World Leaders

Datanomics: The global history and pattern of executing political leaders

Sheikh Hasina's death sentence is only the second this century, but over 30 world leaders have faced execution orders in past 100 years, spanning monarchs, dictators and even elected heads of state

UN General Assembly 2025: World leaders meet amid Gaza, Ukraine crises

Assembly comes at a time of heightened international tensions, with Israel's military campaign in Gaza and Russia's war in Ukraine likely to feature prominently in speeches and diplomatic meetings

Datanomics: PM Modi at 75, still young in the senior global leaders' club

The members of Lok Sabha aged 71-80 have been in the range of 5-8 per cent of the total strength of the house, while those above 80 have been even less

PM Modi tops global approval rankings, Trump and western leaders trail

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes the second-longest serving PM, a global tracker shows rising discontent with western leaders, approval for Donald Trump hits a new low

European leaders back new fund, urge investment in war-hit Ukraine

European leaders urged private business and equity on Thursday to invest in rebuilding Ukraine now, even as Russia accelerates its war, as they opened an annual recovery conference with announcements of a new equity fund and public-private partnerships amid uncertainties of the US commitment to Kyiv's defence. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy kicked off the proceedings in Rome as Russia pounded Ukraine's capital with another major missile and drone attack overnight in some of the heaviest attacks on Kyiv in the more than three-year war. The conference is expected to finalise individual deals of guarantees and grants to unlock more than 10 billion Euros (around USD 12 billion) in investments, Meloni said. The European Commission, for its part, announced the creation of the largest equity fund to date to support Ukraine, the European Flagship Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine. The message we want to send today to businesses is: Don't be .

World leaders desperate for trade deals amid tariff chaos, claims Trump

President Donald Trump claimed world leaders were "dying to make a deal" with the US and would do anything to secure a pact on tariffs. I am telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass," Trump said during a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday. The president, who imposed a wide range of tariffs on various countries and triggered a global trade war, said: They are dying to make a deal. 'Please, please sir, make a deal. I'll do anything sir'. Many new tariffs, announced by Trump on April 2, took effect on Wednesday morning. Trump's tariffs include massive 104 per cent duties on Chinese goods while dozens of other nations, including the European Union, will face tariffs ranging from 11 per cent to 50 per cent. Trump also announced plans for additional tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. We're going to tariff our pharmaceuticals and once we do that they're going to come rushing back into our country because we're the big market

Leaders at Davos hail 'constructive optimism' despite divisions in world

The European Central Bank's president responded Friday to US President Donald Trump's accusation of unfair trade treatment by the European Union by calling for negotiations and mutual respect rather than a focus purely on trans-Atlantic trade figures. The comments by Christine Lagarde alluding to a US-EU rift offered a fitting final note at the World Economic Forum's weeklong meeting: Trump's return to the White House on Monday was on everyone's lips, overshadowing traditional Davos talk about issues like climate change, free trade and economic development. Many business leaders, world-class academics, top government officials and other elites on hand sought to cast an upbeat tone about economic prospects, efforts to end wars in places like Ukraine and the Middle East, and technological progress. Some human rights advocates insisted that the poor, war victims and struggling migrants shouldn't be forgotten. Trump talks tariffs Trump, in an video address and question-and-answer sess

World Economic Forum: Leaders call for action on AI, regional reforms

Leaders from various countries called for action on artificial intelligence and reforms as they brainstormed here during the five-day World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, which ends on Friday. In a special address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a reform of social media governance across the European Union to curb misinformation and cyber harassment. He urged for stronger enforcement of the Digital Services Act and expanded powers for the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency. He emphasised that "the values of the European Union are not for sale" and called for increased funding for research into social media algorithms to ensure Europe's brightest minds address this critical challenge. United Nations Secretary-General Antnio Guterres issued a stark warning about two escalating global threats: the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. These challenges, he warned, pose unprecedented risks to humanity and demand immediate, unifi

