The year 2025 will be remembered as a period of profound contrasts, where human conflict and the fury of nature collided with moments of historic achievement and personal disgrace. A series of powerful images have come to define these twelve months, capturing everything from the handshake of world leaders to the despair of those fleeing wildfires and famine.
A World Scarred by Conflict and Crisis
The relentless drumbeat of war provided some of the year's most harrowing visuals. On 15 August, a meeting between former US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska raised global eyebrows. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continued to devastate, with a Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment block on 17 June leaving residents embracing amidst the rubble.
In the Middle East, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza reached a grim milestone. By 28 August, a global hunger monitor declared a famine in Gaza City, with images showing Palestinians queueing for food at a charity kitchen. Further displacement occurred on 17 September as families fled a new Israeli military operation in northern Gaza, while Israel's Iron Dome was seen intercepting missiles over Tel Aviv back in June.
Triumph, Transition and Disgrace
Amid the turmoil, there were significant cultural and sporting milestones. The Catholic Church saw a historic change with the election of Pope Leo XIV, who appeared on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on 8 May. In the sporting arena, England's women triumphed as Zoe Aldcroft lifted the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 trophy on 27 September.
The year also witnessed a dramatic fall from grace within the British monarchy. Prince Andrew was pictured alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales at a funeral on 16 September, a stark reminder of his diminished status. In a lighter moment, pop icon Katy Perry prepared to sing in space aboard a Blue Origin rocket mission on 14 April.
Nature's Fury and Global Unrest
Extreme weather events underscored the escalating climate crisis. California was ravaged by wildfires, with the Palisades fire destroying buildings in Malibu by 8 January and the Great Fire raging in the Sierra National Forest in late August. Europe was not spared, with wildfires in Spain near Lleida on 1 July and Storm Eowyn battering the Welsh coast at Porthcawl on 24 January.
Drought and flood presented a stark dichotomy. The Woodhead Reservoir in Derbyshire was left parched by 16 June, while heavy rains caused the Tawi River to flood a temple in Jammu, India, by 26 August. Hurricane Melissa brought destruction to Jamaica by the end of October.
Civil unrest and protest flared across the globe. In France, the 'Bloquons Tout' movement saw demonstrations in Paris on 10 September, while in Turkey, police used pepper spray on protesters after the jailing of Istanbul's mayor in March. Tensions between taxi operators turned violent in Soweto, South Africa, in August.
Other poignant moments included a migrant attempting to cross the English Channel near Calais on 25 August, a massive sinkhole swallowing vehicles in Odesa after unprecedented rain on 1 October, and the detention of Russian street musician Diana Loginova for singing a banned song on 16 October. The year also saw tragedy, such as the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on 12 June, and wonder, as dolphins swam past a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after its splashdown off Florida on 18 March.
