Latest news with #GatesFoundation
India.com
an hour ago
- Business
- India.com
Bill Gates no longer among top 10 richest people in the world, loses Rs 4462957200000 in one week, gets replaced by....
Bill Gates no longer among top 10 richest people in the world, loses Rs 4462957200000 in one week, gets replaced by.... Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has lost his 'world's richest' as his net worth has dipped by almost 30 per cent. Gates, who was among world's top 10 richest people, lost $52 billion in just a week, Bloomberg Billionaires Index reported. Gates' net worth dropped from nearly $175 billion to $124 billion. The report stated that Gates was replaced in the fifth position by his former assistant and Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, and he now stands in the twelfth position on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. What is Gates net worth? Gates' net worth saw a significant decline following major charitable contributions, including a substantial donation to the Gates Foundation. According to updated estimates, analysts adjusted the growth rate of his wealth to better reflect the scale of his giving, as highlighted in a blog post he shared in May. In the post, Gates revealed that his net wealth stood at $108 billion and reaffirmed his commitment to donating nearly all of it within the next two decades through the Gates Foundation. By the time the foundation winds down in 2045, it is projected to have disbursed over $200 billion. As of December 2024, Gates and his former wife, Melinda French Gates, had jointly contributed an extraordinary $60 billion to the foundation. Who are the top richest people? The top 12 richest people as of July 4 includes, Elon Musk ($361 billion), Mark Zuckerberg ($254 billion), Larry Ellison ($253 billion), Jeff Bezos ($244 billion), Steve Ballmer ($172 billion), Larry Page ($163 billion), Bernard Arnault ($161 billion), Sergey Brin ($152 billion), Warren Buffett ($146 billion), Jensen Huang ($139 billion), Michael Dell ($138 billion), and Bill Gates ($124 billion).
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
'Women's health has just been ignored': Doctor calls for more research into women's health issues
Women's health has been ignored by researchers, and more studies are needed in wealthy and developing countries to tackle common problems, the Gates Foundation has found. Dr Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation's Gender Equality Division, has stressed the importance of new research findings to improve the health of women across the world. She highlighted how young Irish people can now get one HPV vaccine dose for protection against this virus instead of three vaccines, as was previously the case. The one-jab system followed on from Kenyan research — the KENSHE study — funded by the Gates Foundation, which was established by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates in 2000 to enhance healthcare and reduce poverty across the world. Dr Zaidi urged governments to continue investing in research on women's health, even as some nations, including America and the UK, scale back. 'We have made so many advances in women's health, especially in R&D [research and development], so now not to have the funding available to scale them really bothers me,' she said. "From an R&D perspective, it's been one of the most neglected areas in global health. It's neglected not just in global health but also in rich countries. "Women's health has just been ignored.' Giving birth can carry high risks and she argued this area of healthcare needed more study. Guidelines for blood loss after pregnancy — post-partum haemorrhage — define 500ml in the first 24 hours as minor blood loss, including in Ireland. However, the World Health Organization says the evidence base for this is unclear. The foundation funded a project with 200,000 women to study this area. From the research came a new type of measuring cloth, costing the equivalent of 40 cents each. 'You put it under the mum, with a calibrated sleeve at the end of it so all the blood is captured in there,' said Dr Zaidi. 'And once they used that sheet and a bundled approach it was so impactful. There was a 60% decrease in severe post-partum haemorrhage.' Further improvements have followed. 