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— December 2019 —


« November 2019 | Main | January 2020 »

December 31, 2019

Auckland, New Zealand, Celebrates New Year's Eve 2019; Welcomes 2020 in Style!

New Year Eve, Auckland

New Year Eve, Auckland

New Year Eve, Auckland

New Year Eve, Auckland

New Year Eve, Auckland

Photos: Auckland, New Zealand, is the first global city in the world to welcome in 2020 - a brand new decade - and it has made sure to celebrate it in style. Inspired by Auckland’s unique Maori heritage, the sound of a conch heralded the arrival of the New Year and began the countdown activation that captured several Auckland landmarks. Around the harbor city, Auckland War Memorial Museum, the Sky Tower and Auckland Harbour Bridge lighted up in unison for the midnight moment, supported by dazzling fireworks and traditional and contemporary street performances.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:35 AM | View the original post



December 29, 2019

President of India Presents Dada Saheb Phalke Award for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema.

India, Films, Amitabh

ENLARGE

India, Films, Amitabh

ENLARGE

Photos: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, presenting the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Amitabh Bachchan for his outstanding and invaluable contribution to Indian cinema, at a function, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi on December 29, 2019.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:13 AM | View the original post



December 25, 2019

Season’s Greetings

Season’s Greetings

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for 2020 to All our Viewers Worldwide!!

Editor.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:26 AM | View the original post



December 23, 2019

Vice President of India honors winners for outstanding contributions in Films at 66th National Film Awards.

National Film Awards

Photo: The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, presenting the Rajat Kamal Award to the Actress, Keerthy Suresh, for Best Actress: Mahanti, at the 66th National Film Awards function, in New Delhi on December 23, 2019.

New Delhi, December 23, 2019 — The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, today conferred National Film Awards for the year 2018 in various categories at its 66th edition, held at New Delhi. Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting (I&B), Prakash Javadekar; Secretary, Ministry of I&B, Ravi Mittal; Chairperson, Feature Film Category, Rahul Rawail; Chairperson, Non-Feature Film Category, A.S. Kanal; Chairperson, Best Writing on Cinema, Utpal Borpujari and other dignitaries were also present.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:08 PM | View the original post



December 20, 2019

UN General Assembly highlights UNESCO's leading role in the Education 2030 Agenda.

United Nations, Unesco

Photo: Marina Melanidis, Youth leader and Co-director of Youth for Nature, speaks at the press conference on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Youth for Nature-Based Solutions. At left is Melati Wijsen, Climate Activist. 21 September 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Kim Haughton. [File Photo]

New York, NY, 19 December 2019 — The UN General Assembly resolution ‘Education for Sustainable Development in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, introduced by the Group of 77 and China, calls upon the international community to scale up education for sustainable development to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The decision relates to various aspects of culture for sustainable development. It recognizes the gendered barriers faced by girls in accessing education, and the need to deliver quality education to children in conflict and post-conflict situations.

With the adoption of the resolution, the international community has recognized UNESCO’s mandated role in leading and coordinating the Education 2030 Agenda and its position as the lead agency for education for sustainable development.

The resolution emphasizes the importance of further developing and implementing educational programs to address climate change challenges. The decision also notes the significant progress made by the Global Action Programme that has exposed 26 million learners to education for sustainable development curricula and trained two million educators in this domain.

The UN General Assembly has asked UNESCO to assist the Member States in their efforts to promote education for sustainable development. The UN Secretary-General would submit a report on the implementation of the current resolution to the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:33 AM | View the original post



December 17, 2019

Academy snubs India's Entry 'Gully Boy'; Announces Oscars Shortlists in Nine Award Categories.

