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The 6th World Media Summit, held on Monday, October 14, 2024, in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, brought together over 500 participants from 106 countries and regions, including Rwanda.

Under the theme “AI and Media Transformation,” representatives from 208 institutions—ranging from media outlets to government agencies and international organizations—engaged in thoughtful discussions about AI’s transformative effect on the media industry.

The summit delved into how the role of the media is evolving in the face of this technological revolution.

One of the key outcomes of the event was a joint statement that highlighted the need for a balanced approach to adopting AI in media, ensuring that journalistic ethics and professional standards are upheld.

The statement also stressed the importance of enhanced global collaboration to share AI advancements, promoting high-quality development across the industry.

In his keynote address, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, emphasized the need for the media to embrace technological advancements while safeguarding the core values of journalism.

“We should proactively align with the technological wave, closely track the advancement of AI, particularly generative technologies like ChatGPT and Sora, and seize every opportunity for media innovation,” he said.

The summit also featured findings from a global survey conducted by the Xinhua Institute, a think tank under Xinhua, as part of a report titled “Responsibility and Mission of News Media in the AI Era.”

The report revealed that over half of the media organizations interviewed had already integrated generative AI into their operations. Technologies like algorithmic recommendations, voice interaction, and image generation are being widely applied across news collection, production, distribution, and audience feedback.

While media leaders acknowledged the immense potential of AI, they also pointed out the critical role humans must continue to play.

Fu Hua cautioned against a purely technology-driven approach: “We should move beyond ‘tech-centric thinking’ and effectively leverage the initiative of editors and reporters. Ultimately, humans must have the final say in human-machine interaction.”

Other media leaders echoed these sentiments, recognizing AI’s valuable contributions to newsrooms while emphasizing that human oversight is essential to maintaining journalistic standards and ensuring the production of high-quality, trustworthy content.

This year’s summit was jointly organized by Xinhua and the Xinjiang regional government.

In addition to discussing the core values of journalism—objectivity and truth—the event offered attendees a unique opportunity to experience Xinjiang’s vibrant culture firsthand.

Ma Xingrui, secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China, described the summit as a valuable chance for journalists to gain deeper insights into Xinjiang’s development.

With its diverse cultural heritage, Xinjiang, which covers about one-sixth of China’s territory, has seen significant economic growth in recent years.

In 2023, it ranked among the top five provincial-level regions nationwide across six major indicators, including GDP growth, investment, consumption, and income levels.

Situated at the heart of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Xinjiang is increasingly emerging as a vital hub, connecting Asia and Europe while serving as a key gateway for China’s westward expansion.

The 6th World Media Summit brought together over 500 participants from 106 countries and regions.

The opening ceremony of the The 6th World Media Summit, took place on Monday, October 14, 2024, in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.

Representatives from 208 institutions—ranging from media outlets to government agencies and international organizations—engaged in thoughtful discussions about AI’s transformative effect on the media industry.

Volunteers pose for a group photo outside the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center, venue of the sixth World Media Summit in Urumqi.

The summit delved into how the role of the media is evolving in the face of this technological revolution.

A report titled “Responsibility and Mission of News Media in AI Era” was released during the 6th World Media Summit in Urumqi.

The aerial view of the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center where the sixth World Media Summit took place in Urumqi.

All photos: Xinhua

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When did the rains start beating Gachagua aka Riggy G?

The 'truthful man of God,' as he often refers to himself, finds himself in hot soup for his involvement in promoting tribal politics. The DP’s public utterances, which included 'shareholders government,' depicted the man as a tribalist who only pushed the interests of one tribe—Kikuyu—rather than fronting the interests of the entire Kenyan people.

Some of the politicians pushing for his impeachment also claim that Gachagua clandestinely supported the deadly Gen-Z protests that ensued in June. The peaceful protests were hijacked by goons who looted supermarkets and shops, resulting in violent confrontations with the police and leading to dozens of deaths. Even a layman knows that the event of June 25, which led to the capture of the National Assembly and Senate premises, wasn’t just a normal protest.

DP Gachagua’s miscalculated moves on his boss—it’s reckless and uncalled for to undermine and blackmail the sitting Head of State. If I say that DP Gachagua’s goose is cooked, I wouldn’t be wrong, and I wouldn’t face any form of contradiction. My submission is substantiated by the fact that his conduct against his boss is intolerable. There was no way Mr. Gachagua would sit in the Cabinet, agree on the policies and programs with President Ruto, and later oppose meeting resolutions.

The DP also crossed the line when he launched a scathing attack on the Head of the National Intelligence Service, Noordin Haji. He labelled him incompetent over alleged failure to inform the President about the violent Gen-Z protests. However, the man had done his job, and if there were reasons to believe that the spy chief was playing with such a sensitive docket, the Head of State would not have hesitated to kick him out.

Will Gachagua survive the guillotine?

Despite his link to capital offenses bordering on treason, including claims that he was leaking state secrets, the man from Mathira still stands a chance to survive impeachment. In a constitutional democracy like Kenya, everybody has the right to be heard. The DP petitioned the High Court of Kenya to stop his impeachment proceedings, which are underway in the Senate. The court will have to interrogate the process, assess its constitutionality, and deliver the ruling.

Furthermore, there is another avenue for Gachagua’s survival, and that’s if he persuades members of the Senate to vote in his favour. If the motion fails to garner two-thirds of the Senators, Gachagua will have succeeded against a well-planned and coordinated plan to oust him.

