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Tim Lister, Tara John and Paul P. Murphy, CNN

2022-02-24 10:42:46

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/24/europe/ukraine-russia-attack-timeline-intl/index.html

Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: What we know so far - CNN

Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, sending troops into the ex-Soviet nation from three fronts and firing missiles on several locations near the capital, Kyiv, in a broad attack that has drawn deep condemnation from world leaders.

europe, Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: What we know so far - CNN

Here's what we know about how Russia's invasion of Ukraine unfolded

(CNN)Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, sending troops into the ex-Soviet nation from three fronts and firing missiles on several locations near the capital, Kyiv, in a broad attack that has drawn deep condemnation from world leaders. At dawn, troops and armor crossed into eastern Ukraine from the Russian border, as well as from Belarus in the north and from Russia-annexed Crimea to the south.Here's how it unfolded.Stirrings in Crimea3:59 a.m. (8:59 p.m. ET, Wednesday): Livestream video from a border crossing station between Crimea -- which was annexed by Russia in 2014 -- and parts of southern Ukraine viewed by CNN showed what may have been the first signs of the Russian invasion. Read MoreIn the video, a guard at the Kalanchak crossing is seen reacting to something heading towards the Ukrainian border. The guard begins moving back towards the gate, and soon another guard comes into frame. About 25 seconds later, people who had just walked across to Crimea, are seen -- suitcases in tow -- running back across the border. The lights suddenly go out at the station, and the camera switches to black and white, recording in infrared.4:08 a.m.: An individual dressed in camouflage is seen carrying a flashlight coming around one of the border guard stations. Three minutes later, three more individuals in camouflage are seen walking around the border crossing. Minutes later, the the camera cuts out. Very soon after, another webcam at the Chongar border crossing -- the only other active border crossing station from Crimea -- shows lights suddenly turning off, and, minutes later, the camera turns off as well.Putin announces 'operation'4:50 a.m.: Russian President Vladimir Putin made a speech, saying he had decided "to conduct a special military operation ... to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years," repeating a baseless claim about Ukraine's Russian-separatist-backed Donbas region.He denied, however, that Russia was planning to occupy Ukrainian territories. "We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force."Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech was broadcast minutes before the bombardment began. He went on to warn: "Whoever tries to interfere with us, and even more so, to create threats for our country, for our people should know that Russia's response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences that you have never experienced in your history."Strikes begin5.07 a.m.: Russian forces launched a series of missile attacks against locations near Kyiv, as well as the use of long-range artillery against the northeastern city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border. Before daylight: The strikes quickly spread across central and eastern Ukraine, as Russian forces attacked the country from three sides. People in the cities of Odessa, Dnipro, Mariupol and Kramatorsk reported huge blasts.Several detonations to the east of Kyiv let off massive plumes of gray smoke rising into the night sky. One of the chief targets was the main international airport at Boryspil, which is pummeled by missiles. Video showed a cruise missile hitting a military installation at the airport at Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine. Airports were also hit in Kharkiv, Ozerne, Kulbakino, Chuhuiv, Kramatorsk and Chornobaivka. Most of the targets were military bases, but there was clearly substantial damage in and around several cities. In Kharkiv, video emerged of an apartment block that had been damaged by a missile or long-range artillery. Another video showed a rocket embedded in a road. The State Emergency Service reported that six people were trapped in rubble in Nizhyn. A convoy of Russian military vehicles is seen moving towards the border in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine on February 23.Police officers inspect the remains of a missile that landed in a street in Kyiv on February 24.Ukraine's interior ministry said ballistic missiles had been used as part of the offensive, while jets were heard over the central city of Zaporizhzhye.The Russians used a wide array of weaponry in their assault, including attack aircraft and helicopters, tanks, long range artillery and missiles.6.48 a.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to Putin with a minute-long speech of his own, saying he had spoken to US President Joe Biden and that the US was rallying international support for Ukraine."The West is with us," he said, and announced martial law across the country.At the same time, a livestream video seen by CNN showed troops atop a column of military vehicles entering Ukraine from a border crossing with Belarus. The livestream video was taken at the Senkivka, Urkaine crossing with Veselovka, Belarus. Dawn breaks7 a.m.: After dawn, air raid sirens sounded across Kyiv and at around 7:45 a.m., sirens go off in the western city of Lviv. A short time later, a single, unidentifiable plane roared above the capital. Inhabitants of Kyiv leave the city following the Russian offensive of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. 8.00 a.m.: Ukraine claimed it had shot down five Russian aircraft and a helicopter. Russia denied losing any aircraft.As the day began in Kyiv, streams of vehicles could be seen crossing the North Bridge, heading west, away from the focus of the Russian assault. Other people in the capital sought shelter in subway stations.Across the country, long lines formed at gas stations and cash machines. A few people gathered in the streets of Kharkiv to pray.An eyewitness who saw and heard the latest strike in the town of Brovary on the outskirts of Kyiv described the situation as "terrifying."11.28 a.m: Ukrainian leader Zelensky made a televised address, in which he said Russia has attacked Ukraine in a "cunning way," comparing him to Hitler in World War II.He called on "everyone who is able" to join the military and called on veterans to come forward."From today our countries are on opposing sides of world history. Russia is on the side of evil, but it depends on the Russian people," he said."The people of Russia will have to choose which path each of them takes. Everyone in Russia who has not lost their honor, they have time to come out and protest this war."12:37 p.m.: More than 40 soldiers and about 10 civilians had been killed, Ukrainian authorities said.12:45 p.m.: CNN teams in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa and Mariupol heard more strikes, though they appear to be less severe than explosions reported earlier. 12:55 p.m.: Around five blasts were heard by a CNN team in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Around 2 p.m.: A K-52 "Alligator" Russian helicopter was shot down in the Kyiv region, near Mezhyhirya, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry confirmed. All timings are in local Ukrainian time and are estimates. CNN teams across Ukraine and Russia contributed to this report.

Kevin Liptak, Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler, CNN

2022-03-14 19:13:45

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/14/politics/us-china-russia-ukraine/index.html

China has expressed some openness to providing military and financial aid to Russia, US cable suggests - CNNPolitics

The US has information suggesting China has expressed some openness to providing Russia with requested military and financial assistance as part of its war on Ukraine, a Western official and a US diplomat told CNN, and is conveying what it knows to its NATO allies.

politics, China has expressed some openness to providing military and financial aid to Russia, US cable suggests - CNNPolitics

China has expressed some openness to providing military and financial aid to Russia, US cable suggests

(CNN)The US has information suggesting China has expressed some openness to providing Russia with requested military and financial assistance as part of its war on Ukraine, a Western official and a US diplomat told CNN, and is conveying what it knows to its NATO allies.It is not yet clear whether China intends to provide Russia with that assistance, US officials familiar with the intelligence tell CNN. But during an intense, seven-hour meeting in Rome, a top aide to President Joe Biden warned his Chinese counterpart of "potential implications and consequences" for China should support for Russia be forthcoming, a senior administration official said.The series of events underscored the growing concern among American officials at the budding partnership between Moscow and Beijing as Biden works to isolate and punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. While officials have said the Chinese President was alarmed at what has taken place since Russia invaded, there is little to indicate China is prepared to cut off its support entirely.That leaves open a troubling possibility for American officials -- that China may help prolong a bloody conflict that is increasingly killing civilians, while also cementing an authoritarian alliance in direct competition with the United States.In a diplomatic cable, the US relayed to its allies in Europe and Asia that China had conveyed a willingness to assist Russia, which has asked for military support. The cable did not state definitively that assistance had been provided. One official also said the US warned in the cable that China would likely deny it was willing to provide assistance.Read MoreAmong the assistance Russia requested was pre-packaged, non-perishable military food kits, known in the US as "meal, ready-to-eat," or MREs, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The request underscores the basic logistical challenges that military analysts and officials say have stymied Russian progress in Ukraine -- and raises questions about the fundamental readiness of the Russian military. Forward-deployed units have routinely outstripped their supply convoys and open source reports have shown Russian troops breaking into grocery stores in search of food as the invasion has progressed. One of the sources suggested that food might be a request that China would be willing to meet, because it stops short of lethal assistance that would be seen as deeply provocative by the west.The Chinese Communist Party leadership is not all in agreement regarding how to respond to Russia's request for assistance, said one of the sources. Two officials said that China's desire to avoid economic consequences may limit its appetite to help Russia. Officials separately told CNN that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been unnerved by how the war in Ukraine has reinvigorated the NATO alliance. "There is real concern by some that their involvement could hurt economic relationships with the West, on which China relies," said one of the sources. Officials are also monitoring whether China provides some economic and diplomatic relief for Russia in other forms, like abstention votes at the United Nations. In Rome, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and a US delegation who met with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi "raised directly and very clearly" concerns about Chinese "support to Russia in the wake of the invasion, and the implications that any such support would have for" China's relationship with the US and partners around the world, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said."That includes allies and partners in Europe and the Indo-Pacific," Price said at a State Department briefing Monday.Concerns over China's potential involvement in the war came as bombardments intensified in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and Russia's military campaign moved westward. Still, there remained signs that Russia's armed forces are being hampered by Ukrainian fighters, underscoring Russia's need for outside assistance.Ukrainian forces have "effectively struck Russian logistics and sustainment capabilities" in the war, a senior US defense official told reporters on Monday. And the US does not believe Russia's missile strikes on a Ukrainian military training center in western Ukraine will affect American efforts to provide weapons shipments to that country's military.Biden, who is working to rally international support for Ukraine, could travel to Europe soon to further consult with allies there, people familiar with the plans said, though as of Monday no trip had been finalized. His administration is also considering expediting the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees with US ties. The US President may face increased pressure to assist displaced Ukrainians soon -- the nation's President, Volodomyr Zelensky, plans to virtually address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.US watching how China responds to Russian invasion of UkraineHeading into the meeting, US officials said they expected Yang to portray China as a neutral partner willing to help facilitate talks between the two sides aimed at bringing an end to hostilities. China has ramped up its diplomatic efforts in the past days, including in a call last week between Xi and the leaders of France and Germany meant to signal a willingness to adopt a more proactive role in the crisis.The US has viewed those efforts somewhat skeptically, given China's recent closeness with Russia. And over the weekend, US officials said they had information that Russia had asked China for military support, including drones, as its invasion advances more slowly than the Kremlin had expected. Both the Chinese and Russian governments publicly denied that the request had been made.Sullivan told CNN on Sunday that China providing Russia with support is a "concern.""We also are watching closely to see the extent to which China actually does provide any form of support, material support or economic support, to Russia. It is a concern of ours. And we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions," Sullivan said.American officials say they believe Xi has been unsettled by Russia's invasion and the performance of Russia's military, which has experienced logistical and strategic setbacks since the invasion began more than two weeks ago. Watching from Beijing, Xi was caught off-guard that his own intelligence had not been able to predict what happened, even though the United States had been warning of an invasion for weeks, the officials said."They may not have understood the full extent of it," Sullivan said on CNN on Sunday, "because it's very possible that Putin lied to them, the same way that he lied to Europeans and others."The mostly global repudiation of Russia's actions has caused China to weigh what damage it may suffer to its reputation by sticking with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And an economic rupture with Europe or the United States could damage a Chinese economy already growing more slowly than it has in 30 years.For all those reasons, American officials believe now is a moment when engaging with China is an imperative as it determines how to proceed amid Russia's aggression. US and Chinese officials have been in regular touch over the past several weeks, including in the lead-up to Russia's invasion.Price said the US is "watching very closely the extent to which the PRC" -- another name for China -- "or any other country, for that matter, provides any form of support, whether that's material support, whether that's economic support, whether that's financial support to Russia.""Any such support from anywhere in the world would be of great concern to us," he said.He declined to comment specifically on reports about the diplomatic cable. "We have communicated very clearly to Beijing that we won't stand by. ... We will not allow each country to compensate Russia for its losses," he added.Price characterized the Chinese response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as somewhat "ambivalent.""I read a statement the other day from a PRC official calling the situation complicated. There's nothing complicated about this. This is naked aggression," he said.Russian invasion of Ukraine tosses its relationship with China into tumultSullivan's meeting Monday in Rome was originally meant as a follow-up to US President Joe Biden and Xi's nearly three-hour virtual summit in November, which occurred at the same time American officials began warning of a massive buildup of Russian troops along Ukraine's borders. On that call, Xi warned Biden that dividing the world into competing blocs would "inevitably bring disaster," according to a Chinese readout. Yet Russia's invasion has done more to align the world in competing alliances than anything Biden had done with the aim of bolstering American relationships -- an outcome American intelligence has found Xi was also unprepared for, believing instead that European economic interests would prevent countries there from imposing severe sanctions.That dynamic has complicated a relationship that Xi and Putin declared had "no limits" in a lengthy document in February, when Putin visited Beijing for talks and to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. The US decision to stage a diplomatic boycott of the Games infuriated Xi, officials have said, making Putin's presence in the stadium even more important.The evolving response in China to the Russian invasion -- from denying one would happen to avoiding public condemnation to presenting itself as a possible mediator -- has been closely monitored by the White House, where the potential of a Moscow-Beijing alliance is viewed with heightened concern. CIA Director Bill Burns said last week the partnership was rooted in "a lot of very cold-blooded reasons."A new "axis" forming in opposition to American-led efforts at bolstering regional security has been in the works since before the war in Ukraine, including in the economic, political and military sectors. But the US does not view the partnership as fully developed, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers last week."We do see it as not yet at the point where we are, for example, with allies," Haines said. "They have not achieved that kind of level of cooperation, and we anticipate it is unlikely in the next five years that they will ... become the way we are an ally with our other NATO members in that context."This story has been updated with additional reporting.

Analysis by Laura He, CNN Business

2022-02-06 00:04:31

business

economy

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/05/economy/russia-china-ukraine-economy-intl-hnk/index.html

Why China won't put its economy on the line to rescue Putin - CNN

Russia has one obvious ally to turn to as geopolitical sparks fly with the West over Ukraine.

economy, Why China won't put its economy on the line to rescue Putin - CNN

Why China won't put its economy on the line to rescue Putin

Hong Kong (CNN Business)Russia has one obvious ally to turn to as geopolitical sparks fly with the West over Ukraine.But don't expect China to offer much more than supportive words to its northern neighbor should the United States and Europe follow through with threats to slam Russia's economy if Moscow launches an invasion of Ukraine. Beijing's diplomatic and military ties with Moscow may be strong, but its economic allegiances are a lot more complex. As relations deteriorate with the West, Putin and Xi are getting closerRussian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday as the Beijing Winter Olympics kicked off. The Kremlin described the meeting as warm and constructive, and the leaders agreed to deepen their cooperation, according to an account published by Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Russian oil giant Rosneft said it had agreed to boost supplies to China over the next decade."Working together, we can achieve stable economic growth ... and stand together against today's risks and challenges," Putin wrote in an op-ed published Thursday by Xinhua.Those risks may be formidable should Russia invade Ukraine. Moscow has denied that it has any intention of doing so.Read MoreBut US lawmakers are threatening to impose what they call the "mother of all sanctions" on Russia should it cross a red line. European leaders are also preparing punishments that would go way beyond the curbs imposed on Russia when it annexed Crimea in 2014.China — which has its own tensions with the West — has already expressed diplomatic support for its ally. In a joint statement issued Friday after their meeting, Xi and Putin said both sides opposed "further enlargement of NATO." Russia fears Ukraine may join the alliance."Xi almost certainly believes there is a strategic interest in supporting Russia," said Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the DC-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He pointed out that China "remains at permanent loggerheads" with the United States. There is already some evidence that tensions with the West have deepened cooperation between China and Russia, according to Alexander Gabuev, senior fellow and chair of Russia in the Asia‑Pacific Program at Carnegie Moscow Center. He cited arms deals, the joint development of weapons, and an "increased number of joint drills" between the two powers. But it's not clear how far that would extend to deeper economic cooperation in the face of harsh sanctions. Russia depends deeply on China for trade, but that's not the case the other way round. And the Chinese economy is already in a shaky spot, giving less incentive to Xi to tie his country's fortunes to Moscow's in the event of a military crisis. "It would be a 'win' for Putin if Xi simply hews closely to China's stated desire for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, as it implies that Putin's grievances are legitimate," Singleton said. "Beyond that though, China may be hard pressed to truly deepen its economic ties with Russia, at least any time soon."Russia's President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping pose during a meeting in Beijing on Friday.Russia needs China for trade. China has other prioritiesChina is Russia's No. 1 trading partner, accounting for 16% of the value of its foreign trade, according to CNN Business calculations based on 2020 figures from the World Trade Organization and Chinese customs data. But for China, Russia matters a lot less: Trade between the two countries made up just 2% of China's total trade volume. The European Union and the United States have much larger shares. "Beijing needs to be very cautious about wading into a conflict between NATO and Russia over the Ukraine," said Alex Capri, a research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation. "China's current economic ties with Russia, including its energy needs, don't warrant Beijing risking further alienation and backlash from Washington and its allies. This could come back to haunt Beijing later."Western authorities know the stakes are high for China, too. Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Beijing that an invasion of Ukraine would create "global security and economic risks" that could also hurt China.China's economy expanded 8.1% in 2021, but growth is slowingChina's economy is already struggling, which could make it harder for Beijing to deepen ties with Moscow — or even deliver on promises it has already made, such as a recent agreement to boost China-Russia trade to $200 billion by 2024, roughly $50 billion a year more than it does now.The International Monetary Fund expects China's economy to grow by just 4.8% this year, down from 8% in 2021. A real estate crisis and subdued consumer spending are dragging the rate of growth down.Singleton said that an escalating crisis in Ukraine would "almost certainly shock" energy and metals markets, thus weighing heavily on the global economy. That kind of emergency, coupled with China's strict zero-Covid policy, "could hasten China's already rapid economic slowdown."There are limits to Beijing's helpA strong relationship with China would likely only mitigate rather than neutralize the impact of Western sanctions on Russia, according to Capri of the Hinrich Foundation.And there are some problems that China can't really help with at all, he added. Take the "nuclear option" that could upend the Russian economy, for example. The West could remove the country from SWIFT, a high security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world. That could cut Russia off from the global banking system.What is SWIFT and why it might be the weapon Russia fears mostThe Chinese yuan is "nowhere close to being sufficiently internationalized to compete with the US dollar," Capri said, noting that the dollar plays a critical role in both SWIFT and also the trading of commodities such as oil and gas, the "lifeblood of Russia's economy."Analysts at Eurasia Group wrote in a report last week that Beijing could redouble efforts to build a yuan-denominated payment system, which might allow it to do business more freely with countries that have been sanctioned by the West without using dollars or euros. Even so, they wrote, companies in both China and Russia "still prefer to denominate trade in freely convertible currencies," meaning that any efforts to reduce Western influence would be "more aspirational than substantive." Recent history isn't in Russia's favor. After Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, the country pivoted to China for support as it was slapped with economic sanctions. And even though Beijing publicly opposed those punishments and promised to boost economic ties, its efforts weren't enough to offset Russia's problems. Trade between Russia and China in 2015 fell 29% from the year before, according to official statistics from China. Chinese direct investment into Russia also suffered.And Russian bankers complained that Chinese banks were reluctant to do business with them so as to avoid violating the sanctions, according to a 2015 op-ed written by Yuri Soloviev, the deputy president of VTB Bank, a major Russian financial institution."China is the senior partner in the bilateral relationship," wrote the Eurasia Group analysts in their recent report, pointing out that the economy is about nine times larger than Russia's. "It is likely that Beijing wants to shape Moscow's calculus to its advantage."

Kelly McCleary and Leah Asmelash, CNN

2020-12-05 17:20:39

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/05/us/prohibition-end-anniversary-marijuana-law-trnd/index.html

Prohibition: On this day in 1933, America ended its alcohol ban - CNN

Prohibition ended in the US on this day in 1933 with the repeal of the 18th amendment.

us, Prohibition: On this day in 1933, America ended its alcohol ban - CNN

On this day in 1933, America ended prohibition

(CNN)Pour one out for prohibition. The amendment banning the production, importation, sale and transportation of alcohol in the United States ended on this day in 1933.Prohibition began on January 17, 1920, when the 18th Amendment went into effect. Couple finds more than 66 bottles of Prohibition-era whiskey hidden in the walls of their New York homeThe cause was championed by the temperance movement, which encouraged and advocated for abstinence from alcohol. Much of the reasoning was based on ideas of Christian ethics, and many Christian denominations were active in the movement.Supporters believed increased industrialization and immigration from Europe were leading to heavier drinking, which was accompanied by gambling and prostitution at saloons. While the amendment outlawed the production of alcohol, it didn't specifically outlaw consumption of it, so people began stockpiling their drinks of choice.Read MoreWith prohibition in place, crime grew more rampant throughout the 1920s. Bootlegging was widespread and gangsters like Al Capone profited off the illegal distillation and sale of alcohol. Increased gang activity also led to more violence, like the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929, which saw seven members of George "Bugs" Moran's bootlegging gang shot inside a garage in Chicago.Daily News front page December 6, 1933, Headline: YOU CAN DRINK! REPEAL VOTEDWhen the Great Depression hit, potential tax revenue from alcohol sales became appealing to cash-strapped governments. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt made a campaign promise to legalize drinking and the 21st amendment was ratified on December 5, 1933. It overturned the 18th amendment and ended prohibition.Today -- 87 years later -- lawmakers in Washington, DC, are trying to decriminalize another banned substance: marijuana.The House of Representatives voted Friday to approve legislation that would legalize marijuana on the federal level and seek to "address the devastating injustices caused by the War on Drugs."The measure passed the Democratic-controlled chamber largely along party lines, but has little chance of going anywhere in the Republican-controlled Senate.CNN's Veronica Stracqualursi and Lauren Dezenski contributed to this report.

