A former British diplomat now advising the UN Security Council has accused Israel of "making starvation a bargaining chip". Surprise, surprise, this did not go down well in Tel Aviv. Who is he?
Denmark's youngest ever PM, her stance on immigration has kept the far-right populists at bay, while her warnings over Greenland have had a similar effect on the US president. Who is she?
The diplomat who Tony Blair credited with negotiating the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland is now talking to the Turks, Kurds, Syrians, Ukrainians, and Americans, to name but a few.
A high-profile UN critic of Israel's conduct in Gaza, this Italian scholar has now called for big corporations helping Israel to be investigated for war crimes. The US response? Sanctions. Who is she?
A four-star general who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kurilla leads US forces in the Middle East and played a key role in the US mission to bomb Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Who is he?
The former head of the International Monetary Fund and president of the European Central Bank has confronted the monetary, inflationary, and trade crises affecting Europe
His supporters say his mayoral primary victory could be an inflexion point in American politics that shows the electoral viability of left-wing policies and support for Palestinian rights
For decades, Iran's supreme leader—first Khomeini, then Khamenei—pursued a strategy of backing regional militias to fight Israel, but with the 'resistance axis' in tatters, Iran is left to fight alone
His vocal criticism of Trump's immigration tactics has seen him emerge as one of the president's most prominent opponents, prompting speculation that he may have presidential ambitions
After Pakistan's recent military tensions with India, Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir emerged as a powerful and stabilising force. Who is he?
An axis comprising Israel, Ethiopia, and Somaliland appears to be emerging, which has the potential to polarise the Horn of Africa and rapidly accelerate its militarisation
For those who look closely, there were recurring cultural themes over the past 12 months, whether in cinema, music, art, or literature. There were also common threats and shared opportunities.
London is making it clear that it expects more than just symbolic gestures from Damascus when it comes to holding security forces accountable for atrocities