Our daily cruise around the world

🌎 Politicians above retirement age are increasingly leading the world’s largest nations. A decade ago, the world’s ten most populous countries featured a combined total of one leader aged 70 years or older. Today, that number is eight, covering more than half of the world’s entire population – and the two countries in that group who don’t have a 70+-year-old leader (Indonesia and Pakistan) are both expected to join the club following elections earlier this month. Experts attribute the recent trend to several factors, including autocrats strengthening their grip on power as well as rising barriers to entry for leadership elections.

🇮🇳📺 Disney is merging its Indian assets with Reliance, the top local media conglomerate. The companies will be combining Disney’s Star India and Reliance’s Viacom18 units into a new joint venture, valued at ~$8.5 billion, that will have a combined 750+ million Indian viewers. Reliance, led by Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, will control the joint venture, while Disney will own just over a third of the company. The deal is expected to close in 9-12 months if approved by shareholders and regulators.

🇪🇺 The EU officially approved a landmark environmental restoration bill. On Tuesday, the EU parliament voted 329-275 in favor of a law requiring all member countries to restore at least 20% of their land and sea by 2030, in addition to restoring all local ecosystems in need by 2050. The bill passed despite opposition from conservative EU lawmakers, who argue the rules place too big of a burden on the bloc’s farmers.