Did the world change forever in 2024? The last 12 months have seen wars, elections, flooding and revolution.
Review of the year: the big stories
Wild ride: In ten years’ time will we remember this was the year when Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, Donald Trump was nearly assassinated, Israel’s war in Gaza exploded across the Middle East and AI grew by leaps and bounds? Glossary
Prime minister - A prime minister is the head of government in a country with a parliamentary system.
General election - In the UK, when an election is held for all 650 members of the House of Commons. One must take place every five years.
Conservatives - A traditionally right-wing or centre right political party in the UK. Members are sometimes called Tories.
Labour - Britain's main left-of-centre political party.
Israel - A country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the modern period. It is seen by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land.
Hamas - A militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Lebanon - A small country on the eastern Mediterranean coast that has been in the grip of an economic crisis for over a year. It has a native population of just 4.7 million, but migrants and refugees have brought its total population up to almost 7 million.
President - In some countries, the leader is called the president.
Kamala Harris - US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's running mate. If elected, she will be the first female vice president of the USA.
Donald Trump - An American politician, media personality, and businessman serving as the 47th president of the United States since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Syria - A Middle Eastern country that was the site of much of the fighting during the Crusades.
Government - The group of people who govern - or lead - the country.