Jordan Valinsky, CNN Business

2022-01-25 12:35:18

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/25/business/coke-simply-spiked-launch/index.html

Simply Lemonade is becoming a boozy beverage - CNN

Coca-Cola is turning another one of its drinks into an alcoholic alternative. It's the company's third boozy beverage as it taps into the growing canned cocktail craze.

business, Simply Lemonade is becoming a boozy beverage - CNN

Exclusive: Simply Lemonade is becoming a boozy beverage

New York (CNN Business)Coca-Cola is turning another one of its drinks into an alcoholic alternative. It's the company's third boozy beverage as it taps into the growing canned cocktail craze.In a partnership between Molson Coors (TAP) and Coke, the companies are launching Simply Spiked Lemonade, an alcoholic drink inspired by the Simply brand's fruit juice. Flavors include strawberry lemonade, watermelon lemonade, blueberry lemonade and regular lemonade. The alcohol will be derived from fermented sugar cane. Molson's Chief Marketing Officer Michelle St. Jacques said there was a "big opportunity" for Simply because it's a "powerful and beloved" product. "Simply is known for its bold flavor and real fruit juice and there's a great opportunity to create a new brand (in the alcohol aisle)," she told CNN Business in an exclusive interview. Simply Spiked Lemonade is coming this summer.Simply Spiked Lemonade will be sold in a variety of 12-pack of slim cans, which has 5% alcohol-by-volume, and 24-ounce standalone cans. Prices weren't yet released, but it will go on sale this summer. Despite consumers shifting away from sugary drinks and juices, Molson is optimistic about the new product's success because consumers are looking for bold flavors in the alcohol category. Read MoreSimply is Coke's second-biggest brand in the US, generating $1 billion in revenue, St. Jacques said. Coke credited the "solid performance" of Simply in its annual report, despite its juice, dairy and plant-based beverages unit declining 9% last year. Slowing juice sales prompted Pepsi to offload its Tropicana brand to a private equity firm in a multibillion dollar deal last year.Simply Spiked Lemonade joins Coke's growing roster of alcoholic drinks leveraging its popular brands and looking for areas of growth. It recently revealed Fresca Mixed, a spirit-based cocktail, that will be released this summer in conjunction with Corona-maker Constellation (STZB). In 2020, Molson and Coke started selling Topo Chico hard seltzer and added a new tequila-based flavor, called Ranch Water, this year. Ready-to-drink cocktail sales have exploded as drinkers look for convenience and new flavors beyond wine and beer. The beverage category grew 53% last year and is projected to grow another 29% over the next three years, according to data from IWSR Drinks Analysis. The craze is overshadowing spiked seltzers. Following strong sales over the past few years, the low-calorie drinks have faded in popularity — and sales — as customers get bored with them. For Molson, sales of its hard seltzer brands have been performing well, but the company quietly discontinued Coors Seltzer last year to focus on its Topo Chico and Vizzy brands.Coke rival PepsiCo (PEP) announced its entry into the alcohol market last year with "HARD MTN DEW," a sugar-free canned beverage with 5% alcohol by volume that is being created with the Boston Beer Company (SAM).

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-11-24 10:47:08

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/24/investing/india-cryptocurrency-bill-hnk-intl/index.html

India crypto bill sows confusion with plan to ban 'private cryptocurrencies' - CNN

India is flirting with a ban on cryptocurrencies.

investing, India crypto bill sows confusion with plan to ban 'private cryptocurrencies' - CNN

India sows confusion with plan to ban 'private cryptocurrencies'

New Delhi (CNN Business)India is flirting with a ban on cryptocurrencies.Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on Tuesday said that it is preparing to introduce a bill that would regulate digital currencies.There's still much that's unknown about the proposal. A cryptically worded description of the bill posted on the Indian parliament website outlined a plan to "prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India." But the bill also says it would allow for "certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses." The Modi government also wants to help the Reserve Bank of India, the country's central bank, create an official digital currency, according to the notice posted about the draft legislation.That language leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The bill didn't specify what is meant by "private" cryptocurrencies, so it's not clear whether that applies to the world's most heavily traded coins, including bitcoin and ethereum. India's finance ministry did not immediately respond to questions from CNN Business about the bill. Read MoreThe proposal will be presented to parliament in a session that starts Monday.A history of tensionThis isn't the first time potential restrictions on digital currencies has rankled crypto traders and investors in India, one of the world's fastest growing economies. In 2018, the central bank prohibited Indian banks from dealing with cryptocurrency exchanges, citing "concerns of consumer protection, market integrity and money laundering, among others." Two years later, that ban was struck down by India's top court. But investors continue to worry that Modi's government — which has compared cryptocurrencies to "Ponzi schemes" — could bring down the hammer. In March, Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources, that the government was planning on "fining anyone trading in the country or even holding such digital assets." Forget cash. Pay me in bitcoinSo far, such fines haven't materialized. And some of India's top government officials have taken a softer tone when discussing such assets. The finance minister in March said that "we are not shutting off all options" and that the country "will allow a certain amount of window for people to experiment on blockchain and bitcoin." Anirudh Rastogi, founder of tech law firm Ikigaw Law, told CNN Business that the government is wary of cryptocurrency because it can be used for money laundering and evasion of taxes. The government is also concerned about the impact on investors."Some of these coins can be quite scammy," said Rastogi, whose firm represented cryptocurrency exchanges during the supreme court case that challenged the central bank's 2018 ruling. "But in imposing a blanket ban, India would be out of sync with important global tech and business developments in blockchain."Popularity in IndiaVirtual currencies are attractive to Indians. While the government does not keep estimates of how many people trade cryptocurrencies, media reports have suggested that the country may hold as many as 20 million crypto investors, citing industry experts.This year, at least two crypto exchanges have achieved unicorn status — a term used for startups valued at over a billion dollars — with funding from heavyweight investors such as Andreessen Horowitz and Coinbase Ventures. These platforms have also roped in some of Bollywood's biggest actors to promote bitcoin in TV and newspaper ads.Some crypto experts do acknowledge that regulation is needed in India — it's just about striking the right balance. "Don't panic," tweeted Nischal Shetty, the founder of cryptocurrency platform WazirX, after the new bill was announced. "All of us want regulation. We've been pushing for it from the last 1,000+ days.""We need to have faith in our law makers. There will be discussions and deliberations." he added. "Ultimately, innovation will win."

Rishi Iyengar, CNN Business

2021-03-08 23:51:13

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/08/tech/india-internet-homegrown-apps/index.html

India is trying to build its own internet - CNN

While Twitter finds itself in a prolonged standoff with the Indian government over the company's refusal to take down certain accounts, a senior executive of a very similar Indian social network says the sudden attention on his app has been "overwhelming."

tech, India is trying to build its own internet - CNN

India is trying to build its own internet

(CNN Business)While Twitter finds itself in a prolonged standoff with the Indian government over the company's refusal to take down certain accounts, a senior executive of a very similar Indian social network says the sudden attention on his app has been "overwhelming.""It feels like ... you've just been put in the finals of the World Cup suddenly and everyone's watching you and the team," Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of Koo, told CNN Business.Koo, touted by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and used enthusiastically by several officials and ministries in his government, has been downloaded 3.3 million times so far this year, per app analytics firm Sensor Tower. It's a promising start for a company founded less than a year ago, but less than Twitter's 4.2 million Indian downloads during the same period.However, the Indian social network, which sports a bird logo familiar to any Twitter user, was downloaded more times than Twitter in the month of February — when the Indian government called out the US company for not doing enough to block accounts sharing what it called "incendiary and baseless" hashtags around a protest by farmers against new agricultural laws. "We're building as fast as we can," Bidawatka said.Read MoreTwitter is stuck between a rock and a hard place in IndiaOver the past couple of years, the Modi government has ratcheted up its pressure on global tech companies. It recently imposed stringent restrictions on the likes of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and reportedly threatened their employees with jail time, less than a year after banning dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok and WeChat. Against that backdrop, homegrown alternatives to many of those services have cropped up to try to take advantage of a burgeoning techno-nationalism — and some, like Koo, are quickly gaining traction. The two most downloaded apps in India so far in 2021 are TikTok-esque short video platforms MX Taka Tak and Moj, ahead of Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, according to app analytics firm Sensor Tower. Bidawatka praised Twitter's service and said the government backlash against it and other tech platforms is "unfortunate." But he doesn't deny that the government's clash with Twitter has given Koo and other Indian apps a boost, adding that local apps have a better understanding of the market and can step in where big global tech firms fall short."A lot of the global tech giants have India as a part of their roadmap as far as growth is concerned, but they're also a little worried about making big changes to a very stable global product to cater to a market like that," he said. "We have the talent, we have the resources, some of us have the experience, there's funding available for fulfilling dreams like these. And these are pretty large dreams, we're talking about creating products that are very relevant to the second largest internet population in the world."Sending a messageSeveral governments are now reckoning with, and seeking to rein in, the power of large global tech companies. Australia, Europe and the United States have floated regulations in recent months that aim to blunt some of that power.India is no different in targeting big tech firms, but much of its focus in recent months has been around protecting its national security and sovereignty — and it has a lot of leverage. The country's 750 million internet users, with hundreds of millions more yet to come online for the first time, are crucial to Big Tech's global growth prospects. Facebook (FB), Google (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX) and several others have already poured billions of dollars into growing their Indian operations. The Modi government's regulations have created a chilling effect on those companies and emboldened Indian apps to position themselves as a better fit for the country's users. The big question now is whether the government simply promotes and encourages made-in-India apps or creates a regulatory environment where they're the only ones left standing. In banning Chinese apps, in particular, India used China's own tech playbook against it. The world's most populous nation has largely sealed off its billion-plus people from foreign tech companies for decades, using a massive censorship apparatus known as The Great Firewall. Google and Facebook have both made overtures to China in an effort to be let into the world's biggest market, but to no avail. Instead, China's internet ecosystem is made up of homegrown companies such as Tencent (TCEHY), Weibo (WB) and Alibaba (BABA), some of which have become large global players. The worldwide web as we know it may be endingIndia's move to shut down Chinese tech firms definitely gave Indian competitors a boost — particularly those seeking to replace TikTok, which had more than 200 million users in the country before it was banned. Meanwhile, the government has actively sought to boost homegrown apps: Koo and Chingari were both among the winners of an "app innovation challenge" that received prize money from the government.These shifting dynamics in India's digital marketplace are yet another warning sign of what's been dubbed the splinternet, foreshadowing a possible world where each country sticks to its own apps and abandons the open and global nature of the internet. For now, however, these homegrown apps may find it difficult to compete at the same level unless the government decides to ban Facebook and Twitter, too. "If the party is on Twitter, a few people on Koo won't matter," Mishi Choudhary, legal director at the New York-based Software Freedom Law Center, told CNN Business. "The ability to follow global news and forge connections across borders is a crucial feature for the success of these platforms and must not be overlooked."But unseating Big Tech may not strictly be the point, says Anupam Srivastava, a nonresident fellow at the Stimson Center, a Washington DC-based think tank and a former head of the Indian government's investment agency, Invest India. It's also about sending a message to companies like Facebook and Twitter: Access to India's massive internet shouldn't be taken for granted."The effort is to tell them you're not indispensable," he said. The China conundrum Soon after Modi called on the country to become "self-reliant" in May last year, short-form video app Chingari began marketing itself as a homegrown alternative to TikTok. It was downloaded 2.5 million times in six days. A few weeks later, when India banned TikTok and dozens of other Chinese-owned apps after a military conflict with China escalated, Chingari really exploded, with 8 million downloads the day of the ban, then 7 million downloads the day after, according to cofounder Sumit Ghosh. "It was crazy, crazy stuff," Ghosh told CNN Business in an interview last year soon after the ban. "Banning TikTok was never the business plan for us," he added. "We were growing organically." But he fully endorses the Indian government's rationale for the ban, arguing that China and its companies can't be trusted, and Indian user data needs to be in Indian hands to avoid a "security risk."This is what it's like when a country actually bans TikTokWhile India was willing to ban Chinese apps, there may be limits to how far its government can go with services from other countries. As a democratically elected government, and one that has far closer ties to the United States than to China, it's unlikely India can completely close off its internet and kick out America's biggest tech companies in the near future. "Undergirding all of US-India engagement ... is a very strong and growing government-to-government defense, security and high technology cooperation," Srivastava said. In contrast, India sees itself "in an existential sort of struggle with China" and the app ban was "aimed as a direct message." Chingari plans to focus on its home country until it hits at least 100 million users. The app does eventually have global ambitions, but Ghosh said it is committed to "data sovereignty," with plans to store users' data within their respective countries. That may make it more difficult to train the app's recommendation algorithm, considering the data will be more fragmented than if it were all processed in the same place. But it's a price Chingari is willing to pay. Additionally, hedging against geopolitical risks could help Chingari avoid being banned in other markets the way TikTok and others were banned in India."India is generally friendly with every country," Ghosh said, "but you never know."

By Mallika Kapur, CNN

2013-02-13 03:31:28

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/12/business/india-gold-fever-2012/index.html

India spent $56 billion for their gold? - CNN

In India, gold is gifted at weddings, when a baby is born, during festivals, to mark a promotion -- at any celebratory occasion. Walk into any gold shop, at any time of the year, and you are bound to find customers choosing a gold bracelet or biscuit. It's part and parcel of Indian culture.

business, India spent $56 billion for their gold? - CNN

India spent $56 billion for their gold?

Story highlightsIndia bought $56 billion in gold in 2012 -- all importedGold demand in India is one reason for country's ballooning fiscal deficitMore than half of India's population does not deal with a bankGold seen as best investment; domestic prices rose 13% in 2012In India, gold is gifted at weddings, when a baby is born, during festivals, to mark a promotion -- at any celebratory occasion. Walk into any gold shop, at any time of the year, and you are bound to find customers choosing a gold bracelet or biscuit. It's part and parcel of Indian culture. In the heart of Mumbai's Jhaveri Bazaar, which translates into jewellery market, 24 year old Alfiya Bhombal shops for her wedding. She's come with her parents. The family will gift Alfiya and her groom gold at their wedding. Between trying on various necklaces and earrings, Bhombhal says "no bride will look the part without it."Buying gold is a cultural habit in India -- one that's also driven by economics. More than half of India's population is unbanked. People who live in its villages are illiterate. Investing in a bank or a financial instrument is almost out of the question of this section of society. The easiest way to make an investment is to buy a piece of gold - a hard asset that can be stored at home. It gives good returns -- domestic gold prices rose around 13% last year.There's one big problem with India's greed for gold. India doesn't produce any of the precious metal domestically. Everything that's consumed here, is imported. Just last year, that cost India $56 billion dollars -- and is one of the main reasons behind India's fiscal deficit ballooning. It touched a record high of 5.4% of India's gross domestic product in the July to September quarter last year. That data had India's Finance Minister worried. In January, P Chidambaram said, "we may be left with no choice but to make it a little bit more expensive to import gold." He then raised the import duty on gold and platinum from 4 to 6% in an effort to curb demand.Mohit Kamboj, President of the Bombay Bullion Association says he does not think this hike in gold import duty will affect a consumers appetite for gold, even if it means a gold bracelet may cost a little bit more. He said property prices have been hit by recession, the stock market hasn't given good returns. "No one has got much return on investment besides gold."Investing in gold has been good for the retailer but according to Shubhada Rao, Chief Economist of Yes Bank, it's been a drag on the Indian economy. "Because savings have gone into gold, the financial savings have begun to deplete and that has caused structural liquidity in the banks to get lower," she said. Across stores in India, it doesn't change much. Jewellery shops remain bustling and Bhombhal, unbothered by the government's decision to raise the import duty on gold. Buying gold is a centuries old tradition in India, one that few -- including Bhombhal -- are willing to give up.

Michelle Toh, CNN Business

2022-01-11 06:58:52

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/11/business/binance-changpeng-zhao-net-worth-intl-hnk/index.html

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao becomes one of the world's richest billionaires, with estimated net worth surpassing Ambani's - CNN

A cryptocurrency CEO has become one of the richest people on Earth.

business, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao becomes one of the world's richest billionaires, with estimated net worth surpassing Ambani's - CNN

Crypto CEO becomes one of the world's richest billionaires

Hong Kong (CNN Business)A cryptocurrency CEO has become one of the richest people on Earth.Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, who runs the crypto exchange Binance, has joined the ranks of the world's top billionaires, with an estimated net worth of at least $96 billion, according to new calculations from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index published Monday.Zhao's projected fortune now rivals that of Oracle (ORCL) founder Larry Ellison and surpasses that of Mukesh Ambani, the Indian tycoon whose fortune has also soared over the last two years.The ascent of the Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur is emblematic of the rapid creation of wealth in the fast-moving world of digital currencies. Last year, other crypto founders also enjoyed huge gains as the value of virtual coins rallied, with ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin and Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong both becoming billionaires.Read MoreJUST WATCHEDBinance.US wants to make crypto more accessibleReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBinance.US wants to make crypto more accessible 08:01Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX, another cryptocurrency exchange that has been backed by Binance, pointed Tuesday to an "unprecedented amount of wealth creation that has occurred in the industry over the last few years.""I think that there's a lot of people who are trying to figure out what to do with [that]," Friedman, who himself is a young billionaire, said during a virtual onstage discussion at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong.In a post on Twitter Monday, Zhao also appeared to acknowledge the distinction. "Don't worry about rankings. Focus on how many people you can help," he wrote. Zhao followed up in another tweet Tuesday, saying: "Unpopular opinion: instead of wealth rankings, there should be a ranking of charity and philanthropy efforts."The pandemic pushed nearly 100 million people in poverty. They're struggling to escapeA Binance spokesperson told CNN Business that "CZ intends to give away most of his wealth, even 99% of his wealth, just like other entrepreneurs and founders." In recent years, other famous business leaders, such as Facebook (FB) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, have signed the Giving Pledge, an initiative started by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to encourage the world's richest to donate the bulk of their fortunes to charity.Zhao launched Binance in 2017, gradually building it into one of the world's largest crypto exchanges. According to a company blog post, the executive grew up in an immigrant family in Canada and previously worked at McDonald's to help support his household.After studying computer science at McGill University, he worked on trading software for the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Bloomberg. First on CNN: MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani takes a stake in crypto firm FTX"He then learned about bitcoin in 2013 during a game of poker, after which he decided to go all-in on crypto by dedicating his life to it," according to Binance. "He even sold his apartment to buy bitcoin." Like other exchanges, Binance has faced significant regulatory hurdles around the world in recent months, including a ban in the United Kingdom and other restrictions in countries including Canada. Zhao has publicly addressed the setbacks, writing in an open letter last year that "clear regulations are critical for continued growth.""More regulations are, in fact, positive signs that an industry is maturing," he added. "Because this sets the foundation for a broader population to feel safe to participate in crypto."

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2022-01-22 16:06:05

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/22/investing/bitcoin-ethereum-cryptocurrency-price-record-high/index.html

Bitcoin, ethereum prices tumble as cryptocurrencies continue their downward slide - CNN

Bitcoin has lost almost half its value since its November high, with cryptocurrency prices continuing to plunge as major economies look to curb their growing popularity.

investing, Bitcoin, ethereum prices tumble as cryptocurrencies continue their downward slide - CNN

Bitcoin value tumbles almost 50% since record November

New Delhi (CNN Business)Bitcoin has lost almost half its value since its November high, with cryptocurrency prices continuing to plunge as major economies look to curb their growing popularity.And it's not just Bitcoin, as cryptocurrencies in general have had a dismal start to the year. Bitcoin has fallen over 8% in the last 24 hours, and was trading at $35,479 as of 9:30 am ET, according to CoinDesk. The world's most valuable cryptocurrency has plummeted over 20% since the beginning of the year. In November it was trading at a record high of $68,990. Its peers have fared worse. Ethereum, the world's second most valuable cryptocurency, has fallen more than 12% in the last 24 hour, and was trading at around $2,400 as of mid-morning Saturday, according to CoinDesk. That's an almost 30% drop since the start of the new year. Investors are getting jittery about digital currencies and other riskier assets ever since the US Federal Reserve signaled it may unwind economic stimulus more aggressively than expected.Twitter is rolling out verified NFT profile picturesGovernments are cracking down as well. On Thursday, Reuters reported that Russia's central bank has proposed a ban on crypto use and mining. Russia is one of the biggest crypto-mining nations in the world, but its central bank said that digital currencies can pose a threat to the country's financial stability. Read MoreThe Russian proposal comes just a few months after China launched a full-scale clampdown on cryptocurrency, banning both trading and mining. Other countries are also flirting with a ban on crypto. In November, India said it was preparing to introduce a bill that would regulate digital currencies, although much is still unknown about that proposal. Earlier this week, India's prime minister Narendra Modi said that global cooperation is needed to tackle problems posed by crytocurrencies. However, not everyone is pessimistic. Goldman Sachs said that the price of bitcoin could reach more than $100,000 within the next five years. In a report published earlier this month, the bank's analysts said they saw strong gains ahead because bitcoin would increasingly steal market share from gold.CNN Business' Ramishah Maruf contributed to this report.

Jill Disis, CNN Business

2021-11-23 09:09:11

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/23/investing/paytm-stock-fall-intl-hnk/index.html

Paytm is still struggling to convince investors after disastrous IPO - CNN

Paytm is starting to stage a recovery from its disastrous stock market debut last week, but the digital payments firm faces an uphill battle winning over investors worried about its ability to turn a profit in the face of growing competition.

investing, Paytm is still struggling to convince investors after disastrous IPO - CNN

Paytm is still struggling to convince investors after disastrous IPO

Hong Kong (CNN Business)Paytm is starting to stage a recovery from its disastrous stock market debut last week, but the digital payments firm faces an uphill battle winning over investors worried about its ability to turn a profit in the face of growing competition. Shares of the Indian company — trading under the name of its parent, One97 Communications — plunged in the days since they began trading in Mumbai in the country's biggest IPO when measured in local currency.The stock edged higher on Tuesday, but it's still down more than 30% from its issue price, a loss of $5.7 billion in market value.Warren Buffett-backed Paytm crashes 27% after milestone IPO for IndiaAnalysts expressed several concerns about Paytm in the run-up to its offering. The company lost hundreds of millions of dollars last year and seems far from ready to turn a profit. It's also up against growing competition from some of the biggest tech firms in the world. Companies such as Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOGL) are using an Indian government-backed technology called the Unified Payments Interface. Read More"Dabbling in multiple business lines inhibits Paytm from being a category leader in any business except wallets, which are becoming inconsequential with the meteoric rise in UPI payments," analysts at Macquarie wrote in a research note last week."Most things that Paytm does, every other large ecosystem player like Amazon, Flipkart, Google, etc, are doing," the analysts added.Big questions remain about how Paytm can effectively profit off its massive customer base, according to Prashant Gokhale, chief operating officer at Aletheia Capital. Paytm said in its IPO filing that it had 337 million registered consumers and 22 million merchants. But Gokhale told CNN Business the problem is how the company can turn those consumers into revenue. "They have a lot of subsidiaries. They have insurance, they have stock broking, they have financial services," Gokhale said, adding that the company wants to make money by selling those additional services to existing users of its payments app.But he said those businesses are all rife with competition, making it difficult to see how there's a pathway to profitability for Paytm.These kinds of IPOs "remind a new generation of investors that there are risks," Gokhale added.Talking to CNN last week, Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma acknowledged his company's poor IPO performance, and said that if it had waited to announce a few more quarterly results, "our execution plan would bring comfort to a lot more people."Paytm "is a new business model for many public market investors," he told CNN's Julia Chatterley, adding that numbers in subsequent quarters "will explain this much better.""I would say that it is very early days to say that we would not be profitable," Sharma added. "Our numbers and revenues will do the job of talking."— Diksha Madhok contributed to this report.

