Remarkable moments in the history of the UN General Assembly

Cuban leader Fidel Castro holds the Guinness Book of Records title for the longest speech delivered at the United Nations: 4 hours and 29 minutes, on September 29, 1960

Former defense minister of India Krishna Menon holds an absolute record for the duration of speeches ever delivered at the UN. In 1957 he spoke for more than 8 hours in total defending India's stand on Kashmir in the UN Security Council. Photo: Krishna Menon of India (center) talking to the representatives from Canada and New Zealand

Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko once lost his consciousness during one of his speeches at the UN

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev became a remarkable figure in the history of the United Nations. During his stay in New York, he was very popular with politicians and journalists. He was always surrounded by a crowd, and as a result he once lost his shoe on the way to a meeting. Photo: President of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia Marshal Josip Broz-Tito (light suit) and Nikita Khrushchev (hand raised) exchanging greetings in the Assembly Hall

On November 13, 1974 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat made his first appearance at the UN General Assembly and, in particular, said, referring to Israel: "Today I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand"

On September 20, 2006 former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly damning US President George W. Bush. In particular, he said: "The devil came here yesterday, and it smells of sulfur still today, this table that I am now standing in front of"

Chavez was irritated with the George W. Bush using the term "axis of evil" in his speech, which he repeatedly used to describe governments that he accused of helping terrorism. Bush's "axis of evil" included Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. "Beyond the Axis of Evil" included Cuba, Libya, and Syria

The speeches of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were among the most controversial and long in the UN. In 2009 Gaddafi shattered protocol by giving a speech that stretched for 90 minutes instead of the allotted 15

The disputes between the heads of Israeli and Iranian delegations are among the most heated discussions of recent years at the UN. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad always exchange sharp accusations

During his speeches at the UN Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad not only to spoke out strongly against Israel, but also called the September 11 attacks on the US a "big fabrication"

One of these Ahmadinejad's performances US President Barack Obama called on Iran to be more predictable

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke more times at the United Nations than any other Russian leader. This year he will be addressing the General Assembly for the fourth time