Latest news with #Melinda
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Was Jeffrey Epstein the reason behind Melinda French Gates' divorce from Bill Gates?
Did Jeffrey Epstein kill himself, or was it a cold-blooded murder? Finally, there's an answer to that long-looming question. After years of conspiracy theories and speculations over Epstein's death, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) Deputy Director Dan Bongino revealed on Wednesday that there is nothing in the infamous American financier's file that might indicate that he died by any other way than suicide. While alive, Epstein ruined countless lives with his sexual abuse and sex-trafficking activities. The exact number of Epstein's victims remains uncertain, but estimates suggest that over 250 individuals were subjected to his abuse. However, those were not the only ones impacted by Epstein. Turns out, he had a massive contribution to the divorce of Melinda French Gates, who called it quits with Microsoft founder Bill Gates after 27 years of marriage. What happened? In May 2021, Melinda French Gates and Bill Gates announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage, sending shockwaves through the philanthropic and tech worlds. While the couple cited irreconcilable differences, Melinda has since revealed that Bill's association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein played a significant role in the dissolution of their marriage. A deepening rift The relationship between the Gates and Epstein began in 2011, after Epstein had served a 13-month sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tecno Pova Curve 5G - India's Slimmest 5,500mAh Curve TECNO Mobile Buy Now Undo Bill Gates met Epstein to discuss philanthropy, but Melinda was uncomfortable with the association. In 2013, she reportedly warned Bill about his meetings with Epstein, describing them as a "turning point" in their relationship. In a 2022 interview with CBS Mornings, Melinda stated, 'I did not like that he'd had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein. I made that clear to him.' She also recounted meeting Epstein once and finding him 'abhorrent' and 'evil personified,' an encounter that left her with nightmares. The final straw Reports suggest that Melinda began consulting divorce lawyers in October 2019, around the same time the New York Times reported on Bill's meetings with Epstein, including an overnight stay at Epstein's New York mansion. These revelations were reportedly a catalyst for Melinda's decision to end the marriage. The aftermath: While Epstein's role in the Gates divorce is a significant factor, it was not the sole reason. Melinda has indicated that there were multiple issues that contributed to the end of their marriage. However, Epstein's involvement undeniably played a pivotal role in their decision to part ways. The retrospection: After the divorce, Bill Gates has expressed regret time and again over his association with Epstein, acknowledging it as a 'substantial error in judgment.' In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the Microsoft co-founder admitted that his decision to meet with the late convicted sex offender was 'foolish'. Gates explained that his initial interactions with Epstein were motivated by the hope of leveraging the financier's connections to support global health initiatives. However, he acknowledged the meetings were unwise and ineffective. "In retrospect,' Gates told WSJ, 'I was foolish to spend any time with him. And he, sort of, got time with various people by spending time with other people.' He added, "So yes, I think I was quite stupid. I thought it would help me with global health philanthropy. In fact, it failed to do that it was just a huge mistake." On the other hand, Melinda claimed the relationship had 'reached fever pitch' after the New York Times released a damning report on his connections to Epstein. She shared that the article about Epstein, whom she referred to as 'evil personified' in the interview, 'raised serious questions about Bill's conduct—questions that suggested he had betrayed not only our marriage but also our values." Following the divorce, Melinda has focused on her philanthropic efforts through Pivotal Ventures, an investment and charitable firm she founded. She has committed to advancing women's rights and participation in various sectors, including politics and business. Bongino updated Fox News on the investigation into the Epstein file, as conspiracies continue to float that he was murdered in prison, and said, "The evidence we have in our files clearly indicates that it was, in fact, a suicide. We do have video. It's not the greatest video in the world. I don't want to set expectations on fire." Bongino added, "However, the video does show in that specific block, that he goes in, made a phone call; you'll see 12 hours of guards going in basically check on him, come back. You'll see nobody really comes out of that bay in that area than him. There's no one in there. There's nothing there in the file at all that indicates anything other than in fact a suicide." One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Days of Our Lives Recap: Gabi Loses Control With Arianna When She Stays Out All Night Long
