... a K9-unit UN security dog while getting ready and set for another shift!

Christian Dior designed the iconic UN tour guide uniforms in the early 1980s. Prior to that, designers included Edith Head and, for the UN’s first male tour guides, Brooks Brothers. The guides got a fashion refresh in 1985 by Harvé Benard, then changed their uniforms, courtesy of Benneton, and Mondrian.

Vice-President of China, Han Zheng, said in his speech to the GA said: "China supports all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis, and stands ready to continue playing a constructive role for the early attainment of peace."

A little-known service at the UN well-known to the world's biggest broadcasters - UNIFEED - generates raw news video packages on all the day's events from UNHQ and around the world.

Each package is labelled with a letter - yesterday, the UNIFEED team ran through the entire alphabet, posting a record 26 stories.

Here it is in five seconds!

Dennis Francis (right) is a veteran diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago. Elected President of the 78th session of the General Assembly in June 2023, he has chosen “Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability” as watchwords for his term. The Presidency rotates between different regions and serves for one year.

"Since 15 April, Sudanese people have been facing a destructive war launched by rebel RSF," said Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan. "We call upon the international community to designate these groups and their allies as terrorist groups to be countered by arms and fought to protect Sudan, region and the entire world."

UN WebTV is covering this UNGA78 in the six official languages so audiences can attend virtually and watch with interpretation in a language of their choice.

The flags outside UN Headquarters are raised manually by UN security officers every weekday morning at approximately 8 am and lowered every weekday at around 4 pm, except in cases of bad weather. The UN’s 193 Member States are each assigned a flagpole, organized in English alphabetical order from north to south on the UN campus. In 2015, its non-member observer States (Holy See and the State of Palestine) got assigned their own flagpoles. On weekends, only the UN flag is raised. There's one exception. During UNGA's high-level week, the flags of the UN and the world remain flying around the clock.

Happening now at the SDG Media Zone:

Johan Santana, young innovator who codes to address SDG 3 and 10 (speaking). He expresses his desire to assist individuals with visual impairments and other disabilities. They've developed a hands-free blind cane and smart glasses and will work on coding a wheelchair capable of moving in all directions: forward, backward, left, and right.

Also in the picture: Michael Melillo, Sr. Director of Network Monitoring and Management Software Products, Broadcom Inc.(left) Bervin Harris, Renaissance Youth Center (second from left).

The Portuguese News team managed to interview 5 Lusophone Heads of State! President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo, agreed to a picture with Portuguese UN News Producers, but said he would rather do a selfie with his own hands to preserve copyright. He proved to be very skilled in the art, taking a bunch from different angles. When the team tried to show him how to flip the camera he reacted with a famous Portuguese idiomatic expression: “You don’t need to teach the priest how to pray.”

UN SDG Advocate, Indian actress and activist Dia Mirza, spoke to us about sustainable fashion, sustainable food and sustainable choices for a way of life.

Michael Lodge (Secretary General, International Seabed Authority) and Emilie McGloane (Director, Peace Boat US) met at the SDG Media Zone to discuss the importance of a new historic treaty - the Treaty of the High Seas - which protects biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (often shortened to BBNJ). Michael Lodge emphasized the vastness of oceans and said that “1% of oceans contain more minerals than exist on land”. He continued: "Good regulation is important to ensure that the ocean’s resources are not exploited". So far, some 60 UN Member States have signed onto the treaty since its opening this week at UNGA78.

The UN Gala may not boast haute couture labels, but is as much of an eye-catcher as galas in other world capitals. It showcases global and iconic outfits along with many suits. Check out this romp down the ramp over the decades.

The Renaissance Youth Center choir visits the SDG Media Zone for a session on creative problem-solving and coding for the SDGs. The session explores the passion and enthusiasm of today’s youth to solve the challenges they face through creativity in STE(A)M and showcases successful outcomes when the private sector joins forces with NGOs to educate, inspire and empower youth as future STEM leaders in their communities and the world.

One of the most enduring legends at the UN is that Soviet premier Nikita Krushchev banged his shoe on the desk in the General Assembly Hall. We dug up the truth from our archives.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, arrives at the UN General Assembly to deliver a powerful call for reform of the Security Council, particularly the veto rights, which he said are being abused in their current form.

"A permanent member of the Security Council can flagrantly violate with impunity the UN Charter and international law. It can abuse its veto right to prevent sanctions against itself. It can exploit the Security Council to disseminate propaganda, disinformation as well as lies. The UN Charter, however, says that Security Council members must abstain from a vote when they themselves are the object of a vote. I call on Council Members to invoke this provision when Russia is concerned."

Calling for efficient financial and technical partnerships in the agriculture sector, President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Ngessou said; "Africa has no need for partnerships based on official development aid, that is politically orientated and is tantamount to organized charity. Trickle-in subsidies, filtered by the selfish interests of donors, will certainly not allow for real and effective rise of our continent."