UN News Today 03 July 2026 |

El Niño is forecast to intensify, increasing likelihood of extreme weather

More heatwaves and other weather extremes are increasingly likely across the world now and in coming months, linked to strengthening El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday.

“El Niño will also give an extra boost to global temperatures,” said WMO scientist Alvaro Silva. He added that during El Niño years, global temperatures normally reach record levels, too.

According to WMO’s monthly Global Seasonal Climate Update, there’s “high confidence” that strong El Niño conditions will develop rapidly from July to September. 

Here’s the agency’s spokesperson Clare Nullis:

“It’s the first week of July, it’s the start of what is traditionally the hottest month of the year. And yet already in June we’ve seen record-breaking temperatures in many parts of Europe; just as an example, Germany last weekend saw a new national temperature record of 41.7°C.”

WMO highlighted drier-than-average conditions in Central America and the Caribbean, along with North and South America, too.

Drier weather patterns are also forecast in parts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia during the monsoon season, while wetter conditions are anticipated during the rainy season from September to December in East Africa. 

Sudan’s people subject to “relentless” drone strikes in El Obeid

The war in Sudan threatens to spiral further as the strategic town of El Obeid continues to face “relentless” drone attacks by advancing paramilitary forces, the UN’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, said on Friday.

Speaking at the Human Rights Council, he called for action from world leaders to stop the heavy fighting, that has already caused a massive humanitarian emergency in Sudan and beyond, marked by mass atrocity crimes against civilians.

In the space of just three weeks last month, Mr. Türk’s office documented 15 drone strikes on El Obeid – the capital of North Kordofan – and surrounding areas, which killed at least 45 civilians. 

These drones, launched by former allies the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces, “have repeatedly struck markets, schools, fuel stations, water infrastructure and civilian vehicles”, the High Commissioner said:

“Some people are selling their belongings to finance their escape from the city. For many, the exorbitant cost of transport and constant attacks on vehicles along exit routes, make leaving impossible.”

Conflict-related atrocities against civilians have happened before in Sudan, including in the besieged North Darfur city of El Fasher, where 6,000 people were killed in the space of three days last October, the UN rights office said.

Further killing took place at Zamzam camp – the largest camp for people displaced in North Darfur by the war – which was also overrun by Rapid Support Forces fighters last April.

Russia almost wholly responsible for Ukraine civilian killings, says Türk 

Staying with the Human Rights Council, where Volker Türk said that Ukraine’s people are enduring “more destruction, pain and suffering”, instead of moving closer towards peace.

In an update to the Council on Friday, Mr. Türk reported that at least 1,270 civilians had been confirmed killed and nearly 7,000 injured in Ukraine between December and May.

At least 30 civilians were also killed on Thursday night in one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv so far in the war.

Nearly all of these casualties occurred in territory controlled by the Ukrainian Government, the UN rights chief continued.

He said that Russia was largely responsible for this deadly escalation that’s been caused by its use of long-range weapons and drones. 

On 13 and 14 May this year, Russian armed forces launched more than 1,500 drones and missiles across eight regions of Ukraine and Kyiv city, killing 27 civilians and injuring at least 83, the High Commissioner said.

Daniel Johnson, UN News.