Bill opens the Gates to his wealth
All of us have heroes, but they keep changing. In school, it was my geography teacher. He was captivatingly anecdotal and a fantastic orator. When he spoke about the mountains, the rivers, the forests, it was as if we were being taken on a conducted tour of the world of nature.
My other hero in school was my class teacher. He was a rare mix of authority and humility. He didn't believe in the power of spanking and allowed his smiles to rescue a tense moment. My last hero was our very popular football coach. He saw the lover of the game in me and encouraged me to play the game with passion.
Then came college and with it new heroes. Even before I had reached the 100th page of Fyodor Dostoevsky's mind-blowing tale, Crime and Punishment, the Russian genius had become my new hero.
Then pulsating youth fell for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Bronte almost took the place of Dostoevsky.
The situation forced me toadmire those who worked toreduce the bitterness
I felt the same after I read Albert Camus's The Outsider, D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
Well, one morning I woke up to discover that it was high time fiction made way for reality to take over. And in days, I realised that it was going to be bitter.
The bitterness came in the form of lack of water, food scarcity, homelessness. Shockingly, one set of human beings enjoyed glittering dwellings, heavenly cuisines and aerated water. Another set was hit by killer droughts, unending starvation and roofless homes.
The situation forced me to admire those who worked to reduce the bitterness. The fight against life's inconsiderate ways threw up Mother Teresa, Abdul Sattar Edhi and Ratan Tata. They became my heroes.
But I was tempted to rethink my list when I heard that Bill had decided to open the Gates to his wealth to make life somewhat less bitter for some.
Bill Gates pledged he would donate 99% of his tech fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will now close in 2045, earlier than previously planned.
Gates pledged to give away almost his entire personal wealth in the next two decades and said the world's poorest would receive some $200 billion via his foundation at a time when governments worldwide are slashing international aid.
The pledge is among the largest philanthropic gifts ever — outpacing the historic contributions of industrialists like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie when adjusted for inflation. Only Berkshire Hathaway investor Warren Buffett's pledge to donate his fortune — currently estimated by Forbes at $160 billion — may be larger depending on stock market fluctuations.
'It's kind of thrilling to have that much to be able to put into these causes,' Gates said in an interview.
Therefore, they who, almost all, stopped me from drinking Coca-Cola (Coke Zero) were not fully right because Buffett inspired Bill. They are trying to can the bitterness.
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Gulf Today
05-06-2025
- Gulf Today
Bill opens the Gates to his wealth
All of us have heroes, but they keep changing. In school, it was my geography teacher. He was captivatingly anecdotal and a fantastic orator. When he spoke about the mountains, the rivers, the forests, it was as if we were being taken on a conducted tour of the world of nature. My other hero in school was my class teacher. He was a rare mix of authority and humility. He didn't believe in the power of spanking and allowed his smiles to rescue a tense moment. My last hero was our very popular football coach. He saw the lover of the game in me and encouraged me to play the game with passion. Then came college and with it new heroes. Even before I had reached the 100th page of Fyodor Dostoevsky's mind-blowing tale, Crime and Punishment, the Russian genius had become my new hero. Then pulsating youth fell for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Bronte almost took the place of Dostoevsky. The situation forced me toadmire those who worked toreduce the bitterness I felt the same after I read Albert Camus's The Outsider, D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Well, one morning I woke up to discover that it was high time fiction made way for reality to take over. And in days, I realised that it was going to be bitter. The bitterness came in the form of lack of water, food scarcity, homelessness. Shockingly, one set of human beings enjoyed glittering dwellings, heavenly cuisines and aerated water. Another set was hit by killer droughts, unending starvation and roofless homes. The situation forced me to admire those who worked to reduce the bitterness. The fight against life's inconsiderate ways threw up Mother Teresa, Abdul Sattar Edhi and Ratan Tata. They became my heroes. But I was tempted to rethink my list when I heard that Bill had decided to open the Gates to his wealth to make life somewhat less bitter for some. Bill Gates pledged he would donate 99% of his tech fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will now close in 2045, earlier than previously planned. Gates pledged to give away almost his entire personal wealth in the next two decades and said the world's poorest would receive some $200 billion via his foundation at a time when governments worldwide are slashing international aid. The pledge is among the largest philanthropic gifts ever — outpacing the historic contributions of industrialists like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie when adjusted for inflation. Only Berkshire Hathaway investor Warren Buffett's pledge to donate his fortune — currently estimated by Forbes at $160 billion — may be larger depending on stock market fluctuations. 'It's kind of thrilling to have that much to be able to put into these causes,' Gates said in an interview. Therefore, they who, almost all, stopped me from drinking Coca-Cola (Coke Zero) were not fully right because Buffett inspired Bill. They are trying to can the bitterness.
