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Photo: IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. Washington, DC, United States. IMF Photo/Cory Hancock. Image provided by & copyright © IMF.
• IMF (International Monetary Fund) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva’s Remarks to the Global Health Summit, organized by the European Commission and Italy, as chair of the G20. May 21, 2021.
Excellencies,
I would like to thank Prime Minister Draghi, President Von de Leyen, and their staff for preparing this vital Summit.
By now, we all know there is no durable end to the economic crisis without an end to the health crisis. That means the pandemic policy is a monetary policy highly relevant to the work of the IMF. The economic recovery depends on how we conduct it.
In particular, the pandemic policy matters for preventing this dangerous divergence of economic fortunes about which we have been warning. It will only worsen as the gap widens between wealthy countries that have access to vaccines and emerging countries that do not, and it will slow down the exit from the crisis for everybody.
IMF staff published today a contribution to the ongoing efforts made by many others to address the gap in vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics many developing countries face—and help bring the Pandemic substantially under control everywhere for everyone’s benefit. It builds on the work of WHO, World Bank, Gavi, African Union and has three broad elements, at the estimated cost of $50 billion.
First. Vaccination of at least 40 percent of the population in all countries by end-2021, and at least 60 percent by the first half of 2022. To do so requires additional upfront grants to COVAX, donating surplus doses, and free cross-border flows of raw materials and finished vaccines.
Second. Insurance against downside risks such as new variants that may necessitate booster shots. It means investing in additional vaccine production capacity by 1 billion doses, diversifying production, scaling up genomic surveillance and supply-chain surveillance, and contingency plans to handle virus mutations or supply shocks.
Third. Management of the interim period where vaccine supply is limited with widespread testing and tracing, therapeutic and public health measures, and, at the same time, ramping up preparations for vaccine deployment together with any approved dose-stretching strategies.
Of the $50 billion, we envisage grant financing of at least $35 billion. G20 governments have already identified it as essential to address the $22 billion funding gap noted by the ACT-Accelerator. It would need to be topped up by an additional $13 billion in grant contributions.
The remainder of the overall financing plan - around $15 billion - could come from national governments, supported by COVID-19 concessional financing, primarily from facilities already created by multilateral development banks.
Notably, the proposal requires not just commitments but upfront financing, upfront vaccine donations, and upfront ‘at risk’ precautionary investments. It is essential that all necessary funding is available as soon as possible.
The outsized benefits dwarf the costs of the plan. As we have been stressing, a faster end to the Pandemic saves lives. It could inject the equivalent of $9 trillion into the global economy by 2025 due to a quicker resumption of economic activity. And advanced economies — asked to contribute most to this effort — would likely see the highest return on public investment in modern history, capturing 40 percent of the GDP gains and roughly $1 trillion in additional tax revenues.
Concrete and coordinated action is the way out of this unprecedented health and economic crisis. With the support of our membership, we are working towards making an essential contribution to the exit from this crisis by boosting global reserves with $650 billion Special Drawing Rights — significant for countries faced with the toughest challenges. We are stepping up lending where needed, and we are working on debt sustainability. You can count on us to play our part.
Thank you.
Source: International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international financial institution headquartered in Washington, D.C. It consists of 190 countries working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty worldwide.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:51 AM | View the original post
The second consecutive success for the Aussie rider. Fourth place for Francesco Bagnaia after a remarkable comeback.
It’s another one-two for Ducati in France as Johann Zarco closes second with the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Pramac Racing Team.
Photo: Jack Miller. Grand Prix of France in Le Mans. May 16, 2021. Image provided by & copyright © DUCATI.
Photo: Francesco Bagnaia. Grand Prix of France in Le Mans. May 16, 2021. Image provided by & copyright © DUCATI.
Le Mans, France, May 16, 2021 — Just two weeks after the extraordinary success taken at Jerez de la Frontera, Jack Miller scored another sensational victory at the Bugatti Circuit of Le Mans, where the French Grand Prix took place this afternoon.
The Australian dominated a tough race that saw riders dealing with a bike swap following the “flag-to-flag” rule. As they started with dry conditions, the sky soon became clouded, and after only a few laps, it started pouring rain. On lap five, Miller, who was in fourth place after going straight into the gravel, returned to the pits to make the bike change but managing to rejoin in third place. However, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider had to serve a double long lap penalty for exceeding 60km/h in the pit lane. Jack remained third and, at lap 12, after Márquez crashed out, he overtook Quartararo, taking the lead where he stayed until the chequered flag, securing his second consecutive win this season. Behind him, home hero Johann Zarco finished second with the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Pramac Racing Team.
Excellent performance also for Francesco Bagnaia, fourth today at the finish line in a comeback. The Italian rider, who started with the sixteenth fastest time, had dropped back into nineteenth place on the first lap, but he could rejoin in the eleventh position after the bike swap. Forced to take a double long lap penalty as well, Pecco didn’t lose concentration. Thanks to a steady pace, he could catch up with his rivals, passing them to fourth.
At the end of the fifth round of the 2021 MotoGP season, Ducati and the Ducati Lenovo Team are first in the constructors’ and teams’ standings. In the riders’ Championship, Bagnaia is now second, just one point behind Quartararo, while Miller occupies the fourth position.
• Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 1st
• Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 4th
• Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track from 28th to May 30 for the Italian GP at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, the first home race for the Bologna-based team in the 2021 MotoGP World Championship.
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
Source: DUCATI
|GlobalGiants.Com|
LOOK at this group at the front! âš”ï¸
— MotoGP™ðŸ (@MotoGP) May 16, 2021
Absolutely everyone with the fastest lap! 😂#MotoE | #FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/o0bvGPUlHP
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:43 PM | View the original post
• The partnership will enable global genomic sequencing and examination through a specialist platform developed on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to help mitigate the impact of potentially dangerous COVID-19 variants.
Photo: Oracle Cloud Manages COVID-19 Vaccination Program in the United States. Image provided by & copyright © ORACLE.
OXFORD, England and AUSTIN, Texas, May 16, 2021 — The emergence of more infectious variants of the COVID-19 virus is threatening to slow the global recovery and potentially thwart current vaccine immunity. To help governments and medical communities identify and act on these variants faster, Oxford University and Oracle have created a Global Pathogen Analysis System (GPAS) combining Oxford’s Scalable Pathogen Pipeline Platform (SP3) with the power of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This initiative builds on a Wellcome Trust-funded consortium including Public Health Wales, the University of Cardiff, and Public Health England.
“This powerful new tool will assist public health scientists in research establishments, public health agencies, healthcare services, and diagnostic companies around the world. It would help them in further understanding of infectious diseases, starting with the coronavirus,” said Derrick Crook, Professor of Microbiology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford.
“The Global Pathogen Analysis System will help to establish a global common standard for assembling and analyzing this new virus, as well as other microbial threats to public health. It adds a new dimension to our ability to process pathogen data. We are excited to partner with Oracle to further our research using this cutting-edge technology platform,” added Crook.
