Year Ender 2025: Defining Global Moments- Trump's Return to Gen Z Protests to Pope Leo XIV Succession In Photos

A year of upheaval unfolded across continents—from Trump’s return to power and wars in Gaza and Ukraine to Gen Z protests, AI’s rise and record-breaking climate disasters— images that defined a turbulent world: Here are 10 events that defined 2025.

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Trump Returns

A protectionist offensive. Mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Dismantling entire sections of the US federal government. Since his return to the White House for a second term in January, Republican President Donald Trump has targeted adversaries, deployed the National Guard in Democrat-voting cities, attacked the media and fought against diversity and inclusion programmes. He has also launched extensive diplomatic efforts, with mixed results. And polls suggest Americans are increasingly disgruntled on economic issues -- particularly the cost of living.

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A Ceasefire in Gaza

US pressure led to a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, two years after an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants on Israeli soil triggered a devastating war in the Gaza Strip. The truce allowed for the return to Israel of the last surviving hostages and all but one of the bodies of the deceased, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. It also enabled an increased flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, although still nowhere near enough to meet the territory's needs, according to the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs.

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Unsuccessful Ukraine Talks

Trump's arrival in the White House energised efforts to end the war in Ukraine, sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion. Trump's sympathies have flipped repeatedly between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, with Kyiv fearing it could be forced into a deal on Moscow's terms.

There has been a flurry of international diplomacy to reach a truce based on a draft US plan floated in November, the initial version of which was considered by Ukraine and its European allies to be largely favourable to Russia.

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Global Trade War

Trump imposed waves of tariffs on imports and entire industries deemed strategic -- such as steel, aluminium and copper -- sparking a trade dispute that shook the global economy. As targeted countries considered or implemented retaliatory measures, tough negotiations led to many deals, including with the European Union and China. Under pressure to lower the cost of living for Americans, Trump decided in mid-November to cancel tariffs on some food products, such as imported coffee and beef.

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A New Pope

Robert Francis Prevost became the first American pope on May 8 following the death of his predecessor Francis, whom he had long advised. White smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel to announce the election of the 267th head of the Catholic Church after a less-than-24-hour conclave. The Chicago-born clergyman, who spent nearly 20 years as a missionary in Peru and eventually obtained citizenship, took the name Leo XIV. He has followed in the footsteps of his Argentine predecessor by focusing on the poor, migrants and the environment.

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Gen Z Uprising

Mass movements spearheaded by the under-30s arose across Asia, Africa and Latin America to fight against poor living standards, social media censorship and elite corruption.

They enjoyed mixed success -- in Morocco, for example, the government promised social reforms, but more than 2,000 protesters now face prosecution. In other countries, the protests transformed into a broader challenge to power after they were violently repressed. But Nepal's Maoist Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina were forced from office.

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AI Boom

Technology giants and investors have spent ever-increasing sums to finance the rapid growth of AI. AI-related spending is expected to reach roughly $1.5 trillion in 2025 and $2 trillion next year, according to US advisory firm Gartner.

However, AI stands accused of fuelling misinformation, copyright lawsuits are mushrooming, and many companies have cited its adoption as an explanation for mass layoffs. OpenAI faces a lawsuit from the parents of a California teenager who killed himself, alleging its chatbot ChatGPT offered advice on how to carry out his plan. The company said it had strengthened its parental controls, while California has enacted legislation regulating chatbots.

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A Spectacular Louvre Heist

On October 19, thieves dressed in workers' vests used a furniture ladder to get into the Louvre Museum in Paris. They fled on scooters with crown jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million), though they dropped a diamond-encrusted crown on the way. Four men suspected of being part of the raid were charged and jailed, but the stolen treasures have not been recovered.

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US Strikes Anger Venezuela

Washington has deployed a significant military presence off the coast of Latin America since August, officially to combat drug trafficking bound for the United States. Around 100 people have been killed since September in US strikes on boats that Washington claims, without providing evidence, were ferrying drugs. The US Justice Department insists the strikes were "lawful" and rejected accusations by a senior UN official that they were "extrajudicial".

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Record-breaking Weather

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, more deadly and more destructive due to climate change fuelled by human activity, according to scientists. While Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Indonesia had deadly floods, powerful storms lashed the Caribbean and the Philippines.

Tropical storms and monsoon rains pummelled Southeast and South Asia at the end of the year, destroying vast tracts of Indonesia's northwest island of Sumatra and displacing thousands of people in Sri Lanka. Temperatures soared and wildfires intensified in Europe, with a record amount of land burnt during the summer. The French Mediterranean coast experienced its worst fire in 50 years. In the United States, fires sparked by lightning led to the closure of the North Rim of the famous Grand Canyon in mid-July for the remainder of the tourist season.