On today's Days of Our Lives recap: Horton Square: Leo and Javi are chowing down and discussing their night at the Salem Inn. Javi just couldn't face Gabi after their contentious showdown. Leo has an idea for his beloved and suggests he go back to being a firefighter/paramedic. Javi is reluctant but promises to think about it. With that, they head back to the Salem Inn to hit the sheets. Hernandez House: Gabi is freaking out and wants to head back out with JJ to find Arianna Grace. She thanks him for all his help saying he's gone above and beyond especially considering their current relationship status. JJ says it's all good and promises they will find Arianna. Gabi and JJ grab some sustenance, and she asks why teenagers typically disappear for periods of time. JJ says it can be related to drugs or alcohol but it could also be about meeting up with a boy. Gabi can't imagine her daughter being with a boy she just met. JJ notes she could have met someone on the plane or on one of the apps. Gabi can't consider such a thing as she just turned eighteen. Arianna Grace isn't the type to sneak out in the middle of the night, even though she's always been a wee boy crazy. Salem Inn: Young Douglas and Arianna Grace chat after their hookup. She says she needs to head home, but he wants to go for round two. Arianna Grace and young Douglas get dressed and she wants to know about hooking up again. He's down but notes how pricey the Salem Inn is considering he is strapped for cash. She says she's down to pay but he won't hear of it. Arianna asks about meeting up at his place, but he thinks it could be difficult based on all kinds of logistical issues. Brady Pub: Melinda is meeting with Sophia about giving her baby up for adoption. Melinda says she is well-versed in the process. Sophia explains what happened with Johnny and Chanel (without mentioning them by name). Melinda asks about Tate and she says he has the flu but is on board. Melinda follows up with a question about her mother, but Sophia says she's just turned eighteen. Her mother will not be a problem. Just then, Mama Choi walks through the door, surprised her daughter is not in school. She is clearly going to be a problem. Sophia introduces her mother to Melinda. Mama Choi recognizes her name and notes her less than stellar reputation as the former DA. She asks again why her daughter is meeting with Melinda, and Sophia says she is hiring her to put her baby up for adoption. Mama Choi does everything but actually put her foot down when she says her daughter will be doing no such thing. Melinda gets up to leave but Sophia begs her to stay. She reluctantly agrees and watches as Sophia talks to her mother. She says she was afraid how her mother would react, but it's her life and she is giving her baby up for adoption. In the background, Melinda is in her feelings, presumably about her own situation with Haley. Mama Choi says she will not stand by and let her move forward with this adoption. Melinda steps up and sides with Sophia saying it's her decision and she has no legal right to interfere. She goes on to say if she doesn't back down, she is likely to lose both her daughter and granddaughter. Mama Choi pushes back hard at Melinda, who explains about her own history. She says her father wanted to kick her out of the family when her mother stepped up. Melinda came to live in the US while Haley remained in China with her parents who raised her as their own. Eventually, they reunited but her daughter died shortly afterwards. Melinda knows giving up Haley was the right thing to do. She begs Mama Choi one more time to not lose her daughter over this decision. Marlena and John's Penthouse: Tate has recovered from his flu and wonders where everyone is. He calls his father and learns about his grandfather's grave condition. Tate says he'll head to the hospital ASAP. Johnny and Chanel's New Digs: Johnny and Chanel are basking in the afterglow of christening their new place. Neither of them can believe that Paulina gave them the place for only one dollar. They chat about his new job and Johnny grabs his phone to check in. He sees a ton of new messages from his family about Grandpa John. Johnny calls Samantha Gene and explains to