Academy Awards

Photo: Indian actor Ranveer Singh at the Press Conference for the film ‘Gully Boy’ presented at the 69th Berlinale film festival on 9 February 2019, in Berlin, Germany. Image provided by Berlinale. “Gully Boy,” India’s entry for International Feature Film Oscar, is out of the Oscars 2020 race. [File Photo]

Oscars, Academy Awards

Photo: Indian actress Alia Bhatt at the Press Conference for the film ‘Gully Boy’ presented at the 69th Berlinale film festival on February 9, 2019, in Berlin, Germany. Image provided by Berlinale. The Academy has rebuffed “Gully Boy,” India’s entry for International Feature Film Oscar, and the movie is now out of the Oscars 2020 race. [File Photo]

Academy Awards

Photo: Scarlett Johansson attends the Academy’s 2019 Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom on Sunday, 27 October 2019, in Hollywood, CA. mage provided by & Copyright © Troy Harvey / A.M.P.A.S. [File Photo]

LOS ANGELES, CA, 17 December 2019 — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced shortlists in consideration for the 92nd Academy Awards in nine categories: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Ten films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category (formerly known as Foreign Language Film) for the 92nd Academy Awards. Ninety-one films were eligible in the class.

Academy invited its members from all branches to participate in the preliminary round. They must have viewed the submitted films theatrically and met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category. Their seven choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s International Feature Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt-in to participate and must view all ten shortlisted films to cast a ballot.

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

Meanwhile, India’s entry “Gully Boy,” starring Ranveer Singh, has crashed out of the Best International Feature Film race at the Oscars.

The movie has failed to make the cut in the top-10 films that will advance to the next round of voting at the 92nd Academy Awards.

With “Gully Boy” out of the race, India’s dry run at the Academy Awards continues as the country has never made it to the top five, except on three occasions.

The last Indian film that made it to the final five was Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Lagaan” in 2001.

“Mother India” (1958) and “Salaam Bombay” (1989) are the other two Indian movies to have made it to the top five.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature category for the 92nd Academy Awards. Contestants submitted one hundred fifty-nine movies in the group. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

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

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Ten films will advance in the Documentary Short Subject category for the 92nd Academy Awards. Ninety-six films qualified in the group. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

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

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Ten films will advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 92nd Academy Awards. The Academy would invite all members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch to view seven-minute excerpts from each of the ten shortlisted films on Saturday, 4 January 2020. Members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

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

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

Fifteen scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 92nd Academy Awards. One hundred seventy scores were eligible in the group. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

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

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Fifteen songs will advance in the Original Song category for the 92nd Academy Awards. Seventy-five songs were eligible in the class. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The original songs, along with the relevant motion picture, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title:

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Ten films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards. Ninety-two films qualified in the group. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

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

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Ten films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards. One hundred ninety-one films qualified in the group. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

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

VISUAL EFFECTS

Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 92nd Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. The Academy would invite all members of the Visual Effects Branch to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the shortlisted films online or attend satellite bake-off screenings in January 2020. Following the screenings, members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

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

Nominations voting begins on Thursday, 2 January 2020, and concludes on Tuesday, 7 January 2020.

The Academy would announce the Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards on Monday, 13 January 2020.

The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, 9 February 2020, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the A.B.C. Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:00 PM | View the original post



President of India Presents Visitor’s Awards 2019

Universities, India

Photo: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, at the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities in New Delhi on December 17, 2019. On the left is the Chairman, University Grants Commission of India (UGC), Prof. D. P. Singh, and on the right is the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

Universities, India

Photo: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, addressing the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities in New Delhi on December 17, 2019.

Universities, India

Photo: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, presenting the 5th Visitor’s Awards, 2019, at the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on December 17, 2019.

New Delhi, December 17, 2019 — The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, hosted a Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities, Directors of IISERs, and Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, today at Rashtrapati Bhavan. During the inaugural session of the Conference, the President presented the 5th Visitor’s Awards.

The Visitor’s Award - for Research in Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences was presented to Prof. Sibnath Deb from the Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University; for Research in Physical Sciences was presented to Prof. Sanjay Puri from the School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University; for Research in Biological Sciences was jointly presented to Prof. Asad Ullah Khan from the Inter-disciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, and Dr. Partima from the Special Centre for Nanoscience, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The President conferred the Visitor’s Award for Technology Development to Dr. Shaon Ray Chaudhuri from the Department of Microbiology, Tripura University.