Analysis by Laura He, CNN Business

2022-01-31 05:06:41

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/31/business/china-digital-yuan-beijing-winter-olympics-mic-intl-hnk/index.html

The Beijing Olympics won't be the splashy launch China wanted for its digital currency - CNN

China was hoping the Winter Olympics would be a watershed moment for the digital yuan, providing a global stage on which to parade its prowess in financial innovation.

business, The Beijing Olympics won't be the splashy launch China wanted for its digital currency - CNN

The Beijing Olympics won't be the splashy launch China wanted for its digital currency

A version of this story appeared in CNN's Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here.Hong Kong (CNN Business)China was hoping the Winter Olympics would be a watershed moment for the digital yuan, providing a global stage on which to parade its prowess in financial innovation.Instead, geopolitical tensions, the pandemic and China's insistence on stamping out every trace of Covid are spoiling the party, dealing a blow to one of the most ambitious digital currency projects on the planet.China is already on the verge of becoming a cashless society, but the vast majority of those electronic transactions happen on privately owned apps, outside of the immediate purview of the state. An official yuan would change that, giving Beijing an unprecedented amount of information about what people are spending their money on and where. The world's second largest economy has been trialing the digital yuan in Chinese cities for the last two years, as it prepares for a national rollout that could put China ahead of Europe and the United States in the global race to develop a state-backed digital currency.The timeline for that nationwide launch has yet to be decided, but Beijing almost certainly intended the Olympic Games to be an important milestone on the road to widespread usage.Read MoreChina wants to weaponize its currency. A digital version could helpBeijing has been pressuring businesses — including big Western companies such as McDonald's (MCD) and Nike (NKE) — to allow customers to use the digital yuan during the games. The digital version of the currency is one of only three payment choices foreign athletes and others have at sporting venues and the Olympic Village, aside from cash and Visa payments. And last year, Beijing said it would make it easier for foreigners to use the digital yuan during the Games by giving athletes ski gloves and smart watches with built-in payment functions, and scrapping a requirement to open a local bank account if they wished to use the currency.As the event approaches, though, those efforts may land with a thud. Beijing is barring most fans from attending the Games, and has constructed an elaborate quarantine "bubble" to separate Olympians, officials, journalists and support staff from the rest of the city as fears of coronavirus outbreaks persist. Western lawmakers are also warning their athletes against using the digital yuan over mistrust of the Chinese government, including spying concerns."The Olympic Games would have been the first real chance for tourists and Chinese nationals alike to familiarize themselves with the digital yuan, but that door slammed shut when the Chinese government decided to severely restrict the number of Olympic spectators," said Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a DC-based research institute."That decision alone, more than anything else, will likely further delay the mass adoption of the digital currency."The digital yuan is one of only three payment choices foreign athletes and others have at sporting venues and the Olympic Village, aside from cash and Visa payments. A muted international debutChinese companies and government officials have been touting the Games as an opportunity for the digital yuan in recent weeks, even as it has become obvious that attendance will be minimal."Launching the digital yuan at a big party like the Winter Olympics can showcase China's latest fintech achievement to the world," Li Xin, chief business manager at Bank of China's (BACHF) digital yuan unit, told the state broadcaster earlier this month. The state-owned bank is the official banking partner of the Beijing Games.Several factors are making widespread adoption difficult. Authorities have created one of the most complex Covid quarantines ever attempted. Known officially as the "closed loop system," the restrictions will apply to some 11,000 people from around the world, sealing them off from the wider Chinese population.Anyone — Chinese or foreign visitor — who isn't part of that system are barred from attending the Games at all, further limiting the scale of the spectacle. 'It creates a lot of anxiety': Ahead of the Winter Olympics, athletes are doing everything to avoid catching Covid-19Political tensions could also complicate the situation. Last July, three US Republican Senators urged the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to forbid American athletes from "receiving or using the digital yuan during the Beijing Olympics." The committee didn't publicly respond. But it has reportedly advised US athletes to bring disposable or burner phones to the Olympics in China because of possible surveillance, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month. Several other countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, have offered similar advice to their athletes, according to Reuters.Even if many of the people who do attend the event use the digital yuan, "it won't make a significant dent in overall transaction levels," said Scott Kennedy, senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.The digital yuan is available in 10 cities and regions, but experts cite a lack of incentives as a major reason for flagging enthusiasm.Struggling for traction The digital yuan is already struggling to gain traction within China. Transactions using the currency totaled just $8.37 billion in the second half of 2021, equivalent to $1.4 billion per month. While that marks some progress following two years of trials, it's still far from mounting a serious challenge to privately owned digital payment apps.Ant Group, for example, revealed in 2020 stock exchange filings that its Alipay app processed $1.6 trillion on average each month — more than a thousand times the digital yuan's monthly transaction volume.After initially limiting usage of digital yuan wallets to winners of a lucky draw, the Chinese government has been making it easier for the public to try the virtual money. At the start of this year, for example, the People's Bank of China released a wallet app on Apple and Android stores that can be used in 10 cities and regions that are piloting the currency, along with the Olympic venues. That pilot app is now available to everyone in those areas, not just the lottery winners.Central bank digital currencies are coming. The US must be preparedThe central bank has touted surging numbers among its trial users last year as a sign of the digital yuan's success. By the end of December, the app had been downloaded by 261 million individuals, or 19% of China's population, according to central bank data.But there are still barriers to use the money, too. Outside of the Olympics exemption for foreigners, people who want to trade with digital yuan need to download and sign up for the central bank app, and then add money from their accounts at one of the designated Chinese banks. The currency also can't be used outside of the 10 cities and regions that are piloting it, along with the participating Olympics venues.Consumers appear to have an "unwillingness to embrace" the currency right now, according to Frank Xie, a professor at University of South Carolina Aiken who studies Chinese business and the economy.Experts cited a lack of incentives as a major reason for the lack of enthusiasm. "The ecosystems that have been built now for a decade around the big tech firms are unbeatable in terms of network and convenience," said Martin Chorzempa, a senior fellow focusing on Chinese financial innovation and technology at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. After all, industry leaders Alipay and WeChat Pay already have hundreds of millions of users who are familiar with their services."The payment experience does not tend to strike most users as any different or better than what is already on offer," he added.Xie also suspected that concerns about a loss of privacy could be a factor, adding that "even ordinary citizens" have come to realize the reach of the government's power. Changing spending patternsThe government does have some options for pushing consumers to change their spending patterns, according to Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies."Overtime, it is possible people could see increased adoption of the digital yuan to pay for certain expenses, like utility bills, transportation or other government-managed bills, simply because the government could force those changes upon consumers," he said.Analysts have also raised the possibility that the government could request that privately owned apps actively promote the state-backed yuan. That's already starting to happen: Alipay began trialing digital yuan payments last year, and Tencent said earlier this month that it would also start supporting the digital yuan in its WeChat Pay wallet."In effect, you are asking these providers to potentially cannibalize their own systems by allowing customers to use the digital yuan instead of their own existing payment options," said Kimmo Soramäki, founder and CEO of London-based analytics firm Financial Network Analytics.Ant Group cut down to size in latest blow for Jack Ma's business empire Those companies might feel as if they have little option, though. China's push into digital currency dovetails with its regulatory crackdown on Big Tech. Ant Group and Tencent (TCEHY) have been under intense scrutiny, and were forced to either overhaul their businesses or pay big fines as Beijing sought to curb their power. "The rollout of future versions of AliPay and WeChatPay [is] likely to be forestalled, which in turn will limit the power wielded by these major tech firms," said Singleton, who added that the government is hoping that its regulatory hurdles will allow the digital yuan to "overtake these other payment systems."However, Beijing eventually secures wider adoption of its state-backed digital currency, there does appear to at least be one certainty: The Beijing Winter Olympics isn't shaping up to be the stage for digital yuan bragging rights that authorities might have hoped for.

Julia Horowitz, CNN Business

2021-07-14 16:00:48

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/14/investing/digital-euro-ecb/index.html

ECB: There could be a digital euro by the middle of the decade - CNN

The European Central Bank is moving ahead with efforts to create a digital version of the euro as the use of cash declines and China ramps up tests of its own e-yuan.

investing, ECB: There could be a digital euro by the middle of the decade - CNN

There could be a digital euro by the middle of the decade

London (CNN Business)The European Central Bank is moving ahead with efforts to create a digital version of the euro as the use of cash declines and China ramps up tests of its own e-yuan.The central bank announced a two-year investigation on Wednesday that will examine "key issues regarding design and distribution" of a digital euro and analyze the potential market impact. A final decision on whether to roll out a digital euro would come later."Given the digital transformation under way, which has the potential to transform the payments landscape and even the entire financial system, central banks must be bold and keep up with the pace of change," Fabio Panetta, a member of the ECB's executive board, said in a blog post.A digital euro wouldn't replace cash, but would function in much the same way. Instead of paying for goods or services with banknotes, Europeans could use an electronic form of money issued by the European Central Bank or national central banks to a digital wallet.Panetta said the central bank will aim to start developing a digital euro once the investigative period is over. That subsequent process "could take around three years," putting Europe on track to potentially roll out a digital currency in 2026.Read MoreWhy Europe is taking actionThe ECB acknowledges that "many questions still need to be answered" before a digital euro is introduced. But the central bank thinks it's worth exploring to "ensure that in the digital age citizens and firms continue to have access to the safest form of money, central bank money," President Christine Lagarde said in a statement.It's also clear that the ECB is concerned about the consequences of waiting too long to act. In a speech last month, François Villeroy de Galhau, the governor of France's central bank, said central bank money could become sidelined as the use of cash declines and new digital coins and tokens emerge. Europe started looking into a digital euro more seriously after Facebook (FB) unveiled plans to create a digital currency in 2019.Villeroy also emphasized China's progress in launching a digital yuan, which is already available in a number of Chinese cities."The risk is clearly that Europe will lose momentum not just in its drive to strengthen the international role of the euro, but even in preserving it," he said. "The challenge here is also a geopolitical concern."But some experts doubt that a digital euro is necessary, given how many consumers already make transactions using credit or debit cards or mobile payment services."I am a bit skeptical people are actually in need of this," said Grégory Claeys, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel.Federal Reserve officials in the United States are also discussing the possibility of creating a digital dollar, though they're moving with greater caution than their European counterparts.Randal Quarles, the Federal Reserve's vice chair for supervision, said last month that any proposals to create a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, must clear a "high bar.""Before we get carried away with the novelty, I think we need to subject the promises of a CBDC to a careful critical analysis," he said.He noted that the US dollar is "already highly digitized," and pushed back on the notion that the United States needs to act just because other jurisdictions are moving first."It seems unlikely ... that the dollar's status as a global reserve currency, or the dollar's role as the dominant currency in international financial transactions, will be threatened by a foreign CBDC," Quarles said.

Reuters

2022-01-21 16:26:17

business

economy

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/21/economy/federal-reserve-digital-dollar/index.html

A US digital dollar: Fed weighs pros and cons in long-awaited paper - CNN

Creating an official US digital dollar could speed up payments and provide households with a safe option as payments technology evolves — but it would also present financial stability risks and privacy concerns, according to the Federal Reserve.

economy, A US digital dollar: Fed weighs pros and cons in long-awaited paper - CNN

A US digital dollar: Fed weighs pros and cons in long-awaited paper

Creating an official US digital dollar could speed up payments and provide households with a safe option as payments technology evolves — but it would also present financial stability risks and privacy concerns, according to the Federal Reserve.The central bank released a long-awaited discussion paper on Thursday, but it made no policy recommendations and offered no clear signal on where the Fed stands on whether to launch a central bank digital currency, or CBDC. The Fed also said it would not proceed "without clear support from the executive branch and from Congress, ideally in the form of a specific authorizing law."Still, it sets the stage for the central bank to collect public feedback on the potential costs and benefits of the approach, which is being increasingly explored by major economies across the globe."While a CBDC could provide a safe, digital payment option for households and businesses as the payments system continues to evolve, and may result in faster payment options between countries, there may also be downsides," Fed officials wrote in the report.Challenges include maintaining financial stability and making sure the digital dollar would "complement existing means of payment," the Fed said. The central bank also needs to tackle major policy questions before embarking on a CBDC, such as making sure it does not violate Americans' privacy and that the government maintains its "ability to combat illicit finance."Read MoreHow a digital dollar might workEven while making no recommendations, the paper did shed some light on how a CBDC might function in practice. A key finding of the analysis was that a CBDC would "best suit" US needs if it were "intermediated" through the current financial system, meaning individuals would not have CBDC accounts directly with the Fed. Still, Fed officials said they are not ruling anything out.The paper, which was announced by Fed Chair Jerome Powell last year, summarizes the payment landscape, including the emergence of stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies. Comments on the issue will be accepted for 120 days."The paper is not intended to advance any specific policy outcome, nor is it intended to signal that the Federal Reserve will make any imminent decisions about the appropriateness of issuing a US CBDC," it says.Powell has made it clear he would like such a project to have broad support and to ideally be the product of congressional action. The Fed board is generally divided on the need for a CBDC.Unlike cryptocurrencies, which are typically run by private actors and can see volatile price swings, a CBDC would be issued and backed by the central bank. It also differs from the electronic cash transactions that happen daily now through large commercial banks in that it could give consumers a direct claim to the central bank, similar to physical cash.The paper released Thursday is separate from research the Boston Fed has been working on with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to explore the technological aspects of a CBDC. That technical research, including coding that could be used for a potential US CBDC, will be released as early as next month.The Fed's report comes as about 90 countries, from the Bahamas to China, explore or launch their own central bank digital currencies, according to research from the Atlantic Council.

Laura Smith-Spark, Nada Bashir and Mick Krever, CNN

2020-12-30 07:19:28

news

uk

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/30/uk/uk-oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-intl-hnk/index.html

Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine: UK regulator approves another coronavirus vaccine - CNN

UK regulators have approved the use of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, which is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals and could in time offer a route out of the pandemic for large parts of the world.

uk, Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine: UK regulator approves another coronavirus vaccine - CNN

UK regulator approves Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

London (CNN)UK regulators have approved the use of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, which is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals and could in time offer a route out of the pandemic for large parts of the world.The UK government said it would follow a new immunization strategy for the vaccine, which will prioritize giving the first in a series of two vaccine doses to as many people as possible, before administering a second dose up to 12 weeks later.This will apply to both the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine which is already being administered."This is important because it means that we can get the first dose into more people more quickly and they can get the protection the first dose gives you," UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News on Wednesday.China's Sinopharm says its coronavirus vaccine is 79% effective"The scientists and the regulators have looked at the data and found that you get what they call 'very effective protection' from the first dose. The second dose is still important -- especially for the long-term protection -- but it does mean that we will be able to vaccinate more people more quickly than we previously could."Read MoreThe UK is the first country to approve the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be rolled out there from January 4. The news represents a glimmer of hope for the UK at a time when its health services are struggling to cope with soaring infection rates linked to a new, more contagious variant of the virus.The approval comes weeks after the country became the first in the world to start inoculating its citizens with the rival Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. Margaret Keenan, 91, received her second dose of that vaccine on Wednesday, three weeks after she became the first patient outside of clinical trials to receive it.The Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine has the potential swiftly to protect millions more people around the world as and when other nations' regulators grant approval. Why the AstraZeneca vaccine is so important to the global economyAstraZeneca has promised to supply hundreds of millions of doses to low and middle-income countries, and to deliver the vaccine on a not-for-profit basis to those nations in perpetuity. The vaccine is significantly cheaper than others which have been approved and, crucially, it would be far easier to transport and distribute in developing countries than its rivals since it does not need to be stored at freezing temperatures.Hancock said Wednesday that the UK had 100 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine on order, which, combined with 30 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, would be enough to vaccinate the entire UK adult population. The country already has 530,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ready to begin inoculations on Monday, he told the House of Commons. "Today's news means that everyone who wants one can get a vaccine," Hancock said, adding that AstraZeneca is due to supply millions more doses from the beginning of February.Earlier, Hancock told Sky News the NHS was "standing ready to deploy, at the sort of pace that is needed to be able to help us to get out of this pandemic by the spring."UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that the vaccine's approval was "truly fantastic news -- and a triumph for British science." He added: "We will now move to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible."'No corners cut'The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is coming under increasing pressure as Covid-19 cases soar in many regions. The UK recorded a further 53,135 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, breaking its daily record since the pandemic began for a second day in a row.More areas of England were move into the toughest level of restrictions from Thursday, amid attempts to limit the spread of the new, more infectious variant. Three-quarters of England's population will be under the strict rules, which mandate the closure of all non-essential retail, gyms, close-contact services such as hair salons, and all hospitality venues.JUST WATCHEDCompanies testing their Covid-19 vaccine against new strainReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCompanies testing their Covid-19 vaccine against new strain 02:33Hancock told the House of Commons that more than 21,000 people were currently in hospital with coronavirus in England. "Unfortunately this new variant is spreading across most of England," he warned.Some scientists have called on the government to impose even tougher restrictions to rein in the virus' spread, such as delaying children's return to in-person teaching in schools next year or imposing a full national lockdown.Authorities declared a major incident Wednesday in the county of Essex, northeast of London, in response to "significant growing demand" on local hospitals after a surge in coronavirus cases there.Dr. June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) -- the UK regulatory body -- told a televised Downing Street briefing Wednesday that the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine could save "tens of thousands" of lives.And she insisted that the public could have every confidence in its safety, effectiveness and quality."Our teams of scientists and clinicians have very carefully, methodically and rigorously reviewed all the data on safety, on effectiveness and on quality as soon as they have become available, and have done so around the clock, looking at all the tests and trials ... no corners, whatsoever, have been cut," she said.New Year's Eve parties are a 'Covid-19 dream.' Here's why they can be especially dangerousProfessor Wei Shen Lim, chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told the briefing that "we can expect that the amount of vaccine available for use in the UK will substantially increase, very very soon. This increase in the vaccine supply will in turn allow a much higher rate of vaccine deployment across the UK, to all parts of the country."He added that the second vaccine dose was still important "because it may impact on the duration of protection."Both approved vaccines will be used across the UK, Lim said. "To facilitate rapid deployment within a mass vaccination program, and to avoid substantial vaccine wastage, it may be that in certain settings, one vaccine is offered in preference over another," he said, adding that the deployment of both vaccines would allow for "rapid and high levels of vaccine uptake" across the country.The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine can be kept at refrigerator temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months. Moderna's vaccine has to be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) -- or at refrigerator temperatures for up to 30 days -- and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has to be stored at minus 75 degrees Celsius (minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit), and used within five days once refrigerated at higher temperatures.The vaccines are based on different technology. AstraZeneca's offering -- like Johnson & Johnson's vaccine and Russia's Sputnik V -- uses an adenovirus to carry genetic fragments of coronavirus into the body.Updated advicePreviously, the team developing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine said it had an "an average efficacy of 70%," with one dosing regimen showing an efficacy of 90%.But the experts who gave Wednesday's Downing Street briefing said a full analysis of the trial data had not borne out the team's finding that that regimen -- in which a half dose was followed by a full dose -- was more effective. The MHRA approved the vaccine at two full doses, which has an efficacy of 62%.Prof. Munir Pirmohamed, chair of the Commission on Human Medicines' Expert Working Group, said the trial data had led scientists to recommend giving as many people as possible their first dose of vaccine with a second dose following within 12 weeks. "Because of the design of the trial, some people got second doses at different time intervals. This allowed for an analysis of the effectiveness of the vaccine if you were to be able to delay between 4-12 weeks," he said. "This showed that the effectiveness was high, up to 80% when there was a three month interval between first and second doses, which is the reason for our recommendation."Pirmohamed noted that partial immunity only kicked in 22 days after the first dose and urged people to continue to follow social distancing guidelines even once they have had their first jab.UK government scientific adviser Professor Calum Semple welcomed what he called a new, "sophisticated approach," telling Sky News that a "one-dose approach to start with will protect a great many people." According to Semple, evidence from vaccine trials has shown that a single dose has not only prevented people from getting severe disease, but also has prompted a "very good immune response" in frail and elderly people. However, some scientists called for greater clarity over the data underpinning the latest vaccine approval and the country's new immunization strategy.Dr. Jonathan Stoye, of the Francis Crick Institute, told the UK's Science Media Centre that important questions remained unanswered, including the real efficacy of the vaccine, how well it worked in older people and whether it prevented transmission between people."It remains unclear exactly how much protection is offered, and the regulators are using unpublished data to come to their judgment," said Dr. Simon Clarke, Associate Professor in Cellular Microbiology at the University of Reading."When questioned, the regulators floated an efficacy of 70% between 22 days and 12 weeks, but it seems likely that this is a fleeting maximum rather than a consistent level of protection. The vaccine's efficacy after two doses is 62%, so it looks likely that the higher number would only be very short-lived."At a time of increasing rates of infection, hospitalization and death from Covid-19, greater clarity is urgently needed over any risks associated with extending the second dose window to 12 weeks."The UK also updated its advice on administration of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine Wednesday.It now recommends an interval of at least 21 days between the first and second dose, rather than requiring the second dose to be 21 days after the first.The vaccine can now be considered for use in pregnancy when the potential benefits outweigh the risks, following an individual discussion with every woman, Raine said. Woman who are breastfeeding can now also be given the vaccine, subject to that individual discussion.The vaccine can also now be given to people with allergies, provided they are not allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine, she said.CNN's Martin Goillandeau, Sanam Mahoozi, Zahid Mahmood and Sarah Dean contributed to this report.

