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NEW YORK, N.Y. -- After years of keeping quiet about his personal life, pop star Ricky Martin has announced that he is gay.

"I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man," Ricky said in a message posted on his offical Web site. "I am very blessed to be who I am."



Ricky said writing his memoir and thinking about his two twin sons led him to go public.

"To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where [sic] born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment," he wrote.

Though the 38-year-old kept his sexuality private throughout most of his career, Ricky said he drew strength from that time.

"These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed," he continued. "What will happen from now on? It doesn't matter. I can only focus on what's happening to me in this moment. The word "happiness" takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution."

Earlier this month, Barbara Walters told The Toronto Star that her 2000 interview with the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer, where she grilled him about coming out, was a misstep on her part.

"In 2000, I pushed Ricky Martin very hard to admit if he was gay or not, and the way he refused to do it made everyone decide that he was," she told The Toronto Star. "A lot of people say that destroyed his career, and when I think back on it now, I feel it was an inappropriate question."

Ricky also Tweeted a link to his coming out announcement on his Web site, simply writing, "my life."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebrity Gays & Their Gal Pals

In an earlier Tweet on Monday, the singer posted a quote attributed to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. M.L.K.Jr.," he wrote.

The Electric Networked Vehicle concepts debuting today from General Motors are designed for use in high-population areas.



The city car of the future will seat two people, run on electric power and communicate with other vehicles to reach a destination faster while automatically avoiding traffic tie-ups and crashes. General Motors, working with electric-scooter maker Segway, has developed three concepts tailored toward that vision of future transportation. The Electric Networked Vehicle, or EN-V, concepts go on display May 1 at the World Expo in Shanghai.

The EN-V concepts are a next-generation vehicle from the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility prototype that GM debuted at the New York auto show a year ago.

There are three concepts, one each from GM's design studios in Australia, Europe and the United States.

The concept from Holden in Australia is named Xiao, or Laugh, and is painted blue. The U.S. concept, Miao, or Magic, is dark silver and used light-emitting diode accent lighting. The Europe concept, Jiao, or Pride, is red. Its design is influenced by bullet trains.

The pod-looking vehicles measure about 60 inches long, 56 inches wide and range from 65 inches to 69 inches tall. The weight averages 900 pounds, with half of that concentrated in the chassis platform. The bodies are built from lightweight plastic and carbon fiber.

GM says an EN-V is about one-third the length of a traditional car. A parking lot could hold 10 times the number of EN-Vs as regular cars.

All of the EN-V concepts are powered by a Segway powertrain--brushless direct-current wheel motors that provide propulsion and braking. GM says the EN-V can reach a top speed of 25 mph and travel 25 miles on a full charge of its lithium-ion battery pack. The battery is recharged by plugging in to standard household current.

A key to making all these EN-Vs work in dense urban environments is an array of sensors and wireless communication. GM says the EN-V is constantly talking with traffic-management networks and control signals to automatically find the most efficient route to the destination. Sensing technologies--such as GPS, lane departure and radar distance control used in today's vehicles--let the EN-V platoon, or travel in tight groups to maximize road capacity without crashing. Sensors would detect if a pedestrian steps in the way and automatically brake the EN-V to a stop.

3D TVs are starting to arrive in stores, and consumers have a lot of questions. The big one, of course, is whether these new TVs can recreate the 3D excitement we've been getting in movie theaters in our own homes. Based on our exclusive tests of the first models available, the answer is a resounding "yes."

Here are seven things you need to know about 3D:

1. It looks great.

The results of our preliminary tests of two Samsung LCD sets and a Panasonic plasma TV have been impressive. The high-definition, 1080p images on these TVs have excellent three-dimensional depth, color, and detail — especially with animated content-creating a compelling and realistic three-dimensional experience. You'll be ducking when that Frisbee comes flying toward you!

2. A few sets are in stores now, with more to come soon.

As of mid-March, there are three 3D TVs in stores: two LCD sets from Samsung, the 46-inch UN46C7000, $2,600 at Sears, and the 55-inch UN55C7000, $2,970 at Best Buy and $3,300 at Sears. The 50-inch Panasonic TC-P50VT20 plasma we tested is available in select Best Buy Magnolia stores for $2,500. 3D TVs from other brands (including LG, Sony, Toshiba, and Vizio) are expected to arrive over the next few months.