First used for tuberculosis, SP3 has been repurposed to unify, standardize, analyze, and compare sequence data of SARS-CoV-2, yielding annotated genomic sequences and identifying new variants and those of concern. SP3’s processing capability has been enhanced with extensive new development work from Oracle, enabling high performance and security plus 7/24 worldwide availability of the SP3 system in the Oracle Cloud. The SP3 system will now deliver comprehensive and standardized COVID-19 analyses within minutes of submission on an international scale. GPAS would share the results with countries around the globe in a secure environment.
“The opportunity of applying systematic examination for genetic variants in a range of pathogens will have major benefits for global public health. This program, with Oracle as a partner, takes us a step closer to this goal,” said Sir John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford.
Coupled with the extensive machine learning capabilities in the Oracle Cloud, collaborating scientists, researchers, and governments worldwide can process, analyze, visualize, and act on a vast collection of COVID-19 pathogen data for the first time. It includes identifying variants of interest and their potential impact on vaccine and treatment effectiveness. For example, analytics dashboards in the system will show which specific strains spread more quickly than others and whether genetic features contribute to increased transmissibility and vaccine escape. Already, Oxford has processed half the world’s SARS-CoV-2 sequences, more than 500,000 in total.
“There is a critical need for global cooperation on genomic sequencing and examination of COVID-19 and other pathogens,” said Oracle Chairman and CTO Larry Ellison. “The enhanced SP3 system will establish a global standard for pathogen data gathering and analysis, thus enabling medical researchers to understand better the COVID-19 virus and other microbial threats to public health.”
The next step will be to extend this service to all pathogens while simultaneously collaborating with scientists from research establishments, public health agencies, and private companies to ensure this work can support decision-making on pandemic response strategies worldwide.
The platform will be free for researchers and non-profits to use worldwide.
Oxford is world-famous for research excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Its work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a vast network of partnerships and collaborations. Its research’s breadth and interdisciplinary nature sparks creative and inventive insights and solutions.
Sources: Oracle & Oxford University
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:59 AM | View the original post
Photo: Andrea Meza, Miss Universe Mexico 2020, is crowned Miss Universe after the 69th Miss Universe Competition on May 16, 2021, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The new winner will move to New York City, where she will live during her reign and become a spokesperson for various causes alongside The Miss Universe Organization. Photographer: BENJAMIN ASKINAS. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York.
HOLLYWOOD, FL (May 17, 2021) - Miss Universe Mexico Andrea Meza was crowned Miss Universe live on FYI and Telemundo last night from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Andrea will use her year as Miss Universe to advocate for women’s rights and against gender-based violence.
After a National Costume Competition, rounds of interviews, a preliminary competition, and the live Finals, Andrea was crowned with the Mouawad Power of Unity Crown, presented to her by outgoing Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi.
“I am so honored to have been selected among the 73 other amazing women I stood with tonight,” said Miss Universe Andrea Meza. “It is a dream come true to wear the Miss Universe crown, and I hope to serve the world through my advocacy for equality in the year to come and beyond.” Andrea Meza, 26, is from Chihuahua City and represented her home country, Mexico, as Miss Universe Mexico, in the 69th annual Miss Universe competition. Andrea has a degree in software engineering and is an activist, and currently works closely with the Municipal Institute for Women, which aims to end gender-based violence. She is also a certified make-up artist and model who is passionate about being active and living a healthy lifestyle. She enjoys extreme sports in her free time, including rappelling and sandboarding. Andrea is also the official Tourism Brand Ambassador for her hometown, Chihuahua, promoting the best tourist attractions and rich culture her home offers.
“It is certainly emotional to see the crown begin a new journey tonight with Andrea,” said Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization. “After a year unlike any other, I am so grateful for the extra months we got to spend with Zozi, and I know Andrea will reign with strength, ambition, and grace.”
The inspiring show was hosted by Access Hollywood’s Mario Lopez and actress and model Olivia Culpo, with an electrifying performance by Grammy-nominated artist Luis Fonsi. Miss Universe 2017 Demi- Leigh Tebow, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, and Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vega gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the show throughout the night.
At this year’s Miss Universe competition, women representing 74 countries competed in multiple categories. The show aired in over 190 countries and territories across the globe. Andrea will move to New York City to represent the brand and various philanthropic organizations during her reign.
The Mouawad MISS UNIVERSE Power of Unity Crown, crafted from 18-karat gold, is set with more than 1,725 white diamonds and three golden canary diamonds. These hundreds of diamonds are in intricate interplays of motifs of petals, leaves, and vines, representing communities across the seven continents whose bonds unite them in the exact purpose of empowering one another. The crown’s centerpiece is a shield cut golden canary diamond weighing a magnificent 62.83ct. In harmony with the diamonds surrounding it, it inspires the crown’s name, the Power of Unity.
Following countries entered the top 10:
Photo: Adline Castelino, Miss Universe India 2020, top 5, taking her final walk on stage before the conclusion of the 69th Miss Universe Competition on May 16, 2021, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Photographer: BENJAMIN ASKINAS. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York.
Source: The Miss Universe Organization, New York.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:33 AM | View the original post
• Upcoming humanitarian airlift also includes 1.8 million KN95 masks.
Photo: A Direct Relief shipment weighing 8.8 tons arrives in Quito, Ecuador. The shipment contained ICU kits filled with essential medicines to treat Covid-19 and oxygen concentrators, protective gear, and other medical items for health facilities in the country. (Photo by Isadora Romero for Direct Relief) [File Photo]
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 14, 2021 — A FedEx-donated Boeing 777 fully loaded with oxygen concentrators and other supplies from Direct Relief is flying this weekend to India — for the second time in as many weeks — to help patients with Covid-19 survive the pandemic’s deadliest surge yet.
Clinicians have correlated drastic drops in the blood oxygen levels of Covid patients with a greater likelihood of death. India has experienced crippling shortages of medical-grade oxygen, in part due to the need to transport oxygen cylinders hundreds of miles via cryogenic tankers, from production plants to hospitals, then back for refilling. According to BMJ, 41% of patients admitted to the hospital with Covid-19 require supplemental oxygen, while only 2% need mechanical ventilation.
Oxygen concentrators don’t require tanks, just electric power to remove nitrogen from the air and produce purified oxygen. Direct Relief is delivering two oxygen concentrator types — high-flow and low-flow. High-flow oxygen concentrators are used in hospitals to treat patients needing intensive care, providing 10 liters per minute of oxygen. Low-flow concentrators generate 5 liters per minute and help hospitals safely discharge patients who are stable but require at-home breathing support.
The May 15 flight from Newark to Delhi will deliver 286 high-flow oxygen concentrators and 500 low-flow concentrators. It would add to the 3,500 concentrators from Direct Relief transported via another FedEx-donated charter that arrived May 9. Tata Memorial Center in Mumbai cleared the items and distributed them within two days to more than 40 hospitals in the region. This weekend’s flight also includes 1.8 million KN95 masks, 125,000 gloves, and other medical items.
