BC-UN--UN-General Assembly,Advisory, UN

Editors:

The 66th session of the United Nations' General Assembly opened this week and ministers from the 193 U.N. member states will begin a series of high-level meetings at U.N. headquarters in New York starting Monday, Sept. 19. The annual ministerial session, known as the General Debate, begins Wednesday morning with speeches by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and world leaders including President Barack Obama.

The AP is planning a series of stories in advance of the gathering as well as spot coverage of the speeches from government representatives, with special attention this year to the Palestinians' bid for international recognition of their independence at the United Nations.

Coverage of other events taking place on the sidelines, including high-level conferences on counterterrorism, combating chronic diseases and racism also is planned.

The AP has a number of interview scheduled with world leaders.

Among the stories moving this week:

— Spot coverage of the Palestinians' bid for statehood.

UN-RACISM CONFERENCE

UNITED NATIONS — The first U.N. conference ever on racism was supposed to find ways to combat intolerance. Instead, the more vocal participants of the gathering in South Africa 10 years ago were accused of racism themselves as they bashed Israel and Zionism. Just days before a high-level conference commemorating the contentious conference in Durban, some wonder why the world body is even bothering with remembering a gathering that gave it a black eye. Moving Thursday.

By Anita Snow.

CHRONIC DISEASE-SOLUTIONS

LONDON — Everyone knows what it would take to curb the global rise of heart and lung disease and many cancers, but getting nations and their citizens to make the essential changes is more than daunting. As global health officials gather in New York this week for a summit on chronic diseases it's uncertain what the meeting will accomplish. There are no concrete targets and even if there were, there are no ways to enforce them. Moving Thursday for release at 6:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT) Sunday, Sept. 18.

By Medical Writer Maria Cheng.

WITH: CHINA-CHRONIC DISEASE, CHRONIC DISEASE THREAT

AP Photos.

UN-GENERAL ASSEMBLY

UNITED NATIONS — The spotlight will be shining on the Palestinian bid for U.N. membership when world leaders gather at the United Nations starting Monday, but the U.N. is also hoping to focus global attention on other pressing global issues from killer diseases and nuclear safety to the fight against terrorism and the unacceptably high number of maternal and child deaths. Moving Saturday.

By Edie Lederer.

The AP