 The 78th session of the UN General Assembly is taking place in New York and it has already seen some interesting statements and speeches. What is on the agenda there? In good news for the people of Yemen, talks took place recently between the Houthis and the Saudis in Riyadh. Does peace have a chance in this war-weary country? And finally, United Auto Workers continue to be on strike against the refusal of the three big automakers to listen to the demands. What is the latest from the picket line? This is the daily debrief. These are our stories for the day. And before you go any further, if you're watching this on YouTube, please hit the subscribe button. The 78th session of the UN General Assembly is going on in New York, in the United States. And it's been a week of intense activity for not only world leaders but also for people's movements. The session takes place during a time of dramatic global changes. We have a wave of polarities sweeping across the world, the strengthening of blocks and an upsurge against neocolonialism. And there's the Ukraine war, which continues to impact every country in various ways and the very current climate, crisis of climate change. A lot of the speeches by world leaders reflected many of these issues. And a lot of protests by people's movements in New York this week have also reflected these issues. We go to Zoe Alexandra of People's Dispatch to get a sense of what has been happening. Zoe, thank you so much for joining us. So first of all, let's go to some of the major issues on the agenda at the UN General Assembly session. We have already seen quite a few significant speeches, quite a few interesting points made by global leaders. So what are some of the issues that are predominant, that are prevalent in some of these speeches at the UN General Assembly? Well it has definitely been an exciting week here in New York, which is hosting once again, as always, the 78th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. This is a week when diplomatic missions, heads of state, different think tanks, NGOs, really anyone involved in international and global affairs and politics descend on New York City to participate in both the official activities of the United Nations, the different commissions, again the General Assembly, the different summits that are being held in New York at the UN and then also of course all of the parallel events that are being held, the bilateral meetings and such. So it's been an exciting week, of course, and there have been a lot of different focuses throughout this week, especially as we started with the speeches from heads of state given in the General Assembly. I'd say that one which is maybe not surprising, but definitely still notable that it has been, you know, center stage in many of these speeches has been the issue of global inequality and not just saying that there is inequality in that. There are countries that have harder times meeting development goals, for example, but actually talking about the international financial institutions, naming the IMF, saying that these institutions and the sort of debts that they impose upon different countries are actually the biggest inhibitors to development. It's very important to note that the G77 Plus group held a summit in Havana, Cuba just ahead of this 78th session. This was again a really important space, especially for countries of the global south that represents over 100 countries in the world, representing 80% of the world's population. And of course, all of these being countries in the global south, countries that are underdeveloped, that have challenges meeting the sustainable development goals proposed by the United Nations. And so I think that the reflections that came out of this G77 meeting in Havana were very crucial to shaping a lot of the ways that people were talking about what it means to actually meet these development goals and what are the serious and concrete material blocks to them actually being able to achieve this? It's not just a question of will, it's not a question of corruption, for example, this is actually a question of countries having to use their national budget to service debt. It's a question of experienced professionals fleeing their countries and a serious brain drain happening because they don't have the economic stability due to numerous things. Sanctions are also a very key topic. So it's definitely been interesting in that sense, really not just the fact they're talking about inequality, but really the discourse and the dialogue and the narratives that they're actually bringing forth about this issue. We can really see people naming capitalism, naming these institutions dominated by the West and saying that we actually need reform. So that was significant. Again, for the second year, the topic of Ukraine and the war there has been, of course, notable. Zelensky himself, of course, gave a speech and he said that the UN would not be a respected or a really being able to fulfill its mission of upholding human rights if Russia still had veto power and he really heavily criticized the United Nations. Joe Biden, of course, expressed his solidarity with Ukraine and said that they continue to support them in the war effort. Whereas other countries, such as Brazil, such as Gustavo Petro of Colombia, use the moment to say, yes, Ukraine is important and even more important is a negotiated settlement is actually being committed to peace is actually working for peace and that the Ukraine example should really call the attention of the world to all of the other violent conflicts, Gustavo Petro, of course, raised the question of Palestine and said we have to be just as outraged about Palestine and the crimes that are being committed against the Palestinian