Direct Relief staff and partner organizations in India will distribute the supplies throughout the country to medical facilities caring for Covid-19 patients. Direct Relief has provided medical assistance to India since 1960, working with various partners, from medical outreach camps to rural clinics and hospitals, community-based health centers, and tertiary level facilities in large urban areas.
“It’s our mission to use our global logistics network to help deliver critical aid to India, where it’s needed most right now,” said Raj Subramaniam, president, and COO, FedEx Corp. “We’ve been fighting this pandemic from the frontlines since the beginning and will continue the fight until it’s over.”
“Direct Relief is grateful beyond words for FedEx, once again, delivering urgently-needed assistance to people in India at a scale the FedEx team is uniquely able to handle,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President, and CEO. “The decisive action to donate the company’s enormous capacity and exceptional skills is a huge humanitarian force multiplier — and a powerful example of the type of public-spirited leadership needed to get everyone, everywhere, safely to the other side of the pandemic.”
Direct Relief is a humanitarian organization committed to improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. Direct Relief delivers lifesaving medical resources throughout the world to communities in need — without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.
Source: Direct Relief
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:41 PM | View the original post
Photo: (L-R) Andrea Meza, Miss Universe Mexico 2020; Amanda Petri, Miss Universe Denmark 2020; Sunniva Frigstad, Miss Universe Norway 2020; and Viivi Altonen, Miss Universe Finland 2020. They have arrived at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, for the 69th Miss Universe Competition, wearing Invisi Smart masks. The Miss Universe delegates would be touring, filming, rehearsing, and preparing to compete for the Miss Universe crown before the show airs live on Sunday, May 16 at 8:00 PM ET. Photographer: BENJAMIN ASKINAS. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York.
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.
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.
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.
Here is the list of the participants:
2021 MISS UNIVERSE COMPETITION CONTESTANTS
COUNTRY — NAME
Photo: Maria Thattil, Miss Universe Australia 2020. Image provided by & copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York.
Maria Thattil is a multi-hyphenate. She is a founder, speaker, corporate professional, digital creator, and fierce activist for inclusivity, equality, and empowerment. Before she started training to be an accredited life coach, she graduated with a Psychology degree with Honours and then with a Masters degree in Management. Maria’s biggest hobby is volunteering. She is a member of the United Nations Association of Australia. Maria is an Australian woman of Indian descent, a daughter of immigrants. She believes her upbringing has gifted her with unique experiences that fuel her passion for inclusivity.
Source: The Miss Universe Organization, New York
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:55 AM | View the original post
Photo: May 10, 2021. Indian Army Western Command sets up 100 bedded COVID hospital at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Lieutenant General R P Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, announced the operationalization of the 100-bedded COVID Hospital at the hostel for international students in Panjab University in the presence of the Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore. Source & Image Credit: Western Command - Indian Army.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:54 AM | View the original post
NEW YORK, May 9, 2021 — International advocacy organization Global Citizen tonight announced that the “VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World” campaign helped mobilize over 26 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and $302 million to the ACT-Accelerator to provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests, treatments, and other medical tools to the world’s most marginalized communities and healthcare workers on the frontlines.
VAX LIVE was taped at SoFi Stadium for a COVID 19-compliant audience composed of fully vaccinated frontline healthcare and essential workers and is the first large-scale music event held at the stadium. The goal of the VAX LIVE campaign was to ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to COVID-19 vaccines and inspire vaccine confidence worldwide.
Selena Gomez served as host, and Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, served as Campaign Chairs. Performers included Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, and J Balvin. Special appearances by President Biden, First Lady Dr. Biden, and Vice President Harris along with Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, David Letterman, Gayle King, Jimmy Kimmel, Nomzamo Mbatha, Olivia Munn, and Sean Penn.
The VAX LIVE campaign called on governments to begin sharing vaccine doses immediately. It asked pharmaceutical companies, such as Moderna, to urgently provide millions of doses to the most impoverished nations at-cost pricing. To help ensure equitable access to the vaccine, Global Citizen and its partners led a coordinated drive across the private sector to raise critical funds - “dollars for doses” - for the vaccine-sharing program COVAX AMC.
• VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World received messages of support and commitments from:
Commitments announced through the course of the VAX LIVE campaign and special included:
GOVERNMENT COMMITMENTS
Canada: CAD 375 million [$299.2 million] towards the ACT-Accelerator for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments to support countries in need.
Norway: will share all of its extra doses, an additional 4.5 million doses on top of the 700,000 it has already committed. It translates to one dose shared for every Norwegian Citizen.
Spain: will donate 7.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for the Latin American and Caribbean region.
The U.A.E.: will donate 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and support the delivery of 25 million doses.
New Zealand: will share an additional 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for a total of 1.2M for the South Pacific region.
Croatia pledged €500,000 [$600,000] to COVAX and will start donating 50,000 doses before the end of June.
Portugal: has committed to providing 1 million doses to Portuguese-speaking countries.
Italy: expressed its intentions to make a substantial new pledge to COVAX soon. Italy will also use its G20 presidency to boost global manufacturing capacity.
PHILANTHROPIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR COMMITMENTS
Philanthropic and corporate commitments raised $39.6 million for COVAX, which was matched by GAVI for an additional $23.6 million, resulting in a total of $63.3 million, enough to acquire 12.66 million vaccines. Combined with government pledges, this amounts to over 26 million vaccine doses to those most in need.
SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS MADE TOWARD THE COVAX AMC FOR PROCUREMENT OF VACCINES:
COMMITMENTS MADE TOWARD THE WHO COVID-19 SOLIDARITY FUND FOR MEDICAL TOOLS AND SUPPLIES INCLUDED:
Overall, $65.8M has been mobilized through VAX LIVE by philanthropists, the private sector, and the Gavi matching mechanism in commitments to vaccine procurement, medical tools, and supplies.
“We have been overwhelmed by the support for VAX LIVE, from governments, philanthropists, the private sector, our campaign chairs, and Global Citizens from across the world. They have joined forces to mobilize critical COVID-19 vaccines where they are needed urgently,” said Hugh Evans, C.E.O. of Global Citizen. “But more needs to be done, especially from G7 nations that have yet to commit to sharing any doses. The U.K. alone will have 113 million surplus doses. We need to continue our efforts to urge the chair of the G7, Boris Johnson, the rest of the G7 and G20 nations, and vaccine manufacturers to share additional doses urgently to help ensure equitable vaccine access globally.”
VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World aired on A.B.C., A.B.C. News Live, C.B.S., FOX, and streamed on YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App. VAX LIVE also aired on AXS TV, Albavision across Latin America, Multishow from Globo Group in Brazil, Caracol T.V. in Colombia, T.V. Azteca in Mexico, S3 in South Africa, Canal+ and MultiChoice across Africa, Sky in the U.K., Network 10 in Australia, CSTAR (Canal + Group) in France, the Viacom 18 network across India and South Asia, and Insight T.V. globally. As the exclusive global streaming partner, YouTube also streamed an extended version of VAX LIVE on the Global Citizen channel for a total run-time of 90 minutes.
Global Citizen also announced commitments from the longtime partners of Global Citizen — Live Nation, N.B.A., WNBA, N.F.L., M.L.S., N.H.L., WWE, Formula 1, NASCAR, and MLB. They would commit tickets to some of the most amazing live events of the coming year! These leagues have been working together to follow enhanced COVID-19 guidelines to ensure that audience members can once again enjoy live events safely.
“VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World” was part of Global Citizen’s overall 2021 Recovery Plan for the World, a year-long campaign and series of events that aims to help end COVID-19 for all, end the hunger crisis, resume learning everywhere, protect the planet and advance equity for all. Global Citizen is the world’s most significant movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty by 2030.
Source: Global Citizen
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Jennifer Lopez Performs “Ain’t Your Mama” | VAX LIVE by Global Citizen
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:40 PM | View the original post
Photos: HeiQ MetalliQ Type IIR surgical mask with an antiviral copper coated surface that deactivates 97.79% SARS-CoV-2. (Images provided by HeiQ).
ZURICH, May 5, 2021 — HeiQ, a global leader in textile and materials innovation, has launched HeiQ MetalliQ, a futuristic-looking, high-tech surgical mask that destroys all viruses and bacteria tested, up to 100% efficacy, the company announced.
HeiQ MetalliQ doesn’t only look metallic. The mask with a patented design contains an ultra-thin pure copper coating applied via a high-tech vapor deposition process, called HeiQ MetalliX, which converts a minute amount of copper into a vapor that deposits evenly to surround each fiber. HeiQ MetalliX is a patent-pending technology created by HeiQ’s innovation partner, Australian materials technology company, Xefco.
According to HeiQ, studies conducted by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia (Doherty Institute) showed that fabrics treated by the HeiQ MetalliX technology significantly deactivated the infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19) in as little as 5 minutes.
The testing protocol simulated the real-life interaction of aerosol droplets contaminating textile products such as face masks. Each sample was exposed to a high loading of SARS-CoV-2 followed by 5, 15, and 30 minutes incubation at room temperature before the amount of remaining infectious SARS-CoV-2 viruses was measured. The fabric samples treated with HeiQ MetalliX indicated a virus reduction of over 97.79% in five minutes, 99.95% in 15 minutes, and around 99.99% in 30 minutes, relative to the inoculum control.
“Our team of experts continues its vital work to minimize the impact of the novel coronavirus,” Dr. Julie McAuley, Senior Research Officer at the Doherty Institute, stated. “Testing the ability of different surface treatments to reduce the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is one way that our research can help provide insights towards helping to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. McAuley added.
Copper is a naturally occurring element present in the earth’s crust, soil, oceans, lakes, and rivers. It is also a trace element that occurs naturally in all humans, plants, and animals. Copper has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties demonstrated by laboratory studies. According to HeiQ, HeiQ MetalliX treated materials release copper ions which deactivate viruses and bacteria.
HeiQ Medica in Spain manufactures HeiQ MetalliQ. Here, HeiQ also conducts R&D activities for medical devices.
“You can pretty much ‘heiq’ everything to add additional functions to an everyday product. This time we up our game once again in antiviral protection, with an upgraded and premium appearance. Spring is calling. As we emerge from lock-down, we want to be extra protected and protect the others. HeiQ MetalliQ provides that extra level of confidence. Further, it gives an edgy look, making it an improved alternative to surgical masks in many ways,” said Carlo Centonze, co-founder and CEO of HeiQ Group.
Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and listed on the London Stock Exchange, HeiQ is a leader in textile innovation, creating effective, durable, and high-performance textile technologies. HeiQ says its mission is to improve the lives of billions of people through pioneering textiles and materials innovation. With a total capacity of 35,000 tons per year, HeiQ manufactures its products in the USA, Switzerland, and Australia, supplying its specialty chemical products in over 60 countries worldwide.
Source: HeiQ
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:44 AM | View the original post
• Hosted by Michael Douglas at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Concert Caps Extraordinary 10th Anniversary Celebration Spanning More than 190 Countries.
Photo: A Jazz Day Poster.
WASHINGTON, May 3, 2021 — With more than 190 countries participating, the International Jazz Day 10th Anniversary celebration concluded with a thrilling All-Star Global Concert reaching millions worldwide. Hosted by Michael Douglas and led by Herbie Hancock and musical director John Beasley, the concert brought together renowned artists from over 20 countries. It was made possible by Lead Partner Toyota, with United Airlines serving as Airline Partner.
The 2021 Global Concert featured memorable moments illustrating the unifying power of jazz. From New York, Veronica Swift and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen opened the program with “Sing,” an uplifting tribute to the positive change that music can bring to the world. Other standout performances included pianist and composer Jacob Collier in London, Beninese songstress Angélique Kidjo in Paris, Japanese pianist Junko Onishi in Tokyo, Ivan Lins in Rio De Janeiro, and vocalist/trumpeter Mandisi Dyantyis in Cape Town. Capping the remarkable presentation from Los Angeles was a sensational interpretation of “God Bless The Child” by vocalist Andra Day.
Anchored by Academy Award winner Michael Douglas from UN Headquarters in New York, the 2021 concert showcased jazz as a truly global art form. As United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted, “Ten years ago, we launched the very first International Jazz Day in the United Nations General Assembly Hall at the initiative of UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. With every passing year, this has been a joyous celebration - not only of music but also of freedom, diversity, and human dignity. These are the values the United Nations works to protect and promote around the world.”
UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz presented free educational and outreach programming throughout the day. In one of the most anticipated events, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock engaged in a moving dialogue on the history and legacy of International Jazz Day.
International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities on all seven continents to honor the international art form of jazz. The event is celebrated with thousands of concerts and jazz-related programming worldwide each year on April 30, highlighting its essential role in encouraging dialogue, combating discrimination, and promoting human dignity.
Source: Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:17 AM | View the original post
• New Historical Tours, Giveaways, and Other Year-Long Anniversary Celebrations Planned
Photo: The Empire State Building as seen from the “Top of The Rock.” Image Credit: Joe Shlabotnik.
Photo: The Empire State Building is illuminated in red to celebrate the landing on Mars of NASA’s Perseverance rover, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in New York City. Photo Credit: (NASA/Emma Howells). [File Photo].
NEW YORK, May 01, 2021 — The World’s Most Famous Building, the Empire State Building (ESB), celebrates its 90th anniversary on May 1, 2021.
“The Empire State Building, the international icon and symbol of dreams, was a record-breaker and trendsetter 90 years ago,” said Anthony E. Malkin, chairman, president, and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust. “Today, she is fully modernized for the 21st century, a world leader in energy efficiency retrofits in the built environment, indoor environmental quality, and on building health practices.”
