Scroll back through the last year, and the same words come up again and again. The top-trending terms of 2025, from artificial intelligence to Zohran Mamdani, shaped headlines across politics, conflict, technology and climate. As the year comes to a close, AJ Labs has compiled an A to Z list of names, places and issues that generated sustained interest throughout 2025, according to a loose analysis of our own most-viewed story tags and those that appeared in Google's most searched. Taken together, these terms are a patchwork of issues that are also likely to spill into 2026, from ongoing conflicts to a changing technosocial landscape not seen since the dawn of the internet. This is 2025 from A to Z, by the words that made the year.

Daycare scandal deepens as unearthed video shows parents'pretending to drop kids off before they all leave just MINUTES later' Incredible Chinese military feat has chilling consequences for America and its allies as new'High North' threat emerges Everyone's getting sacked': An electrifying phone call, spiralling costs and a troubling'transition'... as Harry and Meghan's most loyal aide leaves, insiders tell ALISON BOSHOFF what's really going on behind the scenes I was told my weight gain, facial hair and fatigue were normal. Astronaut reveals depression after an'avalanche of misogyny' following Blue Origin all-female space flight The mob used Marilyn Monroe as bait to blackmail the Kennedys. And when it didn't work she was murdered... in the most obscene way George Clooney, wife Amal and their eight-year-old twins become French citizens despite the actor admitting he's'bad' at speaking the language Blonde-haired teenage girl reveals what she thinks of Elon Musk's'creepy' public lust for her CIA'carries out drone strike' on Venezuelan drug port in first US land attack inside the country I shed a staggering 100lbs WITHOUT Ozempic: How I conquered my'out of control' eating habits to transform my life with a simple change Grim details of how shark lover's body was identified after she was killed by one of the predators while swimming off California coast US strikes'terrorist boat' lurking in international waters as dramatic footage shows devastating moment of impact A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side Daycare accused of multimillion-dollar fraud shifts blame for'revealing' mistake above its front door... as kids are suddenly'trucked in' David Muir's stunning $7m lakeside retreat revealed... as locals in cozy town where ABC News star can be himself offer intriguing glimpses into his private life Why Dry January is a BAD idea: Expert warns the popular craze leads to a'binge or bust' approach to drinking READ MORE: Do you drink more or less than the national average? After one too many drinks on Wednesday night, many will wake up and swear off alcohol for the month.

Daycare scandal deepens as unearthed video shows parents'pretending to drop kids off before they all leave just MINUTES later' Incredible Chinese military feat has chilling consequences for America and its allies as new'High North' threat emerges Everyone's getting sacked': An electrifying phone call, spiralling costs and a troubling'transition'... as Harry and Meghan's most loyal aide leaves, insiders tell ALISON BOSHOFF what's really going on behind the scenes I was told my weight gain, facial hair and fatigue were normal. Astronaut reveals depression after an'avalanche of misogyny' following Blue Origin all-female space flight The mob used Marilyn Monroe as bait to blackmail the Kennedys. And when it didn't work she was murdered... in the most obscene way George Clooney, wife Amal and their eight-year-old twins become French citizens despite the actor admitting he's'bad' at speaking the language Blonde-haired teenage girl reveals what she thinks of Elon Musk's'creepy' public lust for her CIA'carries out drone strike' on Venezuelan drug port in first US land attack inside the country I shed a staggering 100lbs WITHOUT Ozempic: How I conquered my'out of control' eating habits to transform my life with a simple change Grim details of how shark lover's body was identified after she was killed by one of the predators while swimming off California coast US strikes'terrorist boat' lurking in international waters as dramatic footage shows devastating moment of impact A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side Daycare accused of multimillion-dollar fraud shifts blame for'revealing' mistake above its front door... as kids are suddenly'trucked in' David Muir's stunning $7m lakeside retreat revealed... as locals in cozy town where ABC News star can be himself offer intriguing glimpses into his private life Loch Ness Monster has been'spotted' FIVE times this year, official records show The Loch Ness Monster was'spotted' five times in 2025, official records have revealed. The mythical creature has been a staple feature of Scottish folklore for centuries, but gained worldwide attention in 1933, when the first photo was snapped.

