Why is the World at War? : State of the World from NPR A new report shows conflicts across the globe surged in 2025, reaching levels not seen since the Second World War. And violence against civilians reached new heights. We hear from one of the report’s authors and get an update on one of the flashpoints driving the increase in violence: the war in Sudan. A new report shows conflicts across the globe surged in 2025, reaching levels not seen since the Second World War.