The President said that the objective of our central universities should be to continually grow and upgrade themselves to the best of global standards. It is here that Vice-Chancellors and Directors have to provide leadership. As an immediate goal, they should strive to become the best in the country and healthily compete with each other. After that, they must aspire to compete with the best in the world. But to achieve the levels where they can compete, they must collaborate amongst themselves, other state and private universities, and learn from the experiences of each other.

The President stated that as leaders of universities and institutions, Vice-Chancellors and Directors are also mandated to develop leadership qualities in their students. He noted that beyond classrooms and labs, students should be encouraged to take up socially-oriented ventures through NSS or other clubs. He said that developing meaningful linkages between the academic community and local industry should be a top priority. Students must be encouraged to emerge as job-creators rather than job-seekers.

Later, addressing the concluding session of the Conference, the President said that universities and higher educational institutions should play a leading role in addressing the specific challenges faced by our nation and our society. Many of these challenges require creative and innovative solutions. It is their paramount duty to ensure that their campuses emerge as spaces that nurture free expression and ideas, where experimentation is encouraged. Failure is not ridiculed but seen as learning. Also, universities should become the laboratories for exposing students to the problems concerning nation-building.

The President stated that students should be encouraged to take up academic and extra-curricular work with a distinct community orientation. He urged universities to make a conscious effort to integrate community-oriented projects as part of their curriculum.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:05 AM | View the original post



December 14, 2019

Miss Jamaica, Toni-Ann Singh, crowned Miss World 2019

Miss World Jamaica

London, 14 December 2019 — Tony-Ann Singh of Jamaica won the Miss World 2019 beauty pageant held at the ExCeL London today. She was crowned by her predecessor, Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce, from Mexico. Ophely Mezino of France and Suman Rao of India were the first and second runners up, respectively.

Singh, who had secured her place in the top 40 by winning the talent competition at the “Beauty with a Purpose” Gala Dinner in London, advanced to the final round of the contest along with Miss Nigeria, Miss Brazil, Miss India, and Miss France.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:16 PM | View the original post



Rashtrapati Bhavan (Official Residence of the President of India) Hosts Conference of Heads of Central Universities / Institutes of Higher Learning.

India, Universities

ENLARGE

Photo: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, with the Vice-Chancellors, Directors, and heads of various Central Institutes of Higher Learning, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on December 14, 2019.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Rashtrapati, Lara

Photo: Legendary Cricketer, Brian Lara, calling on the President, Ram Nath Kovind, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on December 16, 2019.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:16 AM | View the original post



December 12, 2019

UNESCO reinforces itself as the Chief Global Motivator for Education, Culture, Artificial Intelligence, and Youth; Adopts a Convention facilitating Universities Exchanges.

Unesco, Paris

Unesco, Paris

Photos: Closure of the 40th General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, France. 27 November 2019. Images provided by & copyright © UNESCO/Christelle ALIX.

Paris, France, 12 December 2019 — UNESCO’s 40th General Conference concluded after adopting a draft Convention to facilitate student mobility between universities on five continents.

The General Conference, UNESCO’s governing body, meets every two years to establish the Organization’s program and budget. It brings together all 193 Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

“We are entering a phase of renewal,” said Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, summing up the fortieth session of the General Conference, which took place from 12 to 27 November. Noting that after more than 20 years of cuts and setbacks, the budget situation had returned to normal, she underlined that, “by accepting an increase in contributions, a rare event in the UN system, Member States have expressed their confidence in the direction given to UNESCO over the past two years.”

As demonstrated by the attendance of so many political leaders, UNESCO is once again a venue for global conversation. Participants included:

Among the decisions taken by UNESCO’s 193 Member States is the adoption of a Convention on Inter-University Mobility, which will enter into force after being ratified by twenty countries. The Convention will foster academic mobility between regions and the establishment of universal principles to improve the recognition of diplomas. It will complement UNESCO’s five regional conventions on the acceptance of higher education qualifications.

