From politicians to entertainers and ordinary citizens, we take a quick look at some of the words that made news in 2015.
"Je suis Charlie" is both a slogan and logo created by French art director Joachim Roncin in the wake of the Jan. 7 shooting at the Paris offices of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 dead.
In an interview with the BBC, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad stressed that he was not opposed to joining the fight alongside other countries at war with the Islamic State (ISIS) — but that he refused to be "a puppet," an apparent reference to Western- and Gulf Arab-backed opposition leaders.
"Stalin is like me. The moustache is exactly the same. Comrade Stalin who beat Hitler," Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said during a visit to the Caracas Book Fair in March.
At a ceremony in Yerevan marking the 100th anniversary of the start of the genocide of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan declared: "I am grateful to all those who are here to once again confirm your commitment to human values, to say that nothing is forgotten, that after 100 years we remember."
That's how legendary American talk-show host David Letterman wrapped up 33 years of The Late Show on May 20.
Anthony Thompson, a relative of one of the nine people killed during the June 17 Charleston, S.C., church massacre, confronted the shooter Dylann Storm Roof during his initial court hearing, asking for God's mercy on his soul.
Although he acknowledged that the deal was not perfect, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed a nuclear accord with world powers.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was widely hailed for her moral leadership in the face of Europe's escalating migrant crisis. She called on Germans to stand up to xenophobic behavior as she visited a migrant shelter in Heidenau, eastern Germany, after far-right opponents of asylum seekers rioted Aug. 22, wounding 35 police officers.
Becoming the first African-American to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama, Viola Davis gave a powerful acceptance speech about the lack of diversity in Hollywood, adding, "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."
Speaking at the 37th World Zionist Congress, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that it was a Muslim — Jerusalem's then-Mufti — who convinced the Nazi leader to exterminate European Jews. His comments, which contradict historical evidence, sparked criticism from both Muslim and Jewish leaders around the world.
Calling on the U.S. and Russia to combine forces against ISIS after the Nov. 11 terror attacks in Paris that left at least 130 dead, French President François Hollande declared that the country was at war "against jihadist terrorism" that is "threatening the whole world."
Real estate mogul and Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump responded to the Islamic terrorist attack that killed 14 in San Bernardino, Calif., with a proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants until American political leaders can "figure out what is going on." Trump's statement was sharply criticized by many in his own party as well as world leaders of several key U.S. allies.
