Putin The Most Powerful Man On The Planet

Using the criteria of the amount of people they have power over, financial resources they control, influence in more than one sphere and how they wield their power to change the world, Forbes have come up with the '72 people that matter from the 7.2 billion people on the planet'.
This years top dog and owner of a badge with 'The Worlds Most Powerful Person' on it is Russian President Vladimir Putin who bundled aside the flailing U.S. President Barack Obama out of the top slot.
Forbes justify placing the man who couldn't necessarily be described as a humanitarian by pointing to how he has 'solidified his control over Russia while Obama’s lame duck period has seemingly set in earlier than usual for a two-term president'.
Admittedly Putin is certainly doing a better job for Russia than Obama is doing for the USA but then the third placed man, Xi Jinping of China isn't doing a bad job in his homeland. The Pope is fourth and fifth and the most powerful woman is Angela Merkel, just ahead of Bill Gates.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is 11th while a surprisingly long way down the list is UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Former US President and dress spoiler Bill Clinton is 43rd just ahead of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in 46th.
Putin has had a good 2013 while Obama has had a stinker but at least we can now expect more action photo shoot of Putin the Powerful with his top off very soon, probably wrestling a shark or something.