WILL THE WORLD END IN 2026?

PROBABLY NOT

- Steve Bloomfield

As a new year dawns, there are far too many reasons to be pessimistic about the state of the world.

Russia's war against Ukraine is set to enter its fifth year, the promise of a fair peace deal still a distant dream. A shaky ceasefire may exist in Gaza, but Israel is claiming huge chunks of the territory, too much aid is still not getting in and the rest of Donald Trump's “peace plan” remains undiscussed, let alone agreed. Despite a UN commission of inquiry calling Israel's actions genocide, there is still no accountability.

Trump's actions in Venezuela have sounded the death knell for international law, while the rise of security populism in Latin America, China's war games around Taiwan and the western world's gutting of international aid have all left the world in a more dangerous place.

But it's worth taking a moment to focus on the positives - they really do exist. Here are 10 reasons to be optimistic about the year ahead.

The US midterms should loosen the Maga chokehold

It's sometimes hard to imagine, given how completely he dominates America, global politics and your timeline, but Trump is deeply unpopular. His approval rating is just 39%, the lowest of any president in his first year in office. If the midterm elections are free and fair, the Republicans will lose control of the House, opening the door to investigations into corruption, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the undeclared war in the Caribbean. Maga infighting will only increase and Republicans focused on their own political future will try to put some distance between themselves and the most unpopular man yet to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Viktor Orbán might lose