At the same time, some 100 ministers of education and as many university representatives participating in the UNESCO Chairs Programme met to promote the emergence of a more inclusive “Global Campus.” The “Global Campus” would facilitate better student mobility by responding to the rapid increase in the number of students enrolled in higher education.

The other major decision of the General Conference concerns the elaboration of an international standard-setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence. Experts selected by UNESCO will be responsible for preparing a project after extensive consultation. Two intergovernmental meetings would be held in 2021 to finalize ethical standards based on fundamental human rights.

Following the ministerial meeting, Mexico announced that it would host a second Mondiacult World Conference on Cultural Policies in 2022. At the first such conference in 1982, the international community had redefined culture as the “set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group.”

The General Conference also decided to celebrate eight new world days - of Art (15 April), Islamic Art (18 November), African and Afro-descendant Culture (24 January), Engineering for Sustainable Development (4 March), Logic (14 January), Mathematics (14 March), Olive Trees (26 November) and Portuguese Language (5 May). It also decided that the first Thursday in November would be the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying.

The General Conference was also a forum for discussions between young people and around ten government leaders on the theme (Re)Generation: Rethinking Multilateralism with Young Change-Makers. Young people from around the world took part in two weeks of discussions to determine how UNESCO could respond to the climate challenge and youth demands. Participants called on governments to step up their efforts to fight climate change, invest more in education, and take concerted action to ensure that technology serves people and their rights.

Member States have agreed on a budget for 2020-2022 of $534 million (+3%). At Sweden’s initiative, the General Conference amended the Organization’s Constitution to suspend the right to vote - as well as the right to run for election to the Executive Board - of States that are not up to date with their contributions.

At the opening of the General Conference, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres had warned against the breakup of the international community, claiming that “UNESCO’s action was essential to rally the world.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Quote

“No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.”

— Mahatma Gandhi.

Quote

“Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.”

— Jawaharlal Nehru.

Quote

“The first duty of government is to see that people have food, fuel, and clothes. The second, that they have means of moral and intellectual education.”

— John Ruskin.


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:56 AM | View the original post



December 11, 2019

In a historical event, F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi swap their machines at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Lewis Hamilton

Photo: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes, riding the 2019 Yamaha YZR-M1 during the #LH44VR46 test at Ricardo Tormo circuit of Valencia on December 09, 2019, in Valencia, Spain. Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi swapped their machinery in an unprecedented experiment between two motorsport icons. Photo by Guido De Bortoli/Getty Images for Monster Energy. Copyright © 2019 Getty Images.

Valentino Rossi

Photo: Valentino Rossi of Italy and Yamaha Factory Racing at the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+ during the #LH44VR46 test at Ricardo Tormo circuit of Valencia on December 09, 2019, in Valencia, Spain. Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi swapped their machinery in an unprecedented experiment between two motorsport icons. Photo by Mirco Lazzari/Getty Images for Monster Energy. Copyright © 2019 Getty Images.

Valencia, Spain, December 09, 2019 — In a historic moment for both Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi, and their respective sports, the pair completed a fantastic track day as each swapped machinery yesterday at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Valentino Rossi drove The Mercedes-AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+, a car that won the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship at the hands of Lewis Hamilton. And Lewis rode the 2019 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1 bike that only weeks earlier had been piloted by Valentino at the very same circuit.

The pair was able to complete multiple runs on each other’s machinery and share insights and learnings about each other’s craft.

The six-time Formula One World Champion, Lewis Hamilton:

“It’s so awesome to see a legend like Valentino in the car. I’m excited for him to discover the car for the first time. It reminds me of my first time in an F1 car. When you see all the team around you, it’s just a different animal.”

Of his time out on track riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 with Rossi, he added, “It was so cool to be out on track and see Valentino ahead of me on the same bike.”

For the nine-time MotoGP World Champion, Valentino Rossi:

“I was a big fan of Lewis’ before, but now I am even more. We had a fantastic day where the two top classes of motorsports not only met but worked together. I felt like a real F1 driver for a day. I didn’t want the day to end.