Arabian Post
04-06-2025
- Arabian Post
Zelenskyy's Reckless Gambit: A Tactical Masterstroke That Threatens Strategic Collapse
M A Hossain By any military measure, Ukraine's 'Operation Spider Web' was an astonishing success. In a meticulously planned operation, Ukrainian drones struck deep into Russian territory, obliterating at least 40 military aircraft—including nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers—in a single, devastating blow. The attack revealed not only meticulous Ukrainian planning over 18 months but also the glaring vulnerabilities of Russia's so-called impenetrable airspace. It was a coup de main that will be studied in military academies for decades. But as history too often reminds us, tactical brilliance can be the prelude to strategic disaster. The world now holds its breath, waiting to see what comes next. The immediate question is not whether Russia will respond—it will—but how. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must now reckon with that distinction. Launched on the eve of scheduled peace talks in Istanbul, Spider Web didn't just dismantle a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet—it may also have dismantled the fragile architecture of diplomacy that remained. If this was a calculated move to strengthen Ukraine's bargaining position, it was cynically timed and perilously shortsighted. It risks transforming what was still, however tenuously, a brutal regional war into an epoch-defining catastrophe. ADVERTISEMENT We've seen this before. In 1914, the assassination of an Austrian archduke triggered a cascade of commitments, mobilizations, and miscalculations that led to a global conflagration. In 1941, Japan, feeling cornered by U.S. embargoes, attacked Pearl Harbor—a masterstroke of surprise that ultimately led to its own annihilation. And in 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the planet within inches of nuclear oblivion, saved only by backchannel diplomacy and the mutual recognition of unacceptable costs. Ukraine's gamble did not occur in a vacuum. It came at a time when President Trump has been seeking to limit American exposure and end the war, while Europe is increasingly divided over how far to support Kyiv without inviting catastrophe. It also came amid a U.S. political landscape reshaped by Donald Trump's return to the White House, a president who has made clear his disinterest in 'forever wars' and who, notably, has remained silent on this latest escalation. The American public, too, seems less inclined to bankroll Kyiv's ambitions, particularly when those ambitions risk dragging NATO into a direct confrontation with a nuclear adversary. Zelenskyy's supporters will argue this operation was necessary—a bold stroke to jolt Russia from its entrenched positions and to demonstrate Ukraine's capability for long-range asymmetric warfare. They will say it sends a signal to Moscow: Ukraine cannot be intimidated and has the resolve to strike at the heart of Russian military power. They may even compare it to Israel's 1981 strike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor—a preemptive blow to degrade a long-term threat. But the analogy doesn't hold. Israel acted in secrecy against a latent, undeclared threat. Ukraine struck openly, on the record, against a nuclear-armed power just hours before peace talks. Worse, it struck not against fielded forces in battle, but strategic nuclear bombers inside Russia, a move that risks prompting a doctrinal response from Moscow. Since its updated nuclear posture last year, Russia allows for nuclear use in response to conventional strikes that threaten its strategic deterrent—exactly the kind of attack Spider Web represents. It is no exaggeration to say that Zelenskyy has lit a fuse dangerously close to a powder keg. Which raises a larger question: What exactly was the purpose of this attack? ADVERTISEMENT Some suspect it was less about battlefield utility and more about political optics. With Western support waning and battlefield momentum stalled, Zelenskyy may have felt compelled to show that he still commands initiative—that he remains a credible partner worth backing. There's also speculation that this operation was a plea for continued arms shipments now under threat from Trump's 'America First' administration. But if this was an attempt to impress or pressure Western allies, it may backfire. The attack has already emboldened voices in Washington and Brussels who argue that the war is spiraling out of control. And it gives ammunition to Moscow's propaganda machine, which is portraying the strike as Russia's own Pearl Harbor. When a nuclear power perceives itself as the victim of an existential assault, dangerous decisions follow. We must also ask: was NATO involved? Did European allies—through satellite intelligence or remote drone operations—have a hand in the planning or execution? If so, this operation could cross a previously avoided threshold, bringing NATO into direct conflict with Russia. That's not just a strategic misstep—it's a generational blunder. President Zelenskyy must now answer for the consequences of his audacity. Yes, the strike humiliated Russia. Yes, it exposed the rot within Moscow's security establishment. But the cost of that humiliation could be paid not just in Ukrainian lives, but potentially in the lives of millions across Europe and beyond, should Putin interpret this as justification for escalation. History is littered with leaders who mistook tactical victories for strategic triumphs. Napoleon's march into Moscow, Hitler's advance into Stalingrad, even George W. Bush's 'Mission Accomplished' moment in Iraq—all stemmed from an overestimation of short-term success and a blindness to long-term consequence. Zelenskyy, admired as he rightly is for his courage and resolve, must now be judged for his judgment. By launching Spider Web when he did, and in the manner that he did, he may have sabotaged the very peace he claims to seek. Worse, he has placed the entire international order at the mercy of a man like Vladimir Putin, whose worldview is shaped not by cost-benefit logic but by grievance, pride, and a paranoid sense of historical destiny. The West must now perform a high-wire act. It must reaffirm support for ending the war. It must also demand restraint and a return to diplomacy. A nuclear confrontation, even a 'demonstrative' one over a deserted military base, would rewrite the rules of war and peace for generations to come. It would show that nuclear blackmail works—or that nuclear retaliation can be normalized. Neither outcome is acceptable. Operation Spider Web may be remembered as a brilliant military feat. But unless it is followed by swift and sober diplomacy, it risks becoming a historical monument to hubris—the kind that ignites wars from which there is no return. The lesson from history is chillingly clear: great fires often begin with a single, dazzling spark. Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.
