John Dramani Mahama won a new term as Ghana’s president in Friday’s election, after taking over the office in July following the sudden death of John Atta Mills. Mr. Mahama had served as Ghana’s vice president since 2009. He previously held the position of minister of communications and was a three-term parliamentarian for Ghana’s Bole-Bamboi […]
Billionaire Philanthropist Heads Victorious Georgian Opposition
Posted October 2nd, 2012 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
Georgian opposition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili is known in the former Soviet republic as a once-poor, now-billionaire philanthropist who backed President Mikheil Saakashvili before his crackdown on public dissent and the 2008 territory war with Russia. Ivanishvili, who leads the opposition Georgian Dream coalition, is now poised to become prime minister, a position that will gain […]
Bo Xilai Rising Star in Chinese Politics Before Scandal
Posted September 28th, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC-5)
Bo Xilai was once considered a rising star in Chinese politics. He was thought to be a top candidate for elevation to China’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee in November at the 18th Party Congress, which will pick a new generation of Chinese leaders. But a political scandal that surfaced earlier this year derailed his career. […]
New Somali President is Civic Activist, Teacher
Posted September 10th, 2012 at 3:30 pm (UTC-5)
Somalia’s new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, entered politics only recently after a career in academics and as a civic activist. The largely unknown candidate became a strong contender for the presidency after receiving support from lawmakers who were not content with the incumbent administration led by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. Lawmakers elected Mr. Mohamud Monday […]
Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister Takes Over After Meles’ Death
Posted August 21st, 2012 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
Ethiopia’s deputy prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegne, has become the country’s acting leader after the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. He is the first Protestant Christian head of government in the history of Ethiopia, and one of few southern region politicians in the Cabinet. The 47-year-old politician was appointed deputy prime minister and minister of […]
John Dramani Mahama Assumes Ghana’s Presidency
Posted July 24th, 2012 at 5:00 pm (UTC-5)
John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as Ghana’s interim president Tuesday following the sudden death of John Atta Mills. Mr. Mahama has served as vice president since 2009. He previously held the position of minister of communications and was a three-term parliamentarian for Ghana’s Bole-Bamboi constituency in the country’s north. Mr. Mahama graduated from the […]
New Greek PM a Fiery Conservative
Posted June 20th, 2012 at 6:45 pm (UTC-5)
Greece’s new prime minister Antonis Samaras is a fiery conservative who reluctantly accepted the European bailout and vows to push the country’s lenders to rewrite its harsh terms. The 61-year-old Samaras comes from one of Greece’s most prominent families, which includes politicians, professors, and authors. He was educated in the United States, with degrees from […]
Mladic: Bosnian Serb Army Chief
Posted May 16th, 2012 at 7:45 am (UTC-5)
Former Bosnian-Serb Army Commander, General Ratko Mladic, is facing 11 charges, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the trial that starts Wednesday at a United Nations tribunal in The Hague. The 70-year-old former commander, referred to by his critics as the “butcher of Bosnia,” is accused of ordering the massacre of about […]
Aung San Suu Kyi’s Rise to Power Spearheads Political Change in Burma
Posted April 1st, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s 18-month journey from political prisoner to parliamentarian is among the most visible signs of change in her homeland, as the new, nominally-civilian government seeks to repair ties with the West. The daughter of independence hero Aung San, who was assassinated by political rivals in 1947, Oxford-educated Aung San […]
Senegal’s Sall Wrests Presidency From Former Mentor
Posted March 26th, 2012 at 9:20 am (UTC-5)
Macky Sall is set to become the next president of Senegal after defeating his political mentor Abdoulaye Wade in a runoff election Sunday. Mr. Sall was a staunch supporter of Mr. Wade’s opposition Senegalese Democratic Party when it defeated the ruling Socialists in 2000, bringing Mr. Wade to power. He went to serve as Mr. […]
