UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued his 2026 New Year message in Hindi for the first time, urging global leaders to prioritise development over military spending. He warned of rising conflicts, humanitarian crises and soaring defence budgets, calling for peace and poverty reduction
The UN reports a 25 per cent rise in sexual violence during conflicts in 2024, with over 4,600 survivors documented. Armed groups carry out most abuses, while Israel and Russian forces are warned over allegations of violations against detainees.
