Small bites from the UN: Terminator, outside meddling, more on that 'annihilate' comment

UNITED NATIONS — Island nations highlighted the dangers of climate change at the U.N. General Assembly meetings. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore attended as part of New York Climate Week. Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austria's federal minister for European and International Affairs, likened autonomous weapons to the "Terminator" robots from movies.

She warned that machines cannot understand surrender or mercy and should never have the final say over who lives and dies. Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi pledged to keep weapons in constitutional institutions and strengthen the rule of law. Several leaders called for women to lead the international body, emphasizing the need for representation that defends the charter without exception.

When asked about President Trump's tweet suggesting he might "annihilate" Iran, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama stressed that no civilization deserves to be annihilated.