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June 30, 2021
Pinterest expands Idea Pins to more Countries.
SINGAPORE, June 30, 2021 — Pinterest, Inc. (NYSE: PINS) today announced that it is expanding Idea Pins, its multi-page video Pin format, to all creators in India, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Peru, Japan, and Sweden. This new access and capability will empower anyone with a business account in these countries to create inspiring content and closer interaction with their audiences, building more engaged communities directly on Pinterest.
Idea Pins make it easy for creators to publish high-quality, long-lasting, save-able content directly to Pinterest. The number of Idea Pins created daily has grown by nearly 4x since January. With this latest international expansion, Pinterest highlights the creators worldwide who are making the ideas and encouraging Pinners to follow them.
“We believe the best inspiration comes from people with passions who want to bring positivity and creativity into the world. From creators to hobbyists to publishers, Pinterest is a place where anyone can publish great ideas and discover inspiring content. With Idea Pins, creators get empowered to share their passions and inspire and grow their audiences. By helping people on Pinterest spark creativity, try new things, build confidence, and be themselves, creators inspire to shape a life you love.” said Evan Sharp, Co-Founder, Chief Design and Creative Officer, Pinterest.
Idea Pins are an evolution of Pinterest’s Story Pins, with a new name to better match its uniqueness. Starting today, creators will also have a suite of new publishing tools including, video-first features, new editing tools, and updates to make creating Idea Pins easier and more creative.
• Idea Pin creation now includes:
- Video recording and editing for up to 20 pages of content
- Voice over recording so creators can add their voice
- Music selection by Epidemic Sound
- Ghost mode transition tools (perfect for those before-and-afters)
- Detail pages for instructions or ingredients
- Interactive elements like people tagging and stickers
- Multi-draft save so Creators can publish more ideas
- Export options to share content beyond Pinterest
- Topic tagging, a publishing feature that helps connect content to relevant interests
- The Creator Code - Pinterest’s content policy designed to keep Pinterest a positive and inspiring place
Creators with early access to Idea Pins like Chef Kunal Kapur, Masoom Minawala, and Kritika Khurana in India have already grown their audiences, with cooking tutorials on fun and easy Indian dishes, fashion ideas for what to wear for Holi, and fresh beauty tutorials. Publishers like TimesOfIndia Food, ETimes Lifestyle, and Femina India have also started to use Idea Pins to inspire their audiences across a diverse range of verticals, including beauty, fashion, food, and well-being.
“Idea Pins are a cool and creative way to showcase new recipes, share comprehensive ideas and upcoming projects with the audience. Since we were early adopters of the feature, we were able to see huge growth in minimal time. Some Idea Pins have crossed more than a million views in a couple of days. That’s a lot of eyeballs for food videos! It’s a great way to catch people’s attention and inspire them.” Pinterest Creator and Chef Kunal Kapur said.
To help creators build their audience, Pinterest is also introducing new ways for Pinners to discover Idea Pins. Starting today, all Pinners will see Idea Pins from creators they follow right at the top of their home feed. Following streams give Pinners a new way to see fresh content from creators in more places, including search, the Today tab, and the top of creator profiles.
For Pinners, this means the ideas within a Pin will be more engaging and actionable. Pinterest has seen 9x the average comment rate on Idea Pins compared to standard Pins.
With these updates, Pinterest is continuing its journey to build a platform where Pinners worldwide can discover content and ideas that feel personalized, relevant, and reflective of who they are.
People around the world come to Pinterest for inspiration. Pinterest is a visual discovery engine where people find inspiring creators, shop new products, and seek out ideas to take offline. Headquartered in San Francisco, Pinterest launched in 2010 and has more than 475 million monthly active users. People have saved nearly 300 billion Pins across a range of interests, from creating a home office, cooking a new recipe to finding their next vacation destination.
Source: Pinterest
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— We are already on Pinterest. Check us at @GlobalGiants.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:12 AM | View the original post
June 28, 2021
BRAVING THE EXTREMES —Â ROLEX INTRODUCES EXPLORER II
Photos: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II, 42 mm, Oystersteel. Images provided by Rolex.
Rolex is introducing its new-generation Oyster Perpetual Explorer II. This technical watch, in Oystersteel, was created for the boldest explorers and now features a redesigned case and bracelet. This update brings enhanced visual balance and harmony to the timepiece while remaining true to its aesthetic heritage.
The new-generation Explorer II also benefits from an optimized Chromalight display. In dark conditions, the intensity of the blue glow emitted by the hour markers and hands now lasts longer due to the coating of an innovative and exclusive luminescent material. In daylight, these display elements have a brighter white hue, Rolex said.
The Explorer II is heir to the privileged relationship that has long united Rolex and exploration. When Rolex introduced it in 1971, this robust and reliable watch quickly became an essential tool for explorers traveling to the far corners of the globe, often in extreme conditions. Thanks to its 24-hour display comprising an additional orange hour hand and an engraved bezel, the Explorer II allows the wearer to distinguish daytime from night-time hours clearly. It is advantageous in areas where it is difficult or even impossible to distinguish between day and night, such as underground or in polar regions, which experience six months of daylight and six months of darkness a year. In certain conditions, this display enables the watch to serve as a compass. Also, one can use the 24-hour display to show another time zone.
Source: Rolex
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:05 AM | View the original post
June 26, 2021
Taj Named Strongest Hotel Brand In The World
• Recognized by the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy - Brand Finance
Photo: Iconic Indian hospitality brand Taj rated Strongest Hotel Brand in the World by Brand Finance.
MUMBAI, India, June 25, 2021 — Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) today announced that its iconic brand, Taj, has been rated the Strongest Hotel Brand in the world. Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, did the rating in its annual ‘Hotels 50 2021’ report. This report recognizes the most valuable and most robust hotel brands across the globe.
Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Indian Hotels Company, said, “This is a proud moment for the Indian hospitality industry on the global stage. Taj becoming the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand is a testament to the unwavering trust our guests have consistently placed in us and the warmth and genuine care our employees have embodied day-after-day. We will continue our endeavor to elevate the world-class experiences of luxury hospitality and deliver the magic of Tajness to all our stakeholders.”
Taj received an overall Brand Strength Index of 89.3 out of 100, with a corresponding AAA rating for customer familiarity, employee satisfaction, and corporate reputation, as well as its world-class customer service.
David Haigh, CEO, Brand Finance, said, “We are excited to announce Taj as the Strongest Hotel Brand in the world. A brand with a century-old legacy and a custodian of the revered Indian hospitality has stood resilient despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic. Global travelers have relied upon and tested brands in different ways, and Taj has emerged on top.”
The Hotel 50 2021 report also highlighted the successful implementation of its RESET 2020 strategy, which provided a transformative framework, helping the Taj brand surmount pandemic-related challenges.
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. IHCL has 221 hotels, including 55 under development globally across four continents, 12 countries, and over 100 locations. These include Taj - the iconic brand for the discerning travelers, SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels, Vivanta, sophisticated, upscale hotels, and Ginger, which revolutionizes the lean luxe segment.
Source: Indian Hotels Company (IHCL)
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:17 AM | View the original post
June 25, 2021
UN Secretary-General Visits European Council
Photo: UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, briefs reporters during a visit to the European Council in Brussels, Belgium. Also in attendance was Charles Michel, President of the European Council. June 24, 2021. Brussels, Belgium. Image Credit: United Nations.
Source: United Nations
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:33 PM | View the original post
June 23, 2021
The Ocean Race: Thrilling inshore finale sees teams from Germany and Portugal confirmed overall winners in Genova.
Photos: The Ocean Race Europe, June 2021. Images provided by & copyright © Sailing Energy/The Ocean Race.
