In his annual state of the world speech at Tuesday's opening of the UN General Assembly's ministerial meeting, Ban said he was sounding the alarm about widespread insecurity and injustice, inequality and intolerance in many countries. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, is demanding international action to stop the war in Syria. He is saying that it is "a regional calamity with global ramifications''. President Barack Obama is expected to give one of the opening speeches and is expected to speak on Iran and the recent protests that were caused by an anti-Islam video produced in the U.S.