“Since we first opened our doors 90 years ago, the Empire State Building Observatory has been the must-visit for travelers from around the world,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Observatory. “We’ve welcomed everyone from the Queen of England to the Queen of Christmas (Mariah Carey) through our doors, and our most important visitors are our Observatory guests from around the world who today visit our brand new, $165 million recreation of our entire experience. With New York reopened as of July 1, we look forward to visits from our fans near and far who can safely travel to celebrate this important anniversary.”
• Brand-New Offerings for Visitors
To mark 90 years, the Empire State Building will kick off a wealth of new offerings, with more announcements throughout the year-long festivities.
Birthday Lighting: ESB’s world-famous tower lights will sparkle in white with a special “90” illuminated in the mast throughout the night.
New Historical Tour: The new 90 in 90 Tour will take guests on a 90-year journey in 90 minutes as they explore the building’s rich history. Treated like a VIP with their own ESB Ambassador at their side, guests quickly become insiders and go behind the scenes at the Empire State Building.
90th Anniversary Collectors’ Items: The Empire State Building’s gift shop will offer limited edition 90th Anniversary items available only on-site.
Birthday Giveaway: With the purchase of a Sunrise, Premium, or All Access ticket to the Observatory, guests will receive a complimentary, celebratory 90th-anniversary tote bag.
David Yurman Window Display: America’s foremost luxury jewelry brand David Yurman will launch its new “Empire Collection” of women’s jewelry and men’s accessories with a window display in the building’s famed Fifth Avenue lobby.
Sweeping Views with Starbucks Coffee: For the entire month of May, guests who show their Observatory ticket at the 34th Street Starbucks located inside ESB before or after their visit will receive a $0.90 tall, hot or iced coffee and a Starbucks reusable cup while supplies last.
• A Reimagined Guest Experience
Since its construction, the Empire State Building has taken pride in its status as the World’s Most Famous Building - an international symbol of technology, imagination, and ambition. Recent renovations and a reimagined visitor experience serve as examples for other buildings and attractions across the globe.
Reimagination of The Observatory Experience: A five-year, $165 million overhaul of the visitor journey to the 86th Floor Observatory was completed in 2019 and introduced a new dedicated guest entrance at 34th Street, an immersive 10,000 square-foot museum, and additional exhibits on the redesigned 80th Floor. A brand-new 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows completes the redo.
Sustainability Retrofit: Over the last ten years, the Empire State Building underwent a ground-breaking energy and efficiency retrofit as part of the $550 million Empire State ReBuilding program that transformed it into one of today’s most efficient historical landmarks. The building is in the top 20 percent of all Class A commercial assets in the nation. As a result of these efforts, ESRT earned the highest possible GRESB 5 Star Rating and Green Star recognition for sustainability performance in real estate and was named a Fitwel Champion for healthy, high-performance buildings. ESB looks forward to a more sustainable future with a recently announced target to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
Updated Tower Lights: In 2012, the Empire State Building upgraded its world-famous tower lights to display more than 16 million colors. The new lights debuted with the building’s first music-to-light show set to Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire” and “Empire State of Mind.” The building recently brought back the classic show during 2020 to bring a moment of joy to all New Yorkers during the pandemic.
Restoration of an Art Deco Classic: In 2009, the Empire State building fully restored its Fifth Avenue Lobby celestial ceiling mural. The project used aluminum leaf and 23-karat gold, the same materials from 1931, and took more than 20,000 person-hours. Just last year, the building restored its silhouette to the original design that influenced various architectural styles. With the removal of multiple antennas and a new coat of silver waterproof paint, ESB sparkles like new.
“Over the past 90 years, the Empire State Building has been the undisputed landmark of the New York City skyline, with its iconic tower lights that shine as a symbol of hope, strength, and perseverance,” said Mr. Malkin. “We will continue to innovate and push boundaries in technology, sustainability, and tourism to ensure that the Empire State Building remains America’s Favorite Building for the next 90 years as well.”
The Empire State Building, “The World’s Most Famous Building,” is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Empire State Realty Trust, Inc owns it. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air Observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building’s iconic history to its current place in pop culture. Officially opened on May 1, 1931, and now celebrating its 90th anniversary year, the Empire State Building welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world.
Source: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:13 AM | View the original post
Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED.
Photo: Brian Gallagher, President and CEO of United Way Worldwide (center) with Student United Way Award Winners (L-R): Alicia Meyer, Campus Adviser of the Year, Montana State University; Krystal Draper, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor; Hoa Bui, President of Student United Way at the University of California Riverside; Caasi Algazi, Founder of Student United Way at the University of California Riverside; and Elizabeth Collins, Student Leader of the Year, Montana State University. United Way Community Leaders Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. May 2, 2012.
Students on more than 60 campuses across the United States are improving their local communities. This powerful force is known as Student United Way, the student voice of the worldwide United Way movement. Image Credit: Neil Parekh. [File Photo]
ALEXANDRIA, VA., May 01, 2021 — United Way Worldwide today announced that it had established a relief fund for United Way India to provide immediate assistance in containing the coronavirus and responding to the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The India COVID-19 Relief Fund will provide immediate help in medical equipment for hospitals, including oxygen supplies, ventilators, beds, Bipap Machines, and more. The Fund will also supply hygiene and food kits for communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
As India experiences the world’s worst outbreak, United Way India will distribute donations from the Fund to support the most acutely impacted in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi NCR, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, and Bihar.
Just this week, India reported the most significant single-day spike of new COVID-19 cases at 379,000 and more than 200,000 deaths, 3,000 occurring in the past 24 hours alone. These numbers have overwhelmed the healthcare system, particularly in highly populated cities, devastating the most vulnerable population.
“The resurgence of the COVID-19 virus and the devastating impact on India’s healthcare system highlights that the fight against the pandemic is far from over and shows how vulnerable communities are still at risk,” said Neeraj Mehta, Interim President and CEO, United Way Worldwide. “I am heartened by the work of the United Way India network and am confident that we can provide much-needed critical support to alleviate the suffering of marginalized populations.”
Over the past year, the United Way India network of seven local United Ways has supported more than five million people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and provided infrastructure enhancement to more than 100 hospitals. The United Way India network has raised and distributed $60 million in relief funds to more than 60 cities throughout India.
Through the work of 100,000 volunteers, United Way has distributed over 291,951 food kits and served more than 555,886 hot meals. Additionally, the United Way India network has provided 146 hospitals with infrastructure reinforcements, including additional beds, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and medical supplies. It has also distributed 804,154 N-95 & 3-Ply masks and 346,104 personal protection equipment (PPE) kits.
Response efforts are led locally by United Ways in the cities of Baroda, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata.
