By Ethan Cidro, Senior Reporter
Whether it be tragedies or comedies, 2025 has been an eventful year so far. We’re already nearly done with the year — if you didn’t know — but despite time passing quickly, it doesn’t seem to have caught the year off-guard, producing event after event as life does, whether internationally or domestically in Canada. As a chance for respite, I’d like to take a brief recap of the year - and though not all of them, to recount a few events in different categories that occurred early on in the year.
Despite these events not originating in the same country, for them to happen twice or more in the same year may stun those who have been disconnected from what’s been occurring around the globe. Usually, when we focus on politics, our eyes drift towards our neighbouring countries, the United States, Russia and Ukraine, or Israel and Palestine, across the Atlantic and situated near the eastern Mediterranean Sea. However, in terms of civil unrest, we have seen various recurrences sprouting everywhere.
In Indonesia’s case, its economy has been worsening, yet despite this, a housing allowance for parliament members was still proposed. Such a disconnect with the rest of the public who are experiencing this struggle sparked a protest in August. It seems that an approach Indonesians have taken is to fly the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates from the famous manga, anime, and Netflix live-action adaptation, One Piece. A clever method, as the fictional pirates also declared war against an oppressive government within the show.
In Serbia, demonstrators have been protesting against the corruption of the government, which started when the roof of a railway station in Novi Sad collapsed last November, leading to the deaths of 14 people. However, in Belgrade on the 15th of March, a large congregation of protestors was allegedly hit by a sonic weapon or sound cannon illegally during a silent vigil.
Of course, the United States has also been experiencing their own troubles as protestors clashed and continue to clash with ICE all year round.
In the United Kingdom, apart from the heavy restrictions English denizens are facing along with their access to the internet, they are also experiencing a conflict in which flags of their country, the red cross of England and the Union Jack, are being flown up and then taken down. Such a display has been occurring all over the country.
In France, despite having an unofficial culture of protest, a celebratory riot is definitely a noteworthy event to distinguish. With Paris Saint-Germain’s total dominating victory over Inter Milan in the finals of the UEFA Champions League, a celebration turned into a complete riot with hundreds of people partaking in mass vandalism and burning of cars, lasting only one day, from the 31st of May to the 1st of June. Of course, it is important to note that as of September 9, 2025, it seems France is yet again bracing for another protest as the ‘Block Everything’ movement campaign defies French President Macron and turns the new Prime Minister’s first day into a nightmare.
Past the political and civil fiasco of the world this year, wildfires are something that have been very relevant this year. Not only Canada, but also the United States opened the year with a massive wildfire on the 7th of January. Homes were burnt, families were affected, and they needed to apply and receive permits to rebuild the homes they lost. Up north, on the other hand, our own province of Manitoba experienced extreme wildfires, if the heavy smoky summer or bad air quality and smell hadn’t clued you in to the fact yet. This summer resulted in evacuations of many towns and the city of Flin Flon, where some people have only recently been seeing progress in the possibility of returning home. Canada has had three memorable years of wildfires now, of which it seems that recent news outlets have been reiterating from a study that the smoke produced by the Canadian wildfire in 2023 caused 80,000+ premature deaths on an international scale.
On top of these tragedies, it seems that the world has seen some aviation accidents following the consecutive tragedies at the end of the year in 2025. Accidents like the Air Busan Flight 391, which caught fire while preparing for take off; the Potomac River collision, where an Airliner collided with a Black Hawk Helicopter, killing 67, including young figure skaters and those who accompanied them; and the Hudson River Helicopter Crash, where a family of five, along with their pilot, lost their lives in April.
Of course, more events occurred, some happier. Regardless, it seems 2025 hasn’t exactly been the quietest year. Despite it all, we are nearing 2026, and till then, please continue to stay safe. Welcome back to school.