Jessie Yeung and Manveena Suri, CNN

2021-05-01 04:16:19

news

india

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/01/india/india-covid-vaccine-rollout-delay-intl-hnk/index.html

India coronavirus: Every adult is now eligible for vaccine shots, but some states say they have none to offer - CNN

India's vaccine rollout on Saturday widened to everyone age 18 and above -- yet a number of states are warning they have no shots to give.

india, India coronavirus: Every adult is now eligible for vaccine shots, but some states say they have none to offer - CNN

Every adult in India is now eligible for Covid vaccine shots, but some states say they have none to offer

New Delhi (CNN)India's vaccine rollout on Saturday widened to everyone age 18 and above -- yet a number of states are warning they have no shots to give. With hospitals running out of space and India's authorities reporting more than 300,000 coronavirus cases each day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced last month that he would extend the vaccine rollout beyond health care workers and the country's most vulnerable in a bid to tackle India's spiraling Covid crisis. So far, just over 2% of India's 1.3 billion people have been fully immunized with one of two vaccines -- significantly lower than the United States, where 29.8% of the population are fully immunized. India is one of the world's top 10 buyers of Covid vaccines. It still has nowhere near enoughAlmost 13.3 million people applied for vaccinations on the first day of registrations opening, according to the government's dedicated website, CoWIN. But ahead of the expanded rollout, multiple states have said they are short on supply. CNN has confirmed at least seven states or union territories where Saturday's rollout is being impacted by vaccine shortages. Although some are run by opposition party governments, they also include Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, both populous states run by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.Read MoreDuring a press conference Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged citizens not to queue up for shots as the union territory, which includes the Indian capital New Delhi, has not received vaccine supplies yet. "As soon as the vaccines come, we will make proper announcements. Only then people with appointments can start coming to the centers," he said. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, from the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, said another 25 million doses had been ordered to meet the rollout -- but those vaccines wouldn't arrive in time. "Therefore, the over-18s vaccination program will not begin in Madhya Pradesh from May 1," he said. The western state of Gujarat is also pushing its expanded rollout to May 15, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced. Vaccination for those age 18 and above "will begin once we get substantial doses of vaccines from the pharma companies, which is likely to happen soon," Rupani said in a virtual address posted on social media.And in Andhra Pradesh state, the chief minister said Thursday the expanded rollout might not start until September, according to CNN affiliate CNN-News18.Other states have made no mention of shifting the rollout date, even as their health authorities warn of shortages. Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, has made repeated appeals for more vaccines, with its capital Mumbai suspending all vaccinations across the city due to shortages on Thursday.People wait in a queue to get vaccinated against Covid-19 on April 27, 2021 in Mumbai, India.Vaccination difficultiesIndia started the year with an ambitious goal: to fully vaccinate 300 million people by August.The vaccination program began in mid-January, but the rollout has been riddled with problems. It had a slow start, with logistical issues as well as vaccine hesitancy among the population -- especially towards India's homegrown Covaxin vaccine, which was approved for emergency use before the efficacy data of its third phase trial was released.Public confidence slowly rose and the rate of vaccination picked up -- but then the second wave hit. With demand skyrocketing, supplies quickly dwindled.There are several contributing factors to the ongoing shortages. For one, India rapidly exported a large number of vaccine doses to other countries and through COVAX, the global initiative to provide vaccines to low-income countries. To date, India has exported 66 million vaccines. A health worker administers a shot of Covid-19 vaccine on April 29, 2021 in New Delhi, India. There is also a shortage of materials, with the United States prioritizing raw vaccine materials for its own domestic rollout -- though the Biden administration has since said it intends to send vaccines to India.The Indian government has scrambled to catch up, with increasing urgency as the second wave accelerate. To date, the government has purchased at least 205.5 million doses of vaccines, according to data from the Duke Global Health Innovation Center -- placing India in the top 10 vaccine buyers in the world. On Thursday, the country's health ministry announced more than 10 million vaccines were in storage with states across India, and 2 million more would be distributed within the next three days. But the delays and shortages have sparked frustration among some local authorities, who say the central government has been too slow and disorganized in its response to the crisis.A medical worker prepares a jab of the Covaxin Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a health centre in New Delhi on April 29, 2021. All through April, vaccination centers in various states complained of vaccine delays and shortages, with dozens forced to temporarily close. In the state of Maharashtra, volunteer teams and health workers went door to door, bringing eligible people to get inoculated -- only to be turned away at the vaccination site because there were no more shots left.States urged the central government to send more vaccines. But the government has pushed back, claiming any shortages were due to the states' own mismanagement or inaccurate reporting. As frustrations grow between local, state and federal authorities, patience has long run out on the ground, where the health care system is collapsing and thousands are dying each day. Securing a steady vaccine supply with smoother nationwide distribution may be crucial to minimize the damage as the second wave sweeps the country, experts say. "The only solution for India is to vaccinate itself out of this pandemic," said Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy in New Delhi. "And the world really needs to help, because if India doesn't fix this problem, the world is not done with Covid."CNN's Jessie Yeung reported and wrote from Hong Kong. Manveena Suri reported from New Delhi.

Julia Hollingsworth, CNN

2021-05-26 01:26:51

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/25/asia/covax-india-serum-institute-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

India's SII can't deliver vaccines to Covax again until the end of 2021. That's a problem for the world's most vulnerable - CNN

As India's own coronavirus crisis has spiraled, the Serum Institute of India -- the world's largest vaccine maker -- can no longer export its goods.

asia, India's SII can't deliver vaccines to Covax again until the end of 2021. That's a problem for the world's most vulnerable - CNN

The world's biggest vaccine maker is stalling on exports. That's a problem for the planet's most vulnerable

(CNN)When Uddhab Gautam got his first vaccine dose back in February, Covid-19 cases in Nepal were low.Now, three months later, coronavirus infections in the Himalayan nation have spiraled out of control, leading to a shortage of hospital beds and oxygen, and sending most of the country into lockdown. But despite needing it more than ever, the 67-year-old retired banker has no idea when he'll get his second dose of Covishield, the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII)."As an older person, I'm afraid of contracting the virus," he said from his home in Nepal's capital Kathmandu. "I have chosen to stay indoors."Gautam's predicament is similar to one shared by millions worldwide: as India's own coronavirus crisis has spiraled, SII -- world's largest vaccine maker -- can no longer export its goods.Nepal army personnel wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) load the body of a person who died from Covid-19 coronavirus before taking it to a crematorium in Kathmandu on May 5, 2021. Read MoreLast week, the SII said it wouldn't restart deliveries to COVAX, a worldwide initiative aimed at distributing vaccines to countries regardless of wealth, until the end of this year. While SII's decision will be a lifeline for India, which is still reporting about 200,000 new cases a day, the delay poses a huge problem for developing countries that depend on COVAX to control large outbreaks of their own. The world is already 140 million doses short -- and by the end of June, that gap will have reached 190 million shots, the United Nations children's agency, one of the partners in COVAX, said last week. There is currently no timeframe for resolving the shortage, UNICEF said. That creates a very real problem, not just for countries with limited access to vaccines where cases are exploding, but also for the whole world."We are concerned that the deadly spike in India is a precursor to what will happen if those warnings remain unheeded," UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said in a news release last week. "The cost for children and families will be incalculable."Why there are COVAX shortfallsLast year, the SII -- which manufactures Covishield, the name given to the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India -- promised to deliver 200 million vaccines to COVAX.More than 111 million of those doses were set to be delivered between February and May this year, mainly to countries in Africa and Asia-Pacific, according to data from Gavi, a public-private global health partnership that is co-leading COVAX. But as of Tuesday, only about 30 million SII doses had been distributed via COVAX, according to Gavi. Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA young man receives a Covid-19 vaccine in Guwahati, India, on Saturday, May 8.Hide Caption 1 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPolice in Shimla patrol the streets of the Lower Bazaar area during a curfew on May 8.Hide Caption 2 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisAn elderly woman wears an oxygen mask that was provided at a Sikh temple, also known as a gurdwara, in New Delhi.Hide Caption 3 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA medical worker observes patients inside a Covid-19 ward that was set up inside a sports stadium in New Delhi.Hide Caption 4 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA health worker administers a Covid-19 test on the outskirts of Amritsar on May 3. Police in rural areas launched a free cab service for villagers so they could get tested and vaccinated.Hide Caption 5 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisVolunteers stand next to burning pyres at a crematorium on the outskirts of Bengaluru on May 2.Hide Caption 6 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisOfficials in Chennai prepare to open postal ballots for state elections, which have taken place during this second wave of Covid-19.Hide Caption 7 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA worker at a mass crematorium carries logs of wood for funeral pyres as people perform the last rites for some Covid-19 victims in New Delhi on May 1.Hide Caption 8 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA woman hugs her son after arriving to receive free oxygen in New Delhi on May 1.Hide Caption 9 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA health worker administers a Covid-19 test in Siliguri on April 30.Hide Caption 10 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisFlower garlands, fruits and a pair of sandals were placed on a spot where a woman was cremated in New Delhi on April 30. Hide Caption 11 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPolice personnel hold placards on their motorbikes during a Covid-19 awareness rally in Chennai on April 29.Hide Caption 12 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople wear protective suits while watching a relative's cremation in New Delhi on April 28. Their loved one died from Covid-19.Hide Caption 13 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisWorkers prepare beds for a Covid-19 isolation center that was set up inside a stadium in Srinagar on April 27. Hide Caption 14 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisMultiple funeral pyres burn in New Delhi on April 27.Hide Caption 15 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA health worker administers a Covid-19 test at a hospital in Noida on April 26.Hide Caption 16 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisUmar Farooq mourns at the grave of his mother, a Covid-19 victim, in Srinagar.Hide Caption 17 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisHealth workers turn away an ambulance at the main entrance of the Lok Nayayak Jaiprakash Hospital in New Delhi on April 25.Hide Caption 18 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA worker digs a grave for a Covid-19 victim in Guwahati on April 25. Hide Caption 19 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA relative of a Covid-19 victim is consoled by another during a cremation in Jammu on April 25.Hide Caption 20 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople wait to refill their oxygen cylinders at a refilling station in Allahabad on April 24.Hide Caption 21 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA man inspects an intensive-care ward after a fire broke out at a Covid-19 hospital in Virar on April 23. At least 13 Covid-19 patients were killed in the fire.Hide Caption 22 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisThis aerial photo, taken with a drone, shows a mass cremation in New Delhi on April 22.Hide Caption 23 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisAmbulances carrying Covid-19 patients line up outside a government hospital in Ahmedabad on April 22.Hide Caption 24 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople line up for vaccines at an indoor stadium in Guwahati on April 22.Hide Caption 25 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA relative of a Covid-19 victim breaks down during a cremation in New Delhi on April 20.Hide Caption 26 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPolice officers patrol a deserted street in New Delhi on April 20. The capital city has been on lockdown because of Covid-19.Hide Caption 27 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisSigns inform people that a vaccination center in Mumbai was out of vaccines on April 20.Hide Caption 28 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisMigrant workers crowd the Kaushambi bus station on April 19. They were trying to return home after a lockdown order was announced in the capital.Hide Caption 29 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA woman waits to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in Mumbai on April 18.Hide Caption 30 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisRelatives of a Covid-19 victim mourn for their loved one outside a government hospital in Ahmedabad on April 17.Hide Caption 31 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisMigrant workers line up at a railway station to leave Mumbai ahead of a lockdown on April 14.Hide Caption 32 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople gather at a Srinagar mosque on the first day of Ramadan on April 14.Hide Caption 33 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA Hindu priest puts a face mask on an idol of the Goddess Ashapura during Navaratri celebrations in Beawar on April 13.Hide Caption 34 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisHindu holy men wade into the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela religious festival on April 12. People also packed the streets of Haridwar for what is the largest religious pilgrimage on Earth, and the massive crowds created concern.Hide Caption 35 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisProtesters wearing protective suits lie on a street near the Election Commission office in Kolkata on April 7. They were calling for a stop to the ongoing state legislative election and its associated campaign rallies.Hide Caption 36 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisChildren wear face shields at a martial-arts class in Kolkata on April 5.Hide Caption 37 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisSupporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party wear masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Sonarpur on April 3.Hide Caption 38 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisSocial distancing was not easy to achieve as people walked through a busy market in Old Delhi on March 27.Hide Caption 39 of 39According to UNICEF, SII's delivery delays are a major reason why the COVAX rollout is so behind schedule, along with vaccine nationalism, limited production capacity and a lack of funding. COVAX should have already delivered 170 million total doses, UNICEF said. Instead, as of Tuesday, it has delivered 71 million shots to 125 countries and territories, with about 42% coming from SII, and 56% from AstraZeneca, according to Gavi data. SII began distributing vaccines overseas at the start of the year when India's cases had fallen, and other countries were in "desperate need of help," the company's CEO Adar Poonawalla explained in a statement last week.But as India's cases rose, SII kept supplies at home where there was a growing need. The government denied media reports it had banned vaccine exports.Countries in Africa fear they could become the next India as vaccine supplies dwindleThe World Health Organization (WHO) warned in March that SII doses would be delayed. By that point it had delivered just 28 million shots. As India's caseload started spiking, demand for vaccination grew, and a number of states reported a shortage of shots. That prompted questions about why India -- the world leader in vaccine manufacturing -- was running out of doses. As of Tuesday, just 3% of India's population had been fully vaccinated. SII said last week it had delivered more than 200 million doses in total."We continue to scale up manufacturing and prioritize India. We also hope to start delivering to COVAX and other countries by end of this year," Poonwalla said. Poonwalla said SII had never exported vaccines "at the cost of the people in India" and would "remain committed to do everything we can in support of the vaccination drive in the country." "We have been working with the government tirelessly to do our best for humanity and will continue in the same spirit," he said. A Gavi spokesperson said in a statement that it was in close contact with both SII and the Indian government, and hoped deliveries could resume in a reduced capacity in the third quarter of this year. What this means for developing countriesAcross the border in Nepal, where coronavirus cases and deaths are soaring, SII's announcement has left authorities scrambling. Nepal has only fully vaccinated 1.9% of its population and has almost run out of vaccines.The country has reported more than 500,000 Covid-19 cases and 6,700 deaths. But Nepal has the third highest test positivity rate in the world -- about 40% of tests come back positive -- suggesting it is not catching all cases. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr. Jageshwor Gautam, said last week the country only has about 50,000 to 60,000 doses of SII's Covishield in storage for "emergency purposes." Nepal's Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi said last week that authorities planned to use them in a few days to give elderly people their second dose. A health worker receives a dose of Covishield, AstraZeneca-Oxford's Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine made by Serum Institute of India, at Patan Hospital near Kathmandu on January 27, 2021. The country was hoping to receive 1 million more vaccines by the end of April, but they never arrived. In total, Nepal only received 348,000 doses of its allocated 1.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX. According to Tripathi, COVAX initially promised 14.8 million doses -- enough for about a quarter of the country's population. Millions of Nepalis have received no dose at all, and 1.5 million people -- most of them 65 or older -- have received one dose of the vaccine, but haven't yet received their second, prompting concerns about how long their immunity will last. "I haven't heard anything since the first dose," said Durga Kaumari Paudel, 66, a housewife who lives with her husband and son in Kathmandu. One of her neighbors died this month from Covid-19, which only adds to her concern -- she has been so afraid she hasn't stepped outside her house in a month. It's unclear whether delaying the timing of second dose will decrease efficacy, but trials show two doses of a vaccine is likely to be better than one, according to Gavi. Nepal's cases skyrocket, prompting concern the country's outbreak could mimic India'sHealth Minister Tripathi said Nepal is in talks with a number of countries in a bid to get the vaccines it needs. He said he's talked to officials from the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries about the AstraZeneca vaccine, and sent letters to the health ministers of the US, UK, China and Russia Wednesday updating them about Nepal's needs. "We'll get the vaccines we need soon. We are quite confident," he said. Nepal isn't alone. Bangladesh was set to receive more than 10 million Covishield doses by the end of May, according to Gavi's allocations. But it's unclear if those ever arrived -- and Bangladesh has now run out of vaccines, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).The country has fully vaccinated just 2.4% of its 164 million population, and cases appear to be rising again. After a request from Bangladesh, China gifted another 600,000 vaccine doses, the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka said in a statement Friday.Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Cambodia were also expecting Covishield deliveries, and are all now experiencing spikes in cases. According to IFRC, a "majority" of countries in Asia were struggling with vaccine shortages. "Asia is now the epicenter of this global pandemic," said Alexander Matheou, IRFC's Asia-Pacific director. "Tens of thousands of lives are being lost each week and vaccines must be available so that we can prevent further terrible tolls in the weeks and months ahead." What this means for the worldA hamstrung COVAX isn't just a problem for countries in Asia -- it has potentially worldwide ramifications."We have issued repeated warnings of the risks of letting down our guard and leaving low- and middle-income countries without equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics," UNICEF's Fore said in a statement. "The longer the virus continues to spread unchecked, the higher the risk of more deadly or contagious variants emerging."This month, COVAX-co leader Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) set up a COVAX manufacturing task force to tackle vaccine supply challenges, such as a shortage of raw materials.This is what vaccine inequity looks likeThe Gavi spokesperson said one of its top priorities currently was to work with governments with the largest supplies to deliver vaccines through Covax to countries where they could have "an immediate impact in addressing this short-term supply disruption." They did not specify which countries this included.But, as Fore points out, SII isn't the only group that can help solve the vaccine shortage. Only WHO-approved vaccines can be rolled out via COVAX. Earlier this month, WHO listed China's Sinopharm for emergency use, making it the sixth vaccine to be given the green light to be used as part of COVAX. Gavi said earlier this month it was in talks with manufacturers, including Sinopharm, to get more COVAX doses, Reuters reported. While some countries are desperate for vaccines, others are inoculating the less vulnerable, such as young people, a situation that Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, described last week as "vaccine apartheid." In his opening remarks at the World Health Assembly Monday, he noted that more than 75% of all vaccines have been administered in just 10 countries."The ongoing vaccine crisis is a scandalous inequity that is perpetuating the pandemic," he said. "The number of doses administered globally so far would have been enough to cover all health workers and older people, if they had been distributed equitably. We could have been in a much better situation."UNICEF said in an email that it was urging countries with excess doses to share them as an immediate stop-gap measure. IFRC is also calling for states and pharmaceutical companies to move faster in distributing vaccines."We cannot afford to become bogged down in negotiations over the next six months," IFRC president Francesco Rocca said, adding that government needed to share stocks, particularly with countries experiencing Covid-19 surges.Tedros called on manufacturers to give COVAX the first right of refusal on new vaccines, or commit 50% of vaccines to COVAX this year. "There is no diplomatic way to say it," he added. "A small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the world's vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world."CNN's Julia Hollingsworth wrote and reported from Hong Kong. Sugam Pokharel reported from Atlanta. Asha Thapa, Nishant Khanal and Kosh Raj Koirala reported from Kathmandu, Nepal.

Jessie Yeung and Esha Mitra, CNN

2021-04-17 23:52:53

news

india

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/17/india/covid-vaccine-shortage-covishield-covaxin-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

India's Covid-19 vaccines are running out, as second wave accelerates - CNN

In India, the world's biggest vaccine producer, millions of people are waiting for Covid-19 vaccines amid a devastating second wave of infections.

india, India's Covid-19 vaccines are running out, as second wave accelerates - CNN

The world's biggest vaccine producer is running out of Covid-19 vaccines, as second wave accelerates

(CNN)In India, the world's biggest vaccine producer, millions of people are waiting for Covid-19 vaccines amid a devastating second wave of infections.India typically produces more than 60% of all vaccines sold globally, and is home to the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker. Its vast manufacturing capability is why the country signed on as a major player in COVAX, the global vaccine-sharing initiative that provides discounted or free doses for lower-income countries. Under the initial agreement announced last year, SII would manufacture up to 200 million doses for up to 92 countries.But the situation in India is markedly different from just a few months ago. Its second wave began in March, quickly surpassing the first, which had peaked last September at more than 97,000 coronavirus cases a day. India reports new record of 103,558 daily Covid cases, as second wave and new lockdowns hitOn Sunday, the country reported 261,500 new cases -- its highest single-day figure so far, according to data from the Indian Ministry of Health. India added a million new cases in less than a week, surpassing 14 million total cases on Thursday.States and cities are imposing new restrictions, including weekend and nighttime curfews in the capital region Delhi, home to 19 million people. Migrant workers are also leaving major cities en masse for their home villages, afraid any potential lockdowns will leave them stranded.Read MoreAnd through it all, vaccine supplies have dried up on the ground, with at least five states reporting severe shortages and urging the federal government to act.In the face of crisis, the government and SII have shifted focus from supplying vaccines to COVAX to prioritizing their own citizens at home."Deliveries of doses from the Serum Institute of India will be delayed in March and April," said COVAX, which is run by a coalition including international vaccine organization Gavi and the World Health Organization, in a news release on March 25. "Delays in securing supplies of SII-produced Covid-19 vaccine doses are due to the increased demand for Covid-19 vaccines in India."Boxes of the AstraZeneca vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and provided through the COVAX global initiative, arrive in Mogadishu, Somalia on March 15.India had provided 28 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine so far, and was scheduled to deliver another 40 million doses in March and 50 million in April, the release said, adding that COVAX and the Indian government "remain in discussions" about completing supplies.It's not the first time India had to pause its COVAX contributions: in January, the government restricted the export of AstraZeneca vaccines produced by SII "because they want to prioritize for the most vulnerable and needy segments first," SII CEO Adar Poonawalla. But these repeated delays have hit poor countries hard. The director of Africa's disease control body warned India's hold on exports could be "catastrophic" for the continent -- while Pakistan, one of the biggest program recipients, decided to allow private vaccine imports and sales to fill the gap. Vaccination centers turning people awayIndia is administering two vaccines domestically: the Oxford-AstraZeneca one, also known as Covishield, and its homegrown Covaxin, developed jointly by Bharat Biotech and the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)The country started its vaccination program in January for health care workers and priority groups, with the goal of fully inoculating 300 million people by August. But the program had a sluggish start, facing logistical issues as well as vaccine hesitancy among the population -- especially towards Covaxin, which was approved for emergency use before the efficacy data of its third phase trial were released. To date, only 14.3 million people have been fully vaccinated -- just over 1% of India's population of 1.3 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.But public confidence rose as the government stepped up an awareness campaign to assuage concerns, and the vaccination program picked up speed. As new daily cases accelerated in March and April, several states began reporting major vaccine shortages.A vaccination center in Mumbai, India, that had to turn people away due to a shortage of vaccines on April 9.In Odisha, nearly 700 vaccination centers had to close last week due to shortages, wrote health authorities in a letter to the central government, warning the state would soon exhaust its available stock.Rajesh Bhaskar, a health official in Punjab, told CNN last week the state had about 450,000 doses of Covishield and 30,000 doses of Covaxin. The state is home to more than 27 million people, according to the government's latest available statistics. "We want to vaccinate about 100,000 people per day at least, and the current supply is insufficient to meet that demand," he said.Several districts in Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, had to temporarily suspend vaccination drives, including more than 70 centers in Mumbai that shut last week, according to the state's health minister, Rajesh Tope. Maharashtra had administered more than 11.1 million doses as of Thursday, the most of any Indian states, according to the Indian Ministry of Health."In both cities and villages, we have created teams ... to bring all those above 45 years old to take the vaccine," Tope said on April 7. "People are coming to the centers, but our healthcare workers have to tell them that they haven't received the vaccine so they should go home."There are several challenges contributing to the shortages -- one being the supply of raw materials, said former ICMR director general Nirmal Kumar Ganguly. India "has the capacity to produce," Ganguly added, but supply chains have been disrupted during the pandemic. The vaccine formulas and required materials "cannot be changed overnight, so we have to rely on the raw materials being imported."The US has placed a temporary ban on exporting raw materials critical for vaccine production -- and the EU has similarly tightened restrictions around vaccine exports. India is now working to "adapt to the materials which are made at home or the neighboring countries like Singapore," but this will take time, said Ganguly.An additional challenge is the country's reliance on SII, he added. There are other vaccine manufacturers in the country, such as Bharat Biotech, but SII remains the largest. "The need has been glaringly brought out that we need to expand our capacity," Ganguly said. "We are one of the vaccine exporters but these are done by two or three Indian companies at the moment, the rest of them are not big players and some of them are totally new in vaccine production."Government's mixed responseSeveral states have requested more doses from the central government -- but federal officials have pushed back, insisting the situation is under control. Tope's complaints were "nothing but an attempt to divert attention from Maharashtra government's repeated failures to control the spread of pandemic," said Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in a statement last week. Home Minister Amit Shah also refuted states' claims, saying their information was "not true" and vaccines were available, "as much as is required."Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a point of praising India's vaccination effort as a success. During a meeting with state governors on Wednesday, Modi "highlighted that India has become the fastest nation to reach the landmark of 10 crore vaccinations (100 million doses)," according to a statement from his office. India took 85 days to reach 100 million doses. By comparison, the US took 89 days and China 102 days, according to Modi's office.And on Tuesday, Rajesh Bhushan, the health ministry's secretary, said the problem was poor planning and management -- not supply. "We are making doses available to states in a timely manner," he said, adding that states should "look at how many unutilized doses there are at each cold chain point."Their statements were met with outrage from local and state leaders. Shah's assertion was "factually completely incorrect," tweeted Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on April 10.And though a last-minute shipment from the central government had saved Uttarakhand from a complete shortage, it's far from a perfect solution and "the supply is unpredictable," said health department official Kuldeep Martolia on Monday.Boxes of AstraZeneca vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India and donated by the Indian government, arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan, on February 7, 2021.In a sign the federal government may be feeling the pressure, it took action this week to open the doors for vaccine imports. On Tuesday, it announced it would fast-track emergency approvals for vaccines already approved by the World Health Organization or authorities in the United States, Europe, Britain and Japan.Companies still need to apply for approval in India, but they will be exempt from having to conduct local safety trials, expediting the process."If any of these regulators have approved a vaccine, the vaccine is now ready to be brought into the country for use, manufacture and fill-and-finish," Dr. VK Paul, a senior health official at the government-run think tank Niti Aayog, said at a news conference on Tuesday. "We hope and we invite the vaccine makers such as Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and others ... to be ready to come to India as early as possible."The move is "a calculated step" by the government to "ensure we have more vaccines available," said Ganguly. The government could also expand its supply through the private market -- but this brings additional challenges too, he said, including the question of how to price vaccines to provide equitable access to the poor.But even the possibility of importing foreign vaccines won't be a quick fix, since companies like Pfizer and Moderna have other orders to fulfill first, including supplying vaccines for the US. India just granted emergency use authorization for Russia's Sputnik vaccine -- but "by the time they build up manufacturing capacities and manufacturing requirements, it will be five to six months," Ganguly said.In the meantime, the government is working to expand local production capacity -- a state-run biomedical institute in Maharashtra was given the green light to manufacture the Covaxin vaccine on Thursday, through a transfer of technology with Bharat Biotech.A Sadhu wearing a face mask takes a holy dip in the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar, India, on April 12.All the while, the second wave roils on, with cases climbing sharply every day. Millions of people are traveling across the country to the city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand for the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival and the largest pilgrimage on Earth. Despite warnings of the Covid risks, huge crowds are gathering to hold prayers, attend ceremonies and take holy dips in the Ganges River.Already, cases in Haridwar are spiking -- prompting the state to impose new restrictions on Thursday. At least one religious group attending the festival, the Niranjani Akhada, has asked those from out of state to pull back amid the rise in cases."This surge is a very, very threatening sight which is happening at this given moment in India," said Ganguly. "We have never seen anything like this before."