people as we are about Ukraine. So very interesting interventions and of course many leaders from the global south have also mentioned the criminal and genocidal blockade against Cuba. Of course, very important Cuba this year is is leading the G77 plus group. Miguel Diaz, Canada is the chair of that group. He spoke on two occasions in the UN this week so far. So that's very important. His presence is, of course, very important. That's the second time he's coming to New York to participate in the UN since he was elected president. So very important developments and again, it's always a very, very busy week, a lot of different things going on, people speaking, giving speeches and then, of course, not to forget the question of climate change has also been very central, not only within the speeches, but of course there have been different commissions and meetings that have been developed that have been dedicated to actually discussing the progress on, for example, a goal set in the last COP meeting and many countries both in their speeches, in the General Assembly and in these different side meetings have once again called on the countries of the global north to actually commit to climate financing, the loss in damages funds, which all of these countries have said, yes, sure, we'll support this, but I've actually not concretely put money towards this. And as many countries pointed out, it is the countries of the global north who are responsible for what's happening and they are the least affected by climate change. So very, very interesting, as always, a very, very lively week. And like we said, there's an important moment for people's movements too, because they're able to raise a lot of issues, also a lot of media spotlight on some of these issues which are often ignored. So what is on the agenda of people's movements? What are they taking to the streets for? So of course, it's not just the official activities that are taking place, not just the meeting of think tanks and diplomats, but the people, people's movements are also taking a stand during this UNGA week. It's always a very, very busy week because many different groups take advantage of the presence of these world leaders and of the attention of the world is really on New York in this week on the UNGA to stage protests, to protest different leaders, to raise issues, to raise demands about certain issues. And so we've seen a lot of that this week, notably, for example, the Peruvian de facto leader, Dina Voluarte, almost everywhere she's gone, she's been met with protests, different Peruvian community organizations protesting her and saying that she has to pay for the for the lives that she took, that she should be, that she should resign. I think she maybe thought that by now people would be over it, but that is clearly not true. And the community of Peruvian people in the United States continues to organize in solidarity with people who continue to be on the streets within Peru. So we saw different videos of her going to events, speaking at events and being interrupted by different activists. So that is something that has been ongoing this whole week. Similarly, although Emmanuel Macron did not travel to New York for this UN General Assembly, that has not stopped organizations that have been continually organizing against French neocolonialism from staging a protest this week. Many people mobilized in solidarity with the countries of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, who have been standing up to French colonialism, have been having changes in their power structure, changing from leaders that were sympathetic to French and Western interests to having military coups in all of these countries by soldiers that have been fed up with the way their country has related to these imperialist powers. And so there was a strong mobilization calling on France to stop meddling in these countries, to let these countries be free and to stop its neocolonial moves. And so that was very interesting as well. And then, of course, there's been a series of Cuba solidarity rallies as many of the far-right Cuban groups from across the US have gathered in New York to protest the presence of President Miguel Díaz-Canel. So that has been another constant mobilizing, and people are planning to mobilize today on Friday, September 22nd, once again in support of the Cuban Revolution and very strongly and specifically denouncing the sanctions and, of course, the inclusion of Cuba on the state-sponsored terrorism list. So very lively week, protests, meetings, summits, all happening in New York for this 78th session of the General Assembly. Yemen is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises of this century due to an eight-year long war. Ever since a coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the war in 2015, hundreds of thousands have been killed and injured, and a huge part of the population has struggled for even basic necessities, such as food. A blockade imposed by the coalition was a major reason for the suffering. Finally, there are signs of some hope as the Houthis who control the capital, Sana'a, and the Saudis are talking to resolve outstanding issues. Now, it's still very early days, and the question is whether this will lead to an agreement which can bring relief to the people. We go to Abdul-Famur. Abdul, thank you so much for joining us. So at least some good news from a country which really badly needs some good news at this point of time. And this is, of course, the discussions between the Houthis and the Saudi Arabians, of course, very early days. But maybe could you take us to the context in which these negotiations were held? What were the kind of topics that were discussed, according to reports, at