List of 2024: The Year’s Best Stories articles

2024: The Year’s Best Stories

A person on horseback wearing a full suit of armor leads a procession of French military officers carrying the flags of dozens of countries during the Olympics opening ceremony.
A person on horseback wearing a full suit of armor leads a procession of French military officers carrying the flags of dozens of countries during the Olympics opening ceremony.

What in the World?

Elections, Olympics, assassinations, and more—test yourself on the whirlwind of international news in the past year.

Quiz
Syd Kuntz
A photo collage illustration shows Donald Trump in profile against red striped background on a beige field. At left is the White House. At right, shipping containers, barricades used in war, and a cloud from a bomb attack in Gaza.
A photo collage illustration shows Donald Trump in profile against red striped background on a beige field. At left is the White House. At right, shipping containers, barricades used in war, and a cloud from a bomb attack in Gaza.

Our Most Read Stories of 2024

Readers followed the U.S. presidential election as well as coverage of the war in Ukraine, China’s military, and India’s role on the world stage.

Roundup
FP Contributors
Kamala Harris is silhouetted against a cloudy sky at sunset as she walks up the steps of a plane.
Kamala Harris is silhouetted against a cloudy sky at sunset as she walks up the steps of a plane.

How Foreign Policy Shaped the 2024 U.S. Election

What does Trump’s victory show about how Americans view their place in the world?

5 Top Reads
Amelia Lester
An overhead view of the coal-fired Soma power plant in Manisa, western Turkey.
An overhead view of the coal-fired Soma power plant in Manisa, western Turkey.

Where Does the Climate Movement Go From Here?

The world is falling behind on its climate targets—but that’s not reason to give up hope.

5 Top Reads
Chloe Hadavas
An illustrated headshot of Adam Tooze wearing headphones with inset images of Beyonce, Simone Biles, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and a man with a hand on his head.
An illustrated headshot of Adam Tooze wearing headphones with inset images of Beyonce, Simone Biles, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and a man with a hand on his head.

5 Times Tooze in 2024

The year’s best episodes of FP’s economics podcast.

Roundup
Dan Ephron
A shadow of Donald Trump is seen on the side of an airplane.
A shadow of Donald Trump is seen on the side of an airplane.

What 2024 Meant for U.S. Foreign Policy

The American people had a big decision to make this year, but was there ultimately more continuity than change in their choice?

5 Top Reads
Amelia Lester
An illustration shows a drawn portrait of S. Jaishankar's head and shoulders atop a patterned carpet. Behind him standing stairs is a full length image of Narendra Modi. At left Is Xi Jinping and at right is Joe Biden. A temple and cloudy sky is behind Jaishankar's head. The scene is framed by Indian symbols. The term "Bharat" is written in Hindi above his head.
An illustration shows a drawn portrait of S. Jaishankar's head and shoulders atop a patterned carpet. Behind him standing stairs is a full length image of Narendra Modi. At left Is Xi Jinping and at right is Joe Biden. A temple and cloudy sky is behind Jaishankar's head. The scene is framed by Indian symbols. The term "Bharat" is written in Hindi above his head.

2024’s Best Profiles

The personalities who shaped politics this year.

Roundup
Amelia Lester
A woman in colorful clothing and a headscarf carries a bag on her head as she walks with other refugees past a razoer wire fence.
A woman in colorful clothing and a headscarf carries a bag on her head as she walks with other refugees past a razoer wire fence.

From Sudan to the Sahel, War Spreads

Across the continent, existing conflicts are intensifying and dormant rivalries reemerging.

5 Top Reads
Sasha Polakow-Suransky
Alexei Navalny stands in a crowd.
Alexei Navalny stands in a crowd.

The Most Notable Obituaries of 2024

FP examines the global legacies of those who died this year, from Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.

Roundup
Jennifer Williams
Two people sit on the steps in front of a red door in Beijing. Above them is the Chinese flag.
Two people sit on the steps in front of a red door in Beijing. Above them is the Chinese flag.

China Is Still Suffering an Economic Hangover

This year showed that there is no end in sight to the problems that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

5 Top Reads
James Palmer
Supporters cheer as newly-elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives at the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on July 6.
Supporters cheer as newly-elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives at the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on July 6.

2024 Was a Year of Angry Elections

A diverse array of countries held national votes this year—but a single storyline stood out.