3. You have to wear special glasses to watch 3D on a TV.

Without glasses, you'll see blurry double images. These aren't the old-fashioned cardboard glasses you used to get at movie theaters, but high-tech active LCD shutter glasses. You can put them over your regular specs, though some might find this uncomfortable. You get one or two pairs of glasses with some 3D TVs, but other sets don't include any. Expect to pay about $150 for each pair of glasses, at least initially.

4. A 3D set isn't just for 3D.

It functions like any standard TV with regular programs, and shifts into 3D mode when it detects 3D content. You don't have to wear glasses to watch regular programming.

5. The only thing to watch in 3D right now are movies on Blu-ray discs.

3D TV channels from DirecTV, ESPN are expected this summer, and the Discovery Channel is expected to offer 3D at some point soon, but for now, movies are the only game in town. Monsters vs. Aliens is one of the first 3D movies available, but more are coming soon, including Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, expected in April. You'll need to buy a new 3D-capable Blu-ray player (about $400) to play these discs. (There are some older 3D movies — such as Journey to the Center of the Earth, Polar Express, and Coraline — that use the old-style cardboard anaglyph glasses, but they're not comparable to the new 3D.)

6. Prices aren't sky-high.

The 3D TVs announced so far cost several hundred dollars more than regular sets that have similar features (aside from 3D). The lowest-priced 3D set now on the market, a 50-inch Panasonic plasma, costs $2,500. Lower-priced models are due soon, including a 46-inch $1,700 LCD set and an $1,800 50-inch plasma TV from Samsung.

7. Buying now makes sense for some consumers.

If you're in the market for a fairly high-end TV anyway, you might want to consider a 3D set. It won't cost much more than a regular TV, and you won't have to think about buying yet another new TV in a year or two when there's lots of 3D content to watch, both on TV and on Blu-ray discs. There are only a few sets on the market now, but you'll have more of a selection in a few months. However, if you don't need a new TV, we wouldn't rush out to buy one (unless you're a well-heeled early adopter itching for the latest and greatest technology). Prices for 3D TVs and Blu-ray players are no doubt going to drop over time, you'll have more models to choose from, and there'll be more 3D to watch. Catch up with our ongoing coverage of 3D TV in our earlier posts.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Valleys Of Neptune enters The Billboard 200 at #4, putting the rock legend back in the top five nearly 40 years after he died at the tragically young age of 27. No other artist has cracked the top five this long after his death. Elvis Presley is in second place. His Elvis: 2nd To None debuted at #3 in October 2003, a little more than 26 years after his death.



Hendrix is the second music legend to make the top five posthumously in the past two weeks. Johnny Cash bowed at #3 two weeks ago with American VI: Ain't No Grave. But Cash died less than seven years ago. It's more remarkable for an artist who died four decades ago to make significant chart waves.

Valleys Of Neptune is, incredibly, Hendrix's 34th posthumous album to make The Billboard 200.

Hendrix was a star for just three years, from June 1967, when he played the Monterey International Pop Festival, to September 1970, when he died in London of a drug overdose. The guitar hero had four top five albums in his lifetime. This is his third top five album since his death. It follows The Cry Of Love, which hit #3 in 1971, and Crash Landing, which reached #5 in 1975.

Four of Hendrix's catalog albums re-enter The Billboard 200 this week. 1967's Are You Experienced? bows at #44, followed by 1968's Electric Ladyland at #60, the 1997 compilation First Rays Of The New Rising Sun at #63 and 1968's Axis: Bold As Love at #67.

Experienced? first cracked The Billboard 200 on Aug. 26, 1967. It was only the 10th highest new entry of the week (!), opening at an unimpressive #190. The album took 59 weeks to reach its #5 peak in October 1968. This week's debut of Valleys Of Neptune gives Hendrix a nearly 41-1/2 year span of top five albums.

Carlos Slim Helu takes No. 1 spot on Forbes World's Billionaires list as a record 164 10-figure titans return to the ranking amid the global economic recovery.

For the third time in three years, the world has a new richest man.

Riding surging prices of his various telecom holdings, including giant mobile outfit America Movil (AMX), Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helu has beaten out Americans Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to become the wealthiest person on earth and nab the top spot on the 2010 Forbes list of the World's Billionaires.

Slim's fortune has swelled to an estimated $53.5 billion, up $18.5 billion in 12 months. Shares of America Movil, of which Slim owns a $23 billion stake, were up 35% in a year.

That massive hoard of scratch puts him ahead of Microsoft (MSFT) cofounder Bill Gates, who had held the title of world's richest 14 of the past 15 years.

