Tag Archives: The Middle East

Changan Automobile and Yango Group forge a strategic partnership to drive smart mobility across Africa and the Middle East.

Dubai, UAE, 10 November 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ Changan Automobile has announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with Yango Group, a UAE-based technology company, marking a new milestone in Changan’s ongoing expansion across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The signing ceremony took place at Changan’s Middle East and Africa headquarters, bringing together senior executives from both organisations. 

The event was attended by Li Mingcai, Executive Vice President of Changan Automobile, Fu Yuanhong, Chief Representative of the Middle East and Africa Business Division, Xiao Feng, General Manager of the Business Division, and Yin Tong, Deputy General Manager of the Business Division, as well as Mr Bolat, Senior Vice President of Mobility Business at Yango Group, accompanied by a company delegation.

Through this agreement Yango Motors, the automotive business part of Yango Group dedicated to making vehicles more accessible, will serve as an official distributor of Changan vehicles, starting in Côte d’Ivoire with plans to expand to other markets across Africa. The partnership will supply reliable and durable cars tailored to the needs of African ride-hailing markets, aiming to elevate the travel experience for local consumers while driving the growth of sustainable mobility across the region.

“Our partnership with Yango Group is part of our long-term commitment to empowering global partners and accelerating intelligent mobility development across emerging markets”, said Xiao Feng, General Manager of Changan’s Middle East and Africa Business Division. “Combining Changan’s advanced technologies with Yango’s extensive mobility network allows us to fulfill our aim to deliver greater value and an enhanced travel experience to users across the region”.

The partnership reflects Yango Group’s continued investment in developing advanced mobility ecosystems across Africa and the Middle East. As part of its global expansion strategy, Yango aims to collaborate with leading automotive brands to enhance the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of ride-hailing and car-sharing experiences in Africa and the Middle East.

“We are proud to join forces with Changan Automobile to accelerate the evolution of smart, sustainable mobility across the MEA region,” said Mr Bolat, Senior Vice President of Mobility Business at Yango Group. “Through our technology, data insights, and vast user network, we aim to help shape the next generation of ride-hailing experiences; improving accessibility, safety, and environmental impact for millions of users. At the same time, we are committed to elevating fleet quality, empowering local businesses, and supporting our partner’s drivers to deliver a consistently better experience for everyone.”

As one of the world’s largest ride-hailing platforms, Yango Ride, part of the global tech company Yango Group, operates across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Latin America, making over 1.2 billion trips globally and supporting 2.1 million active registered drivers.

This partnership marks a transition from single-model procurement to multi-model business integration and joint brand promotion, injecting new momentum into the development of regional smart mobility ecosystems. Building on this foundation, both companies aim to expand their collaboration to new markets across the MEA region, offering consumers smarter, safer, and more sustainable mobility solutions.

Through close collaboration with Yango Group, Changan Automobile will provide ride-hailing customers across the Middle East and Africa with efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly travel options, contributing to greener, smarter urban mobility and a more connected future.

This partnership exemplifies a win-win model of resource sharing and complementary strengths, reinforcing how Chinese automotive brands are deepening their integration into the Middle East and Africa’s mobility ecosystem—driving innovation, sustainability, and growth across the region—while continuing to create long-term value in international markets.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Yango Group

About Changan Automobile 

With its CHANGAN, DEEPAL and AVATR, Changan Automobile is one of the “Big Four” Chinese automakers. It has 39 production facilities in 14 production bases around the world. It’s global R&D network connects 10 cities in six countries (Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Dingzhou and Hefei in China, Turin in Italy, Yokohama in Japan, Birmingham in the UK, Detroit in the US, and Munich in Germany), and brings together the talents of more than 18,000 engineers from 31 countries and regions. It has had a presence in the Middle East and Africa market since 1994, with cumulative sales of 400,000 units. To further expand its global footprint, in 2023 the company launched its Vast Ocean Plan. With a mission to “lead auto culture and benefit human life”, Changan is transforming itself into an intelligent, low-carbon mobility tech company that contributes to society and meets people’s needs for a better life. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.globalchangan.com/

About Yango Group

Yango Group is a tech company that transforms global technologies into everyday services tailored for local communities. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, the company reshapes and enhances leading cutting-edge technologies from around the world into seamlessly integrated daily services for diverse regions. The mission is to bridge the gap between world-leading innovations and local communities, fostering connections and enhancing everyday living experiences.

The post Changan Automobile and Yango Group forge a strategic partnership to drive smart mobility across Africa and the Middle East. appeared first on African Media Agency.

Which ‘Stranger Things’ Stars Are — And Aren’t — Returning for Final Season?

Stranger Things is wrapping up its run on Netflix with a fifth and final season spread across three different drops — but not every cast member is returning.

The hit series, which debuted in 2016, focuses on a fictional town where a series of supernatural events take place and cause mystery and mayhem. Over the course of five seasons, Stranger Things has catapulted its cast members — Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton and Joe Keery — to stardom.

Ahead of the show’s highly-anticipated season 4 premiere in 2022, creators Matt and Ross Duffer announced that they were going to end the series after one more chapter in Hawkins, Indiana.

“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things,” they detailed in an open letter in February 2022. “At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four but — as you’ll see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last.”

Holy Upside Down! ‘Stranger Things’ Cast From Season 1 to Now: Photos

Later that year, the Duffer Brothers opened up about their vision for the final episodes and addressed the season 4 episode split.

“The original plan was to release it all at once again. But as we began turning over episodes, everyone began to feel the season was too big to be released in one batch — at nearly 13 hours, it is really more two seasons than one,” they told Variety in May 2022 after Volume 1 dropped the first seven episodes. “Episode 7 is as big as any season finale we’ve ever had, so it made sense to everyone involved to split the season there. Episode 7 really serves as the end of the second act — and we feel that our final act had enough meat on the bone to make up Volume 2.”

