Bill Gates still second on list of world's richest
NEW YORK (AP) - Mexico's Carlos Slim remains the world's richest man for the fourth year in a row, according to Forbes, while Warren Buffett dropped out of the top three for the first time since 2000.
Bill Gates of Microsoft Corp. held on to second place with a net worth of $67 billion.
And Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saw his ranking drop 31 spots as his net worth declined by $4.2 billion.
A record 1,426 people around the world made Forbes magazine's latest annual tally of billionaires, up 16 percent from last year. Their average net worth was $3.8 billion, rising 3 percent from 2012. The total net worth for the list's billionaires was $5.4 trillion compared with $4.6 trillion a year ago.
The U.S. continued to house the most billionaires in the world, with 442 of them. It was followed by the Asia-Pacific region, with Europe rounding out the top three.
There were 210 new faces on the list, with Forbes saying many were helped by rebounding equity markets and strong consumer brands.
Slim's net worth increased to $73 billion from $69 billion a year earlier.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s Buffett slipped to the fourth spot with a $53.5 billion net worth. Buffett was surpassed by Spanish clothier Amancio Ortega, who jumped two spots from 2012 with a net worth of $57 billion.
While Buffett dropped in the rankings, he added $9.5 billion to his net worth - making him the second-biggest gainer of the year. The largest gainer was Ortega, who added $19.5 billion to his net worth.
There were 138 women on the list, up from 2012's 104. Liliane Bettencourt - whose family owns a stake in L'Oreal - is the world's richest woman with a net worth of $30 billion.
Brazil's Eike Batista had the biggest drop in his net worth, with it declining $19.4 billion from the previous year. Facebook's Zuckerberg saw his net worth fall to $13.3 billion from $17.5 billion. His ranking fell to No. 66 from No. 35 in 2012.
There were 60 people that dropped off the list entirely, including Zynga's Mark Pincus and former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon.
Bill Gates of Microsoft Corp. held on to second place with a net worth of $67 billion.
And Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saw his ranking drop 31 spots as his net worth declined by $4.2 billion.
A record 1,426 people around the world made Forbes magazine's latest annual tally of billionaires, up 16 percent from last year. Their average net worth was $3.8 billion, rising 3 percent from 2012. The total net worth for the list's billionaires was $5.4 trillion compared with $4.6 trillion a year ago.
The U.S. continued to house the most billionaires in the world, with 442 of them. It was followed by the Asia-Pacific region, with Europe rounding out the top three.
There were 210 new faces on the list, with Forbes saying many were helped by rebounding equity markets and strong consumer brands.
Slim's net worth increased to $73 billion from $69 billion a year earlier.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s Buffett slipped to the fourth spot with a $53.5 billion net worth. Buffett was surpassed by Spanish clothier Amancio Ortega, who jumped two spots from 2012 with a net worth of $57 billion.
While Buffett dropped in the rankings, he added $9.5 billion to his net worth - making him the second-biggest gainer of the year. The largest gainer was Ortega, who added $19.5 billion to his net worth.
There were 138 women on the list, up from 2012's 104. Liliane Bettencourt - whose family owns a stake in L'Oreal - is the world's richest woman with a net worth of $30 billion.
Brazil's Eike Batista had the biggest drop in his net worth, with it declining $19.4 billion from the previous year. Facebook's Zuckerberg saw his net worth fall to $13.3 billion from $17.5 billion. His ranking fell to No. 66 from No. 35 in 2012.
There were 60 people that dropped off the list entirely, including Zynga's Mark Pincus and former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon.
Just think, even Bill couldn't pay off the deficit, even if he gave all he has. The US government spends more each day than he is worth.
He "Donates to help the poor", but advocated using Vaccines to kill off 93% of the world population to "save the planet"..... Not such a great guy
Slim Shady # 1
Thanks to strong sales of Marijuana to the US.
He's the BEST ! He donates more money to help the poor than some of those riches.
I'm sure the 500,000 shares he owns in Mansanto doesn't hurt....
The rich get richer because they have leverage... Not sustainable. Â http://mashable.com/2013/03/02/wealth-inequality/
Evil one percenter! Oh wait he is a Democrat that makes his money good.
How much does Bill Gates pay a year in taxes?
@whatalife1 Don't forget you are speaking about INCOME tax. A person's net worth is what they have already earned in previous years. If "Net worth" is going down, you are actually losing money, hence no current income to tax.
@whatalife1Â The way the system is set up, he probably gets a refund.Â
well im not to sure how i would spend that kinda money i know that my (poor) underpriveleged family would not be having to go to the food bank anymore and we would have a house and i wouldnt have to cry at night wondering were we are going to be the next day or when i was going to eat again I dont like bouncing from couch to couch.If i had that kinda money i wiuld have my own couch and there would be alot more housing areas for the homeless and low income like me
I see you have enough money to get onto a computer or is that someone elses?
@Christopher Hedman well there is jobs to be had in the oil fields there is jobs to be had in Logging working in the farms picking produce. Want me to go on? or are you just going to wallow in your misery?
