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Powerful Women Revealed This Week

It cannot be just by a flick of a magical wand. It`s can only be the result of sheer effort and dynamism. For, J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter and the author of the Harry Potter series, has replaced Cherie Blair as Britain`s most powerful woman.

U.S. business magazine Forbes, which compiled the world`s 100 top women gave Rowling, 39, the 40th rank, up from 85th last year. Cherie Blair, British prime minister Tony Blair`s wife, took 62nd position dropping 50 places. U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice tops the list for the second consecutive year, followed by China`s vice prime minister Yi Wu at second place and Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko at third.

Forbes judges the women on the basis of their public visibility (in terms of press exposure) and economic impact. The other British women in the top 100 are Burberry`s chief executive Rose Marie Bravo at 63rd place and Queen Elizabeth II at 75th.