CULTURE

January 14, 2016

88TH OSCARS NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Photo: Billie Lourd accepts the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for Debbie Reynolds from Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep during the 2015 Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 14, 2015. Image Credit: Phil McCarten / © A.M.P.A.S.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Guillermo del Toro, John Krasinski and Ang Lee announced the 88th Academy Awards nominations today.

Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories - actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and Foreign Language Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Official screenings of all motion pictures with one or more nominations will begin for members on Saturday, January 23, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Screenings also will be held at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood and in London, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 24 categories.

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Nominations for the 88th Academy Awards

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Bryan Cranston in “Trumbo”
• Matt Damon in “The Martian”
• Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant”
• Michael Fassbender in “Steve Jobs”
• Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Christian Bale in “The Big Short”
• Tom Hardy in “The Revenant”
• Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight”
• Mark Rylance in “Bridge of Spies”
• Sylvester Stallone in “Creed”

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Cate Blanchett in “Carol”
• Brie Larson in “Room”
• Jennifer Lawrence in “Joy”
• Charlotte Rampling in “45 Years”
• Saoirse Ronan in “Brooklyn”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Jennifer Jason Leigh in “The Hateful Eight”
• Rooney Mara in “Carol”
• Rachel McAdams in “Spotlight”
• Alicia Vikander in “The Danish Girl”
• Kate Winslet in “Steve Jobs”

Best animated feature film of the year

• “Anomalisa” Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran
• “Boy and the World” Alê Abreu
• “Inside Out” Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
• “Shaun the Sheep Movie” Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
• “When Marnie Was There” Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Achievement in cinematography

• “Carol” Ed Lachman
• “The Hateful Eight” Robert Richardson
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” John Seale
• “The Revenant” Emmanuel Lubezki
• “Sicario” Roger Deakins

Achievement in costume design

• “Carol” Sandy Powell
• “Cinderella” Sandy Powell
• “The Danish Girl” Paco Delgado
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Jenny Beavan
• “The Revenant” Jacqueline West

Achievement in directing

• “The Big Short” Adam McKay
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” George Miller
• “The Revenant” Alejandro G. Inarritu
• “Room” Lenny Abrahamson
• “Spotlight” Tom McCarthy

Best documentary feature

• “Amy” Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
• “Cartel Land” Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
• “The Look of Silence” Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
• “What Happened, Miss Simone?” Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin Wilkes
• “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor

Best documentary short subject

• “Body Team 12” David Darg and Bryn Mooser
• “Chau, beyond the Lines” Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
• “Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah” Adam Benzine
• “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness” Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
• “Last Day of Freedom” Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman

Achievement in film editing

• “The Big Short” Hank Corwin
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Margaret Sixel
• “The Revenant” Stephen Mirrione
• “Spotlight” Tom McArdle
• “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Best foreign language film of the year

• “Embrace of the Serpent” Colombia
• “Mustang” France
• “Son of Saul” Hungary
• “Theeb” Jordan
• “A War” Denmark

(These foreign language films have been selected from the 81 official entries submitted by various countries, listed in our following post —

81 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2015 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OSCAR

All others, including the official entry from India “Court”, were eliminated from the Oscar race.)

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin
• “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared” Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
• “The Revenant” Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

• “Bridge of Spies” Thomas Newman
• “Carol” Carter Burwell
• “The Hateful Eight” Ennio Morricone
• “Sicario” Jóhann Jóhannsson
• “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” John Williams

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

• “Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey”
• Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio
• “Manta Ray” from “Racing Extinction”
• Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty
• “Simple Song #3” from “Youth”
• Music and Lyric by David Lang
• “Til It Happens To You” from “The Hunting Ground”
• Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga
• “Writing’s On The Wall” from “Spectre”
• Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Best motion picture of the year

• “The Big Short” Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
• “Bridge of Spies” Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
• “Brooklyn” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers
• “The Martian” Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers
• “The Revenant” Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers
• “Room” Ed Guiney, Producer
• “Spotlight” Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Achievement in production design

• “Bridge of Spies” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich
• “The Danish Girl” Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson
• “The Martian” Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak
• “The Revenant” Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy

Best animated short film

• “Bear Story” Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
• “Prologue” Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
• “Sanjay’s Super Team” Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
• “We Can’t Live without Cosmos” Konstantin Bronzit
• “World of Tomorrow” Don Hertzfeldt

Best live action short film

• “Ave Maria” Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
• “Day One” Henry Hughes
• “Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)” Patrick Vollrath
• “Shok” Jamie Donoughue
• “Stutterer” Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

Achievement in sound editing

• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Mark Mangini and David White
• “The Martian” Oliver Tarney
• “The Revenant” Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender
• “Sicario” Alan Robert Murray
• “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Matthew Wood and David Acord

Achievement in sound mixing

• “Bridge of Spies” Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
• “The Martian” Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
• “The Revenant” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
• “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson

Achievement in visual effects

• “Ex Machina” Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams
• “The Martian” Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner
• “The Revenant” Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer
• “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould

Adapted screenplay

• “The Big Short” Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
• “Brooklyn” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
• “Carol” Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
• “The Martian” Screenplay by Drew Goddard
• “Room” Screenplay by Emma Donoghue

Original screenplay

• “Bridge of Spies” Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
• “Ex Machina” Written by Alex Garland
• “Inside Out” Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
• “Spotlight” Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
• “Straight Outta Compton” Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:01 PM | View the original post

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December 29, 2015

New York's Times Square 2016 New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: New York Countdown during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

• This countdown event was the biggest in the world, with over a million people gathered in Times Square and a television audience around the globe of more than a billion. The 1-million-strong crowd chanted out in a deafening roar as “Happy New Year” appeared on the screen with the final “0” of the countdown, climaxing with confetti exploding into the air.

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: World Capitals Countdown. New Delhi, India, New Year’s Countdown (in Hindi language) at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. The message appeared on the TOSHIBA screen as soon as it was 12 O’Clock midnight In India. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: World Capitals Countdown. New Delhi, India, New Year’s Countdown (in English) at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. The message appeared on the TOSHIBA screen as soon as it was 12 O’Clock midnight In India. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: Demi Lovato performs during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: Demi Lovato performs during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: December 28, 2015. Two giant, seven-foot-tall numerals - the “1” and “6” in 2-0-1-6 - arrive in Times Square. Like the “20,” the “16” is illuminated by Philips outdoor bulbs. Image Credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC.