“I also rode the YZR-M1 on track with Lewis. It was a proud moment for the team to share our passion with him. Technically, Valencia is a hard track, and today was windy, so at one point, I thought it would be difficult for Lewis to continue, but he was brilliant on the bike, and his position on the M1 was great. I think he had loads of fun, which is the main thing.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:51 AM | View the original post



The Mercedes-Benz Atego delivers poinsettias during the advent period.

Mercedes-Benz Atego

Mercedes-Benz Atego

Mercedes-Benz Atego

Mercedes-Benz Atego

Photos: Inga Balke heads up the Krayenhagen nursery. With the advent period now in full swing, she mostly has poinsettias on-board her Mercedes-Benz Atego 818.

Stuttgart, Germany - At one o’clock in the morning, while most people are sleeping, Inga Balke sets up shop every day at Hamburg’s wholesale flower market where she brings her plants to her customers. With the advent period now in full swing, she mostly has poinsettias on-board her Mercedes-Benz Atego 818. This morning she is loaded up with 25 four-tier transport trolleys full of these magnificent potted plants. Until 8:30 in the morning, Balke will be trading with the florists from the region. Then she returns to her greenhouses, makes sure everything is running smoothly before doing a spot of paperwork.

Inga Balke heads up the Krayenhagen nursery, a family-run business with over a hundred years of history, located around half an hour’s drive to the north of Hamburg. A trained horticulturist, Balke, and her team of around a dozen employees have nurtured the poinsettias over the last few weeks. The red Atego with Wilke box body and Webasto heating is generally driven to Hamburg by her driver. But if he’s on holiday or ill, Balke also enjoys getting behind the wheel herself. “It’s not a problem for me. The truck is fairly large, but it’s almost like driving a passenger car.” The entrepreneur especially likes the PowerShift 3 automated transmission. “You don’t have to change gear and can concentrate entirely on the traffic.”

Poinsettias are tropical plants that originate from Mexico. Growing them begins every year in Africa. From there, the tiny cuttings are flown to Europe in the freight hold of passenger planes. The poinsettias then rise to their full size at nurseries like that of Inga Balke until they develop their colorful crown and are ready to adorn people’s living rooms during the advent period.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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



December 10, 2019

Broadcast Journalist, Executive, and Educator Michael Freedman elected President of the National Press Club, Washington, DC.

National Press Club

Photo: Invitation to the National Press Club members for attending the inauguration of the new president.

National Press Club

Photo: The United States Chief of Staff of the Army, General Ray Odierno, speaks during a question and answer session at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Image Credit: JBLM PAO. [File Photo]

WASHINGTON, 10 December 2019 — Michael Freedman, Journalist in Residence at the University of Maryland Global Campus and Executive Producer of The Kalb Report, was elected the 113th president of the National Press Club, The World’s Leading Professional Organization for Journalists, on Friday, 6 December 2019.

Freedman, a 35-year broadcast journalist, network executive, and teacher will officially assume the duties of the presidency in January 2020.

In his acceptance speech before his fellow members, Freedman acknowledged the opportunities and challenges the coming election year would bring to the journalism profession, and pledged to uphold the Club’s vital role as both a beacon for press freedom and a champion of journalistic excellence:

“At the National Press Club, we protect press freedom, we protect reporters around the world, and today, we must also protect the reputation of journalism.”

Invoking Edward R. Murrow’s legendary “lights and wires in a box” speech, Freedman challenged his colleagues to keep their heads down and remain steadfast in their quest for the truth and their commitment to the journalist’s creed:

“Today we live in a digital world; one in which we have more information at our fingertips than perhaps even Ed Murrow could have imagined. At the same time, readers, listeners, and viewers on all platforms are asking: ‘Who do you trust?’ The National Press Club is an indispensable platform to educate, inspire, empower, and protect. I pray tonight that we join together over the next year to use it to those ends.”

Freedman has served as general manager of CBS Radio Network, vice president and managing editor for the Broadcast Division of United Press International, a vice president and professor of journalism at The George Washington University, and journalist in residence at the University of Maryland Global Campus.