Chanel about the current situation with John and Bo. He says his mom and Sydney are trying to get a flight out, but a volcano eruption has grounded all the flights. Chanel reminds Johnny that John is the strongest man they know and will pull through. Johnny thought the same about Stefano but had to learn even the strongest men can't live forever. Horton Square: Tate runs into Johnny and Chanel and they catch up about John. Tate says he just saw his grandpa and he doesn't look good. Tate begins to tear up as he thinks about all the stories he wanted to share with him. Chanel comforts him by saying she just knows he will pull through. She asks if he wants to go back to the hospital with them, but Tate has to meet up with Sophia to try and work on finding another couple to adopt their child. They all wish each other well and awkwardly part ways. Arianna Grace and young Douglas emerge from the Salem Inn and quickly part ways when they see Tate, Johnny and Chanel. She takes a seat and reviews all the texts from her mother. Just then, Gabi runs towards her daughter and pulls her into a frantic hug. JJ joins as Gabi yells at Arianna and he says she should give her daughter a chance to explain. She ignores him and demands to know why her daughter ignored the 47 text messages she sent. Arianna lies saying she was with her school friend Cora. She gets all kinds of snarky with her mother before Gabi shuts her down. Arianna says she is eighteen and can do what she wants. They both look to JJ for validation before he says he will not be getting in between a mother and daughter. Javi arrives on the scene and Arianna Grace says her mother is in full on psycho mode. He wanted to apologize for missing her birthday and asks if he can take her to dinner. Arianna makes a snarky comment about why Javi missed out and Gabi says she tried to invite him and apologize. Javi doesn't want to hear it and says he can't continue to deal with her cycle of abuse. Gabi admits to being awful and says she never should have fired him. She knows she overreacted. Javi says he loves his cousin but knows they can't continue to work together. That being said, he and Leo will return to the house that evening. With that, he exits. JJ takes a call leaving Gabi and Arianna Grace to continue their showdown. Arianna apologizes to her mother and says she won't leave her hanging again. Gabi calms down but asks her daughter if she was really at a friend's house or was she with a boy. Arianna says she wasn't with a boy and simply turned her phone off. She wonders why her mother is being so suspicious and Gabi goes off. Just then, JJ returns and tells Arianna about her Great Grandpa John. Brady Pub: Mama Choi thanks Melinda for sharing her very personal story. She tells Sophia she loves her and wants what is best for her. Just then, she gets a text from work. They agree to finish the conversation at home. After her mother leaves, Sophia thanks Melinda for trying to help. Sophia asks if she will agree to be her lawyer. Just then, Tate arrives and says they will not be hiring Melinda Trask. Hernandez House: Young Douglas arrives and asks Leo for help tracking down Julie's necklace. He thinks he needs someone with an expertise dealing with folks on the other side of the law. Johnny and Chanel's New Digs: The couple return from the hospital and Johnny is freaked out by John's condition. Chanel notes he is stable and simply needs time to heal. Johnny knows he should be more like his grandpa, upbeat even in the worst situations. It's why he wanted to use John as the middle name for their child. Chanel says they can when they are ready to start a family. Endings Sophia had no idea Melinda was involved in Holly's brother being stolen. Melinda knows she got overly involved in the situation and made some sketchy choices, which she regrets. She turns to Sophia and says she sees so much of herself in her. If she and her mother can agree on the adoption, Melinda will be happy to work with her. With that, Melinda exits. Leo agrees to help young Douglas track down Julie's necklace. As he is leaving, he runs into Javi. Leo asks about Javi's run-in with Gabi and he says all is good. What's more important is he has decided to apply to the Salem Fire Department. JJ indicates John's condition is serious and Arianna Grace says she needs to see him. Gabi says she will go with her and thanks JJ for all his help. Johnny thanks Chanel for taking the day off work to support him. He mentions his new job at Titan/DiMera and Chanel wonders if he really wants to work with Xander. He says he can use the income and doesn't want to depend on DiMera money to support his family. With that, they kiss. Keep checking back for the latest Days of Our Lives recaps!
