What happened on Wednesday: Focus on Lebanon; deepening geopolitical divides; rising seas

Amid ongoing wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan – and the escalating risk of wider conflict in the Middle East – world leaders and senior UN officials at the General Assembly’s annual debate warned that deep geopolitical divisions are hindering progress on critical global challenges – from securing peace to climate change and UN reform. Many stressed however, that a better future for all lay in decisive and united multilateral action and commitment to the ideals of the UN Chater.