The world in
What happened in 2025?
11 events across 8 world regions, each with its sources.
West Asia
- Operation Midnight Hammer
On June 22, 2025, the United States launched coordinated strikes, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, against three Iranian nuclear facilities. The attacks targeted Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, employing B-2 bombers with bunker-buster bombs and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles, as part of the Twelve-Day War.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Gaza War Begins
On 7 October 2023, the Gaza War began when Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas attacked Israel, prompting the Israeli military's Operation 'Iron Swords'. The conflict unfolded in the Gaza Strip and parts of Israel, marking a major escalation in the long-running Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The war resulted in heavy casualties and had significant regional repercussions.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Outbreak of the Red Sea Crisis
Starting October 2023, the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and Red Sea shipping in support of the Gaza war, sparking a multi-national armed conflict and maritime security crisis.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North America
- Imposition of Sweeping Tariffs in Trump's Second Term
In 2025, during his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a series of steep tariffs on nearly all imported goods, marking a major escalation in American protectionism. By April 2025, the average effective tariff rate surged from around 2.5% to an estimated 27%—the highest level in over a century. The move significantly disrupted global financial markets and led to subsequent negotiations and adjustments.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Signing of Executive Order 14257
On April 2, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14257 in the White House Rose Garden. The order declared a national emergency over the U.S. trade deficit and invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to authorize sweeping tariffs on imports. Trump called the action an 'economic independence declaration' for America and referred to the date as 'Liberation Day'.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Oceania
- Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte at Ninoy Aquino International Airport
On March 11, 2025, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested upon arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila after returning from Hong Kong. The Philippine National Police and Interpol carried out the arrest under an International Criminal Court warrant for crimes against humanity related to the Philippine drug war. He was later transferred to The Hague, Netherlands, to face trial.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
South Asia
- 2025 Pahalgam attack
On 22 April 2025, militants opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing and injuring dozens. The attack primarily targeted Hindus, though a Christian tourist and a local Muslim pony ride operator were also killed. It was the deadliest civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central & South America
- 2025 Bolivian general election
Bolivia held general elections on 17 August 2025 to elect the president, vice president, and all members of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. No candidate secured a majority, triggering a runoff on 19 October 2025 between Senator Rodrigo Paz and former president Jorge Quiroga. Paz won with 55.0% of the vote, marking the first presidential handover via runoff in Bolivian history and ending two decades of MAS dominance.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Sub-Saharan Africa
- 2025 Malagasy coup d'état
In October 2025, the elite CAPSAT unit staged a coup in Antananarivo with little resistance. They urged other forces to join, leading to the removal of the Senate president and acceptance of a new military chief by civilian authorities. President Rajoelina fled abroad and attempted to dissolve parliament, but was overwhelmingly impeached; the military then took power.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Europe
- Russian full‑scale invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full‑scale military invasion of Ukraine, a major escalation of the conflict that began in 2014. The war became the largest and deadliest in Europe since World War II, with hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian deaths. It displaced about 8 million people internally and forced 6–7 million to flee, creating Europe’s largest refugee crisis since 1945. By July 2026, Russian forces occupied roughly 20% of Ukraine.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central Asian steppe
- Launch of the Belt and Road Initiative
In 2013, the Chinese government launched the Belt and Road Initiative, an infrastructure and economic development strategy to connect Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond. The initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, evoking the historic trade routes. It has since involved agreements with numerous countries and organizations for global connectivity projects.
SourcesWikipedia ↗