World leaders to watch: a dozen world leaders who are sure to make headlines in the year ahead.

• Author: Smith, Patricia
• Position: INTERNATIONAL - List

SYRIA

Bashar al-Assad Since: 2000

For the last three years, Assad's regime--a presidential dictatorship inherited from his father-has been fighting a civil war against rebels seeking Assad's ouster. The war, an outgrowth of Arab Spring protests, has so far killed more than 115,000 Syrians and made 2 million more refugees. An August poison gas attack by Assad's forces killed 1,400 Syrians and led President Obama to call for air strikes in retaliation. But in a last-minute deal brokered by Russia, Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons and the U.S. has put off a possible strike for now.

ISRAEL

Benjamin Netanyahu

Since: 2009 (also 1996-99)

Netanyahu became prime minister for the second time in 2009 and was re-elected this spring. The biggest threat Israel faces at the moment is from Iran, which the U.S. believes is developing nuclear weapons. Netanyahu, 64, has been skeptical of Iran's recent moves toward moderation. With prodding from the U.S., Israel recently resumed negotiations with the Palestinians, who want an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza.

EGYPT

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

Since: 2013

General Sisi, 59, heads Egypt's armed forces and has led the country since the military seized power this summer. Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, was ousted following mass demonstrations calling for the Islamist president's resignation. Some Egyptians applauded the military's intervention, but others were outraged. Egypt has been in turmoil and its economy in crisis since Arab Spring protests resulted in the ouster of longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

RUSSIA

Vladimir Putin

Since: 1999

By playing loose with the rules, Putin has run the show in Russia for 14 years, as either president or prime minister. His current term lasts until 2018 and he's hinted he might seek re-election. Putin has a contentious relationship with the U.S. (see p. 8) and his decision to grant accused American leaker Edward Snowden asylum has only made tensions worse. Putin has also been at loggerheads with the U.S. over Syria's civil war. In September, Russia worked out a last-minute deal to remove Syria's chemical weapons, avoiding U.S. air strikes.

GERMANY

Angela Merkel

Since: 2005

Merkel, 59, is the first East German and the first woman to serve as chancellor (equivalent to a prime minister). Germany's economy is the largest in Europe and the fifth-largest in the world. Merkel has played a key role in dealing with Europe's economic crisis and holding together the 17 European Union countries that use the euro as their currency. Merkel opted to provide billions of...