N is for New Orleans, the city hosting the Sugar Bowl in January, 2025, that was hit with a devastating terrorist truck bomb attack just days before the game. An Islamist domestic terrorist attack occurred on January 1, 2025, at around 3:15 am, when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old African American Muslim man, rammed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, then exited the truck and engaged in a shootout with police before being fatally shot. Fourteen victims were killed, plus the perpetrator, and at least fifty-seven others were injured, including two police officers. The attack occurred during New Year celebrations in the city, which was scheduled to host the 2025 Sugar Bowl later that day. The game between Notre Dame and Georgia was postponed until the following day. New Orleans hosted Super Bowl LIX in February without incident.
Honorable mention: Nvidia, which jumped the shark on November 19, reporting massive profits when none actually existed. CEO Jensen Huang blurted out, “we’re sold out,” to a breathless Wall Street audience. On the 20th, Nvidia started the day up some five to six percent only to end the session down two percent, dragging down the entire U.S. stock market with it. Seems that their chips don’t actually run the entire planet, which might explain why Mr. Huang sold lots of shares just before the stock peaked earlier in the month.

O is for Oreshnik missiles, the hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missiles developed by the Russian that can reach speeds of opt to Mach 10 ((12,300 km/h; 7,610 mph; 3.40 km/s). Russia demonstrated the destructive force of the Oreshnik on November 21, 2024, in an attack on Dnipro, in Ukraine. The missile is nuclear capable, but it does not need to be, as the speed at which it strikes targets creates a powerful, devastating, earthquake-like blast that can be used as a “bunker buster.” On December 18, 2025, the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that Oreshnik missile system arrived in Belarus the day before and had entered combat service. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Oreshnik missiles stationed in Belarus had been placed on combat duty on December 30, 2025.

P is for Piracy. Once the province of swashbuckling marauders and high seas mercenaries, piracy became a mainstay for sovereign nations in 2025, particularly targeting oil tankers in various locales. The Singapore Strait was the most dangerous shipping corridor, with more than 100 incidents of piracy reported. In 2025, 40 crew members were kidnapped in the region of the Gulf of Guinea, but increasingly throughout the year, sovereign nations have become involved in maritime seizures. Iran, Greece, Yemen, India, Indonesia and the United States all were involved in high seas boardings or seizures of oil tankers in 2025, the most notable being the U.S. and the commandeering of oil tankers - some bound for China - off the coast of Venezuela. Hot spots include the Strait of Hormuz, Golf of Oman, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean, though no international waters are deemed completely safe.

Q is for Quantum Computing, which made significant strides in 2025, Quantum computing became a geopolitical flashpoint in 2025, with the U.S. and China accelerating investment and warning of national‑security stakes. Microsoft publicly urged the U.S. government—under President Trump—to avoid falling behind China in the race for practical quantum machines. Breakthroughs like Google’s Willow chip and 1,000‑qubit prototypes pushed the field from theory toward real‑world applications, making quantum capability a defining tech storyline of the year.

R is for Robert Prevost, otherwise known as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, chosen by the congregation of bishops at the Vatican in May. Before his election as Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a role that positioned him at the center of global Catholic governance. His elevation to the papacy in 2025 marked a decisive shift toward administrative reform and pastoral pragmatism, reflecting his reputation as a steady, disciplined organizer within the Vatican hierarchy. Prevost’s ascent became one of the year’s defining religious events, signaling a new chapter for the Church. Robert Prevost’s unexpected elevation to the papacy in 2025 sent shockwaves through global Catholicism and international politics. As a figure known for administrative discipline and a pragmatic approach to church governance, his selection signaled a shift toward institutional reform and geopolitical engagement. Prevost’s papacy quickly became a defining religious storyline of the year, reshaping debates on modernization, global south representation, and the future direction of the Church.