United Way said it fights for every person’s health, education, and financial stability in every community.”With global reach and local impact, we’re making life better for 48 million people annually. United Way is the world’s largest privately-funded nonprofit, working in 95% of U.S. communities and 40 countries and territories. That’s why we’re the mission of choice for 2.5 million volunteers, 7.7 million donors, and 45,000 corporate partners. In the wake of COVID-19, we’re helping people stay in their homes, stock their pantries, and protect their lives and livelihoods. And we’re working to build resilient, equitable communities,” United Way elaborated.
Source: United Way Worldwide
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:04 PM | View the original post
• $5.2 million in philanthropic support for significant scholarly research in the social sciences and humanities
New York, NY, April 28, 2021 — To apply scholarly perspectives to some of society’s most important issues, Carnegie Corporation of New York today announced the 2021 class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows. The philanthropic foundation will grant each fellow $200,000 to fund significant research and writing in the social sciences and humanities that address critical and enduring issues confronting our society.
The Corporation launched the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program in 2015 as an initiative conceived by the late Vartan Gregorian, who was president of the foundation since 1997. Gregorian, a former professor of history and past president of Brown University, aimed to advance and elevate the fellows’ work to reinforce the importance of the social sciences and humanities in academia and American life.
The most generous stipend of its kind, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program has funded a total of 216 scholars, journalists, and authors, representing an investment of $43.2 million. It focuses on subjects such as U.S. democracy, the environment, technological and cultural evolution, and international relations. The criteria prioritize the originality and promise of the research, its potential impact on the field, and the scholar’s plans for communicating the findings to a broad audience.
Among this year’s winning research topics:
Law enforcement: developing tools to analyze policing data, including large volumes of body-worn camera video, to monitor racial bias and suggest evidence-based reforms.
Pandemic recovery: studying the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable families and women in the workforce to identify policies that will help rebuild a more just society.
Voting access: analyzing strategies to modernize the U.S. electoral system, including mail voting, same-day registration, and calls for a National Accessible Election law.
Racial justice: telling the story of mid-19th-century Black New Yorkers who campaigned to desegregate public transit with pioneering civil disobedience strategies.
Rural opportunity: exploring the history of agricultural property law and the views of American farmers to develop a more inclusive and sustainable land ownership system.
“Me Too” movement: documenting the cultural history of the campaign and social media’s ability to expose offenders and hold them accountable.
Immigration: exploring the immigration detention system and its multiple, unseen sites within and outside U.S. borders to understand policies and their impact on migrants.
Climate-change: developing inclusive approaches to climate policy by gathering indigenous knowledge.
Georgetown’s DeGioia, who has been a member of the jury since the start of the program, replaced the founding chair, Susan Hockfield, professor of neuroscience and president emerita of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition, Alondra Nelson, president of the Social Science Research Council, stepped down after three years of service on the fellows’ jury when she joined the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as deputy director for science and society. Today, the jury comprises 14 distinguished scholars and academic and intellectual leaders from some of the USA’s most prominent educational institutions, foundations, and scholarly societies.
Carnegie Corporation selected this year’s class of 26 fellows from 311 nominations. The group comprises 18 women and eight men. The program seeks to include emerging and established scholars from across the country and represents public institutions of higher education and private colleges or universities.
As part of the nomination process, 700 individuals — including heads of independent research institutes, societies, and think tanks; university presidents; directors of major university presses; and editors of leading newspapers and magazines — were invited to recommend up to two individuals. All proposals undergo a preliminary, anonymous evaluation by leading authorities in the relevant fields. The top recommendations are then forwarded to the jury for a final review and selection.
The award is for up to two years, and its expected result is a book or major study.
• Class of 2021
• Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program Jurors
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation’s work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered to be of paramount importance: education, international peace, and a strong democracy.
Source: Carnegie Corporation of New York
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:28 AM | View the original post
Photo: Responsive and Responsible Leadership. Brian T. Moynihan, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of America Corporation, USA, speaking during the session: Responsive and Responsible Leadership at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 20, 2017. Image provided by & Copyright © World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle. [File Photo]
SILVER SPRING, Md., April 27, 2021 — The International Leadership Association (ILA) work is made possible by the power of its members’ curiosity, creativity, and desire to make an impact. Each year, it recognizes a select group of expert members who desire to give back to the field of leadership as ILA Fellows.
Fellows engage with ILA’s mission across sectors and disciplines to do worthy work at the intersection of leadership research and practice. They contribute to special initiatives that help drive the ILA’s mission to advance leadership knowledge and practice for a better world.
This year’s Fellows include the new Fellow roles of Executive in Residence and Scholar in Residence
ILA Executive in Residence
ILA Scholar in Residence
ILA Fellows
ILA’s 2021-2022 Fellows include thought leaders from around the world. Together they will share their knowledge and expertise, explore today’s challenges in dialogue with other leaders, and apply their practical wisdom to inform and inspire. They are:
Maureen Metcalf, returning for another term as an ILA Fellow, will continue her partnership with ILA to produce a series of 12+ podcasts on global leadership, part of her weekly Innovating Leadership show. The ILA adds another podcaster to its Fellows group with Scott Allen, the host of Phronesis: Practical Wisdom for Leadership. Scott will work with ILA to produce weekly episodes of Phronesis under the banner of “ILA’s official podcast.” Scott shared his excitement for the partnership, writing: “ILA has played a central role in my growth and development as a leadership educator and scholar. I have moderated the listserv, chaired a member community, and served on the board. As an ILA Fellow, I’ll have the opportunity to engage in a new and exciting way! I am thrilled to partner with ILA to bring inspirational and thought-provoking content to people all over the globe.”
ILA Fellows, Keith Grint, Stella Nkomo, Erwin Schwella, and Katherine Tyler Scott will share their insights via blogs looking at the challenges of today through a leadership lens. Grint, Schwella, and Tyler Scott are experienced bloggers, having contributed several pieces to ILA’s blog in 2020 including, “Leadership in Times of Crisis,” “The Fire Next Time,” and “The Global Pandemic: A Trigger for Deeply Systemic Disruptive Social Innovation? Or an Inevitable Global Apocalypse?” Echoing other fellows, Katherine affirmed that “ILA has been instrumental in my professional development, leadership, and service as a scholar-practitioner. I have been privileged to serve as Chair of Leadership Development, Conference Weaver, Vice-Chair and Chair of the ILA Board.” She added, “The honor of being selected as an ILA Fellow is another opportunity to contribute to this special community of learners.”
“We are thrilled to be working with this year’s group of outstanding Fellows,” noted Cynthia Cherrey, CEO & President of the ILA. “Their commitment to ILA and contributions to the field of leadership are unparalleled and will be appreciated for years to come.”
The International Leadership Association is a worldwide professional association committed to advancing leadership knowledge and practice for a better world. It accomplishes its mission by creating trusted leadership resources. The synergy that occurs by bringing people together in the charged space of its conferences and events produces a multiplier impact on leadership and change. For more than twenty years, the ILA has convened extraordinary talent across sectors, cultures, disciplines, and generations.
