and "refuse to shrink from" their duties to their people.

Trump had used his speech of roughly half an hour to portray many key points of his foreign policy — from the abduction of Nicolas Maduro to the war in Iran and his tough line on Cuba, or narcotics, or migration — as expressions of this same determination and strength.

Some world leaders were present as Trump mentioned their countries. The Cuban delegation, however, walked out mid-speech.

Declaring that as recently as two years ago, "our country was dead," Trump said, "now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world."

He appealed to other countries to follow his lead, concluding: "Together, through bold action, we will make this world far safer and a far better place." Trump boasts of Venezuelan oil deal US President Donald Trump said Washington's actions in Venezuela proved that the county "will no longer permit threats to America." "If necessary, we will use our unparalleled military might to secure our interests," Trump said.

Trump also touted the subsequent deal he made for the US to have partial control over Venezuela's vast oil reserves, calling it "perhaps the biggest deal ever made." "To the victor belong the spoils" he added. was present in New York for the speech. Trump calls Iran 'bully of the Middle East' spoke about the war with Iran and said he will never allow Tehran to have a nuclear weapon.

"They were the bully of the Middle East, but they are the bully no more," Trump said, adding that he had given Tehran numerous opportunities to drop its nuclear program and stop its support of militant groups across the regions.

"They refused, which was a big mistake." The US leader mentioned both the September 11 attacks and the October 7 attacks in Israel, the latter being carried out by Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"Just imagine such a vile regime was able to carry out terror attacks from behind a nuclear shield," Trump said.

Trump concluded he faces a choice of whether to allow Iran regrow or to "annihilate" it.

"I believe we'll make a deal right after the (mid term) election in the US," Trump argued, saying he thinks Tehran is waiting to see how the US president's Republican party fares. However, US leader Trump said he wasn't fazed. "The only thing that enters my mind is that Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons." Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran if no deal is reached Brazil leader Lula criticizes UN, calls for democracy protection Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticized the UN's inability to prevent war, saying the institution's credibility "has never been lower."

"We are all held hostage by the Security Council's inaction," Lula said, adding that the current state of the world with its multiple wars is the "complete breakdown of politics." "This is the conviction of a plant worker that was elected leader of Brazil," Lula said during his speech at the UN's General Assembly.

The leftist leader also warned that "democracy is once again under threat" and made mention of Brazil's upcoming elections in October Lula said Brazil would not allow "internal and external enemies of democracy" to undermine the vote, which he cast as a choice between "democracy and denialism." "All candidates enjoy the broadest freedom of expression. We know that some abuse that freedom to align themselves with foreign interests that run counter to the country's interests," Lula said, without naming county in particular.

Guterres speaks Gaza, West Bank situation UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, saying settler expansion in the West Bank is "raising the specter of ethnic cleansing." "Violence, displacement and settlement expansion by Israel in the Occupied West Bank are bulldozing the path to peace and raising the specter of ethnic cleansing," Guterres said during his opening speech at the UN General Assembly.

"We cannot allow the two-state solution to disappear before our eyes." Guterres also said the death and destruction in Gaza is unlike anything he has seen during his time as the UN's head. Guterres calls for 'world built on interdependence' In his opening remarks of the UN General Assembly, the Secretary General lamented the continuation of wars "with devastating consequences" that hurt civilians, humanitarians and human rights.

"The fault lines in the world are widening, cracks have become canyons," Guterres said, adding warnings of AI and of climate change.

Guterres called for "a world built on interdependence" and sustained by "a dense web of economic, political, social and technological connections," also warning of a world with two rival blocs.

"Military alone cannot secure peace, technological power alone cannot commend stability," he continued.

UK's Burnham ready to step onto world stage at UNGA will get his first chance to address fellow leaders on the world stage Tuesday after taking over from Keir Starmer in July. Burnham's New York sojourn follows his only other international trip which took him to Ukraine shortly after assuming his post.

A former mayor, Burnham will use the opportunity of speaking before the UN to stake out his vision for the UK's role in the world as it continues to reel from the tectonic shifts in relations brought on by Brexit as well as US President Donald Trump's antagonistic view of the island's non-royals Further, Burnham is expected to emphasize the UK's role as a so-called middle-sized power as leaders like Canada's Mark Carney and Finland's Alexander Stubb articulate the importance of alliances in the face of US hostility toward former partners in the age of Trump.

