Putin’s chess match relegates Obama to second most powerful

Having outfoxed him on Syria, Russian president Vladimir Putin has pipped US president Barack Obama as the world’s most powerful leader, as ranked by Forbes magazine.

It was the first time in three years that the US president has dropped to second place on the magazine’s list and came as US-Russia relations slid to a new low.

Mr Putin, who has enjoyed 13 years of dominant rule over Russia, was again elected president in March 2012.