Bethlehem Feleke, Larry Madowo and Saskya Vandoorne, CNN

2021-05-19 12:13:28

news

africa

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/19/africa/kenya-vaccine-switch-jj-intl/index.html

Kenyan health minister says country is now days away from running out of Covid-19 vaccines - CNN

Kenya is now just days away from running out of Covid-19 vaccines with only about 100,000 AstraZeneca doses left, the country's health minister Mutahi Kagwe told CNN's Larry Madowo on Wednesday.

africa, Kenyan health minister says country is now days away from running out of Covid-19 vaccines - CNN

Kenyan health minister says country is now days away from running out of Covid-19 vaccines

Nairobi, Kenya (CNN)Kenya is now just days away from running out of Covid-19 vaccines with only about 100,000 AstraZeneca doses left, the country's health minister Mutahi Kagwe told CNN Wednesday. The health ministry will take back doses from regions where uptake has been slow and redistribute them to begin the process of second jabs by the first week of June.Kenya is expecting an additional 150,000 doses from neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo where there is no capacity to administer doses before they expire in June. "We are still vaccinating, but we are at the tip, we need vaccines like yesterday," Kagwe said.The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is unlikely to remain the "vaccine of choice for the African continent" after ongoing delays in shipments because of the situation in India has left several African countries strapped with shortages, the health minister said.Read MoreAfrican countries have struggled to secure enough Covid-19 vaccines. So why are thousands of doses going to waste? Less than 2% of Kenya's population of more than 52 million have had their first shot, according to Our World in Data. Many African countries like Kenya had relied heavily on vaccines from the global vaccine sharing initiative, COVAX, which largely depended on vaccine supplies from the Serum Institute of India (SII)- the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. A vicious second wave in India led to an export restriction by the country. The SII said Tuesday that they will be unable to ship vaccines until the end of 2021. "It is very likely that we are going to discuss and agree on Johnson & Johnson. First it is being produced here in Africa and secondly, there is an arrangement for a number of doses that are going to come to (the) Africa platform," Kagwe said.​"What we are asking COVAX is that let's use this money that was originally designed to go to India, to pay for Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer, or whatever is available." The minister said vaccine nationalism around the world has eroded Covid-19 vaccine supply chains and left poorer countries like Kenya with shortages,Countries in Africa fear they could become the next India as vaccine supplies dwindle "As a continent, we must stop believing that there is anybody out there who is a Good Samaritan, a biblical Samaritan who is just about to come and help us. It's everyone for himself or for herself," said Kagwe, "going into the future, the local production, local manufacturing of pharmaceutical commodities and products is an absolute must." Leaders across the globe have decried the inequity of vaccine nationalism in light of Africa having only carried out fewer than 1% of the global vaccinations, according to the WHO. On Tuesday, French president Emmanuel Macron said the setup was "unfair and inefficient" and called for patents on vaccines to be lifted so countries in Africa could manufacture them locally. Kenya has ordered 30 million vaccines from Johnson & Johnson. The health minister hopes the majority of the adult population will be vaccinated by next year, urging, "the sooner we have our 30 million doses, the sooner we finish."

Manveena Suri, CNN

2021-01-22 05:29:39

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/22/asia/india-fire-vaccine-serum-institute-intl-hnk/index.html

Serum Institute of India: Blaze at facility of world's biggest vaccine maker kills 5 people - CNN

A fire that broke out at a facility of the world's biggest vaccine maker that killed five people would not affect vaccine production, the head of the company said Thursday.

asia, Serum Institute of India: Blaze at facility of world's biggest vaccine maker kills 5 people - CNN

Blaze at facility of world's biggest vaccine maker kills 5 people

New Delhi, India (CNN)A fire that broke out at a facility of the world's biggest vaccine maker that killed five people would not affect vaccine production, the head of the company said Thursday.The blaze at the Serum Institute of India (SII) in the western city of Pune was brought under control on Thursday though the cause is still under investigation, according to Murlidhar Mohol, the city's mayor.Four people were rescued from the six-floor building but five others died, Mohol said. They are believed to have been construction workers as the building was still under construction at the time of the fire. Videos and images showed black smoke billowing out of the building at the company's complex. Fifteen units of the municipal corporation and fire department worked to douse the fire, Mohol said. Preliminary investigations suggest that "during the building's construction, some welding work could have led to the fire," he added.Read MorePune's fire brigade chief Prashant Ranpise said Friday that the fire started on the second floor. As firefighters worked to put out the flames, the blaze reigned in another spot. The second fire was extinguished at 4:15 p.m. local time by 50 firefighters and personnel. Ranpise said they are still investigating the cause of the fire."We have learnt that there has unfortunately been some loss of life at the incident. We are deeply saddened and offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the departed," SII CEO Adar Poonawalla tweeted Thursday. SII, the world's biggest vaccine maker, is in partnership with Oxford University and AstraZeneca to produce the Covishield vaccine. In December, the company said it was producing 50 to 60 million doses of Covishield per month, with production to be scaled up to 100 million doses in January or February.India embarks on one of the world's most ambitious vaccine rollouts after emergency use approvalA family business started by Poonawalla's father 50 years ago to bring cheaper vaccines to the masses, the Serum Institute of India is aiming to produce hundreds of millions of coronavirus vaccines for not only India, but also other developing countries.In a tweet, Poonawalla said that despite a "few floors being destroyed," production of the Covishield vaccine would not be affected. "I would like to reassure all governments and the public that there would be no loss of COVISHIELD production due to multiple production buildings that I had kept in reserve to deal with such contingencies," he said. Cyrus S. Poonawalla, SII's chairman and managing director, said in a statement that the fire broke out at a facility that was under constriction in the Special Economic Zone at Manjri. He said it was an "extremely sorrowful day" and the company would offer INR 2.5 million ($34,000) to each of the victims' families.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences Thursday: "Anguished by the loss of lives due to an unfortunate fire ... In this sad hour, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest."

Julia Horowitz, CNN Business

2021-03-25 11:07:15

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/25/business/astrazeneca-covid-vaccine/index.html

How AstraZeneca went from pandemic hero to villain - CNN

A series of missteps by AstraZeneca has led to scathing criticism of the drugmaker by policymakers and health officials, tarnishing its image as a hero of the coronavirus era.

business, How AstraZeneca went from pandemic hero to villain - CNN

'One mistake after the other.' How AstraZeneca went from pandemic hero to villain

London (CNN Business)After teaming up with Oxford University, AstraZeneca produced a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine in just nine months, a huge achievement that will help end the pandemic. But a series of missteps along the way has led to scathing criticism from policymakers and health officials, tarnishing the company's image as a hero of the coronavirus era.The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker mistakenly gave some volunteers a half dose of the vaccine during clinical trials, and it has been criticized for omitting crucial information from its public statements. US regulators have questioned the accuracy of its vaccine data, and severe production delays in Europe have resulted in a political firestorm and a breakdown in relations with EU leaders."What we have with AstraZeneca is a company that is not straightforward, that cannot be relied upon," Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian member of the European Parliament, said in a radio interview with the BBC on Wednesday.AstraZeneca's (AZN) failure to deliver tens of millions of promised doses to the European Union, which is struggling to roll out vaccination programs, led the bloc to impose export restrictions that have already prevented at least one shipment of vaccines to Australia. Leaders could move to make the restrictions even tighter Thursday.Meanwhile, the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases expressed concerns earlier this week that AstraZeneca had presented "outdated" data from a trial of the vaccine's effectiveness. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the agency's director, called it "an unforced error" that could erode trust in a "very good vaccine."Read MoreAstraZeneca updated its data on Thursday, reporting that the trials showed its vaccine to be 76% effective in preventing Covid-19 symptoms. Earlier this week, it had said its shot was 79% effective. The rare rebuke from US regulators was a major blow to the company's credibility."They've made one mistake after the other," said Jeffrey Lazarus, head of the health systems research group at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.The AstraZeneca vaccine is administered to a patient at a pharmacy in London.Leap of faithAstraZeneca entered the Covid-19 crisis with little vaccine experience. In recent years, it generated a large portion of its revenue by producing popular cancer drugs, such as Tagrisso, which is used to treat lung cancer.But when the pandemic hit, the company decided to enter the race to develop a game-changing shot.I don't think they ever had any intention to be a vaccine company."Andrew Berens, SVB Leerink analyst"I don't think they ever had any intention to be a vaccine company," said Andrew Berens, a pharmaceuticals analyst at SVB Leerink. "I think that the reason they embarked on this — and they've been pretty apparent about it — is they wanted to help humanity and fight the scourge of Covid."The efforts paid off. AstraZeneca received emergency use authorization from the United Kingdom in late December and the European Union one month later. Because the vaccine was cheaper and could be stored at higher temperatures than ones developed by Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA), it was heralded as a breakthrough, particularly for less affluent countries that may lack sophisticated logistics networks.AstraZeneca generated more goodwill by pledging to supply its vaccine at no profit during the pandemic, and by partnering with the Serum Institute of India, which agreed to produce more than 1 billion doses for low and middle income countries. They have provided over 30 million doses to more than 58 countries through COVAX, an initiative procuring supplies for poorer nations."They came into an area they're not known for and they did really well," Lazarus said.Misstep after misstepAlmost immediately, however, problems started cropping up. Before AstraZeneca's shot received emergency use approval, the company faced questions about data from large-scale trials presented in November. Volunteers received different doses due to a manufacturing error, creating confusion about its actual effectiveness. AstraZeneca did not mention that a mistake caused the dosing discrepancy in its initial announcement, generating concerns about a lack of transparency."I hate to criticize fellow academics, or anyone for that matter, but releasing information like this is like asking us to try and read the tea leaves," Dr. Saad Omer, a vaccine specialist at the Yale School of Medicine, said at the time.In January, Germany's vaccine commission said AstraZeneca's shots shouldn't be given to people older than 65, citing insufficient data for the age group. France also initially limited AstraZeneca vaccines to those under 65. Both countries changed course earlier this month.A nurse prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Edouard Herriot hospital on Feb. 6 in Lyon, France.Lazarus called such issues "easily avoidable," since they were tied to trial design. AstraZeneca has said that its clinical data supports efficacy in the over-65 age group. In an interview in January, CEO Pascal Soriot said that Oxford scientists running the trials did not want to recruit older people until they had "accumulated a lot of safety data" for those aged 18 to 55.Had the vaccine rollout been smooth, such stumbles may have been forgotten. But continued shortages of shots in Europe, which is now facing a third wave of coronavirus infections, have triggered a political crisis in the bloc. EU leaders are meeting Thursday to decide whether to adopt European Commission proposals for even stricter controls on the export of vaccines made in the bloc, including AstraZeneca's."We have the option of prohibiting a planned export," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a recent interview with German publishing group Funke Mediengruppe. "That is the message to AstraZeneca: You first fulfill your contract with Europe before you start delivering to other countries."Here's what Covid vaccines are worth to Big PharmaEuropean countries have expressed frustration that the United Kingdom appears to have been prioritized for delivery while it faces shortfalls, and that, unlike others, they have been sending tens of millions of doses abroad. Frustrations boiled over this week after 29 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine were discovered in a reported "raid" on a factory in Italy.A spokesperson for AstraZeneca rejected reports that the doses were part of a "stockpile," saying that the vaccine was made outside the European Union and that it had been brought to the factory to be filled into vials before distribution within Europe and export to low and middle income countries.EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said he could not comment on the origin or potential use of the doses reportedly discovered in Italy, but noted that the drugmaker is "very far away from their contractual commitments."Some politicians, and media outlets, may be looking for a scapegoat as vaccination programs stumble. Yet Simona Guagliardo, an analyst with the European Policy Center, said AstraZeneca's delivery delays have "certainly played a role in slowing down the rollout across Europe.""What appears clearly is AstraZeneca may have overpromised in terms of distribution compared to the effective production capacity," Guagliardo said.Tough path forwardAccording to Prashant Yadav, a medical supply chain expert and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, AstraZeneca seems to have spread itself too thin, with a far-reaching supply chain that's more likely to run into hiccups than those powering vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna. AstraZeneca touts having built more than a dozen regional supply chains to produce its vaccine, with more than 20 partners in over 15 countries.It's also more difficult to predict how much vaccine can be produced from batches of AstraZeneca's product due to the type of components it contains, Yadav added, though that variability perhaps could have been anticipated when drawing up contracts. AstraZeneca did not provide comment for this story, but it has said that deliveries in the European Union were hampered by "lower-than-expected output from the production process" and export restrictions imposed by countries outside the bloc."As our teams learn from each other and improve their knowledge, the yield is increasing," Soriot said in February. "Manufacturing of a vaccine is a very complex biological process."I think it's a very, very difficult thing for AstraZeneca to solve at this juncture."Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5W Public RelationsNot all of AstraZeneca's headaches have been the result of corporate blunders, Lazarus observed. He does not fault the company for fears about side effects like blood clots, which caused more than a dozen European countries to pause vaccinations earlier this month. The European Union's regulator conducted an urgent review last week and concluded again that the vaccine is safe to use.But other concerns — like the alleged misrepresentation of data in its recent US trials — have undoubtedly damaged the company's reputation, especially in comparison to other drugmakers that have produced safe and effective vaccines but generated fewer negative headlines.Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5W Public Relations, noted that AstraZeneca's slip-ups come at a time when distrust of authorities and the benefits of vaccination remain high, raising the stakes."The public's already skeptical," he said. "I think it's a very, very difficult thing for AstraZeneca to solve at this juncture."Berens of SVB Leerink thinks the company will be able to move past these problems — especially since making vaccines isn't a business it relies on to make money. Shares are down more than 2% so far in 2021, lagging gains on the FTSE 100 (UKX), but Pfizer's stock has also lost ground since the start of the year, But Berens does wonder: If AstraZeneca could go back in time, would it choose to get involved in resource-heavy vaccine production again? On that count, he's not so sure.— Chris Liakos contributed reporting.

Rhea Mogul and Esha Mitra, CNN

2021-10-21 04:24:22

news

india

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/21/india/india-1-billion-covid-vaccines-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

India delivers 1 billion Covid vaccines, but millions are yet to receive a single dose - CNN

India has administered more than 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, a remarkable feat just months after a second wave of infection killed thousands of people across the country.

india, India delivers 1 billion Covid vaccines, but millions are yet to receive a single dose - CNN

India delivers 1 billion Covid vaccines, but millions are yet to receive a single dose

