NEW YORK: ‘Harry Potter’ author J K Rowling and the founders of web engine Google joined Forbes’ list of world billionaires. Rowling, once an unemployed single mother, saw her wealth rise to $1 billion after the publication of the latest ‘Harry Potter’ novel and the success of the wizardly character as a movie franchise.

And with Google becoming the Internet search engine of choice among the tech savvy, company founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page also saw their fortunes reach $1 billion apiece. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates was the world’s richest man for the 10th year with a personal fortune of over $46b.

Polar Bears turn green

SINGAPORE: Life in the balmy tropics has made polar bears Inuka and Sheba go green with algae. The usually white coats of Sheba and her 13-year-old son Inuka, Singapore Zoo’s two polar bears, turned green a few weeks ago from algae growing in their hollow hair shafts.

Polar bears have clear hair shafts which appear white because they reflect light.