Photos: Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. The Times Square Ball is a time ball located on a roof at the New York City’s Times Square. The ball descends 141 feet (43 m) in 60 seconds down a specially designed flagpole, beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET, and resting at midnight to signal the start of the new year. Image Credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC.

New York, NY — December 29, 2015 — Toshiba corp. will liven up a global countdown event as the official sponsor for the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration. The 60-second countdown to midnight will be enhanced by audio and pyrotechnic effects on the TOSHIBA VISION screen, located directly below the world famous Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball.

The screen will feature New Year’s Eve content and entertainment for the more than one million-plus expected revellers. In addition, about one billion viewers around world are expected to watch it.

The New Year’s Eve at the symbolic center of New York City has become more than just a celebration - it’s a global tradition. Every year as the clock nears midnight on December 31, the eyes of the world turn once more to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high. The world holds its breath, and cheers as the clocks strike twelve.

Photos: December 28, 2015. Confetti Wishes at the Wishing Wall in Times Square, New York. Every wish submitted from anywhere in the world is printed on a piece of confetti and included in the 3,000 pounds of confetti released at midnight over the one million revellers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Images Credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC.

New Year’s Eve | 2016 Virtual Wishing Wall — Your wishes will be added to the confetti that flutters down in the heart of Times Square on New Year’s Eve!

The Wishing Wall is on Times Square’s Broadway plazas, between 42nd Street and 47th Street, every day until December 29. For those who can’t make it to Times Square, wishes are being collected online at the Times Square New Year’s Eve Virtual Wishing Wall.

Every wish submitted - via the Wishing Wall in Times Square, or online - will be printed on a piece of confetti and included in the 3,000 pounds of confetti released at midnight over the one million revellers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

“Writing down a wish is a great opportunity to look back and reflect on the past year while looking forward to a brighter future,” said Tim Tompkins, President, Times Square Alliance. “We anticipate tens of thousands of people from across the world will submit wishes as we countdown the final days of 2015.”

“Having the Wishing Wall in Times Square and online creates an opportunity for everyone to participate in our global celebration,” added Jeff Straus, President, Countdown Entertainment. “It’s magical having wishes from around the world floating down on the million revellers in Times Square as we greet the New Year.”

“We are thrilled to be part of this worldwide celebration and encourage everyone to join in on the fun and submit their wish for 2016,” said Chris Rondeau, Chief Executive Officer at Planet Fitness. “There’s no better way to jumpstart the New Year than with a wish or a goal for the year ahead.”

MAKE YOUR WISH FOR 2016

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan’s Turret in a Noose of Light.”

— The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Edward Fitzgerald Translation).

Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:22 AM | View the original post

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December 11, 2015

47 cities join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Photo: Starstruck. Austin, Texas. Austin has just been designated UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts. Photographer, Image Credit & Copyright © Thomas Hawk.

Paris, 11 December 2015 - UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, has announced the designation of 47 cities from 33 countries as new members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The results of this year’s Call bears witness to the Network’s enhanced diversity and geographical representation with 22 cities from countries not previously represented.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network has welcomed the following cities within its seven creative fields (Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music):

1. Adelaide (Australia) - Music
2. Al-Ahsa (Saudi Arabia) - Crafts and Folk Art
3. Austin (United States of America) - Media Arts
4. Baghdad (Iraq) - Literature
5. Bamiyan (Afghanistan) - Crafts and Folk Art
6. Bandung (Indonesia) - Design
7. Barcelona (Spain) - Literature
8. Belem (Brazil) - Gastronomy
9. Bergen (Norway) - Gastronomy
10. Bitola (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) - Film
11. Budapest (Hungary) - Design
12. Burgos (Spain) - Gastronomy
13. Denia (Spain) - Gastronomy
14. Detroit (United States of America) - Design
15. Duran (Ecuador) - Crafts and Folk Art
16. Ensenada (Mexico) - Gastronomy
17. Gaziantep (Turkey) - Gastronomy
18. Idanha-a-Nova (Portugal) - Music
19. Isfahan (Iran [Islamic Republic of]) - Crafts and Folk Art
20. Jaipur (India) - Crafts and Folk Art
21. Katowice (Poland) - Music
22. Kaunas (Lithuania) - Design
23. Kingston (Jamaica) - Music
24. Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Music
25. Liverpool (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Music
26. Ljubljana (Slovenia) - Literature
27. Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Crafts and Folk Art
28. Lviv (Ukraine) - Literature
29. Medellín (Colombia) - Music
30. Montevideo (Uruguay) - Literature
31. Nottingham (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Literature
32. Obidos (Portugal) - Literature
33. Parma (Italy) - Gastronomy
34. Phuket (Thailand) - Gastronomy
35. Puebla (Mexico) - Design
36. Rasht (Iran [Islamic Republic of]) - Gastronomy
37. Rome (Italy) - Film
38. Salvador (Brazil) - Music
39. San Cristobal de las Casas (Mexico) - Crafts and Folk Art
40. Santos (Brazil) - Film
41. Sasayama (Japan) - Crafts and Folk Art
42. Singapore (Singapore) - Design
43. Tartu (Estonia) - Literature
44. Tongyeong (Republic of Korea) - Music
45. Tucson (United States of America) - Gastronomy
46. Ulyanovsk (Russian Federation) - Literature
47. Varanasi (India) - Music

For the very first time, two Indian cities — Varanasi and Jaipur — have joined UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This is a historic first for India in this elite global compact.

Launched in 2004, the Network now comprises 116 cities worldwide. It aims to foster international cooperation with and between cities committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy.

