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World less peaceful as civil unrest and political instability increases due to COVID-19 pandemic, reveals IEP

LONDON, June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today marks the launch of the 15th edition of the Global Peace Index from the international think-tank the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP).

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Key results

  • Civil unrest rose globally by 10%, with Belarus recording the largest deterioration. There were 14,871 violent demonstrations, protests and riots recorded globally in 2020.
  • Over 60% of people globally are worried about sustaining serious harm from violent crime.
  • Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, and Afghanistan the least peaceful.
  • Although there has been an improvement in militarisation since 2008, there are now signs that this trend has reversed.
  • The economic impact of violence increased in 2020 to $14.96 trillion – equivalent to 11.6% of the world’s GDP or $1,942 per person – due to increased military spending.
  • The death toll from terrorism has declined for the sixth consecutive year.

COVID-19 highlights

  • In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable impact on violence, with some improvements, such as violent conflict, while other indicators deteriorated significantly including violent demonstrations. Three times as many countries deteriorated than improved.
  • Political instability also increased with twice as many countries deteriorating than improving.
  • There were widespread protests against pandemic related measures with over 5,000 events recorded globally.
  • Countries such as India, Chile, Italy, France, Germany, and South Africa were particularly impacted by demonstrations.
  • The Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovenia, and Switzerland are best placed for a post-COVID-19 recovery.

The 15th edition of the annual Global Peace Index (GPI) report, the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness, reveals that the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated for the ninth time in twelve years in 2020. Overall, 87 countries improved in peacefulness, whilst 73 deteriorated. This was the second smallest in the history of the index but the report also reveals that improvements in peace are more gradual than declines. As much of the world looks towards a COVID-19 recovery, increased civil unrest and political instability will be important to navigate.

Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal, and Slovenia. Afghanistan remains as the least peaceful country in the world for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and Iraq. Eight of the ten countries at the top of the GPI are located in Europe. This is the largest share of European countries to be ranked in the top ten list in the history of the index. 

The largest improvement in peacefulness occurred in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which recorded significant reductions in conflict; however, it is still the least peaceful region in the world. Iraq recorded the second largest improvement globally after Ukraine. Burkina Faso experienced the biggest deterioration of any country in the world, falling 13 places.

The indicators that had the largest deteriorations in the 2021 GPI were: military expenditure (105 countries), weapons imports (90 countries), political instability (46 countries) and violent demonstrations (25 countries). The following indicators had the most improvements: terrorism (115 countries), internal conflicts fought (21 countries) and deaths from internal conflict (33 countries).

Steve Killelea, Founder & Executive Chairman of IEP said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated shifts in global peacefulness. Although there was a fall in the level of conflict and terrorism in 2020, political instability and violent demonstrations have increased. The economic fallout from the pandemic will create further uncertainty, especially for countries that were struggling prior to the pandemic.”

Civil unrest & COVID-19

Fuelled by the pandemic the key negative trend this year is the global rise in civil unrest.

The largest regional deterioration in peacefulness occurred in North America, due to the increased levels of political instability, homicides, and violent demonstrations. Events such as the storming of the Capitol building and widespread protests across the United States in support of the Black Lives Matter movement increased civil unrest, political instability and the intensity of internal conflict in 2020.

As much of the world went into lockdown, the total level of political and civil unrest rose. Between January 2020 and April 2021, over 5,000 pandemic-related violent events were recorded, and 25 countries deteriorated in the violent demonstrations indicator – in comparison to just eight that improved. The violent demonstrations score is now the highest since the inception of the index, with the largest deteriorations occurring in Belarus, Myanmar, Russia, the United States, and the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the pandemic, countries with higher levels of peacefulness had more resilient economies. High Peace* countries recorded reductions of less than 7% in total hours worked, while low Peace countries recorded up to 23% according to IEP’s Business & Peace Report 2021.  

The full post-pandemic recovery will not be quick or easy. It is also likely to be uneven, and countries with weak fiscal situations will find it harder than others. Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Laos are amongst the countries considered to have the greatest risk of large falls in peacefulness.

Although Europe experienced a number of protest events last year, the region remains the most peaceful in the world; however, political instability rose across the continent, along with key indicators of Militarisation, including military expenditure, weapons imports, and nuclear and heavy weapons capabilities.

Militarisation and terrorism

Global militarisation has increased over the past two years with more countries increasing military expenditure and their armed services personnel rate. This is a reversal of the trend of the prior decade where 105 countries had improved, while 57 deteriorated. The US, China, Germany and South Korea had the largest increases in military expenditure in the last two years.

The death toll for terrorism continues to decline, with total deaths from terrorism falling for the last six consecutive years. Preliminary data for 2020 suggests that less than 10,000 deaths were caused by terrorism.

Despite the total number of conflict-related deaths falling since 2014, the number of conflicts globally increased by 88% since 2010. However, new conflicts are emerging in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over 65% of total violent conflicts in the 2021 GPI. Preliminary data suggests that this trend is likely to continue.

Overall, the economic impact of violence in 2020 rose slightly to $14.96 trillion – or 11.6% of global GDP – due to an increase in global military expenditure, which rose by 3.7%. This is equivalent to $1,942 for every person on the planet.

Thomas Morgan, Associate Director of Research, says: “Violence is a very real and significant threat to many people around the world. Over 60% of people globally are worried about being the victim of violent crime. However, despite the high fear of violence most people feel the world is getting safer. Nearly 75% of people globally felt that the world was as safe or safer than 5 years ago.”

Violence and safety

Violence remains a pressing issue for many people globally and is cited as the biggest risk to daily safety in almost a third of countries. Over half of the population in Afghanistan, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and Dominican Republic reported violence as the greatest risk to their safety in their daily lives.

Despite this, some indicators of violence have recorded significant improvements since the start of the index, including perceptions of criminality which has improved in 86 countries. 123 countries have seen their homicide rate fall since 2008 and people from 84 countries have stated they feel safer walking alone. Even with these improvements, data has revealed that women are 5% more fearful of violence than men** – while some countries have extreme differences. In Portugal 23% of women are more fearful of violence than men.

Regional overview:

  • The Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) remained the world’s least peaceful region, but recorded the biggest improvement.
  • In Sub-Saharan Africa, half of the population have had a recent experience of violence. Those living in Namibia had the highest experience of violence in the world at 63%.
  • Over 50% of people in the Asia-Pacific region feel safer now than five years ago. In China, 63% of people said that they felt safer, which is the best result in the region.
  • Europe recorded an improvement in peacefulness on the 2021 GPI, because of the continued improvement of the terrorism impact indicator.
  • North America had the largest deterioration on the index fuelled by political instability in the US.
  • For the first time in five years, peacefulness deteriorated in Russia and Eurasia due to an increase in violent demonstrations.
  • South America experienced the second largest regional deterioration, owing to increases in violent crime and civil unrest.
  • Due to improvements in the Militarisation and Safety and Security domain, South Asia was one of only three regions to record an improvement in peacefulness over the last year.
  • In Central America and the Caribbean, nine countries deteriorated, with only Nicaragua, Haiti, and Guatemala recording improvements.

For more information and to download the Global Peace Index 2021 and also the Business & Peace Report 2021, visit visionofhumanity.org and economicsandpeace.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

*High Peace is the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies, also known as Positive Peace. 

** Data from the Lloyds Register World Risk Poll/IEP

The GPI report, articles and interactive maps are available at: visionofhumanity.org

Twitter: @globpeaceindex / twitter.com/globpeaceindex

Facebook: @globalpeaceindex  facebook.com/globalpeaceindex

About the Global Peace Index (GPI)

Produced by the international think-tank the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), the GPI report presents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to date on peace, its economic value, trends, and how to develop peaceful societies. The report covers 99.7% of the world’s population and uses 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources to compile the index. These indicators are grouped into three key domains: Ongoing Conflict, Safety and Security, and Militarisation.

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11 SPJIMR faculty featured in Ivey Publishing’s 2026 global Bestsellers and Classics cases’ lists

SPJIMR cases ranked among the most widely used teaching materials worldwide, reinforcing the institute’s growing influence in case-based management education

MUMBAI, India, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Eleven (11) faculty members from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) are featured in Ivey Publishing’s Bestsellers 2025–2026 list and Ivey Classics 2016–2026 list, which recognise the most widely used teaching cases globally across disciplines.

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These cases earned their place in classrooms because they provoke questions. The ones that endure are those that capture real dilemmas, invite multiple perspectives, and encourage learners to wrestle with uncertainty. This recognition of SPJIMR’s 11 faculty members reflect the value of creating learning experiences that challenge assumptions, spark debate, and help students think more deeply about complex managerial decisions.

Ivey Publishing, the case-publishing arm of Ivey Business School at Western University, Canada, compiles its annual Bestsellers and Classics lists based on classroom adoption data drawn from business schools globally. Cases are ranked by frequency of use within each discipline, making the lists a direct measure of pedagogical impact and educator trust.

With eight ranked positions across six disciplines in the Bestsellers list—Communications, Economics & Public Policy, Entrepreneurship, Management Science, Marketing, and Strategy—the recognition reflects SPJIMR’s sustained contribution to case-based management education in classrooms around the world and the growing relevance of India-rooted business insights.

SPJIMR cases in the Bestsellers 2025–2026 list

Discipline

Case title

SPJIMR faculty

Communications (#1)            

Is That an Order?