New Delhi (CNN)India has administered more than 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, a remarkable feat just months after a second wave of infection killed thousands of people across the country.But as India celebrated passing the milestone on Thursday, some experts warned the pandemic threat was not over -- in a nation of 1.3 billion, millions of people are yet to receive any dose at all.So far, India has fully vaccinated just 30% of its adult population and given one dose to 74%, according to India's Ministry of Health on October 16. Those statistics don't include children under 18 who make up 41% of India's population and aren't yet eligible for the jab. But even as India races to fully vaccinate its adult population, the country is opening up and exporting millions of vaccine doses. On Friday, the first foreign tourists arrived in the country after an almost 18-month pause, and within the country millions are traveling to celebrate various festivals, with movement expected to increase in November during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights."Experts fear that interstate travel and the possibility of new variants could lead to a third surge in infection -- leaving unvaccinated people and children most at risk.Read More"It's difficult to predict because the global experience shows that things could turn sour at any point of time," said Dr. Anant Bhan, a global health and policy expert from the central Indian city of Bhopal. "But the trend in India right now is very encouraging. The number of vaccines administered is high and there is no upswing in cases." Up to 8 million doses are being administered on a typical day, but the Indian Medical Association is calling for the government to cease exports until more people are vaccinated at home. Commuters wait for local trains during peak hours at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai on September 30, 2021. Second Covid wave beat vaccines India has had two waves of Covid-19 -- one last year before vaccines were available, and the second that began only weeks into the country's ambitious inoculation program earlier this year.The first doses started rolling out in January to vulnerable citizens and frontline workers, part of a priority group of 300 million people -- almost as many people as the entire US population.At the same time, millions of doses of Covishield -- the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in India -- were being exported to other countries and the global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX. Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed India was saving "entire humanity" from tragedy. But at home, the world's largest vaccine program was struggling.JUST WATCHEDWhat Modi did in the lead up to India's catastrophic second wave (April, 2021)ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat Modi did in the lead up to India's catastrophic second wave (April, 2021) 03:39"We absolutely faced hiccups in the beginning," Dr. J. A. Jayalal, president of the Indian Medical Association told CNN. "We weren't able to meet our huge demand, and there was a lot of hesitancy, especially among our rural population." Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have prevented India's devastating Covid-19 crisis, critics say. He didn'tVaccination rates were still very low as the second Covid wave built in early March, and by the end of the month, the government had stopped vaccine exports to prioritize Indians. The surge in Covid cases brought panic and despair as millions tried to navigate the country's collapsing health care system. Some desperately posted for help on social media, hopeful to secure a hospital bed or medical oxygen.In April -- weeks before cases peaked at more than 400,000 a day -- vaccine supplies dried up, with at least five out of India's 29 states reporting severe shortages. Several districts in the western state of Maharashtra had to temporarily suspend vaccination drives, including more than 70 centers in financial capital Mumbai, according to the state's health minister, Rajesh Tope.The government faced widespread criticism for its handling of the crisis. For many, Modi underplayed the severity of the pandemic. Authorities belatedly ramped up the vaccination program, and in August more vaccination centers were opened and education campaigns rolled out in rural areas. Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA young man receives a Covid-19 vaccine in Guwahati, India, on Saturday, May 8.Hide Caption 1 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPolice in Shimla patrol the streets of the Lower Bazaar area during a curfew on May 8.Hide Caption 2 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisAn elderly woman wears an oxygen mask that was provided at a Sikh temple, also known as a gurdwara, in New Delhi.Hide Caption 3 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA medical worker observes patients inside a Covid-19 ward that was set up inside a sports stadium in New Delhi.Hide Caption 4 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA health worker administers a Covid-19 test on the outskirts of Amritsar on May 3. Police in rural areas launched a free cab service for villagers so they could get tested and vaccinated.Hide Caption 5 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisVolunteers stand next to burning pyres at a crematorium on the outskirts of Bengaluru on May 2.Hide Caption 6 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisOfficials in Chennai prepare to open postal ballots for state elections, which have taken place during this second wave of Covid-19.Hide Caption 7 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA worker at a mass crematorium carries logs of wood for funeral pyres as people perform the last rites for some Covid-19 victims in New Delhi on May 1.Hide Caption 8 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA woman hugs her son after arriving to receive free oxygen in New Delhi on May 1.Hide Caption 9 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA health worker administers a Covid-19 test in Siliguri on April 30.Hide Caption 10 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisFlower garlands, fruits and a pair of sandals were placed on a spot where a woman was cremated in New Delhi on April 30. Hide Caption 11 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPolice personnel hold placards on their motorbikes during a Covid-19 awareness rally in Chennai on April 29.Hide Caption 12 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople wear protective suits while watching a relative's cremation in New Delhi on April 28. Their loved one died from Covid-19.Hide Caption 13 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisWorkers prepare beds for a Covid-19 isolation center that was set up inside a stadium in Srinagar on April 27. Hide Caption 14 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisMultiple funeral pyres burn in New Delhi on April 27.Hide Caption 15 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA health worker administers a Covid-19 test at a hospital in Noida on April 26.Hide Caption 16 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisUmar Farooq mourns at the grave of his mother, a Covid-19 victim, in Srinagar.Hide Caption 17 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisHealth workers turn away an ambulance at the main entrance of the Lok Nayayak Jaiprakash Hospital in New Delhi on April 25.Hide Caption 18 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA worker digs a grave for a Covid-19 victim in Guwahati on April 25. Hide Caption 19 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA relative of a Covid-19 victim is consoled by another during a cremation in Jammu on April 25.Hide Caption 20 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople wait to refill their oxygen cylinders at a refilling station in Allahabad on April 24.Hide Caption 21 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA man inspects an intensive-care ward after a fire broke out at a Covid-19 hospital in Virar on April 23. At least 13 Covid-19 patients were killed in the fire.Hide Caption 22 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisThis aerial photo, taken with a drone, shows a mass cremation in New Delhi on April 22.Hide Caption 23 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisAmbulances carrying Covid-19 patients line up outside a government hospital in Ahmedabad on April 22.Hide Caption 24 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople line up for vaccines at an indoor stadium in Guwahati on April 22.Hide Caption 25 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA relative of a Covid-19 victim breaks down during a cremation in New Delhi on April 20.Hide Caption 26 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPolice officers patrol a deserted street in New Delhi on April 20. The capital city has been on lockdown because of Covid-19.Hide Caption 27 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisSigns inform people that a vaccination center in Mumbai was out of vaccines on April 20.Hide Caption 28 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisMigrant workers crowd the Kaushambi bus station on April 19. They were trying to return home after a lockdown order was announced in the capital.Hide Caption 29 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA woman waits to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in Mumbai on April 18.Hide Caption 30 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisRelatives of a Covid-19 victim mourn for their loved one outside a government hospital in Ahmedabad on April 17.Hide Caption 31 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisMigrant workers line up at a railway station to leave Mumbai ahead of a lockdown on April 14.Hide Caption 32 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisPeople gather at a Srinagar mosque on the first day of Ramadan on April 14.Hide Caption 33 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisA Hindu priest puts a face mask on an idol of the Goddess Ashapura during Navaratri celebrations in Beawar on April 13.Hide Caption 34 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisHindu holy men wade into the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela religious festival on April 12. People also packed the streets of Haridwar for what is the largest religious pilgrimage on Earth, and the massive crowds created concern.Hide Caption 35 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisProtesters wearing protective suits lie on a street near the Election Commission office in Kolkata on April 7. They were calling for a stop to the ongoing state legislative election and its associated campaign rallies.Hide Caption 36 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisChildren wear face shields at a martial-arts class in Kolkata on April 5.Hide Caption 37 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisSupporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party wear masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Sonarpur on April 3.Hide Caption 38 of 39 Photos: India's Covid-19 crisisSocial distancing was not easy to achieve as people walked through a busy market in Old Delhi on March 27.Hide Caption 39 of 39On September 17, Modi's birthday, India set a single-day vaccination record by administering more than 25 million shots. That week, the country crossed a major milestone by delivering at least one dose to more than 60% of its eligible adult population.But like many countries, India's vaccination rates aren't evenly spread. In rural areas, more than 64% of people have received at least one dose of a vaccine. In urban India, where people live in more crowded cities and towns, the figure is close to 35%, according to data from the Ministry of Health.India's challenge is to improve rates across the country -- and most importantly, to vaccinate its children. Children next in lineSince the pandemic began, fewer than 1% of India's Covid-19 deaths were of children under 15, according to the country's Health Ministry. But several states are taking extra precautions and preparing for a worst-case scenario should a third wave hit.Hospitals are stockpiling medical oxygen and some states -- including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka -- are building Covid-19 treatment facilities, especially for children. "We don't know how the virus will behave, but we cannot afford to be unprepared this time around," Suhas Prabhu, head of the Pediatric Task Force in the western state of Maharashtra, said, according to Reuters. "No mother should have to run around looking for a hospital bed when her child is sick."Many Indians can't prove their loved ones died from Covid. And that could be a problemThe first vaccine available for Indian children over 12 -- ZyCov-D, developed by Gujarat-based Cadila Healthcare Ltd -- was given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in August.About 10 million doses of the vaccine would be available per month, India's Covid-19 Task Force Chief, V.K. Paul, told CNN affiliate CNN-News18 on Wednesday, adding the government had asked India's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation for guidance on how to allocate the shot."Our priority right now is to continue to explore options for children and adolescents for sure but our thrust is to cover the adult population for which there is no dearth of vaccines anymore," he said.Another vaccine, India's homegrown Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, is expected to be given EUA for children age 2 to 18 soon. However, the World Health Organization has not yet approved it for adults or children. The US-developed Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are also expected to roll out in India this year, although the timeline is not known -- and neither have been approved for use on children in India.Concern about exports The delivery of 1 billion Covid vaccine doses is a milestone for India, but experts say it has to do much more to reach its target of inoculating its entire adult population by the end of the year. Jayalal from the IMA says the country should be aiming to vaccinate at least 10 million people per day.Then there is the issue of supplies. The IMA worries that by resuming vaccine exports, India could find itself in a similar position to last year -- when demand vastly outnumbered supply. "Personally, we are not supporting exports," said Jayalal. "We are emphasizing that all our population should get the first dose at least before exports resume."JUST WATCHEDIndia's catastrophe threatens global vaccination drive (May, 2021)ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIndia's catastrophe threatens global vaccination drive (May, 2021) 02:37Some 1 million shots of Covaxin were shipped to Iran last week, the Indian embassy in Tehran confirmed on Twitter. Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have also received India-made vaccines in October, according to Indian officials. Exports are expected to increase significantly in the next few months as domestic stocks build and most of India's population is inoculated with the first dose, officials said on October 14.Dr. Bhan, the global health and policy expert, said while India plays an important role in the world's vaccine supply, a balance must be met. "We should, of course, offer some of that supply to other countries, especially those where there has been a trickle of supply," he said. "We have ramped up production and local vaccine coverage is going up. But perhaps this is the time for us to enhance manufacturing in a way that supports local and export needs." People queue for the Covishield vaccine in Siliguri, West Bengal, on October 1, 2021. A spokesperson from Bharat Biotech, which manufactures Covaxin, said it is not facing any challenges in manufacturing the shot, and is working towards making 1 billion doses in India this year by expanding its production capacity across multiple facilities in the country. SII, which manufactures Covishield, will produce 200 million doses in October, up from 160 million in September, according to the company, after it improved access to raw materials required to make the vaccines.CNN reached out to the Ministry of Health but did not receive a response. K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India, said the country may not achieve full vaccination by the end of the year, but added authorities are "drawing comfort" from antibody surveys showing high positivity rates across the country, meaning there is some protection against the virus."This is being taken as an indicator of protective immunity acquired either during the Delta-driven second wave or through vaccination even from a single dose," he said.Indian authorities will be hoping -- even without both doses -- that protective immunity offers Indians some safety as the long festival season gets underway. The government hasn't announced a ban on religious gatherings and interstate movement, but it's urging the public to remain vigilant and avoid non-essential travel. "We are starting to get back on our feet again, but we cannot afford to be complacent," said Jayalal, the IMA president."We are requesting the government not to allow mass gatherings. It's definitely a possibility that a third wave will come, and we need to be ready for it."

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-08-16 03:17:54

business

economy

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/15/economy/tcs-india-it-remote-intl-hnk/index.html

India's TCS employs more than 500,000 people. It's ready to ditch office life for many - CNN

India's TCS has predicted that by 2025, no more than 25% of its employees will need to work from the office at any given point—a shift that could have major implication not just for the IT industry, but the entire economy.

economy, India's TCS employs more than 500,000 people. It's ready to ditch office life for many - CNN

TCS employs more than 500,000 people. It's ready to ditch office life for many in India

New Delhi (CNN Business)In almost 40 years with Tata Consultancy Services, N. Ganapathy Subramaniam and his team hardly ever worked remotely.But when India announced its coronavirus lockdown in March 2020 — the toughest in the world at the time — his company undertook the enormous challenge of enabling hundreds of thousands of employees to work from home almost overnight. Simply figuring out how to ship office equipment was a tough task. "So the first and foremost thing was working with the government to say, 'Allow us to run trucks by which we will be able to move things to our employees,'" Subramaniam, the COO of TCS, told CNN Business. Big Tech embraced hybrid work. It's more complicated for some startups The Indian IT behemoth — which employs more than half a million workers all over the world — also needed to head off any concerns about data and privacy for a global client list that includes Deutsche Bank, SAP and Virgin Atlantic."We had to go and talk to our customers and get their nod as well, because contractually, we are expected to perform the work only from an approved location," Subramaniam said.Read MoreTCS employs more than 500,000 people. It declined to reveal how many of them are based in India, but it says it is the country's largest private employer. And like most other large companies in Asia's third largest economy, TCS had hardly ever experimented with remote work before the pandemic. But within three weeks of India's lockdown taking effect last year, 96% of TCS staff were working remotely. The company says the model has worked so well that it never wants to go back.The company, which has a stock market value of $166 billion, now predicts that by 2025, no more than 25% of its employees will need to work from the office. Rival IT services firm Infosys, which employees over 250,000 people, is also planning to switch to a hybrid model after the pandemic.That kind of shift could have major implications not just for India's massive IT industry, but the country's entire economy. Productivity and sustainabilityBefore the pandemic many Indian bosses were suspicious of remote working because of productivity concerns, recruiters told CNN Business. But, companies have been surprised by the positive impact working from home has had on efficiency and the diversity of the workforce. In some large enterprises, the number of women in leadership roles has risen significantly during the pandemic —thanks to the flexibility provided. TCS believes it can boost productivity by 25% by embracing more remote work, Subramaniam said. "Many of our employees feel that they have found a solution to their work-life balance," he added. "So, when you are happy, naturally, your productivity is better."Remote tech workers are likely saving their companies money -- so why are some of them facing pay cuts?Like the rest of the Indian economy, TCS suffered in the months following the 2020 lockdown, as its net profit slumped nearly 14% in the June quarter, compared to the same time in 2019. But profits have started to bounce back. Last month, TCS reported a 32% jump in net income in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the same time last year."Every commitment that we made to our customers ... was executed," Subramaniam said, adding that even while working remotely, the firm added nearly 60 new clients and hired nearly 45,000 people. The company also hopes to contribute to a cleaner environment by working more from home.India has some of the world's most congested cities — including Mumbai, where TCS is headquartered. According to a paper by think tank IDFC Institute, an average Mumbai resident "wastes 11 days a year stuck in traffic." Most of the world's top 30 polluted cities are also located in India.TCS believes that having most of its employees work remotely could reduce its global carbon footprint by 70% by 2025, compared to a decade earlier. "The environment has become a lot cleaner" already over the last year, said Subramaniam."We are getting some new neighbors," he added. "I'm seeing birds that I've not seen in my life."Infosys — which after TCS is the second largest IT company in India — said most of its employees want to switch to a hybrid model. The company plans to have two-thirds of its staff in the office at any given point — on a rotation basis — while the remainder can work from home, according to Richard Lobo, head of human resources at Infosys. Unlike TCS, Infosys does not have a timeline for implementing its plan yet, but Lobo does not see the company returning to its old way of functioning. "I sincerely hope we don't go back fully," he told CNN Business. "If we go back, we would have lost all the learnings of remote [work]," he added.The office economyShould working from home become standard practice for even more major Indian employers, some recruiters and government officials warn that kind of migration away from the office could have serious consequences for other industries. "It is not particularly good news for infrastructure companies, and other business sectors, such as travel and food, which flourish when people work from offices," said Aditya Mishra, founder of staffing agency Ciel HR Services. He added that such a shift could affect the livelihoods of janitors, florists, security guards, electricians and others who depend on people committing to office life. That's one of the reasons why the government in Telangana — an IT hub in the southern part of the country — is encouraging workers to return to office, according to media reports.In America as well, local economies are struggling as more people choose working from home. When employees commute to offices, they spend on everything from train tickets to lattes, and that kind of economic activity is essential for service-based sectors. Subramaniam of TCS acknowledged that the concern about mass remote work is a "valid point," because for every IT job that is created in the country, four to five other jobs — in sectors ranging from food delivery to transport — are also created. Small towns may benefitA more widespread shift to a working from home model could also lead to redistribution of wealth in other ways, according to Mishra, the recruiter.If executives can perform high-paying IT jobs from a wider variety of locations, that may "improve quality of life in smaller towns in India," he said. A fundamental shift in where a company's workforce is based, though, may require companies to reconsider things like pay and benefits offered to their employees.Remote work made life easier for many people with disabilities. They want the option to stayIn the United States, employees at some of the biggest tech companies — including Google (GOOGL) — could see a pay cut if they switch to working from home permanently, according to a Reuters report."We've got to think through all of this," said Subramaniam, when asked whether people would be paid the same if they worked in a smaller city, rather than in places like Mumbai or Bangalore.Mishra also believes that other IT rivals may suffer when it comes to "attracting good talent," if they do not offer the kind of flexibility that TCS is planning.

Clare Duffy and Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN Business

2020-12-01 21:26:24

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/01/tech/saleforce-buys-slack/index.html

Salesforce to buy Slack in $27.7 billion deal - CNN

Salesforce is buying workplace messaging app Slack for $27.7 billion, marking the largest acquisition in the San Francisco-based cloud-based company's history.

tech, Salesforce to buy Slack in $27.7 billion deal - CNN

Salesforce to buy Slack in $27.7 billion deal

New York (CNN)Salesforce is buying workplace messaging app Slack for $27.7 billion, marking the largest acquisition in the San Francisco-based cloud-based company's history.Under the terms of the agreement, Slack (WORK) shareholders will receive $26.79 in cash and 0.0776 shares of Salesforce stock per Slack share. Salesforce (CRM) announced the deal Tuesday in conjunction with its earnings release for its third quarter of fiscal 2021. The move will allow Salesforce (CRM), which sells cloud-based customer relationship management software and other enterprise applications, to bolster its business offerings. Slack's stock was essentially flat in after hours trading Tuesday. Salesforce shares fell more than 4%. Salesforce on Tuesday posted third quarter revenue of $5.42 billion, up 20% from the same period in the prior year, and diluted earnings per share of $1.15. The results beat analyst expectations, but revenue growth slowed compared to the two earlier quarters in this fiscal year. Read MoreThe company raised its revenue guidance for the full 2021 fiscal year to approximately $21.10 billion to $21.11 billion, which would mark a year-over-year increase of about 23%. It also provided full year 2022 revenue guidance of approximately $25.45 billion to $25.55 billion, which includes about $600 million related to the Slack acquisition. The company also announced the retirement of Chief Financial Officer and President Mark Hawkins, who will leave his role on January 31 and transition to an advisory role as Salesforce's CFO emeritus through October 2021. He will be replaced by Amy Weaver, who is currently Salesforce's president and chief legal officer.The Salesforce-Slack dealLaunched in 2013, Slack is a workplace communications tool popular among tech companies, media firms and retailers — it is used by Amazon (AMZN), IBM (IBM), TD Ameritrade (AMTD) and others, including CNN. It's been an especially strong year for the company, with its stock up more than 59% since the beginning of 2020, as businesses scrambled to manage remote teams. In June, Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield told CNN there is still uncertainty around its growth, especially as businesses pull back on spending: "Existing customers are using Slack more. Individual users are using Slack at a greater percentage of their day ... But at the same time, when [our customers] feel pain, we feel pain."In its most recent quarterly earnings report in September, the company reported more than 130,000 paid customers, up 30% year-over-year. However, Slack has not turned a profit since its initial public offering last year. An acquisition from an enterprise software and services giant like Salesforce could help accelerate Slack's user growth even more. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff in a call with analysts Tuesday called Slack a "supercharger" for Salesforce. He said he plans to expand Slack in the enterprise space especially by combining the companies' capabilities and creating "this amazing hub of productivity of collaboration, integration and applications that now leverage all this amazing data." He added that currently, 90% of Slack's enterprise customers are also Salesforce customers. "Together, Salesforce and Slack will shape the future of enterprise software and transform the way everyone works in the all-digital, work-from-anywhere world," Benioff said in a statement.The acquisition will position Salesforce and Microsoft (MSFT), with its Teams chat platform, as closer competitors in the remote collaboration space. Because Teams comes bundled with Microsoft's Office products often used in the workplace, it has seen significant growth as more people work remotely. CEO Satya Nadella said Teams' grew to 75 million daily active users by the end of April, up from 44 million from mid-March. In October 2019, the last time it reported this specific metric, Slack said it had 12 million active daily users. "The core reason for this deal in our opinion is to keep pace with the cloud behemoth in Redmond," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors Tuesday, referring to Microsoft. "Slack despite facing stiff competition from Microsoft has been a clearly successful solution set further penetrating enterprises and thus looks like the natural fit for Salesforce to beef up its collaboration and messaging footprint and keep pace with [Microsoft]."Last year, Salesforce acquired data analytics firm Tableau Software for $15.7 billion, to help companies better visualize their data, and previously bought Mulesoft, a software company that connects different systems together, for $6.5 billion.The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of Salesforce's fiscal year 2022, subject to approval by Slack shareholders and regulators. Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the terms of Salesforce's acquisition of Slack.

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-07-16 09:39:18

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/16/tech/paytm-ipo-intl-hnk/index.html

Paytm files draft papers for India's biggest tech IPO - CNN

First Zomato, now Paytm.

tech, Paytm files draft papers for India's biggest tech IPO - CNN

Paytm files for India's biggest tech IPO on record

New Delhi (CNN Business)This is turning out to be a landmark week for Indian startups. Digital payments firm Paytm is planning to raise as much as 166 billion rupees ($2.2 billion) in an initial public offering in Mumbai, according to a draft prospectus filed on Friday. This comes just two days after food delivery giant Zomato began raising $1.3 billion from its share sale. The Zomato IPO is the largest tech offering India has seen to date, according to data from Refinitiv, but Paytm would set a new record. The IPO would value Paytm at $25 billion, Reuters reported, citing sources.Backed by investors such as Softbank (SFTBF), Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) and Alibaba (BABA)-affiliate Ant Group, Paytm plans to use the money to strengthen its payment services and for new business initiatives and acquisitions. Valued at $16 billion at its last private fundraising in 2020, the Noida-based company is one of India's biggest startups, according to CB Insights. He revolutionized how millions of people spend money in India. His next target: AmericaIts IPO will be keenly watched by investors in the country. India has a ton of tech unicorns — companies that have reached a valuation of at least $1 billion — but Zomato is the first one to go public.Read MoreAnalysts have expressed concern that Indian startups — many of which have raised hundreds of millions of dollars from private markets at extremely high valuations — need to start showing consistent profits and healthy exits for investors.Paytm's journey began back in 2000, when Vijay Shekhar Sharma founded its parent company, One97 Communications. One97 started as a mobile services platform offering horoscopes to cellular network providers before expanding into other services like voice-based gaming and customized ringtones.Paytm came a decade later, launched in 2010 as a platform for buying prepaid cellphone plans and paying cable bills online.In 2012, Paytm got approval from India's central bank to launch the mobile wallet that now forms the core of its business. In 2014, it partnered with Uber (UBER) to become a payment provider for the company's cab rides across India, and in 2015 it snagged another big partnership with the online booking portal for Indian Railways, which sells nearly 25 million tickets a year.But the app really exploded in November 2016, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly banned the country's two biggest rupee notes — around 86% of the country's cash at the time — with the aim of cracking down on tax evasion and illegal wealth.The move shocked India's economy, where the vast majority of transactions were made in cash. Millions of people spent weeks lining up at ATMs to exchange their notes just so they would have enough money for everyday expenses.But many of India's hundreds of millions of smartphone users started switching to mobile payment apps, and Paytm was primed and ready. The app signed 10 million new users within a month of the cash ban, going from adding tens of thousands of people a day to around half a million.The company currently has 114 million people using its payment service each year. — Rishi Iyengar contributed to this report.

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-04-23 04:41:01

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/23/tech/india-startups-unicorns-intl-hnk/index.html

India is churning out billion-dollar startups. Now they need to start making money - CNN

In the first four months of 2021, 11 startups have attained unicorn status, meaning they've reached a valuation of at least $1 billion.

tech, India is churning out billion-dollar startups. Now they need to start making money - CNN

India is churning out billion-dollar startups. Now they need to start making money

New Delhi (CNN Business)This time last year, Indian entrepreneurs were in panic mode. The government had locked down the country's entire population in a dramatic step to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Company founders feared the restrictions would leave them in a severe funding crunch that could hurt their ability to expand, pay salaries or even stay afloat. The mood a year later is very different, despite a brutal surge in coronavirus cases that is threatening the economic recovery. India's startup community has found itself in an unprecedented funding bonanza. In the first four months of 2021, 11 companies have attained unicorn status, meaning they've reached a valuation of at least $1 billion, according to data platform Tracxn. Five startups hit that milestone in April alone. By comparison, there were 13 in all of 2020, and 10 in 2019. The ranks of India's super wealthy tech leaders are swelling rapidly as a result.India is trying to build its own internetThe boom is in large part thanks to powerhouse investment by firms such as Tiger Global and SoftBank (SFTBF), which are pumping money into India's fast growing internet businesses — a prize many investors simply find too big to ignore. Read MoreNot only are more companies amassing this kind of money than ever, but they're also doing so at a record-breaking clip. And some of India's most successful startups — including Flipkart and Zomato — are reportedly exploring potential listings this year. Zomato declined to comment and Flipkart did not respond. A Zomato delivery rider waits to cross a road in Kolkata, India. But the seemingly endless fundraising cycles may eventually produce diminishing returns, worry many industry experts, who say India's startup ecosystem needs to start showing consistent profits and healthy exits for investors, and soon. Some observers feel that the huge funding being doled out makes being a "unicorn" a less-than-mythical achievement. "It is great that Indian startups are going through this funding boom. But they will need to find sustainable business models, which make a lot of money, in order to survive," said Radhika Gupta, CEO of ‎Edelweiss Asset Management Limited. "Even a Google or an Amazon cannot survive on customer numbers alone." First, the good newsThe investment craze is due to the rise of India's digital economy. There are more than 700 million internet users in the country and roughly half a billion yet to come online, creating enormous potential in the marketplace.The pandemic, meanwhile, has encouraged people outside of major cities to spend money online, speeding up digitization of businesses and opening up more opportunities for technology entrepreneurs. Financial technology firms have been the biggest winners. By the end of 2020, India had 44 unicorns, and most were in the fintech sector, according to a report by Orios Venture Partners. Retail and software as a service companies are next in line. The venture capital firm also found that the time it takes for a tech startup to reach a $1 billion valuation has shrunk dramatically, from nearly 15 years in 2005 to 2.4 years in 2016 and 2017. This year alone, app developer Mohalla Tech, investment startup Groww, and messaging platform Gupshup have all become unicorns — largely because of big investments from Tiger Global, according to Tracxn data. The New York-based investment company, which also made big early bets on Flipkart — the e-commerce giant acquired by Walmart (WMT) in 2018 — has been more bullish than other firms on the country.Tiger Global did not respond to a request from CNN Business for comment, but the firm has in the past praised the businesses it has invested in as well positioned in India's growing internet market.Risk of bloatSome experts, though, have started questioning how much money big investment firms are pouring into the sector. "They over-capitalize the company by giving 1.5 times or 2 times the amount needed," said Amit Ranjan, co-founder of presentation-sharing service SlideShare. He's now working with the Indian government on a virtual locker project called DigiLocker."There is no justification for this except to bludgeon the competition," Ranjan told CNN Business.But Rehan Yar Khan, managing partner at Orios Venture Partners, doesn't see the influx of money as a "big worry." After all, companies still need massive amounts of capital to capture the potential of India's vast market. Why Silicon Valley's biggest companies are investing billions in IndiaHe cited PharmEasy, an online pharmacy firm, as an example. Khan was an early investor in the firm, which became a unicorn earlier this year."E-pharmacies have covered only 3% of India's market," Khan said. "... So naturally they need more money to grow." But there are other headaches to consider, too. What happens if a unicorn becomes over-funded and fizzles before it has an exit plan?Flipkart is the only Indian tech unicorn to have been acquired at a valuation of more than $1 billion. (E-commerce firm Shopclues, which was valued at $1 billion in 2016, was acquired three years later by a Singapore-based company. But by then, Shopclues' value had collapsed to between $50 million and $80 million.) Employees work on laptop computers at the Flipkart headquarters in Bengaluru, India. Only a handful of Indian tech firms have held listings over the the last two decades. And no tech startup worth more than $1 billion has gone public."By inflating valuations in the private market, you are postponing your ability to go into the public market," said Karthik Reddy, co-founder of venture capital firm Blume Ventures. He believes that Indian firms have to think about initial public offerings sooner rather than later in order to build a sustainable startup ecosystem. "We don't have large tech acquirers, so you can't wait for a Walmart to come and buy your biggest asset every time," he added.Could this be the year?There are murmurs in Indian tech circles about huge upcoming exits. Reddy is optimistic that 2021 may be remembered not just for its funding boom, but also for bringing about a cultural shift in the industry. Indian conglomerate Tata Sons is reportedly looking to buy online grocer BigBasket for more than $1 billion, the Mint newspaper reported last month. Asked for comment, Tata Sons referred CNN Business to BigBasket, which did not respond.Other Indian media outlets have reported over the last few months that older unicorns may consider listing soon, too. And the Economic Times reported last week that several startups are scrambling to recruit senior executives with some IPO experience. Should either Flipkart or food tech company Zomato follow through with an IPO, such listings could be game-changers, according to Reddy."India needs to unleash its tech firms on the public market," he said. "Right now Indian citizens have hardly any exposure to the unicorn boom."