Gates, now worth $53 billion, is ranked second in the world. He is up $13 billion from a year ago as shares of Microsoft rose 50% in 12 months. Gates' holdings in his personal investment vehicle Cascade (CAE) also soared with the rest of the markets.

Buffett's fortune jumped $10 billion to $47 billion on rising shares of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK). He ranks third.

The Oracle of Omaha shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs (GS) and $3 billion in General Electric (GE) amid the 2008 market collapse. He also recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNI) for $26 billion.

In his annual shareholder letter Buffett wrote, "We've put a lot of money to work during the chaos of the last two years. When it's raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble."

Many plutocrats did just that. Indeed, last year's wealth wasteland has become a billionaire bonanza. Most of the richest people on the planet have seen their fortunes soar in the past year.

This year the World's Billionaires have an average net worth of $3.5 billion, up $500 million in 12 months. The world has 1,011 10-figure titans, up from 793 a year ago but still shy of the record 1,125 in 2008. Of those billionaires on last year's list, only 12% saw their fortunes decline.

U.S. billionaires still dominate the ranks — but their grip is slipping. Americans account for 40% of the world's billionaires, down from 45% a year ago.

The U.S. commands 38% of the collective $3.6 trillion net worth of the world's richest, down from 44% a year ago.

Of the 97 new members of the list, only 16% are from the U.S. By contrast, Asia made big gains. The region added 104 moguls and now has just 14 fewer than Europe, thanks to several large public offerings and swelling stock markets.

The new billionaires include American Isaac Perlmutter, who flipped Marvel Entertainment (MVL) to Disney (DIS) for $4 billion last December. The Spider-Man mogul netted nearly $900 million in cash and 20 million shares of Disney in the transaction.

Also new to the ranking: 27 billionaires from China, including Li Shufu, whose automaker, Geely, announced plans to buy Swedish brand Volvo from Ford in December. The deal is expected to close in March 2010.

Finland and Pakistan both welcomed their first billionaires.

For the first time China (including Hong Kong) has the most billionaires outside the U.S. with 89.

Russia has 62 billionaires, 28 of them returnees who had fallen off last year's list amid a meltdown in commodities. Total returnees to the list this year: 164.

Eleven countries have at least double the number of billionaires they had a year ago, including China, India, Turkey and South Korea.

Thirty members of last year's list fell out of the billionaire's club. Moguls who couldn't make the cut: Iceland's Thor Bjorgolfsson, Russia's Boris Berezovsky and Saudi Arabia's Maan Al-Sanea.

Another 13 members of last year's list died. Among the deceased: real estate developer Melvin Simon and glass tycoon William Davidson.

The Top 20 Billionaires in the World

1) Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $53.5 billion

Source: Telecom

Residence: Mexico

• Telecom tycoon who pounced on privatization of Mexico's national telephone company in the 1990s becomes world's richest person for first time after coming in third place last year. Net worth up $18.5 billion in a year.

• Recently received regulatory approval to merge his fixed-line assets into American Movil, Latin America's biggest mobile phone company.

• His construction conglomerate, Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo, builds roads and energy infrastructure.

• Son of a Lebanese immigrant also owns stakes in financial group Inbursa, Bronco Drilling, Independent News & Media, Saks and New York Times Co.

• Newspaper outfit's stock popped in early March on talk he might buy a controlling stake; he denies the rumor.

• Donating $65 million to fund a research project in genomic medicine with American billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad.

2) Bill Gates

Net Worth: $53 billion

Source: Microsoft

Residence: U.S.

• Software visionary is now the world's second-richest man. Net worth still up $13 billion in a year as Microsoft shares rose 50% in 12 months, value of investment vehicle Cascade swelled.

• More than 60% of fortune held outside Microsoft; investments include Four Seasons hotels, Televisa, Auto Nation.

• Stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft in 2008 to focus on philanthropy.

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation dedicated to fighting hunger, improving education in America's high schools, developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.

3) Warren Buffett

Net Worth: $47 billion

Source: Investments

Residence: U.S.

• America's favorite investor up $10 billion in past 12 months on surging Berkshire Hathaway shares; says U.S. has survived economic "Pearl Harbor," but warns recovery will be slow.

• Shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs and $3 billion in General Electric amid 2008 market collapse.

• Recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion.

• "We've put a lot of money to work during the chaos of the last two years. When it's raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble."

• Berkshire Hathaway book value was up 19.8% to $21.8 billion in 2009.

