Wednesday, 26th November 2025, was a day of stark contrasts across the globe, captured through the lenses of the world's leading photojournalists. The Guardian's picture editors have curated a powerful selection of images, ranging from a traditional White House ceremony to devastating natural disasters and poignant human protests.
Political Rituals and Global Turmoil
In a lighter moment from the day's events, former President Donald Trump performed the annual presidential tradition of pardoning a turkey. The ceremony, observed by Melania Trump, took place in the White House's Rose Garden and featured a bird named Gobble. This symbolic act of clemency provided a brief respite from more sombre international news.
Elsewhere, the world grappled with severe challenges. In Hat Yai, Thailand, two youths surveyed a car engulfed by floodwater after days of heavy rain caused severe flooding, affecting thousands in the country's south. Meanwhile, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, rescuers battled a huge fire that engulfed a Korail slum, highlighting the vulnerability of densely populated urban areas.
Human Endeavour and Protest
The day also showcased remarkable human achievement and civic action. In Tianjin, China, a major engineering feat was completed as twin swivel bridges, each weighing an impressive 14,000 tons, simultaneously rotated clockwise by more than 60 degrees to pass over a railway on the Xinggang expressway.
Back in the UK, British farmers took their concerns to Whitehall in London. They protested, calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to scrap inheritance tax on family farms on the day she presented the budget. A striking visual from the demonstration featured a fuel tanker shaped like a missile with a protest banner.
Further afield, Mexico City saw a powerful protest to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, where posters featured individuals accused of involvement in violence against women.
Culture, Conflict, and Climate
Cultural moments provided both whimsy and gravity. At London Zoo, comedian Garry Starr hosted the world's first penguin book club, reading to the colony in a unique event. In St Peter's Square, Vatican, Pope Leo XIV greeted the public, while an impromptu performance by Justin and Dan Hawkins of The Darkness entertained travellers at St Pancras station in London.
However, conflict and climate crises cast long shadows. In Ukraine, a Naftogaz worker surveyed a gas extraction facility destroyed by a Russian strike, while in Zaporizhzhia, a resident stood on a street as buildings burned after another Russian drone strike.
The plight of displaced Palestinians in Gaza was captured in multiple images, from a man draining water from a makeshift shelter to families standing on a road after heavy rain in Jabalia city.
In Niagara Falls, Canada, a concerning situation unfolded at the now-closed Marineland, where beluga whales remain in decaying pools. The park's owners, who have allegedly threatened to euthanise the whales, are battling the government over their fate.
From the northern lights over Selfoss, Iceland to a bridge cut off by severe flooding and landslides in North Tapanuli, Indonesia, the day's images presented a comprehensive and moving portrait of our world on Wednesday, 26th November 2025.
