This week, we're heading north from DC to New York, which is once again preparing to play host to the entire planet next month.
More than just a diplomatic meeting, the UN General Assembly – the world’s largest annual gathering of global leaders – is expected to be dominated by the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Leaders and diplomats from about 80 countries and states are scheduled to speak during the high-level week starting on September 23, but the UN headquarters is already abuzz with activity.
“It is almost certain that all eyes will be on President [Donald] Trump as he returns to the UN,” Richard Gowan, UN director at the International Crisis Group, told me this week.
Syria’s interim leader Ahmad Al Shara is also expected to attend. He will be the country's first head of state to attend a General Assembly. Mr Gowan described him as having "a charisma that most other leaders cannot bring right now", and he expects that Mr Trump, as well as European and Arab leaders, will be glad to welcome him into the UN club.
Meanwhile, members of the UN Security Council began debating this week on whether to extend the mandate of Unifil, the UN interim force in Lebanon, for another year.
The annual mandate renewal comes after Lebanese authorities, under heavy US pressure, committed to disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, after a November ceasefire deal that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities between the Iran-backed group and Israel. The US holds a veto on the Security Council and has yet to make its position known.
As world leaders debate the fate of Lebanon, alarming statistics this week showed just how dangerous it is becoming to work in a humanitarian capacity in global hot spots, with the UN or otherwise.
Killings of aid workers jumped nearly a third to 383 last year, making 2024 the deadliest year since records began in 1997, UN data showed. Nearly half of those deaths occurred in the occupied Palestinian territories, including 173 in Gaza amid Israeli military operations.
“This is more than a statistical spike. It is a stain, the normalisation of violence,” said Tom Fletcher, UN humanitarian chief.
Adla Massoud
UN Correspondent
EYE ON THE UNITED NATIONS
Macron says two-state solution is 'credible way forward', with summit reconvening in September
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France will co-chair a reconvened conference on the two-state solution with Saudi Arabia in New York in September.
Mr Macron, who plans to recognise Palestine during this year's UN General Assembly, said a two-state solution is the only credible way forward “for the families of the hostages, for Israelis, and for Palestinians alike”.
Mr Macron said he had spoken to King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to outline a road map for the de-escalation of the Gaza war, calling for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, large-scale delivery of humanitarian assistance and the disarmament of Hamas, alongside the empowerment of the Palestinian Authority in the enclave.
Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey joined a growing chorus of states at the first iteration of the two-state conference in July in New York calling on Hamas to relinquish control and disarm in Gaza, supporting a UN-backed effort to halt the conflict and revive stalled peace talks.
What's New York talking about?
Mamdani v Cuomo The mayoral race between Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani is hotting up, with the latest polls showing Mr Mamdani with a commanding lead over his nearest competitors. The Indian-American Muslim Democrat, who identifies as a socialist, has vowed to freeze rents and make bus transport free. Mr Cuomo, a former New York governor and also a Democrat, said during a fundraiser this week that he thinks Mr Trump and other Republicans will direct support his way. The general election is set for November 4.
Migrant hotels New York will end operations at the last so-called migrant hotel, Mayor Eric Adams said in recent days. The Row NYC, a 1,300-room hotel in Times Square that began to be used as an emergency migrant housing site in 2022, will end operations as a shelter in April, City Hall said. The hotel houses about 3,400 people. "We have successfully helped more than 200,000 migrants leave our shelter system and take the next step towards self-sufficiency," Mr Adams said. "The migrant population in our care continues to decline."
Spotlight: What Kodak's woes can teach us about Big Tech, capitalism and brand resilience
Eastman Kodak, once among the most recognisable companies in the world, is blaming “misleading media reports” for causing concern after its second-quarter financial results.
Although Kodak recently reported a gross profit of $51 million, the Rochester, New York-based company included a “concern assessment” that warned that various conditions “raise substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue”.
“It's the evolution of capitalism and it's just how things work," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley Wealth in Boston. He said that even companies such as Nvidia, which is experiencing unprecedented success, inevitably falter, and there is not one single moment to which it can be pegged.
ONLY IN AMERICA
'Nicest judge in the world' dies of cancer in Rhode Island
Rhode Island judge Frank Caprio, nicknamed "the nicest judge in the world", has died from cancer.
"Unfortunately I've had a setback. I'm back in the hospital now and I'm coming to you again asking you to remember me in your prayers once more," Mr Caprio said in a video posted to social media, referring to a previous bout with pancreatic cancer.
He earned his nickname after his stint on the show Caught in Providence, where he was the subject of frequent viral videos due to his compassionate responses to the defendants brought before him. He was a beloved community figure and had millions of followers on social media.
The judge travelled to the UAE in 2023, where he delivered a speech at the Sharjah International Communication Forum, telling the audience that his visit was motivated by a desire to further promote his message that understanding and compassion can unite human beings.
Governor Dan McKee ordered that Rhode Island flags fly at half-staff through the day of his interment, calling Mr Caprio a "treasure" who connected with people as "a symbol of empathy on the bench, showing us what is possible when justice is tempered with humanity", according to NBC's Boston affiliate.
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