Obituary

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh clasps his hands together and smiles slightly. Singh is a man with a blue head covering and wearing a white shirt.

Manmohan Singh Uncaged the Indian Tiger

The two-time former prime minister laid the foundations for India’s rapid growth. He was 92.

Alberto Fujimori talks into a microphone in the middle of a crowd with his arm raised.

Alberto Fujimori Transformed Peru—for Better and Worse

As president, he defeated the Shining Path guerrillas but also oversaw paramilitary death squads that massacred civilians.

Obituary

Mitra Taj

A black and white portrait of a man wearing a sweater with a collared shirt under it.

James C. Scott Trampled Across Borders to Explain the World

The political scientist, anthropologist, and anarchist loved the global margins.

Obituary

David Polansky

Alexei Navalny, a man in his 40s wearing a winter coat and a serious expression, stands while surrounded by a large crowd of people waving Russian flags during a march

Alexei Navalny Wanted to Make Russia a ‘Normal Country’

The jailed opposition leader who challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin has died in a prison colony.

Obituary

Amy Mackinnon

Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.

Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage

The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.

Obituary

Michael Hirsh

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves and leads the way as Premier Li Keqiang claps and trails behind him in front of an ornate wall at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li Keqiang Lived and Died in Xi Jinping’s Shadow

The former Chinese premier was heralded as a reformer, but change never came.

Obituary

James Palmer

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi adjusts his tie and grimaces during a news conference at the Chigi Palace in Rome on May 26, 2010. Behind him a painting shows a woman's outreached arm.

The Scandalous Life and Career of Silvio Berlusconi

The former Italian leader loved topless women and Vladimir Putin but hated being compared to Donald Trump.

Obituary

Barbie Latza Nadeau

Outgoing Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in 2008

Pervez Musharraf Dragged His Country Down

The charismatic Pakistani general aimed to be a great national leader but failed by shredding the constitution and recklessly doing Washington’s bidding.

Obituary

Mosharraf Zaidi

Pope Benedict XVI at the end of his general weekly audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict Was a Powerful, Flawed Leader in Turbulent Times

The former pontiff, known for decades as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, died at the age of 95.

Obituary

David Gibson

Jiang Zemin stands in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Jiang Zemin Helped China Become a Global Powerhouse

With a steady hand—and some willingness to face criticism—he ushered China into the world economy.

Obituary

Victor Shih

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles at the Chelsea Flower Show in London in 2009.

Queen Elizabeth II Was a Pillar of Stability in Tumultuous Times

Her successor will need to adapt while also protecting the age-old magic of the monarchy.

Obituary

Owen Matthews

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1961.

A Queen for the Ages

Through tragedy and tumult, Queen Elizabeth II was a model of constancy. Her death will have important repercussions for the monarchy and the future of the United Kingdom.

Obituary

Robin Oakley