For over 13 years Bill Gates has topped the Forbes list of billionaires, but according to a Mexican financial news service, Gates might have dropped to number two. Mexican telecommunications "tycoon", Carlos Slim, has reportedly taken the title as the worlds richest person because of a 27 percent stock surge which brings his worth close to $67.8 billion.

Slim, who controls Mexico's largest telephone company had recently taken over the number two spot held by Warren Buffett. This report has not taken into account Gates recent earnings, so Gates may still keep the title when Forbes updates the list again next March.

But of all the things to place number two at, I wouldn't complain about this one.