Buffett gives $3.86b to Gates Foundation, charities

WARREN Buffett, billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has donated another roughly US$2.86 billion (S$3.86 billion) of his holdings in the company's stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four family charities.

The Gates Foundation, which focuses on improving education and health as well as reducing poverty, received about 14.96 million shares.

The donations were made last week and took Mr Buffett's total contributions to the charities to more than US$24.3 billion since 2006.

Also getting donations were the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for Buffett's late first wife, and the Howard G. Buffett, Sherwood and NoVo Foundations, respectively overseen by his children Howard, Susan and Peter.

Buffett, 85, remains the world's third-richest person, according to Forbes magazine.