Photo montage by Adam Connors
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RANKINGS 1-5
| 6-10 | 11-15
| 16-20 | 21-25
| 26-30 | 31-35
| 36-40 | 41-45
| 46-50
46
Hassanal Bolkiah
SULTAN OF BRUNEI
BORN July 15, 1946, in Bandar Seri Begawan
EDUCATION Victoria Institute, Kuala Lumpur
FAMILY Two wives, ten children
POWER POINTS Money can't buy love, but it can buy a bit of
stability. Though the world's former richest man slid down a couple
of notches, at least his kingdom has profited from the steep rise
in oil prices. Still, there's been enough turmoil, thanks to the political
and financial chaos created by Hassanal's younger brother, Prince
Jefri, against whom he bravely started court proceedings. Familial
divisions aside, the sultan is proving his royal worth.
47
Lucio Tan
AIRLINE, BEER, CIGARETTE AND BANKING TYCOON
BORN July 17, 1934, in Fujian, China
EDUCATION Far Eastern University, Philippines
FAMILY Married, several children, including four sons
POWER POINTS He is the Chinese-Filipino dream. Under President
Joseph Estrada, Tan has come to symbolize the ascendancy of the Chinese-Filipino
taipan. Though he is selling his stakes in the national airline PAL
and bank PNB, Tan remains an economic force to be reckoned with. Talk
of cronyism means Tan is dropping by the presidential palace less
often these days, which is probably just fine with the reclusive tycoon.
His second carrier, Air Philippines, is set to go international, while
his Allied Bank is on the acquisition trail.
48
Velupillai Prabhakaran
FOUNDER AND LEADER, TAMIL TIGERS
BORN Nov. 26, 1954, in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka
EDUCATION Secondary school
FAMILY Married, two children
POWER POINTS He has been called everything from Sri Lanka's
Hitler to its Robin Hood. Five years after his forces were driven
out of the Jaffna Peninsula, Prabhakaran is now engaged in a determined
bid to win back the territory. As the most successful guerrilla leader
in the world, the beefy Tiger commands a fanatical following dedicated
to Tamil independence. Who says ruthlessness doesn't pay?
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John
MacDougall/AFP
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49
Chandrika Kumaratunga
PRESIDENT OF SRI LANKA
BORN June 29, 1945, in Colombo, Sri Lanka
EDUCATION Doctoral studies at the University of Paris
FAMILY Widowed, two children
POWER POINTS Not even the prospect of death scares Chandrika
Kumaratunga. After an assassination attempt last year, which impaired
the president's vision, Kumaratunga was re-elected, though with a
reduced majority. While the nation's army is currently overstrategizing
in the Jaffna Peninsula, office politics are looking up. By engineering
well-placed defections, Kumaratunga has considerably weakened her
parliamentary opponents. Besides the battle over Jaffna, Kumaratunga
faces other daunting challenges, including tackling constitutional
reforms that would grant the North more autonomy. But the besieged
president has already shown that she can be every bit as tough as
her arch-nemesis, Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Darren
Whiteside/AFP
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50
Xanana Gusmao
LEADER, EAST TIMOR
BORN June 20, 1946, in Laleia village, East Timor
EDUCATION Dare seminary, Dili
FAMILY Married, two children
POWER POINTS After pulling a Nelson Mandela, Gusmao is nothing
if not pragmatic. The ex-prisoner went from supporting autonomy for
his homeland to promoting outright independence. Seen as a unifier
beyond petty politicking, Gusmao must protect Timorese interests amid
an international presence. He may be the nation's best hope to heal
its old wounds and new divisions.
RANKINGS 1-5
| 6-10 | 11-15
| 16-20 | 21-25
| 26-30 | 31-35
| 36-40 | 41-45
| 46-50
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