— February 2021 —

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February 27, 2021

Estée Lauder Signs Actress Ana de Armas as New Global Brand Ambassador

Photo: Estée Lauder’s new Global Brand Ambassador, Ana de Armas. Image provided by & copyright © Estée Lauder.

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2021 — Estée Lauder today announced that it had signed Ana de Armas, Golden Globe Award-nominated actress and honoree of the 2021 TIME100 Next list, as its new Global Brand Ambassador. Ana will feature in campaigns across digital, TV, in-store, and print. Her first campaign for the brand will debut a new fragrance in March 2021. Ana joins the current roster of Estée Lauder’s global talent, including Anok Yai, Bianca Brandolini D’Adda, Carolyn Murphy, Diana Penty, Grace Elizabeth, Karlie Kloss, and Yang Mi.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ana to the Estée Lauder brand,” said Stéphane de La Faverie, Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies & Global Brand President, Estée Lauder and AERIN. “Her story of overcoming barriers to achieve her dreams and become an accomplished actress is inspiring to women around the world, and her talent, warmth, and beauty will bring a new energy to the brand.”

“I am honored to represent such an iconic brand,” said Ana de Armas. “Growing up in Cuba, I admire and connect with the story of Mrs. Estée Lauder. She understood that you have to work hard to turn your dreams into a reality. Everything she did was inspiring then and continues to be inspiring today. I am proud to become part of that legacy and share her story.”

Ana de Armas is a Golden Globe Award-nominated actress who made a name for herself for more than a decade in Spain and the United States. She has become one of the industry’s most sought-after actresses. Her compelling performances bring warmth, passion, and versatility to the big screen. Born in Cuba, de Armas made her feature film debut in Una Rosa De Francia for the Cuban Institute of Cinematography. Following years of success as an actress in Spain, Ana earned the transition to Hollywood and starred in films such as Blade Runner 2049 and War Dogs, working with some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed actors directors. This year, Ana will reunite with her Knives Out co-star Daniel Craig in Cary Joji Fukunaga’s No Time To Die, the 25th installment of the James Bond franchise. She will also star in Adrian Lyne’s thriller Deep Water and Andrew Dominik’s highly anticipated Blonde, based on Joyce Carol Oates’ novel, portraying actress, model, singer, and icon Marilyn Monroe.

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., stylized as ESTĒE LAUDER, is an American multinational manufacturer and marketer of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. The company is based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and owns a diverse portfolio of brands distributed internationally.

Source: Estée Lauder

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Behind The Scenes with Estée Lauder Global Brand Ambassador Ana de Armas.​

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:51 AM | View the original post

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February 24, 2021

Breitling announces Top Time Deus Limited Edition.

Photos: Breitling Top Time Deus Limited Edition. Images provided by & copyright © Breitling.

Breitling has announced its partnership with Australian lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina. According to the watchmaker, “this partnership is the inspiration for Breitling’s rugged, retro ‘Top Time Deus,’ designed for earth-based gods and goddesses who live and love an adventurous life.”

Breitling is now also the Deus Swank Rally’s official timekeeper - the epic motorcycle championship celebrating vintage bikes in diverse locations around the world, including Italy, France, Australia, and Bali.

“Bikers, boarders, surfers, digital nomads … a timepiece for dynamic people of action, purpose, and style. Our versatile Top Time Deus celebrates having the freedom to explore the world your way, at your pace,” Breitling CEO Georges Kern pointed out.

Co-designed with Deus Ex Machina, the Top Time Deus chronograph is a nod to Breitling’s original 1960s edition and a tribute to the nomad spirit. The first Top Time had a clear mission - suiting active professionals’ needs with a range of ultra-modern chronographs.

Bold yet classy, this new version sports a racing-themed calfskin leather strap. Its silver dial displays yellow and orange details, squircle-shaped chronograph counters, and the Deus logo.

Source: Breitling

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:10 PM | View the original post

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February 23, 2021

AcademicInfluence.com Announces the Top-Ranked Public Graduate Schools in the U.S. for 2021.

Photo: Lawn at the University of Virginia. Charlottesville, Virginia. Image Credit: Smilla.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 23, 2021 — Job candidates today find that elite companies expect more of their hires, often requiring a master’s degree just to get considered for a job. Career-minded people who want to stay competitive for the most desirable jobs — and for whom cost and proximity are critical considerations — are increasingly looking to public colleges or universities for their graduate degrees.

But which public graduate schools are best? AcademicInfluence.com has ranked the 50 best public graduate schools in the USA.

It has identified 302 public colleges and universities that meet its criteria. To be included in this list of best graduate schools, a university needs to satisfy the following four conditions:

• It must be a public, non-profit institution.
• It must be fully accredited.
• It must offer doctoral degrees and a broad range of advanced degrees.
• It must have a student body of at least 2,000.

• 100 Best (Influential) Public Grad Schools of 2021

1. University of California, Berkeley — Berkeley, CA
2. The University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, MI
3. University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA
4. University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, CA
5. University of Washington — Seattle, WA
6. The University of Texas at Austin — Austin, TX
7. University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, WI
8. University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, MN
9. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Champaign, IL
10. University of Virginia — Charlottesville, VA
11. Purdue University — West Lafayette, IN
12. University of Maryland — College Park, MD
13. University of Arizona — Tucson, AZ
14. University of Iowa — Iowa City, IA
15. University of California, Santa Barbara — Santa Barbara, CA
16. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, NC
17. University of California, Davis — Davis, CA
18. University of Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, PA
19. The University of Utah — Salt Lake City, UT
20. Pennsylvania State University — University Park, PA
21. Michigan State University — East Lansing, MI
22. Arizona State University — Tempe, AZ
23. University of California, Irvine — Irvine, CA
24. University of Florida — Gainesville, FL
25. University of California, Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz, CA
26. University of Massachusetts Amherst — Amherst, MA
27. Stony Brook University — Stony Brook, NY
28. George Mason University — Fairfax, VA
29. Ohio State University — Columbus, OH
30. The State University of New York at Buffalo — Buffalo, NY
31. University of Colorado Boulder — Boulder, CO
32. Florida State University — Tallahassee, FL
33. University of Oregon — Eugene, OR
34. Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, GA
35. University of Missouri — Columbia, MO
36. University of Georgia — Athens, GA
37. Virginia Tech — Blacksburg, VA
38. Texas A&M University — College Station, TX
39. North Carolina State University — Raleigh, NC
40. The City College, The City University of New York (CUNY) — New York, NY
41. University of Tennessee, Knoxville — Knoxville, TN
42. Temple University — Philadelphia, PA
43. Indiana University Bloomington — Bloomington, IN
44. University of California, Riverside — Riverside, CA
45. University of Houston — Houston, TX
46. The University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, IL
47. University of New Mexico — Albuquerque, NM
48. University of Kansas — Lawrence, KS
49. University of Oklahoma — Norman, OK
50. University of Connecticut — Storrs, CT
51. Hunter College, The City University of New York (CUNY) — New York, NY
52. Iowa State University — Ames, IA
53. University of Cincinnati — Cincinnati, OH
54. San Francisco State University — San Francisco, CA
55. University of Alabama — Tuscaloosa, AL
56. Wayne State University — Detroit, MI
57. The University of South Florida — Tampa, FL
58. Louisiana State University — Baton Rouge, LA
59. Binghamton University — Vestal, NY
60. William & Mary — Williamsburg, VA
61. Oregon State University — Corvallis, OR
62. University of Colorado Denver — Denver, CO
63. University of Delaware — Newark, DE
64. University of Kentucky — Lexington, KY
65. University of Massachusetts Boston — Boston, MA
66. Florida International University — Miami, FL
67. University of Central Florida — Orlando, FL
68. Auburn University — Auburn, AL
69. University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Lincoln, NE
70. San Diego State University — San Diego, CA
71. Colorado State University, — Fort Collins, CO
72. Washington State University — Pullman, WA
73. Graduate Center, The City University of New York (CUNY) — New York, NY
74. University of Nevada, Las Vegas — Las Vegas, NV
75. University of South Carolina — Columbia, SC
76. University of Vermont — Burlington, VT
77. The University of Texas at Dallas — Richardson, TX
78. Utah State University — Logan, UT
79. Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, VA
80. University of Mississippi — University, MS
81. Texas Tech University — Lubbock, TX
82. Georgia State University — Atlanta, GA
83. Ohio University — Athens, OH
84. West Virginia University — Morgantown, WV
85. University of Montana — Missoula, MT
86. University of Maine — Orono, ME
87. California State University, Long Beach — Long Beach, CA
88. University of Rhode Island — Kingston, RI
89. Kansas State University — Manhattan, KS
90. The State University of New York at Albany — Albany, NY
91. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee — Milwaukee, WI
92. Florida Atlantic University — Boca Raton, FL
93. Miami University, — Oxford, OH
94. University of New Hampshire — Durham, NH
95. Naval Postgraduate School — Monterey, CA
96. Illinois State University — Normal, IL
97. Portland State University — Portland, OR
98. California State University, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA
99. University of North Texas — Denton, TX
100. New Jersey Institute of Technology — Newark, NJ

“Many students and working adults are seeking advanced degree programs that balance excellence with affordability. Often, a public grad school is the wisest choice,” says Dr. Jed Macosko, academic director of AcademicInfluence.com and professor of physics at Wake Forest University.

While some graduate programs offer tuition remission and stipends to students, many do not, especially in business, law, and medicine. Public universities still retain an advantage over private universities when the cost is an issue.

“But don’t let financial factors obscure the true value of a public grad school degree; alumni and faculty at the top-ranked public grad schools have had a major influence in a diverse spectrum of fields,” adds Macosko. “Students attending these schools receive a superior education and earn the credentials to make their impact on the world.”

Source: AcademicInfluence.com

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:48 PM | View the original post

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Technology and Media Entities join forces to create Standards Group aimed at Building Trust in Online Content.

• Adobe, Arm, BBC, Intel, Microsoft, and Truepic form a coalition to develop an end-to-end, open standard for tracing digital content’s origin and evolution.

SAN JOSE, Calif. and REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 22, 2021 — A group of influential technology and media companies have partnered to form the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), a Joint Development Foundation project established to address the prevalence of disinformation, misinformation, and online content fraud through developing technical standards for certifying the source and history or provenance of media content.

Founding members Adobe, Arm, BBC, Intel, Microsoft, and Truepic, seek to establish a standardized provenance solution to combat misleading content.

C2PA member organizations will work together to develop content provenance specifications for common asset types and formats to enable publishers, creators, and consumers to trace the origin and evolution of a piece of media, including images, videos, audio, and documents. These technical specifications will include defining what information is associated with each type of asset, how that information is presented and stored, and how evidence of tampering can be identified.

The C2PA’s open standard will give platforms a method to preserve and read provenance-based digital content. Because any online platform can adopt a free measure, it is critical to scaling trust across the internet. Besides the inclusion of varied media types at scale, C2PA drives an end-to-end provenance experience from the capturing device to the information consumer. Collaboration with chipmakers, news organizations, and software and platform companies is critical to facilitate a comprehensive provenance standard and drive broad adoption across the content ecosystem.

The formation of the C2PA brings together founding members of the Adobe-led Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) and the Microsoft-and-BBC-led Project Origin, unifying technical specifications under a single entity. The CAI is building a system to provide provenance and history for digital media, giving creators a tool to claim authorship and empowering consumers to evaluate whether what they are seeing is trustworthy.

Project Origin has its roots in the production and distribution of news. The effort has focused on tackling disinformation in the digital news ecosystem by attaching signals to a piece of content to demonstrate its integrity and making this information available to those using it. The founding of the C2PA would unify technical standards. Meanwhile, these two entities would continue to pursue adoption, prototyping, and education within their respective communities.

Today’s C2PA announcement builds on several recent advances in content provenance, including Project Origin’s efforts to develop a pipeline for signaling, certification, and tracking the history of news content; the CAI’s first-ever end-to-end demonstration of provenance for captured media online; and Truepic’s development of the first native integration of hardware-secured photo capture smartphone technology.

Designing standards and technologies that can certify the source and provenance of online content is crucial in addressing rising concerns about manipulating and manufacturing news and information.

“Adobe is proud to be a founding member of the C2PA along with our partners in technology and media. With this group’s collective expertise, we will accelerate the critical work of rebuilding the public’s trust in online content through the broad and open adoption of a provenance standard at scale. We welcome everyone to join and participate in this effort so crucial to us all,” said Dana Rao, General Counsel, and Content Authenticity Initiative executive sponsor, Adobe.

“It’s vital that news providers play a part in the battle against disinformation. We welcome the opportunity to participate in the C2PA provenance work, which has the potential to support audience confidence in the news at a time when trusted sources of information are more important than ever,” said Jatin Aythora, Chief Architect, BBC.

“There’s a critical need to address widespread deception in online content — now supercharged by advances in AI and graphics and diffused rapidly via the internet. Our imperative as researchers and technologists is to create and refine technical and sociotechnical approaches to this grand challenge of our time. We’re excited about methods for certifying the origin and provenance of online content. It’s an honor to work alongside Adobe, BBC, and other C2PA members to take this critical work to the next step,” said Eric Horvitz, Chief Scientific Officer, and Project Origin executive sponsor, Microsoft.

Source: Microsoft Corporation

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:47 AM | View the original post

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February 22, 2021

OMEGA Chronograph for America's Cup

Photos: OMEGA Chronograph for America’s Cup. Images provided by & copyright © OMEGA.

To celebrate its role as Official Timekeeper for America’s Cup, OMEGA has launched a race-ready timepiece that delivers extraordinary precision under pressure.

The current edition of America’s Cup yacht race will occur in Waitemata Harbour of Auckland between Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli of Italy.

The “Defending Club” is the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, responsible for organizing America’s Cup match itself, whose team won the 35th America’s Cup in 2017. The “Challenging Club” is Circolo Della Vela Sicilia, whose team won the selection series - the 2021 Prada Cup.

With its new chronograph lock-system, quick-change strap, and water grip pushers, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup Chronograph is a fitting tribute to the 36th America’s Cup presented by PRADA.

The 44 mm timepiece has a blue ceramic dial and bezel ring, which features a white enamel diving scale. To get a better handle on the watch in high swells, OMEGA has included soft-touch rubber pushers, ergonomically designed to work efficiently in the wet and stylishly picked out in red and blue.

Its laser-engraved wave-pattern dial includes a ‘regatta countdown indicator ring’ in red anodized aluminum. It features an hour disc underneath the subdial and a red anodized aluminum minute and rhodium-plated small seconds hand inspired by a boat hull’s shape.

OMEGA’s exclusive CHRONO LOCK system secures the chronograph functions when needed. A must when marking time on the water since sailing at high speeds leaves no room for error.

As with all commemorative watches, the event and year appear marked in bold. On the Alveol shaped case back, engravings filled with blue lacquer spell out “36th America’s Cup” and “Auckland 2021”.

Source: OMEGA

|GlobalGiants.Com|

OMEGA Official Timekeeper of the 36th America’s Cup.

First contested in 1851, America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in world sport. In 2021, OMEGA celebrates its role as the Official Timekeeper of the 36th edition with a brand new sailing chronograph. Engineered with the very best materials and precision, it’s a fine tribute to Earth’s most fantastic sailing competition.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:07 PM | View the original post

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February 21, 2021

AcademicInfluence.com Releases Rankings of the Top Private Colleges & Universities in the U.S. for 2021

Photo: California Institute of Technology Campus. Pasadena, CA. Image Credit: Michael Adams.

FORT WORTH, Texas, February 20, 2021 — Prospective college students face a tough decision: choose to attend a private college or a public one. The advantages of private colleges and universities include smaller student-to-teacher ratios, student-centered communities, and more intimate settings. But which private college to pick?

To address the needs of the more than 400,000 incoming private college students each fall, AcademicInfluence.com releases its ranking of the leading American private higher education institutions:

“Our ranking of private colleges and universities not only includes some of the most desirable schools in the country, but it also accounts for their influence worldwide,” says Dr. Jed Macosko, academic director of AcademicInfluence.com and professor of physics at Wake Forest University. “The schools featured in our ranking system stand out due to their influential faculty and alumni, and for their many unmatched accomplishments in academics.”

