The World This Week: Grief in Gaza, Protests in Brussels, and Unity in Juba

From the quiet dignity of laundry hanging over ruins in Gaza to the roar of farmers' protests in the heart of Europe, this week's images capture a world grappling with profound loss, defiant protest, and enduring tradition. The third week of December 2025 painted a complex portrait of humanity, marked by moments of shared grief, calls for justice, and celebrations of community.

In North Sumatra, Indonesia, the scale of a recent catastrophe was starkly visible as search and rescue teams relocated the graves of flash flood victims, fearing heavy rains could wash them away again. According to government data released on December 16, the floods claimed 1,030 lives, with 205 people still missing in a disaster that ranks among the deadliest to hit the region since the 2004 tsunami.

Mourning was a powerful theme across the globe. In Hong Kong, residents lined the streets to pay their final respects to Ho Wai-ho, a 37-year-old firefighter who died battling a catastrophic blaze at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate. The fire, which claimed at least 160 lives, has been marked as the world's deadliest residential building fire since 1980. Elsewhere, residents embraced at the site of a Russian air strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, and mourners laid flowers at a memorial for shooting victims on Sydney's Bondi Beach.

Meanwhile, voices of dissent rose in cities worldwide. Farmers, organized by the EU's primary agricultural association Copa-Cogeca, drove tractors through Brussels to protest Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms and the Mercosur trade deal. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, protesters braved freezing temperatures of nearly -12°C (10.4°F) to demand the removal of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In Dhaka, Bangladesh, demonstrators filled Shahbagh Square, demanding justice for a student leader who died after being shot.

Amid the turmoil, moments of cultural connection provided a different perspective. Revellers gathered at Britain's ancient Stonehenge to celebrate the winter solstice at dawn. In Juba, South Sudan, wrestlers engaged in a traditional match focused on peace. According to Agence France-Presse, these sporting events are a beloved tradition that serves as a powerful vehicle for reducing tensions and fostering unity among diverse communities.