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The Graphic Truth: Are populist leaders handling COVID well?

The Graphic Truth: Are populist leaders handling COVID well?

It's been more than six months since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Cases and deaths have continued to surge around the world — with new hotspots emerging in Latin America and South Asia. A robust global conversation has unfolded in recent months about how politicians in different countries have handled the once-in-a-generation global health crisis, and whether the anti-science views of some populist leaders — like Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro and President Donald Trump in the US —have led to worse outcomes. Here's a look at states with the highest COVID-19 deaths tolls per capita — with highlights for those governed by overtly populist/anti-establishment leaders.

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​Women prepare a makeshift memorial in tribute to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a street, after he was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes on Saturday, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2026.

Women prepare a makeshift memorial in tribute to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a street, after he was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes on Saturday, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2026.

Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Over the weekend, the United States and Israel pulled off one of the most operationally impressive military campaigns in recent memory. In the span of 48 hours, they killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, decapitated much of the country's political and military leadership, destroyed its air defenses, decimated its naval assets, and [...]
​A satellite image shows black smoke rising and heavy damage at Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound in Tehran, Iran, on February 28, 2026.

A satellite image shows black smoke rising and heavy damage at Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound, following strikes by the United States and Israel in Tehran, Iran, on February 28, 2026.

Pleiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026/Handout via REUTERS
The supreme leader is dead, the conflict is spreading, and US President Donald Trump still isn’t clear on who he wants to run Iran. With the fighting spreading to multiple fronts and Iran seeking a new leader, here’s what else you need to know about the conflict right now. First and foremost, the Islamic Republic confirmed on Sunday that Supreme [...]
The US and Israel launch war on Iran
- YouTube
The United States and Israel have launched massive military strikes on Iran. The stated goal: dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile capabilities. The unstated but increasingly clear objective: regime change.In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer breaks down what this means. [...]
You vs. the News collage
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it. [...]