By joining the Network, cities commit to collaborate and develop partnerships with a view to promoting creativity and cultural industries, to share best practices, to strengthen participation in cultural life, and to integrate culture in economic and social development strategies and plans.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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

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December 4, 2015

Miss Universe 2015 Contestants in Las Vegas

Photos: Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach wins Miss Universe 2015 title. Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach [EDITOR’S PICK, see below], Miss Universe Philippines 2015, is crowned the winner at the conclusion of The 2015 MISS UNIVERSE Telecast airing live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on FOX Sunday, December 20. Congratulations Pia!
Images provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographers: Richard D. Salyer, Patrick Prather.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, Miss Universe Philippines 2015, poses for a photo inside Planet Hollywood on Wednesday December 9th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Ariadna Gutierrez, Miss Universe Colombia 2015, is announced as a top 10 finalist in Yamamay swimwear during The 2015 MISS UNIVERSE Telecast airing live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on FOX Sunday, December 20. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Flora Coquerel, Miss Universe France 2015, poses in her evening gown upon arriving at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Sarah-Lorraine Riek, Miss Universe Germany 2015, poses in her evening gown upon arriving at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filminbg, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Laura Spoya, Miss Universe Peru 2015, poses in her evening gown upon arriving at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Exotics Racing Event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Flora Coquerel, Miss Universe France 2015, poses for a photo at Exotics Racing on Wednesday December 9th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Darren Decker.

Photo: Giada Pezzaioli, Miss Universe Italy 2015, poses for a photo at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on Monday, December 7th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Comedian/Writer Nick Teplitz introduces the 2015 Miss Universe contestants during the Welcome Event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Monday December 7th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Olivia Jordan, Miss USA 2015, is interviewed during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 5th, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Sarah-Lorraine Riek, Miss Universe Germany 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 4th, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Mariana Jimenez, Miss Universe Venezuela 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 3rd, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Yun Fang Xue, Miss Universe China 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 1st, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Cecilie Wellemberg, Miss Universe Denmark 2015, and Martine Rodseth, Miss Universe Norway 2015, pose during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 2nd, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Toria Nichole, Miss Universe Bahamas 2015, arrives at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 1st, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Marthina Brandt, Miss Universe Brazil 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 3rd, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

THE 2015 MISS UNIVERSE CONTESTANTS

• ALBANIA — Megi Luka
• ANGOLA — Whitney Houston A. Shikongo
• ARGENTINA — Claudia Alexis Barrionuevo
• ARUBA — Alysha Boekhoudt
• AUSTRALIA — Monika Radulovic
• AUSTRIA — Amina Dagi
• BAHAMAS — Toria Nichole Fanakos
• BELGIUM — Annelies Sven D. Törös
• BOLIVIA — Romina Rocamonje
• BRAZIL — Marthina Brandt
• BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS — Adorya Rocio Baly
• BULGARIA — Radostina Borislavova Todorova
• CANADA — Paola Nunez
• CAYMAN ISLANDS — Tonie Maria Chisholm
• CHILE — H Maria Belen Jerez Spuler
• CHINA — Yun Fang Xue
• COLOMBIA — Ariadna Guiterrez Arévalo
• COSTA RICA — Brenda Castro
• CROATIA — Mirta Kustan
• CURACAO — Kanisha Sluis
• CZECH REPUBLIC — Nikol Svantnerova
• DENMARK — Cecilie Wellemberg
• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — Clarissa Molina
• ECUADOR — Francesca Keyko Cipriani
• EL SALVADOR — Fatima Idubina Rivas
• FINLAND — Rosa-Maria Ryyti
• FRANCE — Flora Coquerel
• GABON — Ornella Fanny Obone Mbomeyo
• GEORGIA — Janet Kerdikoshvili
• GERMANY — Sarah- Lorraine Riek
• GHANA — Hilda Akua Frimpong
• GREAT BRITAIN — Narissara Nena France
• GREECE — Michaela Eleni Fotiadi
• GUATEMALA — Jeimmy Tahiz Aburto
• GUYANA — Shauna Andrea Ramdyhan
• HAITI — Lisa Elizabeth Drouillard
• HONDURAS — Iroshka Lindaly Elvir
• HUNGARY — Nikoletta Nagy
• INDIA — Urvashi Manvar Singh Rautela
• INDONESIA — Anindya Kusuma Putri
• IRELAND — Joanna Cooper
• ISRAEL — Avigail Alfatov
• ITALY — Giada Pezzaioli
• JAMAICA — Sharlene Dayowi Radlein
• JAPAN — Ariana Miyamoto
• KOREA — Seoyeon Kim
• KOSOVO — Mirjeta Shala
• LEBANON — Cynthia Roger Samuel
• MALAYSIA — Vanessa Tevi Kumares
• MAURITIUS — Sheetal Khadun
• MEXICO — Wendy Esparza
• MONTENEGRO — Maja Cukic
• MYANMAR — May Barani Thaw
• NETHERLANDS — Jessie Jazz Vuijk
• NEW ZEALAND — Samantha Sarah Lesley McClung
• NICARAGUA — Daniela Torres
• NIGERIA — Debbie Collins
• NORWAY — Martine Rodseth
• PANAMA — Gladys Brandao Amaya
• PARAGUAY — Myriam Arevalos
• PERU — Laura Vivian Spoya
• PHILIPPINES — Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach
• POLAND — Weronika SzmajdziÅ„ska
• PORTUGAL — Emília Araujo
• PUERTO RICO — Catalina Morales
• RUSSIA — Vladislava Evtushenko
• SERBIA — Dasa Radosavljevic
• SINGAPORE — Lisa Marie White
• SLOVAK REPUBLIC— Denisa Vysnovska
• SLOVENIA — Ana Halozan
• SOUTH AFRICA — Refilwe Mthimunye
• SPAIN — Carla Barber Garcia
• SWEDEN — Paulina Brodd
• TANZANIA — Lorraine C. Marriot
• THAILAND — Aniporn Chalermburanawong
• TURKEY — Asli Melisa Uzun
• UKRAINE — Anna Vergelskaya
• URUGUAY — Bianca Sanchez
• USA — Olivia Jordan
• VENEZUELA — Mariana Coromoto Jimenez
• VIETNAM — Huong Pham

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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November 22, 2015

Monica Bellucci attends SPECTRE Premiere in Rome

Photo: Monica Bellucci, who plays the coveted role of Bond girl in the new 007 James Bond movie, Spectre, poses up in de GRISOGONO jewellery and a black outfit at the Spectre Premiere in Rome, Italy. Image provided by & copyright de GRISOGONO.

