Overview

• Secretary‑General António Guterres urges a reinvention of the organization and backs a 2026 budget that cuts resources by 15.1% and labor costs by 18.8%.
• The United States canceled visas for the Palestinian delegation, including Mahmoud Abbas, prompting debate over remote participation and even relocation, recalling the 1988 Geneva shift for Yasser Arafat.
• France and Saudi Arabia are hosting a conference on a two‑state solution during the Assembly, with U.S. and Israeli opposition reported.
• Western recognition of Palestine expands, with the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia reported to have joined Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Mexico, while Portugal was expected to follow.
• Syria is represented by transitional president Ahmed al Shara in New York for the first time since 1967.