Genova, Italy, June 23, 2021 — Class leaders Offshore Team Germany (GERMANY) and Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team (PORTUGAL) are the respective IMOCA and VO65 winners in the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Europe, after an exciting final day of coastal racing in Genova, Italy on June 19.
The atmosphere on the pontoons was ripe with anticipation and nervous energy the June 19 morning as the 12 competing crews from around the world departed the dock for the final time on the new three-week-long multi-stage professional yacht racing event.
The points spread close at the top of the seven-boat VO65 and five-boat IMOCA 60 fleets, and with bonus points up for grabs for the top three finishers in each class in the planned 90-minute sprint race around the Gulf of Genova, the final standings remained open.
Windless conditions at the scheduled start time of 1200 CEST / 1000 UTC forced the race committee to postpone until a new breeze arrived, and racing finally got underway at around 1340 local time. Racing took place in 7 to 10 knots of southeasterly sea breeze.
The VO65 start was a congested all-action affair, with two boats - Sailing Team Poland (POL) and The Austrian Ocean Race Project (AUT) - having to tack around after being forced outside the committee boat end of the start line. Three others - AkzoNobel Ocean Racing (NED), Ambersail-2 (LTU), and Team Childhood I (NED) - having to restart after being called over early by the race committee.
But staying clear of the melee going on all around them was the overall VO65 class leaders Mirpuri Ocean Racing Team - led by Yoann Richomme - who sailed off the line unfettered and into a clear lead.
Despite some nervous moments on the final run to the finish, they made an uncharacteristic sail handling error while hoisting the A4 spinnaker and came under attack from Bouwe Bekking’s Sailing Poland. Ultimately, the Portuguese team held on to their early advantage to take the coastal race win and seal overall victory in The Ocean Race Europe.
Sailing Team Poland’s second-place inshore race finish was enough to elevate them to second overall, tied on points with the now third-placed Dutch entry AkzoNobel Ocean Racing, led by Australian Chris Nicholson.
Meanwhile, the battle for the overall top spot in the IMOCA class was a near photo finish for second place in the coastal race between Robert Stanjek’s Offshore Team Germany and Thomas Ruyant’s LinkedOut.
Offshore Team Germany had led around the first two legs of the triangle-shaped racecourse. Still, it dropped to second early on the final downwind leg behind the American-entry 11th Hour Racing Team after a poorly executed tack rounding the second mark of the course.
The spectators on the water and watching the worldwide live video feed held their breath as the two yachts overlapped at the finish line. The German boat was under threat from the rapidly advancing LinkedOut - a team they would have to beat to avoid being relegated to third overall. However, Offshore Team Germany held on to win the race and the overall series by the smallest margin.
“I’m super-happy. I’ve prepared this team for four or five years, and I’m so happy we managed to do so well,” Stanjek said dockside after racing.
“My idea to build a successful team for The Ocean Race was to combine Olympic sailors with experienced offshore sailors, and this is what we executed, and it proved to be successful. We’re getting stronger every day. There are no egos on board, everyone is listening, and it’s a good learning atmosphere. I’m very proud of the team.
“We learned heaps about the boat, about the race profile, how to manage the watch system onboard, communications; it’s much more than just getting the win. So we are taking a lot of lessons home with us.”
Today’s win for the 11th Hour Racing Team moved them up to second place overall in the IMOCA class, one point ahead of the French crew on LinkedOut, who dropped to third altogether.
“We showed a lot of fight today, and that shows a lot about this group,” said skipper Charlie Enright. “I’m proud of what we did.”
For the Portuguese Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team, the VO65 class victory resulted from a composed and consistent performance that saw the team collect maximum points on offshore legs two and three and their homeport inshore race in Cascais.
Richomme’s crew had put in several weeks of Atlantic training before The Ocean Race Europe start from Lorient, France, on Saturday, May 29. As the only team in the VO65 fleet to invest in a new sail wardrobe, they began the race as favorites - they comfortably lived up to it.
“Job done. Mission accomplished,” said Richomme from onboard immediately after the finish. “I think we like to make things hard for ourselves. We lost the kite on the first hoist, and I thought we would get passed by two boats. But we managed to get it back up in the air again.
“From the start, we were leading - it was a tough one because all the boats around us were over the line, so it was pretty tense.
“We could not have finished on a better note - winning this last coastal race here in Genoa. It was the best way to make sure we would win the event overall, so we are thrilled.
“It’s been a considerable effort to get to here… The hard work and the training, and everything we did in Cascais for months paid off. The whole crew has been fantastic. There’s a lot of talent in that crew, and I think we managed to use it as best as possible.
“I think The Ocean Race Europe is a great concept. I think it should be a month-long, around Europe, very intense Â- this is the best format we can have for racing. I think having a race that links countries in Europe makes so much sense.”
Following racing, there was an official prize-giving ceremony in the evening at the event village in Genova. The winning teams in the IMOCA and VO65 class were presented with a trophy to celebrate their achievements in the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Europe.
• The Ocean Race Europe - Final Leaderboards
IMOCA
- Offshore Team Germany — 16 points
- 11th Hour Racing Team — 15 points
- LinkedOut — 14 points
- CORUM L’ Epargne — 7 points
- Bureau Vallée — 5 points
VO65
- Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team — 21 points
- Sailing Poland — 17 points
- AkzoNobel Ocean Racing — 17 points
- Team Childhood I — 12 points
- The Austrian Ocean Race Project — 10 points
- Viva México — 9 points
- AmberSail-2 — 9 points
• Genova Coastal Race Results
IMOCA
- 11th Hour Racing Team — 3 points
- Offshore Team Germany - 2 points
- LinkedOut — 1 point
- CORUM L’ Epargne
- Bureau Vallée
VO65
- Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team — 3 points
- Sailing Poland — 2 points
- Viva México — 1 point
- AkzoNobel Ocean Racing
- Team Childhood I
- AmberSail-2
- The Austrian Ocean Race Project
Source: The Ocean Race
|GlobalGiants.Com|
The Ocean Race Europe — Leg 3.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:05 PM | View the original post
L'Oréal Paris champions the Role of Women in Cinema with the Launch of its inaugural Lights on Women Award, recognizing a Promising Female Filmmaker.
Photo: L’Oréal Paris, Lights On Women Award, Kate Winslet, 2021 Juror.
CANNES, France, June 22, 2021 — At the 74th Festival de Cannes, L’Oréal Paris has announced the Lights On Women Award, which will honor one rising female filmmaker in partnership with the Short Films competition of the Festival de Cannes. The winner will be hand-picked from the Festival de Cannes’ Short Films competition and international film schools’ short film programs. The final choice will be determined and announced by Academy award-winner and L’Oréal Paris spokesperson Kate Winslet - the Award’s first Juror - during a special prize ceremony at the Jeune Cinéma dinner in Cannes on July 16.
“This exciting partnership with L’Oréal Paris represents a natural extension of the brand’s ongoing support for Cannes and the wider cinema community,” said Thierry Frémaux, director of the Festival international du film de Cannes. “The Lights On Women Award will offer a much-needed opportunity to honor a deserving creator and aligns with the broader commitment of the Short Films competition and international film schools’ short film programs to recognize the female talent of tomorrow,” he added.
The winner of the inaugural Lights On Women Award will receive financial support of up to 30,000€. This unique recognition will also offer the winner a platform for increased visibility and gain access to a “sisterhood” of cinematic talent.
“L’Oréal Paris is a feminine and feminist brand; we believe in empowering women to overcome barriers and to have a long-term positive social impact within their communities,” said Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, Global Brand President, L’Oréal Paris. “The massive under-representation of women in film requires large-scale support, and I am proud to use our brand platform and resources to stand up for women’s visibility with the help of the incredible female actors who represent our brand. I firmly believe in advocating for talented women and holding space for them to shine.”
