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On Wednesday, while discussing Forbes magazine releasing its 2015 Most Powerful list, the hosts of CBS This Morning were perplexed by Russian president Vladimir Putin beating out President Obama for the top spot, with Obama only being number three on the list. Charlie Rose pressed Forbes assistant managing editor Luisa Kroll: "Make the case as to why Vladimir Putin is more powerful than President Obama." Kroll explained: "I think a lot has to do with how he exercises his power and his influence. Whether it's in Crimea or in the Ukraine, he's not afraid to go out and exercise his...

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has trumped US President Barack Obama as the most powerful man in the world, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel retains her title as the world's most powerful woman, according to a yearly ranking published by Forbes magazine on Wednesday (30 October). With his signature healthcare legislation under fire, allies outraged over spying and a barely-averted default on US debt, Obama can no longer be seen as the most powerful man in the world, Forbes editors write. "It appears that President Obama's lame duck period has set in earlier than usual for a two-term president, causing him...

This year the votes for the World’s Most Powerful — an annual look at the heads of state, financiers, philanthropists and entrepreneurs who truly rule the world — went with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He climbs one spot ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama, who held title in 2012. He’s Not No. 1: This is the first year that Putin carries the crown. Obama has been on the top of the list for every year with the exception of 2010, when Hu Jintao, the former political and military leader of China, was No. 1.

Europe is in debt crisis, the Middle East is shaking and there’s market panic at home. It is against this backdrop that we present the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. The women on this list were chosen not just for being on top but for being smack in the middle of Richter-registering events — and more. Their power derives from money and might, yes, but also (thanks to old, new and social media) reach and influence. This year’s No. 1 in the ranking, German Chancellor Angela Merkel–recognized as the “undisputed” leader of the EU — is key to curing what...

The new Forbes list of the world's most powerful people is out — and Chinese President Hu Jintao is in the top spot, just ahead of President Obama. The move reflects China's growing influence on world events. To make that more intriguing, a Forbes blogger in Beijing runs down the similarities, and differences, between positions of power in China and the U.S. The rest of the top 10 comprises people who run, in order: Saudi Arabia; Russia; the Roman Catholic Church; Germany; the United Kingdom; the U.S. Federal Reserve; the Indian National Congress; and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation....