English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Forbes ranks Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 9th most powerful in world

Published

on

Forbes ranks Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 9th most powerful in world

The business magazine Forbes has ranked Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ninth most powerful person in the world.

Topping the list is Chinese President Xi Jinping who displaced Russian Premier Vladimir Putin to the second spot after consolidating his power in China which removed term limits on presidentship, technically making it possible to head the country life-long.

Vladimir Putin was named the world’s most powerful person for four years in a row.

PM Modi has retained his position on the 9th place on the list. India’s ranking in other aspects by other organisations projected its economy as going to be fifth largest and its military as the fourth most powerful in the world.

US President Donald Trump, who was placed number two on last year’s list, dropped a spot to third. He is ahead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and Pope Francis.

Bill Gates and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, who has been in the spotlight for a series of so-called reforms effected in the kingdom, are the two other people ahead of PM Modi.

The tenth in the list is Larry Page, the co-founder of Google.

There are 17 new names on the list this year, including Mohammad bin Salman, who enters the ranking directly at number eight. “His father remains king, but “MBS” has consolidated power beyond any doubt and taken control of the country,” the magazine writes about the Saudi royal. Other new members include US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell (11), Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods (34), President of South Korea Moon Jae-in (54) and Special Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice Robert Mueller (72).

PM Modi is ahead of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has been ranked 13, United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May at 14th rank, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at 15, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, who is at 24.

Besides Modi, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, who is ranked 32, is the only other Indian on the power list. Microsoft’s India-born CEO Satya Nadella is on the 40th position.

Forbes said, “Modi ‘remains hugely popular’ in the second most populous country on earth.”

It said, “Modi has raised his profile as a global leader in recent years during official visits with US President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. He has also emerged as a key figure in the international effort to tackle climate change, as warming affects millions of his country’s rural citizens.”

About Ambani, Forbes said his Reliance sparked a price war in India’s telecom market with the launch of 4G phone service Jio in 2016, which has signed on 160 million customers by offering free domestic voice calls, dirt-cheap data services and virtually free smartphones.

On Microsoft’s CEO, Forbes said  Nadella has steered the company away from a failing mobile strategy and focused on other segments, including cloud computing and augmented reality. “Since taking over as a CEO, Microsoft’s stock has increased by more than 150 per cent,” it said.

About Xi Jinping, Forbes said the Chinese leader “enjoys a cult of personality” not seen since Chairman Mao Zedong, China’s founding father.

For Putin, who dropped to the second spot, Forbes noted that he was re-elected to a fourth term with nearly 77 percent of the vote this year. “That’s the largest margin of victory for any candidate for the office since the fall of the Soviet Union,” Forbes said.

As for Trump,  Forbes said he has seen limited success pushing his agenda through a Congress controlled by his own party, is under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, and can’t shake off scandals arising from his personal and business life. But he’s still Commander in Chief of the world’s greatest economic and military power.

Putting out the list of  75 of the World’s Most Powerful People, Forbes said, “There are nearly 7.5 billion humans on planet Earth, but these 75 men and women make the world turn. Forbes’ annual ranking of The World’s Most Powerful People identifies one person out of every 100 million whose actions mean the most.”

In compiling the list, Forbes said it considered hundreds of candidates from various walks of life all around the globe, and measured their power along four dimensions of whether the person has power over lots of people, financial resources controlled by each person, whether the candidate is powerful in multiple spheres and that the candidates actively used their power.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

Published

on

Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

Continue Reading

India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

Published

on

Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

Published

on

Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com