Follow our live coverage on the UN General Assembly
The annual United Nations General Assembly begins on Tuesday at the world body's headquarters in New York, with global leaders gathering to address pressing international issues.
This year's high-level discussions are expected to focus heavily on the continuing conflicts in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, as well as the escalating climate crisis.
The event kicks off with a summit aimed at galvanising efforts towards the Summit of the Future, set for September 22-23.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called the summit a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to renew multilateral co-operation. Delegates are expected to endorse the "Pact for the Future", a far-reaching document designed to reform the UN system to better address 21st-century challenges.
The General Debate, the key event of the session, begins on Tuesday, September 24, with speeches from leaders of the UN’s 193 member states. Each country will be given 15 to 20 minutes to speak before the international community.
As is tradition, Brazil’s president will be the first to take the podium, followed by the US President Joe Biden. Over the course of six days, a succession of world leaders will address the assembly, laying out their national priorities and views on global affairs.
This is the complete schedule of countries due to speak at the 79th UN General Assembly in New York:
Tuesday, September 24
Morning: Brazil, US, Turkey, Jordan, Guatemala, Switzerland, Colombia, Qatar, South Africa, Maldives, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Tajikistan, Sierra Leone and Serbia.
Afternoon: Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Algeria, Argentina, Morocco, El Salvador, Iran, Estonia, Chile, Latvia, Paraguay, Vietnam, Angola, Poland, Monaco, Nauru and Nigeria.
Wednesday, September 25
Morning: Mongolia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Ghana, Bulgaria, Suriname, Cyprus, Ecuador, Slovakia, Namibia, Libya, Dominican Republic, Madagascar, Romania, Brunei Darussalam, Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras and France.
Afternoon: Cabo Verde, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Guyana, Panama, Mauritania, Senegal, Liberia, Togo, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Dominica, Marshall Islands, Guinea-Bissau and Bolivia.
Thursday, September 26
Morning: Malawi, Cameroon, Kenya, Yemen, Burundi, Gabon, Central African Republic, Palestine, Gambia, Haiti, Sudan, Sao Tome and Principe, Lesotho, South Sudan, North Macedonia, Uruguay and Fiji.
Afternoon: Micronesia, Djibouti, Mauritius, European Union, Cote d'Ivoire, Palau, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Bahrain, Portugal, Japan, Netherlands, Armenia, Iraq, Israel, Georgia, Greece, Barbados and Nepal.
Friday, September 27
Morning: Slovenia, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, Bhutan, UK, Andorra, Bangladesh, Moldova, Canada, Vanuatu, Croatia, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Malta and the Bahamas.
Afternoon: Montenegro, Antigua and Barbuda, Albania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Laos, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Timor Leste, Tonga, Somalia, Eswatini, Tanzania and Chad.
Saturday, September 28
Morning: Grenada, Uganda, Guinea, Holy See, China, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Mali, Indonesia, Russia, Mexico, Norway, Hungary, Singapore, Cuba, Philippines, San Marino, Malaysia and Australia.
Afternoon: UAE, Turkmenistan, Germany, Liechtenstein, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Sweden, Austria, India, Belarus, Iceland, Oman, Denmark, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Trinidad and Tobago, Ethiopia and Belize.
Monday, September 30
Morning: Syria, Venezuela, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Benin, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Costa Rica, Niger, South Korea, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Belgium, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Congo and Sri Lanka.
Afternoon: Myanmar, North Korea and Kiribati.
The order of nations can change on a daily basis.
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500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
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THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
