Wednesday, 17th December 2025, presented a day of stark contrasts across the globe, captured through the lenses of photojournalists. From festive winter tourism to industrial action and humanitarian crises, the world's events unfolded in a series of powerful images selected by picture editors.
From Festivity to Friction: A World in Contrast
In Harbin, China, the mood was one of celebration as the world's largest snow and ice theme park opened its doors. Tourists posed for photographs in front of intricate, towering ice sculptures, marking a moment of leisure and wonder. Meanwhile, in Paris, France The spirit of protest extended beyond France. In London, UK, resident doctors from the British Medical Association began a five-day strike. They formed picket lines outside St Thomas' Hospital, demanding better pay and improved working conditions, highlighting ongoing tensions within the National Health Service. Simultaneously, in the Gironde region of France, farmers' union members gathered around bonfires, blockading the A63 motorway near Bordeaux. Their protest targeted the government's mandatory cull of cattle herds affected by lumpy skin disease. In Badalona, Spain, a more sombre scene unfolded as police oversaw the aftermath of eviction orders at an abandoned school. The site had been home to hundreds of mostly undocumented individuals. One person was photographed adjusting their belongings on a cart, a poignant symbol of displacement and uncertainty. The human cost of conflict was vividly illustrated in two locations. In GazaGaza City, Palestinians navigated a landscape of devastation, walking past tent camps set up amidst buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes and ground operations. In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, political tensions surfaced visibly. A supporter of the Libre party displayed wounds sustained during a police operation to disperse a protest. The demonstration was calling for the final results of a recount from last month's general elections. Sydney, Australia, witnessed a scene of profound grief. Family members leaned over the coffin of Rabbi Eli Schlanger during his funeral at the Chabad of Bondi synagogue. Schlanger was a victim of the recent Bondi beach terror attack. Elsewhere, life and leisure continued. In Bel Ombre, Mauritius, Swedish golfer Joakim Lagergren participated in the pro-am event ahead of the Mauritius Open. In Beijing, China, the mundane task of managing urban clutter was captured as a person stacked rental bikes in the central business district. On the front line in Donetsk, Ukraine, members of the 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade were photographed leaving their dugout with a Darts drone, preparing to launch it towards Russian positions. This collection of images from Wednesday, 17th December 2025, serves as a compelling reminder of our interconnected yet disparate global experience, where joy, struggle, routine, and conflict coexist.Human Stories: Displacement and Resilience
Moments of Mourning, Sport, and Daily Life
