World leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set to dominate the week long high-level debate.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ahead of his trip to the UN General Assembly, accusing him of supporting Hamas and inciting unrest against Jewish New Yorkers.
Netanyahu said he would “expose the truth” when he addresses the UN General Assembly. Mamdani has previously called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and said the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against the Israeli leader should be honoured.
The 81st UN General Assembly’s General Debate begins in New York on Tuesday, with the wars involving Iran and Ukraine among the major issues expected to dominate speeches and diplomatic meetings throughout the week.
The Middle East will be a key focus, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian due to address the assembly on Wednesday, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also due to address world leaders on Wednesday, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expected on Saturday.
Beyond the conflicts, leaders are set to discuss artificial intelligence, Sudan, climate change and the process of choosing a successor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second term ends on 31 December.
Brazil traditionally opens the General Debate, followed by the United States as host country.
UN General Assembly: World leaders gather amidst wars, global crises and AI concerns
The United Nations General Debate is the week-long high-level event where diplomats and world leaders take the stage to give speeches for an estimated 15 minutes.
So far, G7 foreign ministers, Presidents Macron and Zelenskyy, Trump and Macron have met on the sidelines of the event, with more meetings scheduled to take place on the sides as the event unfolds.
For more information and a breakdown of hot topics on the global agenda, read our article below.
World leaders are gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New York as the high-level General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday.
Nearly 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend, with the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine among the major issues shaping this year’s diplomatic meetings. Artificial intelligence, global security, climate action and the future of multilateral cooperation are also expected to feature prominently.
The debate is being held under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all”.
World leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s ...
A former Rwandan official has appeared in a London court, becoming the first person in the UK to face charges linked to the 1994 genocide against t...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports, as he prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
A former Rwandan official has appeared in a London court, becoming the first person in the UK to face charges linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports, as he prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for the abolition of veto powers and permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, proposing a system in which all members would instead be elected for fixed terms.
Survivors of a Nigerian detention centre where 37 people died say guards sprayed an unidentified substance into an overcrowded cell and kept the doors locked while detainees struggled to breathe and cried for help.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 22 September 2026. These are five key bilateral and multilateral meetings taking place on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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