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill Gates Could Have Been World's First Trillionaire If He Had Diamond-Handed His Microsoft Stock — But Instead, He's Vowed To Not Die Rich
Elon Musk may top today's rich list, but if Bill Gates had diamond-handed his Microsoft stock instead of giving most of it away, we'd be looking at a very different kind of billionaire. A trillionaire, in fact. According to a Forbes video posted on YouTube this week, Gates would be worth around $1.2 trillion today — more than three times Musk's net worth — if he'd never sold a single share or donated a dime. The clip estimates that he and Melinda French Gates could have had a combined fortune of $1.5 trillion, making them by far the wealthiest couple in modern history. Of course, that's not what happened. Don't Miss: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. The video highlights that since Microsoft's 1986 IPO — where Gates held 49% of the company — he's steadily trimmed his stake over the years while building one of the most generous philanthropic legacies in history. Today, he holds less than 1% of Microsoft stock, worth about $28 billion, while Melinda reportedly owns 380,000 shares worth roughly $170 million. Still, the hypothetical is staggering: if they'd never sold and reinvested dividends, the Gateses would own over 3.2 billion shares after stock splits, controlling about 43% of Microsoft — a stake valued at $1.4 trillion at today's price. Toss in another $100 billion in post-tax dividends, and the cash pile alone would outsize most billionaire fortunes. This alternate reality has its roots in the late '90s, when Wired magazine boldly predicted Gates would become the first trillionaire by 2005. At the time, it didn't sound too far-fetched. By June 1999, Gates' net worth had soared to $72.2 billion, growing at an eye-popping annual rate of 58.2% since the IPO. But instead of clinging to Microsoft shares, Gates diversified, offloaded, and doubled down on giving. Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — In a blog post earlier this month, he reaffirmed his commitment to philanthropy, referencing Andrew Carnegie's The Gospel of Wealth. "The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced," Carnegie wrote. Gates added, "People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that 'he died rich' will not be one of them." And he's stuck to it. Through the Gates Foundation — which he co-founded with Melinda in 2000 — he's given away more than $100 billion, a sum he notes was "in part powered by the generosity of Warren Buffett." So, yes — Gates could've been the world's first trillionaire. But he chose to be the world's most impactful giver instead. Rich in capital? Absolutely. But richer, it seems, in purpose. Read Next:Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Bill Gates Could Have Been World's First Trillionaire If He Had Diamond-Handed His Microsoft Stock — But Instead, He's Vowed To Not Die Rich originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘O.K.!' Review: When the Abortion Clinic Cancels
In a shared dressing room of a theater somewhere in Oklahoma, an actress named Melinda is the first to arrive. It's 90 minutes before the curtain rises, and to the keen-eyed stage manager, Alex, she seems not quite herself. 'You look like you've been throwing up,' Alex says, getting it right in one guess, not that Melinda is about to admit that she is pregnant. She has an abortion scheduled, and no one needs to know. But in Christin Eve Cato's new backstage dramedy, 'O.K.!,' Melinda's timing is on a collision course with the rollback of reproductive rights. The date is June 24, 2022, and the U.S. Supreme Court has just overturned Roe v. Wade. Soon the clinic calls to cancel Melinda's appointment permanently, and the clear vision she had of her future clouds over with panic. 'O.K.!' is about how Melinda (Danaya Esperanza) moves through that fear as the clock ticks down to showtime, with the help of her fellow actors Jolie (Yadira Correa) and Elena (Claudia Ramos Jordán) and their collective reverence for tarot-card wisdom. Also instrumental: the calming competency of Alex (a very funny Cristina Pitter), who herds unruly cast members like cats. The barely glimpsed show within a show is a nonunion tour of a musical called 'Okla-Hola,' a parody of Rodgers and Hammerstein's cowboy-Americana classic 'Oklahoma!,' told from a Latino point of view. Melinda stars as Lori (a version of Laurey, of course, the farmhouse beauty pursued by two suitors), with the jaded, politically engaged Jolie as Titi Elder (a variation on Laurey's Aunt Eller) and the high-spirited, Spanglish-speaking Elena as Ada Ana (the inveterate flirt Ado Annie). In a corner of their dressing room stands a scaled-down, rustic farm windmill, which will transform into the tarot deck's glowing, 3D Wheel of Fortune. (The set is by Rodrigo Escalante.) Directed by Melissa Crespo for Intar Theater and Radio Drama Network, 'O.K.!' blends a loving critique of the theater with a historically minded explication of threats to women's health and autonomy, leavens it all with comedy and sprinkles it with the surreal. Tonally, that is quite a mix to pull off, particularly with the script's didacticism working against its drama. On Intar's intimate Manhattan stage in Hell's Kitchen, this uneven production of an ambitious play has its mind on the disappearance of rights in the American present and its past. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Oklahoma reverted to a law from 1910 — around the time 'Oklahoma!' is set — that prohibits most abortions. What's interesting about 'O.K.!,' as an addition to the growing niche of shows examining abortion, is how firmly it plants itself at the philosophical crossroads between proceeding with a pregnancy and ending it. Melinda, who, at 36, is a New Yorker with a law-student boyfriend and anemic personal finances, had not meant to get pregnant. Barely past the theater industry's Covid-19 shutdown, unsure of her relationship, she does not believe she is ready for a child. Jolie, Melinda's longtime friend, encourages her to question that assumption — which, in this fraught context, could be read as searching for a silver lining in a loss of liberty. Reassuring her, Jolie says: 'It's your choice if you want to have a baby, and it's your choice if you don't. I'm just wondering if life would be over for you in case you're unable to get this abortion — and I think not.' Melinda receives similar counsel from the bizarre and wonderful Two of Swords (Pitter), a tarot card come to life, whose red-lit, fog-shrouded dance is the show's campiest moment. (Choreography is by Pitter, lighting by María-Cristina Fusté, costumes by Lux Haac.) The Two of Swords suggests to Melinda that she make a list of pros and cons. So, on the advice of a talking tarot card, that's what she does. Her considerations include dystopian possibilities if she seeks an abortion ('What if I get caught by the government of Oklahoma for trying to leave?' she says) and inescapable realities if she decides against one — like the need for day care. 'How much would that cost in New York City?' Melinda erupts. At the performance I saw, a woman in the audience answered her with an emphatic 'Mm-hm!' By play's end, though, Melinda has yet to leave that crossroads, mulling paths that looked very different just a day before.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Melinda French Gates almost didn't join Bill Gates' Microsoft— Until THIS unexpected comment changed her life forever
File photo: Melinda French Gates and Bill Gates Tech billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates might have divorced and gone their separate ways, but anecdotes from their personal lives continues to gain people's attention and make the headlines. It is noted that when Melinda French Gates joined Bill Gates' Microsoft back in the 1980s, the tech company was just a "little" company. So, what made Melinda take up a job at Microsoft back then, a decision through which she met her now ex-husband Bill Gates and which changed her life forever? Talking about this, Melinda revealed in an interview with LinkedIn News earlier this year that it was an unexpected comment that made her changed her mind-- and the rest, as they say, is history! When Melinda chose to join Bill Gates' "little company" Microsoft Things could have turned out very differently for Melinda French Gates— if not for one unexpected piece of advice that changed the course of her life. Back in the 1980s, fresh out of Duke University's business school, Melinda had just wrapped up two internships at IBM and received a promising job offer from the tech giant. But a conversation with her hiring manager took an unexpected turn. During the interview, the manager asked Melinda if she was ready to accept the offer. Melinda replied that she had one last interview—with a small, relatively unknown company at the time called Microsoft. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pierce Brosnan's Wife Lost 120 Pounds - This Is Her Now Undo "'Well, I have one more company to go interview. This little company, Microsoft. It was tiny,'' Melinda recalled saying to her then manager at IBM. 'And she said, 'If they give you an offer, you should take it.' And it dumbfounded me,' Melinda French Gates added. T hat advice, coming from someone who was supposed to hire her, left Melinda stunned. But she took it to heart— and that decision would shape her entire future. Melinda joined Microsoft in 1987 as a product manager. Over the next decade, she climbed the ranks to become the general manager of information products at what would become one of the most valuable companies in the world. But it wasn't just her career that flourished at Microsoft. It's also where she met Bill Gates. The duo got married in 1994, co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, and went on to become one of the most influential philanthropic couples in history before separating in 2021 after 27 years of marriage and having three children together. Looking back, Melinda often reminds others to take bold chances in their careers. 'You can pivot. You can change. You can go in a whole new direction,' she says. One small nudge from a hiring manager— one simple sentence— was all it took to change everything. Melinda Gates Calls Out Bill-Epstein Connection, 'Evil Personified' Shocker in New Memoir One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