Keep scrolling to see which cast members have confirmed they are returning — and who won’t be back:

Winona Ryder

Stranger Things Brett Gelman Reveals Whether Fans Will Like Season 5
Courtesy of Netflix

Ryder’s Joyce has been featured in the season 5 trailer and stills.

David Harbour

Feature Stranger Things Fans Notice David Harbour Is Barely in New Trailer After Lily Allen Album
David Harbour Courtesy of Netflix

Before filming the finale season, Harbour teased Hopper’s potential story line in season 5.

“We’re walking into season 5. I’ve got a couple more months to train,” he said at the Middle East Film & Comic Con in March 2023. “I did a lot of training for season 4. He [Hopper] was in a very specific position, that Russian prison. It was about making him a different guy and sort of shedding a layer of himself physically, mentally, and emotionally. But now he’s back in town, he’s back in America where they have cheeseburgers, so he will be well-fed.”

Millie Bobby Brown

STRANGER THINGS
Netflix

Brown admitted in March 2023 she was “very ready” to move on from Stranger Things, but Eleven will appear.

“I’m definitely ready to wrap up. I feel like there’s a lot of the story that’s been told now,” she explained to Seventeen. “It’s been in our lives for a very long time. But I’m very ready to say goodbye to this chapter of my life, and open new ones up. I’m able to create stories myself that are important to me and focus on the bigger picture. But I’m really grateful [for the show].”

Finn Wolfhard

Stranger Things Finn Wolfhard Annoyed No Ghost Encounter Yet
Courtesy of Netflix

Wolfhard, who plays Mike, exclusively told Us Weekly that he was mourning the end of the show after returning for season 5. He called the final season “bittersweet, bitter and then sweet.”

Gaten Matarazzo

Gallery Stranger Things Cast s Best Behind the Scenes Moments Ahead of Fifth and Final Season 661
Tina Rowden/Netflix

“There’s an excitement there because you always want to wrap it up and you want to see how these characters are going to finally develop one last time, and how they’re going to finish their journeys,” Matarazzo said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in March 2023, noting that the experience was “bittersweet” as well. “But also, there’s a deep fear that’s been like — not only has it been amazing, but it’s been, like, pretty great job security.”

Matarazzo said he was looking forward to Dustin’s final arc. “I think [the story is] in the best hands it can be,” he explained. “Matt and Ross know these characters better than I think we might. It’s really interesting ’cause they trust us all very much to make our own decisions and go about the scenes the way we’ve always instinctually wanted to.”

Caleb McLaughlin

Gaten Matarazzo Says Stranger Things Season 5 Should Kill off His Character Dustin
Courtesy of Netflix

McLaughlin is reprising his role as Lucas after ending season 4 on a dramatic note.

Noah Schnapp

Stranger Things Confirms 1 Year Time Jump
Courtesy of Netflix

“There will definitely be another center point for Will in season 5 and I think it’s really exciting and I’m definitely so excited to see what they have in store,” Schnapp exclusively told Us in January 2023. “They won’t tell me specifics, but they were like, ‘You just wait. You will be very happy and excited. So sit tight.’”

He continued: “I think the story opened and started with Will, and I think ending it with him and circling back on that is a nice way for them to wrap it up.”

Sadie Sink

Stranger Things Creators Originally Planned Kill Off Max Season 4 Sadie Sink
Netflix

While season 4 ended with Sink’s Max in a coma, photos from the set confirmed that the actress returns in some capacity.

Natalia Dyer

TV Couples We Need to See Get Together- Buck and Eddie, Olivia and Elliot and More - 459
Curtis Baker/Netflix

“I have no doubt the bigger, scarier, action-y plot will be very much there. That’s almost guaranteed,” Dyer told Netflix’s Tudum in July 2022 about her wishes for season 5 before returning to film. “But I really am looking forward to hopefully having some of those nice character moments of these people connecting and showing that they care about each other. That’s the heart of what we like to do. I believe that’s part of the appeal of the show — the heart.”

Charlie Heaton

Natalia Dyer Charlie Heaton Relationship Timeline
Netflix/Kobal/Shutterstock

Heaton, who plays Jonathan, is confirmed to be part of the season 5 cast after being with the show since its 2016 debut on Netflix.

Joe Keery

TV Couples We Need Together in 2025 From Summer I Turned Pretty s Belly Conrad to 9 1 1 s Buck Eddie
Courtesy of Netfli

Keery a.k.a fan-favorite Steve admitted in August 2023 that while it “does feel like it’s time” to wrap up the series, it “won’t be easy” to see it all come to an end.

“I owe my whole career to being on that show and all the opportunities that I had since are because of that show,” he told WWD at the time while filming. “So it’s very convoluted. There’s a sense of relief, there’s a sense of sadness. I guess my goal is to just really soak it up as much as I can while we’re doing it, and not take any of it for granted because it’s been an amazing ride with such great people. And then once it’s done, move forward and try to just hold on to the joy that we had when we were making it.”

Keery added that “everything has a beginning and the middle and an end” so it will be “it’ll be nice to have the end of [Stranger Things] too.”

Maya Hawke

Us Weekly's 2025 TV Wishlist
Netflix

After returning to set as Robin, Hawke said it was “already starting to be heartbreaking,” telling Entertainment Tonight in June 2024, “It’s the end of a really long journey. Longer for some of my castmates, even, than for me. So it’s really sentimental. But as a late addition to the cast member, I feel like it’s my job to be here to facilitate their feelings and just be grateful and excited to have been a part of it at all.”

What the Cast of ‘Stranger Things’ Looks Like in Real Life

Eduardo Franco

TV Shows Ending in 2025 Stranger Things The Handmaid s Tale Cobra Kai and More Stranger Things 0239
Courtesy of Netflix

Franco, who joined the cast in season 5 as Jonathan’s best friend Argyle, revealed during a January 2024 appearance on the Steve Varley show that he would not be returning for the final season.

When host Steve Varley shared that fans were in a “panic” after a cast photo was released with Franco missing, the actor said he appreciates that there is “some concern” but he “never got a phone call” about reprising the role.

“So I think, yeah, I think that’s it,” he added.

Brett Gelman

Stranger Things Brett Gelman Reveals Whether Fans Will Like Season 5
Courtesy Netflix

“It’s going great and it’s going to be amazing,” Gelman exclusively told Us in July 2024 about being halfway through filming the Netflix show’s final season as Murray.

Gelman reassured Us that viewers will be happy with how Stranger Things comes to an end, saying, “The fans are going to love it.”

Priah Ferguson

Everything to Know About the Fifth and Final Season of 'Stranger Things
Netflix

Ferguson, who plays Erica Sinclair, reflected on how the final season of Stranger Things is all about wrapping loose story lines up. “I definitely want to see closure for the whole series. Hopefully at the end of season 5, I want to see closure and the whole situation being resolved,” she told Us in May 2022. “I don’t want it to end on a very traumatic situation like the past seasons have. I want it to be that we defeated the monster and we won over it.”

Jamie Campbell Bower

Stranger Things Spinoff Ideas We Want to See From Steve s Adventures to Hopper and Joyce s Prequel 313
Steve Dietl/Netflix

In July 2024, Netflix released a video showing the cast filming the final season. Fans caught glimpses of Bower reprising his spooky role as Vecna.

Joseph Quinn

Joseph Quinns Memorable Onscreen Performances Make Us Want to Google Him Shirtless
Courtesy of Netflix

“No, sadly, RIP. [Eddie is] fully under that ground,” Matt told Empire in October 2025. “I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people! But no, he’s dead.”

Aleph Hospitality and Hilton to Open Kenya’s First Tapestry Collection by Hilton Hotel

AVA Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton becomes Aleph Hospitality’s fifth hotel under management in Kenya

DUBAI, 24 October 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Aleph Hospitality, the largest independent hospitality management company in the Middle East and Africa, has signed a management contract for the first Tapestry by Hilton branded hotel in Kenya with owner AVA Hotel Limited, further solidifying the company’s position as a leading hotel operator in Kenya and the region.

The milestone agreement underscores Aleph Hospitality’s commitment to East Africa, where the company has been strategically expanding its footprint in key cities and tourism hubs. With a growing portfolio and a reputation for operational excellence, Aleph Hospitality is uniquely positioned to meet the evolving demands of the region’s hospitality sector.

Ava Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, has an authentic connection to its location in the heart of the upscale Lavington suburb, just minutes away from Nairobi’s city centre. Surrounded by leafy avenues, modern shopping malls, and gourmet restaurants, the hotel will feature 91 thoughtfully designed guest rooms, restaurants, lounges, a rooftop, swimming pool, fitness area, meeting rooms, and a business centre.

Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, said: “We are honoured to have been entrusted with the management of AVA Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, and proud to introduce Kenya’s first Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel. We have a close and collaborative relationship with Hilton, and our shared goal is to drive exceptional guest experiences, optimise operations, and create a healthy bottom-line for the owner.”

Carlos Khneisser, Chief Development Officer, Middle East & Africa, Hilton, said, “We are delighted to partner with AVA Hotel Limited to introduce our lifestyle Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand to Kenya. As we continue with our plans to nearly triple our presence in Africa to more than 160 trading hotels in the coming years, we remain focused on diversifying our portfolio to meet evolving guest needs. We look forward to welcoming guests at this exciting new property which will be managed by Aleph Hospitality.”

Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of independent hotels, each with its own original, vibrant personality. When it opens, Ava Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton will be part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty programme which gives members access to instant benefits, including earning Points on stays, exclusive member discounts, free standard Wi-Fi, Digital Check-in with room selection and Digital Key.

Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality, said: “We are honoured to have been entrusted with the management of AVA Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, and proud to introduce Kenya’s first Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel. We have a close and collaborative relationship with Hilton, and our shared goal is to drive exceptional guest experiences, optimise operations, and create a healthy bottom-line for the owner.”

Carlos Khneisser, Chief Development Officer, Middle East & Africa, Hilton, said, “We are delighted to partner with AVA Hotel Limited to introduce our lifestyle Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand to Kenya. As we continue with our plans to nearly triple our presence in Africa to more than 160 trading hotels in the coming years, we remain focused on diversifying our portfolio to meet evolving guest needs. We look forward to welcoming guests at this exciting new property which will be managed by Aleph Hospitality.”

Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of independent hotels, each with its own original, vibrant personality. When it opens, Ava Hotel Nairobi, Tapestry Collection by Hilton will be part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty programme which gives members access to instant benefits, including earning Points on stays, exclusive member discounts, free standard Wi-Fi, Digital Check-in with room selection and Digital Key.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Aleph Hospitality

NOTE TO EDITORS:

About Aleph Hospitality

Headquartered in Dubai, with regional offices in Riyadh, Casablanca, Abidjan, Cape Town and Nairobi, Aleph Hospitality is the first and largest independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa. Aleph Hospitality manages over 50 hotels, representing 7,000+ rooms across 23 countries and 39 cities. Working for hotel owners, either with a franchise for branded properties or as a white label operator for independent hotels, Aleph Hospitality handles all aspects of hotel operations at any stage of development – from site and brand selection to technical assistance, pre-opening and day-to-day operations. Aleph Hospitality’s regional expertise has earned the trust of leading brands such as Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Best Western, Rotana, Wyndham and Onomo. Visit www.alephhospitality.com

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 24 world-class brands comprising more than 8,800 properties and nearly 1.3 million rooms, in 139 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 226 million Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on FacebookXLinkedInInstagram and YouTube

About Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a portfolio of more than 170 independent hotels each with an original, vibrant personality, encouraging guests to enjoy off-the-beaten-path experiences in destinations worth exploring. While each property has a unique story to share that comes to life through uplifting design and unique food & beverage, every Tapestry Collection property is united by the reliability that comes with the Hilton name, in addition to the benefits of the award-winning Hilton Honors program. Experience Tapestry Collection by Hilton by booking at tapestrycollectionbyhilton.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Tapestry Collection by Hilton at stories.hilton.com/tapestry, and follow the brand on FacebookInstagram and X.

