UN General Assembly opens, as Antonio Guterres warns of a world in 'great peril'

The world is in "great peril, and paralyzed" United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the 77th session of the UN General Assembly kicked off on Tuesday.

After the COVID-19 pandemic restricted in-person attendance the previous two years, more than 150 heads of state and government were expected to attend the annual gathering in New York.

Guterres told them that nations were "gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction'' and weren't ready or willing to tackle the major challenges that threaten the future of humanity and the fate of the planet.

"Trust is crumbling, inequalities are exploding, our planet is burning. People are hurting, with the most vulnerable suffering the most," he said.