For the past 25 years, he has also served as executive producer of the multi-award-winning public broadcasting series “The Kalb Report” with Marvin Kalb. He has the distinction of having produced Walter Cronkite’s final programming for CBS News. Freedman and his teams have won more than 85 honors, including 14 Edward R. Murrow Awards. He is the co-author of The Broadcast Voice Handbook, a contributing writer for Broadcasting Through Crisis, The Encyclopedia of Journalism, and Responsible Journalism, and a contributor to Cronkite by Douglas Brinkley.

A Detroit native, Mr. Freedman, is a graduate of Wayne State University. He spent 15 years as a reporter, sportscaster, anchor, and news director in Detroit radio before moving to Washington.

Also elected in Friday’s Club elections were: Lisa Nicole Matthews (Associated Press) as vice president; Kimberly Adams (Marketplace) as treasurer; Emily Wilkins (Bloomberg Government) as secretary; and Eileen Drage O’Reilly (Axios) as membership secretary. Elected to the Board of Governors were: Herb Jackson of CQ Roll Call, Mark Schoeff, Jr. of Investment News, Gillian Rich of Investor’s Business Daily, freelance journalist Menachem Wecker, and Lindsay Law Murphy of American Forest & Paper Association.

The Club has planned an Inaugural Gala for the New President on 18 January 2020.

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club, located in Washington, D.C., is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. It has more than 3,100 members worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

— The editor is a member of the National Press Club.


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:26 AM | View the original post



December 7, 2019

OMEGA unveils 007's Newest Timepiece that will feature in the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, set to arrive in Cinemas in April 2020.

Omega Watch

Omega Watch, Bond

Omega Watch

Omega Watch

OMEGA has unveiled 007’s newest timepiece that will feature in the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, set to arrive in cinemas in April 2020.

When James Bond embarks on his next mission, a new OMEGA watch will appear on the screen. OMEGA has built the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition with military needs in mind. The watchmaker has designed the watch with input from the actor, Daniel Craig. OMEGA will place this non-limited watch in its iconic current collection from February — available to customers either on a titanium mesh bracelet, or a striped NATO strap in dark brown, grey and beige, with 007 engraved on the loop.

OMEGA said it had crafted each 42 mm timepiece’s case and bracelet from Grade 2 Titanium. This unique material is particularly durable and lightweight, making it perfect for an undercover agent. Special new doming of the sapphire-crystal glass has also created a slightly slimmer watch than the standard Seamaster Diver 300M models, OMEGA elaborated.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:42 PM | View the original post



December 5, 2019

The 2019 MISS UNIVERSE Competition airs LIVE from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday, December 8, on FOX.

Miss Universe, South Africa

Photo: Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe South Africa 2019, is crowned Miss Universe after The MISS UNIVERSE Competition on FOX at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, December 8, 2019, live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. 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. Image provided by and copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Frank L Szelwach.

• India’s Vartika Singh crashed out as she couldn’t make it to the top 10.

Miss Universe, Atlanta

Photo: Miss Universe contestants during a visit to the World Headquarters of The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on December 4, 2019. The Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing, and preparing to compete for the Miss Universe crown in Atlanta. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, December 8, 2019, live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta to see who will become the next Miss Universe. Image provided by and copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Frank L Szelwach.

Miss Universe

Photo: Contestants during a visit to the High Museum of Art on December 4, 2019. The Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing, and preparing to compete for the Miss Universe crown in Atlanta. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, December 8, 2019, live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, to see who will become the next Miss Universe. Image provided by and copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Max Louis Miller.

Miss Universe

Photo: Gabriela Tafur Nader, Miss Universe Colombia 2019, visits the Children’s Hospital of Georgia on December 4, 2019. The Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing, and preparing to compete for the Miss Universe crown in Atlanta. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, December 8, 2019, live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, to see who will become the next Miss Universe. Image provided by and copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Patrick Prather.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:19 AM | View the original post



December 4, 2019

UN Security Council President Briefs Press after Security Council Consultations

United Nations

Photo: Kelly Craft, Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for December, briefs reporters after the Council had consultations on its program of work for the month. 02 December 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:36 AM | View the original post



December 3, 2019

India's 48 Universities and Higher Education Institutions awarded at the Swachhata (Cleanliness) Ranking Awards function in New Delhi today.