Actor Kate Winslet added, “What an honor to preside as Juror over this remarkable recognition for women filmmakers and to have an opportunity to celebrate such incredible talent. We must work together as a community to pursue gender parity within our industry, and I am delighted to support the L’Oréal Paris family on this important initiative.”
Source: L’Oréal Paris
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:59 AM | View the original post
June 22, 2021
THE ACADEMY ELECTS 2021-2022 BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Photo: Erik Messerschmidt poses backstage with the Oscar for Cinematography and Halle Berry during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Image provided by & copyright © Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. [File Photo]
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced its newly elected 2021-2022 Board of Governors. The governors will take office at the first scheduled board meeting of the new term.
• Elected to the Board for the first time:
- Rita Wilson, Actors Branch
- Kim Taylor-Coleman, Casting Directors Branch
- Paul Cameron, Cinematographers Branch
- Eduardo Castro, Costume Designers Branch
- Jean Tsien, Documentary Branch
- Pam Abdy, Executives Branch
- Terilyn A. Shropshire, Film Editors Branch
- Laura C. Kim, Marketing and Public Relations Branch
- Lesley Barber, Music Branch
- Gary C. Bourgeois, Sound Branch
- Brooke Breton, Visual Effects Branch
- Howard A. Rodman, Writers Branch
• Incumbent governors reelected to the Board:
- Susanne Bier, Directors Branch
- Jennifer Todd, Producers Branch
- Tom Duffield, Production Design Branch
- Bonnie Arnold, Short Films and Feature Animation Branch
• Returning to the Board after a hiatus:
- Bill Corso, Makeup Artists, and Hairstylists Branch
They will join returning governors Kate Amend, Craig Barron, Howard Berger, Charles Bernstein, Jon Bloom, Rob Bredow, Ruth E. Carter, Kevin Collier, Laura Dern, Teri E. Dorman, Dody J. Dorn, Ava DuVernay, Linda Flowers, DeVon Franklin, Rodrigo GarcÃa, Donna Gigliotti, Whoopi Goldberg, Lynette Howell Taylor, Mark Johnson, Larry Karaszewski, Laura Karpman, Christina Kounelias, Ellen Kuras, David Linde, Isis Mussenden, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Jan Pascale, Stephen Rivkin, Eric Roth, David Rubin, Steven Spielberg, Wynn P. Thomas, Nancy Utley, Mandy Walker, Roger Ross Williams, Janet Yang, and Debra Zane.
As a result of this election, the number of women Academy governors increases from 26 to 31, and the number of governors from underrepresented racial/ethnic communities increases from 12 to 15.
The Academy has 17 branches. Three governors represent each branch. The governors may serve up to two three-year terms (consecutive or non-consecutive), followed by a two-year hiatus, after which eligibility renews for up to two additional three-year terms with a lifetime maximum of 12 years. The Board of Governors sets the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures its mission.
Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:10 AM | View the original post
June 21, 2021
Joint Statement on Spectator Capacities at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Photo: Tokyo 2020 - 100 days to go. General view. Image provided by & copyright © 2021 - International Olympic Committee/Yuichi Yamazaki.
Photo: Aichi, JAPAN - April 5, 2021. The Olympic Torch Relay in Kasugai City, Aichi prefecture, Japan. Image provided by & copyright © 2021 - International Olympic Committee.
Tokyo, June 21, 2021 — Today, on June 21, the five parties, namely the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), and the Government of Japan (GoJ), met to discuss spectator limits for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
They took the following main decisions:
In light of the government’s restrictions on public events, the spectator limit for the Olympic Games will be “50 percent of venue capacity, up to a maximum of 10,000 people” at all venues. (Students in the schools’ spectator program and their supervisors will not be considered in these numbers since they are not spectators.)
The current competition schedule remains unchanged. In principle, spectators will be admitted to events subject to the above limits.
However, suppose a state of emergency or other priority measures aimed at preventing infection gets implemented at any time after July 12, 2021. In that case, restrictions on spectator numbers at the Games, including non-spectator competitions, will be based on the content of the state of emergency or other relevant measures in force at that time.
In the event of any rapid change in infection status and the capacity of the medical care system, the five parties will meet promptly to consider further measures.
The Japanese parties have formulated guidelines for spectators aimed at ensuring safe and secure environments. These stipulate that —
- The spectators should wear masks in venues at all times;
- Speaking in a loud voice or shouting will be prohibited;
- The organizers would avoid congestion through appropriate announcements;
- Visitors should leave venues in a staggered manner;
- Spectators will be requested to travel directly to venues, return home straight, and take all necessary precautions when moving between prefectures.
Given the COVID-19 situation, the Japanese parties may cancel or reduce the scale of any live sites and public viewing events to minimize the movement of people. They may review the other Games-related events and establish new safe and secure ways of cheering and supporting the athletes.
The organizers would implement a framework to monitor the status of infections and medical care using expert advice.
The five parties would deliver consistent and unified messages aimed at ensuring safe and secure Games.
The Paralympic Games’ equivalent policies will be decided by July 16, 2021, a week before the Olympic Games opening.
There will be strong coordination and cooperation with local governments in Japan to ensure compliance with the above guidelines.
The situation will be monitored in Japan and abroad, including the status of the different variants of the coronavirus. The organizers will promptly take all necessary action. Vaccination of those involved with the Games will continue. The organizers would further update the vaccination status.
There are 32 days to go until the Olympic Games. There are 64 days to go until the Paralympic Games. The five parties will continue to work together to ensure safe and secure Games for all.
Source: International Olympic Committee
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:18 AM | View the original post
June 20, 2021
Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, asks 'Global Citizens' to Cooperate more Closely.
Photo: The cover of “Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World” by Ban Ki-moon. Columbia University Press.
Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) addresses the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He discussed the challenges and opportunities that the United Nations faces in its 70th year, from fostering sustainable development and dealing with climate change to confronting violent extremism. He took questions during an hour-long session. At right is John Hughes, President of the National Press Club. April 16, 2015. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe. [File Photo].
Washington, DC, June 18, 2021 — Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a return to multilateral diplomacy and for people to be “global citizens.” He was speaking during a National Press Club Virtual Headliners Book Event on Thursday.
In a discussion coinciding with the release of his new book “Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World,” Ban said global alliances have fractured amid the crises of coronavirus, climate change, and refugees fleeing conflict. He blamed world leaders for not doing enough.
“Why are we not doing more and better? For me, the fault most often lies with the leaders of the world,” Ban said. “Too many autocrats and also dictators put themselves before their countries and before the people who elected them.”
That fracturing of global alliances undermined the world’s response to COVID-19, mainly when the United States chose to withdraw from the World Health Organization, a move Ban called “totally unacceptable.” And he said the wealthiest countries “looked inward first,” meaning an uneven distribution of vaccines.
However, the recent G7 summit in the United Kingdom gave Ban some reasons for optimism as leaders there agreed to share 1 billion doses with poorer countries and reaffirmed their pledge of $100 billion a year for poorer countries to help them fight climate change.
But he criticized the United States, which under the Trump administration, stepped back from the global fight against climate change and withdrew from the Paris climate accord.
“This kind of leadership has shown no concern to the people, and it is only the people on the ground who will suffer,” Ban said. “This is what I found heartbreaking.”
And he said the UN could do more to help, especially in Syria, which has struggled for a decade amid civil war and a humanitarian crisis. Instead, Ban said, it is paralyzed and unable to “deliver timely, effective, and powerful messages or actions because of the divisions among the Security Council members, particularly veto-power members.”
Multilateralism has borne good work in recent years, Ban said, especially in getting 196 signatories for the Paris climate accord and adopting the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. But he said there is “so much work ahead,” not only in fighting climate change but also promoting peace in Myanmar, Afghanistan, Israel, and elsewhere.
