The Global Profile

Elis James thinks he has a friend in common with just about everyone else in Wales. Don’t believe him? Give him 60 seconds to prove it.

By Amelia Nierenberg

Alexander Sokurov has questioned the Russian president about government repression, but he is still controversial among his country’s exiles.

By Milana Mazaeva and Neil MacFarquhar

Pope Leo and Armando Jesús Lovera have known each other for decades. They have watched World Cup games together, gone on road trips and once searched for a teddy bear for Mr. Lovera’s future wife.

By Jason Horowitz

Olha Reshetylova has been tasked by the government with overseeing soldiers’ rights. Some commanders resent her, but she says her work makes the armed forces stronger.

By Maria Varenikova

Santiago Rivera is widely credited with creating the “burnt” cheesecake in the 1980s, though he doesn’t love the spinoffs it has spawned. Decades later, he’s preparing to hand over his kitchen to his children.

By Jason Horowitz

“I feel like we have given him to the world,” the filmmaker said in a conversation with The New York Times. Her next movie is about one of India’s greatest artists.

By Anupreeta Das

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s 35-year-old defense minister, sees futuristic military technology as crucial to his country’s survival.

By Andrew E. Kramer

Michal Gatchalian dared to speak out against sexual abuse by a priest in the devoutly Catholic Philippines. He’s now a lawyer helping other victims.

By Sui-Lee Wee, Aie Balagtas See and Jes Aznar

Thélyson Orélien, a Haitian-born, previously unknown writer, submitted an unsolicited manuscript. Its rights were sold in 23 countries before publication.

By Norimitsu Onishi and Nasuna Stuart-Ulin

Spaniards line up at weddings, tennis tournaments and galas to eat ham prepared by Ernesto Soriano, one of the world’s best slicers of jamón ibérico.

By Jason Horowitz