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Source: Reuters -
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US President Barack Obama can add another accolade to his
already long list of awards after being named the world's most
powerful person in an inaugural ranking by Forbes magazine.
Obama, whose popularity at home and abroad has boosted the image of
the United States according to numerous surveys, topped the list
that also features al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and TV talk show
host Oprah Winfrey as people wielding some influence over the
world.
In compiling the inaugural ranking, Forbes said it had narrowed the
list to 67 people, a number based on the conceit that one can
reduce the world's 6.7 billion people to the one in every 100
million that matter.
"The goal in compiling this list is to expose power and not glorify
it, and over time reveal how influence is as easily lost as it is
hard to gain," the magazine said.
World and industry leaders dominated the top 10 of the list, which
Forbes said was assessed on the number of people the person
influences, their ability to project power beyond their immediate
sphere of influence, their control of financial resources and how
actively that person wields power.
Also on the list were financial heavyweights including Goldman
Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein (18) and billionaire investor
and philanthropist Warren Buffett (14), as well as Pope Benedict
(11).
Bin Laden came in at number 37 and Winfrey at number 45.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came in at number 29 while
Queen Elizabeth failed to make the list.
The top 10 list is as follows:
1. US President Barack Obama
2. Chinese President Hu Jintao
3. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
4. US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke
5. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page
6. Carlos Slim, chief executive of Mexico's Telmex
7. Rupert Murdoch, chairman of media group News Corp
8. Michael T Duke, Chief executive, Wal-Mart Stores
9. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
10. Bill Gates, co-chairman, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