India Universities

Photo: The Secretary, Department of Higher Education, R. Subrahmanyam, addressing at the Swachh Campus Ranking Awards 2019 of Higher Educational Institutions, in New Delhi on December 03, 2019.

New Delhi, December 3, 2019 — Union Human Resource Development Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, addressed the 3rd Swachhata (Cleanliness) Ranking Award Function through video conferencing in New Delhi today. The 3rd Swachhata Ranking Award process was undertaken by the Ministry of Human Resource Development as a part of the Swachh Bharat Mission of Government of India to promote environmental hygiene in the Higher Education System and beyond. Based on the reports of UGC and AICTE, the HRD Ministry has recommended 48 Universities and Institutions for awards in various categories. The Secretary, Department of Higher Education, R. Subrahmanyam, awarded the selected Universities/ Institutions in AICTE Auditorium, New Delhi.

The Minister said that Swachhata, as a Mission is essential for our living environment, body, and soul. A clean environment will result in a pure mind and elevate the thoughts of our students and teachers towards lofty ideas for the more significant benefit of society. He said that the principle of cleanliness is next to Godliness, and it should govern our day-to-day life. He added that the higher education system is the best mechanism towards achieving success in Swacchh Bharat Mission through the powerful and influential base of 3 crore plus students and teachers in the country.

He further said that the ranking system evaluates various parameters of hygiene like student-toilet ratio, hostel hygiene, hostel kitchen hygiene, availability of water, water conservation measures, campus greenery, and administrative responsibility for cleanliness. The Ministry has formulated the system to generate peer pressure amongst educational institutions to improve their level of campus hygiene and also take up off-campus hygiene activity in nearby villages/surrounding areas.

The Minister expressed his happiness in informing that over the last three years, the response from institutions to the Swachhata Ranking process has been steadily growing. In 2017, 3200 institutions participated; in 2018, it was 6100 institutions, and now in 2019, a total of 6900 institutions participated in the ranking exercise. Therefore, the need for and awareness of maintaining Swachh Campuses and also voluntarily taking up village hygiene activity is now spreading across the Indian Higher Education system with active enthusiasm.

He appreciated the Ministry’s effort to develop clean and green college campuses that would create a healthy study environment for students, thereby stimulating their minds towards higher learning. The Ministry recognizes that it is essential to create an ambiance for learning for the youth of our country who will play a significant role in the economic and social development of our great nation.

Mr. Pokhriyal congratulated the winners in various categories of awards like Residential Universities, Non-residential Universities, Technical Universities, Residential Colleges, and Government Universities.

Following are the Award Winners in the Government Residential Universities Category:

Name of the University — Position

  1. Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala — Ist
  2. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar — 2nd
  3. National Law University, Delhi — 3rd
  4. Dr. B.R.Ambedkar University, Etcherla, Andhra Pradesh — 4th
  5. Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli — 5th

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:54 PM | View the original post



December 1, 2019

Miss Universe Organization announces 2019 MISS UNIVERSE Contestants.

Miss Universe

Photo: Catriona Gray, Miss Universe Philippines 2018, is congratulated by fellow contestants after being crowned Miss Universe after the three-hour special programming event on FOX on Sunday, December 16, 2018, at the IMPACT Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Image provided by and copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Ralph Smith. [File Photo]

New York, NY, December 01, 2019 — The Miss Universe Organization has announced the names of the delegates who would be representing their respective countries as contestants in the 2019 MISS UNIVERSE Competition.

The 2019 MISS UNIVERSE Competition airs LIVE from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday, December 8, on FOX. The competition is also airing in Spanish on Telemundo.

• 2019 MISS UNIVERSE COMPETITION CONTESTANT LIST

Country | Name | Hometown | Occupation

|GlobalGiants.Com|


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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:12 AM | View the original post




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