'The other thing that they realised is the 500ml cut-off is too high, it should be 300ml,' she said. 'So now we know we should be treating post-partum haemorrhage when there's more than 300ml blood loss and we have to act quickly. If you could do that, you will save hundreds of thousands of women's lives.' She also described a tiny AI-enabled ultrasound probe which plugs into smartphones. This allows midwives in remote clinics to check babies efficiently. 'In Sudan, let's say, where one midwife may be taking care of 100 women, this helps you triage who really needs help the most,' Dr Zaidi said. Dr Anita Zaidi: 'Innovations give me optimism, there are so many simple innovations that can be life-changing for people around the world.' It is estimated to cost about 20 times less than a standard ultrasound and is described as 'a game-changer', although wider funding is needed. Endometriosis, malnutrition, and pre-eclampsia in pregnancy are also concerns. She noted the Irish Examiner's recent women's health survey drew attention to other gaps. 'Innovations give me optimism, there are so many simple innovations that can be life-changing for people around the world,' she said. The foundation has committed €316m annually from 2023 to 2027 to maternal, newborn, and child health. Then in May, Bill Gates pledged to give away 99% of his fortune over 20 years, saying the foundation will close in 2045. Dr Zaidi said: 'It's enough time if we plan for it in the right way, and this is why we wanted to give enough notice. 'For the many of the innovations I've been talking about, they can be done in the next 10 to 15 years, but some will need a hand-off.' Projects may need supports from government and private donors and she added: 'Who are the people who will step up and say 'the world really needs us'.' Ireland's development aid funding came to over €2.2bn, or 0.57%, of GNP last year. The United Nations target is for countries to reach 0.7% of gross national income. '[We are] appreciative of the commitment and leadership Ireland is showing for overseas assistance development, helping the poorest around the world and how they put women and girls as a very big priority,' Dr Zaidi said.
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Bill Gates loses $52 billion in one week, no longer among top 10 richest people in the world; here's who replaced him
In a surprising event, Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, is no longer among the world's top 10 richest people. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gates lost $52 billion in just a week, establishing a drop in his net worth by 30 per cent. The report stated that Gates was replaced in the fifth position by his former assistant and Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, and he now stands in the twelfth position on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Gates' net worth dropped from nearly $175 billion to $124 billion. The report further suggested that Gates' net worth saw a significant decline following major charitable contributions, including a substantial donation to the Gates Foundation. According to updated estimates, analysts adjusted the growth rate of his wealth to better reflect the scale of his giving, as highlighted in a blog post he shared in May. In the post, Gates revealed that his net wealth stood at $108 billion and reaffirmed his commitment to donating nearly all of it within the next two decades through the Gates Foundation. By the time the foundation winds down in 2045, it is projected to have disbursed over $200 billion. A post shared by Bill Gates (@thisisbillgates) As of December 2024, Gates and his former wife, Melinda French Gates, had jointly contributed an extraordinary $60 billion to the foundation. Gates currently retains about 1 per cent ownership in Microsoft and has received roughly $60 billion in dividends and stock over the years. The top 12 richest people as of July 4 includes, Elon Musk ($361 billion), Mark Zuckerberg ($254 billion), Larry Ellison ($253 billion), Jeff Bezos ($244 billion), Steve Ballmer ($172 billion), Larry Page ($163 billion), Bernard Arnault ($161 billion), Sergey Brin ($152 billion), Warren Buffett ($146 billion), Jensen Huang ($139 billion), Michael Dell ($138 billion), and Bill Gates ($124 billion).
Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Mobile tech fueled financial inclusion boom in developing economies in 2024: WB's Global Findex 2025 - Tech
Developing countries are experiencing an unprecedented rise in financial inclusion, with more adults than ever now owning a bank or mobile-money account, according to the World Bank Group's newly released Global Findex 2025 report. The momentum is reshaping personal finance in low- and middle-income economies, driving formal savings and unlocking new opportunities for inclusive economic growth. The Global Findex 2025 provides a comprehensive look at how financial services—especially mobile and digital—are shaping the future of inclusive development. In 2024, 40 percent of adults in developing economies reported saving in a financial account—a 16 percent increase from 2021 and the fastest progress recorded in more than a decade. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the share of adults saving formally jumped by 12 percentage points to 35 percent, reflecting a significant shift toward more structured financial behaviours. Mobile phone technology has played a key role in this leap. Ten percent of adults in developing countries now use mobile money accounts to save—double the 2021 figure. According to the report, this surge in digital financial inclusion is transforming how people manage money and enabling governments to expand access to credit, improve welfare delivery, and support long-term investment. 'Financial inclusion has the potential to improve lives and transform entire economies. Digital finance can convert this potential into reality, but several ingredients need to be in place. At the World Bank Group, we're helping countries strengthen digital IDs, build cash-transfer programs, modernize payment systems, and remove regulatory roadblocks,' said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. The report also noted that global account ownership had reached nearly 80 percent—up from just 50 percent in 2011. Yet, 1.3 billion adults remain unbanked. Of those, almost 900 million own a mobile phone, including 530 million with smartphones—highlighting the untapped potential for further inclusion. 'More people than ever have the financial tools to invest in their futures and build economic resilience, including women and others previously left behind. This is real progress,' said Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, which supports the Global Findex. The gender gap is also narrowing. In low- and middle-income economies, women's account ownership nearly doubled—from 37 percent in 2011 to 73 percent in 2024—driven by mobile financial services and digital wage and welfare transfers. However, the report warned that rising digital engagement brings new risks. While 86 percent of adults globally own a mobile phone (68 percent of whom use smartphones), only half of adults in developing economies use a password to protect their devices, leaving them vulnerable to financial fraud and data theft. Digital payments are proliferating. In 2024, 42 percent of adults in developing countries made an in-store or online merchant payment via mobile phone or card, up from 35 percent in 2021. More governments and employers are now channelling payments directly into accounts, a shift that reduces leakages and improves transparency. The report also includes regional highlights. In East Asia and the Pacific, 86 percent of adults own smartphones, and 83 percent have account access—the highest digital connectivity worldwide. In South Asia, account ownership is largely driven by India, where 90 percent of adults are financially included. Sub-Saharan Africa leads globally in mobile money usage, with account ownership rising from 49 percent in 2021 to 58 percent in 2024. In the Middle East and North Africa, account ownership grew from 45 percent to 53 percent, while formal saving rose from 11 to 17 percent. In Latin America and the Caribbean, over half of account holders use them digitally. Europe and Central Asia lead developing regions in internet use and mobile penetration. In Egypt, 74.8 percent of eligible citizens aged 15 and above had active financial accounts by the end of 2024, according to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). That figure translates to around 52 million Egyptians—out of an eligible population of 69.6 million—managing their finances through formal channels, including banks, Egypt Post, mobile wallets, and prepaid cards. The CBE attributed this progress to ongoing coordination with strategic partners across the financial ecosystem—including commercial banks, government ministries, and regulatory bodies. Their collective efforts have focused on advancing economic inclusion, particularly for women, youth with disabilities, and entrepreneurs. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
Bill Gates: U.S. Aid for Global Health Is Saving Lives
When I was running Microsoft, we sometimes had to make difficult changes to our business. One key to our long-term success was that every time we decided to pivot, we studied the evidence to pinpoint what wasn't working and needed to shift—but also what was working and needed to be preserved. The Senate is about to consider a rescission bill that would eliminate more than $8 billion in lifesaving foreign aid, including nearly $1 billion in direct aid for global health programs, on top of the billions in such aid that has already been canceled. I'm alarmed at how a bid to eliminate inefficiencies in the U.S. budget—an important task—has put us on the verge of cutting funds for almost every single effective lifesaving aid program and, with it, our country's proud history of helping others less fortunate than ourselves. The proposal to cut this aid passed the House last month, and the Senate is expected to vote this week. Before senators decide to cut funds for global health programs, they should understand what this spending is, what it isn't, and all the U.S. has gained from it. I have now been working in global health for almost as long as I worked at Microsoft. The Gates Foundation has spent more than $100 billion, and I am as committed to excellence in this work as I was to Microsoft's. In global health, that means saving as many people's lives as possible for every dollar we spend on medicines or vaccines. That requires tracking and analyzing results closely, asking tough questions of my team, and seeing the work in action. I've been following the political debate over aid in the U.S., and there are three facts about health aid that keep getting lost in the back and forth.
