Buffet Unseats Gates as Richest Man on Earth

Mexican businessman's net worth is $53.5B, Forbes estimates

(NEWSER) - Mexican businessman Carlos Slim has overtake Bill Gates to become the world’s richest person, with Forbes’ annual estimate giving him a net worth of $53.5 billion—a hair more (well, to them) than the Microsoft founder’s $53 billion even. Investor Warren Buffet ($47 billion) is third, followed by Indian magnates Muskesh Ambani ($29) and Lakshmi Mittal ($28.7). Click the link at right for the full list. More»

Forbes counts a record 1,226 billionaires

(NEWSER) - There are more billionaires than ever in Forbes' annual list , but no surprises at the top. Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim heads up the list for the third year in a row, with an estimated net worth of $69 billion. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and French luxury-goods magnate Bernard Arnault have the same places in the top four as last year. Forbes counted 1,226 billionaires from 58 countries worth a record $4.6 trillion. More»

Mexican tycoon world's richest man with $74 billion

(NEWSER) - Mexican telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim is the richest person in the world for the second year running, according to Forbes' latest list of billionaires . The 71-year-old Slim, now worth an estimated $74 billion, widened the gap with No. 2 Bill Gates thanks to some canny business moves last year, including heavy investment in mining, Reuters notes. Warren Buffett, Louis Vuitton chief Bernard Arnault, and Oracle's Larry Ellison round out the top 5 of the world's estimated 1,210 billionaires, who have a combined net worth of some $4.5 trillion. More»

(NEWSER) - This may not elicit much sympathy, but Forbes' annual list of billionaires has shrunk from 1,125 names to 793 this year. Bill Gates lost $18 billion but managed to regain the top spot from Warren Buffett, who lost $25 billion. Here's the top 10:

• Gates, $40 billion
• Buffett, $37 billion
• Mexico's Carlos Slim, $35 billion
• Oracle's Larry Ellison, $22.5 billion
• Ikea's Ingvar Kamprad, $22 billion

'Forbes' list wouldn't be a contest if he hadn't discovered philanthropy

(NEWSER) - Forbes will unveil its 2011 billionaires list tomorrow, and Bill Gates will certainly make an appearance, reports Reuters . But it turns out the longtime richest guy in the world fell to No. 2 last year not because of Microsoft's waning fortunes, but because he literally gave away the title. "It wouldn't be a competition," says a wealth expert. "(Gates) would have a comfortable margin if he had never discovered philanthropy." More»