However, many people believe the DP won’t survive the impeachment, owing to various tangible reasons, including his limited numerical strength both in the Upper and Lower Houses, despite having a robust legal team that is arguing his case.

In my opinion, Mr. Riggy G has crossed the Rubicon. His impeachment will, beyond any reasonable doubt, yield success. My advice to the 'Son of Mau Mau' is to resign and save his political career. He might stand good chances come 2027, as an impeachment would mean a vote of no confidence to occupy any public office in the future.

The author is a commentator who dissects matters- politics, governance, security & economics.

Sam A. Sewanyana-Jr

The fire caused significant damage to the affected areas, reducing everything inside to ashes. Fortunately, the response by the FRB prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings.

SP Mwiseneza Jean Bosco, the Northern Province Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating that while the fire has been fully extinguished, the cause remains unknown and is currently under investigation.

“The cause of the fire is not yet known. An investigation has started to determine the cause. The value of the damaged property is still being assessed,” he said.

He also reminded the public to take precautions against fire hazards and emphasized the importance of insuring properties to mitigate potential losses.

“Our message to the public is to avoid anything that could lead to a fire accident because it can result in loss of life and financial damages. We also urge business owners to ensure their businesses are insured,” added SP Mwiseneza.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported being caught off guard by the fire, which they say originated in the kitchen before rapidly spreading to other parts of the hotel.

Muhabura Hotel, a landmark in Musanze District, has been a staple of the region’s hospitality industry since 1954, marking 70 years of operation this year.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported being caught off guard by the fire, which they say originated in the kitchen before rapidly spreading to other parts of the hotel.

Different sections of the hotel, including the kitchen, bar, restaurant, five rooms, and a storage area, were completely destroyed before the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Fire and Rescue Brigade (FRB) intervened to extinguish the fire.

Fire broke out at Hotel Muhabura on the night of Monday, October 14, 2024.

The response by the Fire and Rescue Brigade prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings within the hotel complex.

The fire caused significant damage to the affected areas, reducing everything inside to ashes.

IGIHE

This initiative aims to support African entrepreneurs in the fashion, textile, apparel, and accessories (TA&A) industry in expanding their businesses.
Africa’s fashion and textile industries are a powerhouse, ranking as the continent’s second-largest employer and boasting a market size of $31 billion in 2020.

With the global fashion market projected to double in the next decade, reaching a staggering $5 trillion annually, exciting opportunities await African fashion entrepreneurs. And this is one of them.
Even with a promising outlook, African fashion entrepreneurs still face hurdles, lacking crucial industry skills and access to financing.

To support this budding economy, the ADB’s Fashionomics Africa Incubator and Accelerator programs brings you solutions to face these challenges head-on, aiming to propel Africa’s participation in the global fashion scene.

At the end of the training program, top fashionpreneurs will receive personalized support to refine their business models, pitching skills, and networking capabilities.

The Incubator Program nurtures early-stage businesses, equipping them with the know-how to grow their business. It provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge to develop their ventures, build sustainable models, and secure funding.

The Accelerator Program empowers established fashion businesses (MSMEs and startups) with the tools to thrive. Focused on growth-stage companies, it equips them with knowledge to build a customer base, manage cash flow, and explore product and market expansion.

The inaugural year of the Fashionomics Africa Incubator and Accelerator programs delivered exceptional results. Top participants gained entrepreneurial skills, financial and technical know-how, and industry insights, solidifying their businesses in today’s digital landscape.

The curriculum addressed key challenges faced by African fashion startups across four areas, namely, product development, talent management, distribution strategies and access to funds.
Delivered in three phases, it addressed core technical, business, and creative capacity-building needs.

The eight-week intensive training empowered over 5000 participants with six winners from Cohort 1 and 2 awarded $20,000 each. The curriculum provided a roadmap for sustainable business growth, fostering trade expansion within Africa and beyond.

Building on this success, the second year will focus on marketability, branding, business growth strategies, sustainability practices, and financial management.
Additionally, networking sessions will foster collaboration, partnership building, and knowledge sharing among participants.

Even with a promising outlook, African fashion entrepreneurs still face hurdles, lacking crucial industry skills and access to financing.

At the end of the training program, top fashionpreneurs in the program will receive personalized support to refine their business models, pitching skills, and networking capabilities.
The participants will also have a chance at pitching their ventures to industry experts and investors during the 'Demo Day.'

Twelve winners (six from each cohort) will be chosen and awarded $10,000 each to support their entrepreneurial journeys.
To get a sneak peek into what Fashionomics Africa Incubator and Accelerator programs has to give, here is what previous participants form the first year of the program have to say;

Gifty Adonu

'Since the training, there has been an increase in the revenue of the business. A 10% increase in profit has been seen on each product as compared to what we had two months ago. During the training I took some cues from the pricing strategy of a product.'

Theresa Ogallo

'I am now a seller on the Afrikrea digital marketplace. Additionally, I have on boarded one new employee and have a strategy to recruit one more in the next couple of months and set my cost markup to 60%, previously 50%.'

A call for applications for the second year of the Fashionomics Africa Incubator and Accelerator programs is on

Applications for the second year of the Fashionomics Africa Incubator and Accelerator Programs will close on. 20/10/2024 To apply, participants are required to fill out an online form which takes 3 to 5 minutes to complete.

Please access the application form using this link: [English, French, Portuguese, Arabic]

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