View of the General Assembly Hall during the general debate of the Assembly's 64th session in New York, 23 Sep 2009

A second day of debate is underway at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, where speakers Thursday include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Other speakers Thursday include Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who took office last week.  Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will also take the podium. His country engaged in a brief war with Russia in 2008 over two breakaway territories. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is also to speak.

Madagascar's self-proclaimed leader Andry Rajoelina was supposed to speak, but failed to address the assembly as scheduled Thursday morning. Mr. Rajoelina's government has been rejected by regional leaders in southern Africa, Southern African Development Community, and by the African Union.

During the opening session Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama called for a "new era of engagement" among nations, saying the United States cannot solve global problems alone. He urged other nations to share in the responsibility

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi denounced the U.N. Security Council, defended the Taliban, and critiqued historic events during a rambling, 96-minute speech.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a lengthy discourse on religion, humanity, and what he sees as the world's ills - mainly capitalism, Zionism and liberalism.