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost at private universities is nearly $43,000, compared to $20,000 at four-year public universities. However, about one in five students chooses a private, non-profit higher education over the public option.

“Many students prefer the smaller communities and specialized studies that private schools offer compared to their larger public counterparts, and they are willing to pay for that privilege,” adds Macosko.

Private colleges are independent, non-profit schools that receive their funding through endowment income and student tuition fees rather than public tax dollars. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of private vs. public college, consider that private colleges are often smaller, offering more individualized experiences, including opportunities for dynamic classroom discussions, independent research, and one-on-one relationships with your instructors.

AcademicInfluence.com said it had identified 755 private universities in the United States. This list is composed entirely of private universities and colleges that offer four-year undergraduate degrees. To be included in that list of the best private colleges and universities, a school needs to satisfy the following three conditions:

• It must be a non-profit institution.
• It must be fully accredited.
• Its student body must have at least 1,000 students.

• 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities of 2021

1. California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA
2. Harvard University - Cambridge, MA
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
4. Stanford University - Stanford, CA
5. University of Chicago - Chicago, IL
6. Princeton University - Princeton, NJ
7. Columbia University - New York, NY
8. Yale University - New Haven, CT
9. Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore, MD
10. Duke University - Durham, NC
11. Swarthmore College - Swarthmore, PA
12. Northwestern University - Evanston, IL
13. Amherst College - Amherst, MA
14. Rice University - Houston, TX
15. Carnegie Mellon University - Pittsburgh, PA
16. Cornell University - Ithaca, NY
17. Sarah Lawrence College - Bronxville, NY
18. Reed College - Portland, OR
19. University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA
20. Brown University - Providence, RI
21. Barnard College - New York, NY
22. Brandeis University - Waltham, MA
23. Wesleyan University - Middletown, CT
24. Vassar College - Poughkeepsie, NY
25. Hampshire College - Amherst, MA
26. Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH
27. Georgetown University - Washington, DC
28. Tufts University - Medford, MA
29. Wellesley College - Wellesley, MA
30. Williams College - Williamstown, MA
31. Cooper Union - New York, NY
32. Pomona College - Claremont, CA
33. Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH
34. Bryn Mawr College - Bryn Mawr, PA
35. Yeshiva University - New York, NY
36. New York University - New York, NY
37. Bard College - Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
38. Haverford College - Haverford, PA
39. Washington University in St. Louis - Saint Louis, MO
40. Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
41. George Washington University - Washington, DC
42. The New School - New York, NY
43. Claremont McKenna College - Claremont, CA
44. Emory University - Atlanta, GA
45. The Catholic University of America - Washington, DC
46. University of Rochester - Rochester, NY
47. Morehouse College- Atlanta, GA
48. Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland, OH
49. Kenyon College - Gambier, OH
50. University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA

How does AcademicInfluence.com determine the best private colleges & universities?

“The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. It is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence. Concentrated influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.”

“Using concentrated influence allows small and mid-sized schools to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size,” AcademicInfluence.com explained.

Suppose you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree. In that case, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.

“Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated influence provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes,” AcademicInfluence.com elaborated.

Source: AcademicInfluence.com

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:55 PM | View the original post

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February 20, 2021

TAG Heuer Brand Ambassador Naomi Osaka wins the first Grand Slam of 2021

TAG Heuer, a partner of the professional tennis player Naomi Osaka, congratulated her after an incredible performance at this years’ first Grand Slam Tournament.

Photos: Naomi Osaka wins the first Grand Slam of 2021. Images provided by & copyright © Getty Images/TAG Heuer.

La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland - February 20, 2021 — TAG Heuer Brand Ambassador Naomi Osaka has won the 2021 season’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne. Osaka had joined TAG Heuer’s family in January 2021 and became a part of the prominent TAG Heuer Brand Ambassadors’ team that expresses the brand’s passion for action and high performance.

Exactly one month after joining TAG Heuer as a Brand Ambassador, Naomi Osaka is continuing to write her history on the Women’s Tennis Tour (WTA) by winning the first Grand Slam in 2021 after a thrilling and intense match and hence capturing her 4th major title.

Osaka collected her next Grand Slam, and the second in Melbourne, on Saturday night against Jennifer Brady. The 23-year old Japanese Naomi Osaka has made a perfect tournament path during the whole competition and arrived at the final after beating in the semi-final no one less than Serena Williams.

Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer, commented: “We would like to congratulate Naomi on a tremendous victory. TAG Heuer is proud to be associated with such a talented athlete that perfectly represents the brand’s passion for action and high performance.”

Since joining the WTA professional circuit in 2013, Naomi Osaka has become one of the most explosive and influential tennis players globally.

Consider her accomplishments on the court: she was named “Newcomer of the Year” at the 2016 WTA Awards, was the first Asian woman to hold the number one position in singles, and the first Japanese player ever to win a Grand Slam event: the first one in the U.S. in 2018. It followed her win in Australia in 2019 and now in 2021 - and in between with a second U.S Championship in 2020.

“In 2021, Naomi Osaka joined a fearless generation of talent and courage at TAG Heuer. Precision and mental strength are essential to taking home the trophy. TAG Heuer has upheld these same values since 1860. Known for developing innovations that enhance sports performance measurement, the brand is committed to achieving ultimate precision. Its involvement in tennis, one of the world’s most popular sports, is a natural fit for a company that partners with the most extreme and most thrilling sporting events across the globe,” TAG Heuer said in a statement.

“With her incredible victory at the Grand Slam in Australia, Naomi Osaka confirmed her impressive potential and commitment to excellence,” the company added. “She indeed perfectly embodies TAG Heuer’s motto — Don’t Crack Under Pressure.”

Source: TAG Heuer

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:41 AM | View the original post

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February 19, 2021

Touchdown! NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover Safely Lands on the Red Planet

Photo: This high-resolution still image is part of a video taken by several cameras as NASA’s Perseverance rover touched down on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. A camera aboard the descent stage captured this shot. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, paving the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken gravel and dust). (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech).

Photo: The Empire State Building is illuminated in red to celebrate this Thursday’s scheduled landing on Mars of NASA’s Perseverance rover, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in New York City. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, paving the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emma Howells).

Photo: NASA Mars Perseverance Live at One Times Square. The live NASA TV broadcast from inside the Mission Support Area of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is seen on the One Times Square video board as NASA’s Perseverance rover completes its descent towards the surface of Mars, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in New York City. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, paving the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emma Howells).

Photo: Members of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team watch in mission control as the first images arrive moments after the spacecraft successfully touched down on Mars, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, paving the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls).

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2021 — The largest, most advanced rover NASA has sent to another world touched down on Mars Thursday, after a 203-day journey traversing 293 million miles (472 million kilometers). Confirmation of the successful touchdown was announced in mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California at 3:55 p.m. EST (12:55 p.m. PST).

The Mars 2020 mission launched July 30, 2020, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Perseverance rover mission marks an ambitious first step to collect Mars samples and return them to Earth.

“This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally - when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks,” said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. “The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission embodies our nation’s spirit of persevering even in the most challenging of situations, inspiring and advancing science and exploration. The mission itself personifies the human ideal of persevering toward the future and will help us prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet in the 2030s.”

About the size of a car, the 2,263-pound (1,026-kilogram) robotic geologist and astrobiologist will undergo several weeks of testing before it begins its two-year science investigation of Mars’ Jezero Crater. While the rover will investigate Jezero’s ancient lakebed and river delta’s rock and sediment to characterize the region’s geology and past climate, a fundamental part of its mission is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life.

“Because of today’s exciting events, the first pristine samples from carefully documented locations on another planet are another step closer to being returned to Earth,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA. “Perseverance is the first step in bringing back rock and regolith from Mars. We don’t know what these pristine samples from Mars will tell us. But what they could tell us is monumental - including that life might have once existed beyond Earth.”

Some 28 miles (45 kilometers) wide, Jezero Crater sits on the western edge of Isidis Planitia, a giant impact basin just north of the Martian equator. Scientists have determined that 3.5 billion years ago, the crater had its river delta filled with water.

The power system that provides electricity and heat for Perseverance through its exploration of Jezero Crater is a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator or MMRTG. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provided it to NASA through an ongoing partnership to develop power systems for civil space applications.

“Perseverance is the most sophisticated robotic geologist ever made, but verifying that microscopic life once existed carries an enormous burden of proof,” said Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division. “While we’ll learn a lot with the great instruments we have aboard the rover, it may very well require the far more capable laboratories and instruments back here on Earth to tell us whether our samples carry evidence that Mars once harbored life.”

• Paving the Way for Human Missions

“Landing on Mars is always a challenging task, and we are proud to continue building on our past success,” said JPL Director Michael Watkins. “But, while Perseverance advances that success, this rover is also blazing its path and daring new challenges in the surface mission. We built the rover to land and find and collect the best scientific samples for return to Earth. Its incredibly complex sampling system and autonomy not only enable that mission, but they also set the stage for future robotic and crewed missions.”

The Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2) sensor suite collected data about Mars’ atmosphere during entry, and the Terrain-Relative Navigation system autonomously guided the spacecraft during the final descent. The data from both would help future human missions land on other worlds more safely and with larger payloads.

On the surface of Mars, Perseverance’s science instruments will have an opportunity to shine scientifically. Mastcam-Z is a pair of zoomable science cameras on Perseverance’s remote sensing mast, or head, that creates high-resolution, color 3D panoramas of the Martian landscape. Also located on the mast, the SuperCam uses a pulsed laser to study the chemistry of rocks and sediment and has its microphone to help scientists better understand the stones’ properties, including their hardness.

The rover chassis is home to three science instruments, as well. The Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX) is the first ground-penetrating Radar on the surface of Mars.

Currently attached to Perseverance’s belly, the diminutive Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration that will attempt the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.

Project engineers and scientists will now put Perseverance through its paces, testing every instrument, subsystem, and subroutine over the next month or two. Only then will they deploy the helicopter to the surface for the flight test phase. If successful, Ingenuity could add an aerial dimension to exploring the Red Planet in which such helicopters serve as scouts or make deliveries for future astronauts away from their base.

Once Ingenuity’s test flights are complete, the rover’s search for evidence of ancient microbial life will begin in earnest.

“Perseverance is more than a rover, and more than this amazing collection of men and women that built it and got us here,” said John McNamee, project manager of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission at JPL. “It is even more than the 10.9 million people who signed up to be part of our mission. This mission is about what humans can achieve when they persevere. We made it this far. Now, watch us go.”

• More About the Mission

A primary objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology research, including searching for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith, paving the way for human exploration of the Red Planet.

JPL, a Caltech (California Institute of Technology) division in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission and the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter technology demonstration for NASA.

Source: NASA

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Miss my landing? Catch the highlights below.

Send us your own highlights too. Share your pictures and video using #CountdownToMars. pic.twitter.com/OL2wSAi36e

— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 19, 2021

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:29 AM | View the original post

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February 18, 2021

TIME Reveals the 2021 List of the Next 100 Most Influential People in the World

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2021 — Today, TIME revealed the 2021 TIME100 Next list, an expansion of the flagship TIME100 franchise that recognizes 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future of entertainment, health, politics, business, and more.

The 2021 TIME100 Next issue features six worldwide covers, each highlighting a member of the list: performer Dua Lipa, actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, athlete Marcus Rashford, Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, fashion designer Telfar Clemens, and author Brit Bennett.

The TIME100 Next list features surprising pairings of the list members and guest contributors that TIME selects to write about. The second annual list includes:

• Jennifer Lopez on Charli D’Amelio;
• Tony Hawk on Nyjah Huston;
• Anthony Fauci on Kizzmekia Corbett;
• Mitt Romney on Ben Sasse;
• Seth Meyers on Amber Ruffin;
• Shonda Rhimes on Regé-Jean Page;
• Beto O’Rourke on Lina Hidalgo;
• Jacinda Ardern on Ayesha Verrall;
• Killer Mike on Lil Baby;
• Jurnee Smollett on Misha Green;
• J Balvin on Anitta;
• Joaquin Castro on Dairon Elisondo Rojas;
• Spike Lee on John David Washington;
• Greta Thunberg on Vanessa Nakate;
• Gwen Stefani on Olivia Rodrigo;
• Ashley Graham on Paloma Elsesser;
• Rachel Maddow on Steve Kornacki;
• Bernice A. King on Jon Ossoff;
• Jamie Lee Curtis on Ana de Armas;
• Juan Guaidó on Svetlana Tikhanovskaya;
• Zendaya on Hunter Schafer;
• Allyson Felix on Sydney McLaughlin;
• Judd Apatow on John Wilson;
• Garth Brooks on Luke Combs;
• Madeleine Albright on Jake Sullivan.

TIME editor in chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal writes in his letter to readers:

“Amid a global pandemic, deepening inequality, systemic injustice and existential questions about truth, democracy and the planet itself, the individuals on this year’s list provide ‘clear-eyed hope,’ as actor, composer, and director Lin-Manuel Miranda puts it in his tribute to poet and TIME100 Next honoree Amanda Gorman. They are doctors and scientists fighting COVID-19, advocates pushing for equality and justice, journalists standing up for truth, and artists sharing their visions of present and future.”

Of the 2021 list, editorial director of the TIME100 Dan Macsai says: “Everyone on this list is poised to make history. And in fact, many already have.”

On Friday, Feb. 19 at 1 PM ET, TIME will host members of the list for TIME100 Talks Presents the 2021 TIME100 Next. Presented by Citi, the virtual series’s particular installment that convenes leaders from every field to spotlight solutions and encourage action toward a better world will be hosted by actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and will feature impressive musical performances by Dua Lipa, Luke Combs, Phoebe Bridgers, and Anitta.

Members of the new TIME100 Next list will join for special appearances throughout the event, including actor Regé-Jean Page, performers Chloe X Halle, comedian Amber Ruffin, actor Hunter Schafer, Upsolve CEO Rohan Pavaluri, Depop CEO Maria Raga, marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, physician Dr. Dairon Elisondo Rojas, political strategist Jessica Byrd, and more.

This year’s list features 54 women, including Phoebe Bridgers, Maria Raga, Ana de Armas, Janja Garnbret, Florence Pugh, Clementine Jacoby, Anya Taylor-Joy, Guo Ningning, Sohla El-Waylly, Sarah Al Amiri, Shira Haas, and more.

The 2021 TIME100 Next list features several doctors, scientists, and public health professionals fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them: New Zealand Associate Minister of Health Dr. Ayesha Verrall, physician Dr. Dairon Elisondo Rojas, Get Us PPE executive director Dr. Shikha Gupta, medical union leader Dr. Izkia Siches Pastén, immunologist Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, and more.

Activists, advocates, and philanthropists fighting for equality and justice on the list:

• Political strategist Jessica Byrd,
• Activist Bartosz Staszewski,
• Justice for Migrant Women president Mónica Ramírez,
• #EndSARS activists Feyikemi Abudu,
• Odunayo Eweniyi, and Damilola Odufuwa, and more.

The 2021 TIME100 Next also includes emerging leaders fighting against climate change:

• Writer Julian Brave NoiseCat,
• Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson,
• Advocate Vanessa Nakate; and
• Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr.

The list features U.S. political figures, including Ben Sasse, Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff, Lina Hidalgo, Adam Kinzinger, Parker Poling, and others.

Source: TIME

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:54 AM | View the original post

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February 17, 2021

Switzerland Climbs to Top of Global E-Commerce Index

• Switzerland replaced the Netherlands at the top of UNCTAD’s Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2020, which ranks 152 countries on their readiness to engage in online commerce.

Photo: Switzerland. Swiss cows: Image credit: Nestlé.

Photo: Switzerland. Image credit: Eugene Kaspersky.

Geneva, 17 February 2021 - Europe remains by far the most prepared region for e-commerce, according to UNCTAD’s Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2020.

For the first time, Switzerland leads the UNCTAD B2C E-commerce Index, just ahead of the Netherlands. In 2019, 97% of the Swiss population used the internet. The only non-European economies among the top 10 are Singapore, ranked fourth, and Hong Kong (China) in the 10th position.

The index scores 152 nations on their readiness for online shopping, worth an estimated $4.4 trillion globally in 2018, up 7% from the previous year.

Countries are scored on access to secure internet servers, reliability of postal services and infrastructure, and the portion of their population that uses the internet and has an account with a financial institution or mobile money services provider.

• Developing countries: Asia leads the pack.

The ten developing countries with the highest scores are all from Asia and classified as high-income or upper-middle-income economies.

At the other end of the spectrum, least developed countries occupy 18 of the bottom 20 positions.

The two largest B2C e-commerce markets globally, China and the United States, rank 55th and 12th respectively in the index. Although both countries lead in several absolute measures, they lag in relative comparisons.

“The e-commerce divide remains huge,” said Shamika N. Sirimanne, director of UNCTAD’s division that prepares the annual index. “Even among G20 countries, the extent to which people shop online ranges from 3% in India to 87% in the United Kingdom.”

Also, in Canada, the United States, and 10 European nations, more than 70% of the adult population makes purchases online. But that proportion is well below 10% in most low- and lower-middle-income countries.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made it more urgent to ensure the countries trailing behind can catch up and strengthen their e-trade readiness,” Ms. Sirimanne said. The index, she said, underscores governments’ need to ensure more people can avail themselves of e-commerce opportunities.

“Otherwise, their businesses and people will miss out on the opportunities offered by the digital economy, and they will be less prepared to deal with various challenges,” she added.

• Changes in the 2020 rankings

The 2020 edition of the index includes a few notable changes from the previous year. In the composition of the top 10 positions, Hong Kong (China) replaced Australia. Among the top 10 developing economies, Oman replaced Turkey.

The four most considerable increases in index scores are in developing countries - Algeria, Brazil, Ghana, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Their scores surged by at least five points, primarily due to significant improvements in postal reliability.

Costa Rica became the best performer in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, replacing Chile. Mauritius remained the highest scorer in sub-Saharan Africa, while Belarus again got the highest score among transition economies.

• Particular focus on Latin America and the Caribbean

The 2020 index takes a closer look at the LAC region, which accounts for 9% of the world’s population aged 15 and older and as much as 11% of the world’s internet users. However, the region’s share of global online shoppers was only 6% of the worldwide total in 2019.

The UNCTAD report notes that five countries account for 92% of online shoppers in LAC, much higher than their share (72%) of the region’s population. Postal unreliability is the region’s most prominent e-commerce infrastructural weakness, particularly in the Caribbean.

As seen globally, COVID-19 has boosted online shopping in the region. For example, 7.3 million Brazilians shopped online for the first time during the pandemic. And in Argentina, the number of first-time online buyers during the pandemic was equivalent to 30% of the 2019 online shopping base.

• Top 10 economies in the UNCTAD B2C E-commerce Index 2020

1. Switzerland
2. Netherlands
3. Denmark
4. Singapore
5. United Kingdom
6. Germany
7. Finland
8. Ireland
9. Norway
10. China, Hong Kong SAR

Source: UNCTAD

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:14 PM | View the original post

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February 16, 2021

World Health Organization lists Oxford coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.

• Oxford/AstraZeneca-developed vaccines to reach countries in the coming weeks.

Photo: World Health Organization experts guide the use of the Oxford vaccine. Image credit: WHO / Oxford University.

Geneva, February 15, 2021 - The World Health Organization (WHO) today listed two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving the green light for these vaccines to be rolled out globally through COVAX. AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and the Serum Institute of India produce these vaccines.

WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) assesses the quality, safety, and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and is a prerequisite for COVAX Facility vaccine supply. It also allows countries to expedite their regulatory approval to import and administer COVID-19 vaccines.

“Countries with no access to vaccines to date will finally be able to start vaccinating their health workers and populations at risk. It would contribute to the COVAX Facility’s goal of equitable vaccine distribution,” said Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.

But we must keep up the pressure to meet the needs of priority populations everywhere and facilitate global access. To do that, we need two things - a scale-up of manufacturing capacity and developers’ early submission of their vaccines for WHO review.”

The authorization of the Chadox1-nCoV19 vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca, and the Serum Institute of India (SII), enables global access to the vaccine during the pandemic.

Andrew Pollard, Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity, and Chief Investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial said:

‘At the University of Oxford, we are all so pleased by today’s announcement because the emergency use listing from WHO is a critical piece in the path to global access to the Chadox1-nCoV19 vaccine and our mission for vaccines to protect the vulnerable, whoever they are, and wherever they live.’

Today, 2 versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford #COVID19 vaccine are listed for emergency use, giving the green light for these vaccines to be rolled out globally through #COVAX. The vaccines are produced by AstraZeneca-SKBio 🇰🇷 & the Serum Institute of 🇮🇳

👉https://t.co/5NHRcpGxhi pic.twitter.com/BvWM1mrH1S

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 15, 2021

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

• World Health Organization experts issue Guidelines on the use of the Oxford Vaccine.

• World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) considers the Oxford coronavirus vaccine safe.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) produced guidelines for the emergency use of the (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford with its partner AstraZeneca.

• The WHO has recommended administering two standard doses of the Oxford Vaccine at an 8 to 12-week interval in people aged 18 years and older. Clinical trials have shown that this dosing regimen is safe and effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, with no severe cases and no hospitalizations from COVID-19 more than 14 days after the second dose.

• The new guidance marks a crucial step towards the Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s goal of providing global access to the vaccine, made available on a not-for-profit basis during the pandemic. This vaccine can be easily transported and stored at domestic fridge temperature (2-8 degrees C). It can be efficiently administered in existing healthcare settings, allowing its rapid deployment worldwide.

• Andrew Pollard, Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity and Chief Investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial, said: ‘The new guidance from WHO is an important milestone in extending access to the Oxford-AZ vaccine to all corners of the world. The guidance issued after rigorous scrutiny by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts provides further endorsement that this vaccine can help protect populations from the coronavirus pandemic.’

• Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology and an Investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial, said: ‘It is excellent news that the WHO has recommended using the SARS CoV-2 vaccine first produced in Oxford. This decision paves the way to the more widespread use of the vaccine to protect people against COVID-19 and gain control of the pandemic.’

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

• The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has issued interim recommendations for using the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222).

• Who should be vaccinated first?

While vaccine supplies are limited, it is recommended that priority be given to health workers at high risk of exposure.

Countries can refer to the WHO Prioritization Roadmap and the WHO Values Framework as guidance for prioritizing target groups.

• Who else can take the vaccine?

Vaccination is recommended for persons with comorbidities that have been identified as increasing the risk of severe COVID-19.

Vaccination can be offered to people who have had COVID-19 in the past. But individuals may wish to defer their COVID-19 immunization for up to six months from the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection to allow others who may need the vaccine more urgently to go first.

• Who is the vaccine not recommended for?

People with a history of a severe allergic reaction to any vaccine component should not take it.

The vaccine is not recommended for persons younger than 18 years of age, pending further studies.

• What’s the recommended dosage?

The recommended dosage is two doses given intramuscularly (0.5ml each) with an interval of 8 to 12 weeks.

Additional research is needed to understand potential longer-term protection after a single dose.

• Is it safe?

While this vaccine has yet to be recommended for an Emergency Use Listing by WHO, it has undergone review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Consequently, it meets WHO’s criteria for SAGE consideration.

The EMA has thoroughly assessed the data on the quality, safety, and efficacy of the vaccine and has recommended granting conditional marketing authorization for people aged 18 and above.

The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is a group of experts that provides an independent and authoritative guide to the WHO on safe vaccine use. It receives and assesses reports of suspected safety events of potentially global impact.

• How efficacious is the vaccine?

The AZD1222 vaccine against COVID-19 has an efficacy of 63.09% against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Longer dose intervals within the 8 to 12 weeks range are associated with greater vaccine efficacy.

• Does it work against new variants?

SAGE has reviewed all available data on the vaccine’s performance in the settings of variants of concern. SAGE currently recommends the use of the AZD1222 vaccine according to the WHO Prioritization Roadmap, even if virus variants are present in a country. Countries should assess the risks and benefits, taking into consideration their epidemiological situation.

• Does it prevent infection and transmission?

No substantive data are available related to the impact of AZD1222 on transmission and viral shedding.

• In the meantime, we must maintain and strengthen public health measures that work: masking, physical distancing, handwashing, respiratory and cough hygiene, avoiding crowds, and ensuring adequate ventilation, the WHO concluded.

Source: University of Oxford / WHO

|GlobalGiants.Com|

— The Editor holds an Oxford Alumni Card.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:39 AM | View the original post

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February 15, 2021

IOC Executive Board proposes Olympic Agenda 2020+5 as the strategic roadmap to 2025

Photo: Tokyo Olympic Village. Tokyo, Japan. Image provided by & copyright © Greg Martin/IOC.

Photo: Tokyo Olympics. One Year to Go. Image provided by & copyright © IOC.

Photo: Tokyo Olympic Village. Tokyo, Japan. Image provided by & copyright © Greg Martin/IOC.

Photo: IOC President visits the new Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Tokyo, Japan. Image provided by & copyright © Greg Martin/IOC.

Lausanne, Switzerland. February 15, 2021 — The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has proposed a new strategic roadmap, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, to the upcoming IOC Session. It consists of 15 recommendations. The new roadmap follows Olympic Agenda 2020 and will guide the IOC’s work and the Olympic Movement for the next five years.

Olympic Agenda 2020+5 will be submitted to the IOC Members for discussion and adoption at the 137th IOC Session in March this year. The title, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, has been chosen to reflect that this new roadmap is the successor to Olympic Agenda 2020 and will guide the IOC and the Olympic Movement’s work until 2025.

Olympic Agenda 2020+5 builds on the results of Olympic Agenda 2020, which has had a profound impact in the six years since its adoption in December 2014. It has strengthened the IOC and the Olympic Movement by introducing changes intended to make the Olympic Games fit for the future, safeguarded the Olympic values, and strengthened sport’s role in society. These achievements have laid solid foundations for the future.

Now, as the world continues to battle the global health crisis and its likely consequences for society at large, the IOC and the Olympic Movement need to seize on the successes of Olympic Agenda 2020 and continue to drive change for tomorrow.

The 15 recommendations that make up the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 have been developed through an inclusive and collaborative process. They are also the areas where sport and Olympism’s values can play a crucial role in turning challenges into opportunities.

• The key trends include:

• The need for greater solidarity within and among societies;

• The growth in digitalization, while keeping in mind the need to expand the digital capability to the currently digitally underserved;

• The urgency of achieving sustainable development;

• The growing demand for credibility, both of organizations and institutions; and

• The need to build resilience in the face of the financial and economic consequences that will result from the COVID-19 pandemic and which will influence priority-setting among governments and enterprises

• Each of the 15 recommendations is tangible with critical deliverables. The recommendations call upon the IOC and the Olympic Movement to:

• Strengthen the uniqueness and the universality of the Olympic Games

• Foster sustainable Olympic Games

• Reinforce athletes’ rights and responsibilities

• Continue to attract the best athletes

• Strengthen the safe sport and the protection of clean athletes

• Enhance and promote the Road to the Olympic Games

• Coordinate the harmonization of the sports calendar

• Grow digital engagement with people

• Encourage the development of virtual sports and further engage with video gaming communities

• Strengthen the role of sport as an essential enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Strengthen the support to refugees and populations affected by displacement

• Reach out beyond the Olympic community

• Continue to lead by example in corporate citizenship

• Strengthen the Olympic Movement through good governance

• Innovate revenue generation models

Commenting on Olympic Agenda 2020+5, IOC President Thomas Bach explained: “When we adopted Olympic Agenda 2020 in 2014, we did so under the adage of ‘change or be changed.’ It still holds today. The world around us has continued to evolve. Nothing illustrates this better than the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for society. As challenging as the circumstances may appear right now, we can turn these into opportunities if we draw the right conclusions. To do so, we must address this future environment without delay. We need to carry forward Olympic Agenda 2020. It is why we have developed Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and its recommendations with the IOC Executive Board and based on the feedback we received from stakeholders following the Olympism and Corona messages.”

The IOC EB has also finalized the Closing Report of Olympic Agenda 2020. This report describes each of the 40 recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020. It explains the various activities for implementing them and their impact on the IOC and the Olympic Movement.

The Closing Report of Olympic Agenda 2020 will be submitted to the IOC Session in March for final approval.

Source: IOC

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Best of Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:25 PM | View the original post

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February 14, 2021

Smart ForTwo Bluedawn; Stylish and Electrifying

• New special model for the smart EQ fortwo coupé.

Photos: Smart ForTwo Bluedawn. Images provided by & copyright © Smart, Daimler AG.

Stuttgart, Germany. Smart is presenting a real head-turner in a new unique model, the smart EQ ForTwo edition Bluedawn. Characteristic features of this expressive-looking special edition with an electric drive system include body panels and safety cells in matt velvet blue.

The wheels and detachable body parts from BRABUS in matt velvet blue or high-gloss black further enhance the dynamic appearance.

The fully battery-electric smart EQ ForTwo Bluedawn edition combines elegance and dynamism. The new select model is currently available in the following markets: Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Benelux, Portugal, France, Switzerland, and Hungary.

The Smart Fortwo (stylized as “smart fortwo”) is a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger hatchback microcar manufactured and marketed by the Smart division of the German multinational, Daimler AG.

Source: Daimler AG

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:51 AM | View the original post

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February 13, 2021

NASA Invites Public to Share Thrill of Mars Perseverance Rover Landing

Photo: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover onboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, July 30, 2020, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Perseverance rover is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky).

Photo: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover onboard is seen on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Perseverance rover is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky).

Photo: This illustration depicts NASA’s Perseverance rover operating on the surface of Mars. Perseverance will land at the Red Planet’s Jezero Crater a little after 3:40 pm EST (12:40 pm PST) on Feb. 18, 2021.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2021 — NASA is inviting the public to participate in virtual activities and events as the agency’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover nears entry, descent, and landing on the Red Planet, with touchdown scheduled for approximately 3:55 pm EST Thursday, Feb. 18.

Live coverage and landing commentary from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California will begin at 2:15 pm on the NASA TV Public Channel and the agency’s website and the NASA App, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, Twitch, Daily Motion, and THETA.TV.

Among the many firsts with this mission is the agency’s first-ever Spanish-language show for a planetary landing. On Thursday, Feb. 18, at 2:30 pm, NASA will air “Juntos perseveramos,” a show that will give viewers an overview of the mission to Mars and highlight the role Hispanic NASA professionals have had in its success.

The rover will plunge through the thin Martian atmosphere at more than 12,000 mph (about 20,000 kph). A parachute and powered descent will slow the rover down to about two mph (3 kph). During what is known as the sky crane maneuver, the descent stage will lower the rover on three cables to land softly on six wheels at Jezero Crater.

Perseverance also is carrying a technology experiment - the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter - that will attempt the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.

“If there’s one thing we know, it’s that landing on Mars is never easy,” said NASA Associate Administrator for Communications Marc Etkind. “But as NASA’s fifth Mars rover, Perseverance has an extraordinary engineering pedigree and mission team. We are excited to invite the entire world to share this exciting event with us!”

NASA offers many ways for the public to participate and stay up to date on landing information, mission highlights, and interaction opportunities.

• Watch and Participate Virtually

Connect with like-minded space enthusiasts, receive a NASA Social badge, ask questions, and participate in other virtual activities by signing up for the Perseverance Rover Virtual NASA Social event.

NASA will also provide a virtual guest experience for public members during landing, with notifications about mission updates, curated mission resources, and a virtual passport stamp available after landing.

Stay connected and let people know you’re following the mission on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Join the conversation, ask questions, and get answers online by using #CountdownToMars.

