BREXIT chaos in Britain, with a Prime Minister showing a certain resilience but little else, amid concerns that her approach to immigration will cost us dearly in the years ahead; in America, a president addicted to disorder and belligerence, and whose tariff wars could yet prove harmful to global prosperity; in general, a conviction that much of the world still isn’t taking climate change with the gravity and urgency it demands.

The problems that became more evident, or which came to the fore, in the year that expires tonight do not, of course, quite end there. How can the west realistically counter Vladimir Putin’s continuing aggression? As James Mattis reminded us as he resigned as President Trump’s defence secretary, it is clear that China and Russia “want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model.” General Mattis also made a valuable point about the way that Trump treats America’s allies: the US, he said, cannot protect its interests or serve its role as “the indispensable nation in the free world ... without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies.” Is Mr Trump listening? If he is, he is hiding it exceptionally well.

It is difficult to quell the fear that his base-pleasing decision to withdraw all US troops from Syria will not only abandon pro-western Kurdish forces in that troubled country but will also give an unfortunate boost to jihadists. His move has pleased Putin, as well as Hezbollah and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but it may come at a cost for the west.

Mr Trump’s unpredictable, shoot-from-the-hip style has also caused jitters amongst investors.

There was, of course, much good news this year, but it seemed all too fleeting in the light of the gloom, adversity and uncertainty that crowded in on us. The issues mentioned above, and others as yet unforeseen, will shape 2019 for better or worse. But let’s take a breather from them while we can. A Happy New Year to all our readers.