World leaders meet at UN as wars, AI, and climate crises dominate agenda

World leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly this week under the shadow of major wars, political divisions, and growing concerns about runaway artificial intelligence and climate shocks. The annual meeting will focus on conflicts in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo, and Myanmar, alongside rising global inequality and economic pressures from disrupted supply chains. U.N. reform is also on the agenda, though updating the Security Council’s World War II-era power structure remains difficult. About 130 heads of state are expected to speak, including U.S. President Donald Trump and France’s Emmanuel Macron. Notable absences include China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and India’s Narendra Modi. The U.N. faces financial strain, though a recent $725 million U.S. payment avoided losing its vote.