Daycare accused of multimillion-dollar fraud shifts blame for'revealing' mistake above its front door... as kids are suddenly'trucked in' Pilot best friends die after their helicopters collided in mid-air just after they'd eaten breakfast together at local cafe Everyone's getting sacked': An electrifying phone call, spiralling costs and a troubling'transition'... as Harry and Meghan's most loyal aide leaves, insiders tell ALISON BOSHOFF what's really going on behind the scenes I was told my weight gain, facial hair and fatigue were normal. The mob used Marilyn Monroe as bait to blackmail the Kennedys. And when it didn't work she was murdered... in the most obscene way George Clooney, wife Amal and their eight-year-old twins become French citizens despite the actor admitting he's'bad' at speaking the language Blonde-haired teenage girl reveals what she thinks of Elon Musk's'creepy' public lust for her US strikes'terrorist boat' lurking in international waters as dramatic footage shows devastating moment of impact I shed a staggering 100lbs WITHOUT Ozempic: How I conquered my'out of control' eating habits to transform my life with a simple change Grim details of how shark lover's body was identified after she was killed by one of the predators while swimming off California coast Health and wellness expert reveals the fitness trend of 2026... 'Zone Zero exercise will be essential' Fears Anthony Joshua's car crash injuries are worse than first thought: Sources say £100m Tyson Fury mega-fight is in the balance amid potential internal injuries and psychological trauma of seeing close friends killed Joe Rogan slammed for'pretty girl' comment about champion fighter Dakota Ditcheva A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side Promising young graduate, 23, was coaxed into suicide by ChatGPT'friend', distraught parents allege David Muir's stunning $7m lakeside retreat revealed... as locals in cozy town where ABC News star can be himself offer intriguing glimpses into his private life A snapshot of the universe at work: Incredible image shows'star-making factory' inside a Large Magellanic Cloud A new picture from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a beautiful'star-making factory' deep in the universe this week. The image focuses in on a piece of space 160,000 light years from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Tim Walz responds to Minnesota fraud scandal after Kash Patel says new claims of stolen taxpayer money'just tip of the iceberg' Awkward moment Trump stuns reporters into silence after asking if they would consider free lunch at Mar-a-Lago a'bribe' American Airlines pilot's eye-watering paycheck goes viral: 'The reaction here is embarrassing' I'm a psychiatrist who almost never prescribes antidepressants. My drug-free treatment has a 70% success rate... Jennifer Garner shares hilariously relatable and unflattering photos for viral'felt pretty trend' My rape hell in Gaza: 'Sex slave' hostage feared she was pregnant after being raped while unconscious and describes how one attacker was'ecstatic' as she wept through 30-minute ordeal The final promise Brigitte Bardot made her estranged son Nicolas-Jacques Charrier before her death after admitting she'd rather'give birth to a dog' Minimum wage hikes hit millions from January 1 - here's who gets a raise and how much Female triathlete's corpse is found six days after she was killed in shark attack while swimming with her husband off California coast A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side How man's best friend saved his owner's life after pensioner collapsed on beach Missing Texas teenager in'imminent danger' as sheriff confirms she was NOT detained by ICE after vanishing while going for a walk on Christmas Eve Nicola Peltz unleashes SECOND'dig' at the Beckham family's'behaviour' hours after claiming she'loves being at home' in LA after husband Brooklyn missed Holly Ramsay's UK wedding Travis Kelce will play on... but NOT with the Kansas City Chiefs, claims NFL legend amid retirement talk DC pipe bomb suspect confesses to planting explosives after watching YouTube but says he'did not want to kill people' Ouch! Watch the eye-watering moment a man is kicked in the GROIN by a robot mimicking his movements A hilarious video has revealed the moment a man was kicked in the groin by a humanoid robot that was mimicking his own movements. The footage was initially shared to BiliBili by user zeonsunlight, but has since gone viral across social media. It shows a man wearing a motion capture suit - an outfit with sensors that record body movements and convert them into digital motion data.

Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side Donald Trump meets with Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago as president snaps at reporter: 'What a stupid question' SARAH VINE: The miasma of gloom has finally lifted over the royals. How sad Harry and Meghan can't see past their own psychodramas to allow their children to join this happy band Fast moving winter storm and possible'bomb cyclone' set to sweep across the country as 40 million Americans are placed on alert Redemption for Jake Paul's fiancee as Jutta Leerdam bounces back after heartbreaking fall at Olympic trials FBI gives update on daycare accused of $4MILLION taxpayer fraud as Kash Patel says it's the'tip of the iceberg' and vows to'follow the money and protect children' A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Shopping mall was once the jewel in Democrat-run city's crown in its 90s heyday but now it's a ghost town and up for sale Brigitte Bardot's final social media posts show her doing what she loved and looking remarkably healthy without the care she relied upon in her final years - just days before her death Nashville's brutal secret RANKING of influencers - revealed: From the'cougar' to the country music WAG with an ugly nickname... and the star whose marriage is facing WILD accusations Bryson DeChambeau gives stark update on his LIV Golf future after Brooks Koepka's shock exit I've been a mechanic for 50 years... here are the cars you should desperately avoid: 'Blowing up' I'm a psychiatrist who almost never prescribes antidepressants. My drug-free treatment has a 70% success rate... Injured veterans say Meta's AI-powered glasses are a'gamechanger' for people with disabilities - as it allows them to send texts and get directions by just using their voice The Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses and newer Oakley Vanguard glasses might look like a standard pair of chunky specs. But in reality, these cutting-edge wearables are a hands-free device that lets users seamlessly interact with AI controls.

Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side Donald Trump meets with Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago as president snaps at reporter: 'What a stupid question' SARAH VINE: The miasma of gloom has finally lifted over the royals. How sad Harry and Meghan can't see past their own psychodramas to allow their children to join this happy band Fast moving winter storm and possible'bomb cyclone' set to sweep across the country as 40 million Americans are placed on alert Redemption for Jake Paul's fiancee as Jutta Leerdam bounces back after heartbreaking fall at Olympic trials FBI gives update on daycare accused of $4MILLION taxpayer fraud as Kash Patel says it's the'tip of the iceberg' and vows to'follow the money and protect children' A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Shopping mall was once the jewel in Democrat-run city's crown in its 90s heyday but now it's a ghost town and up for sale Brigitte Bardot's final social media posts show her doing what she loved and looking remarkably healthy without the care she relied upon in her final years - just days before her death Nashville's brutal secret RANKING of influencers - revealed: From the'cougar' to the country music WAG with an ugly nickname... and the star whose marriage is facing WILD accusations Melanie Watson dead at 57: Diff'rent Strokes star dies after suffering severe health complications in hospital Bryson DeChambeau gives stark update on his LIV Golf future after Brooks Koepka's shock exit I've been a mechanic for 50 years... here are the cars you should desperately avoid: 'Blowing up' Charlie Kirk was the top trending search term Google in the UK in 2025, according to an annual list compiled by the search engine. The Turning Point USA founder, 31, who was gunned down at a speaking event at a Utah college campus, was also the most read article globally on Wikipedia. Following Kirk, the second most searched subject was Ozzy Osbourne .

Inside the somber birthday of Rob Reiner's heartbroken daughter Romy: Pictured for first time since parents' murders... she seeks solace at the beach with boyfriend and family by her side Donald Trump meets with Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago as president snaps at reporter: 'What a stupid question' SARAH VINE: The miasma of gloom has finally lifted over the royals. How sad Harry and Meghan can't see past their own psychodramas to allow their children to join this happy band Fast moving winter storm and possible'bomb cyclone' set to sweep across the country as 40 million Americans are placed on alert Redemption for Jake Paul's fiancee as Jutta Leerdam bounces back after heartbreaking fall at Olympic trials FBI gives update on daycare accused of $4MILLION taxpayer fraud as Kash Patel says it's the'tip of the iceberg' and vows to'follow the money and protect children' A Boy Scout vanished in the mountains then stumbled into a police station 12 years later. The tale gripped social media... but then the truth came out Shopping mall was once the jewel in Democrat-run city's crown in its 90s heyday but now it's a ghost town and up for sale Brigitte Bardot's final social media posts show her doing what she loved and looking remarkably healthy without the care she relied upon in her final years - just days before her death Nashville's brutal secret RANKING of influencers - revealed: From the'cougar' to the country music WAG with an ugly nickname... and the star whose marriage is facing WILD accusations Melanie Watson dead at 57: Diff'rent Strokes star dies after suffering severe health complications in hospital Bryson DeChambeau gives stark update on his LIV Golf future after Brooks Koepka's shock exit I've been a mechanic for 50 years... here are the cars you should desperately avoid: 'Blowing up' Google reveals most popular trends of 2025 in website's'Year in Search' Sign up for our US Editor's Picks newsletter to get all the best exclusive stories Google has revealed that Charlie Kirk was the top trending US search of 2025 following the conservative influencer's assassination in September. The search engine platform shared its top US searches in its Year in Search on Sunday, an annual report and recap of the platform's most popular searches that users most wanted to know about throughout the year. Following Kirk in the top searches list was KPop Demon Hunters.

What's happening in Myanmar's civil war as military holds elections? Voters in parts of Myanmar are heading to the polls on Sunday for an election that critics view as a bid by the country's generals to legitimise military rule, nearly five years after they overthrew the government of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The multi-phased election is unfolding amid a raging civil war, with ethnic armed groups and opposition militias fighting the military for control of vast stretches of territory, stretching from the borderlands with Bangladesh and India in the west, across the central plains, to the frontiers with China and Thailand in the north and east. Another third will be covered during a second and third phase in January, while voting has been cancelled altogether in the remainder. Fighting, including air raids and arson, has intensified in several areas.

If a major disaster like Fukushima or Chornobyl ever happens again, the world would know almost straight away, thanks to an array of government and DIY radiation-monitoring programs running globally.