A Year of Global Challenges and Anticipation for a Better Future
As the world prepares to bid farewell to 2025, a tumultuous year marked by international crises and conflicts, hopes are high that 2026 will bring peace and economic prosperity.
2025 was one of the hottest years ever recorded, with scorching temperatures fueling wildfires in Europe, causing droughts in Africa, and triggering devastating floods in Southeast Asia.
Sídney’s Subdued New Year’s Eve Celebrations
In Sídney, the self-proclaimed “New Year’s Eve capital of the world,” preparations for the celebration this year have a bittersweet taste. Just two weeks prior, two men stormed a Jewish beach party in Bondi, one of the city’s most popular beaches, killing 15 people—the worst mass shooting in the country in nearly 30 years.
Australia will remember the victims with a minute of silence at 23:00 (12h00 GMT) and the iconic Sídney Harbour Bridge will be illuminated white as a symbol of peace. “It’s been a tough year for so many people,” said Steph Grant, a 32-year-old resident working in advertising. “I hope the world seems like a brighter place in 2026.”
Hundreds of thousands are expected to gather at Sydney Harbour to watch nine tons of fireworks explode in the sky. Security will be tighter than usual, with armed police patrols amidst the crowd.
Global Trends and Notable Figures
The year 2025 also witnessed global trends such as the Labu doll craze, a spectacular jewel heist at the Louvre in Paris, and the highly anticipated return of K-pop group BTS.
Notable figures whose deaths impacted various parts of the world include British primatologist Jane Goodall, Argentine Pope Francis (replaced by Leon XIV, an American nationalized in Peru), and US far-right activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated, exposing deep political divisions in the United States.
The return of US President Donald Trump in January set the international agenda, starting with an arancelaria offensive that plunged global markets into chaos.
After two years of war leaving much of the Gaza Strip in ruins, US pressure helped achieve a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion, approaches its fourth anniversary in February despite recent efforts to secure a truce.
Washington has increased its military presence in the Caribbean, conducted numerous attacks against alleged drug trafficking vessels in the area, and demanded the blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, escalating tensions with Caracas.
World Cup and Space Exploration
Latin America also prepares to say goodbye to 2025.
Mexico City hosts its traditional popular party, attended by hundreds of thousands, amid concerns about the economic situation.
“My hope is that people will come to invest, create job opportunities, and ensure adequate healthcare and pension services,” said Enrique Flores, 61.
In Argentina, economic worries persist but not without considering the 2026 World Cup, which will be held concurrently in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
“I have a lot of faith and hope that Argentina will repeat this great feat,” said Celeste Meza, 40, a domestic worker. “We recently won the World Cup in Qatar (2022), so I believe we can do it again.”
Beyond sports, the coming 12 months will be marked by space exploration: more than 50 years after the last Apollo lunar mission, 2026 is shaping up to be the year humanity returns its gaze to the Moon.
NASA’s Artemis II mission, backed by Elon Musk, plans to launch a crewed spacecraft that will orbit the Moon during a ten-day test flight.