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-07-14 05:37:14

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/14/tech/zomato-ipo-intl-hnk/index.html

Zomato IPO: Indian food delivery startup is raising $1.3 billion in major public offering in Mumbai - CNN

India's biggest tech IPO is here.

tech, Zomato IPO: Indian food delivery startup is raising $1.3 billion in major public offering in Mumbai - CNN

Zomato is raising $1.3 billion in India's biggest tech IPO

New Delhi (CNN Business)India's biggest tech IPO is here.Food delivery startup Zomato is looking to raise almost $1.3 billion this week in an initial public offering in Mumbai, the company said in a recent regulatory filing. That would set a new record for the biggest technology offering in India, according to data from Refinitiv, beating Tata Consultancy Services' $1.17 billion IPO in 2004. Zomato plans to sell shares priced between 72 and 76 rupees (97 cents to $1.02) per share and close its books on Friday. At the upper end of the price range, Zomato would be valued at almost $8 billion.Its founder Deepinder Goyal began Wednesday with a nervous tweet: "Just ordered a triple breakfast @zomato. Stress eating." Just ordered a triple breakfast @zomato. Stress eating 🤯😬— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) July 14, 2021 Investors are closely watching the offering, which will give some insight into the market's appetite for Indian startups. The country has a ton of tech unicorns — companies that have reached a valuation of at least $1 billion — but none of them have ever gone public before. Read MoreAnalysts have expressed concern that Indian startups — many of which have raised hundreds of millions of dollars from private markets at extremely high valuations — need to start showing consistent profits and healthy exits for investors."This IPO is in some sense the beginning of the Indian digital ecosystem's promises starting to get fulfilled," Ashish Fafadia, partner at the Indian venture capital firm Blume Ventures, told CNN Business. He said investors will be looking at how the company performs after it lists, along with how well Zomato is able to hit quarterly targets. "The ultimate long-term test would be if they are able to become a profitable business," he added.Paving the wayZomato was founded in New Delhi in 2008 by Goyal. The company has built a name for itself as one of India's most successful startups, with a team of more than 5,000 employees and a reach across more than 10,000 cities in two dozen countries, from Sri Lanka and Slovakia to South Africa.The firm made waves in January 2020 when it bought Uber Eats in India, handing Zomato a big win in its home market. California-based Uber (UBER) picked up a nearly 10% stake in Zomato as part of the deal. Zomato's public offering this month could also pave the way for more Indian unicorns to go public down the road.Walmart-owned Flipkart, which is the only Indian tech unicorn to have been acquired at a valuation of more than $1 billion, is considering a public offering, according to media reports. That e-commerce firm raised $3.6 billion in its latest round of funding from investors including GIC, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, SoftBank's Vision Fund 2 and Walmart (WMT), the company said this week. Flipkart is now valued at nearly $38 billion.Zomato's IPO will also serve as another test for the closely watched global food delivery industry. Deliveroo's IPO crashed in London earlier this year despite great fanfare, becoming the city's worst debut on record.— Michelle Toh contributed to this report.

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-07-23 07:55:24

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/23/investing/zomato-shares-india-intl-hnk/index.html

Zomato shares soar in red-hot start for first Indian unicorn to go public - CNN

India's first billion-dollar tech startup to go public got off to a flying start on Friday.

investing, Zomato shares soar in red-hot start for first Indian unicorn to go public - CNN

Zomato shares soar in red-hot start for first Indian unicorn to go public

New Delhi (CNN Business)India's first billion-dollar tech startup to go public got off to a flying start on Friday. Shares in Zomato gained as much as 80% on their first day of trading on Mumbai's stock exchange. The listing comes a little over a week after the food delivery company launched its IPO to raise $1.3 billion. The stock ended the day about 65% above its offer price, giving the company a market value of about $13 billion."India is a tough market to operate in, but if you are building to succeed in India, you are already exceptional," Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal wrote in a blog post Friday. "We are going to relentlessly focus on 10 years out and beyond, and are not going to alter our course for short term profits at the cost of long term success of the company."While Indian stock markets have been trading near all-time highs, Zomato's listing was a big test of investor appetite for loss-making tech startups. Zomato reported revenue of 19.93 billion rupees ($266 million) for the year to March 31, 2021, and a loss of 8.16 billion rupees ($109 million). The country has a ton of so-called unicorns — tech startups valued at more than $1 billion — but none of them had ever gone public in India or overseas before. Analysts had previously expressed concern that the startups — many of which have raised hundreds of millions of dollars from private investors at extremely high valuations — needed to start showing consistent profits. Read More"The tremendous response to our IPO gives us the confidence that the world is full of investors who appreciate the magnitude of investments we are making, and take a long term view of our business," Goyal wrote. The success of the IPO could also pave the way for more Indian unicorns to go public. Just two days after Zomato launched its IPO last week, digital payments firm Paytm filed for India's biggest tech IPO on record. It is planning to raise as much as $2.2 billion in Mumbai, according to a draft prospectus. Additionally, Walmart (WMT)-owned Flipkart, which is the only Indian tech unicorn to have been acquired at a valuation of more than $1 billion, is also considering a public offering, according to media reports.Goyal, who founded Zomato in 2008, thanked a range of Indian and global tech companies, including Jio, the vast mobile network built by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, for helping create the conditions needed for his company to succeed."Jio's prolific growth has set all of us up for unprecedented scale," he said in his blog post. "Flipkart, Amazon, Ola, Uber, Paytm — have also over the years, collectively laid the railroads that are enabling companies like ours to build the India of the future," he added.

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-11-12 08:10:42

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/12/business/nykaa-falguni-nayar-india-billionaire-hnk-intl/index.html

Nykaa founder Falguni Nayar: India has a new self-made woman billionaire - CNN

India's latest billionaire is a 58-year-old former investment banker whose beauty startup made its blockbuster debut on the stock market this month.

business, Nykaa founder Falguni Nayar: India has a new self-made woman billionaire - CNN

India's newest billionaire Falguni Nayar built a beauty empire

New Delhi (CNN Business)India's latest billionaire is a 58-year-old former investment banker whose beauty startup made its blockbuster debut on the stock market this month. Shares in FSN E-Commerce Ventures — the owner of cosmetics e-commerce site Nykaa — have surged since they began trading in Mumbai this week. The stock has more than doubled its issue price, making the company worth nearly $14 billion, eleven times the valuation in its last private funding round in 2020.As a result, founder and CEO Falguni Nayar — one of the few Indian women to start and lead a tech company worth more than $1 billion — has seen her net worth soar to almost $7 billion. That makes her the country's newest self-made billionaire, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.Nayar founded the company in 2012, at a time when most Indians bought make-up products at local mom-and pop stores, but were warming up to the idea of shopping online. Nykaa, which means "actress" in Sanskrit, now offers over 4,000 brands on its site. It recorded 24.5 billion rupees ($330 million) in revenue in the fiscal year ended in March. Read MoreNayar studied at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, the country's most prestigious business school. She is now India's wealthiest self-made female billionaire, according to Bloomberg. Savitri Jindal, who is the chairwoman of the $18 billion O.P. Jindal Group — which was set up by her husband — remains the richest woman in the country, with a net worth of nearly $13 billion.India's billionaires have gotten richerThe pandemic has pushed many Indians out of the workforce, and particularly women who are lower down the economic ladder. But the last year has been great for the country's ultra-wealthy. Mukesh Ambani — chairman of the sprawling conglomerate Reliance Industries — is now worth more than $97 billion, over $20 billion more than a year ago, according to Bloomberg. Not far behind him is Adani Group founder Gautam Adani, whose wealth skyrocketed from less than $30 billion this time last year to over $85 billion today.It has also been a landmark year for Indian tech startups. Several have received an enthusiastic response from investors after launching initial public offerings. Earlier this year, food delivery giant Zomato became the first Indian tech unicorn — a term used for startups worth over $1 billion — to go public.Nykaa isn't the only high profile public debut this month, either. Payments firm Paytm launched a $2.5 billion IPO, India's largest ever. It's expected to start trading next week.

Diksha Madhok, CNN Business

2021-11-18 05:41:18

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/18/investing/paytm-price-listing-india-ipo-intl-hnk/index.html

Paytm shares crash 27% after milestone IPO for India - CNN

It's turning into a monumental year for India's stock market, as yet another big startup makes its public debut.

investing, Paytm shares crash 27% after milestone IPO for India - CNN

Warren Buffett-backed Paytm crashes 27% after milestone IPO for India

New Delhi (CNN Business)It's turning into a monumental year for India's stock market, as yet another big startup makes its public debut. But Paytm, which started trading in Mumbai on Thursday, spoiled the party: Its shares opened below the 2,150 rupees ($28.60) issue price, before closing down 27% at 1,564 rupees ($21).The flop reflects fears about Paytm's business. The company, which is now worth almost $14 billion, lost hundreds of millions of dollars last year and seems far from ready to turn a profit. It's also up against growing competition from some of the biggest tech firms in the world.The digital payments company raised 183 billion rupees ($2.5 billion) in its initial public offering. It's the largest ever in the country when measured in local currency, surpassing Coal India's in 2010. That IPO was worth 155 billion rupees ($3.48 billion), according to data from Refinitiv.India's newest billionaire Falguni Nayar built a beauty empire"The outcome of the IPO was not in doubt," Madhur Deora, the president and group CFO of Paytm, told CNN Business last week. The former investment banker has been with the company for five years.Read MoreBut the amount of attention it drew took him by surprise.With backing from investors such as Warren Buffett, Masayoshi Son and Alibaba (BABA), Paytm is one of India's best funded startups. Its public debut has been keenly watched by professional and amateur investors alike. India has been churning out billion-dollar startups for years, but the rush for those unicorns to go public started only a few months ago. "A lot of well-wishers and friends messaged [me], saying, 'Oh, I'm getting a prayer done at Golden Temple for Paytm's success," said Deora, referring to the central place of worship of the Sikh religion.They weren't alone. Paytm's founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, went to "seek blessing of God" at the Tirupati Temple, one of India's most famous places of worship, on November 8 — the day Paytm launched its IPO.That day also marked five years since Prime Minister Narendra Modi banned two of the country's biggest currency notes. The move was hugely disruptive for the economy, but it helped Paytm grow at an explosive rate: The company signed 10 million new users within a month. It made us "a folklore name in this country," Shekhar told CNN Business in 2019. Thanks to the momentum provided by the cash ban, Paytm is now the biggest payments platform in one of the world's fastest growing economies. It has 337 million registered consumers and 22 million merchants, according to its IPO filing.At the listing ceremony on Thursday, an emotional Sharma called the company's purpose of bringing millions of Indians into the mainstream economy "pious."Mixed signalsForeign investors have been enthusiastic. The company raised $1.1 billion from BlackRock and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board just before the IPO opened, according to an exchange filing. And on the day of the launch earlier this month, Softbank (SFTBF) founder and existing Paytm investor Son declared that,"for us, their IPO should be a great event."However, the response in India has been different.While Paytm's IPO was eventually fully subscribed, much of the local media coverage has been lukewarm, highlighting that the company took longer to find buyers for its shares than two other Indian startups in recent months, food delivery company Zomato and e-commerce firm Nykaa. Zomato shares soar in red-hot start for first Indian unicorn to go public"I think the real story here is that someone aimed to do something that had not been attempted before and many thought could not be done in the Indian capital markets," Deora said, in reference to the challenge of launching such a large IPO before the company has turned a profit. Paytm's losses have analysts worried about whether the company can justify its valuation. The company, based in the New Delhi suburb of Noida, posted a loss of 17 billion rupees ($230 million) last year on revenue of 31.86 billion rupees ($430 million). Profits aren't on the horizon any time soon.Madhur Deora, a President at SoftBank-backed Indian payments firm Paytm, poses for a photograph inside his house in Mumbai, India, Sept. 22, 2020. "We expect to continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future and we may not achieve profitability in the future," it said in its IPO filings, adding that the company will continue to spend heavily on hiring, marketing and building infrastructure. "Two years ago, we were in this super high investment phase where we were creating a lot of consumer and merchant traction on the platform," Deora said. "We have found that it is easier — much easier — than two years ago to acquire and retain customers, hence, we are spending a lot less." Having said that, he added, "our aim is to reach 500 million Indians ... So we would continue to spend on marketing."As the cost of data and internet in India falls, its population of 1.3 billion is coming online at a rapid pace. Paytm expects the number of smartphone users in India to hit 800 million in the next five years, giving a significant boost to its business.Next phase of growthSkeptics have pointed to mounting competition, particularly as Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOGL) have joined the fray by launching their own mobile payments systems that make use of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), an Indian government-backed technology.Deora said he is not worried, as UPI-based payments make just one "chunk" of Paytm's business, which has now expanded into commerce, lending and other sectors.While financial services are a relatively new part of the company's business, Deora said he is excited about the opportunity to be "democratic" with lending, and reach everyone from the self-employed to the daily-wage laborer. The company plans on strengthening this business with the money it has raised."A vast majority of Indians do not have access to formal credit .... They just don't have a credit history," he said. "So there's a lot of what we call [India's] underserved or unserved." "There's a huge market in providing access to credit," he added. Paytm has partnered with banks — including the country's largest private lender, HDFC — to provide services ranging from personal loans to buy now, pay later options. "Pay later really suits the needs of younger millennials in the country, because many of them just find the process of getting credit anywhere else not suitable for them," Deora said.

Analysis by Laura He, CNN Business Graphics by Natalie Leung, Marco Chaco and Carlotta Dotto, CNN

2021-11-03 01:27:16

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/tech/china-economy-crackdown-private-companies-intl-hnk/index.html

China's economy and businesses have been chilled by a year-long crackdown. It may have to cut firms some slack - CNN

On November 2, 2020, Jack Ma's Ant Group was gearing up for the biggest initial public offering in history.

tech, China's economy and businesses have been chilled by a year-long crackdown. It may have to cut firms some slack - CNN

China's 'unprecedented' crackdown stunned private enterprise. One year on, it may have to cut business some slack

On November 2, 2020, Jack Ma's Ant Group was gearing up for the biggest initial public offering in history. One day later, it all fell apart.Beijing's decision to yank the $37 billion IPO was just the start of a sweeping crackdown that has become one of the most consequential realignments of private enterprise in China's history.President Xi Jinping turns his fire on China's rich in push to redistribute wealthIn the year that followed, the Chinese government's regulatory might has changed industries ranging from tech and finance to gaming, entertainment and private education.China's regulators aren't alone in moving to restrict what they see as overly powerful companies, especially in Big Tech. Authorities in the United States and Europe have also moved over the last year to rein in unruly players by proposing new antitrust laws or trying to regulate data and online content.Read MoreBut the speed and ferocity with which Chinese authorities have acted against the country's corporate titans have startled even the closest China watchers."The latest regulatory tightening cycle is unprecedented in terms of duration, intensity, scope, and velocity," analysts from Goldman Sachs wrote in a recent research report.The campaign has wiped out more than $1 trillion worldwide from the market value of Chinese companies. It has sent chills through the wider economy and stoked fears about the prospects of future innovation and growth in China. China's yearlong crackdown on private business November 3, 2020 Chinese regulators suspend Ant Group's $37 billion IPO citing "major issues," days before the company was scheduled to start trading. It was the largest IPO in history. February 7, 2021 Chinese regulators revealed new anti-monopoly guidelines aimed at the country's biggest tech companies, sending a chill through global markets. Chinese firms have lost more than $1 trillion in market value this year as the crackdown has intensified. April 10, 2021 After a months-long antitrust investigation, Chinese regulators slap Alibaba with a record $2.8 billion fine for behaving like a monopoly. April 12, 2021 Ant Group is ordered by regulators to restructure itself as a financial holding company supervised by China's central bank — a major readjustment for the high flying tech company, which now has to follow rules similar to those required of traditional banks. July 4, 2021 China bans ride-hailing giant Didi from app stores, days after the company went public in the United States. The move was widely seen as a punishment for Didi's decision to list overseas. July 10, 2021 A major Chinese regulator proposes strict listing rules for companies that keep data on more than one million users. Companies that meet that requirement must seek the agency's approval before listing shares overseas, according to the proposal. July 24, 2021 China unveils wide-ranging rules on education and private tutoring in the country, essentially upending a $120 billion industry. Chinese markets are roiled by the announcement, and billions of dollars in market value are wiped off the value of several major, publicly traded education firms. August 2021 China cracks down on what authorities call "chaos" in celebrity fan culture, following a series of scandals involving top artists like Kris Wu, Zheng Shuang and Zhao Wei. Some celebrities were effectively erased from the Chinese internet entirely, while others were slapped with fines or arrested on criminal charges. August 17, 2021 President Xi Jinping pushes for the redistribution of wealth in China as part of a call for "common prosperity," a phrase steeped in historical significance. August 26, 2021 China blasts an excessive work culture known as "996," which is pervasive in the country's tech industry. The condemnation from the country's top court signaled an intensifying pressure for companies to curtail the practice. August 30, 2021 China bans kids from playing online games for more than three hours a week in a significant escalation of restrictions on the country's massive gaming industry. Source: The Shanghai Stock Exchange, The State Administration for Market Regulation, The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, The Supreme People's Court, The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, The People's Bank of China, The Cyberspace Administration of China, China's Ministry of Education, Xinhua News Agency, Goldman Sachs and Eikon Refinitiv data Some of China's most successful entrepreneurs have quit high profile jobs in the past several months — decisions they've claimed are unrelated to the turmoil, but which analysts find hard to separate completely. Several tech firms have pledged to hand billions of dollars worth of their own profits to government-backed social causes. And some big proponents of Chinese investment have reconsidered plans to pour more money into the market until the outcome of the political interference is clear.While China's decisions have rocked the corporate world and rattled foreign investors, Xi appears undeterred. To him, reining in private enterprise is the solution to fixing longstanding concerns about consumer rights, data privacy, excess debt and economic inequality.In other words, for the Chinese Communist Party it's not about killing the private sector: It's about taming the excesses of capitalism and embracing the country's history of socialism."Common prosperity is the prosperity of all the people, the material and spiritual life of the people being rich," Xi wrote in an article published last month by a Communist Party journal, invoking a historically significant phrase that dates back to the time of Chairman Mao Zedong. "It is not the prosperity of a few people."Ant Group's highly anticipated IPO was suspended just over a week after founder Jack Ma accused China's conventional, state-controlled banks of having a "pawn shop" mentality.Dividing the 'cake'China is one of the world's most unequal major economies, according to the World Bank. Its Gini coefficient — a popular measure of inequality — has increased significantly over the past four decades, coinciding with the country's staggering rate of economic growth.That meteoric rise accelerated under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, who took power in the late 1970s after the death of Mao.Under Deng, the country embraced the free market and opened up to global trade. He famously said in 1985 that "some people can get rich first" to help poorer people in the long run, so that the society can gradually achieve "common prosperity" — a use of the phrase that differed significantly from its invocation by Mao, who advocated for wealth redistribution nearly 70 years ago as he worked to cement the party's control.China sparked an economic miracle -- now there's a fight over its legacyWorsening inequality now appears to be vexing Xi, the country's most powerful leader in decades. Just last year, his government concluded a five-year long fight against absolute poverty. Now he's widely expected to seek a third presidential term next year, and has focused his time on reducing the wealth gap."We must divide the cake well," Xi wrote in last month's article, adding that his goal is to "achieve common prosperity of all people by the middle of this century."Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Worsening inequality now appears to be vexing the country's most powerful leader in decades.A desire for controlAnalysts widely believe that Xi's concerns about inequality are real, but that the unfolding crackdown also signals the ruling Chinese Communist Party's desire for control.Xi is "aware that a Communist Party regime only enjoys legitimacy as long as common people feel represented," said Sonja Opper, a professor at Bocconi University in Italy who studies China's economy and the private sector. "The ultimate motivation is more likely to gain control over powerful parts of the economy."The business crackdown that dominated much of this year is believed to have started after Ma — easily the most recognizable of China's business elite — blasted China's financial system during a controversial speech in October 2020.Founder of Alibaba Group Jack Ma has all but disappeared from public life as the tech crackdown has taken shape over the last year.Ma criticized China's regulatory system at the time as being outdated and risk averse, an obstacle to the high flying, innovative tech firms that he said could bring banking to poor populations and smaller businesses that are otherwise locked out of traditional finance.The tech entrepreneur also accused China's conventional, state-controlled banks of having a "pawn shop" mentality by lending only to borrowers who could provide collateral. He touted more innovative, data-heavy approaches as capable of bringing banking to marginalized groups. Those words likely spurred Beijing to retaliate swiftly. The Ant Group IPO was suspended just over a week later. Since then, life has only gotten more difficult for Ma, Ant Group and China's other corporate giants. The usually flamboyant Ma has all but disappeared from public life, and has even reportedly left the helm of an elite business school he founded.China's 'revolution' cost investors $3 trillion. So why aren't they running scared?Ant Group was forced to overhaul its business and become a financial holding company, meaning it is much more heavily regulated than it ever was before. Ma's Alibaba (BABA), meanwhile, was hit earlier this year with a record $2.8 billion fine for behaving like a monopoly, and the company has lost roughly $400 billion in market value in the last year as it navigates a slew of new regulations from Beijing.More than Jack MaMa's business empire isn't the only one affected. Meituan, Tencent (TCEHY), Pinduoduo (PDD) and other tech firms have also been investigated or fined over alleged anti-competitive behavior. And the ride-hailing app Didi — which went public in the United States despite reported concerns from Chinese regulators — was banned from app stores and probed over questions about data security.The Communist Party "seems increasingly concerned that China's tech sector has become so globally prominent that it runs the danger of outrunning the Party itself," said Rana Mitter, a professor who specializes in the history and politics of modern China at the University of Oxford. "The crackdown helps to bring it down to size."China's biggest private companies are in chaos. It's all part of Beijing's planThe clampdown has extended well beyond tech. Rules published in July upended China's $120 billion for-profit tutoring sector. Additional guidelines released that month tightened oversight of the country's massive food delivery industry.The real estate market, which was already being roiled by government efforts to curb excessive borrowing by developers, has also been under intense scrutiny this year. Authorities have announced more than 400 regulations on the sector this year as they try to cut down on property debt and bring home prices under control, according to statistics compiled by Centaline Property, a Hong Kong-based property agency.The government has also turned its attention to cultural and societal issues that authorities have deemed "unhealthy" or "toxic," including overwork, unruly celebrity behavior and excessive time spent with video games. Other areas of pop culture have been scrutinized as well.Wary of private tech's powerExperts point to the crackdown — and especially the measures directed at technology — as the start of a new era for regulation in China. Companies like Ant Group and Didi have rapidly ascended in recent years to become powerhouses in their fields. Alipay, operated by Ant Group, dominates China's mobile payment market with a 56% share. Didi has a near monopoly of the ride-hailing market, with about a 90% share.Beijing encouraged their rise at first. Such firms have been huge job creators and have attracted vast amounts of foreign and domestic capital. China's influence as a hub for technological innovation has also exploded in recent years because of these firms, which compete head to head with Western rivals.But now the government is growing wary of their size and power.Firms like Alibaba, Tencent and Didi "will no longer be able to stay under the protective umbrella of Internet or technology, outside of supervision from the Chinese government," said Doug Guthrie, a professor and director of China Initiatives at Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management.The flag of China is flown behind a pair of surveillance cameras outside the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong.Beijing is also clearly concerned about the collection of data by these private firms. The technology they have created is so prevalent in Chinese life that they have access to sensitive information about hundreds of millions of people, ranging from where and when they travel to specific details about how they spend their money."It cannot go unnoticed that the industries and sectors that came under fire are all part of the modern tech economy, controlling vast amounts of individual level data," said Opper from Bocconi University. She added that data "is an invaluable resource for any government wishing to control all walks of life."Beijing's interest in Big Data was apparent this summer, as the government's probe of Didi and other Chinese companies that trade in the United States took shape. Authorities focused on allegations that those firms mishandled sensitive data about their users in China, posing risks to personal privacy and national cybersecurity.Those regulations "may therefore simply reflect the desire to gain control over the type of data and technology that is currently controlled by China's most innovative, private technology corporations," Opper said.Economic slump may bring change of pace Beijing has signaled the crackdown may not be over yet. In August, the party's top leaders unveiled a major policy blueprint for the next five years, in which they pledged to strengthen regulations on tech, financial services, education, and tutoring firms — areas of what they called "vital interest."But other factors might force the government to slow the pace and scale at which it is trying to transform private enterprise.The world's second largest economy has encountered a slew of challenges that are weighing heavily on economic growth, including disruptions due to the global shipping crisis, a massive energy crunch and concerns about a debt crisis in real estate. Last quarter marked the slowest pace of GDP growth in a year. The crackdown on tech and education firms hasn't helped, with demands for rapid change resulting in job losses and a drag on retail sales."My prediction: The 'crackdown' is going to stop now," Guthrie said."The Xi administration is very committed to economic growth," he added. "They have made their point about the coordination between the government and the private sector. But they know they need an entrepreneurial private sector to continue to drive China's growth."China's real estate crisis could threaten growth into 2022. Beijing's undeterredThere has been some indication that the regulatory push is slowing down. Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, told state broadcaster CCTV last month that the new regulations for financial tech firms have "yielded initial results." He said he expects to achieve "even more significant progress" before the end of the year. Even Ma is reportedly turning up in public again. Reuters reported last month that the tech billionaire was spotted on a cruise in Spain, his first trip outside China since the crackdown began. The government wants companies to understand that they need to be in "lock step" with authorities, said Guthrie, who added that "no one gets to think of themselves as bigger or more global than the Chinese government."But he acknowledged that Beijing knows it needs Chinese tech to flourish."My sense is that the support and coordination between the government and the private sector is coming back into alignment," he added.