least? Well, this was the first direct talk between the Houthis and Saudi delegates, of course. And this was happening after a gap of almost five, six months. The last meeting, which were held in Muscat Oman, and Oman is basically mediating the talks between both the countries for a very long time now, was able to convince the Houthis to travel to Triad for almost four or five days. And they had a longer discussion. So the major issues were primarily the issues, which basically were responsible for the breakdown of the talks earlier, which are primarily the blockade which Saudi Arabia has imposed on, Saudi Arabian allies have imposed on Yemen, which basically prevents the movement of goods and in and out of Yemen for almost six, seven years now. And that has basically led to a larger humanitarian situation in Yemen. And they want both all kinds of blockade. In fact, the ban on the Sanaa airport, the ports which basically are controlled by the Houthis, all these things need to be removed. That was, I think the Houthis claim that there has been some progress on that front. The other major issues, of course, are the share of the revenues between the Houthis and the Saudi backed groups in Yemen and Saudi Arabia as well. So Houthis have been demanding that since Saudi Arabia controls the and Saudi allies control the export of the Yemeni oil resources, they need to share the revenue with the Houthis so that they can pay the salaries for the government employees in that part of the country. And their salaries are pending for a very long time and they need that money to basically sustain themselves. So that was the second major issue. Of course, the most important issue, as far as the peace in the country is concerned about the withdrawal of the foreign troops. And on that issue as well, it seems that there has been some progress between both the parties. So it seems that both the parties have agreed to all those things. Though there was one major issue which still remains contentious between both the parties and the Houthis have raised it as well about Saudi Arabia trying to be a mediator between all the parties within Yemen. Houthis are saying that they are not ready for that and the talks, intra-Iemen talks should happen independent of any external intervention. Well, in this context, of course, very early days like we said, and maybe a lot of the devils in lie in the details and it'll take a while before they're clinched. But nonetheless, this seems to be part of a larger regional trend it does look like because I don't think you can separate the discussions in Yemen from some of those larger processes as well. Of course, ever since the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March, of course, mediated by Chinese came through. One can see a large shift has happened in the regional politics. And what is happening in Yemen today is primarily a reflection of that. For example, one should remember that ever since the war began in 2015, there was claim made by the Western media in particular that the Houthis are proxies of Iran. And therefore, whatever Iranians recite Houthis do. And so basically it's an extension of Iranian foreign policy. Iranians have been claiming that they are not proxies. Houthis are not proxies, but they are basically allies and they support the Houthi cause. So of course, Iranians have had influence on Houthis in terms of their political orientation and the larger approach towards the regional players and regional powers, terms of international and imperialist interventions in the region. So once there is a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it becomes easier for the Houthis to basically find external support for kind of their efforts. And that basically could be the reason behind Houthis becoming more willing to engage with Saudis more directly. And that confidence building, you can say, has basically played a very significant role in this. There are also, of course, other regional developments which have happened and they all have a positive impact on what is happening in Yemen at this moment. So yeah, one can say the turning point was the Chinese Saudi, Saudi Iran rapprochement in March. And ever since that, there has been, of course, no other violation of the ceasefire agreement which was agreed last year. And there has been more talks, of course, indirect so far in Yemen, sorry, in Muscat, but it seems moving towards a new phase and one has to wait and see where it leads to. Right, thank you so much for talking to us and we'll keep tracking this process which is definitely going to continue in the coming months as well. And finally, it's been a week since members of the United Auto Workers Union began their strike against their employers. That is the big three auto manufacturers, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. Now close to 12,000 workers went on the strike in the first round and the union is a membership of around 145,000 members. The workers had some very basic demands which the companies were refusing to meet. And in fact, these companies even took some retaliatory measures. Now the union had warned that if there was no progress in the talks, the strike would escalate. This is a developing story and things might change by the time you actually watch this. But for now, let's go to Natalia Marquez for the latest developments. Natalia, thank you so much for joining us. A developing story, a lot of developments today also. I believe so first of all, could you tell us what you're hearing from the picket lines? What are the union leaders saying? What has been the sort of response from them after nearly after over a week of strikes and actions by workers? So on September 22nd, Sean Fain, president of the UAW announced that