Defiance, threats and a ‘rebirth’: five key points from day two of the UN’s big gathering

The rubber hit the road this week at the UN general assembly at a time of global urgency, with the Middle East crisis reverberating through markets around the world, AI sparking existential concerns, and few signs of cooperation between the US and China in their great power rivalry.

World leaders have gathered in New York to make their feelings known, both at the podium and at crucial meetings on the sidelines. Amid the chaos of the politicking and background briefings, here is a selection of key points we saw on day two.