Photo: Italian actress and fashion model, Monica Bellucci, in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain. © French Select via Getty Images.)

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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November 21, 2015

British Bond Actress Naomie Harris Introduces New Range Rover Evoque Convertible as it Premieres in the USA

Photos: Exclusive images from acclaimed fashion photographer Ben Watts… Land Rover showcases new Range Rover Evoque Convertible in Santa Monica beachside shoot with Bond star Naomie Harris. Images provided by & copyright © Jaguar Land Rover.

LOS ANGELES, CA - November 16, 2015 - Land Rover has unveiled its first luxury compact convertible SUV along the iconic coastline of Los Angeles in Santa Monica, CA. SPECTRE actress Naomie Harris was one of the first to view the newest member of the Range Rover family, as it was revealed for the first time ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Following the recent global release of SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond adventure, which features vehicles produced by the Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations division, Harris joined the brand to receive an exclusive first look at the new Range Rover Evoque Convertible as it debuted in the US. Harris, in her role as Moneypenny, has been paired with Land Rover vehicles including the iconic Defender (Skyfall) and more recently the Discovery Sport (SPECTRE).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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November 12, 2015

Global Innovation Index 2015: Switzerland, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, USA are Leaders

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO Main Building and the Place des Nations in summer. © WIPO 2011. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO Conference Hall. Foyer of the WIPO Conference Hall featuring volumes and perspectives created by ramps, staircases, railings, landings and mezzanines. The Conference Hall was inaugurated in September 2014. © WIPO 2014. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO Director General Opens “Georgian Heritage” Exhibition at WIPO on the sidelines of the WIPO Assemblies, which met in Geneva from October 5 to 14, 2015. © WIPO 2015. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. A Member of the Delegation from the Russian Federation attends the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property. The Sixteenth Session of WIPO’s Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from November 9 to November 13, 2015. © WIPO 2015. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States of America are the world’s five most innovative nations, according to the Global Innovation Index 2015, while China, Malaysia, Viet Nam, India, Jordan, Kenya, and Uganda are among a group of countries outperforming their economic peers.

The GII (Global Innovation Index) 2015 looks at “Effective Innovation Policies for Development” and shows new ways that emerging-economy policymakers can boost innovation and spur growth by building on local strengths.

“Innovation holds far-reaching promise for spurring economic growth in countries at all stages of development. However, realizing this promise is not automatic,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, “Each nation must find the right mix of policies to mobilize the innate innovative and creative potential in their economies.”

The GII, co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), surveys 141 economies around the world, using 79 indicators to gauge both innovative capabilities and measurable results.

Top Rankings

1. Switzerland
2. United Kingdom
3. Sweden
4. Netherlands
5. United States of America
6. Finland
7. Singapore
8. Ireland
9. Luxembourg
10. Denmark

• In terms of innovation quality - as measured by university performance, the reach of scholarly articles and the international dimension of patent applications - a few economies stand out. The US and the UK stay ahead of the pack, largely as a result of their world-class universities, closely followed by Japan, Germany and Switzerland. Top-scoring middle-income economies on innovation quality are China, Brazil and India, with China increasingly outpacing the others.

Soumitra Dutta, Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University and co-author of the report, points out that “Innovation quality matters. Creating world class universities and investing in research is essential for staying ahead in the global race for successful innovation.”

Regional Innovation Leaders

Rank in Region — Country Name — GII 2015 Rank

Central and Southern Asia

1. India — 81
2. Kazakhstan — 82
3. Sri Lanka — 85

Europe

1. Switzerland — 1
2. United Kingdom — 2
3. Sweden — 3

Latin America and the Caribbean

1. Chile — 42
2. Costa Rica — 51
3. Mexico — 57

Northern Africa and Western Asia

1. Israel — 22
2. Cyprus — 34
3. Saudi Arabia — 43

Northern America

1. United States of America — 5
2. Canada — 16

Southeast Asia and Oceania

1. Singapore — 7
2. Hong Kong (China) — 11
3. Korea, Rep. of — 14

Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Mauritius — 49
2. South Africa — 60
3. Senegal — 84

The Global Innovation Index 2015 (GII), in its 8th edition this year, is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Published annually since 2007, the GII is now a leading benchmarking tool for business executives, policy makers and others seeking insight into the state of innovation around the world.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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November 4, 2015

Artistic Gymnastics World Championships: Giulia Steingruber of Switzerland wins the Longines Prize for Elegance

Photo: Giulia Steingruber of Switzerland, who has been awarded the Longines Prize for Elegance at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Image provided by and copyright © Longines.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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November 2, 2015

London Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switched On

Photo: A general view of the atmosphere during the World Famous Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switch On Event taking place at the Pandora Flagship Store on November 1, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Getty Images for New West End Company. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: A general view of the atmosphere during the World Famous Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switch On Event taking place at the Pandora Flagship Store on November 1, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Getty Images for New West End Company. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: International pop star Kylie Minogue attends the World Famous Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switch On Event taking place at the Pandora Flagship Store on November 1, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for New West End Company. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: Pop star Foxes attends the World Famous Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switch On Event taking place at the Pandora Flagship Store on November 1, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for New West End Company. © 2015 Getty Images).

London, Sunday 1st November 2015 — The countdown to Christmas started today at the Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switch On Event broadcast and seen by millions around the globe.

Global pop star Kylie Minogue took to the stage for the 56th annual switch-on moment, illuminating Oxford Street in silver light and 445 gleaming gold baubles. The lighting event marks the official start of the London Christmas shopping season.

For the first time, Oxford Street hosted the highly awaited lights switch-on event on a traffic-free Sunday. Families, shoppers and visitors enjoyed their Christmas shopping in the enhanced space of a traffic-free environment, along with exclusive Christmas offers available from retailers for this special day only.