Source: International Leadership Association
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— The Editor is a Member of the International Leadership Association.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:27 PM | View the original post
Photo: Oscar nominee Garrett Bradley arrives on the red carpet 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.
Photo: On behalf of Denmark, Thomas Vinterberg poses backstage with the Oscar for International Feature Film during the live A.B.C. 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.
Photo: James Reed, Pippa Erlich (L), and Marlee Matlin pose backstage with the Oscar for Documentary Feature during the live A.B.C. 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.
Photo: Chloé Zhao poses backstage with the Oscar for Directing during the live A.B.C. 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.
Photo: Oscar nominee Will Berson and guest arrive on the red carpet of The 93rd Oscars at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Image provided by & Copyright © Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The 93rd Oscars were held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. The event was televised live on A.B.C. The Oscars were also televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Nomadland won big at the Oscars as it won the Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress awards. Anthony Hopkins won the Best Actor for The Father. David Fincher’s Mank, which led the way with ten nominations, took home awards for cinematography and production design.
HERE IS THE FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS & WINNERS:
• Performance by an actor in a leading role
• Performance by an actor in a supporting role
• Performance by an actress in a leading role
• Performance by an actress in a supporting role
• The best animated feature film of the year
• Achievement in cinematography
• Achievement in costume design
• Achievement in directing
• Best documentary feature
• Best documentary short subject
• Achievement in film editing
• The best international feature film of the year
• Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
• Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
• Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
• Best motion picture of the year
• Achievement in production design
• Best animated short film
• Best live-action short film
• Achievement in sound
• Achievement in visual effects
• Adapted screenplay
• Original screenplay
Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:36 AM | View the original post
Photo: Magnolia tree blooms are seen Friday, March 26, 2021, in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz).
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of India.
APRIL 25, 2021
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone today with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, expressing deep sympathy for the people of India following the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. Mr. Sullivan affirmed America’s solidarity with India, the two countries with the greatest number of COVID-19 instances globally. Building on the seven-decade health partnership between the United States and India —including battles against smallpox, polio, and HIV — they resolved that India and the United States will continue to fight the global COVID-19 pandemic together. Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need.
To this end, the United States is working around the clock to deploy available resources and supplies. The United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India. To help treat COVID-19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, the United States has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India. The United States also is pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis. The U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding a substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for BioE, the vaccine manufacturer in India, enabling BioE to ramp up to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022. Additionally, the United States is deploying an expert team of public health advisors from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and USAID to collaborate with the U.S. Embassy, India’s health ministries, and India’s Epidemic Intelligence Service staff. USAID will also quickly work with CDC to support and fast-track the mobilization of emergency resources available to India through the Global Fund.
The two National Security Advisors agreed that the U.S. and India would stay in close touch in the coming days.
Source: The White House Briefing Room
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:48 PM | View the original post
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., April 23, 2021 — Johnson & Johnson has announced that vaccinations with the Company’s COVID-19 single-shot vaccine would resume for all adults aged 18 years and older in the U.S. under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). It follows a decision from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The decision was based on a recommendation from the U.S. CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP had followed a rigorous evaluation of data relating to an infrequent adverse event involving blood clots combined with low platelet counts (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia) observed within approximately one to two weeks following vaccination.
“As the global pandemic continues to devastate communities around the world, we believe a single-shot, easily transportable COVID-19 vaccine with demonstrated protection against multiple variants can help protect the health and safety of people everywhere. We will collaborate with health authorities around the world to educate healthcare professionals and the public to ensure this infrequent event can be identified early and treated effectively,” said Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson.
Johnson & Johnson has updated the EUA Fact Sheets for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers) and Recipients and Caregivers for the Company’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The Company said it continues to work with other healthcare authorities and regulators worldwide to ensure that the product labels for the Company’s COVID-19 vaccine include this information. On April 20, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) also issued a recommendation, confirming the overall benefit-risk profile of the Company’s COVID-19 vaccine remains positive.
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine, developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, received EUA from the FDA on February 27, 2021, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older.
This decision was based in part on the totality of scientific evidence, including data from the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study. The study had demonstrated that the vaccine was 66.1 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe/acute disease and 85 percent effective in preventing severe/critical illness across all regions studied, 28 days post-vaccination.
The terms of the EUA allow the use of the vaccine while more data are gathered. The Company plans to file for a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the FDA later in 2021.
On April 21, 2021, Johnson & Johnson announced primary data from the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE clinical trial in the New England Journal of Medicine. The preliminary analysis of the Company’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine follows the topline efficacy and safety data announced in January, showing the trial met all primary and critical secondary endpoints and prevented COVID-19 related hospitalization across all study participants 28 days after vaccination. The data also show the vaccine to be consistently effective against symptomatic infection, including in South Africa and Brazil, where there was a high prevalence of rapidly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WHAT SHOULD YOU MENTION TO YOUR VACCINATION PROVIDER BEFORE YOU GET THE JANSSEN COVID-19 VACCINE?
Tell the vaccination provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Source: Johnson & Johnson
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:43 PM | View the original post
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 22, 2021 — The American Academy of Arts & Sciences announced today the election of 252 new members.
The Academy was established in 1780 by the country’s founders to guide a young nation that would face challenges and need expertise and excellence to emerge stronger. While the founders did not anticipate a year with a historic pandemic, overdue racial reckoning, and political strife, the purpose of electing new members is more compelling than ever, the Academy stated.
The 2021 election provides an opportunity to recognize extraordinary people across America and worldwide who help solve the world’s most urgent challenges, create meaning through art, and contribute to the common good from every field, discipline, and profession.
“We are honoring the excellence of these individuals, celebrating what they have achieved so far, and imagining what they will continue to accomplish,” said David Oxtoby, President of the American Academy. “The past year has been replete with evidence of how things can get worse; this is an opportunity to illuminate the importance of art, ideas, knowledge, and leadership that can make a better world.”
The artists, scholars, scientists, and leaders in the public, non-profit, and private sectors elected this year include:
The International Honorary Members, from 17 countries this year, include physician and researcher Peter Carmeliet (KU Leuven, Belgium), writer Duong Thu Huong (Vietnam), and botanist Lúcia Garcez Lohmann (University of São Paulo, Brazil).
“While it is noteworthy that we continue to elect members more than 240 years after the Academy’s founding, this is about more than maintaining traditions,” said Nancy C. Andrews, Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Academy. “We recognize individuals who use their talents and their influence to confront today’s challenges, to lift our spirits through the arts, and to help shape our collective future.”
John Adams, John Hancock, and others founded the Academy. They believed the new republic should honor exceptionally accomplished individuals and engage them in advancing the public good. The Academy’s dual mission remains essentially the same today, with members from increasingly diverse fields working together to share ideas and recommendations in the arts, democracy, education, global affairs, and science.