@Christopher Hedman Well, Spring is around the corner and everyone's lawns will need mowing and the beds need weeding. Maybe you should try and start a little yard maintenance business... the whole family could help out. Find a used mower on craigslist, a few inexpensive yard tools, and you're set! You can actually make pretty damn good money doing it and I think people would be extra charitable if they can see your situation. It sure beats laying awake at night worrying... seriously, think about it. That's what I would do if I were unemployed and wanted to make some pretty good money right away. Of course, it is work...
While I support free enterprise and the idea that hard work and smart investing should allow people to accumulate wealth... this does sort of indicate that the rich do indeed keep getting richer. Which would be fine if the same could be said of the poor and more importantly, the middle class.
@cantuse the rick keep getting rich because they keep doing the same things. the same goes for the poor they keep doing the same things relying on the government to bail them out.
@Exiled_Patriot Not true, the rich get richer because they have a huge amount of leverage.  Educate yourself and put away your paintbrush.  http://mashable.com/2013/03/02/wealth-inequality/
@germantank29 @Exiled_Patriot OK poverty is not hereditary Nor is it permeant. If you want to lay in your own squaller be my guest! My dad came here from the Soviet Union with out a penny to his name he retired a Multimillionaire. Started working as a deck hand on a fishing boat then he retired as merchant Marine captain and Harbor Pilot. Don't tell me the rich just have money coming out their wazzu. It is hard work willing to do the hard things in life not relying on the government to help you as my dad has told me time and time again. This nation is headed right to were he left in 1950. because people were too weak and to dependent and had to much class envy created by their leaders. So let me build you a bridge and give you a straw so you can suck it up and get over it.
@cantuse The rich do get richer and the poor certainly struggle to get out of that difficulty, but I would say for the middle class, most of them do it to themselves.  They complain about this and that and not having any money and if something happens they are screwed.  I would challenge you to ask your middle class friends if they have a savings account and if so, is there 6 months salary in it?  I would be willing to bet that most of them do not, but they have a nice big TV, and probably a car that is less than 5 years old. I would even bet if they have a  two car garage, that they probably can only get one car in it if that because the other side is full of crap.  Middle class = spend spend spend to your means (and beyond).....Save...... whats that?
@The206 - has anybody really defined what IS middle class anymore? I think I used to be considered middle class but I don't have a nice big tv - mine is 8 years old and not flat screen. My car is now 11 years old with 150k miles on it, no 2 car garage. Not a whole lot of saving because I only have 1 income but I have only my house that I owe on. So, does that make me middle class or poor? Is it income that makes one middle class or how one spends it. Then, we're just talking money here. Some people are 'poor' in money but awesomely rich in friends and family.Â
The real story here is that Gates and Slim are in that photo at the International Center for Improvement of Corn and Wheat where they gave $25 million dollars to develop more GMO corn and wheat which has been proven to cause cancer and other diseases.  When are people going to realized that it is our food that is killing us.  Everyone wants to raise money for cancer research to cure it, but no one is paying any attention to what is actually causing it.  You're putting cancer in your mouth every day. Good luck on finding a "cure"  Cancer is a multi-billion dollar industry.  No cancer, no money.  Weird how we never hear anything about AIDS anymore. Cant make money on AIDS, not enough people have it.Â
@The206 Know what causes cancer? Mutation in dividing cells. Know what causes that? Being alive. You could eat all the "right" things, avoid all chemicals, live that "healthy" life style amd still die from cancer at 35. Death is a fact of life, stop trying to blame it on big corporations or the government.
@iliketurtlez You're actually flat out wrong about that and quite naive to boot.  I'm not a "blame the government" kind of person at all, but the information is out there and there is plenty of it.  You won't see it if you don't look though because yes, big money corporations make sure you don't.  Do your research, it's out there to be had..... or don't, your choice. Â
If you choose, some directions you might want to look in:
Monsanto
When cancer numbers in this country began to rise exponentially
For profit cancer research companies i.e. SGK
The only legal medical treatment in the U.S. is Chemo and radiation
Cancer rates in countries that don't use manufactured GMO food i.e. Japan. Chances of breast cancer in women in the U.S. is nearing 60%. Â In Japan it's 1% That number has risen in recent years in Japan as the amount of "Western foods" are introduced.Â
Scientific research that shows GMO foods, especially corn exponentially increase cancer cells.Â
Don't take my word for it. Â Do some research on your own.Â
@The206 @iliketurtlez  Wow... someone who actually reads??  I'm amazed.  Everyone today needs to be a reporter, get at least 3 different sources from both sides, then make your decision.  I guarantee you won't like what you find.  Stay in denial, it's safer, and doesn't require testicles.
@The206 How dare you question the food industry! Food libel laws will be invoked and your right to know about food quality impugned!
@The206Â Way to pay attention.... Gold Star for you!
"The total net worth for the list's billionaires was $5.4 trillion compared with $4.6 trillion a year ago."
The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Seems fair.
@kockatoo You know what, my husband and I are not rich, just hardworking, that is how we get ahead. Yea, we are upper middle class, but guess what, we have had to cut, skimp and say no to things just like everyone else. I would also like to point out that the rich get richer, under the democrats plan. The republicans free up taxes and allow the upper middle class to hire, then people are working and able to get ahead, instead of being taxed and over-regulated to death on the democrats plan.
Who gives a rip? However, good for you and yours Mr. Gates!