PARIS: Next year promises trips around the Moon, footballing spectacles and a battle for control of the US Congress.

Here are five big events to watch out for in 2026.

Climate: Will the world act?

The world is already experiencing record heat — and things are likely to get hotter in 2026.

Last year was the warmest on record, but the UN says there is an 80% chance that at least one year will be even hotter by 2029.

How will nations react? COP30 in Brazil recently showed that multilateralism in climate action is not dead, despite the US boycott and geopolitical conflicts.

“2026 must be the year in which international climate diplomacy reinvents itself,” said Rebecca Thissen, from Climate Action Network.

“COPs are not an end in themselves but a high point in an international political agenda that desperately needs to get on the same page,” she added.

A close eye will be kept on how many countries respond to Colombia´s invitation to the first international conference on phasing out fossil fuels in April.

Aleksandar Rankovic, director of The Common Initiative think tank, was disappointed by COP30’s outcome and wondered if the “Gen Z-led rebellions that have emerged worldwide will start fighting for climate as well” in 2026.

Biggest football World Cup

The biggest World Cup in history will see 48 countries competing in the United States, Canada and Mexico, under the gaze of President Donald Trump.

The most-watched sports event in the world will unfold over nearly six weeks, from June 11 to July 19, with the US providing 11 of the 16 venues.

US President Donald Trump’s tensions with the co-hosts over tariffs and immigration could make for a politically charged competition.

On the pitch, a richly talented French squad led by Kylian Mbappe will be determined to make up for their defeat to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar, but Spain also have high hopes.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 when the tournament kicks off, has said his sixth World Cup will be his last, and he would dearly like to crown his career with a first global title for Portugal.

Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and the tiny island nation of Curacao are among the countries appearing for the first time.

Fans could face eye-watering costs for the most popular games due to Fifa’s use of dynamic ticket pricing.

Gaza, Israel, Netanyahu’s future

US pressure led to a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into force on October 10, after two years of war.

The truce is proving highly fragile, and Trump’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip leaves many points unresolved, such as future stages of the Israeli army’s withdrawal, reconstruction of the Palestinian territory and its future governance.

By formally endorsing Trump´s plan, the UN Security Council laid the groundwork for the deployment of an international force in Gaza that, fundamentally, neither Israel nor Hamas wants.

The Palestinian group refuses to disarm under the conditions set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is threatening to resume fighting if the Gaza Strip cannot be demilitarised through diplomacy.

Now 76, Netanyahu intends to run again in the elections due to be held no later than November 2026.

His multi-party coalition, which now holds just 60 of 120 seats in parliament, remains fragile.

A broad majority of Israelis want to see Netanyahu held accountable for the failures that led to the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

A relative majority also oppose him receiving the presidential pardon he requested at the end of November in a bid to rid himself of his long-running corruption trials.

Netanyahu might therefore be tempted to pursue the military option against Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon to keep his far-right allies on board, and secure the total victory he has promised Israelis.

Control of US Congress

As voters brace for the 2026 US midterm elections, the stakes could hardly be higher — for Trump, Congress and the nation.

Trump isn’t on the ballot, but a strong Republican showing would validate his authority beyond the White House.

But if his favoured candidates fail to perform, it could expose cracks in his movement and complicate any succession plan.

Republican control of Congress, meanwhile, is hanging by a thread.

Razor-thin majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate hinge on defending constituencies with vulnerable incumbents in battlegrounds like Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio.

With no checkbox marked “Trump” on the ballot, the president is having to pull out all the stops to make sure his supporters turn out en masse.

Democrats see and opportunity, especially as the party of the incumbent typically loses seats in midterms.

Forecasts suggest Republicans could struggle to hold the House, and Democrats are also targeting four Senate seats needed to take control.

While full Republican control would let Trump cement his legacy, Democratic control in either chamber would slow his agenda and likely entangle his administration in investigations.

Astronauts around the Moon

Politicians and enthusiasts dream of the day when people will walk on the Moon again.