Media Contact

Anne Bleeker, Managing Director, In2 Consulting

anne@in2consulting.com / +971 56 603 0886

The post Aleph Hospitality and Hilton to Open Kenya’s First Tapestry Collection by Hilton Hotel appeared first on African Media Agency.

Aleph Hospitality Celebrates 50th Hotel and Sets Bold Growth Trajectory for 2029

A decade of owner-focused partnerships drives record growth for the Dubai-based hotel management company

DUBAI, 15 October 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Aleph Hospitality celebrated its 10th anniversary this September, marking a decade-long expansion from a single hotel in 2015 to 50 operating hotels across 39 cities and 23 countries in the Middle East and Africa in 2025.

The Dubai-based hotel management company disrupted the traditional hotel management model a decade before global competitors entered the region and grew to become the largest independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa.

Aleph Hospitality’s 10-year rise can be accredited to several factors: market foresight, a scalable tailored-to-fit hotel management model, agile operations, regional expertise and focus on driving benefits to owners to maximise their returns. The company’s close and collaborative relationship with hotel owners is a key component of its exponential growth, leading to over 60% of existing hotel owners entrusting multiple properties to Aleph Hospitality’s management.

In 2025 Aleph Hospitality secured the largest ever hotel management portfolio deal in the region with African Hotel Development Group for the management of 26 ONOMO-branded hotels across 15 African countries. The same year, the company won Leading Hotel Management Company in the Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2025 by Hotel & Catering Middle East.

Previous milestones include the opening of a regional office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the opening of the landmark complex Jewel of the Creek which comprises 20,000sqm of retail space, an 86-berths marina and two branded properties with a total of 770 keys: Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel & Residences and Marriott Marquis Dubai Creek. In a first for the region, Aleph Hospitality manages this complex with two different brands with clustered support functions.

To reinforce its regional expertise and responsiveness to hotel owners, Aleph Hospitality will be opening four new regional offices in 2026: Casablanca in Morocco, Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Town in South Africa and Nairobi in Kenya. The company has also announced a Luxury Division to provide dedicated attention to its growing portfolio of luxury hotels. Having reached its long-standing goal of operating 50 hotels by 2025, Aleph Hospitality has set itself a new ambitious goal: operating 100 hotels by the end of 2029.

Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality said: “Pioneering a new business model requires patience, and the determination to remain steadfast in a vision that anticipated industry change a decade ahead. It is deeply rewarding to see that foresight validated today and that our business model has proven to be both resilient and successful.”

Neil George, Executive Director of Aleph Hospitality added: “It took considerable market education to introduce a model that, although well proven in the rest of the world, was new to our region. The results of those efforts are now evident. Our focus for the future is clear: to continue to deliver locally smart, world-class owner-centric hotel management services across the region.”

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Aleph Hospitality.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

About Aleph Hospitality 

Headquartered in Dubai, with regional offices in Riyadh, Casablanca, Abidjan, Cape Town and Nairobi, Aleph Hospitality is the first and largest independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa. Aleph Hospitality manages over 50 hotels, representing 7,000+ rooms across 23 countries and 39 cities. Working for hotel owners, either with a franchise for branded properties or as a white label operator for independent hotels, Aleph Hospitality handles all aspects of hotel operations at any stage of development – from site and brand selection to technical assistance, pre-opening and day-to-day operations. Aleph Hospitality’s regional expertise has earned the trust of leading brands such as Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Best Western, Rotana, Wyndham and Onomo. Visit www.alephhospitality.com 

Media Contact:

Anne Bleeker

Managing Director, In2 Consulting 

anne@in2consulting.com / +971 56 603 0886

The post Aleph Hospitality Celebrates 50th Hotel and Sets Bold Growth Trajectory for 2029 appeared first on African Media Agency.

Hostages Released, Trump In The Middle East, Shutdown Layoffs

Phase one of the Gaza ceasefire is underway as Hamas releases Israeli hostages and thousands of Palestinians held by Israel are being reunited with their families. President Trump addresses Israel’s parliament ahead of his trip to Egypt to sign the deal he brokered. And the government shutdown enters its second week, with multiple agencies sending layoff notices and growing pressure on the military payroll.

Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

<

p class=”readrate” data-rr=”17″ data-pm-slice=”1 1 []”>Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kate Bartlett, Vincent Ni, Jason Breslow, Mohamad ElBardicy and Martha Ann Overland.

<

p class=”readrate” data-rr=”17″>

<

p class=”readrate” data-rr=”17″>It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas

<

p class=”readrate” data-rr=”17″>

<

p class=”readrate” data-rr=”17″>We get engineering support from David Greenburg. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Gaza Ceasefire, Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan, Letitia James Indicted

A fragile ceasefire deal is being put to the test as Israeli troops begin pulling back in Gaza. President Trump prepares to travel to the Middle East as the U.S. sends 200 American troops to monitor the agreement between Israel and Hamas. And New York Attorney General Letitia James is indicted on federal bank fraud charges, a case brought on after the president publicly called for her prosecution.


Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

<

p class=”readrate”>Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Rebecca Rosman, Gerry Holmes, Anna Yukhananov, Mohamad ElBardicy and Martha Ann Overland.

<

p class=”readrate”>

<

p class=”readrate”>It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas

<

p class=”readrate”>

<

p class=”readrate”>We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

<

p class=”readrate”>

<

p class=”readrate”>And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Africa Fintech Summit Accra 2025 welcomes MDP as a sponsor

ACCRA, Ghana, 26th September 2025/African Media Agency/-The Africa Fintech Summit is pleased to welcome back MDP, a long-time AFTS partner and a leading card issuing and payments technology provider across the Middle East and Africa, as sponsor for the 14th edition of Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS) 2025, to be held at the Accra international Conference Center (AICC) in Accra, Ghana, from October 8 to 10, 2025

This sponsorship comes as MDP continues to enhance its capabilities to deliver next-level payment solutions to banks, fintechs, and telcos across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Already, the 30-year-old payments enabler currently serves over 260 financial institutions across 40 countries and has produced over 340 million cards. However, it’s not resting on its oars as it continues to work hard to deliver innovative, scalable, and secure end-to-end payment (issuing, acquiring and digital) services to its clients with greater agility.

The partnership with the Africa Fintech Summit supports the company’s expansion plans, as it continues to deepen its roots in Africa. For instance, last year saw it open a regional office in Ghana, while extending its payment processing services to Kenya and Libya. This ambitious streak and the company’s extensive impact were among the reasons it made it into the top 20 on Forbes’ list of the Top 50 Fintechs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“Our presence in Ghana reflects MDP’s long-term commitment to supporting financial institutions and fintechs across West Africa with proven, reliable payment infrastructure. With decades of experience enabling payments in both mature and emerging markets, we understand what it takes to deliver solutions that work in local contexts. Events like the Africa Fintech Summit allow us to engage directly with banks, fintechs, and regulators who are looking not just for technology, but for a partner they can trust to deliver efficiently and at scale,” said Emmanuel Sarpong-Oduro, Managing Director, MDP Ghana.

“It is with great delight & gratitude that we are welcoming back MDP as a sponsor for our 14th edition of AFTS in Accra this October. MDP has been—and continues to be—an impactful, progressive, and innovative end-to-end payments infrastructure that enables the wide Fintech ecosystem in Africa & beyond, demonstrating the Africanization of Tech in its global growth trajectory,” said Zekarias AmsaluCo-Founder & MD of AFTS.

Since its first summit in 2018, the Africa Fintech Summit has become the largest annual financial technology gathering on the African continent. #AFTSACCRA25 will bring Keynote Speeches from the Host Country Government, AfCFTA, Fintech thought leaders, a VIP dinner for Speakers and invited guests, excellence in FinTech awards ceremony, workshops, fireside chats, Exhibition Booths, Masterclasses for Startup Founders, Alpha Expo Mini Accelerator & Pitch Competition, and Ecosystem tours around Accra for the international delegates. The event will conclude with happy-hour receptions for delegates and attendees on each date.

Over the past 13 summits, AFTS has supported Over $200M in capital raise efforts for African fintech startups though pitch competitions, groundbreaking launch of partnerships and inward investments to host countries through conference tourism, Public discourse and debate surrounding industry trends, brand building and awareness opportunities across global fintech media, knowledge sharing between banking/fintech operators with regulators, active engagement and inclusion of regulatory authorities in continental fintech conversation, and bring the largest source of truth for announcements of financial technology innovation, and strategic partnerships across the continent and globally.

As in the past years, the event will be hybrid, with live streaming provided for remote attendees via our website as well as via partnering educational facilities across Africa as part of our industry-academia partnership initiative. Limited in-person tickets to the 14th Edition summit are now available on our website, and delegates can secure their tickets with a 25% discount by using code GFA25 at checkout https://africafintechsummit.com/event/afts-accra-2025/.

Distributed by African Media Agency in partnership with Africa Fintech Summit

About Africa Fintech Summit 

AFTS ( https://africafintechsummit.com ) is the premier global initiative dedicated to the African fintech ecosystem. AFTS is traditionally hosted in Washington, D.C., each April during the World Bank/IFC annual meeting week and in a different African city each November. The summit is being held in a hybrid format, in person in the selected Venue and live virtual delegates. So far AFTS has brought its summits to Washington DC(2025)Nairobi, Kenya(2024)Washington DC(2024)Lusaka, Zambia ( 2023)Washington DC & Prosper T4TA Launch(April 2023)Cape TownSouth Africa( 2022)Washington DC (2022)CairoEgypt (2021)Virtual(2020)Addis AbebaEthiopia(2019)LagosNigeria (2018). The African leg of the 2025 Summit is scheduled for Accra, Ghana on 8-10 October 2025.

Supported by an advisory board of thought leaders and fintech pioneers, AFTS is a unique space where innovative ideas are debated, investments mobilised, partnership deals signed, and collaborations formed across sectors and geographies. AFTS is organised in partnership between Washington, D.C. based firms, a strategic advisory group, Dedalus Global, and a Pan-African emerging technologies advisory firm, Ibex Frontier.

About MDP

MDP is the leading payments enabler across Africa & the Middle East. It enables businesses to roll out their financial solutions with end-to-end payment infrastructure offerings from personalized card production to financial transaction processing and digital payment solutions. MDP has been well-positioned in the market for more than 30+ years and is acknowledged for accelerating payment experiences through a tech-driven approach. MDP embraces the global adoption of innovative, scalable, and secure emerging fintech solutions that provide seamless omnichannel customer experiences. MDP is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, and has an extended footprint in 40+ countries globally.

