End extremism, boot out Assad, Obama tells UN

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged world leaders to put an end to the intolerance and violence that led to the recent killing of the US ambassador in Libya and three others

Addressing the 193-nation UN General Assembly in what would be his last international speech before the US elections, he also warned Iran that he would do what it takes to prevent that country from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Obama also called for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the demand for whose removal has led to an 18-month civil war in Syria. However, Obama did not say how this could be made to happen.

Beginning and ending his remarks by evoking Christopher Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya who died with three other Americans in an assault on the American Consulate in Benghazi on 11 September, Obama called on nations to fight such violence.

"Today, we must affirm that our future will be determined by people like Chris Stevens, and not by his killers," said Obama, who seeks re-election on 6 November. "Today, we must declare that this violence and intolerance has no place among our United Nations."

He also blasted the anti-Islam video that led to the killing of Stevens. He said over the last two weeks, "a crude and disgusting video" has sparked outrage throughout the Muslim world.