This is the 219th most frequent Portuguese word.
atual
"Atual" means "current" or "present" in English.
In this sentence, 'atual' is used as an adjective meaning 'current' or 'present', describing the time-relevance of the noun 'problema' (problem).
O problema atual é muito complexo.
The current problem is very complex.
Here, 'atual' describes the noun 'artigo' (article), implying it is recent or up-to-date.
Estou lendo um artigo atual sobre tecnologia.
I am reading a recent article about technology.
In this usage, 'atual' functions as an adjective qualifying 'eventos' (events), indicating they are happening in the present time.