Media contact:

Africa Fintech Summit

Charles Isidi

Head of Marketing and Communications,

charles@africafintechsummit.com

MDP

Nour Shalaan 

Marketing and Communications Lead

Nour.Shaalan@mdp.global 

 Social Media: #AFTSACCRA25 | @AfriFintech | @GhanaPresidency

The post Africa Fintech Summit Accra 2025 welcomes MDP as a sponsor appeared first on African Media Agency.

With Millions of Children’s Lives on the Line, Bill Gates Says Humanity Is at a Crossroads

At 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates lays out roadmap for saving millions more children’s lives by 2045 if governments stretch every dollar and scale a pipeline of affordable, lifesaving innovations

Announces new pledge to the Global Fund 2026-2028 replenishment to prevent deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria

Honors President of the Government of Spain with 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award and 10 champions for their ingenuity and resilience, and for offering hope, solutions in the face of steep funding cuts

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 23rd, 2025 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- At its 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates stood before an audience of more than 1,000 global government, community, philanthropy, and private-sector leaders and issued a stark but hopeful call to world leaders: save millions of children’s lives and make some of the deadliest diseases history by 2045.

“Humanity is at a crossroads. With millions of children’s lives on the line, global leaders have a once-in-a-generation chance to do something extraordinary,” said Gates. “The choices they make now—whether to go forward with proposed steep cuts to health aid or to give the world’s children the chance they deserve to live a healthy life—will determine what kind of future we leave the next generation.”

This year, donor countries dealing with domestic challenges, high debt levels, and aging populations made dramatic funding cuts to global development assistance for health (DAH). According to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), global DAH fell by 21% between 2024 and 2025, and is now at a 15-year low. With key global health funding decisions expected before the end of the year, total funding levels could rise. However, if the current cuts hold, they threaten decades of progress that saw child mortality cut in half since 2000—from 10 million children to less than 5 million children a year—one of humanity’s greatest achievements.

During the annual event, which this year focused on reigniting a shared commitment to saving children’s lives, Gates announced his foundation’s pledge of $912 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s 2026-2028 replenishment. The Global Fund is one of the most effective lifesaving initiatives of the 21st century. Its fundraising replenishment cycle ends this November, underscoring the urgency for governments to make pivotal decisions in the coming weeks and months for the lives of millions of people.

“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realize, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” said Gates. “I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist, and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible,” said Gates.

With shrinking global health budgets as the backdrop, the Goalkeepers event highlighted the people, science and innovations, and policies that are accelerating solutions for how leaders can do more with less.

A Roadmap to a Healthier Future

“We have a roadmap for saving millions of children and making some of the deadliest childhood diseases history by 2045,” Gates asserted. “I’m urging world leaders to invest in the health of all people, especially children, to deliver this future.”

Results from work by the Gates Foundation and the IHME indicate that sustaining global investments in child health and scaling lifesaving innovations could cut child deaths in half again over the next 20 years.

The roadmap includes:

  • Renewing investments in proven initiatives, such as the Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help countries make smarter, more cost-effective health decisions; gain access to proven vaccines, medicines, and treatments; and focus on sustainability and transitioning to self-reliance
  • Prioritizing primary health care systems—even in the face of challenging budget decisions—to prevent, detect, and treat childhood illnesses early
  • Investing in further R&D and effectively rolling out breakthrough innovations that include:
  • A suite of new approaches to combating malaria, including innovations that prevent mosquitoes from carrying parasites and single-dose treatments to accelerate eradication of the disease
  • Long-acting HIV drugs and prevention options that replace daily pills to drive AIDS deaths down to single digits
  • New maternal vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and group B streptococcus (GBS) that have the potential to protect babies from deadly respiratory illnesses
  • Artificial intelligence to leverage smarter, faster, and cheaper delivery of safe, cost-effective medicines to dramatically improve lives

A New Three-Year Commitment to the Global Fund

Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved more than 70 million lives; reduced deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria by more than 60%; and strengthened global health security. Each dollar invested in the Global Fund delivers an estimated $19 in health and economic returns.

The foundation’s new pledge brings its total commitments to the Global Fund to $4.9 billion since 2002, making it one of the foundation’s largest investments. The pledge aims to galvanize governments, philanthropists, and the private sector to come to the table with significant investments for the fund’s Eighth Replenishment, which is co-hosted by South Africa and the United Kingdom. With millions of lives on the line, the level of investment in the Global Fund over the next three years will determine whether the world saves millions of lives; curbs HIV, TB, and malaria; and bolsters economies and global health security.

“An entire generation is alive today thanks to the world’s generosity, smart investments, and the hard work of governments and Global Fund partners,” Gates said. “Now, we must go further so the next generation grows up in a world where no child dies from preventable causes.”

Celebrating Goalkeeper Award and Champions

In recognition of his continued commitment to advance the Global Goals, the foundation announced President of the Government of Spain Pedro Sánchez as the winner of its 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award. Under Prime Minister Sanchez’s leadership, Spain increased contributions to the Global Fund this year by nearly 12% and to Gavi by 30%, expanded official development assistance (ODA), and hosted the landmark International Conference on Financing for Development in June 2025.

The event also honored Goalkeepers Champions—experts, innovators, and advocates driving progress in child survival worldwide. They include:

  • Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang (India) – Pioneering community-based health care in India
  • David Beckham (UK) – Advocating for child health and education
  • Krystal Mwesiga Birungi (Uganda) – Championing youth-centered policies and equitable health access across Africa
  • Toni Garrn (Germany) – Mobilizing resources to expand education and health care for girls
  • John Green (USA) – Using storytelling and advocacy to spark vital conversations on tuberculosis and mental health among young people
  • Osas Ighodaro (Nigeria) – Driving awareness and action in the fight against malaria
  • Dr. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda) – Advancing global health financing for effective health system strengthening and expanding access to health care worldwide
  • Jerop Limo (Kenya) – Advancing HIV awareness and care for children and families across Africa
  • Reem Al-Hashimy (United Arab Emirates) – Championing investments in health and education through initiatives like Dubai Cares
  • Dr. Naveen Thacker (India) – Advancing child health through community-based innovations

“We Can’t Stop at Almost”

The Goalkeepers event was co-hosted by singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste, who returned as musical curator for the second year with the PS22 elementary school choir, and actress and director Olivia Wilde. Together, they urged the audience to remember that while the world has made progress, “we can’t stop at almost,” which was the event’s theme.

