World News Profiles: People and Places in the Headlines
From Bridget Johnson, former About.com Guide
Behind every headline there is a fascinating individual, a group that deserves further explanation, or a country whose story has shaped its future. Read more about those people and places here.
People
Who's who behind the headlines? Read more about leaders and other figures in the news here.
- Honduras: Porfirio Lobo
- United Kingdom: The Royal Family
- Afghanistan: Abdullah Abdullah
- Libya: Moammar Gadhafi
- India: Aishwarya Rai
- Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi
- Venezuela: Hugo Chavez
- Iran: Ahmad Batebi
- Honduras: Manuel Zelaya
- North Korea: Kim Jong-Il
- Pakistan: Asif Ali Zardari
- Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe
- Zimbabwe: Morgan Tsvangirai
- Serbia: Radovan Karadzic
- Russia: Dmitry Medvedev
- Russia: Vladimir Putin
- South Africa: Nelson Mandela
- Palestinian Authority: Mahmoud Abbas
- Israel: Ehud Olmert
- Gaza Strip (Hamas): Khaled Mashal
Places
Take a trip around the globe and learn more about the places that are making the news.
- Israel
- Africa: Why There Are Two Congos
- Turkey: Istanbul or Constantinople?
- Central Asia: What the 'Stan' Suffix Means
- South Africa
- Poland
- Chile
Groups
A look into some of the groups and organizations that drive today's headlines.