• Son of Nebraska stockbroker met value investor Benjamin Graham while studying economics at Columbia.

• Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, used company as a vehicle to invest in insurance (Geico), food (Dairy Queen), utilities (MidAmerican Energy) and recently green tech (electric-car maker BYD).

4) Mukesh Ambani

Net Worth: $29 billion

Source: Petrochemicals, oil and gas

Residence: India

• Global ambitions: His Reliance Industries, already India's most valuable company, recently bid $2 billion for 65% stake in troubled Canadian oil sands outfit Value Creations.

• Firm's $14.5 billion offer to buy bankrupt petrochemicals maker LyondellBasell was rejected.

• Since September company has sold Treasury shares worth $2 billion to be used for acquisitions.

• Late father, Dhirubhai, founded Reliance and built it into a massive conglomerate. After he died, Mukesh and his brother, Anil, ran the family business together for a brief time. But siblings feuded over control; mother eventually brokered split of assets, with Mukesh getting oil, gas and petrochemicals businesses.

• Still at odds with Anil over gas supply agreement; awaiting Supreme Court's final ruling.

• Owns cricket team Mumbai Indians.

5) Lakshmi Mittal

Net Worth: $28.7 billion

Source: Steel

Residence: India

• London's richest resident oversees ArcelorMittal, world's largest steel maker. Net profits fell 75% in 2009.

• Mittal took 12% pay cut amid slump but improved outlook pushed stock up one-third in past year.

• Looking to expand in his native India; wants to build steel mills in Jharkhad and Orissa but has not received government approval.

• Started in family steel business in India in 1970s; branched out on his own in 1994.

• Initially bought up steel mills on the cheap in Eastern Europe.

• Earned $1.1 billion for selling his interest in a Kazakh refinery in December.

• Sits on the boards of Goldman Sachs, EADS.

• Upped stake in struggling British soccer team QPR in February.

• Funding 400-foot sculpture to be built in London's Olympic Park in time for 2012 Olympics.

• Owns 12-bedroom mansion in London's posh Kensington neighborhood.

• Daughter-in-law Megha recently bought insolvent German fashion house Escada.

6) Lawrence Ellison

Net Worth: $28 billion

Source: Oracle

Residence: U.S.

• Oracle founder's fortune continues to soar; shares up 70% in past 12 months.

• Database giant has bought 57 companies in the past five years.

• Completed $7.4 billion buyout of Sun Microsystems in January; acquired BEA Systems for $8.5 billion in 2008.

• Studied physics at U. of Chicago; didn't graduate.

• Started Oracle 1977; took public a day before Microsoft in 1986.

• Owns 52% stake in business-software company NetSuite; shares worth $480 million.

• Racing junkie owns 453-foot yacht Rising Sun with pal David Geffen. Won America's Cup in February, besting longtime rival billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli.

7) Bernard Arnault

Net Worth: $27.5 billion

Source: Luxury goods

Residence: France

• Bling is back, helping fashion icon grab title of richest European as shares of his luxury goods outfit LVMH--maker of Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon--surge 57%.

• LVMH is developing upscale Shanghai commercial property, L'Avenue Shanghai, with Macau billionaire Stanley Ho.

• Renaissance man owns French tour operator Go Voyages, yacht builder Royal Van Lent; has a stake in French retailer Carrefour.

• Built Le Cheval Blanc in ski resort town of Courchevel, France, where he likes to spend New Year's Eve.

• Father, Jean, who died in January, made small fortune in construction; sale of that business later helped fund Arnault's move into real estate and eventually into luxury goods.

• Still a family affair: son Antoine, 32, and daughter Delphine, 34, sit on LVMH's board.

• Wife is a concert pianist; Arnault himself reported to be an excellent piano player.

8) Eike Batista

Net Worth: $27 billion

Source: Mining, oil

Residence: Brazil

• Vowing to become world's richest man--and he may be on his way. This year's biggest gainer added $19.5 billion to his personal balance sheet.

• Son of Brazil's revered former mining minister who presided over mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce got his start in gold trading and mining. Insists Dad didn't help: "All my businesses started from zero. My father was a problem for me because he never let me near Vale."

• Made a pile in resources and other services, but two-thirds of his fortune comes from relatively new source, OGX Petróleo e Gas Participações, the oil-and-gas exploration company he founded in 2007 and took public a year later.

• Police raided his home in 2008, alleging Batista smuggled gold and unfairly influenced the acquisition of a railroad. He denied all wrongdoing, emerged unscathed.

