What to know from the UN: Leaders speak of emerging threats, hints of war as big meeting nears

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The security cordons are up. The streets are ready to be sealed off. Aircraft from myriad nations are landing in New York.

It all means one thing for the eastern part of Manhattan: The yearly gathering of world leaders at the United Nations is at hand.

The U.N. General Assembly’s high-level leaders’ meeting convenes Tuesday in a troubled world — arguably even more troubled than last year, when the chief of the United Nations warned that the problems were overwhelming. Secretary-General ANTONIO GUTERRES will likely issue a similar warning on Tuesday as he opens the meeting, and world leaders take the stage amid war and rumors of war.

The day before the big meeting starts was full of hints as to the agenda in the days to come:

— World leaders spoke at an event called “Summit of the Future,” with many focusing on emerging threats, to the earth’s climate, on the battlefield and in cyberspace.

— Iran’s president pointed to the deadly explosions of pager and other devices in Lebanon, and the assassination of Hamas’ political leader ISMAIL HANIYEH, as proof Israel is trying to coax Iran into war.

— Most of Earth’s systems are out of whack when it comes to climate change, and nations vary on who should pay to help poor nations deal with the impacts and switch to cleaner energy.

Here’s your daily guide to what’s going on at the United Nations this week, day by day:

From the podium

A WARNING ON CYBERSPACE: At the “Summit of the Future,” Indian Prime Minister NARENDRA MODI voiced concerns about “emerging theaters of conflict,” including in cyberspace. “There is a need for balanced regulation at a global level for the safe and responsible use of technology,” Modi said, cautioning that “we need global digital