Although it’s unlikely to happen next year, Nasa is planning a crewed mission to fly around the Earth’s satellite — the much-delayed Artemis II is scheduled for lift-off by April at the latest.

It would be a huge step towards Americans once again setting foot on the lunar surface, a goal announced by Trump in his first term.

China aims to land on the Moon by 2030 and is also making progress.

Its Chang’e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon’s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead next year.

India, which landed a robot on the Moon in 2023, is another country with emerging space exploration ambitions, planning to send an astronaut into orbit in 2027.

• UNGA adopts resolution co-sponsored by 65 countries by consensus.
• Resolution text deals with social, humanitarian, and cultural issues.
• UNGA deplores plight of people displaced from occupied territories.
  

The UN General Assembly stamped its approval on a Pakistan-backed resolution that reaffirms the right to self-determination for people being subjected to colonial, foreign, and alien occupation.

The text, which was adopted by consensus, was recommended last month by the 193-member Assembly’s Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian, and cultural issues.

Pakistan has been tabling this resolution since 1981 in an effort to focus the world’s attention on the people in occupied territories, struggling for their inalienable right to self-determination, including those in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.

By reaffirming the right to self-determination, the UNGA has once again emphasised its applicability in situations where people remain deprived of this right and uphold the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and relevant UN resolutions.

The resolution serves as an important expression of international solidarity with people under occupation and those who are striving to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination, diplomats said.

For the people of IIOJK, it reinforces international attention to their just cause and their aspirations for freedom and dignity, it was pointed out.

Co-sponsored by 65 nations representing all regions, the text calls on certain countries to immediately cease their illegal foreign military intervention in and occupation of other countries and territories, as well as acts of repression, discrimination, and maltreatment.

Under its terms, the resolution also declared the UNGA’s firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression, and occupation, since these have resulted in the suppression of the right of peoples to self-determination and other human rights in certain parts of the world.

The UNGA also deplored the plight of millions of refugees and displaced persons who have been uprooted as a result of these acts and reaffirms their right to return to their homes voluntarily in safety and honour.

It urges the Human Rights Council to give special attention to the violation of human rights, especially the right to self-determination, resulting from foreign military intervention, aggression, or occupation.

SYDNEY:  A man credited with saving lives for wrestling a gun from one of the alleged attackers during a mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach received a cheque for more than A$2.5 million ($1.65 million) on Friday, after tens of thousands of people contributed to a donation website.

Ahmed al Ahmed hid behind parked cars before charging at one of the gunmen from behind, seizing his weapon and knocking him to the ground. Ahmed suffered gunshot wounds after apparently being fired on by a second perpetrator and remains in hospital after undergoing surgery.

Ahmed, a Muslim father-of-two, was presented with an oversized cheque at his St George hospital bed by Zachery Dereniowski, a social media influencer and co-organiser of the GoFundMe page, videos posted online showed.

More than 43,000 people worldwide contributed to the fundraising, including billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman who gave A$99,999 and shared the fundraiser on his X account. Australia’s prime minister and the state premier have visited Ahmed in hospital to praise his bravery.

When handed the cheque, Ahmed asks, “I deserve it?” to which Dereniowski says “every penny”, the video shows.

When asked what he would say to the people who donated, Ahmed said: “To stand with each other, all human beings. And forget everything bad … and keep going to save life.”

“When I saved the people I [did it] from the heart because it was a nice day, everyone enjoying celebrating, with their kids, women, men, teenagers, everyone was happy and they deserve, they deserve to enjoy,” Ahmed said, raising his uninjured fist in the air.

“This country [is the] best country in the world, but we’re not going to stand and keep watching — enough is enough. God protect Australia. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.” The tobacco store owner did not say what he planned to do with the money.

Ahmed, 43, left his hometown in Syria’s northwest province of Idlib nearly 20 years ago to seek work in Australia.

As many as 15 people were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday after two gunmen opened fire at people celebrating Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights at the famous beach.

Authorities allege a 50-year-old father, who was shot dead by police, and his 24-year-old son, who was critically wounded, carried out the attack.