Key Global Stories in 2024: Wars, Extreme Weather, and High-Stakes Elections Amid AI and Social Media Concerns
• Russia's continued war in Ukraine, Israel's war with Hamas entering its third month, and heightened political polarization in the U.S.
• Concerns over misuse of AI technology by hostile states to spread misinformation and manipulate public opinion during a year with many elections
• Worsening climate impacts leading to more extreme weather events and calls for governments to introduce tougher emissions-cutting measures
• An increasingly unstable Middle East with spillover effects from the Israel-Hamas war threatening to draw in Iran and other regional powers
• Important elections in Taiwan, India, Mexico, and for the European Parliament that could shift geopolitical dynamics