Community champions, scientists, health workers, faith leaders, and activists from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and the United States shared powerful stories of resilience and innovation. Several showcased breakthrough technologies already saving lives and moving the world closer to eradicating deadly diseases.

“Every year, Goalkeepers unites changemakers to inspire and push one another forward,” said Dawda Jobarteh, deputy director of the foundation’s Goalkeepers campaign. “Together, we can reimagine a future without preventable child deaths and unlock the next wave of breakthroughs for the world’s children.”

Event session presenters included Rick Warren, pastor and author; El Hadji Mansour Sy, co- president of World Council of Religions for Peace; Ingrid Silva, ballet dancer and activist; Krista Tippett, journalist and author; Latif Nasser, co-host of “Radiolab”; and Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia’s minister of health.

Looking Ahead

Later this year, Goalkeepers will expand to the Middle East for the first time, convening leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the region and beyond in Abu Dhabi on December 8.

Ahead of that, the foundation will release its 2025 Goalkeepers Report, focusing on the impact that leaders’ choices between now and the end of the year will have on saving children’s lives.

Earlier this year, Gates made a historic announcement that he would give away virtually all of his wealth to the foundation to advance progress on saving and improving lives. He also announced the foundation would spend $200 billion over the next 20 years, working with its partners to make as much progress as possible towards three primary goals: end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensure the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lift millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. At the end of the 20-year period, the foundation will sunset its operations.

Photos and b-roll from the event, full bios of the Goalkeepers champions, and more can be found here.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of the Gates Foundation.

About the Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.

About Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, the Gates Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders— Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.

Media Contact:

Press Office

Gates Foundation

media@gatesfoundation.org

The post With Millions of Children’s Lives on the Line, Bill Gates Says Humanity Is at a Crossroads appeared first on African Media Agency.

With Millions of Children’s Lives on the Line, Bill Gates Says Humanity Is at a Crossroads

At 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates lays out roadmap for saving millions more children’s lives by 2045 if governments stretch every dollar and scale a pipeline of affordable, lifesaving innovations

Announces new pledge to the Global Fund 2026-2028 replenishment to prevent deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria

Honors President of the Government of Spain with 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award and 10 champions for their ingenuity and resilience, and for offering hope, solutions in the face of steep funding cuts

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 23rd, 2025 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- At its 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates stood before an audience of more than 1,000 global government, community, philanthropy, and private-sector leaders and issued a stark but hopeful call to world leaders: save millions of children’s lives and make some of the deadliest diseases history by 2045.

“Humanity is at a crossroads. With millions of children’s lives on the line, global leaders have a once-in-a-generation chance to do something extraordinary,” said Gates. “The choices they make now—whether to go forward with proposed steep cuts to health aid or to give the world’s children the chance they deserve to live a healthy life—will determine what kind of future we leave the next generation.”

This year, donor countries dealing with domestic challenges, high debt levels, and aging populations made dramatic funding cuts to global development assistance for health (DAH). According to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), global DAH fell by 21% between 2024 and 2025, and is now at a 15-year low. With key global health funding decisions expected before the end of the year, total funding levels could rise. However, if the current cuts hold, they threaten decades of progress that saw child mortality cut in half since 2000—from 10 million children to less than 5 million children a year—one of humanity’s greatest achievements.

During the annual event, which this year focused on reigniting a shared commitment to saving children’s lives, Gates announced his foundation’s pledge of $912 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s 2026-2028 replenishment. The Global Fund is one of the most effective lifesaving initiatives of the 21st century. Its fundraising replenishment cycle ends this November, underscoring the urgency for governments to make pivotal decisions in the coming weeks and months for the lives of millions of people.

“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realize, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” said Gates. “I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist, and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible,” said Gates.

With shrinking global health budgets as the backdrop, the Goalkeepers event highlighted the people, science and innovations, and policies that are accelerating solutions for how leaders can do more with less.

A Roadmap to a Healthier Future

“We have a roadmap for saving millions of children and making some of the deadliest childhood diseases history by 2045,” Gates asserted. “I’m urging world leaders to invest in the health of all people, especially children, to deliver this future.”

Results from work by the Gates Foundation and the IHME indicate that sustaining global investments in child health and scaling lifesaving innovations could cut child deaths in half again over the next 20 years.

The roadmap includes:

  • Renewing investments in proven initiatives, such as the Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help countries make smarter, more cost-effective health decisions; gain access to proven vaccines, medicines, and treatments; and focus on sustainability and transitioning to self-reliance
  • Prioritizing primary health care systems—even in the face of challenging budget decisions—to prevent, detect, and treat childhood illnesses early
  • Investing in further R&D and effectively rolling out breakthrough innovations that include:
  • A suite of new approaches to combating malaria, including innovations that prevent mosquitoes from carrying parasites and single-dose treatments to accelerate eradication of the disease
  • Long-acting HIV drugs and prevention options that replace daily pills to drive AIDS deaths down to single digits
  • New maternal vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and group B streptococcus (GBS) that have the potential to protect babies from deadly respiratory illnesses
  • Artificial intelligence to leverage smarter, faster, and cheaper delivery of safe, cost-effective medicines to dramatically improve lives

A New Three-Year Commitment to the Global Fund

Since 2002, the Global Fund has saved more than 70 million lives; reduced deaths from AIDS, TB, and malaria by more than 60%; and strengthened global health security. Each dollar invested in the Global Fund delivers an estimated $19 in health and economic returns.