Prof. Vineeta Dwivedi and Prof. Tulsi Jayakumar

Economics & Public Policy (#2)

Inflationary Targeting in India: Replace, Rejig, or Reaffirm Targeting?      

Prof. Tulsi Jayakumar

Economics & Public Policy (#3)

Is Japan’s Monetary Policy a Rational Expectations Saga?

Prof. Preeta George and

Prof. Monika Gupta

Entrepreneurship (#6)

Savemom: The Smart Wearable Solution for Maternal Health Care

Prof. Renuka Kamath (with co-author Shrinath V.; PGDM 2007 alum)

Management Science (#3)

Jay Bharat Spices Pvt. Ltd.: A Spicy Quandary          

Prof. Amol S. Dhaigude (with co-authors Shravan M. Parsam and Sidhartha Padhi)

Management Science (#8)    

JSW Steel Ltd.: A Logistics Dilemma        

Prof. Amol S. Dhaigude and Prof. Debmallya Chatterjee

Marketing (#1)           

Snaqary Snacks: Building a Start-Up Brand

Prof. Ashita Aggarwal (with co-author Suraj Commuri)

Strategy (#5)  

Parag Milk Foods: Driving Growth through Brand-Building in India’s Dairy Industry          

Prof. Ashita Aggarwal and Prof. Rajiv Agarwal

The Classics 2016–2026 list recognises the 25 most-used cases of the past decade across a wide range of disciplines and topics, from general management, strategy and leadership to marketing and finance. It includes five SPJIMR faculty members

SPJIMR cases in the Classics 2016–2026 list

Discipline

Case title

SPJIMR faculty

General Management, International Business (#7)

Building a Backdoor to the iPhone: An Ethical Dilemma

Prof. Tulsi Jayakumar and Prof. Surya Tahora

Accounting, Entrepreneurship, International Business (#15)

Anandam Manufacturing Company: Analysis of Financial Statements

Prof. Vinay Goyal (with co-author S.K. Mitra)

Entrepreneurship, International Business, Marketing (#22)

Evoe Spring Spa: A Positioning Dilemma

 

Prof. Ashita Aggarwal and Prof. Renuka Kamath (with co-author Sunil Rao)

This year, Prof. Aggarwal and Prof. Kamath’s case on Evoe Spring Spa is among the four cases that have joined the Ivey Classics list for the first time.

Commenting on the recognition, Prof. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR, said, “Great teaching cases immerse learners in the complexity of decision-making. The global adoption of our cases reflects SPJIMR’s commitment to creating scholarship that is rigorous, relevant, and rooted in real-world challenges. We are particularly proud that many of these cases emerge from Indian contexts yet resonate with educators and students globally. This recognition reinforces our belief that management education is most powerful when it equips learners to navigate ambiguity with judgement, purpose, and responsibility.”

The 2026 recognition is the latest in an unbroken run of Ivey distinctions for SPJIMR faculty. It reflects a commitment to developing cases that are grounded in real business contexts and structured to generate insight that transfers across markets and industries. SPJIMR cases have covered topics as varied as macroeconomic policy, supply chain logistics, brand strategy, and maternal health technology, reflecting the breadth of the faculty’s research interests and their conviction that the classroom is itself a site of serious intellectual inquiry.

For more news and updates, visit our Newsroom.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. It is recognised in the Financial Times MiM rankings as the #35 business school globally and among the Top 3 in India, ranked by Business Today as one of the country’s top five business schools, and rated by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the top five schools worldwide for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially-conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR aims to influence managerial practice and promote the value-based growth of its students, alumni, organisations and its leaders, and society. SPJIMR holds the international ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA.

Visit SPJIMR.org for more information.

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Reliance Digital Launches ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day Campaign Celebrating the Many Expressions of Fatherhood

MUMBAI, India, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reliance Digital has launched ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day campaign to celebrate the many expressions of fatherhood. Built around a simple cultural observation, while “Maa ki Mamta” has long been a part of India’s collective vocabulary, there has never been a word that captures the distinct ways fathers express love, the campaign introduces ‘Baaptaa’ as a tribute to the many shades of fatherhood.

Conceptualised as an original music-led campaign, Baaptaa celebrates fathers not as idealised figures, but as they are experienced in everyday life, protective, dependable, emotional, quirky, practical, occasionally embarrassing, and always present. Through a relatable narrative, the campaign acknowledges the countless ways fathers care for their families, often through actions rather than words.

Watch Video: https://youtu.be/9XyUsJB33Ds?si=PM67vhxrzth1JEkz 

At the heart of the campaign is an original music video told from a father’s perspective, capturing the different roles he plays across life’s moments and milestones. The film brings to life the humour, warmth and unspoken affection that characterise father-child relationships, while giving a name to a form of love that many recognise but few have articulated.