This year’s spectacular switch on moment and star studded show was more inclusive than ever before as the stage faced down West Oxford Street with a series of on-street screens live streaming all the action for spectators and shoppers alike to enjoy.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 30, 2015

The 64th Annual MISS UNIVERSE Pageant to Air Live from Las Vegas, Sunday, December 20, on FOX

Photo: Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler from Venezuela. Photographer: Fadil Berisha. Image provided by & Copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

NEW YORK - October 30, 2015 - IMG (a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion) and the Miss Universe Organization today announced that the 64th Annual Miss Universe Pageant has been picked up by Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX). The three-hour annual event will air live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday, Dec. 20 (7:00-10:00 PM ET) on FOX.

“MISS UNIVERSE is a unique, global media property and this partnership with FOX marks a new era for the Miss Universe Organization as a whole,” said Michael Antinoro, SVP of Original Content, IMG. “As the broadcast leader in innovative and groundbreaking live events, FOX is the perfect partner as we look to implement new and exciting changes to this show.”

The MISS UNIVERSE telecast is one of the most-watched events in the world with distribution in approximately 190 countries and territories. Contestants from more than 80 countries will vie to become the next Miss Universe in this year’s special programming event, which will conclude with the current Miss Universe Paulina Vega of Colombia crowning her successor.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 23, 2015

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia, Spring-Summer 2016

Photos: Models walk the runway during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Russia Spring-Summer 2016 on October 21/22/23, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. (Images © Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images for MBFWR).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 13, 2015

Magnus Carlsen of Norway is the 2015 World Rapid Chess Champion

Photo: Magnus Carlsen is seen at the 2015 World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin on October 12, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for World Chess by Agon Limited. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik is seen at the 2015 World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin on October 12, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for World Chess by Agon Limited. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: A player is seen at the 2015 World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin on October 12, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. Image provided by & © World Chess by Agon Limited.

Photo: Russian Grandmaster, Sergey Karjakin, is seen at the 2015 World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin on October 12, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. Image provided by & © World Chess by Agon Limited.

Photo: Former World Champion, Viswanathan Anand of India, is seen at the 2015 World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin on October 12, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. Image provided by & © World Chess by Agon Limited.

BERLIN, GERMANY — October 12, 2015 — Magnus Carlsen reasserted his dominance over the chess world today by winning the World Rapid Chess Championship here in Berlin.

The championship was organized by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and Agon Limited, its commercial partner.

Each day, hundreds of spectators crowded into the playing hall to watch the games, and hundreds of thousands of people watched live video and streaming of the games.

The tournament had 15 rounds over three days and included nearly 160 grandmasters from 47 countries. Carlsen, a Norwegian, who is the reigning champion at regulation time controls, won the rapid championship last year as well. He thus became the first player to ever win back-to-back rapid championships.

Three players finished one point behind Carlsen: Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, Leinier Dominguez Perez of Cuba and Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan.

Two pre-tournament favorites, Viswanathan Anand of India, a former rapid champion, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, had difficult starts, scoring just 2.5 points out of 5 in the first day. Mr. Anand, who is widely known as Vishy, lost to Daniil Dubov and Pavel Pankratov of Russia in the final 2 rounds of the day.

Following is the List of Players who competed in the World Chess Rapid Championship 2015:

• A.R. Saleh Salem — UAE
• Adhiban Baskaran — India
• Aleksandr Moiseenko — Ukraine
• Alexander Grischuk — Russia
• Alexander Huzman — Israel
• Alexander Morozevich — Russia
• Alexander Motylev — Russia
• Alexander Naumann — Germany
• Alexander Onischuk — USA
• Alexander Riazantsev — Russia
• Alexander Shabalov — USA
• Alexey Dreev — Russia
• Allan Stig Rasmussen — Denmark
• Anand, Viswanathan — India
• Andrei Shchekachev — France
• Andrei Volokitin — Ukraine
• Andrey Gutov — Russia
• Andrey Sumets — Ukraine
• Anton Korobov — Ukraine
• Aryan Tari — Norway
• Axel Bachmann — Paraguay
• Bartel Mateusz — Poland
• Benjamin Bok — Netherlands
• Bocharov Dmitry — Russia
• Boris Gelfand — Israel
• Boris Savchenko — Russia
• Brüdigam, Martin — Germany
• Christian Seel — Germany
• Daniel Hausrath — Germany
• Daniil Dubov — Russia
• Danilo Milanovic — Serbia
• Dariusz Åšwiercz — Poland
• David Anton Guijarro — Spain
• David Navara — Czech Republic
• Demuth Adrien — France
• Denis Khismatullin — Russia
• Dennes Abel — Germany
• Dennis Wagner — Germany
• Dmitry Andreikin — Russia
• Duda Jan-Krzysztof — Poland
• Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli — Venezuela
• Ehsan Ghaem Maghami — Iran
• Eltaj Safarli — Azerbaijan
• Elvira Berend — Luxembourg
• Eric Hansen — Canada
• Ernesto Inarkiev — Russia
• Ernst Sipke — Netherlands
• Esteban Valderrama — Colombia
• Etienne Bacrot — France
• Evgenij Agrest — Sweden
• Evgeny Alekseev — Russia
• Evgeny Romanov — Russia
• Evgeny Tomashevsky — Russia
• Falko Bindrich — Germany
• Filiz Osmanodja — Germany
• Florian Handke — Germany
• Francisco Vallejo Pons — Spain
• Gadir Guseinov — Azerbaijan
• Gawain Cristopher B. Jones — England
• Georg Meier — Germany
• Giovanni Antonio Thornton — New Zealand
• Goran Cabrilo — Serbia
• Grzegorz Gajewski — Poland
• Hagen Poetsch — Germany
• Hannes Stefansson — Iceland
• Helgi Olafsson — Iceland
• Hilverda, Alexander — Germany
• Hirneise, Tobias — Germany
• Ian Nepomniachtchi — Russia
• Ido Ben Artzi — Israel
• Igor Kovalenko — Latvia
• Ildar Khairullin — Russia
• Ilja Schneider — Germany
• Ivan Ivanisevic — Serbia
• Jaan Ehlvest — USA
• Jacob Carstensen — Denmark
• Johann Hjartarson — Iceland
• Johannes Carow — Germany
• Jonathan Carlstedt — Germany
• José Camacho Collados — South Korea
• Jose Fernando Cuenca Jimenez — Spain
• Jure Borisek — Slovenia
• Kacper Piorun — Poland
• Kateryna Lagno — Russia
• Lars Thiede — Germany
• Lazaro Bruzon Batista — Cuba
• Leinier Dominguez — Cuba
• Leonardo Valdes Romero — Costa Rica
• Levon Aronian — Armenia
• Loek van Wely — The Netherlands
• Lorena Marisela Zepeda Wan Wely — El Salvador
• Magnus Carlsen — Norway
• Marco Aurelio Zaror Cordeiro — Brazil
• Margeir Petrusson — Iceland
• Markus Ragger — Austria
• Martyn Kravtsiv — Ukraine
• Matthias Bluebaum — Germany
• Maxim Dlugy — USA
• Maxim Matlakov — Russia
• Mazé Sebastien — France
• Mher Hovhannissyan — Belgium
• Michael Bezold — Germany
• Michael Richter — Germany
• Michele Godena — Italy
• Miguel Munoz Pantoja — Spain
• Mikhail Antipov — Russia
• Mikhail Demidov — Russia
• Milos Pavlovic — Serbia
• Milos Perunovic — Serbia
• Mohammed Al-Sayed — Qatar
• Namig Guliyev — Azerbaijan
• Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son — Vietnam
• Nikita Vitiugov — Russia
• Ottomar Ladva — Estonia
• Pavel Eljanov — Ukraine
• Pavel Ponkratov — Russia
• Peter Leko — Hungary
• Petr Svidler — Russia
• Polzin, Rainer — Germany
• Predrag Nikolic — Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Radoslaw Wojtaszek — Poland
• Ramil Hasangatin — Russia
• Rasmus Svane — Germany
• Rauf Mamedov — Azerbaijan
• Rene Stern — Germany
• Rinat Jumabayev — Kazakhstan
• Robert Rabiega — Germany
• Ruslan Ponomariov — Ukraine
• Rustam Kasimdzhanov — Uzbekistan
• Sasikiran Krishnan — India
• Sergey Grigoriants — Russia
• Sergey Karjakin — Russia
• Sergey Rublevsky — Russia
• Sethuraman P. Sethuraman — India
• Shakhriyar Mamedyarov — Azerbaijan
• Simen Agdestein — Norway
• Socko Bartosz — Poland
• Stanislav Bogdanovych — Ukraine
• Surya Sekhar Ganguly — India
• Teimour Radjabov — Azerbaijan
• Tigran Petrosyan — Armenia
• Tomas Krnan — Canada
• Vadim Zvjaginsev — Russia
• Vahap Sanal — Turkey
• Vasily Papin — Russia
• Vasyl Ivanchuk — Ukraine
• Victor Bologan — Moldova
• Victor Mikhalevski — Israel
• Vidit Santosh Gujrathi — India
• Vitaly Kunin — Germany
• Vladimir Akopian — Armenia
• Vladimir Belov — Russia
• Vladimir Dobrov — Russia
• Vladimir Fedoseev — Russia
• Vladimir Kramnik — Russia
• Vladimir Malakhov — Russia
• Vladimir Onischuk — Ukraine
• Vladislav Kovalev — Belarus
• Wojciech Przybylski — Poland
• Yasser Seirawan — USA
• Yuri Vovk — Ukraine
• Yuriy Kryvoruchko — Ukraine
• Zaur Mammadov — Azerbaijan
• Zhigalko Sergei — Belarus
• Zhong Zhang — Singapore
• Zoltan Almasi — Hungary

World Blitz Chess Championships

The 21-round World Blitz Chess Championships will be held Tuesday and Wednesday (October 13 & 14). Carlsen is the defending champion in that discipline as well. When reports last came in, French Grandmaster, Vachier-Lagrave Maxime, was leading with 9.5 points after Round 11.

UPDATE

Alexander Grischuk of Russia is the 2015 World Blitz Champion.

October 14, 2015 — Today the 5-day World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championships concluded in Berlin, with Russian grandmaster Alexander Grischuk claiming the World Blitz Champion’s title.

The winner scored 15.5 points in the 21-round tournament.

Alexander Grischuk becomes the first three-time Blitz World Champion. He previously won the titles in 2006 and 2012.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 9, 2015

81 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2015 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OSCAR

Photo: Oscar presenter Kerry Washington arrives for the live ABC Telecast of The 87th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 22, 2015. Image Credit: Matt Petit / © A.M.P.A.S.

Photo: Oscar presenter Anna Kendrick arrives for the live ABC Telecast of The 87th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 22, 2015. Image Credit: Mark Suban / © A.M.P.A.S

Photo: Scene from KON-TIKI, Norway, which was a 2012 Foreign Language Film Nominee. Image Credit: © A.M.P.A.S.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Eighty-one countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Academy Awards. Paraguay is a first-time entrant.

The 2015 submissions are:

• Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director;
• Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors;
• Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director;
• Argentina, “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director;
• Australia, “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director;
• Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
• Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
• Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanovic, director;
• Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
• Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
• Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho Kulikar, director;
• Canada, “Félix and Meira,” Maxime Giroux, director;
• Chile, “The Club,” Pablo Larraín, director;
• China, “Go Away Mr. Tumor,” Han Yan, director;
• Colombia, “Embrace of the Serpent,” Ciro Guerra, director;
• Costa Rica, “Imprisoned,” Esteban Ramirez, director;
• Croatia, “The High Sun,” Dalibor Matanic, director;
• Czech Republic, “Home Care,” Slavek Horak, director;
• Denmark, “A War,” Tobias Lindholm, director;
• Dominican Republic, “Sand Dollars,” Laura Amelia Guzman, Israel Cardenas, directors;
• Estonia, “1944,” Elmo Nuganen, director;
• Ethiopia, “Lamb,” Yared Zeleke, director;
• Finland, “The Fencer,” Klaus Haro, director;
• France, “Mustang,” Deniz Gamze Erguven, director;
• Georgia, “Moira,” Levan Tutberidze, director;
• Germany, “Labyrinth of Lies,” Giulio Ricciarelli, director;
• Greece, “Xenia,” Panos H. Koutras, director;
• Guatemala, “Ixcanul,” Jayro Bustamante, director;
• Hong Kong, “To the Fore,” Dante Lam, director;
• Hungary, “Son of Saul,” Laszlo Nemes, director;
• Iceland, “Rams,” Grímur Hakonarson, director;
• India, “Court,” Chaitanya Tamhane, director;
• Iran, “Muhammad: The Messenger of God,” Majid Majidi, director;
• Iraq, “Memories on Stone,” Shawkat Amin Korki, director;
• Ireland, “Viva,” Paddy Breathnach, director;
• Israel, “Baba Joon,” Yuval Delshad, director;
• Italy, “Don’t Be Bad,” Claudio Caligari, director;
• Ivory Coast, “Run,” Philippe Lacote, director;
• Japan, “100 Yen Love,” Masaharu Take, director;
• Jordan, “Theeb,” Naji Abu Nowar, director;
• Kazakhstan, “Stranger,” Yermek Tursunov, director;
• Kosovo, “Babai,” Visar Morina, director;
• Kyrgyzstan, “Heavenly Nomadic,” Mirlan Abdykalykov, director;
• Latvia, “Modris,” Juris Kursietis, director;
• Lebanon, “Void,” Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Haber, directors;
• Lithuania, “The Summer of Sangaile,” Alante Kavaite, director;
• Luxembourg, “Baby (A)lone,” Donato Rotunno, director;
• Macedonia, “Honey Night,” Ivo Trajkov, director;
• Malaysia, “Men Who Save the World,” Liew Seng Tat, director;
• Mexico, “600 Miles,” Gabriel Ripstein, director;
• Montenegro, “You Carry Me,” Ivona Juka, director;
• Morocco, “Aida,” Driss Mrini, director;
• Nepal, “Talakjung vs Tulke,” Basnet Nischal, director;
• Netherlands, “The Paradise Suite,” Joost van Ginkel, director;
• Norway, “The Wave,” Roar Uthaug, director;
• Pakistan, “Moor,” Jami, director;
• Palestine, “The Wanted 18,” Amer Shomali, Paul Cowan, directors;
• Paraguay, “Cloudy Times,” Arami Ullon, director;
• Peru, “NN,” Hector Galvez, director;
• Philippines, “Heneral Luna,” Jerrold Tarog, director;
• Poland, “11 Minutes,” Jerzy Skolimowski, director;
• Portugal, “Arabian Nights - Volume 2, The Desolate One,” Miguel Gomes, director;
• Romania, “Aferim!” Radu Jude, director;
• Russia, “Sunstroke,” Nikita Mikhalkov, director;
• Serbia, “Enclave,” Goran Radovanovic, director;
• Singapore, “7 Letters,” Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong, Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin, Boo Junfeng, K. Rajagopal, directors;
• Slovakia, “Goat,” Ivan Ostrochovsky, director;
• Slovenia, “The Tree,” Sonja Prosenc, director;
• South Africa, “The Two of Us,” Ernest Nkosi, director;
• South Korea, “The Throne,” Lee Joon-ik, director;
• Spain, “Flowers,” Jon Garano, Jose Mari Goenaga, directors;
• Sweden, “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Roy Andersson, director;
• Switzerland, “Iraqi Odyssey,” Samir, director;
• Taiwan, “The Assassin,” Hou Hsiao-hsien, director;
• Thailand, “How to Win at Checkers (Every Time),” Josh Kim, director;
• Turkey, “Sivas,” Kaan Mujdeci, director;
• United Kingdom, “Under Milk Wood,” Kevin Allen, director;
• Uruguay, “A Moonless Night,” German Tejeira, director;
• Venezuela, “Gone with the River,” Mario Crespo, director;
• Vietnam, “Jackpot,” Dustin Nguyen, director.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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September 27, 2015

2015 Global Citizen Festival In Central Park To End Extreme Poverty By 2030

Photo: Eddie Vedder and Beyonce perform onstage during 2015 Global Citizen Festival to end extreme poverty by 2030 in Central Park on September 26, 2015 in New York City. (Photo © 2015 Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen).

Photo: Actress Kajol Devgan speaks on stage at the 2015 Global Citizen Festival to end extreme poverty by 2030 in Central Park on September 26, 2015 in New York City. (Photo © 2015 Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Global Citizen).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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September 19, 2015

International Fashion — September 2015 — Editor's Choice

Photo: A model poses wearing Alice + Olivia By Stacey Bendet Spring 2016 during New York Fashion Week on September 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Alice + Olivia. © 2016 Getty Images).

Photo: A model walks the runway wearing an Angel Schlesser design during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid, Spain, on September 18, 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © Angel Schlesser/ Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.

Photo: A model walks the runway wearing a David Catalan design during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid, Spain, on September 22, 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © David Catalan/ Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.

Photo: A model walks the runway during the Anteprima fashion show as part of Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016 on September 24, 2015 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images for Anteprima. © 2015 Venturelli).

Photo: A model walks the runway wearing a Juan Vidal design during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid, Spain, on September 21, 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © Juan Vidal / Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.

Photo: A model walks the runway wearing a Juan Carlos Pajares design during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid, Spain, on September 22, 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © Juan Carlos Pajares/ Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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September 18, 2015

MEDALISTS UNVEILED AT THE 2015 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS

Photo: Actress Michelle Rodriguez prior to the 42nd Annual Student Academy Awards on Thursday, September 17, in Beverly Hills. Image Credit: Matt Petit / © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Animated film winners Nicholas Manfredi (left) and Elizabeth Ku-Herrero prior to the 42nd Annual Student Academy Awards on Thursday, September 17, in Beverly Hills. Image Credit: Matt Petit / © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Thursday, September 17, 2015 — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tonight honored 15 student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 42nd Student Academy Awards ceremony, held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards were announced and presented by actors Michelle Rodriguez and Jason Mitchell, Oscar-winning director John Lasseter, and the Oscar-winning team behind the animated feature “Big Hero 6,” Roy Conli, Don Hall and Chris Williams.