5 Top Reads
Cameron Abadi
A Houthi fighter guards the Galaxy Leader vessel on the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, Yemen.
A Houthi fighter guards the Galaxy Leader vessel on the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, Yemen.

A Year of War Has Left the Middle East Less Stable

Disorder and instability reign from Gaza to Syria and the Red Sea.

5 Top Reads
Sasha Polakow-Suransky
A gridded background with photos of six people on it.
A gridded background with photos of six people on it.

The Best Conversations of the Year

FP Live’s guests included the WTO secretary-general and U.S. ambassador to China.

Roundup
Dana Sherne
An illustration shows a semiconductor chip as a table with small figures gathered around it. Around it is an electric grid connecting to data centers.
An illustration shows a semiconductor chip as a table with small figures gathered around it. Around it is an electric grid connecting to data centers.

What Are AI’s Rules of the Road?

This year, countries and companies debated how the technology should be regulated.

5 Top Reads
Amelia Lester
A photo collage illustration shows Chinese leader Xi Jinping walking down red-carpeted stairs. At left are two sparring hawks. Behind him is the US Capitol and Donald Trump with his hand to his face. At lower right are two Chinese protesters.
A photo collage illustration shows Chinese leader Xi Jinping walking down red-carpeted stairs. At left are two sparring hawks. Behind him is the US Capitol and Donald Trump with his hand to his face. At lower right are two Chinese protesters.

Our Top Long Reads From 2024

Foreign Policy’s best deep dives of the year.

Roundup
Allison Meakem
A Ukrainian tank crew member of the 68th Jaeger Brigade stands on a Leopard 1A5 tank near Pokrovsk, the eastern Donetsk region, on Dec. 13.
A Ukrainian tank crew member of the 68th Jaeger Brigade stands on a Leopard 1A5 tank near Pokrovsk, the eastern Donetsk region, on Dec. 13.

How We Got Here in the Russia-Ukraine War

Our must-read articles on the state of the conflict, its impact on the global order, and the chance for peace.

5 Top Reads
Stefan Theil
An illustration of geopolitical words from 2024: Anchor-dragging-ATACMS, Lavender, P&I clubs, Autogolpe, gallium and germanium.
An illustration of geopolitical words from 2024: Anchor-dragging-ATACMS, Lavender, P&I clubs, Autogolpe, gallium and germanium.

New Geopolitical Words We Learned in 2024

Lavender is sinister, not sweet—and if you can’t join the P&I club, you can ghost it.

Analysis
Elisabeth Braw
An illustration of a blooming plum branch shows a statue of Chairman Mao at left with workers walking across a bridge before the scene turns into one of growth and modernity with city skyline plane and construction cranes.
An illustration of a blooming plum branch shows a statue of Chairman Mao at left with workers walking across a bridge before the scene turns into one of growth and modernity with city skyline plane and construction cranes.

The Books FP’s Contributors Loved This Year

Our favorite reviews of 2024.

Roundup
Chloe Hadavas
An illustration of books inset into red ornaments.
An illustration of books inset into red ornaments.

FP’s Holiday Book List

Our columnists and staff writers recommend their top reads for the end of the year.

Books
FP Staff, FP Contributors
An illustration shows airpods over the logos of five podcasts: Back to Rwanda, The Afghan Impasse, Counterpoint, Hero, and The Catch
An illustration shows airpods over the logos of five podcasts: Back to Rwanda, The Afghan Impasse, Counterpoint, Hero, and The Catch

The World as We Hear it

FP’s five best podcast episodes of 2024.

Roundup
Dan Ephron
The defaced portraits of toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and Russia's President Vladimir Putin hang above an entrance to a building, reportedly used by the Russian Army, in the Syrian town of Al-Bassah in the Latakia province on Dec. 12.
The defaced portraits of toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and Russia's President Vladimir Putin hang above an entrance to a building, reportedly used by the Russian Army, in the Syrian town of Al-Bassah in the Latakia province on Dec. 12.

Who Were the Winners and Losers of 2024?

Matt and Emma take a look back at a turbulent year in global politics.

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
Trucks loaded with copper prepare to leave Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in the world, in the southeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17, 2023.
Trucks loaded with copper prepare to leave Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in the world, in the southeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17, 2023.

Africa Brief’s Year in Review

Middle powers rise, some democracies prevail, and great powers spur a scramble for infrastructure.

Africa Brief
Nosmot Gbadamosi