Gulf Today
04-06-2025
- Gulf Today
Grebnev reclaims solo leadership with two rounds to go in Dubai chess tourney
Grandmaster (GM) Aleksey Grebnev of Russia once again distanced himself from the field with a hard-fought win against International Master (IM) S. Rohith Krishna of India in Monday night's seventh round of the 25th Dubai Open Chess Tournament at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club. Grebnev captalised on a series of blunders by Krishna in what was otherwise an equal position to dispose of his erstwhile co-leader and take the tournament lead with six points. The 18-year-old Russian is trailed closely by two other teenage grandmasters three years his junior - his compatriot Ivan Zemlyanskii and Sina Movahed of Iran, who both have 5.5 points. Movahed, who turned 15 last week during the tournament's opening day, and Zemlyanskii, two months shy of his 15th birthday in August, scored the biggest scalps of the round after defeating defending champion GM Mahammad Muradli and top-seed GM Nihal Sarin, respectively. Movahed inflicted Muradli's second consecutive loss in the tournament. Muradli was on the backpedal right out of the opening as Movahed sacrificed a pawn to weaken the Azerbaijani's kingside defence. Movahed, however, could not find the precise continuation to convert his advantage until a greedy pawn grab by Muradli on the 39th move allowed the Iranian to launch an overwhelming attack with all his pieces contributing to the onslaught. Muradli resigned three moves later. After being held by two consecutive draws, Nihal, playing the black pieces, once again took big risks to play for a win. The ploy initially worked as he started to create weaknesses around white's kingside, but the Indian failed to find the most accurate way to sustain the offensive, allowing Zemlyanskii to force an exchange of queens that neutralised the attack and left him a pawn up in the endgame. Grebnev will have the black pieces as he tries to protect his lead when he faces Movahed in the next round. In Category B, Fide Master (FM) Mahdi Nikookar of Iran ended his perfect run after a draw with Sri Lanka's Pesandu Rashmitha Liyanage in the seventh round. Nikookar, however, remains the solo leader with 6.5 points, followed by Liyanage and Indian Candidate Master (CM) Alankar Sawai Vandan with six points each. Vandan defeated Armenia's Davit Baghdasaryan. The tournament follows a 9-round Swiss system with a 90-minute time control plus a 30-second increment per move. Games are played every day from 5pm, except the final round on June 4, which starts at 10am. The awarding ceremony is on June 5. The tournament offers a prize pool of $52,000 to be handed out to the winners of both categories. Category A, contested by players with a rating over 2300, has a total prize fund of $39,500 with $12,000 going to the champion, while Category B, open to players rated below 2300, offers $12,500 in total prizes and $2,000 awarded to the champion. Special prizes will also be distributed to top performers among rating categories, unrated, youth, women, and UAE players. Chess fans from around the world can watch the Category A games live on the club's website as well as chess platforms such as and Earlier, International Master (IM) S Rohith Krishna of India defeated defending champion GM Mahammad Muradli to rise to the top of the standings in a tie with Grandmaster (GM) Aleksey Grebnev after Sunday night's sixth round. Grebnev drew with top-seed GM Nihal Sarin on the first board, allowing Krishna to join him for the lead with five points each. Nihal remains in joint second place with 4.5 points, alongside his compatriot GM Bharath Subramaniyam, GM Zemlyanskii, GM Shant Sargsyan, and GM Movahed. Muradli sacrificed a pawn on move six in a delayed Benko Gambit and a few moves later the game reached a position that was previously seen in a game between world number two Hikaru Nakamura and former FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov. Muradli, however, deviated on move 13, a questionable decision that allowed Krishna to gain time to reinforce his central pawns and plant an uncontested knight on the c4-square, the white knight's ideal outpost in the Benko Gambit.