The foundation’s new pledge brings its total commitments to the Global Fund to $4.9 billion since 2002, making it one of the foundation’s largest investments. The pledge aims to galvanize governments, philanthropists, and the private sector to come to the table with significant investments for the fund’s Eighth Replenishment, which is co-hosted by South Africa and the United Kingdom. With millions of lives on the line, the level of investment in the Global Fund over the next three years will determine whether the world saves millions of lives; curbs HIV, TB, and malaria; and bolsters economies and global health security.

“An entire generation is alive today thanks to the world’s generosity, smart investments, and the hard work of governments and Global Fund partners,” Gates said. “Now, we must go further so the next generation grows up in a world where no child dies from preventable causes.”

Celebrating Goalkeeper Award and Champions

In recognition of his continued commitment to advance the Global Goals, the foundation announced President of the Government of Spain Pedro Sánchez as the winner of its 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award. Under Prime Minister Sanchez’s leadership, Spain increased contributions to the Global Fund this year by nearly 12% and to Gavi by 30%, expanded official development assistance (ODA), and hosted the landmark International Conference on Financing for Development in June 2025.

The event also honored Goalkeepers Champions—experts, innovators, and advocates driving progress in child survival worldwide. They include:

  • Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang (India) – Pioneering community-based health care in India
  • David Beckham (UK) – Advocating for child health and education
  • Krystal Mwesiga Birungi (Uganda) – Championing youth-centered policies and equitable health access across Africa
  • Toni Garrn (Germany) – Mobilizing resources to expand education and health care for girls
  • John Green (USA) – Using storytelling and advocacy to spark vital conversations on tuberculosis and mental health among young people
  • Osas Ighodaro (Nigeria) – Driving awareness and action in the fight against malaria
  • Dr. Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda) – Advancing global health financing for effective health system strengthening and expanding access to health care worldwide
  • Jerop Limo (Kenya) – Advancing HIV awareness and care for children and families across Africa
  • Reem Al-Hashimy (United Arab Emirates) – Championing investments in health and education through initiatives like Dubai Cares
  • Dr. Naveen Thacker (India) – Advancing child health through community-based innovations

“We Can’t Stop at Almost”

The Goalkeepers event was co-hosted by singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste, who returned as musical curator for the second year with the PS22 elementary school choir, and actress and director Olivia Wilde. Together, they urged the audience to remember that while the world has made progress, “we can’t stop at almost,” which was the event’s theme.

Community champions, scientists, health workers, faith leaders, and activists from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and the United States shared powerful stories of resilience and innovation. Several showcased breakthrough technologies already saving lives and moving the world closer to eradicating deadly diseases.

“Every year, Goalkeepers unites changemakers to inspire and push one another forward,” said Dawda Jobarteh, deputy director of the foundation’s Goalkeepers campaign. “Together, we can reimagine a future without preventable child deaths and unlock the next wave of breakthroughs for the world’s children.”

Event session presenters included Rick Warren, pastor and author; El Hadji Mansour Sy, co- president of World Council of Religions for Peace; Ingrid Silva, ballet dancer and activist; Krista Tippett, journalist and author; Latif Nasser, co-host of “Radiolab”; and Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia’s minister of health.

Looking Ahead

Later this year, Goalkeepers will expand to the Middle East for the first time, convening leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the region and beyond in Abu Dhabi on December 8.

Ahead of that, the foundation will release its 2025 Goalkeepers Report, focusing on the impact that leaders’ choices between now and the end of the year will have on saving children’s lives.

Earlier this year, Gates made a historic announcement that he would give away virtually all of his wealth to the foundation to advance progress on saving and improving lives. He also announced the foundation would spend $200 billion over the next 20 years, working with its partners to make as much progress as possible towards three primary goals: end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensure the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lift millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. At the end of the 20-year period, the foundation will sunset its operations.

Photos and b-roll from the event, full bios of the Goalkeepers champions, and more can be found here.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of the Gates Foundation.

About the Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.

About Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, the Gates Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders— Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.

Media Contact:

Press Office

Gates Foundation

media@gatesfoundation.org

The post With Millions of Children’s Lives on the Line, Bill Gates Says Humanity Is at a Crossroads appeared first on African Media Agency.

Huawei named a Leader in the Gartner ® Magic Quadrant TM for Enterprise Storage Platforms, 2025

SHENZHEN, China, September 18, 2025 /African Media Agency (AMA)/ – The internationally renowned analyst firm Gartner® has released the “Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Storage Platforms, 2025.” Huawei has been placed in the Leaders Quadrant, the only non–North American vendor to do so.

Huawei Data Storage named a Leader in the Magic Quadrant

Huawei Data Storage continues to advance technological innovation, leveraging an AI-ready data platform, robust data resilience and efficiency, and advanced intelligent data management to comprehensively meet the diverse needs of enterprises in hybrid-cloud, AI, and critical business use cases.

Huawei’s Data Storage solutions are used in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide, serving clients in industries such as finance, telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, government, and public utilities across Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

To learn more about Huawei storage products and solutions, please visit: https://e.huawei.com/en/products/storage 

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Storage Platforms, By Jeff Vogel, Julia Palmer, Chandra Mukhyala, Joseph Unsworth, 2 September 2025

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Distributed by African Media Agency on behalf of Huawei.

Media Contact: 

hwebgcomms@huawei.com

The post Huawei named a Leader in the Gartner ® Magic Quadrant TM for Enterprise Storage Platforms, 2025 appeared first on African Media Agency.