The campaign stems from a simple insight: while motherhood has often found expression through familiar phrases and popular references, the unique language of fatherhood has remained largely undefined. Baaptaa seeks to fill that gap by creating a term that reflects the everyday gestures, practical wisdom and quiet sacrifices that fathers make.

Father’s Day communication often leans into familiar emotional territory, but Reliance Digital’s campaign celebrates fathers in a way that feels more culturally authentic and relatable. The idea for ‘Baaptaa’ came from a simple observation — mother’s love has been immortalised in a number of heartfelt, emotional songs, there needed to be an anthem dedicated to dad’s love. And thus was born Baaptaa – a love language that is often awkward, practical, protective, humorous and deeply felt, even if rarely verbalised. It’s a celebration of fatherhood in all its wonderfully imperfect forms immortalized by a song that you won’t be able to stop humming.

Shop for the widest range of electronics at Reliance Digital and thank your father for his Baaptaa.

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Harper Collins Publishers India is Delighted to Announce the Recent Publication of ‘People We Love’ by Preeti Shenoy

NEW DELHI, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HarperCollins Publishers India is delighted to share the recent publication of People We Love by bestselling author Preeti Shenoy. At once tender and sharp, this collection of stories offers intimate, truthful and relatable portraits of the people we cherish, the ones we lose, and the people we become.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The people we love never truly leave our story…

In these tender yet piercing stories, Preeti Shenoy returns to some of her most beloved characters to reveal who they were before they appeared in her bestselling novels It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have.

Aniket, a coder, carries the weight of a longing for Trisha that he cannot bring himself to act on. Nidhi abandons her corporate life to teach pottery, only to discover that clay is far more forgiving than the people she loves. A quiz competition sparks an unlikely romance between Aman and Shruti, one that must withstand parental disapproval and class divides. And Anjali, a journalist, is so busy chasing stories that she almost misses the one unfolding in her own life.

Set against the pulse of contemporary India, People We Love explores the tug-of-war between duty and desire, family and freedom, who we are and who we dare to be. Intimate and deeply felt, these are stories about love that stays, leaves and almost slips away … love that quietly and irrevocably shapes the people we become.

Preeti Shenoy, author, says, “People We Love is a collection of three long stories, prequels to my bestsellers It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have. If you have read those books, you already know how these characters’ stories unfold. But what you don’t know yet is where it all began, the loves they carried, the choices they made, and the people they were before life shaped them into who you met on those pages. Writing these prequels felt like returning to a home I hadn’t realised I missed, and discovering rooms I had never been in before.”

Rashmi Menon, Associate Publisher – HarperCollins India, adds, “Preeti Shenoy has an extraordinary gift for finding the heartbeat of ordinary lives. People We Love is a warm, wise and deeply humane collection of short stories that reunites readers with favourite characters from her bestselling novels It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have, weaving them into fresh, deeply satisfying narratives. These characters feel like people you know, and their journeys will move, comfort and surprise you. This uplifting, thought–provoking collection reminds us why we turn to stories in the first place. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with our readers.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Preeti Shenoy is among the highest-selling authors in India. She was featured on the Forbes longlist of the most influential celebrities in India. Her books include When Love Came Calling, Wake Up Life, Is Calling, Life Is What You Make It, The Rule Breakers, A Hundred Little Flames, It’s All in the Planets, Why We Love the Way We Do, The Secret Wish List, The One You Cannot Have and many others. Her work has been translated into many Indian languages. Preeti is also a motivational speaker, an avid fitness enthusiast, and an artist specializing in portraiture and illustrated journalling. Preeti lives in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS INDIA

At HarperCollins Publishers India, we believe in telling the best stories and ensuring they reach the widest readership. We publish around 250 new books every year across 10 imprints, adding to a diverse catalogue of more than 3,000 titles in print and digital formats, with an array of genres and voices that ensure there is a book for every reader. Our authors have won some of the most prestigious literary awards, and we are proud to publish many acclaimed writers, alongside new and emerging voices shaping contemporary literature. We are also the publishers of The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, winner of the Booker Prize 2008, and Girl in White Cotton by Avni Doshi, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2020, and HarperCollins India itself has been awarded “Publisher of the Year” several times. In addition, we represent some of the finest global publishers such as Harvard University Press, Lonely Planet, Oneworld, Nosy Crow, Usborne, and National Geographic Children, bringing Indian readers access to world-class books and ideas. We are also proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for two consecutive years, a recognition of our culture, people, and values that make HarperCollins India a truly inspiring workplace. 

PRESS CONTACT:

Nandini Tripathi, Manager – Marketing (Commercial)

Email: nandini.tripathi@harpercollins.co.in | Mobile: +91 9718928839

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