S is for Silver, the precious metal that surged into the global limelight in 2025 as industrial demand—especially for solar manufacturing—collided with supply constraints. Investors treated it as a green‑tech commodity, a monetary metal, and a hedge against political volatility, making silver one of the year’s most closely watched assets. Its price swings became shorthand for broader anxieties about inflation, energy transition, and geopolitical instability. The price of silver rose from under $30 a troy once to in excess of $75 in 2025, with most analysts pegging the annual gain at 170%.
Honroable Mention: SHUTDOWN. The U.S. flirted repeatedly with federal shutdowns in 2025 as congressional gridlock intensified. Budget standoffs became a recurring political drama, disrupting federal operations, delaying services, and amplifying partisan tensions. Each near‑miss or temporary funding patch underscored the fragility of governance in a hyper‑polarized environment.

T is for Trump, Donald J., inaugurated as America’s 47th president on January 20. Donald Trump, serving as president in 2025, shaped nearly every major U.S. political storyline—from foreign policy to technology investment. His administration’s push for quantum‑tech leadership, hard‑line immigration measures, and confrontational stance toward China and Iran defined the year’s policy climate. Trump’s presence also dominated media cycles, influencing markets, diplomacy, and domestic political behavior. The president who thrives on McDonald’s food and posts to his social media site, TruthSocial, lost considerable support in 2025 from MAGA loyalists who disengaged with Trump on various issues, including tariffs, the Epstein Files, DOGE, his failures in Ukraine and Gaza, his meme coin - which soared then collapsed in price, allegedly making the president over $2 billion - and military assaults on Iran and Venezuela and Nigeria.

U is for Ukraine, which remained a central global conflict zone in 2025, with the war continuing to reshape European security and Western defense policy. Aid debates in the U.S. and EU, battlefield shifts, and Russia’s evolving strategy kept Ukraine at the forefront of international attention. The conflict’s persistence influenced energy markets, NATO posture, and global diplomatic alignments.

V is for Venezuela. Venezuela’s political and economic crisis deepened in 2025, with contested elections, sanctions pressure, and migration surges affecting regional stability. The country’s oil sector remained a bargaining chip in negotiations with the U.S., while internal power struggles kept Venezuela in the headlines as a symbol of Latin America’s broader democratic challenges.

W is for Workslop, another term for AI production that doesn’t quite make the grade, often resulting in decreased productivity and increased workload for those who have to fix mistakes. “Workslop”—the viral term for low‑effort, AI‑generated corporate content—became a cultural critique in 2025. As companies flooded the internet with generic marketing copy, consumers and creators pushed back, sparking debates about authenticity, automation, and the erosion of craft. The backlash shaped conversations about AI ethics, digital clutter, and the future of creative labor.

X is for Xi Jinping, President of China. His leadership defined China’s assertive posture in 2025, from military signaling in the South China Sea to intensified competition with the U.S. over quantum computing and advanced chips. China’s rapid tech expansion and geopolitical maneuvering made Xi a central figure in global strategy discussions, influencing markets, alliances, and security planning.

Y is for Youngest Darts Champion. Luke Littler, who made global sports history in January 2025 when he won the PDC World Darts Championship at just 17 years old, becoming the youngest world champion in the history of darts. He defeated Michael van Gerwen 7–3 in a dominant final at Alexandra Palace, surging to a 4–0 lead and never looking back. His win wasn’t a fluke — it was the culmination of a breakout run that electrified the sport and drew massive international attention. By late 2025, Littler had climbed to World No. 1, becoming the youngest player ever to top the PDC rankings. His 2025 season included major titles at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, UK Open, and Players Championship Finals, cementing him as darts’ new generational force

Z is for Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani became the 112th mayor of New York City upon his inauguration on January 1, 2026, making history as the city’s first Muslim mayor, its first South Asian mayor, and the first mayor from Queens. A member of both the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani ran on an aggressively affordability‑focused platform: universal child care, a fare‑free bus system, and targeted rent freezes. His victory represented a generational and ideological shift in New York politics, elevating a figure whose roots in housing justice and transit advocacy resonated with a city grappling with cost‑of‑living pressures.