• Onetime champion offshore powerboat racer.

• Formerly married to Playboy cover girl.

• Provided financing to Rio de Janeiro's Olympic committee, helping the city win its bid for 2016 Olympic Games.

9) Amancio Ortega

Net Worth: $25 billion

Source: Fashion retail

Residence: Spain

• Style maven lords over Inditex; fashion firm, which operates under several brand names including Zara, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, has 4,500 stores in 73 countries including new spots in Mexico and Syria.

• Set up joint venture with Tata Group subsidiary to enter India in 2010.

• Betting on Florida real estate: bought Coral Gables office tower that is currently home to Bacardi USA.

• Also owns a luxury apartment complex in Miami; properties in Madrid, Paris, London and Lisbon, a horse-jumping circuit, an interest in a soccer league; has investments in gas, tourism and banks.

• Railway worker's son started as a gofer in a shirt store.

• With then-wife Rosalia Mera, also a billionaire, started making dressing gowns and lingerie in living room.

• Shuns neckties and fanfare.

• Daughter Marta works for Inditex; speculation has it she's being groomed to eventually replace her father.

10) Karl Albrecht

Net Worth: $23.5 billion

Source: Supermarkets

Residence: Germany

• Owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud, one of Germany's (and Europe's) dominant grocers.

• Has 1,000 stores in U.S. across 29 states.

• Estimated sales: $37 billion.

• Plans to open New York City store this year.

• With younger brother, Theo, transformed mother's corner grocery store into Aldi after World War II. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe.

• Retired from daily operations.

• Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.

11) Ingvar Kamprad and Family

Net Worth: $23 billion

Source: Ikea

Residence: Sweden

• Ikea's reputation under fire. In Russia company fired two top managers for allowing bribes to a power supplier. In France firm is facing an extended workers' strike.

• A former managing director has published a book exposing questionable ethics.

• Even Kamprad's frugal image is being questioned, as details of a fancier life (he reportedly drives a Porsche) emerge.

• Still, no one can question his success: peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947.

• Opened first Ikea store more than 50 years ago; chain's name is a combination of initials of his first and last name, his family farm and the nearest village.

• Retired in 1986; company's "senior advisor" still reportedly works tirelessly on his brand.

• Discount retailer now sells 9,500 items in 37 countries; prints catalog in 27 languages.

• Fiscal 2009 sales: $31 billion.

• Plans to open 15 stores in 2010, including one in Shenyang, China.

12) Christy Walton and Family

Net Worth: $22.5 billion

Source: Wal-Mart

Residence: U.S.

• World's largest retailer benefited as cash-strapped shoppers looked to discount merchandise at start of economic slump.

• Boost may have waned; recently reported 1.6% decline in same-store sales in its U.S. Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores, warned of soft sales in current quarter.

• Still, shares are up 7% in past 12 months and family fortune rose a combined $13 billion, largely recovering losses from market crash.

• Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk. Opened Benjamin Franklin five-and-dime in 1945; lost lease five years later. Founded Bentonville, Ark., general store with brother James 1962.

• Today Wal-Mart has $405 billion in annual sales, 2 million employees, more than 8,400 stores.

• Christy is the richest of the Waltons thanks to late husband John's early bet on First Solar; alternative energy stock up more than 350% since 2006 public offering.

13) Stefan Persson

Net Worth: $22.4 billion

Source: H&M

Residence: Sweden

• "Cheap chic" mogul is chairman of Hennes & Mauritz (H&M); promoted son, Karl-Johan, 34, to chief executive in July.

• Retailer is known for bringing on big names like Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney to design affordable collections for its 1,900 stores.

• Continuing its designer collaborations with new shoe line with Jimmy Choo that debuted in November and knitwear line with Sonia Rykiel.

• Continues to expand internationally: opened first stores in Russia, Lebanon and South Korea in past year.

• His father, Erling, founded H&M in 1947; Stefan took over in 1982, gave up chief executive position in 1998.

• Reportedly acquired the village of Linkenholt in Hampshire, England, last summer.

• A founder of the Mentor Foundation, nonprofit that combats substance abuse among youth.

• Enjoys downhill skiing, tennis and golf.

14) Li Ka-shing

Net Worth: $21 billion

Source: Diversified

Residence: Hong Kong

• Betting on recovery, upped stakes in publicly traded conglomerates Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa. Cheung Kong paid $100 million for shares in Russian aluminum maker Rusal ahead of its January Hong Kong public offering. Hutchison Whampoa is attempting to take its telecom subsidiary private for $545 million in cash; awaiting regulatory approval.

