The world presented a tapestry of human experience on Friday, 19th December 2025, captured through the lenses of photojournalists across the globe. The Guardian's picture editors have selected a powerful series of images that span festive joy, political diplomacy, humanitarian crisis, and social protest.
Festivity and Tradition Across Continents
In Bengaluru, India, the spirit of Christmas commenced with a touching celebration as visually impaired children dressed as Santa Claus took part in festivities. The event, photographed by Idrees Mohammed, marked a poignant start to the holiday season. Meanwhile, in Mexico City, dancers from the National Dance Company of Mexico brought Tchaikovsky's classic to life with a performance of The Nutcracker at the National Auditorium.
Further cultural moments unfolded in Hong Kong, where participants offered prayers during the Taoist Jiao festival in Kam Tin, a ritual held once every decade to give thanks and pray for community prosperity. In Sydney, Australia, St Mary’s Cathedral was illuminated with a menorah during a light show paying tribute to victims of the recent Bondi attack.
Diplomacy, Politics, and Protest
The day also held significant political moments. In Warsaw, Poland, President Karol Nawrocki received his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a formal welcoming ceremony at the courtyard of the Presidential Palace. This high-level visit underscored ongoing international alliances. Concurrently, in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation and media during his annual live broadcast press conference at the Gostiny Dvor forum hall.
Protests made their visual mark as well. In Srinagar, within India-controlled Kashmir, supporters of the People’s Democratic party demonstrated against Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, for publicly removing a young Muslim doctor’s hijab during an event in Patna.
Conflict, Crisis, and Commemoration
The harsh realities of conflict and hardship were starkly evident. In the Gaza Strip, a photograph by Ramadan Abed showed Arjwan al-Dahini, a Palestinian child, who doctors say suffers from severe acute malnutrition, sitting with her mother at Nasser hospital. This image highlights the ongoing humanitarian emergency.
Tragedy was commemorated in several locations. In Hong Kong, a portrait of firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who died during a blaze at Wang Fuk court on 26 November, was displayed on a fire engine. In Phoenix, Arizona, a microphone was placed on stage as a memorial to Charlie Kirk at the start of AmericaFest, the first Turning Point USA summit since his death.
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the office of the Daily Star newspaper burned after being set alight following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who had been receiving treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head.
Other notable images included the graduation of nearly 5,000 new noncommissioned Paraguayan police officers in Asunción, a homeless woman sheltering under a mosquito tent on a winter morning in Chennai, and an Iraqi refugee model preparing backstage in Jakarta for an International Migrants Day event.