Burnham, who had previously said he would never meet with Trump, is expected to speak with the US leader on the UNGA sidelines. Among the issues he will address will be the urgency of supplying Kyiv with air-defense missiles as winter approaches and Russia steps up infrastructure attacks.

The new UK leader, who has said he will seek "common ground" with counterparts, will no doubt also broach the economic strain of the war in Iran and the reopening of global shipping lanes. To that end, he will likely have helped his cause by offering concrete assistance to Saudi Arabia in its fight with Yemeni Houthis This picks up some slack created by US refusals to expand military engagement on behalf of Saudi Arabia. It is also a markedly different approach from his predecessor Starmer on whom Trump soured — over his lack of willingness to join the US "excursion" in Iran — despite numerous public displays of obsequiousness UN meeting in a world vastly changed since 80th session As leaders gather in New York, they meet in a world in which new conflicts and crises have arisen to compound others unresolved years on.

For a little perspective, here is just some of what has happened this year alone.

In January, President Donald Trump deployed the US military to kidnap and jail Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on 'drug trafficking' charges. Maduro's former deputy, is now interim president cutting a deal Washington that gives the US access to Venezuela's oil Untold numbers of Iranian citizens were killed early in the year by Tehran's hardline government after protests erupted in late 2025.

Almost all those leaders were killed in late February and early March when the US and Israel launched a war on Iran The war, now in its seventh month, has plunged energy markets into crisis and put enormous strain on the global economy as it continues to spin out of control — most notably with the closure of the and escalated attacks on shipping traffic in the Red Sea— directly drawing every nation in the region into the conflict That pressure has compounded the impact of Russia's assault on Ukraine which has only escalated in the course of four-and-a-half years.

Moreover, Russia has continually needled NATO member states launching near daily territorial incursions and cyberattacks in an effort to divide European capitals and isolate Kyiv explosive ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo— which comes on top of armed conflict in the African nation — has again highlighted a lack of preparation for the world's next pandemic(s), signaling a failure to learn lessons from the coronavirus epidemic and the immeasurable impact that it has had on society.

The past nine months have also shone a spotlight on the impact of human activity on climate change — with floods in Tibet and Nepal and deadly earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia killing thousands, and massive wildfires and unheard of heatwaves spiking global deaths by the tens of thousands.

Another issue that has burst into the global consciousness is the potentially uncontrollable advance of so-called artificial intelligence (AI) a resource devouring computing scheme that its developers say will either solve mankind's most pressing problems or wipe out humanity within a couple of years These are just some of the most visible problems facing the UN's 193 member states as the General Assembly kicks off on Tuesday, stay tuned for further developments…World leaders gather in New York for 81st UNGA session United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Assembly President Khalilur Rahman will open the UN's 81st General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday morning as world leaders gather for their annual six-day confab.

As Guterres puts it, "In a world marked by turbulence, division and uncertainty, the United Nations is more necessary than ever."

This year's session comes as war — mainly in Ukraine and Iran — climate catastrophe, and the specter of artificial intelligence overshadow the world's myriad other problems. The session offers an opportunity for leaders to politick in person with numerous bilateral meetings expected to take place on the main stage's sidelines.

The event will likely get off to a rousing start when US President Donald Trump — who has delivered belligerent fantastical addresses in the past — takes the stage after Brazilian President Inacio Lula Da Silva in the morning session and before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Further speakers will include leaders from Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Scandinavia, South America and the Middle East. A full schedule is available here Welcome to our coverage Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The day's schedule includes an opening address from UN Secretary General that comes at a time when the body itself is under threat from— who has repeatedly expressed his willingness to renege on US financial obligations to the body if it does not bend to his will — and in the face of myriad global crises ranging from financial and environmental disasters to spreading conflict, rampant disease and the looming threat of so-called artificial intelligence.

Among those who will join Guterres and Trump are Turkish leader as well as the leaders of Finland and Lithuania, and France's President Stay tuned to DW for the latest during the confab, which ends next Monday, September 28.