The new class joins Academy members elected before them, including Benjamin Franklin (elected 1781) and Alexander Hamilton (1791) in the eighteenth century; Ralph Waldo Emerson (1864), Maria Mitchell (1848), and Charles Darwin (1874) in the nineteenth; Albert Einstein (1924), Robert Frost (1931), Margaret Mead (1948), Milton Friedman (1959), Martin Luther King, Jr. (1966), and Anthony Fauci (1991) in the twentieth; and more recently Antonin Scalia (2003), Andrea Ghez (2004), Bryan Stevenson (2014), Nicholas Kristof (2017), John Legend (2017), Viet Thanh Nguyen (2018), and Anna Deavere Smith (2019).
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the country’s oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, convening leaders from the academic, business, and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing the nation and the world. Current Academy research focuses on higher education, the humanities, and the arts; science and technology policy; global security and energy; and American institutions and the public good. The Academy’s work is advanced by its more than 5,000 elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs from around the world.
Source: American Academy of Arts & Sciences
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:07 AM | View the original post
Photos: Jazz Day Posters from different countries.
Paris, France, April 22, 2021 — UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock have announced the program for the 10th-anniversary edition of International Jazz Day, with an inspiring series of performances and educational and community outreach initiatives in more than 190 countries.
Hosted by multi-Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas, the 2021 All-Star Global Concert will be streamed live from UNESCO in Paris and the United Nations in New York with a lineup of some of the best international artists performing from cities around the world. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres will speak during the concert. Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock will be the concert’s artistic director, while John Beasley will serve as the concert’s musical director.
“UNESCO created International Jazz Day to share the values of a significant musical genre. Today we need Jazz more than ever. We need its values based on human dignity and the fight against racism and all forms of oppression. It is so much more than music. Jazz is the kind of bridge-builder we need in the world today,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, in her message.
“Our International Jazz Day community has displayed incredible resilience, creativity, ingenuity, and compassion throughout the immense challenges of the past year. While the global pandemic continues to make life difficult for so many around the world, the example of organizers from Nepal to Mexico to Cameroon inspires us to greet this historic 10th-anniversary milestone with joy, courage, and hope for the future of Jazz,” Herbie Hancock stated.
The All-Star Global Concert will mark the culmination of International Jazz Day 2021, starting at 9 pm UTC in New York, with performances by:
In Los Angeles, Herbie Hancock will be joined by:
Leading musicians performing from their home countries will be Igor Butman in Moscow (Russia), Ivan Lins in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), John McLaughlin in Monaco, James Morrison in Mt. Gambier (Australia), Junko Onishi in Tokyo (Japan), and Jacob Collier in London (United Kingdom) and more.
In parallel, an array of virtual and socially distanced activities will occur across the globe on April 30 and in the days leading up to International Jazz Day. Independent artists, UNESCO Creative Cities of Music, and organizers worldwide have curated thousands of concerts, webinars, radio broadcasts, charity fundraisers, marathon jam sessions, educational workshops, art exhibitions, and more adhering to recommended public health guidelines.
YouTube, Facebook, jazzday.com, U.N. Web T.V., UNESCO, and U.S. State Department outlets would webcast the April 30 program live.
UNESCO established international Jazz Day in 2011 at the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes it. The day brings together countries and communities worldwide every April 30 to celebrate the international art form of Jazz. Jazz Day highlights Jazz’s essential role in encouraging dialogue, combating discrimination, and promoting human dignity. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is UNESCO’s partner in the organization and promotion of International Jazz Day.
Source: UNESCO
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:50 PM | View the original post
Photo: A family of Osprey outside the NASA Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Thursday, May 13, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls).
Photo: Mars 2020 Strategic Mission Manager Pauline Hwang gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover initial surface checkout briefing, Friday, February 19, 2021, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover landed on Mars Thursday, February 18, 2021. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls).
Photo: The Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter after its release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm completing a 93-day cargo mission at the International Space Station. Image Credit: (NASA Johnson).
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., April 16, 2021 — High school and college students from around the U.S. and world have spent the last eight months designing, building, and testing their creations for NASA’s 27th annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge - one of seven NASA Artemis Student Challenges. The winners were announced during a virtual awards ceremony on April 16.
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) tasks the U.S. and international student teams to design, engineer, and test a human-powered rover on a course that simulates the terrain found on rocky bodies in the solar system. The groups also must perform mission tasks while negotiating the course, including sample retrievals and spectrographic analysis.
Despite the cancellation of on-site competition activities at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the high school and college teams competed in multiple designs, documentation, and presentation categories, and were recognized for their successful efforts.
“The challenges you faced with this competition go beyond anything we’ve seen before, from designing the wheels and mission tools to executing mission requirements like sample retrievals and deploying instruments,” said Marshall Center Director Jody Singer. “To all of the students who took on these tasks and participated in Rover Challenge, we salute you and congratulate you on your accomplishments.”
“The students had to think outside the box to figure out how to develop these robust vehicles during a global pandemic,” said Miranda Fike, activity lead for the challenge at Marshall. “These members of the Artemis Generation rose to the occasion and delivered their reviews, presentations, designs, and videos without fail.”
NASA presented Awards in nine categories:
• Overall Winner
• High School Division:
1st place: Parish Episcopal School Team 1, Dallas, Texas.
2nd place: Stillwater Area High School, Stillwater, Minnesota.
3rd place: Navonmesh Prasar Foundation, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
• College/University Division:
1st place: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Columbia.
2nd place: Tecnológico de Monterrey, Xochitepec, Mexico.
3rd place: the University of Alabama in Huntsville Team 1.
• Project Review Award
High School Division: Parish Episcopal School Team 1.
College/University Division: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina.
• Task Challenge Award
High School Division: Liceo Cientifico Dr. Miguel Canela Lázaro, Salcedo, Dominican Republic.
College/University Division: Trine University, Angola, Indiana.
• Safety Award
High School Division: Academy of Arts, Careers, & Technology, Reno, Nevada.
College/University Division: Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• Ingenuity Award
High School Division: Stillwater Area High School.
College/University Division: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina.
• Phoenix Award
High School Division: Academy of Arts, Careers, & Technology.
College/University Division: KIET Group of Institutions, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• Videography Award
High School Division: Navonmesh Prasar Foundation, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
College Division: Universidad Catolica Boliviana - La Paz, La Paz, Bolivia.
• STEM Engagement Award
High School Division: Vision Builder Adventures, Charlotte, North Carolina.
College/University Division: Tecnológico de Monterrey.
• Social Media Award
High School Division: Parish Episcopal School Team 2, Dallas, Texas.
College/University Division: Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
For more than 25 years, the annual NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge and its sponsors have encouraged student teams from the United States and around the world to push the limits of innovation and imagine what it will take to explore the Moon, Mars, and other planets.
The Office of STEM Engagement manages Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. The competition reflects the goals of the Artemis program, which seeks to put the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement uses challenges and competitions to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
SOURCE: NASA
|GlobalGiants.Com|
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