there will be 5,000 more workers going on the picket line across the country, across 20 states at all the parts distribution centers of General Motors and Stellantis. So across the country, the strike will now spread from just three facilities in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri and will spread across the entire nation at all these different parts distribution centers in 20 states. So this is an escalation that signifies that Ford, so the big three automakers being Ford, Stellantis and General Motors, Ford has been responding to essentially the main demands of the union and acquiescing to them pretty well in this latest update. And General Motors and Stellantis have been the two companies that have been really still digging their heels in and refusing to grant the workers what they're due to share in the enormous profits that they have been able to make in the past decade and share those amongst their employees. So union representatives and union leaders are essentially playing the companies off of each other. And putting a huge amount of pressure on Stellantis and General Motors at these parts distribution centers which are very profitable operations of the auto manufacturers and putting them on strike. There still continue to be many thousands of auto workers at the big three that are not on strike actively or not, you know, they have not walked off the job. They have not been called to do that. They're working under an expired contract. And to them, Shonfane encourages those workers to refuse voluntary overtime which is a right of workers working under an expired contract which puts pressure on the company still because management relies on voluntary overtime to make up for staffing shortages that companies use to cut corners and increase their profit margins. Right, and in this context also, what has been the response from the companies from the employers? Have they sort of been willing to listen to the workers' demands? Have they been open or they've even been reports of some amount of belligerence from their side? So what has been the response? So it varies across the board. Particularly Ford has, seems that Ford has been essentially acquiescing to most of the UAW demands. You know, the UAW has had success with essentially convincing Ford to eliminate wage tears while General Motors and Stellantis, they have not had similar luck. And especially on the demand of the cost of living allowance, essentially tying workers' wages to inflation. This is something that UAW workers had for decades because it was actually a historic gain of the very militant era of the UAW history. It was a victory one after the 1946 General Motor Strike and enjoyed for many years after obviously a tremendous boom for workers if their wages are tied to inflation. But it was a lost when the more concessionary UAW leadership conceded this victory and surrendered cost of living adjustment or COLAB to the auto companies in the wake of the 2008, 2009 recessions when there was a crisis in the automotive industry. You know, now we're much past that era and automakers have enjoyed record profits. And as a result, the UAW is saying they need to share those profits with their workers. But also since that era, the UAW has taken on far more militant leadership after Sean Fain was elected in the first general election in the Union's history in 2022, I believe. And this regain of COLA, so essentially Ford has acquiesced to the UAW demand and the UAW has one back COLA at Ford, which is enormous. And this regain of COLA signifies a new, more militant era in the Union's history and also signifies a historic gain for the working class in this present era. So this is huge. You know, General Motors and Stilentus are not, are still digging their heels in on COLA and providing a deficient form of COLA according to the Union, which according to the Union will provide an estimated 0% wage protection over the life of the agreement. So also at Ford, the UAW for the first time in its history ever has won the right to strike over plant closures. Plant closures are really a legacy of neoliberal economics where corporations will move factories and plants to the global South out of the United States to cut costs because workers are paid less outside of the United States, which has decimated the US working class across the board caused deindustrialization, which has devastated communities. And the UAW has really struck one of the first blows against this neoliberal economic model. And this is a historic victory for the entire working class, quite frankly. The UAW has not won this, however, at Stilentus and General Motors, which going through the list of the central demands is really sort of similar across the board. Additional job security was won at Ford, but not General Motors and Stilentus. Profit sharing was won at Ford, but not General Motors and Stilentus. And conversion of temporary workers into permanent employees has been won at Ford, but not General Motors and Stilentus. So that's why the Union is putting so much pressure on GM and Stilentus by striking all of their parts distribution centers. And the hope is that this will force the companies back to the bargaining table and force them to listen to these key demands. Thank you, Natalie, so much. We'll continue tracking this story. I believe that it's quite significant, not only in the United States, but globally as well, very powerful assertion by the workers there. That's all we have time for in this episode of Daily Debrief. We'll be back tomorrow with another episode in the meanwhile. Do visit our website, peoplesdispatch.org. Do follow us on all the social media platforms and do go to YouTube and hit that subscribe button for more such videos. See you tomorrow.