As 2025 unfolds, the world faces significant shifts. From climate crises in West Africa to continuing wars in Gaza and Sudan, Al Jazeera correspondents share their insights on the key events and challenges shaping the year ahead.

Canadian prime minister has confirmed he is stepping down as head of the Liberal Party of Canada. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Justin Trudeau said he will stay on until the party can appoint his replacement. “I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide competitive process,” Trudeau said. Calls for him to step aside have grown since December, when one of Trudeau’s closest cabinet allies, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, resigned after she pushed back against his proposals for more spending. Trudeau also told reporters that he received approval from the governor general – the representative of the British Crown in Canada – to prorogue Parliament until March 24. That means that parliamentary activities will be suspended.

In 2024, Jasmin Paris became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, a 100-mile race that snakes through Frozen Head State Park in the state of Tennessee. The runners have 60 hours to finish the course and Paris completed it with only seconds to spare. On this week’s Now You Know, we speak to Paris about what it takes, physically and mentally, to be the only woman to have completed the Barkley Marathons since it was established in 1989.

Syria’s new foreign minister has called on the United States to lift its sanctions on the country. He made the comments during a visit to Qatar as part of a regional tour, seeking diplomatic support. Qatar has reiterated the importance of preventing foreign interference in the establishment of the new government. The Syrian delegation is also expected in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Hamas has told news agencies that it has approved a list of 34 captives to be released as part of a potential ceasefire deal. Reports say Hamas is ready to return the captives, but the group is requesting a week of calm to identify them and their condition. And as Israel and Hamas debate the details of that deal, the Palestinian death toll mounts in Gaza. At least 13 Palestinians have been killed overnight. The Israeli military is targeting densely populated areas causing civilian casualties. In the Bureij camp in central Gaza, Israeli shelling on a home has killed at least three people, including a child.

Hamas has told Reuters, that it has approved a list of 34 captives presented by Israel, to be exchanged in a ceasefire deal. Hamas says any deal will depend on an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and a permanent ceasefire. Hamas has also told Reuters that it has seen no progress from Israel on this request.

The Ukrainian military has launched a new offensive in the Kursk region of Russia as Moscow’s forces continue to push deep inside eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian troops reportedly used heavy artillery, armoured vehicles and infantry during the assault northeast of the small town of Sudzha. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed in a statement on Sunday that Ukrainian forces launched new attacks amid their incursion into Russia that began with a surprise assault in August. The offensive comes as Russia intensifies efforts to push Ukrainian forces from their foothold in Kursk, which Kyiv sees as potential leverage in future peace talks.

The United Nations says only 16 of the 36 hospitals in Gaza are functional and only able to offer partial services. It's verified more than 650 Israeli attacks on medical facilities since the war began in October 2023. At least 1,054 health workers have been killed. Israel says Hamas fighters are operating from hospitals, but provides little evidence to substantiate its claim. Is it possible to prevent the collapse of Gaza's health system?

Another infant in Gaza has died from hypothermia amid severe weather and a lack of adequate shelters. The grieving father, seen at the hospital morgue, has lost two children to hypothermia this winter. These tragedies are part of the broader impact of the Israeli military’s actions in the region. Families endure harsh conditions in makeshift tents offering little protection against the freezing cold. Many lack basic necessities like blankets, mattresses, and winter clothing due to ongoing restrictions. The situation in Gaza has become a dire pressure cooker of despair and human suffering.

For more than 15 years, Nigeria’s armed forces have battled Boko Haram and groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS), with millions affected and thousands killed. Despite government claims of “technical defeat”, rebel attacks persist, raising critical questions about strategy and accountability. General Christopher Musa, Nigeria's chief of defence staff, talks about it and also discusses allegations of human rights abuses and corruption within the military and challenges that threaten troop morale and operational capacity. Meanwhile, security concerns are amplified by political instability in the region, including coups and external influences such as Russia.