The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a private non-profit foundation launched by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, will establish its first regional headquarters within Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City (Misk City) in Riyadh.

 

Also, the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation (Misk) has entered into a framework agreement with the Gates Foundation to support and enhance youth engagement in the non-profit sector within the kingdom, and to initiate joint global programmes in the focus areas of both foundations. 

 

The strategic partnership was unveiled on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh.

 

The agreement, signed on behalf of Misk by CEO Dr Badr Al Badr, and for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by Joe Cerrell, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, and East Asia, sets forth a collaborative framework designed to empower the Saudi youth community and foster an environment conducive to impactful global outcomes. The partnership will enhance the sharing of resources, training opportunities, and program development, substantially boosting Misk’s capacity to provide significant empowerment opportunities for youth.

 

The agreement will enable Misk to benefit from the Gates Foundation’s expertise in education, technology, and health sectors to amplify its pivotal role in providing high-caliber empowerment opportunities for the Kingdom’s youth in the non-profit sector. Additionally, the agreement will allow the Gates Foundation to expand its geographic footprint and leverage Misk’s expertise in the non-profit and youth empowerment sectors, along with the advanced infrastructure and exceptional service network of Mohammed Bin Salman Non-Profit City, said a statement. - TradeArabia News Service

More than 1,000 people have been killed in Myanmar and thousands more injured following a 7.7. magnitude earthquake that was also felt in neighbouring countries.

 

A rescue team in Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, tells the BBC: "We are digging people out with our bare hands."

 

"Infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings were affected, leading to casualties and injuries among civilians. Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," stated the report citing Myanmar’s military.

 

Most of the fatalities are in Mandalay, the country’s second largest city, and the region closest to the earthquake’s epicentre.

 

In the Thai capital Bangkok – located 1,000km from the epicentre in Myanmar – about 10 more deaths have been confirmed.

 

Officials say at least 15 people are believed to be alive under the rubble of a collapsed high-rise building with 100 people still unaccounted for.

 

“We are still trying to pull out the rest of the trapped people, but we need large machines. They are still shouting, and we can still hear their voices, but we can’t know where they are,” a rescue worker tell BBC as rescue workers are attempting to reach seven people trapped under a high-rise building in Mandalay.

 

Foreign rescue teams began flying into Myanmar on Saturday to aid the search for survivors from the deadly earthquake, reported Reuters.

 

The US Geological Service's predictive modelling estimated the death toll could exceed 10,000 in Myanmar and that losses could exceed the country's annual economic output.

 

The quake damaged roads, bridges and buildings in Myanmar, according to the junta, whose top general made a rare call for international assistance on Friday.

 

"Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas," the junta said in a statement on state media on Saturday.

 

Meanwhile Myanmar’s giant neighbours China and India have sent teams to help with rescue efforts, reported AP. 

 

Being the military junta’s most important ally, as well as being one of its biggest trading partners, investing billions of dollars in mining, oil and natural gas developments in the resource-rich country, China was the responder sending its rescue group to Yangon on Saturday morning, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

 

A 37-member team from the Chinese province of Yunnan reached the city of Yangon early Saturday with earthquake detectors, drones and other supplies, it stated.

 

India said it had already sent a 80-member strong rescue and medical team, along with urgent humanitarian aid under Operation Brahma who will assist the rescue operations in Myanmar. 

 

About 15-tonne relief material from India, including ready-to-eat meals, tents and generator sets, arrived in Yangon this morning, said media reports. It also sent blankets, tarpaulin, hygiene kits, sleeping bags, solar lamps, food packets and kitchen sets to the affected areas.

 

"We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow," said Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on X on Saturday.

 

Russia was quick to follow China in deploying its own team of specialists, including dog teams, anesthesiologists and psychologists, the country’s emergencies ministry said.

 

Russia’s emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from the Russian state news agency Tass. 

 

The United Nations allocated $5 million to start relief efforts, while South Korea said it would provide an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar through international organisations.

 

The US, which has a testy relationship with the Myanmar military and has sanctioned its officials, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, has said it would provide some assistance. 

 

President Donald Trump said Friday that the US was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration’s deep cuts in foreign assistance.

 

Myanmar’s government meanwhile pointed out that blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept assistance.

 

Malaysia’s foreign ministry said the country will send 50 people on Sunday to help identify and provide aid to the worst-hit areas.

 

But amid images of buckled and cracked roads and reports of a collapsed bridge and a burst dam, there were concerns about how rescuers would even reach some areas in a country already enduring a humanitarian crisis.

 

Myanmar’s English-language state newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, said five cities and towns had seen building collapses and two bridges had fallen, including one on a key highway between Mandalay and Yangon. 

US President Donald Trump's new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%, launching new trade conflicts with the top three US trading partners.

 

The tariff actions, which could upend nearly $2.2 trillion in two-way annual US trade went live at 12:01 am EST (0501 GMT), hours after Trump declared that all three countries had failed to do enough to stem the flow of the deadly fentanyl opioid and its precursor chemicals into the US, a Reuters report said.

 

On February 1, 2025, President Trump signed executive orders implementing the following tariffs: 

* Mexico and Canada: A 25% tariff on most imports, with Canadian energy exports (including crude oil and natural gas) facing a 10% tariff. 

* China: An additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, raising existing tariffs to 20%. 

 

These tariffs, effective March 4, 2025, were justified under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, with the administration citing inadequate efforts by these countries to curb fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration.

 

China responded immediately after the deadline, announcing additional tariffs of 10%-15% on certain US imports from March 10 and a series of new export restrictions for designated US entities.

 

Canada and Mexico, which have enjoyed a virtually tariff-free trading relationship with the US for three decades, were poised to immediately retaliate against their longtime ally.

 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa would respond with immediate 25% tariffs on C$30 billion ($20.7 billion) worth of US imports, and another C$125 billion ($86.2 billion) if Trump's tariffs were still in place in 21 days. He said previously that Canada would target American beer, wine, bourbon, home appliances and Florida orange juice.

 

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was expected to announce her response during a morning news conference in Mexico City on Tuesday, the country's economy ministry said.

 

The sweeping tariffs may drive up prices for businesses and consumers in the US, damaging the health of the US economy. The economy and inflation was at the top of voter concerns last November – concerns Trump promised to address as he stormed back to the White House, partly on the back of lingering discontent about soaring prices early in the Biden presidency.