Post date: Apr 18, 2013 8:30:51 PM
Time magazine editors from across the globe select leaders, moguls, and icons for the 10th annual issue of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 18, 2013) (REUTERS) - Handpicked by Time magazine editors from around the world, a list of a hundred of the world's change agents for 2013 are soon to hit the newsstands.
Time gathered 100 movers and shakers in different fields such as politics, the arts, science, and technology, who have been standouts in their professions."Who are the people who are innovating, who are the people who are inspiring fear or admiration, or the utmost respect? And we get a lot of suggestions. We put together a team of editors to hash them out over the next four or five months," are some of the questions that Time magazine executive editor Radhika Jones asked fellow editors from different parts of the world.
Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousufzai, took front and center in one of seven magazine covers.
Yousufzai was shot by the Taliban for her advocacy of girls' education in Pakistanand currently goes to school in Britain, where she was treated for her injuries.
"It remains utterly poignant that she's 15 years old. She simply is trying to get herself an education and advocate for that for girls around the world. I've talked to a lot of parents who say Malala is a real role model for them and for their girls," Jones said about Yousufzai, who is also an international figure as a symbol of resistance to Taliban efforts to deny women's rights.
Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence, U.S. senator Rand Paul, and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, also had their turn in the spotlight, as artists, leaders, and titans, respectively.
Jones and her team's mission was to recognize and reflect the biggest news stories and the people that have been making the headlines.
Although, they anticipate that there will be a lot of disagreement and debate about some of the presence of the people in their list.
"Some of them are influential in ways that most people would agree are not optimal. We have Kim Jong-un on the list this year. He's been in the news frequently or the last few weeks regarding the nuclear testing that's happening inNorth Korea," Jones said about their decision to add the North Korean leader to their list.
On the other hand, U.S. President Barack Obama made the cut for the eighth time.
"He's bringing something to his leadership style, he's pushing a more aggressive agenda. He has changed as a re-elected president and we wanted to bring that out," Jones said about the leader of the free world.
The list has five categories: titans, leaders, artists, pioneers and icons. Although artist Jay-Z is widely known in the rap music industry, he was classified as a titan for reasons other than his musical talents.
"You know, there are a lot of people who know Jay-Z as a hip-hop artist. He's really solidified his status as a mogul. He's incredibly ambitious as a business person, as an entrepreneur. And we wanted to draw out that side of him," Jones said.
Chinese tennis player Li Na and Bollywood actor Aamir Khan also made the cover which will be available outside the United States.
Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of the World will be available on April 19.