Ban served as UN Secretary-General from January 2007 to December 2016. His tenure coincided with numerous incidents, including the Arab Spring, nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea, the Ebola epidemic, and brutal new conflicts in Central Africa.
Ban, who served as a South Korean diplomat and foreign minister before becoming the UN’s eighth Secretary-General, said his home country showed what is possible. Ban recalled being raised during the Korean War, then coming of age and watching the country grow from a dictatorship to a “stable and prosperous democracy.”
“Without the United Nations, Korea would not be as it is today,” Ban said.
Resolved is Ban Ki-moon’s account of his decade at the organization’s helm during a period of historical turmoil and promise. Meeting challenges and resistance with a belief in the UN’s peacekeeping mission, development, and human rights, he steered the United Nations through a volatile period. As secretary-general, Ban also forged global agreements to fight extreme poverty and address the climate crisis.
Ban performed what has been called “the impossible job on this earth” with a genuine belief in collective action and global transformation. Freed from the diplomatic constraints of a lifetime of public service, he offers a candid assessment of the people and events that shape this era and a bracing analysis of what lies ahead.
The one-hour program streamed live on the National Press Club’s website and YouTube Channel. Thus, it was accessible to both the media and members of the general public.
Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the “World’s Leading Professional Organization for Journalists.” The Club has about 3,000 reporters, editors, and professional communicators worldwide, representing nearly every major news organization. It hosts almost 2,000 events per year in its 54,000 square foot facility located in downtown Washington, just three blocks from the White House.
Source: National Press Club, Washington, DC
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The Editor is a Member of the National Press Club.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:56 AM | View the original post
June 18, 2021
Rating Agency QS I-Gauge hosts Redefining Institutional Strategy for Excellence (RISE) Conference Punjab Edition in India.
The City of Mohali has emerged as the education hub of North India, says Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab.
Punjab has emerged on the International Map as a destination for International Students for undergoing their Higher Education, says Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, CEO QS I-Gauge.
CHANDIGARH, India, June 18, 2021 — The emergence of world-class Higher Education institutions like Chandigarh University and Chitkara University has made Mohali the education hub of North India, Tejveer Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab, said. He was speaking during the inaugural session of the QS I-Gauge Virtual RISE Conference, Punjab Edition. It is the first state-level conference organized by QS I-Gauge in association with Chandigarh University and Chitkara University on the theme “Redefining Institutional Strategy for Excellence” (RISE-2021).
The virtual conference involved education leaders and renowned academicians from all over Punjab, India. International speakers were from 3 countries — Germany, U.K, and Australia. Prominent discussants included Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, CEO, QS I-Gauge; Satnam Singh Sandhu Chancellor, Chandigarh University; Dr. Heike Schinnenburg, University of Applied Sciences, Osnabrück, Germany; Prof Paul Stapley, University of Wollongong, Australia; Dr. Harivansh Chaturvedi, President, EPSI; Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director IIT Ropar; and Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University.
Delivering the inaugural address, Tejveer Singh, Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab, said, “In India, we still have a long way to go as far as improving access to higher education is concerned. While the gross enrolment ratio for higher education in India is 27.1 percent, Punjab has a better GER of 30 percent. The National Education Policy announced by the Government of India provides a road map for steps to improve the current situation.” Tejveer Singh added, “We need to focus on the ability to attract quality faculty, create a liberal campus environment where young minds bloom, and concentrate on content & pedagogy.”
Giving the keynote address, Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, CEO, QS I-Gauge, said, “Punjab has emerged as the next education hub of India, which currently accounts for ten lakh students pursuing Higher Education. Moreover, Punjab has also appeared on the International map as it has successfully attracted a reasonable number of international students from more than 50 countries, which are currently 4500 in number.”
Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor, Chandigarh University, said, “With an emphasis on meeting the aspirations of today’s youth, the higher education institutions of Punjab have been able to attract quality students from all over the world to choose Punjab as their preferred destination for education. Ranking and rating agency QS I-Gauge has helped the institutions to understand the framework of global ranking parameters which are necessary to implement for upgrading the level of education imparted.”
Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University, said, “RISE Conference is a positive initiative considering the demand for strategic transformation of the institutions. The education sector has emerged as a beacon of hope. The pandemic has allowed us to learn, re-learn, evolve ourselves, and redefine the new education paradigm for the generation to come and follow. This pandemic enables us to redefine our strategy for new possibilities.”
Sources: Chandigarh University, Chitkara University
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:02 PM | View the original post
June 17, 2021
Ironman and Breitling launch the Endurance Pro Ironman Watches.
As the new Official Luxury Watch of IRONMAN, Breitling celebrates the power and stamina fueling the phenomenal Triathlon sporting events with a new series of timepieces.
Breitling and IRONMAN have signed a long-term partnership and teamed up to co-design the Endurance Pro IRONMAN Watches, a unique series of Breitling’s ultimate athleisure watch. The result is a set of perfectly lightweight and lighthearted luxury sports watches combining high precision, innovative technology, and vibrant, colorful design. The launch features two exciting new watches: a red version available globally at all Breitling boutiques and retailers for sports and timekeeping enthusiasts and a black and gold piece exclusively available for IRONMAN race finishers.
“IRONMAN truly reflects our core values of performance and endurance. We’ve designed this to be an ideal watch for elite athletes as well as a casual, everyday sports chronograph for active people who want that winning combination of performance and luxury,” said Breitling CEO Georges Kern.
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with such an exceptional and well-respected watchmaker. After the success of our collaboration in 2019, we are pleased to partner with Breitling in creating this new watch which embodies the strength and tenacity of IRONMAN triathletes,” said Andrew Messick, President and CEO of The IRONMAN Group.
The new Endurance Pro IRONMAN collection serves athletes and luxury clients looking for the ultimate athleisure timepiece.
Source: Breitling
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:07 AM | View the original post
June 16, 2021
Summary of Carbis Bay G7 Summit Communique
Photo: Setting up the US press conference during the G7 Summit at Newquay airport, Cornwall, UK, on 13th June 2021. Image provided by & copyright © Karwai Tang/G7 Cornwall 2021.
— SUMMARY OF CARBIS BAY G7 SUMMIT COMMUNIQUÉ —
• Our Shared Agenda for Global Action to Build Back Better
We, the Group of Seven leaders, met in Cornwall on 11-13 June 2021, determined to beat COVID-19 and build back better. We remembered everyone who has been lost to the pandemic and paid tribute to those still striving to overcome it. Inspired by their example of collaboration and determination, we gathered united by the principle that brought us together initially, that shared beliefs and shared responsibilities are the bedrock of leadership and prosperity. Guided by this, our enduring ideals as free open societies and democracies, and by our commitment to multilateralism, we have agreed on a shared G7 agenda for global action to:
End the pandemic and prepare for the future by driving an intensified international effort, starting immediately, to vaccinate the world by getting as many safe vaccines to as many people as possible as fast as possible. Total G7 commitments since the start of the pandemic provide for a total of over two billion vaccine doses, with the pledges since we last met in February 2021, including here in Carbis Bay, providing for one billion doses over the next year. At the same time, we will create the appropriate frameworks to strengthen our collective defenses against threats to global health by:
- Increasing and coordinating on global manufacturing capacity on all continents
- Improving early warning systems
- Supporting science in a mission to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, treatments, and tests from 300 to 100 days
Reinvigorate our economies by advancing recovery plans that build on the $12 trillion of support we have put in place during the pandemic. We will continue to support our economies for as long as is necessary, shifting the focus of our support from crisis response to promoting growth into the future. We would work with plans that create jobs, invest in infrastructure, drive innovation, support people, and level up so that no place or person, irrespective of age, ethnicity, or gender, is left behind.
Secure our future prosperity by championing freer, fairer trade within a reformed trading system, a more resilient global economy, and a fairer global tax system that reverses the race to the bottom. We will collaborate to ensure future frontiers of the global economy and society, from cyberspace to outer space, increase all people’s prosperity and well-being while upholding our values as open societies. We are convinced of the potential of technological transformation for the common good per our shared values.
Protect our planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs, cuts emissions, and seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. We commit to net-zero no later than 2050, halving our collective emissions over the two decades to 2030, increasing and improving climate finance to 2025, and conserving or protecting at least 30 percent of our land and oceans by 2030. We acknowledge our duty to safeguard the planet for future generations.
Strengthen our partnerships with others around the world. We will develop a new partnership to build back better for the world through a step-change in our approach to investment for infrastructure, including through an initiative for clean and green growth. We resolve to deepen our current partnership to a new deal with Africa. It includes magnifying support from the International Monetary Fund for countries that most need it. It would support our aim to reach a total global ambition of $100 billion.
Embrace our values as an enduring foundation for success in an ever-changing world. We will harness the power of democracy, freedom, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights to answer the most critical questions and overcome the most significant challenges. We will do this to value the individual and promote equality, especially gender equality, including by supporting a target to get 40 million more girls into education and at least $2 billion for the Global Partnership for Education.
We shall seek to advance this open agenda in collaboration with other countries and within the multilateral rules-based system. In particular, we look forward to working alongside our G20 partners and with all relevant International Organisations to secure a cleaner, greener, freer, fairer and safer future for our people and planet.
••••••••
Source: G7 SUMMIT 2021
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:50 AM | View the original post
June 15, 2021
Bloomberg Philanthropies 2021 Mayors Challenge Names Top 50 Global Urban Innovations Emerging From Pandemic.
As Mayors Challenge Innovation Competition Proceeds, 50 Finalist Cities Set to Strengthen Ideas with Residents in Coming Months.
Grand Prize Winners to be Chosen Early 2022.
Photo: Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Aspen Institute, and The Atlantic co-host CityLab 2017 in Paris. Image provided by & copyright © Bloomberg Philanthropies. [File Photo]
Photo: Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, hosted over 130 advisors and staff from the CollegePoint Initiative for the program’s 2020 Midyear convening. CollegePoint is a virtual advising initiative that aims to increase the number of high achieving low and moderate-income students who attend top colleges across the USA. Image provided by & copyright © Bloomberg Philanthropies. [File Photo]
NEW YORK, June 15, 2021, — Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced the 50 Champion Cities, representing the boldest urban innovations of the past year, which will advance to the final stage 2021 Global Mayors Challenge. This worldwide innovation competition encourages and spreads the cities’ most promising ideas. This year’s program focuses on elevating the essential public innovations generated in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The 50 cities named hail from 29 nations on six continents. They emerged from a highly competitive applicant pool: Mayors from 631 cities in 99 countries submitted their most promising ideas for consideration which is near twice the number of cities that applied in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ last Mayors Challenge, held in the United States in 2018. The finalists were elevated based on four criteria: vision, the potential for impact, feasibility, and transferability.
The ideas provide a powerful snapshot of the innovation priorities of the world’s cities. At the global level, innovations focusing on improving health and reducing unemployment were most common. Racial justice emerged as the highest priority for U.S. cities, while social inclusion topped the European submissions. In Africa, where the world is experiencing its fastest rates of urbanization, infrastructure was dominant. Nearly half of the recommendations were generated in part through participatory processes with residents.
“These 50 finalists are showing the world that in the face of the pandemic’s enormous challenges, cities are rising to meet them with bold, innovative, and ambitious ideas,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City. “By helping these cities test their ideas over the coming months, we will have a chance to identify cutting-edge policies and programs that can allow cities to rebuild in ways that make them stronger and healthier, and more equal and just.”
• The 50 Champion Cities of the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge are:
• Africa (16% of Finalists):
Cape Town, South Africa: Transforming soup kitchens into a sustainable food-distribution infrastructure
Danané, Côte d’Ivoire: Transforming mobility for vulnerable residents
Freetown, Sierra Leone: Incentivizing community action to combat urban deforestation
Kigali, Rwanda: Adopting proven rainwater-harvesting technologies in informal communities
Kumasi, Ghana: Training unemployed youth to create new household toilet technologies
Lusaka, Zambia: Incentivizing the repurposing of trash into needed products
Meru, Kenya: Using Black Soldier Fly larvae to fix an inadequate waste-collection system
Umuaka, Nigeria: Digital support for survivors of gender-based violence
• Asia-Pacific (16% of Finalists):
Auckland, New Zealand: Calculating carbon emissions for infrastructure development
Butuan, Philippines: Leveraging predictive data to bolster local farmers
Daegu, South Korea: Digital permission to bring new life to urban spaces
Manila, Philippines: Building a 21st-century data infrastructure to improve city services
Pune, India: Building the foundation for an all-electric-vehicle future
Rourkela, India: Supporting solar-powered cold storage—plus women entrepreneurship—to reduce food waste
Taipei, Taiwan: Using virtual reality to promote safe, active lifestyles for seniors
Wellington, New Zealand: Leveraging a city digital-twin to encourage resident engagement on climate action
• Europe (16% of Finalists):
Bilbao, Spain: Building a cyber secure city and citizenry
Glasgow, United Kingdom: Unleashing a neighborhood-level participatory approach to community wellbeing
Istanbul, Turkey: Creating a platform for individual philanthropy at a citywide scale
Leuven, Belgium: Using ‘civic contracts’ to drive personal and organizational climate action
London, United Kingdom: Deploying rapid, upstream interventions to prevent chronic homelessness
Paris, France: Offering free climate-activism education for Parisian youth
Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Using digital tokens to incentivize social impact from the private sector
Vilnius, Lithuania: Building a resilient, post-COVID model for hybrid learning
• South America (16% of Finalists):
Bogotá, Colombia: Creating “care blocks” to shift the gender inequity of care
Cartagena, Colombia: Pioneering a gender-aware approach to emergency response
La Paz, Bolivia: Co-designing nine new urban centers with residents to ensure equitable access to services
Recife, Brazil: Deploying a unique mix of services to foster women’s entrepreneurship at scale
Renca, Chile: Enlisting the wisdom of seniors to create community-development projects and reduce isolation.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Improving housing conditions in favelas using cutting-edge mapping technology.
Rosario, Argentina: Formalizing and subsidizing informal waste collection
Tunja, Colombia: Transforming public space with a circular-economy lens
• Middle East (4% of Finalists):
Amman, Jordan: Using “reachability maps” to improve the city’s emergency response and guide investments
Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel: Engaging youth to make the city’s cultural center more resilient
• North America (32% of Finalists):
Akron, Ohio: Taking lessons from how we train medical students to support Black entrepreneurs
Baltimore, Maryland: Deploying a citywide, coordinated system to support Black-owned businesses
Birmingham, Alabama: Investing in the next generation of food entrepreneurs
Columbus, Ohio: Providing last-mile Wi-Fi access to underserved neighborhoods
Durham, North Carolina: Building a team to help residents access untapped federal resources and support
Guadalajara, Mexico: Creating a “citizen-safety index” to combat violent crime
Hermosillo, Mexico: Providing new employment opportunities for women in the circular economy
Lansing, Michigan: Launching cross-sectoral partnerships to halt learning loss in children
Long Beach, California: Using the city’s power to bring transparency to the gig economy
Louisville, Kentucky: Creating the diverse tech workforce of the future
New Orleans, Louisiana: Bringing a trust-building lens to the delivery of public services
Newark, New Jersey: Reducing crime by focusing on the city’s most persistent offenders
Paterson, New Jersey: Providing a proven, on-demand treatment to those struggling with opioid addiction
Phoenix, Arizona: Deploying “career mobility units” to support job-seekers
Rochester, Minnesota: Creating a pathway for women of color into the growing, high-paying local construction field
San Jose, California: Bolstering the college-support pipeline for marginalized families
The Mayors Challenge selection committee helped Bloomberg Philanthropies select the 50 finalists. The selection committee includes a wide range of global experts:
- Mellody Hobson,, Co-CEO & President, Ariel Investments (Co-Chair)
- David Miliband, President & CEO, International Rescue Committee (Co-Chair)
- Sir David Adjaye, OBE Founder, Adjaye Associates;
- Dr. Yogan Pillay, Country Director for South Africa and Senior Global Director for Universal Health Coverage, Clinton Health Access Initiative;
- Jagan Shah, Senior Infrastructure Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, British High Commission, New Delhi;
- Linda Gibbs, Principal, Bloomberg Associates; Julia Gillard, 27th Prime Minister of Australia;
- Olafur Eliasson, Artist;
- Gael Garcia Bernal, actor and producer;
- Dr. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Professor of Economics and Director, Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford;
- Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of U.N. Women;
- Federica Mogherini, Rector, College of Europe and Former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy;
- Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Director, Bloomberg American Health Initiative, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health;
- Jennifer Pahlka, Founder and Former Executive Director, Code for America;
- Mariana Costa Checa, Co-Founder And CEO, Laboratoria.
“The level of creativity and innovation among this year’s fifty Champion Cities is a clear sign that cities are continuing to step up amid even the biggest challenges,” said Mellody Hobson. “I look forward to seeing these ideas begin to come to life in the next phase of the competition.”
“With fifty Champion Cities come fifty exciting opportunities to foster innovative ideas,” said David Miliband. “The next Champion Phase will equip city leaders with critical tools to test, learn, and grow these solutions.”
The 50 finalist cities will now enter a four-month testing phase to refine their ideas with technical assistance from Bloomberg Philanthropies and its network of leading innovation experts. Fifteen of the 50 cities will ultimately win the grand prize, with each receiving $1 million and robust multi-year technical assistance to implement and scale their ideas.
“This is always a fascinating phase of the Mayors Challenge, helping mayors push their innovations to even greater heights,” said James Anderson, head of Government Innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “While 15 cities will ultimately take home grand prizes, all 50 cities receive world-class coaching and support to improve their ideas and their potential to improve lives.”
The 2021 Global Mayors Challenge builds on the success of four previous Bloomberg Philanthropies Challenges in the U.S. (2013 and 2018), Europe (2014), and Latin America and the Caribbean (2016). Previous Mayors Challenge grand prizewinners include Los Angeles, USA, Stockholm, Sweden, and Barcelona, Spain.
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 810 cities and 170 countries worldwide to ensure better, longer lives for the most significant number of people. The organization focuses on five critical areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy, as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2020, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.6 billion.
Source: Bloomberg Philanthropies
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:52 AM | View the original post
June 14, 2021
Novavax says its COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates 90% Overall Efficacy and 100% Protection Against Moderate and Severe Disease in PREVENT-19 Phase 3 Trial.
93% efficacy against predominantly circulating Variants of Concern and Variants of Interest.
91% efficacy in high-risk populations
100% efficacy against variants “not considered Variants of Concern/Interest.”
Photo: Novavax laboratory scientist. Image Credit: Patrick Seibert/ Novavax.
GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 14, 2021, — Novavax, Inc. today announced that NVX-CoV2373, its recombinant nanoparticle protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, demonstrated 100% protection against moderate and severe disease, 90.4% efficacy overall, and met the primary endpoint in its PREVENT-19 pivotal Phase 3 trial. The study enrolled 29,960 participants across 119 sites in the U.S. and Mexico to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity, emphasizing recruiting a representative population of communities and demographic groups most impacted by the disease.
“Today, Novavax is one step closer to addressing the critical and persistent global public health need for additional COVID-19 vaccines. These clinical results reinforce that NVX-CoV2373 is extremely effective and offers complete protection against both moderate and severe COVID-19 infection,” said Stanley C. Erck, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. “Novavax continues to work with a sense of urgency to complete our regulatory submissions and deliver this vaccine, built on a well understood and proven platform, to a world that is still in great need of vaccines.”
“PREVENT-19 confirms that NVX-CoV2373 offers a reassuring tolerability and safety profile,” said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President of Research and Development, Novavax. “These data show consistent, high levels of efficacy and reaffirm the ability of the vaccine to prevent COVID-19 amid ongoing genetic evolution of the virus. Our vaccine will be a critical part of the solution to COVID-19, and we are grateful to the study participants and trial staff who made this study possible, as well as our supporters, including the U.S. Government.”
In the placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study randomized 2:1, NVX-CoV2373 demonstrated overall efficacy of 90.4% (95% CI: 82.9, 94.6), achieving its primary endpoint, the company said.
According to Novavax, preliminary safety data from PREVENT-19 showed the vaccine to be generally well-tolerated. Severe and adverse events were low in number and balanced between vaccine and placebo groups. In assessing reactogenicity seven days after Dose 1 and Dose 2, injection site pain and tenderness, generally mild to moderate in severity, were the most common local symptoms, lasting less than three days. Fatigue, headache, and muscle pain were the most common systemic symptoms, lasting less than two days.
PREVENT-19 (the PRE-fusion protein subunit Vaccine Efficacy Novavax Trial | COVID-19) is a 2:1 randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study. It evaluates the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2373 with Matrix-M™ adjuvant in 29,960 participants 18 years of age and older in 119 locations in the United States and Mexico, compared with placebo.
Novavax said it is conducting PREVENT-19 with support from the U.S. government. The government agencies involved include the Department of Defense, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at HHS. BARDA is providing up to $1.75 billion under a Department of Defense agreement.
NVX-CoV2373 is a protein-based vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
NVX-CoV2373 is stored and stable at 2°- 8°C, allowing the use of existing vaccine supply chain channels for its distribution. Its packaging comprises a ready-to-use liquid formulation in 10-dose vials.
Novavax expects to share further details of the PREVENT-19 trial results as additional data become available. Other analyses of the trial are ongoing. The company would submit them to peer-review journals for publication.
The company intends to file for regulatory authorizations in the third quarter to complete the final phases of process qualification and assay validation needed to meet chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) requirements. Upon regulatory approvals, Novavax remains on track to reach a manufacturing capacity of 100 million doses per month by the end of the third quarter and 150 million doses per month by the end of the fourth quarter of 2021.
Source: Novavax, Inc.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:09 AM | View the original post
June 12, 2021
G7 Cornwall Summit — Summit Meeting Agenda
Photo: United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds, United States of America President Joe Biden and Jill Biden pose for the official family picture at Carbis Bay hotel during the G7 Summit in Cornwall, UK, on the 11 June 2021. Image provided by & Copyright © Justin Goff/G7 Cornwall 2021.
Photo: G7 Leaders Plenary Session at G7 Leaders’ Plenary Room, Carbis Bay, during the G7 Summit in Cornwall, UK, on 11 June 2021. Image provided by & Copyright © Karwai Tang/G7 Cornwall 2021.
Photo: Boris Johnson and wife Carrie at Carbis Bay hotel during the G7 Summit in Cornwall, UK on 11 June 2021. Image provided by & Copyright © David Fisher/G7 Cornwall 2021.
Photo: G7 Leaders’ Family Photo. (Back row L to R) EU Council President of the European Council Charles Michel, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, (Front row L to R) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, United States of America President Joe Biden, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pose for the official family picture at Carbis Bay hotel during the G7 Summit in Cornwall, UK on 11 June 2021. Image provided by & Copyright © G7 Cornwall 2021.
• G7 Cornwall Summit — Summit Meeting Agenda
• Friday 11 June
Plenary Session One: Economic Recovery
G7 Leaders
Sarah Sands, Chair of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, will address the G7 leaders.
• Saturday 12 June
Plenary Session Two: Global Resilience
G7 Leaders
Mark Sedwill, Chair of the G7 Economic Resilience Panel, will address the G7 Leaders.
Plenary Session Three: Foreign Policy
• G7 Leaders
Plenary Session Four: Health
G7 Leaders and Guests, plus International Organisations
Patrick Vallance, Chair of the International Pandemic Preparedness Partnership, and Melinda Gates, Co-Chair, and Founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will address the G7 Leaders and Guests.
• Sunday 13 June
Plenary Session Five: Open Societies
G7 Leaders and Guests, plus United Nations Secretary-General
Plenary Session Six: Climate and Nature
G7 Leaders and Guests, plus United Nations Secretary-General, plus International Organisations.
International Organisations participating virtually: International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Bank Group, World Health Organisation, and World Trade Organisation.
Source: G7 UK 2021
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:07 AM | View the original post
June 9, 2021
QS ranks MIT the World's No. 1 University for 2021-22
• QS announces World University Rankings 2022.
• MIT celebrates a decade as the world’s best university.
Photo: Stata Center, MIT campus, Cambridge, MA. Image credit: Nicole Cho.
Photo: Stanford University. Knight Management Center (Stanford Graduate School of Business, Palo Alto, California). Image Credit: Corey Seeman.
LONDON, June 8, 2021 — QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education analysts, have released the eighteenth edition of the QS World University Rankings. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) celebrates an unprecedented, unbroken decade as the world’s best university.
L. Rafael Reif, President of MIT, said: “We deeply appreciate the recognition of our institution and the faculty, staff, alumni, and students that make MIT what it is - and we also tremendously admire the achievements of academic institutions around the globe. The world benefits from a strong higher education network that delivers countless benefits for humanity, from fundamental discoveries to novel solutions to pressing challenges in climate and health to the education of the next generation of talent. We are proud and grateful to belong to this great human community of scholars, researchers, and educators, striving together to make a better world.”
The top five universities experience their most significant reconfiguration for half a decade: Harvard University (5th) falls out of the top three - its lowest-ever rank - to be replaced by the University of Oxford (2nd, up from 5th) and the University of Cambridge (joint-3rd, shared with Stanford University).
Caltech (6th) drops out of the top five for the first time since 2015.
ETH Zurich remains continental Europe’s best university for a fourteenth consecutive year.
In a significant milestone, Mainland China is home to two of the world’s top twenty universities for the first time.
Asia’s two top universities are the National University of Singapore (11th) and Nanyang Technological University (12th).
Australia’s four top universities rise, with Australian National University re-entering the top 30.
The progress of Malaysia and Russia slows after years of improvement, but both are home to one of the world’s top 100 universities each.
48% of Japan’s universities decline.
Latin America’s best university is Universidad de Buenos Aires (69th). Hampered by low research impact scores, more of the continent’s universities have fallen.
Saudi Arabia’s top university - King Abdulaziz University, 109th - reaches a record high.
• QS World University Rankings 2022: Global Top 60
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, United States
- The University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, United States
- Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland
- UCL, London, United Kingdom
- University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
- National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
- Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
- EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Yale University, New Haven, United States
- The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Tsinghua University, Beijing, China (Mainland)
- Peking University, Beijing, China (Mainland)
- Columbia University, New York City, United States
- Princeton University, Princeton, United States
- Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
- The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
- The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, United States
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
- The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China (Mainland)
- The University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Berkeley, United States
- Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
- King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, United States
- KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
- New York University (NYU), New York City, United States
- The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia
- Université PSL, France
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (Mainland)
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- The University of California, San Diego (UCSD), San Diego, United States
- Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau Cedex, France
- The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
- The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, United Kingdom
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China (Mainland)
- The Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Duke University, Durham, United States
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
- City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR5
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), Tokyo, Japan
- Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
- Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Brown University, Providence, United States
Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The editor holds a certificate in Design Thinking for Leading and Learning from the MIT Teaching Systems Lab.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:41 AM | View the original post
June 8, 2021
Preparing for Booster Shots: Adapting to the New Normal
• COVID-19 Vaccination Passports Must Have the Adaptability to Account for Booster Shots.
Photo: Real Vaccination ID COVID-19 Vaccine & Waiver Cards, used to help CastleBranch implement a legally compliant vaccine requirement. Image credit: CastleBranch.
Photo: Real Vaccination ID cards are embedded with industry-leading forgery-prevention technology to combat counterfeiting and help people prove their COVID-19 vaccination status. (CastleBranch)
WILMINGTON, N.C., June 7, 2021 — As global health professionals discuss the necessity of a booster shot to ward off COVID-19 variants unaffected by the current vaccines, businesses, schools, and individuals who need proof of vaccination status will want facile documents that can update quickly.
CastleBranch, a compliance management company located in Wilmington, N.C., has announced that its RealVaccinationID card empowers individuals to quickly prove their vaccination or waiver status. The card addresses this long-term need, making it easy for individuals to verify their vaccination, waiver, or booster status, the company said.
The company asks individuals to provide documentation to prove their vaccination status or legally permissible waiver request. Once validated, the company issues to the individual a driver’s license-sized card featuring highly sophisticated anti-fraud technology. The card includes the individual’s name, address, date of birth, physical identifiers, photo, and a QR code.
Using the QR code on the back of the card, along with a unique access code and the PIN, third parties presented with this information can access digital copies of primary-source documentation to confirm status. However, it is entirely up to the cardholder when and with whom he shares the data. Private data gathered for the RealVaccinationID.com cards will never be transmitted or collected in a database and distributed to third parties by CastleBranch, the company clarified.
Updating the cards to reflect booster shots is just as simple. When someone receives a booster, they can submit their documentation to CastleBranch, whose team of experts will verify the documentation. CastleBranch houses the new information in their protected digital space, visible via the QR code on the individual’s card.
“Our understanding of the COVID-19 virus changes with each passing day, requiring a response that also adapts and grows,” said Brett Martin, CastleBranch CEO. “With variants come boosters, which requires a form of vaccination proof that can get updated over time. Our RealVaccinationID.com cards respond to these emerging realities, helping people and organizations as they continue to navigate the new normal.”
Source: CastleBranch
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:41 AM | View the original post
June 7, 2021
FORTUNE announces 2021 FORTUNE 500 List, Launches First-Ever "Most Progressive Companies On Racial Inclusion" List.
Walmart takes No. 1 spot for a ninth straight year, followed by Amazon.com and Apple.
Photo: The cover of the June/July 2021 issue of FORTUNE.
NEW YORK, June 7, 2021 — FORTUNE has announced the 67th FORTUNE 500, its annual list of the largest corporations in the United States, ranked by revenue for the 2020 fiscal year. The revenue threshold for the 2021 FORTUNE 500 list was $5.4 billion, down 5% from last year. In total,  FORTUNE 500 companies represent two-thirds of the U.S. GDP with $13.8 trillion in revenues (down 3%), $859 billion in profits (down 30%), $32.7 trillion in market value (up 60%), and employ 29.1 million people worldwide. Women CEOs lead forty-one companies on the 2021 FORTUNE 500 — an all-time high.
Walmart took the top spot on the 2021 list for the ninth year in a row,  generating $4.5 trillion cumulative revenue over that time. Amazon.com also held onto their No.2 spot with a 38% jump in revenue. At No. 3 position, Apple is the most profitable company on the 2021 FORTUNE 500 and the only company on the list valued at over $2 trillion. At No. 4, CVS Health and CEO Karen Lynch make in FORTUNE 500 history the highest-ranked company ever led by a female CEO.