• Follow and tag these accounts:

• Twitter: @NASA, @NASAPersevere, @NASAMars
• Facebook: NASA, NASAPersevere
• Instagram: NASA

At 7 pm EST Tuesday, Feb. 16, a NASA Social live show previewing landing day will stream live via the JPL YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

You also can follow every step of entry, descent, and landing with this visualization and get a preview of all the excitement with a new video.

• Opportunities for Students, Teachers, Educators

Design, build and land your spacecraft - just like NASA scientists and engineers do. Join NASA’s Mission to Mars Student Challenge, where classrooms, informal education groups, families, and individuals will be able to participate in landing week question-and-answer sessions with mission experts.

A Mars 2020 STEM toolkit also is available, with stories on the students who named Perseverance and Ingenuity, opportunities to code your own Mars exploration games, and more.

Join scientists from NASA at a briefing of the National Academies Space Studies Board and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 11:30 am EST. Participants include:

• Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for science
• Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division
• Bobby Braun, Mars Sample Return program manager at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
• Matt Wallace, deputy project manager, Mars 2020 at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
• Katie Stack Morgan, Mars 2020 deputy project scientist at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Interactive Experiences

You also can try out a virtual photo booth that allows you to pose next to the Perseverance rover, listen to the differences between sounds on Mars and Earth, and check out other interactive experiences on the mission’s website.

• Send Your Name to Mars, Again!

Perseverance is carrying three dime-sized chips with 11 million names submitted by people all over the world. Anyone who missed the chance to send their name on Perseverance can sign up to send their name on a future Mars mission.

• Lighting Towns Red Around the World

To celebrate Perseverance’s Red Planet landing, the Empire State Building in New York will light its tower red on Tuesday, Feb. 16, starting at sunset until 2 am the following morning. Besides, the Los Angeles International Airport gateway pylons will glow red from sundown on Wednesday, Feb. 17, through sunrise Friday, Feb. 19. Other sites in the United States recognizing the upcoming landing include select buildings along the Chicago skyline, such as the Adler Planetarium. NASA invites cities around the country and world to participate in “lighting the town red.”

Source: NASA

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:05 PM | View the original post

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February 11, 2021

Pandora celebrates 20 years of its iconic Charm Bracelet.

• Pandora celebrates its classic Pandora Moments charm bracelet jewelry that captures a universe of stories for people worldwide.

Photos: Pandora Jewelry.

BALTIMORE — Throughout 2020, Pandora marked a significant milestone with a celebration dedicated to its iconic charm bracelet. The Pandora Moments charm bracelet, globally renowned and beloved for wearable self-expression through jewelry, was first released in 2000. Pandora celebrated the bracelet’s two decades with activities both globally and in the brand’s home city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Pandora designs, manufactures, and markets hand-finished and contemporary jewelry made from high-quality materials at affordable prices. Pandora jewelry is sold in more than 100 countries on six continents through around 7,800 points of sale, including more than 2,400 concept stores. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Pandora employs more than 27,300 people worldwide, of whom around 13,200 are in Thailand, where the Company manufactures its jewelry.

Source: Pandora Jewelry

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:30 AM | View the original post

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February 10, 2021

Academy announces 93rd Oscars Shortlists; Selects Fifteen Films in the International Feature Film Category; Snubs India's official Oscar entry "Jallikattu."

Photo: Eugenio Derbez and guest arrive on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © A.M.P.A.S. / Michael Baker. [File Photo]

Photo: Jennifer Garner arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Image provided by & copyright © A.M.P.A.S. / Paul Hebert. [File Photo]

LOS ANGELES, CA. February 9, 2021 — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced shortlists in nine categories for the 93rd Academy Awards: International Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects.

• INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Fifteen films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Films from 93 countries were eligible in the class.

The Academy had invited its members from all branches to participate in the preliminary round of voting.

The fifteen shortlisted films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Quo Vadis, Aida?”
• Chile, “The Mole Agent”
• Czech Republic, “Charlatan”
• Denmark, “Another Round”
• France, “Two of Us”
• Guatemala, “La Llorona”
• Hong Kong, “Better Days”
• Iran, “Sun Children”
• Ivory Coast, “Night of the Kings”
• Mexico, “I’m No Longer Here”
• Norway, “Hope”
• Romania, “Collective”
• Russia, “Dear Comrades!”
• Taiwan, “A Sun”
• Tunisia, “The Man Who Sold His Skin”

• India’s official Oscar entry, “Jallikattu,” failed to make it to the International Feature Film shortlist. No Indian film has ever won an Oscar.

• DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Two hundred thirty-eight films were eligible in the class. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “All In: The Fight for Democracy”
• “Boys State”
• “Collective”
• “Crip Camp”
• “Dick Johnson Is Dead”
• “Gunda”
• “MLK/FBI”
• “The Mole Agent”
• “My Octopus Teacher”
• “Notturno”
• “The Painter and the Thief”
• “76 Days.”
• “Time”
• “The Truffle Hunters”
• “Welcome to Chechnya”

• DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Ten films will advance in the Documentary Short Subject category for the 93rd Academy Awards. One hundred fourteen films qualified in the class. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Abortion Helpline, This Is Lisa”
• “Call Center Blues”
• “Colette”
• “A Concerto Is a Conversation”
• “Do Not Split”
• “Hunger Ward”
• “Hysterical Girl”
• “A Love Song for Latasha”
• “The Speed Cubers”
• “What Would Sophia Loren Do?”

• MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Ten films will advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Makeup and Hairstyling Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”
• “Emma”
• “The Glorias”
• “Hillbilly Elegy”
• “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey”
• “The Little Things”
• “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
• “Mank”
• “One Night in Miami…”
• “Pinocchio”

• MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

Fifteen scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 93rd Academy Awards. One hundred thirty-six scores were eligible in the class. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The scores, listed in alphabetical order by film title, are:

• “Ammonite”
• “Blizzard of Souls”
• “Da 5 Bloods”
• “The Invisible Man”
• “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey”
• “The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)”
• “The Little Things”
• “Mank”
• “The Midnight Sky”
• “Minari”
• “Mulan”
• “News of the World”
• “Soul”
• “Tenet”
• “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

• MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Fifteen songs will advance in the Original Song category for the 93rd Academy Awards. One hundred five songs were eligible in the class. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The original songs and the corresponding motion pictures are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title:

• “Turntables” from “All In: The Fight for Democracy”
• “See What You’ve Done” from “Belly of the Beast.”
• “Wuhan Flu” from “Borat”
• “Husavik” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”
• “Never Break” from “Giving Voice”
• “Make It Work” from “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey”
• “Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”
• “lo Sì (Seen)” from “The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)”
• “Rain Song” from “Minari”
• “Show Me Your Soul” from “Mr. Soul!”
• “Loyal Brave True” from “Mulan”
• “Free” from “The One and Only Ivan”
• “Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami…”
• “Green” from “Sound of Metal”
• “Hear My Voice” from “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

• ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Ten films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Ninety-six films qualified in the class. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Burrow”
• “Genius Loci”
• “If Anything Happens I Love You”
• “Kapaemahu”
• “Opera”
• “Out”
• “The Snail and the Whale”
• “To Gerard”
• “Traces”
• “Yes-People”

• LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Ten films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. One hundred seventy-four films qualified in the class. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Bittu”
• “Da Yie”
• “Feeling Through”
• “The Human Voice”
• “The Kicksled Choir”
• “The Letter Room”
• “The Present”
• “Two Distant Strangers”
• “The Van”
• “White Eye”

• VISUAL EFFECTS

Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 93rd Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. All Visual Effects Branch members would virtually view 10-minute excerpts from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Following the screenings, members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

• “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”
• “Bloodshot”
• “Love and Monsters”
• “Mank”
• “The Midnight Sky”
• “Mulan”
• “The One and Only Ivan”
• “Soul”
• “Tenet”
• “Welcome to Chechnya”

Nominations voting begins on Friday, March 5, 2021, and concludes on Wednesday, March 10, 2021.

The Academy would announce the Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on A.B.C. and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:27 AM | View the original post

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February 9, 2021

Empire State Building To Celebrate Lunar New Year With Virtual Lighting Ceremony

• The World’s Most Famous Building Will Mark the Beginning of the Year of the Ox.

Photo: The Empire State Building, New York City. Image provided by & copyright © Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2021 — The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced that it would celebrate Lunar New Year in partnership with China’s Consulate General in New York with a Feb. 10 lighting of its world-famous tower lights. It would unveil a new Spring Festival window display in its Fifth Avenue lobby that celebrates the Year of the Ox.

On Feb. 10, 2021, just before sunset at 5 p.m. EST, guests from around the world can join the virtual lighting ceremony on the Empire State Building’s YouTube page. People can witness the “flip of the switch” that will turn the building’s famous tower red in advance of the first new moon of the lunar calendar on Feb. 12.

The Empire State Building will also celebrate Lunar New Year with a museum-quality Fifth Avenue lobby window display entitled “Back to Order,” on view from Feb. 10, 2021, through Mar. 10, 2021. Designed by United Design Lab in collaboration with China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd, the display tells the story of the Ox as a return to normalcy in 2021 after an unprecedented year. In four scenes, the Ox welcomes spring, is represented as a symbol of peace, stands as a protector from floods to bring good weather, and ushers in a prosperous harvest. With traditional elements such as gourds, auspicious clouds, lotus flowers, pomegranates, and flying lanterns, the windows respect these historical Chinese symbols’ importance.

“Lunar New Year is such a significant event for Chinese and people of Chinese descent all around the world. Families travel to celebrate together. In a world disrupted by COVID, we honor this celebration with our special and meaningful tower lighting and fantastical window display,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience. “The Empire State Building expresses its best wishes to our friends who celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Ox for a rich and fortunate new year. The Empire State Building is open and ready to welcome everyone back to New York City.”

Source: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:09 AM | View the original post

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February 8, 2021

AcademicInfluence.com Announces the Top Public Colleges & Universities in the U.S. for 2021

Photo: A redwood tree at the University of California Berkeley Stadium, Berkeley, CA. Image credit: Andrew Aldrich.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 8, 2021 — What type of school do three out of four prospective undergraduate students ultimately choose? The answer is the public college or university—a perennially popular pick.

To address the needs of the more than three million incoming college students each fall, AcademicInfluence.com releases its ranking of the leading American public higher education institutions: 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities of 2021.

“Public universities and colleges remain popular because of their high value, balancing academic scholarship with reasonable costs,” said Dr. Jed Macosko, academic director of AcademicInfluence.com and professor of physics at Wake Forest University.

This value can be considerable. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room, and board for full-time, in-state students) at four-year public universities is slightly over $20,000. In contrast, the price to attend a private university averages nearly $43,000 per year.

” However, lower costs and greater accessibility do not mean all public institutions are interchangeable,” adds Macosko. “The schools featured in our ranking stand out, most notably for the global influence of their faculty and alumni and for their excellence in general academics.”

Criteria for the schools in this ranking include:

1. Full accreditation.
2. Direct funding from the state.
3. A minimum student body of 1,000 students.

• The Best Public Colleges and Universities of 2021 — Top 50

1. University of California, Berkeley
2. University of Michigan
3. University of Virginia
4. University of California, Los Angeles
5. United States Military Academy
6. United States Naval Academy
7. University of California, San Diego
8. University of Wisconsin-Madison
9. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
10. William & Mary
11. University of Washington
12. City College of New York (City University of New York)
13. Brooklyn College (City University of New York)
14. The University of Texas at Austin
15. University of California, Santa Barbara
16. University of Iowa
17. University of Pittsburgh
18. University of California, Santa Cruz
19. University of Minnesota
20. University of Maryland
21. Stony Brook University
22. University of Utah
23. Purchase College, State University of New York
24. Purdue University
25. Georgia Institute of Technology
26. The United States Air Force Academy
27. University of California, Davis
28. University of Arizona
29. University of Massachusetts Amherst
30. University of Oregon
31. Virginia Military Institute
32. Evergreen State College
33. University of Buffalo
34. George Mason University
35. University of California, Irvine
36. Hunter College (City University of New York)
37. University of Colorado Denver
38. University of Massachusetts Boston
39. University of Florida
40. University of Missouri
41. University of New Mexico
42. University of Montana
43. Michigan State University
44. University of Tennessee, Knoxville
45. University of California, Riverside
46. Wayne State University
47. North Carolina State University
48. Binghamton University
49. Queens College (City University of New York)
50. The University of Illinois at Chicago

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a 4-year degree at a public university is often lower than the price at a private college, especially for students attending a public school in their state.

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models — one is a private company with private funding. The state owns the other and receives state and federal funding to operate it. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of private vs. public college, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Source: AcademicInfluence.com

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:30 PM | View the original post

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February 5, 2021

TAG Heuer & Porsche Enter the Strongest-Ever Partnership between a Car Manufacturer and a Watch Brand.

Photos: TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph. Images provided by & copyright © TAG Heuer.

Fueled by a shared history with innovation and motor racing at its core, TAG Heuer and Porsche have joined forces to unveil an extensive partnership that will set a new standard for brand integration, the companies announced today.

“The strong friendship of our brand with TAG Heuer exists for decades. I am more than happy that we are now taking the next steps in the frame of a strategic partnership,” said Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “We bring together what our customers love the most about both of us: authentic heritage, thrilling sports events, unique life experiences, and the fulfillment of dreams. We both strive to create some unique, magic moments for our communities. We now look forward to doing it together.”

“TAG Heuer and Porsche have common history and values, of course, but more importantly, we share an attitude,” said Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer. “Like Porsche, we are disruptors at heart, always in pursuit of high performance. With this alliance, TAG Heuer and Porsche finally come together officially after decades of close encounters and will create unmatched experiences and products for customers and fans passionate about both our brands and what we stand for.”

Sources: TAG Heuer and Porsche

|GlobalGiants.Com|

TAG Heuer | TAG Heuer X Porsche Virtual Launch

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:46 AM | View the original post

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February 4, 2021

President Biden congratulates the New President of the National Press Club Washington DC.

Photo: The White House. April 5, 2018. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian).

Photo: President Joe Biden sent well wishes to National Press Club President Lisa Nicole Matthews in a letter that arrived just before her January 30 inauguration.

Washington, DC, February 04, 2021 — President Joe Biden congratulated Lisa Nicole Matthews on becoming National Press Club president.

“I am confident you will lead with integrity, promote fact over fiction, and work tirelessly as part of the institution’s all-female leadership team, to keep The National Press Club strong and vibrant during these challenging times,” Biden wrote in his January 30 letter. “I am encouraged by your commitment to increasing the diversity and inclusiveness among members and, in turn, to help bring our fellow Americans closer together.”

Matthews, who received the letter just before being sworn into office on January 30, wrote the following response as a letter to Club Members:

“Greetings Fellow Members,

“I was about to give one of the most important speeches of my life last Saturday, as I addressed you at my Inauguration as 114th President of the National Press Club. Moments before, I received a letter from Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States of America. It’s not every day that you receive a letter from the President. It was a letter of congratulations. It was warm in its tone - just the kind of thing you might expect from President Biden. But for me, there was more to this letter than a friendly President to President congratulation.

“To hold a letter from the President offering congratulations to me and urging me on to great things at the institution of the Press Club was full of meaning for me.

“As for President Biden, we have a membership card with his name on it, and I look forward to the day when COVID has been defeated, and he can walk over to receive it so we can add his picture to the wall of presidents. He has our best wishes, as do all presidents. We wish him the best as we hold him to account. In this way, we both go forward, as do our country and our democracy.”

Legendary CBS News anchor Dan Rather swore in Lisa Matthews of the Associated Press as the 114th president of the National Press Club on January 30, 2020.

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the World’s Leading Professional Organization for Journalists™, with 3,000 members worldwide representing every leading news organization.

The National Press Club (NPC) has several Reciprocal Clubs, such as the London Press Club and the Press Club of India, New Delhi. NPC Members enjoy access to Reciprocal Clubs facilities worldwide.

Source: The National Press Club

|GlobalGiants.Com|

— The Editor is a Member of The National Press Club.

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:32 AM | View the original post

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