A World in Focus: Friday's Visual Journey
The Guardian's picture editors have curated a compelling selection of photographs from around the globe, capturing moments of beauty, tragedy, and everyday life on Friday. From the magical glow of a winter lantern trail in West Sussex to the eerie dance of the aurora borealis over Iceland, this collection offers a window into our diverse world.
Celebrations and Disasters
In West Sussex, UK, an enchanting installation illuminated the Glow Wild winter lantern trail at Wakehurst, Kew Gardens' wild botanic garden in Ardingly. The event transforms the landscape into a spectacular night-time experience. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, USA, festive spirit was on display during the sixth annual Thanksgiving day Human Horse Race, where participants wore creative costumes, including a distinctive horse hat.
However, the day also documented significant hardship. In Aceh, Indonesia, the devastating impact of Tropical Cyclone Senyar was starkly visible, with a house inundated by mud in a flood-affected village. The National Disaster Management Agency reported at least 72 fatalities across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces due to floods and landslides. Similarly, severe flooding in Perlis state, Malaysia, left a home surrounded by flood waters in Kangar, affecting thousands after days of heavy rain. In Colombo district, Sri Lanka, the military was deployed for relief operations as the death toll from floods and landslides rose to 56, with 21 people still missing.
Culture, Conflict, and Quiet Reflection
The collection also highlighted cultural events and political engagements. In Liverpool, UK, people attended a preview of The Light Before Christmas: The Gift at Liverpool Cathedral, a popular light and sound experience now in its fourth year. In Berlin, Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Slovenia's Prime Minister, Robert Golob, for official talks at the chancellery.
More sombre scenes emerged from Gaza City, Palestine, where Palestinians walked among the rubble in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, and from Hong Kong, China, where a major fire swept through several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate, leading to prayers and firefighter exhaustion.
From the playful—Sudanese refugee children playing in a tree at the Iridimi camp in Chad—to the serene—novice Buddhist monks praying in a temple in Luang Prabang, Laos—these images, selected on Friday, November 28, 2025, present a powerful and multifaceted portrait of our time.
