UN chief warns worsening global crises as Security Council remains paralysed

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the state of the world is worsening as wars multiply, warning that geopolitical divides have paralysed the Security Council and left the most vulnerable in dramatic situations. He spoke on the eve of his final address to the UN General Assembly. Guterres told Al Jazeera that superpower involvement in conflicts has created an environment of impunity, allowing midsize powers to act without consequence. He cited the Russia-Ukraine war and US-Israel war on Iran as driving food shortages, rising fuel prices, and global inflation, devastating developing economies. Guterres, whose mandate ends December 31, said the Security Council still represents the World War II era and needs urgent reform. His successor is yet to be named, with candidates including Rafael Grossi, Macky Sall, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa.