April 13, 2021
Canada is the No. 1 Country in the World, According to the 2021 Best Countries Report
Photo: The National Flag of Canada. Image Credit: Statschew.
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2021 — For the first time, Canada takes the top spot overall in the 2021 Best Countries Report, a ranking and analysis project by U.S. News & World Report; BAV Group, a unit of global marketing communications company VMLY&R; and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Cultural, economic, political, and technological influences remain essential. The report has added two new categories: social purpose and agility. Together, this broad range of types determines how the 78 countries studied are ranked on the world stage.
“Nations are impacted on many critical fronts by how they are perceived globally - from foreign relations to international business to tourism. These perceptions are ever-evolving in a rapidly changing world,” said Kim Castro, editor, and chief content officer at U.S. News. “The 2021 Best Countries analysis combines data and storytelling to explore how countries compare on a host of global issues.”
• Key themes from the 2021 Best Countries Report:
For the first time, Canada is the No. 1 overall country. Japan and Germany finish Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, while Switzerland, the previous No. 1 overall country, falls to No. 4. Australia remains the No. 5 overall, followed by the United States, which rises one position to No. 6 overall.
Canada ranks No. 1 in quality of life and social purpose. It is also perceived as having a good job market, caring about human rights, and is committed to social justice. Additionally, the country finished No. 1 in being viewed as not corrupt and respecting property rights.
Social justice is a global ambition. Eighty percent of global citizens feel aligned with social justice, a broad term that refers to movements calling for addressing racial and gender inequities. Simultaneously, 76% agree that a country is stronger when it is more racially and ethnically diverse. Canada and the Nordic countries are viewed as the most committed to social justice, while the U.S. sits at No. 18. And on the specific topic of racial equality, the U.S. only manages to achieve No. 69, behind both China and Iraq.
Women are viewed as influential leaders. Eighty-three percent of global citizens believe there is a leadership crisis in the world today. The majority of respondents view women leaders positively, as 68% agree that countries led by women tend to be better managed.
A nation’s perceived agility is the most crucial driver of strength in 2021. Across the countries measured, agility accounts for per capita GDP variations the most - underscoring that any country needs to be seen as adaptable, progressive, and responsive. The new Agility sub-ranking carries the most significant weight among the ten sub rankings. The U.S. leads the world in perceived agility but is not among the top 10 in adaptability, coming in at No. 13 on this attribute.
“This year, the model behind the Best Countries report has been updated and evolved in response to 2020, a year like no other,” said John Keaveney, WPP advisor and head of Analytics & Insight, BAV Group. “By combining more traditional measures of a nation’s power and influence with our new dimensions of Social Purpose and Agility, we are now able to more accurately measure the strength and perceptual equity of any country in 2021.”
The 2021 Best Countries rankings methodology gathered from a proprietary survey of more than 17,000 business leaders; college-educated individuals who are middle-class or higher; and general citizens who are nationally representative of their country. “Countries should care about their image - it is not just a beauty contest. The impressions others have of a country affects its economy through tourism, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment,” said David Reibstein, professor of marketing at the Wharton School.
The Best Countries project includes in-depth news articles, an interactive data explorer, photos, and commentary from global experts in government, business, and academia. It is part of the U.S. News’ Government Rankings initiative, which measures government performance at the international, state, and local levels and includes the Best States and Healthiest Communities projects.
• Best Countries Overall Rankings 2021
- Canada
- Japan
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Australia
- United States
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- France
- Denmark
- Norway
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Italy
- China
- Finland
- Spain
- Belgium
- Austria
- United Arab Emirates
- Ireland
- Russia
- India
- Brazil
- Greece
- Thailand
- Portugal
- Israel
- Mexico
- Qatar
- Egypt
- Turkey
- Saudi Arabia
- Malaysia
- Indonesia
- Morocco
- Costa Rica
- Vietnam
- South Africa
- Argentina
- Poland
- Philippines
- Czechia
- Croatia
- Sri Lanka
- Hungary
- Chile
- Peru
- Panama
- Dominican Republic
- Kenya
- Colombia
- Cambodia
- Jordan
- Estonia
- Myanmar
- Uruguay
- Slovenia
- Bulgaria
- Slovakia
- Romania
- Latvia
- Tunisia
- Azerbaijan
- Lithuania
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Oman
- Ukraine
- Kazakhstan
- Uzbekistan
- Lebanon
- Belarus
- Serbia
- El Salvador
- Iraq
• 10 Most Powerful Countries 2021
- United States
- China
- Russia
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- France
- South Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
•10 Most Agile Countries 2021
- United States
- Australia
- Canada
- Germany
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Japan
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Sweden
U.S. News & World Report is a global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Founded in 1933, U.S. News has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
BAV Group is a global consultancy with expertise in consumer insights and brand marketing strategy.
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1881, was the first collegiate business school. It is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates its economic and social value worldwide.
Source: U.S. News & World Report
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:07 AM | View the original post
April 7, 2021
E-commerce, a Covid Lifeline for Retailers with Additional $900 Billion Spent Online Globally, says Mastercard Recovery Insights.
Infographic: Consumers are increasing their e-commerce footprints, buying from up to 30% more online retailers.
Photo: Retail. Garments Shop. Image Credit: Roman K.
As Covid-19 kept consumers worldwide at home, they purchased nearly everything from groceries to gardening supplies online. According to Mastercard’s latest Recovery Insights report, this amounted to an additional $900 billion spending in retail online around the world in 2020.
For retailers, restaurants, and other businesses large and small, selling online provided a much-needed lifeline as in-person consumer purchasing got disrupted.
Roughly 20-30% of the Covid-related shift to digital globally is expected to be permanent, according to “Mastercard’s Recovery Insights: Commerce E-volution.” The report draws on anonymized and aggregated sales activity in the Mastercard network and proprietary analysis by the Mastercard Economics Institute. The research dives into what this means by country, sector, goods & services, within countries, and across borders.
“While consumers got stuck at home, their dollars traveled far and wide thanks to e-commerce,” says Bricklin Dwyer, Mastercard chief economist and head of the Mastercard Economics Institute. “This has significant implications, with the countries and companies that have prioritized digital continuing to reap the benefits. Our analysis shows that even the smallest businesses see gains when they shift to digital.”
While the digital transformation has been neither universal nor consistent due to geographical, economic, and household differences, the report uncovers several critical overarching trends:
Early digital adopters go into overdrive: Economies that were more digital before the crisis, such as the UK and US, saw more significant gains in the domestic shift to digital. That shift looks more permanent than the countries with a smaller share of e-commerce before the crisis, such as Argentina and Mexico. Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe were the most vital regions in driving e-commerce adoption.
Grocery and discount store digital gains look sticky: Essential retail sectors, which had the smallest digital share before the crisis, saw some of the most significant improvements as consumers adapted. With new consumer habits forming and given the low pre-Covid user base, we anticipate 70-80% of the grocery e-commerce surge to stick around for good.
International e-commerce rose 25-30% during the pandemic: International e-commerce got a boost in sales volume and the number of different countries where shoppers placed orders. With infinitely more choices at their fingertips, consumer spending on international e-commerce grew around 25-30% year over year from March 2020 through February 2021.
Consumers increase their e-commerce footprints, buying from up to 30% more online retailers: Reflecting expanded consumer choice, Mastercard’s analysis shows that consumers worldwide are making purchases at a more significant number of websites and online marketplaces than before. On average, residents in countries like Italy and Saudi Arabia are buying from 33% more online stores, followed closely by Russia and the UK.
Shift to electronic payments accelerated in the US: Even in stores, Covid-19 accelerated the transition to digital—with more consumers moving from plunking down cash to touch-free payments. According to Mastercard’s analysis of payment forms at brick-and-mortar retail stores and restaurants, non-cash payments jumped by an additional 2.5 percentage points beyond the ongoing trend. It led to an acceleration of the shift from cash to electronic payments by a full year.
Mastercard launched Recovery Insights last year to help businesses and governments better manage the health, safety, and economic risks presented by Covid-19. The initiative utilizes Mastercard’s analytics and experimentation platforms, its longstanding consulting practice, and unique data-driven insights to deliver relevant and timely tools, innovation, and research.
The report draws on anonymized and aggregated sales activity in the Mastercard network and proprietary analysis by the Mastercard Economics Institute.
Source: Mastercard
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:25 AM | View the original post
April 3, 2021
Mastercard Helps Small Businesses Digitally Enhance their Operations with New Microsoft, QuickBooks, and Zoho Benefits.
Purchase, NY, April 1, 2021 — As small businesses accelerate digital transformation, new offerings improve small business productivity and digital enablement.
Small businesses continue to move their operations online and access digital tools to future-proof their business in response to the pandemic. According to a Mastercard survey, 76% of small businesses in North America suggest the pandemic prompted them to make their business more digital, yet 64% say they are challenged to transform digitally.
To help small businesses maximize their digital presence, Mastercard is announcing new offerings with Microsoft, QuickBooks, and Zoho to its suite of U.S. small business benefits. Now available across Mastercard BusinessCard® and World Elite Mastercard for Business® in the U.S., small businesses can drive awareness of their business online with Microsoft Advertising, digitally manage payroll, and engage with their customers through Zoho’s marketing capabilities.
“Now more than ever, having a digitally-led approach is critical for small business owners. Mastercard remains committed to helping provide small businesses the solutions required to meet the needs of the evolving consumer and operate in our digital world,” said Chiro Aikat, EVP of Products & Innovation in North America for Mastercard. “Together with our partners, we are delivering a solid foundation of digital offerings and tools for our small business cardholders that help them sustain their business today and accelerate their growth tomorrow.”
Beginning April 1, Mastercard small business cardholders will start to automatically enjoy new benefits and access to the tools and solutions to help grow their business and digitally transform. It includes:
Microsoft Advertising: Drive more leads, phone calls, appointments, visits, or purchases using paid search to reach customers interested in your business.
Intuit QuickBooks® Online Payroll: Manage payroll and access health benefits and HR support for your clients. Cardholders will save 40% off QuickBooks Online Payroll for six months.
Zoho Social and Marketing Plus Discounts: Mastercard BusinessCard cardholders receive 50% off one year of Zoho Social, a social media management tool that helps small businesses grow their social media presence.
“Many businesses have experienced an accelerated digital transition this past year. They now have an array of tools that can help them grow and promote their businesses across digital marketing channels — web, social, email, events, and more,” said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho. “We are thrilled to partner with Mastercard to offer our social media management tool and end-to-end digital marketing platform — Zoho Social and Zoho Marketing Plus — so that small businesses can fast-track their growth.”
Mastercard’s small business value proposition provides seamless digital resources and partner discounts in addition to these new offerings. These include Salesforce’s customer relationship management solution Salesforce Essentials, an all-in-one app that provides for sales and customer support tools built specifically for companies of their size.
As small businesses continue to accelerate digital transformation, Mastercard’s Digital Diagnostic can help them assess their digital footprint and identify efficiencies, Mastercard said.
According to Mastercard, its Digital Doors program provides small business owners access to insights, tools, solutions, and guidance to help them set up shop online. The program helps them grow and manage their business, accept payments, and keep their business protected.
Source: Mastercard
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:58 AM | View the original post
March 28, 2021
Airbus delivers the seventh H145 for the German Armed Forces' Search and Rescue service.
Photo: Airbus delivers the seventh H145 for the German Armed Forces’ Search and Rescue service. Image provided by & copyright © AIRBUS.
Donauwörth, March 27, 2021 - Airbus Helicopters has handed over the seventh and last H145 for the Bundeswehr search and rescue (SAR) service to the Federal Office, Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support. The previously delivered helicopters are used for training and field testing and are available 24/7 at the Niederstetten and Nörvenich air bases for rescue operations. Operations with the new H145 LUH SAR will begin shortly, as planned, at the third SAR station in Holzdorf.
“We are pleased that we have completed this order from start to finish on time and within budget and that the commissioning is proceeding according to plan,” said Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Germany. “The feedback we have received from our customers has been very positive. Because of their flexibility and very high availability, the helicopters of the H145 family have proven themselves in the Bundeswehr. We see more possibilities for a wide range of tasks in all branches of the armed forces for the reliable model.”
Among other features, the helicopters are equipped with high-performance cameras, searchlights, emergency beacon locator systems, a full suite of medical equipment, rescue winches, and load hooks that an operator can use for fire-extinguishing tanks, for example. They are easy to identify, thanks to the characteristic bright orange paintwork on their doors, featuring ‘SAR’ in blue lettering.
Source: AIRBUS
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:43 AM | View the original post
March 24, 2021
Porsche opens a new showroom in Mumbai.
Photo: Porsche Centre Mumbai officially opened its new 418-square meter showroom.
Photo: Further “Destination Porsche” enhancements will transform the showroom into a customer-focused brand experience.
Photo: Next to the Panamera, other models on display in the new facilities.
Photo: The opening of the new showroom marks the launch of the new Panamera in Mumbai.
Photo: Pooja Choudary, Dealer Principal at Porsche Centre Mumbai.
Mumbai, India: Under the management of Infinity Cars Private Ltd., a well-experienced luxury car dealership group representing various marquee brands across different cities, Porsche Centre Mumbai has initiated operations.
The new 418-square meter showroom delivers Porsche standards of customer service before being converted into a digitally-themed “Destination Porsche” center over the coming months.
When it fully transforms into a showroom based on the “Destination Porsche” retail concept by the end of the year, Porsche Centre Mumbai will offer a further enhanced retail customer experience that strengthens the sense of community with Porsche. Thanks to digital applications, the boundaries between physical space and the digital world will be dissolving ever further. It will include touch screens that will bring the Porsche brand’s products and services alive in an interactive way. The entire sales and order process can be completed electronically, including E-signature and online payment, thus elevating the customer’s in-store journey to a new level.
Pooja Choudary, Dealer Principal at Porsche Centre Mumbai, says once fully finished, the new showroom will create an individual connection between customers and Porsche products, ensuring a personable approach at every level. “We are committed to offering benchmark service to all our visitors. With our group’s extensive experience in luxury, we are confident that Porsche Centre Mumbai will always maintain a ‘customer first’ approach,” she remarked.
Source: Porsche India
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:55 PM | View the original post
March 21, 2021
Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) and Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) present a Joint Fashion Week 16-21 March 2021
Photo: A presentation by Abirr nʼ Nanki on March 20, 2021, at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week. Image provided by & copyright © Lakmé Fashion Week.
Photo: Presenting Dia Mirza as the showstopper for ‘The Fusion Edit’ by Taneira Sarees at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week. Image provided by & copyright © Lakmé Fashion Week.
Photo: Hina Khan at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week. Image provided by & copyright © Lakmé Fashion Week.
Mumbai, March 21, 2021: Combining forces of the powerhouses of fashion & Beauty in India, Lakmé, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), and RISE Worldwide, presented the Lakmé Fashion Week, 16-21 March 2021.
Lakmé Fashion Week, in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), had a schedule comprising the best of curation and designers from Delhi, Mumbai, and across India. FDCI & Lakmé Fashion Week jointly presented the Opening Show on March 16, culminating with the Lakmé Absolute Grand Finale on March 21.
Anamika Khanna opened the fashion week with a virtual showcase jointly presented by FDCI and LFW.
Ace designers Suneet Varma, S&N by Shantanu and Nikhil, Payal Pratap, Samant Chauhan, Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Siddartha Tytler, Pawan Sachdeva, Nidhi Yasha, Limerick by Abirr n’ Nanki, Nirmooha graced the platform along with a ‘fusion edit’ by Taniera from the House of Tata.
TRESemmé presented a sustainable collection by Ritu Kumar.
FDCI presented Bloni as the Emerging Talent showcase of the season.
INIFD presents Gen Next winners Label Rahul Dasgupta by Rahul Dasgupta and Raffughar by Wajahat Rather.
Showcases included a unique collaboration with ‘PETA’ and a showcase of Peace Silk by ‘Cocccon.’
Six innovative fashion entrepreneurs competed for India’s most significant sustainable fashion award - Circular Design Challenge 3.0 presented by R Elan “Fashion for Earth” in association with United Nations Environment Programme.
Natural Diamond Council launched a global trend report highlighting significant trends around jewelry and accessories.
The event also promoted modeling talent through FDCI’s #GetNoticed Model Hunt.
A non-profit organization, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), is the apex body of fashion design in India, represented by over 400 members. It promotes, nurtures, and represents the best fashion and design talent in the country, and its prime objective is to propagate the business of fashion.
Lakmé is India’s No.1 cosmetics & beauty services brand. It was also the country’s first cosmetic brand to introduce makeup to Indian women and take pride in being an expert on Indian Beauty for over 50 years.
Ashwath Swaminathan, Head of Innovations at Lakmé, said, “Our association with the Indian fashion industry runs deep as Lakmé has been a critical driver of its growth for the past 20 years. We look forward to this partnership opening up new avenues of growth for all stakeholders. We continue to remain faithful to the pillars of the Lakmé Fashion week as we present the best in Indian fashion & Beauty this season to a global audience.”
Sources: Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), Lakmé Fashion Week.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Presentation from fashion designer Samant Chauhan
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:31 AM | View the original post
March 13, 2021
WHO adds Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine to the list of safe and effective emergency tools against COVID−19.
Geneva, March 12, 2021 - The World Health Organization (WHO) today listed the COVID-19 vaccine Ad26.COV2.S, developed by Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), for emergency use in all countries and COVAX roll-out. The decision comes on the back of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorization, announced yesterday.
“Every new, safe and effective tool against COVID-19 is another step closer to controlling the pandemic,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But the hope offered by these tools will not materialize unless they are made available to all people in all countries. I urge governments and companies to live up to their commitments and to use all solutions at their disposal to ramp up production so that these tools become truly global public goods, available and affordable to all, and a shared solution to the global crisis.”
The vaccine from Janssen is the first to be listed by WHO as a single dose regimen, facilitating vaccination logistics in all countries. The company’s comprehensive data from large clinical trials shows that the vaccine is effective in those 18 years of age and older.
To expedite the vaccine’s listing, WHO and a team of assessors from all regions adopted an ‘abbreviated assessment’ based on outcomes of the EMA review and evaluation of quality, safety, and efficacy data focused on low- and the middle-income country needs. The WHO assessment also considered suitability requirements such as cold chain storage and risk management plans.
While the vaccine needs storage at -20 degrees, which may prove challenging in some environments, we can keep it for three months at 2-8°C, and it has a long shelf life of two years.
Next week, WHO will convene its Strategic Advisory Group on Immunization Experts to formulate recommendations on using the vaccine. In the meantime, WHO continues to work with countries and COVAX partners to prepare for roll-out and safety monitoring. The COVAX Facility has booked 500 million doses of the vaccine.
• WHO emergency use listing
The emergency use listing (EUL) procedure assesses novel health products’ suitability during public health emergencies. The objective is to make medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics available as rapidly as possible to address the crisis while adhering to stringent criteria of safety, efficacy, and quality. The assessment weighs the threat posed by the emergency and the benefit that would accrue from using the product against any potential risks.
The EUL pathway involves a rigorous assessment of late phase-II and phase-III clinical trial data and substantial additional data on safety, efficacy, quality, and a risk management plan. Independent experts and WHO teams review this data, consider the current body of evidence on the vaccine under consideration, monitor its use, and plan further studies.
As part of the EUL process, the company producing the vaccine must generate data to enable full licensure and WHO prequalification. The WHO prequalification process will assess additional clinical data generated from vaccine trials and deployment on a rolling basis to ensure the immunization meets the necessary standards of quality, safety, and efficacy for broader availability.
WHO has also listed the Pfizer/BioNTech, Astrazeneca-SK Bio, and Serum Institute of India vaccines for emergency use.
Source: WHO
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:34 AM | View the original post
March 10, 2021
Garnier Officially Approved By Cruelty-Free International
All Garnier products, globally, are now officially cruelty-free. The brand has received the stamp of approval from the Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny program, the leading organization working to end animal testing.
NEW YORK, March 9, 2021 — Garnier is one of the largest global brands Cruelty-Free International has ever approved under the Leaping Bunny program. It is a giant leap, not only for Garnier but also for the beauty industry.
” Garnier is a global brand familiar to us all. To work with them to help end animal testing for cosmetics and declare them officially approved under the Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny Program is a real milestone. It has taken many months, but Garnier has diligently reviewed every supplier and source, and we are completely confident with the results,” said Michelle Thew, Cruelty-Free International CEO.
Leaping Bunny requires brands to forensically investigate their entire supply chain, including all raw material and different ingredients, for any cases of animal testing. All of a brand’s finished products must receive approval. Individual products cannot get approved in isolation.
For Garnier, this was a case of securing a declaration from more than 500 suppliers, who source more than 3,000 different ingredients from across the world. For many months Garnier and Cruelty-Free International have worked together to secure this evidence and ensure every product within Garnier’s global portfolio can officially display the Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny logo. This stringent process ensures that consumers can buy Garnier products with complete confidence, knowing that they meet Leaping Bunny’s strict criteria.
” Garnier has been committed to a world without animal testing. To be officially approved by Cruelty-Free International under the Leaping Bunny program is a real milestone and is an important part of our Greener Beauty mission to be a more sustainable, more transparent brand. Today Garnier takes another Green step in its journey toward Greener Beauty for all of us,” said Adrien Koskas, Garnier Global Brand President.
This announcement from Garnier comes off the back of a landmark year for the brand. In 2020, Garnier announced their commitment to Greener Beauty.
This announcement also comes amidst a wave of sustainable innovations. Each innovation underpins the Greener Beauty commitments of the brand and is now all officially approved by Cruelty-Free International under the Leaping Bunny program:
Garnier Green Labs Serum Creams: Vegan formulas, no animal-derived ingredients, free of parabens, mineral oils, and dyes, and made in facilities powered by 59%% renewable energy, and packaged in 100% PCR bottles.
Garnier SkinActive reusable Eco-Pads: Zero cotton-pad waste pads for makeup removal.
Garnier Whole Blends Sulfate-Free Remedy: Blended with sustainably sourced ingredients and formulated without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, dyes, and gluten, and packaged in 100% PCR bottles.
Garnier Fructis Treats: Formulas are 94% biodegradable with 96-98% naturally-derived ingredients packaged in 100% PCR bottles.
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine: Packaged in 100% PCR bottles.
Garnier, a L’Oréal USA brand, was developed in 1904 in France by hair care expert Alfred Amour Garnier and is now present in more than 65 countries worldwide.
Cruelty-Free International is the leading organization working to create a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals.
Source: Garnier
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:56 AM | View the original post
March 9, 2021
SINGER® Celebrates 170 Years of Global Innovations
LA VERGNE, Tenn., March 9, 2021 — In 1851, before blue jeans or even cola, the world awoke to the clickity-clack of an invention capable of faithfully stitching most any fabric, and the SINGER® brand was born. Seventeen decades later, the sewing industry leader remains just as valued today as it honors its 170-year legacy, releasing six new products in early 2021 and now an endearing vintage version for sewing fans everywhere.
SINGER® household and industrial sewing machines have had a supportive role throughout world history — from stitching frontier essentials in the 19th century to parachutes and bandages in world conflicts, countless commercial applications, and the current mammoth production effort of PPE for the 2020-21 global pandemic. The company behind the iconic brand also donated thousands of machines last year to enable the world to make more masks while encouraging home-based sewing income and hobbies.
Just as the world turned to its sewing machines during the “Spanish Flu” pandemic, SINGER® sewing machines are stitching countless masks to deliver peace of mind during COVID-19. According to SINGER®, recognizing these global initiatives and other achievements is profoundly meaningful for management, employees, and vendors. That passion has inspired introducing a Limited Edition 170th Anniversary Vintage 15-class cast-iron machine in both black and red versions, the brand said.
SVP Worldwide, the company behind the SINGER® brand, says it consistently modernizes sewing and stays one step ahead of consumer and commercial needs. It says it is leading the sewing industry with many firsts — from the sewing machine’s patent in 1851 to the first free arm machine, electric machines, programmable machines, and now into the future with artificial intelligence.
“The SINGER® brand will continue innovating within the sewing and crafting landscape while celebrating its longevity,” said Dean Brindle, Chief Marketing Officer of SVP Worldwide.
“For 170 years, the SINGER® brand has been synonymous with sewing. From Isaac Singer’s patent on the first consumer sewing machine in 1851 to the world’s first cloud-based sewing ecosystem in 2015, the spirit of practical design and creative innovation that characterized the brand from its beginning continues today,” the company remarked.
Source: SINGER
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:27 AM | View the original post
March 6, 2021
Johnson & Johnson Announces U.S. CDC Advisory Committee Recommends First Single-Shot COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults 18 and Older in the U.S.
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., March 6, 2021 — Johnson & Johnson has announced that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended its first single-shot COVID-19 vaccine. The committee has prescribed it for individuals 18 years of age and older under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“For more than 130 years, Johnson & Johnson has come to the aid of people during times of crisis. We believe today’s recommendation from the CDC to begin use of our vaccine as part of the U.S. national immunization program will add a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D. He is Chief Scientific Officer at Johnson & Johnson. “This recommendation follows the FDA’s decision to grant an Emergency Use Authorization for our single-shot vaccine, which has the potential to play a pivotal role in helping to end the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Company’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine received EUA from the FDA on February 27, 2021. The terms of the EUA allow the use of the vaccine while more data gets gathered. The Company plans to file for a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the FDA later in 2021.
“Johnson & Johnson is committed to making its COVID-19 vaccine available on a not-for-profit basis for emergency pandemic use. The Company has begun shipping its COVID-19 vaccine and expects to deliver enough single-shot vaccines by the end of March to enable the full vaccination of more than 20 million people in the U.S. The Company plans to deliver 100 million single-shot vaccines to the U.S. during the first half of 2021. The U.S. government will manage allocation and distribution of the vaccine in the U.S.,” the company stated.
Johnson & Johnson also recently announced its submission of a European Conditional Marketing Authorisation Application to the European Medicines Agency and its filing for an Emergency Use Listing with the World Health Organization (WHO) for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Also, rolling submissions for the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate have been initiated in several countries worldwide.
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine is compatible with standard vaccine storage and distribution channels with ease of delivery to remote areas. The vaccine is estimated to remain stable for two years at -4°F (-20°C), and a maximum of three months at routine refrigeration at temperatures of 36-46°F (2 to 8°C), the company said.
The company’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine leverages the AdVac® vaccine platform. The program had used this proprietary technology to develop and manufacture Janssen’s European Commission-approved Ebola vaccine regimen and construct its investigational Zika, RSV, and HIV vaccines.
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine has not been approved or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but FDA has allowed its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
Source: Johnson & Johnson
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:59 PM | View the original post
Miss Universe Competition to air live from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, Sunday, May 16, at 8.00 PM ET.
Photo: Comedian/Writer Nick Teplitz introduces the 2015 Miss Universe contestants during the Welcome Event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Monday, December 7, 2015. Photographer: Matt Petit. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. [File Photo]
Photo: Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, Miss Universe Philippines 2015, poses for a photo inside Planet Hollywood on Wednesday, December 9, 2015. Photographer: Matt Petit. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. [File Photo]
Photo: Catriona Gray, Miss Universe Philippines 2018, is congratulated by fellow contestants after being crowned Miss Universe after a three-hour special programming event on FOX on Sunday, December 16, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand. Photographer: Amorn Pitayanant. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. [File Photo]
NEW YORK, NY, March 4, 2021 — The Miss Universe Organization today announced that the 69th MISS UNIVERSE Competition would air from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Sunday, May 16, 2021. The competition will broadcast LIVE around the world from 8:00 to 11:00 PM ET.
“We have spent months planning and preparing safety precautions to develop this edition of MISS UNIVERSE—one that will be memorable, special, and innovative,” said Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization. “I look forward to seeing this work come to fruition and crowning a new Miss Universe in May.”
The three-hour event will feature women representing dozens of countries competing in multiple categories, including the personal statement, swimsuit, evening gown, and interview. The event would end with Zozibini Tunzi crowning her successor.
“I always knew that my reign as Miss Universe would be unlike any other,” said Tunzi. “While it was nothing like what I had imagined my year to be, this year has opened doors for me I could never have imagined. I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect virtually with people worldwide and elevate the causes I care most about.”
Seminole Hard Rock’s Safe & Sound protocols follow similar guidelines as enacted successfully during the 2020 MISS USA Competition, produced in Memphis, Tennessee, in November. These policies include mask usage, social distancing, quarantining upon arrival, and rigorous testing in coordination with health officials.
The show will air in over 160 countries and territories across the globe.
Source: The Miss Universe Organization
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:28 AM | View the original post
March 3, 2021
Bloomberg Philanthropies invites U.S. Cities to Apply for Grants and Guidance to Transform Streets and Public Spaces through the Asphalt Art Initiative
• Bloomberg Philanthropies will award up to 20 U.S. cities Asphalt Art Initiative grants for arts-driven street redesigns that improve safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage local communities.
Photos: Asphalt Art Initiative projects in Norfolk, Kansas, and Saginaw. Images provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 — Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced that cities can now apply for Asphalt Art Initiative grants. The grants will provide as many as 20 U.S. cities up to $25,000 each for projects that use art and design to improve street safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage residents of their communities. This program announced at the Bloomberg CityLab 2021 global cities summit got inspired by work done to improve pedestrian safety and revitalize New York City streets during Michael R. Bloomberg’s tenure as Mayor from 2002-2013.
“Asphalt Art Projects can help cities rebuild from the pandemic by reinvigorating streets and making them safer, while also lifting spirits,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “As we’ve seen through our work in cities around the world, vibrant public artwork and smarter street design can inspire residents, build relationships between artists and the community, and help cities recover stronger than before.”
The grant program creates vibrant new public spaces and builds city capacity for working with artists and community groups on projects involving transportation infrastructure. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative responds to the growing number of cities worldwide embracing art as an effective and relatively low-cost strategy to activate their streets, with interventions on plazas and sidewalks, crosswalks and intersections, and other transportation infrastructure.
In this second round, all United States cities are welcome to apply from March 2 to April 30, 2021. The program would announce the winning cities in fall 2021.
This next phase comes as the first round of 16 grantees, announced in June 2020, continue to roll out their projects. The cities of Kansas City, Missouri, Saginaw, Michigan, and Norfolk, Virginia, installed projects in the fall of 2020. They have transformed a combined 20,000 square feet of the streetscape with artwork and engaged nearly 1,000 residents and 37 artists in the design and installation process. Kansas City’s redesign of a problematic intersection also reduced overall vehicle speeds by 45 percent, shortened pedestrian crossing distances by 50 percent, and increased the number of pedestrians who feel safe crossing the meeting by 40 percent. The remaining cities, which will install their projects throughout 2021, include:
- Chattanooga, Tennessee;
- Durham, North Carolina;
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota;
- Columbus, Indiana;
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
- Cincinnati, Ohio;
- Reno, Nevada;
- Trenton, New Jersey;
- Troy, New York;
- Dubuque, Iowa;
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania;
- Richmond, Virginia;
- Calexico, California.
The first round of the Asphalt Art Initiative grant coincided with the Asphalt Art Guide’s publication. It presents case studies and best practices from cities around the world. The Guide has been accessed more than 4,500 times by governments and other practitioners in all 50 U.S. states and 83 countries.
“Adapting our cities post-pandemic isn’t just a question of engineering or epidemiology, but imagination. By bringing light, color, and creativity to blacktop, asphalt art projects can bring people together after so much time apart and breathe new life into our cities and our streets,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, Principal for Transportation at Bloomberg Associates. “From open streets to outdoor dining, this past year has made the importance of the public realm clearer than ever, and this program will help cities coast to coast make their streetscapes as vibrant as the communities that come together to create them.”
“At a time when the pandemic has limited so many kinds of interaction, asphalt art can provide a safe way to champion and enjoy a community’s creativity,” said Kate D. Levin, Principal for Cultural Assets Management at Bloomberg Associates. “Our inaugural projects have also catalyzed cross-sector collaborations among city agencies, neighborhood groups, and artists that can help support longer-term recovery. We are thrilled to extend this opportunity to more cities.”
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.
Bloomberg Associates is the philanthropic consulting arm of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable organization, Bloomberg Philanthropies. Founded in 2014, it works side-by-side with client cities to improve residents’ quality of life, taking a strategic, collaborative, and results-oriented approach to making cities healthier, safer, more equitable, and efficient.
Source: Bloomberg Philanthropies
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Bloomberg Philanthropies invites U.S. Cities to Apply for Asphalt Art Grants.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:29 AM | View the original post
March 2, 2021
L'Oréal Paris Women Of Worth Launches Call For Everyday Heroes
• The philanthropic program doubles its grants to $20,000. It would name one woman as this year’s National Honoree, receiving an additional $25,000 for her charitable endeavors.
NEW YORK, March 2, 2021 — Leading global beauty brand, L’Oréal Paris, seeks the Americans’ everyday heroes by announcing the call for its 2021 Women of Worth nominations. L’Oréal Paris has invited consumers to nominate a woman (at LOrealParis.com) who is selflessly giving back to her community through non-profit leadership for a chance to be named one of ten Honorees, receiving up to $45,000 for her cause.
L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth premiered its new campaign this past Sunday, February 28, during the height of Awards Season, calling on Americans across the nation to place their nominations for this year’s Honorees. Featuring Viola Davis’s voice, as well as images of last year’s National Honoree, Noelle Lambert, and other alumnae, the new advertisement put the spotlight on incredible moments throughout the previous 16 years of Women of Worth.
“In 2021, the philanthropic program continues to bring to life the brand’s iconic tagline, “Because You’re Worth It,” championing women whose unwavering resilience, bravery, and courage show the power of owning one’s worth. This year’s Honorees will join the multifaceted program’s alumnae network of 150 individuals, who champion a diverse range of causes that exemplify embracing their worth and instilling worth within others,” L’Oreal said.
“We celebrate 50 years of our iconic ‘Because You’re Worth It’ tagline in 2021. We welcome stories that reflect not only the power of the Women of Worth who came before them but individuals who demonstrate the intrinsic value and worth of women everywhere,” said Ali Goldstein, L’Oréal Paris USA President. “In this landmark year, we are proud to elevate the next ten extraordinary women who find beauty in giving back, and we can’t wait to meet them.”
In addition to receiving financial support for their organization, Women of Worth provides the Honoree with a national platform to tell their stories and the opportunity to build a network that amplifies their cause.
Last year, Women of Worth launched its first-ever national television special, bringing together L’Oréal Paris’ notable roster of spokeswomen to highlight each Honoree’s unique mission.
In 2021, L’Oréal Paris will double its individual grants to $20,000 to create an even more significant impact. One National Honoree, chosen by popular vote, will receive an additional $25,000 for her charitable work. Each of the 2021 Women of Worth will get recognized as a shining example of how giving back can genuinely change the world.
The L’Oréal Paris division of L’Oréal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care brand offering luxurious and innovative products and services available in the mass market. For more than 100 years, L’Oréal Paris has been providing women worldwide with products in four major beauty categories: hair color, haircare, skincare, and cosmetics.
Source: L’Oréal Paris
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:02 AM | View the original post
March 1, 2021
Toyota Yaris Takes Crown as Car of the Year 2021
Photo: Toyota Yaris Takes Crown as Car of the Year 2021. Image provided by & copyright © Toyota.
Toyota Yaris has been crowned as Car of the Year 2021, beating Citroën C4, Cupra Formentor, Fiat 500, Land Rover Defender, Škoda Octavia, and Volkswagen ID.3.
This year’s Car of the Year award ceremony was broadcast live from Geneva on Monday, March 1, 2021. Despite Geneva Motor Show’s cancellation due to the global pandemic, the competition still took place at the Palexpo exhibition center.
The award, which has been around since 1964, is the most prestigious and coveted in the automotive world. A 59-member jury, made up of automotive journalists from 22 countries, selects the winner from seven models that have made it to the round of finalists in the first round of voting.
“This is a great honor for Toyota, and I’d like to thank the jury for their consideration and recognition. I’d also like to take this opportunity to recognize our development teams’ passion in Europe and Japan. This is the best Yaris, and just as Akio Toyoda intended, it is already putting a smile on the face of our customers,” said Matt Harrison, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Europe.
“A worthy winner of this year’s election, who deservedly prevailed against six top-class competitors,” said “The Car of the Year” President Frank Janssen after announcing the results.
The all-new Toyota Yaris has been designed to meet the increasing challenges of everyday urban life. To respond to new consumer demands, the new Yaris brings Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA) philosophy to the compact car segment for the first time.
Toyota’s new, fourth-generation hybrid technology debuts the principal powertrain for the new Yaris.
The hybrid system features the new 1.5 Dynamic Force three-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine with variable valve timing. The machine has the world’s fastest combustion speed, supporting high torque at low engine speeds and fuel efficiency.
As a result, it achieves a 40% thermal efficiency, higher than typical diesel engines, helping secure a more than 20% improvement in Yaris’ fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
The new Yaris is also available with 1.5 and 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engines in selected markets.
Source: Toyota
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:43 AM | View the original post
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
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
February 23, 2021
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
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
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
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
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Miss my landing? Catch the highlights below.
— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 19, 2021
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:29 AM | View the original post