THE TOP TEN COMPANIES ON THE 2021 FORTUNE 500 LIST ARE:
- Walmart 
- Amazon.com 
- Apple
- CVS Health
- UnitedHealth Group
- Berkshire Hathaway 
- McKesson 
- AmerisourceBergen
- Alphabet
- Exxon Mobil
As part of FORTUNE’s Measure Up partnership with Refinitiv, a global provider of financial markets data and infrastructure, the FORTUNE 500 list now includes Diversity & Inclusion information online. Users will sort the companies by a ranking based on their self-reported D&I data, provided by Refinitiv. FORTUNE has used this data to identify the top 20 Most Progressive Companies on Racial Inclusion. Microsoft (No. 15) takes top honors, followed by Centene (No. 24), Target (No. 30), Gap (No. 221), and Biogen (No. 228).
“A year ago, companies made a promise to end racial injustice in the workplace and broader society. To keep that promise, companies will need courage in sharing with the world a picture of what they look like today. From this starting point, we can make real progress, as they say ‘what gets measured gets managed,’” comments David Craig, Group Head of Data & Analytics Division at LSEG and CEO, Refinitiv. “U.S. companies lead the world when it comes to collecting data on their employees’ race and ethnicity. Through this partnership and Refinitiv’s own ESG data and analytics, we have developed a standard taxonomy to help simplify disclosure and give investors, customers, and employees the information they now seek to measure progress.”
FORTUNE and Qlik, the official analytics partner of the FORTUNE 500, also published the “The Pandemic Effect on the Fortune 500” interactive site. This visual experience, developed by Qlik, details the revenue and performance of the sectors and industries that shape the 2021 FORTUNE 500. It takes users on a journey through the crises that have shaped the Fortune 500 over the years.
FORTUNE is an American international business magazine headquartered in New York City. It says it drives the conversation about business. “With a global perspective, the guiding wisdom of history, and an unflinching eye to the future, we report and reveal the stories that matter today — and that will matter even more tomorrow,” the magazine stated.
Source: FORTUNE Media
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:17 AM | View the original post
June 6, 2021
NYC Performing Arts Organization, New 42, celebrates Arts Education Outdoors.
Photo: Times Square, 42nd Street 7th Avenue, New York, NY. Image Credit: Joe Nicholl.
NEW YORK, June 5, 2021 — On Saturday, June 5, New 42, a nonprofit organization focused on making performing arts a vital part of everyone’s life from the earliest years onward, celebrated arts educators in an outdoor celebration on 42nd Street in Times Square.
The event featured Sara Bareilles, Freestyle Love Supreme Academy, Bill Irwin, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Chop & Quench, Sahr Ngaujah, DJ Duane Harriott, Brooklyn United Marching Band, and Saxophone Ensemble of Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music.
The event honored the New York City Department of Education, Office of Arts, and Special Projects. NYC Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter accepted the awards on their behalf. The event also honored Jody Gottfried Arnhold, a New York City public school teacher, a great supporter of dance and arts education. Presenters included Brian Stokes Mitchell, DeAngelo Blanchard, and Misty Copeland.
“Now more than ever, it’s important for us to celebrate the arts with a focus on arts educators, truly essential workers, who have continued to encourage and inspire children throughout the pandemic and beyond,” said Russell Granet, New 42 President & CEO.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also made an appearance during the event and shared remarks about the importance of arts education for the very young. He congratulated the New York City Department of Education, Office of Arts, and Special Projects on being honored and noted that this honor extends to all teachers across the city.
“Building a recovery for all of us means reconnecting with the arts and cultural events that make New York City unique, and I’m proud to stand with and celebrate that recovery in the heart of Times Square,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Today and every day, we’re grateful to all the educators who have engaged their students with uplifting, empowering, and healing artistic expression.”
“The arts have been a critical lifeline during this challenging year, providing students with outlets to express themselves and helping our school communities build resiliency,” said NYC Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “I’m grateful to our educators who have led with creativity and passion throughout this crisis, creating invaluable spaces for our children to chase their dreams.”
Several celebrities - including Renée Elise Goldsberry, Kal Penn, Neil deGrasse Tyson, John Leguizamo, Alison Pill, Michael James Scott, and New York Giants players Lorenzo Carter and Andrew Thomas - also participated virtually by sharing stories of their favorite teachers and the importance of arts education to them.
The June 5 event closed down traffic on West 42nd Street, filling the block between 7th and 8th Avenues with programming. Performances took place on the main stage in front of The New Victory Theater with event production provided by Empire Entertainment. At New 42 Studios, xRStage Times Square powered by WorldStage presented their innovative LED Stage & Studio designed for all types of live events and entertainment projects.
New 42 also announced New Victory Summer Programming, including the New Victory Dance summer series, a programming partnership with Little Island.
The New 42nd Street is a not-for-profit organization based in Manhattan, New York City. In 1990, New York City and State established it to oversee the redevelopment of seven historic theatres on 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues and restore the block to a desirable tourist destination in Manhattan.
Its mission is to make extraordinary performing arts a vital part of everyone’s life in New York City. It connects people to world-class performances, essential education, employment programs, and creative communities that push culture forward. New 42 says it strives to serve artists, educators, and New Yorkers of all ages with invaluable arts engagement and resources in and beyond the performing arts.
Source: New 42
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:19 PM | View the original post
June 5, 2021
World's leading film school, New York Film Academy, inks MoU with Chandigarh University.
• Due to the increase in Digital Entertainment, Content has become a commodity today, says Prof. Michael Young, President of New York Film Academy.
Photo: Learning Cinematography. New York, NY. Image Credit: Gwenael Piaser.
CHANDIGARH, India, June 5, 2021 — World’s leading and distinguished film school, New York Film Academy (NYFA), today signed an academic MoU with Chandigarh University. As a part of the agreement, Indian students can now pursue globally recognized Under-Graduate 3 years degree in Film Making from New York Film Academy by studying the first year of the program at Chandigarh University while studying the remaining two years at the New York Academy, USA.
The official MoU signing ceremony took place virtually today, where Mr. David Klein, Senior Executive, New York Film Academy, and the Pro-Chancellor, Chandigarh University, and other university officials exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding.
“NYFA is known for imparting hands-on practical learning to the students where they learn every minute aspect of film making. The students will undergo thousands of hours working and creating their content and projects under the guidance of renowned filmmakers, technicians, and experts from Hollywood,” said Prof. Michael Young, President of New York Film Academy. “We introduce the students to various career options in Filmmaking such as Direction, Script Writing, Sound Engineering, Visual Effects, Animation, Camera Handling, Lights and Camera Set-up. They are required to work as a team on small projects,” Prof. Young added.
Prof. Michael Young further said, “Eminent Hollywood directors like Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Mira Nair, Doung Liman are some of the prominent guest faculty that the students who are joining the program would be interacting. The students would have the chance to work with them during their academic learning.” Professor Young explained that the students would learn and work on the latest technology and tools in the International film industry to become experienced and ready when they move out of university and start their careers. He further said, “With digital platforms such as OTT, Social Media taking the lead, the content has become a commodity, and the students have to understand the art of developing quality content which is recognized and appreciated by the global audience.”
The Pro-Chancellor, Chandigarh University, said, “This year, most Indian students might not be able to travel abroad to study due to the prevalent COVID-19 pandemic situation. We at Chandigarh University offer a unique opportunity to the students in India through our International Articulation programs. The students get the global academic learning experience by studying for one or two years in India and then moving to respective Universities in the USA, Australia, and the UK to complete their degree programs. By then the situation will improve for traveling. The other important aspects of the International Articulation Programs are that the students save precious academic years and education costs. During the initial years of the academic program, the student would pay fees per Indian fee structure and also in Indian Currency which saves at least 33% cost incurred in comparison if you pursue the full degree abroad.”
Source: Chandigarh Educational Trust
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:10 PM | View the original post
