ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has made Forbes magazine’s annual list of The World’s Most Powerful People for the first time, ranked 68th.
Placement on the 75-strong chart is based on four factors: the number of people the person has power over; the financial resources they control; their influence in multiple spheres; and how actively they wield their power to change the world.
“Javed Bajwa joins the world’s most powerful at a time when the rift between India and Pakistan is improving, partly thanks to his efforts,” Forbes wrote. “Although the president is his boss on paper, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff is de facto the most powerful person in the nuclear-armed state.
“Two years into his tenure as the head of the world’s sixth-largest army, Bajwa has established himself as a mediator and proponent of democracy.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping tops the list, while Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are ranked second and third, respectively.
Bajwa is one of 17 new entrants on the list. Of these, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Kingdom’s de facto leader, is the only one who made the top 10, at number eight. Indian President Narendra Modi is ninth on the list and French President Emmanuel Macron is 12th. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the only woman in the top 10, was ranked fourth.
Forbes’ annual ranking identifies one person out of every 100 million “whose actions mean the most”.
“There are nearly 7.5 billion humans on planet Earth, but these 75 men and women make the world turn,” the magazine said.
Pakistani army chief ranked 68th-most powerful person in world by Forbes magazine
Pakistani army chief ranked 68th-most powerful person in world by Forbes magazine
- General Qamar Javed Bajwa is one of 17 new entrants on the annual list
- “Javed Bajwa joins the world’s most powerful at a time when the rift between India and Pakistan is improving, partly thanks to his efforts,” Forbes wrote
From round fruits to lucky charms: How Filipinos invite prosperous New Year
- Lights are lit, doors and windows open to allow good spirits in
- Sticky rice dishes are served to keep family sticking together
MANILA: With the dining table set with symbolic foods, a bit of noise and rituals to invite good luck, Filipinos are ready to welcome the New Year, carefully observing every tradition and superstition to bring prosperity.
Media noche or the midnight dinner on New Year’s Eve is central to the celebration. Besides traditional meats, there will be sticky rice dishes to keep the family sticking together, and pancit or long rice noodles to represent long life.
There should also be 13 round fruits prepared specifically for the occasion, with 12 representing each month of the year, and the 13th adding extra luck. Because they are round like coins, they are believed to invite abundance, wealth and prosperity.
“We cook bilo-bilo (sticky rice balls) with coconut milk and palitaw (sweet rice cakes). It’s something we simply grew up with,” said Cel Reyes from Mabini in Batangas province, south of Manila.
“It’s sticky, so it symbolizes togetherness, and it is also round. Anything that’s round is prepared also as a symbol of prosperity.”
In Malabon, a coastal city in the northern part of Metro Manila, Priam Nepomuceno’s 86-year-old mother-in-law sets unhulled rice on the table.
“Because of the gold color, it’s believed to bring luck and abundance,” he said. “Grapes are also hung on the door. They’re not meant to be eaten and are kept hanging for the whole year as a symbol of prosperity.”
Some people also jump when the clock strikes 12, believing it will help them grow taller.
In many households, all lights are lit before midnight, with doors and windows open to allow good spirits to enter, while noise from firecrackers and party horns keeps the bad ones at bay.
“By nature, Filipinos are superstitious. We believe in good luck, deities. We give in to faith and luck, and it’s tied to deep spirituality,” said Juanita Galang-Trinidad, an 80-year-old editor from Bulacan province north of Manila.
“We also put 12 coins in varying amounts in our pockets and wear polka dot clothing. Rice, cereal, and salt containers should be full.”
New Year’s celebrations, like Christmas, bring families together, but with extra traditions for good luck. Beyond the midnight feast and keeping round objects on the table and at hand, Filipinos try to pay off debts to avoid financial trouble in the coming year.
On New Year’s Eve, they also avoid serving chicken, as chickens are believed to scratch backward when they eat, symbolically scratching away good fortune.
“We hold on to our traditions despite these growing changes, modernity, in our environment,” Trinidad said.
“We still hold on to our traditions and customs because they identify us as a people, as Filipinos.”