World leaders pour in wishes to Trump on his swearing-in as US President

Starmer said he hoped to meet Trump and continue the shared mission of peace between the US and UK

World leaders mourn passing of longest-serving former US Prez Jimmy Carter

According to the Carter Center's statement from February 2023, after a series of hospital stays, the former US President decided to stop further medical treatment and spend his remaining time at home

Great leaders: Balancing efficiency, effectiveness, and community impact

Leaders who extract extraordinary efficiency from resources are lionised during their times and criticised later

World leaders condemn Magdeburg Christmas market car attack in Germany

At least two people were killed and dozens injured in the attack at a Christmas market

Notre Dame reopens doors to Macron, world leaders in rare symbol of unity

France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is widely seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. Under the luminous stained glass, many world leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers will gather in the evening to mark the occasion a rare moment of unity against the backdrop of global divisions and conflicts. America's first lady Jill Biden, Britain's Prince William and President-elect Donald Trump, along with nearly 50 heads of state and government and personalities 1,500 guests in all will attend the reopening celebration under Notre Dame's soaring Gothic arches, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich. Instead of starting from the .

US elections: World leaders congratulate Donald Trump on his victory

"Ukraine, as one of Europe's strongest military powers, is committed to ensuring long-term peace and security in Europe and the Transatlantic community with the support of our allies. I am looking for

Fitness app Strava gives away location of Biden, Trump and other leaders

An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde found that the highly confidential movements of U.S. President Joe Biden, presidential rivals Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and other world leaders can be easily tracked online through a fitness app that their bodyguards use. But the U.S. Secret Service told the newspaper that it doesn't believe the protection it provides was in any way compromised. Le Monde found that some U.S. Secret Service agents use the Strava fitness app, including in recent weeks after the two assassination attempts on Trump, in a video investigation released in French and in English. Strava is a fitness tracking app primarily used by runners and cyclists to record their activities and share their workouts with a community. Le Monde also found Strava users among the security staff for French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In one example, Le Monde traced the Strava movements of Macron's bodyguards to determine that the French leade

King Charles says past can't change as leaders urge UK to confront slavery

King Charles III told a summit of Commonwealth countries in Samoa Friday that the past could not be changed as he indirectly acknowledged calls from some of Britain's former colonies for a reckoning over its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The British royal understood the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate," he told leaders in Apia. But Charles stopped short of mentioning financial reparations that some leaders at the event have urged and instead exhorted them to find the right language and an understanding of history to guide us towards making the right choices in future where inequality exists." None of us can change the past but we can commit with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to write the inequalities that endure," said Charles, who is attending his first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, or CHOGM, as Britain's head of state. His remarks at the summit's official opening ceremony echoed comments a day earlie

Elon Musk vs the world: Fights the tech titan has been picking up globally

Maduro to Zelensky: Here are all the world leaders Elon Musk has clashed with

PM Modi crosses 100 mn followers on X, becomes most followed world leader

PM Modi is far ahead of other world leaders including US President Joe Biden, who currently has 38.1 mn followers, HH Sheikh Mohammed, the present ruler of Dubai (11.2 mn) and Pope Francis (18.5 mn)

Global leaders condemn assassination attempt targeting Donald Trump

World leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on Sunday denounced the appalling assassination bid on former US president Donald Trump and asserted that violence has no place in politics and democracies. Trump, 78, survived an attempt on his life on Saturday when a young shooter fired multiple shots at him at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, injuring his right ear. The shooting left one person attending the rally dead and two others in serious condition. The 20-year-old suspected shooter was shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service. Prime Minister Modi expressed deep concern over the attack and said violence has no place in politics and democracies. Modi said on X, "Deeply concerned by the attack on my friend, former President Donald Trump. Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him a speedy recovery." "Our thoughts and prayers are with the fa

Self-confident Asia charts its own course, diversifies ties beyond West

Desire to make an Asia for Asians, without the overbearing influence of the West, is not new