El Niño has strengthened into a major global weather threat
WMO expects a very strong event into 2027, prompting an unprecedented mobilization of national weather services.
Global Issues
Global issues are complex challenges that require international cooperation, from mitigating climate change to addressing global poverty and geopolitical conflicts. Of the U.N.'s 169 targets for sustainable development, only 35% are on track or making moderate progress toward their 2030 deadline.
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Warming must peak near 1.8° to keep Paris climate goal within reach
Breaching 1.5° is now expected, leaving governments with a narrower and more difficult task of limiting the overshoot.
Arms treaty monitor says export restrictions often lag civilian harm
New assessment finds transparency at its lowest level since the Arms Trade Treaty took effect as conflicts test the rules.
U.N., Red Cross warn autonomous weapons nearing a ‘moral red line’
Renewed appeal seeks binding prohibitions as governments approach a decision on whether to launch negotiations.
Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana takes lead in second U.N. chief straw poll
No candidate reaches nine-vote threshold as opposition grows and race to succeed António Guterres remains wide open.
Young workers face growing entry-level jobs squeeze, ILO warns
Youth unemployment is rising across much of the world, with some of the sharpest deterioration in high-income economies.
WFP ramps up early action as El Niño threatens global food security
World Food Program warns climate pattern could push 49 million more people into acute food insecurity by end of 2027.
Early U.N. straw poll puts Grynspan ahead in race to succeed Guterres
Confidential Security Council vote offers first indication of support as selection process for the next U.N. chief gears up.
ICC member nations remove prosecutor Karim Khan from office
The decision comes as the court is confronting both an internal governance crisis and an escalating U.S. campaign.
As aid funds shrink, archivists warn of risks to the humanitarian record
UNHCR's archives are a test case for humanitarians struggling to preserve institutional memory in an era of retrenchment.
Survey shows support for refugees but confidence in system strained
Ipsos survey finds enduring support for refugee protection and persistent doubts about claims, borders and integration.
Economists and AI leaders call for guardrails as AI's impact accelerates
A rare coalition says policymakers must prepare for changes that could unfold faster than previous industrial revolutions.
Who protects the cables that carry the internet?
An ITU-led effort is trying to strengthen one of the world's least visible but most important forms of infrastructure.
AI in humanitarianism on display at AI for Good Global Summit 2026
Humanitarians are using AI for crisis assessment and decision support, but still insist humans make operational decisions.
As war moves online, the ICRC wants its protective emblem to follow
ICRC launches a new phase of a project to extend protections to cyberspace as services become vulnerable to online attacks.
The U.N.'s AI governance vision pushes coordination, not regulation
Discussions in Geneva revealed concern over fragmented regulation, unequal access and the need for safeguards.