• Through HW, Li is world's largest operator of container terminals, world's largest health and beauty retailer by number of outlets, a major supplier of electricity to Hong Kong and a real estate developer.

• Has a large holding in Canadian oil firm Husky Energy, which recently announced its third discovery in South China Sea.

• Asia's most generous individual has given out $1.4 billion to education, medical research.

• Humble origins: quit school at age 15 to support his family; made plastic flowers that he exported to U.S. in the 1950s.

• Eldest son, Victor, helps him run businesses; son Richard struck out on his own in early 1990s and is a billionaire in his own right.

15) Jim C. Walton

Net Worth: $20.7 billion

Source: Wal-Mart

Residence: U.S.

• Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk. Opened Benjamin Franklin five-and-dime in 1945; lost lease five years later. Founded Bentonville, Ark., general store with brother James in 1962.

• Today Walmart has $405 billion in annual sales, 2 million employees, more than 8,400 stores.

• Jim runs family's Arvest bank.

16) Alice Walton

Net Worth: $20.6 billion

Source: Wal-Mart

Residence: U.S.

• World's largest retailer benefited as cash-strapped shoppers looked to discount merchandise at start of economic slump.

• Boost may have waned; recently reported 1.6% decline in same-store sales in its U.S. Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores, warned of soft sales in current quarter.

• Still, shares up 7% in past 12 months and family fortune rose a combined $13 billion, largely recovering losses from market crash.

• Alice funded $100 million airport in Bentonville 1990; building Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

17) Liliane Bettencourt

Net Worth: $20 billion

Source: L'Oreal

Residence: France

• Makeup heiress' fortune rebounding with L'Oreal shares.

• Company, founded by her father, celebrated its 100th birthday in 2009.

• Last year only daughter and heir, Francoise Bettencourt-Meyers, petitioned courts to investigate reported $1.4 billion worth of cash and gifts her mother allegedly gave to Francois-Marie Banier, 61, a well-known photographer, writer and painter whom she befriended. Daughter claims Banier took advantage of her mother, who became a widow in 2007. Liliane denies it; has been ordered to undergo psychological testing before July trial. Mother and daughter apparently no longer speak.

18) S. Robson Walton

Net Worth: $19.8 billion

Source: Wal-Mart

Residence: U.S.

• Rob has been chairman of Wal-Mart since 1992.

• World's largest retailer benefited as cash-strapped shoppers looked to discount merchandise at start of economic slump.

• Boost may have waned; recently reported 1.6% decline in same-store sales in its U.S. Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores, warned of soft sales in current quarter.

• Still, shares up 7% in past 12 months and family fortune rose a combined $13 billion, largely recovering losses from market crash.

• Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk. Opened Benjamin Franklin five-and-dime in 1945; lost lease five years later. Founded Bentonville, Ark., general store with brother James in 1962.

• Today Walmart has $405 billion in annual sales, 2 million employees, more than 8,400 stores.

19) Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud

Net Worth: $19.4 billion

Source: Diversified

Residence: Saudi Arabia

• Net worth of globe-trotting investor and nephew of the Saudi king is up $6.1 billion in the past year.

• Two-thirds of his fortune is held in his 95% stake in Saudi-listed investment vehicle, Kingdom Holding.

• In the five weeks leading up to Forbes' stock valuation date, Kingdom shares jumped 49%.

• Alwaleed and Kingdom Holding together own a 3.5% stake in Citigroup. As the bank's largest individual investor, he has been vocal in his support of its chief executive Vikram Pandit.

• Kingdom Holding also has large holdings in the Four Seasons and Fairmont hotel management chains.

• In late February News Corp. purchased a 9% stake in Alwaleed's Arab media and entertainment company Rotana, valuing the company at $770 million.

• His palaces and real estate are worth more than $3 billion.

• Owns jewelry collection he values at $730 million, plus four airplanes, including an Airbus A380.

20) David Thomson and Family

Net Worth: $19 billion

Source: Thomson Reuters

Residence: Canada

• Chairman of Thomson Reuters knocks longtime rival Michael Bloomberg out of top 20.

• Firm acquired financial commentary site Breakingviews in December.

• Grandfather Roy founded the media group in 1934.

• With brother Peter, serves as cochair of family's investment concern, Woodbridge.

• Also owns CTVglobemedia; multimedia outfit's holdings include Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, and dozens of TV channels and radio stations.