The 2015 Student Academy Award winners are:

Alternative

• Gold: “Chiaroscuro,” Daniel Drummond, Chapman University, California
• Silver: “Zoe,” ChiHyun Lee, The School of Visual Arts, New York

Animation

• Gold: “Soar,” Alyce Tzue, Academy of Art University, San Francisco
• Silver: “An Object at Rest,” Seth Boyden, California Institute of the Arts
• Bronze: “Taking the Plunge,” Nicholas Manfredi and Elizabeth Ku-Herrero, The School of Visual Arts

Documentary

• Gold: “Looking at the Stars,” Alexandre Peralta, University of Southern California
• Silver: “I Married My Family’s Killer,” Emily Kassie, Brown University
• Bronze: “Boxeadora,” Meg Smaker, Stanford University

Narrative

• Gold: “Day One,” Henry Hughes, American Film Institute, California
• Silver: “This Way Up,” Jeremy Cloe, American Film Institute
• Bronze: “Stealth,” Bennett Lasseter, American Film Institute

Foreign Film

• Gold: “Fidelity,” Ilker Catak, Hamburg Media School, Germany
• Silver: “The Last Will,” Dustin Loose, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
• Bronze: “Everything Will Be Okay” Patrick Vollrath, Filmakademie Wien, Austria

The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the industry to showcase their work. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 47 Oscar nominations and have won or shared eight awards.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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August 19, 2015

Miss TEEN USA 2014, K. Lee Graham, interacts with Cosmo the Dolphin

Photos: Miss TEEN USA 2014, K. Lee Graham, interacts with Cosmo the Dolphin during a visit to Dolphin Cay at Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in The Bahamas on Tuesday, August 18. The 2015 MISS TEEN USA Pageant will stream LIVE from Atlantis, Paradise Island Resort on Saturday, August 22nd at 8 p.m. ET on www.missteenusa.com. Reigning Miss Teen USA, K. Lee Graham, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the pageant. The event will feature contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Contestants will compete in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. Photographer: Darren Decker. Images provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Photo: Geena Cardalena, Miss New York Teen USA 2015, walks the runway during Miss Teen USA Pageant Fashion Show at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas on Friday, August 21, 2015. Photographer: Darren Decker. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Photo: Katherine Haik, Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2015, is crowned Miss Teen USA 2015 by Miss Teen USA 2014 K. Lee Graham following the Miss Teen USA 2015 Competition in Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in The Bahamas on Saturday, August 22, 2015. Photographer: Darren Decker. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Katherine Haik from Franklinton, Louisiana, is a sophomore at Franklinton High School where she maintains a 4.0 GPA and was recently selected as a Student Council Representative. Inspired by her grandmother, Katherine has been playing the piano for five years and has incorporated art class into her regular curriculum. A lover of all sports, Katherine has been playing softball and basketball for the better part of her life. As a passionate dancer from a young age, Katherine is on The Dancer’s Edge competition team and her high school’s dance team. Since she began modeling, Katherine has participated in New Orleans Fashion Week for four seasons, modeled for Sherri Hill, and has done print work for many designers.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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August 4, 2015

World Leaders to Formally Adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda in September

Photo: David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN, addresses a press conference on the agreement achieved on 2 August by Member States on the outcome document of the United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda to be held in New York from 25 to 27 September 2015. Mr. Donoghue, along with Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, co-facilitated the negotiations leading to the agreement on the document. 03 August 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Barack Obama, President of the United States, in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. 04 August 2015. Washington, DC, United States. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

• The 193 Member States of the United Nations reached agreement today on the outcome document that will constitute the new sustainable development agenda that will be adopted this September by world leaders at the Sustainable Development Summit in New York.

Concluding a negotiating process that has spanned more than two years and has featured the unprecedented participation of civil society, countries agreed to an ambitious agenda that features 17 new sustainable development goals that aim to end poverty, promote prosperity and people’s well-being while protecting the environment by 2030.

More than 150 world leaders are expected to attend the Sustainable Development Summit at the UN headquarters in New York between 25 to 27 September to formally adopt the outcome document of the new sustainable agenda.

The preamble of the 29-page text, “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” states, “We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet.” It continues, “We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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July 29, 2015

Origen — New Jewellery Collection from Carrera y Carrera

Photos: Pieces from Carrera y Carrera’s Origen collection depicting energy and power of fire. Images provided by and copyright © Carrera y Carrera.

Spanish jewellery firm Carrera y Carrera’s new collection, Origen, consists of rings, necklaces, and earrings that represent fire as the source and key element in the creation of the world. A collection for bold, daring, and determined women.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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July 28, 2015

World Premiere of 'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation'

Photo: Hermione Corfield attends the UK Fan Screening of ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’ at the IMAX Waterloo on July 25, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures. © 2015 Mike Marsland).

Photo: Rebecca Ferguson attends the UK Fan Screening of ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’ at the IMAX Waterloo on July 25, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures. © 2015 Mike Marsland).

Photo: Tom Cruise attends the UK Fan Screening of ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’ at the IMAX Waterloo on July 25, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures. © 2015 Mike Marsland).

Photo: Sara Sampaio attends the New York Premiere of “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION,” from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions, at the AMC Lincoln Square IMAX theatre in New York, NY, on Monday, July 27, 2015. Image credit: Aurora Rose © 2015 StarPix.

Photo: Hermione Corfield attends the world premiere of ‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation’ at the Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) on July 23, 2015 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International. © 2015 Getty Images).

“Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” is a 2015 American action spy thriller film. The film is scheduled to be released in North America by Paramount Pictures on July 31, 2015.

• Director: Christopher McQuarrie

• Writers: Christopher McQuarrie (screenplay), Christopher McQuarrie (story).

• Stars: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner

• Story: Wolves are on the prowl — a new threat, called the Syndicate, has emerged. The Syndicate is a network of operatives who are dedicated to establishing a new world order. So, joining forces with Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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