UN General Assembly opens with wars, AI risks, and climate crises in focus

World leaders gather at the United Nations this week amid wars, divisions, and fears that runaway artificial intelligence could threaten humanity, alongside climate shocks and rising costs affecting hundreds of millions. The annual General Assembly will focus on conflicts in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo, and Myanmar, and whether leaders can end them. About 130 heads of state are expected to speak starting Tuesday, including U.S. President Donald Trump and France's Emmanuel Macron, with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday. The U.N. faces financial strain, though the U.S. recently paid $725 million in dues, and reform of the Security Council remains unresolved. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends Dec. 31, called for international cooperation against "three existential threats." Leaders of major AI companies urged a pause on development, but Trump dismissed their concerns as a hoax. Notable absences include China's Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin, and India's Narendra Modi.