The threat of terrorism is intensifying across the globe, with the latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), revealing a sharp rise in the number of countries affected by terrorist attacks.

Despite a global decrease in informal economic activity, shadow economies still make up a significant portion of GDP in parts of Africa and South Asia. A new data from the Ernst & Young Global Shadow Economy Report 2025 reveals that Sierra Leone, Niger, and Nepal top this list, measured as a percentage of their national GDP.