From Syria's militant-turned-statesman Ahmed al-Sharaa to Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, here are five figures who helped define the year 2025.
Ahmed al-Sharaa
From a former militant known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani to Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, he has undergone a stunning transformation since overthrowing former ruler Bashar al-Assad.
On December 8, 2024, Sharaa entered Damascus after leading his alliance's lightning offensive from his stronghold in northwestern Syria, capping nearly 14 years of civil war.
Trading in his fatigues for suits, Sharaa took up residence in the presidential palace where Assad – who fled to Russia – and his family dynasty ruled for decades.
Sharaa quickly consolidated power: he was named president for a five-year transitional period and formed a government in which allies hold key positions, although parts of the country are still outside his control.
The international community has largely welcomed him with open arms, despite episodes of sectarian violence against Alawite and Druze minorities this year.
His November visit to the White House was the highest recognition for a man who once had a $10 million bounty on his head.
Mrbeast
In 2025, the world's most influential online content creator took on extravagant new projects, from an amusement park, an animated series to a toy brand.
Number one on YouTube with more than 450 million subscribers, Jimmy Donaldson, or MrBeast, heads an empire built around his personality, which includes a chocolate brand, a restaurant chain and even an Amazon Prime series.
The 27-year-old American creator even positioned himself as a candidate for the acquisition of the social network TikTok in the United States.
Starting with travel or prank videos, their brand has now evolved into popular contests with prizes often in the seven figures. In one case he reproduced the concept of the hit television series “The Squid Game.”
In September, his video “Would you risk your life for $500,000?”, featuring a stuntman in a burning building, sparked condemnation from some, accusing him of endangering lives for entertainment.
Named in 2023 by Time magazine as one of the most influential people in the world, MrBeast has an estimated fortune of around $500 million, according to Forbes.
Maria Corina Machado
The leader of Venezuela's underground opposition, María Corina Machado, is a fearless challenger to an iron-fisted government, a role that earned her the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
The 58-year-old has never shied away from criticizing President Nicolás Maduro, accused of stealing successive re-elections and imprisoning detractors, or his socialist predecessor Hugo Chávez.
However, he has come under scrutiny for his associations with the European far-right and US President Donald Trump.
Machado has welcomed the US military presence in the Caribbean, where attacks on suspected drug trafficking ships have claimed at least 83 lives since September.
Machado, an engineer by training, has rock star appeal and the ability to draw large crowds with enthusiastic speeches.
She was the opposition presidential candidate for the 2024 elections in Venezuela, before she was banned from participating.
Instead of quietly giving in, he campaigned tirelessly for his replacement: the little-known former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia.
Maduro claimed electoral victory, but only a handful of countries recognized his victory.
González Urrutia went into exile in Spain, but Machado remained to lead the resistance from hiding.
“I will be where I can be most useful to our country,” he told AFP in October.
Oleksandr Usyk
Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk cemented his place as one of boxing's all-time greats in 2025.
At 38, Usyk became two-time undisputed world heavyweight champion in July after knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
He says the glory goes not to him but to his beleaguered nation, Ukraine, and those defending it against Russian forces.
“I want to thank all of Ukraine, the guys who defend our country. I have received countless messages from soldiers… currently on the front lines,” he said. “You guys are amazing, you let me be here now.”
Usyk, who has won all 24 of his professional fights, has raised Ukraine's flag, whether fundraising or speaking, after being dissuaded from taking up arms.
He also used funds to rebuild the home of Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi, a friend and former teammate who was shot dead by Russian forces in Irpin, a kyiv suburb.
“Over the last three years, my foundation has raised millions of euros from various donors to support the army, reconstruction efforts and humanitarian projects,” he told AFP in March.
Virginia Giuffre
One of the main accusers of convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and former British Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, took her own life this April at age 41.
For almost 15 years, she spoke of being raped by the financier when she was a minor and claimed she was sexually exploited by some of Epstein's powerful friends, including then-Prince Andrew.
Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
His accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a 20-year prison sentence and Andrew has been stripped of all his royal titles.
US President Donald Trump, once close to Epstein, continues to deny any involvement.
Giuffre raised a family in Australia and founded “Speak Out, Act, Reclaim,” a support group for victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse. His memoirs were recently published posthumously.
