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Desai, Morarji Ranchhodji

(Encyclopedia)Desai, Morarji Ranchhodji dĕsīˈ [key], 1896–1995, Indian political leader. He joined the government in 1956, becoming minister of finance (1958–63). He returned to government in 1967 as deputy...

Chakwera, Lazarus McCarthy

(Encyclopedia)Chakwera, Lazarus McCarthy, 1955–, Malawian political and religious leader. After studying theology in Malawi, South Africa, and the United States, he taught at several seminaries, then served as pr...

Robinson, Arthur Napoleon Raymond

(Encyclopedia)Robinson, Arthur Napoleon Raymond, 1926–2014, Trinidadian political leader, b. Tobago. A barrister before being elected (1961) to parliament, he was a founding member of the People's National Moveme...

Pierpont, Francis Harrison

(Encyclopedia)Pierpont, Francis Harrison, 1814–99, Union leader in Virginia during the American Civil War, “Father of West Virginia,” b. near Morgantown, Va. (now W.Va.). When Virginia seceded, he became a le...

Tupper, Sir Charles

(Encyclopedia)Tupper, Sir Charles, 1821–1915, Canadian statesman, b. Nova Scotia. A doctor, he sat (1855–67) in the provincial legislature, became (1864) premier of Nova Scotia, and was a leader in the movement...

Bédié, Henri Konan

(Encyclopedia)Bédié, Henri Konan, 1934–, Ivoirian political leader. A member of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire–African Democratic Rally (PDCI), Bédié was the country's ambassador to the United State...

Togliatti, Palmiro

(Encyclopedia)Togliatti, Palmiro pälmēˈrō tōlyätˈtē [key], 1893–1964, Italian Communist leader. A lawyer, he helped found the Italian Communist party in 1921. He lived in Moscow for many years after the F...

Rakhmon, Emomali

(Encyclopedia)Rakhmon, Emomali, 1952–, Tajik political leader. His surname was Rahkmonov until 2007, when he called for Tajiks to revive their traditions and derussify their names. Rakhmon was the head of a state...

Sturgeon, Nicola Ferguson

(Encyclopedia)Sturgeon, Nicola Ferguson, 1970–, Scottish political leader, first minister of Scotland (2014–). She studied law at the Univ. of Glasgow, then worked as a solicitor until 1999, when she was first ...

Takeshita, Noboru

(Encyclopedia)Takeshita, Noboru täkĕshˈtä [key], 1924–2000, Japanese politician, b. Kakeya. The son of a sake brewer, he was first elected to parliament in 1958 and served as chief cabinet secretary, construc...