Laura He, CNN Business

2021-11-22 08:59:17

business

economy

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/22/economy/china-stagflation-pboc-growth-intl-hnk/index.html

PBOC may have to juice China's economy as 'stagflation' risk rises - CNN

A Chinese central official has warned that stagflation could weigh on an already struggling economy next year. It's the latest sign that the government may be thinking about taking some aggressive steps to address slowing growth, including its first lending rate cut since early 2020.

economy, PBOC may have to juice China's economy as 'stagflation' risk rises - CNN

China may have to juice its economy soon as 'stagflation' risk rises

Hong Kong (CNN Business)A Chinese central official has warned that stagflation could weigh on an already struggling economy next year. It's the latest sign that the government may be thinking about taking some aggressive steps to address slowing growth, including its first lending rate cut since early 2020.Liu Shijin, a member of the People's Bank of China's monetary policy committee, told an online forum on Sunday that the world's second largest economy may have to deal with "quasi-stagflation" the rest of this year and into 2022, if demand continues to struggle and the cost of goods leaving Chinese factories stays high."We need to pay attention to it, because if this happens, it will not only affect the fourth quarter, but also affect next year," Liu said.Stagflation — when inflation is high but economic growth slows — can be problematic since policies that are intended to curb inflation, such as higher interest rates, risk suppressing growth even further. Policies intended to boost growth, meanwhile, risk causing prices to keep rising.Even with his warning, Liu still expects the economy to hit China's growth target of more than 6% for the year.Read MoreChina's economy is getting walloped by crises in energy, shipping and real estateRisks to the Chinese economy have been piling up in recent months. Along with surging producer price inflation in the world's factory, the country is also grappling with a severe energy crunch and a big slowdown in real estate. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang recently acknowledged those concerns, saying at a seminar in Beijing last week that the economy was facing "new downward pressures." He called out recent Covid-19 outbreaks, severe flooding, rising commodity prices and energy shortages as key concerns. Li also said that policymakers should focus on helping "market players," including manufacturing companies and small businesses, by offering tax cuts or administrative fee reductions."The concern for growth slowdown is clearly rising among technocrats at different government agencies," wrote Larry Hu, head of China economics at Macquarie Group, in a Sunday report.China's 'unprecedented' crackdown stunned private enterprise. One year on, it may have to cut business some slackAnalysts also suspect that China's policymakers may consider cutting interest rates or taking other steps to ease monetary policy. A quarterly report released Friday by the central bank omitted phrases that have appeared previously to signal tighter policies. The removal of those phrases suggests a shift on the horizon, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and Citi."In our view, these deletions represent an official change to the PBoC's policy stance and sets the stage for more decisive monetary and credit easing," Nomura analysts wrote in a Sunday report. Those changes aren't happening just yet. On Monday, the central bank kept the Loan Prime Rate — a benchmark rate which banks charge corporate clients for new loans — unchanged for November, the 19th month in a row.But analysts from Capital Economics think it won't be long before the central bank starts to cut policy rates. "As economic strains continue to grow, there will be more pressure to relieve the financing strains of indebted borrowers," wrote Julian Evans-Pritchard, senior China economist for the firm, in a Monday report. He added that Capital Economists thinks the central bank will start lowering rates before the end of 2021, "followed by more reductions in 2022."Others expect the central bank to explore other options. Rather than changing interest rates, Goldman Sachs analysts said they expected more targeted support for green development and small or medium-sized companies.

Michelle Toh, CNN Business

2021-10-01 11:48:28

business

investing

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/01/investing/oyo-softbank-ipo-intl-hnk/index.html

OYO IPO: SoftBank-backed Indian startup files for a $1.1 billion listing - CNN

OYO has confirmed plans to go public, joining a slew of Indian unicorns to hit the country's stock exchange this year.

investing, OYO IPO: SoftBank-backed Indian startup files for a $1.1 billion listing - CNN

A 19-year-old from India created this startup. Now it plans to raise $1 billion

Hong Kong (CNN Business)OYO has confirmed plans to go public, joining a slew of Indian unicorns to hit the country's stock exchange this year.The Indian hotel chain, which is run by one of the country's most ambitious young entrepreneurs and backed by SoftBank (SFTBF), filed Friday for an initial public offering in Mumbai. It's looking to raise up to 70 billion rupees (about $944 million) through a sale of new shares, while giving an option to existing investors to sell some of their shares for up to 14.3 billion rupees ($193 million).The money will be used to pay some of OYO's debts and look for new growth opportunities, the company said in a statement.OYO — which is officially called Oravel Stays Limited — was founded in 2012 by then 19-year-old college dropout Ritesh Agarwal as a platform to book budget hotel rooms across India. It has since branched out into leasing and franchising its own properties, and now has more than 157,000 rooms in 35 countries across Asia, Europe and the United States.For years, the company enjoyed a reputation as a high-flying startup that seemed unstoppable. In 2019, it said it was adding rooms to its system faster than the world's top three hotel chains combined, and that it aimed to becoming "the largest and most preferred hotel chain in the world."Read MoreSince then, however, the Indian upstart has stumbled as it faces questions over its ability to make money and sustain growth. Those problems have been exacerbated by wavering confidence in the bets placed by its biggest backer, SoftBank — which took a hit after the botched IPO of WeWork — as well as the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.'Change can be hard': OYO CEO confirms layoffs Last January, OYO announced layoffs, saying that it needed to prioritize profitability, long-term growth and stronger corporate governance, among other goals. It disclosed in a prospectus Friday that it has yet to turn a profit.The company has been cut down to size in other ways, too. According to a person familiar with the matter, it was most recently privately valued at $9 billion. That's down from a previous valuation of as much as $10 billion in 2019.Still, it continues to boast a lineup of marquee investors, including SoftBank's Vision Fund, which owns nearly 47%. Agarwal personally holds about 8%, while Sequoia Capital and Airbnb (ABNB) also remain backers. India is churning out billion-dollar startups. Now they need to start making moneyOYO recently struck a major partnership with Microsoft (MSFT), which will allow its hotel owners to use the software company's cloud and artificial intelligence technology. The companies also plan to create so-called "smart room" experiences, which would offer customers self check-in and virtual customer service options. SoftBank has been calling on its portfolio companies to go public, with CEO Masayoshi Son recently describing IPOs as the "harvesting" of "golden eggs."OYO did not outline a timetable for its listing in its prospectus. But it is planning to debut by the end of the year, according to a person familiar with the matter.— Rishi Iyengar contributed to this report.

Matt McFarland, CNN Business

2022-02-22 17:15:35

business

cars

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/22/cars/electric-vehicle-battery-supply-chain/index.html

How a battery shortage could threaten US national security - CNN

Bob Galyen has spent his career building electric car batteries. And he thinks the United States has a problem.

cars, How a battery shortage could threaten US national security - CNN

How a battery shortage could threaten US national security

Washington, DC (CNN)Bob Galyen has spent his career building electric car batteries. And he thinks the United States has a problem. Galyen, who engineered the battery for the General Motors EV1, the first mass-produced electric vehicle, and also served as chief technology officer at a Chinese company that's the top battery producer in the world, isn't the only one. Elected officials, automakers and customers in the US are all excited about the possibility of electric cars, and those cars will be key to the US meeting its climate goals. Simply building and selling electric cars, or providing subsidies for the people who make and buy them, isn't enough. Electric cars need batteries the same way combustion cars need fuel -- and the metal in those batteries can be just as precious and hard to get as gas. People like Galyen are worried the US simply isn't ready for that switchover, or doing enough to get ready. The United States sources about 90% of the lithium it uses from Argentina and Chile, and contributes less than 1% of global production of nickel and cobalt, according to the Department of Energy. China refines 60% of the world's lithium and 80% of the cobalt. Those metals are critical for electric vehicles. Galyen said he's struggled to get the United States to create a long-term plan for electric batteries, instead watching as priorities shift depending on what political party holds the White House. The Biden administration has pushed for electric vehicles, yet halted mining projects in Arizona and Minnesota that would boost domestic supply of electric vehicle materials. Read More"We have neither the raw materials nor the manufacturing capacity," Galyen told CNN Business. "If the wrong country goes to war with us, we don't have enough batteries to support our military." The Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) production facilities stand in Ningde, Fujian province, China. CATL is the world's largest battery maker."China could shut down the world's electric vehicle transition for political reasons," Jeffrey Wilson, research director of the Perth USAsia Centre at the University of Western Australia, told CNN Business. "As of today, there'd be nothing we could do to stop that in the short term." Wilson pointed to the possibility of China restricting exports of lithium hydroxide to give its domestic electric battery and vehicle manufacturers an advantage. (Lithium hydroxide, which is critical for batteries, is largely processed in China.) He said that a 2010 incident when China restricted Japanese access to rare earth minerals during a dispute between the countries showed the risk isn't out of the question. Ganfeng's Mahong facility in Xinyu, in China's Jiangxi province, produces lithium hydroxide, a critical substance in producing batteries for electric vehicles.Others say the national security risks that come with the shift to electric may be less than those posed by oil. It's not in the best interest of foreign countries to restrict US battery supplies, some suggest. "If China decided to pull the plug on [electric vehicles], batteries, and battery cells today, then there would be a huge problem for [the electric vehicle] transition," Tom Moerenhout, a Columbia University professor who studies global energy policy. "But China has no interest in doing that." The rush for batteries President Biden has called for 50% of vehicle sales to be electric by 2030, a goal that Ford and GM have echoed. California has said all new vehicles must be zero emission by 2035. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is investing $7.5 billion in electric vehicle charging. "There have been a lot of bold things said that would be somewhat difficult to back up with the reality on the ground with raw material supply," Francis Wedin, the CEO of Vulcan Energy, a lithium company developing a project in Germany, told CNN Business. Mining experts say that the extraction and processing of battery metals has been largely overlooked. The popularity of electric vehicles hasn't impacted how the US government treats mining, they say. "You can't win a football match with just a star quarterback. You got to have a whole team," said Emily Hersh, the CEO of Luna Lithium, a mining startup that's exploring projects in Nevada. It can take seven to 10 years to get a mine set up, and sometimes longer. Lithium for batteries is extracted through evaporation in a brine pool in Argentina. This pool is owned by a subsidiary of Neo Lithium, which a Chinese company purchased.Prices for critical battery metals prices like lithium, nickel and cobalt have spiked in recent months. Some automakers like Tesla have made deals with suppliers of raw materials recently, which may help insulate them from shortages. The government has offered subsidies for electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure, but the mining sector hasn't seen similar support, the battery metals experts say. A challenge for US leaders is what to do when the country's values come into conflict, including electrical vehicle adoption, environmental preservation and halting America's historic mistreatment of indigenous people. Last month the Biden administration canceled leases for a planned nickel mine in Minnesota, called Twin Metals, due to environmental concerns. Last year Biden slowed a copper mining project in Oak Flat, Arizona that the Trump and Obama administrations had previously pushed for alongside Congress. The Biden administration said it wanted to better understand the concerns of Indigenous people and environmental impacts. Resolution Copper wants to mine copper in Oak Flat, located on land sacred to the Apache and part of the Tonto National Forest in Miami, Arizona.Electric vehicle proponents say the technology is an environmental good. The vehicles have a smaller lifetime carbon footprint than traditional vehicles, unless they last only a few years. Electric vehicles have fewer emissions as there's no tailpipe, leaving only brake pad discharge and tire wear. Electric vehicles also lessen the need for fossil fuels like gas. But electric vehicle batteries rely on metals that are mined, like lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper and graphite. Mining in the US is often associated with its negative environmental impacts. The battery metals experts say the negatives are a tradeoff we must accept for a greater environmental good. They argue that the US has better mining standards than some foreign countries, so there are global environmental benefits of mining at home. The Biden administration has largely avoided discussion of mining and its significance to electric vehicles. Biden made a brief reference to "metallurgy" in last year's State of the Union, describing it as a job of the future. A White House report from June 2021 called for resilient supply chains and acknowledged the security risk of the country's shortcomings on batteries. "Innovations essential to military preparedness—like highly specialized lithium-ion batteries—require an ecosystem of innovation, skills, and production facilities that the United States currently lacks," the authors wrote. Howard Klein, founder of RK Equity, an investment group focused on lithium, feels that the country has soured on mining, at its own expense. "Lithium, nickel and graphite are clean energy metals," Klein said. "If we don't do this, the green agenda is goodbye." When risks are hard to size up and agree on Historically, there have been examples of the "resource curse," in which natural resource wealth contributes to negative impacts for countries, including corruption, violence and durable authoritarian regimes. Decades of US policy in the Middle East, for example, with its attendant support for dictatorships and warfare, have been argued to be largely motivated by abundant petroleum supplies in the region. "Resource curse" concerns in this case could be most pertinent to Bolivia, which has a wealth of lithium reserves and has weaker political institutions than other battery-metal rich countries like Australia and Chile, according to Emily Kilcrease, a senior fellow in energy, economics and security at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based think-tank. "I might argue that Chinese investments into lithium mines are a bigger threat to U.S. raw material supply chains, rather than political instability," Kilcrease said. Chinese companies own stakes in South American mining companies like Pilbara Minerals and SQM. Last year the Chinese company Zijin Mining bought Neo Lithium, a Canadian company with an Argentine lithium project. For some national security experts, concerns about the electric vehicle supply chain are overblown. A Tesla Model 3 seen in the battery marriage section at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California. Eugene Gholz, a Notre Dame political science professor who previously advised the Pentagon, said national security concerns over energy have been exaggerated before, like with oil. He believes that's happening again. Gholz thinks the national security risk of electric vehicle adoption are small, and less than the oil supply chain. "F-35s won't fall out of the sky because we don't have access to cobalt imports," Gholz told CNN Business. "It's not like you need to constantly deliver diesel to the forward operating base. Once the base has a battery, it's got a battery for years." There are good reasons for China not to restrict US access to electric vehicle batteries. Doing so would damage its economy. China also depends on US allies like Australia and Chile to supply it with raw battery materials to refine. He views warnings of national security and electric vehicles as a strategy to trigger government funding. "We have confidence in very few institutions in the United States," Gholz said. "The American people have confidence in the military. If you can say we have to do something to preserve the military, that has political resonance."

Jack Guy, CNN

2019-08-15 09:18:02

news

asia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/15/asia/india-single-use-plastic-ban-scli-intl/index.html

Modi vows to ban single use plastics in face of India's trash crisis - CNN

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to ban single-use plastics in his Independence Day speech in Delhi on Thursday.

asia, Modi vows to ban single use plastics in face of India's trash crisis - CNN

Modi has vowed to ban single-use plastics to fight India's trash crisis

(CNN)India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to ban single-use plastics in his Independence Day speech in Delhi on Thursday.Modi called on Indians to make an effort to rid their country of plastic waste and raised the possibility of "strong first steps towards bidding adieu to single-use plastic on October 2." About 70% of the plastic the country consumes is simply discarded and there is no processing of waste in most Indian cities, according to the Ministry of Environment's Central Pollution Control Board.India's waste problem continues to grow.As a result the world's largest democracy is home to vast trash mountains that loom over the outskirts of major cities, and huge quantities of plastic end up in the water by way of the Ganges. The river is second only to China's Yangtze in the amount of plastic it contributes to the world's oceans, according to a 2017 study.Modi appealed to the people to help in his bid to address the growing problem.Read MoreIndia's trash mountains are a fetid symbol of the country's plastic problem"If you see single-use plastic at home or on the road, help the municipal authorities in your towns and villages to clean it up," he said."Let's make India free of single-use plastic, shall we?Modi also called on business people to support the move."I urge the start-up founders, technicians and industrialists to find ways to recycle plastic," he said."Single-use plastic is the root cause of many of our problems -- but the solution has to come from within, from us."Banning the use of single use-plastics could be an important step in dealing with the gargantuan issue.Striking photos show a decade of environmental decline along the GangesOne famous trash mountain in the east of New Delhi, known as Ghazipur, is reportedly just months away from rising higher than the Taj Mahal, which stands at 73 meters (240 feet) tall. This is not the first time that Modi has promised to tackle the issue of plastic waste. In June 2018 he called for a crackdown on plastic pollution and said that India would eliminate single use plastic by 2022.CNN's Akanksha Sharma contributed to this report.

Giovanni Prati, CNN

2020-12-17 10:08:03

news

world

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/17/world/future-of-micromobility-e-scooter-spc-intl/index.html

Could the pandemic drive an e-scooter revolution? - CNN

The rise of e-scooters means mobility in the cities of 2030 could look very different from today.

world, Could the pandemic drive an e-scooter revolution? - CNN

Could the pandemic drive an e-scooter revolution?

(CNN)Mobility in the cities of 2030 could look very different from today. "Robot shuttles will pick you up from your house in the suburbs and take you to a mobility hub station in downtown. Then you'll end your daily commute to the office riding an e-scooter (electric scooter) that you previously pre-booked on your mobile devices." That's the future imagined by Kersten Heineke, who leads the Center for Future Mobility for consulting firm McKinsey & Company. It might sound far-fetched, but electric, autonomous robot shuttle buses are already in use and e-scooters are growing in popularity. In the US, 38.5 million journeys were made on e-scooters in 2018, which rose to 86 million in 2019, according to the National Association of City Transportation. Women ride shared electric scooters in Santa Monica, California, in July 2018. E-scooters are an example of "micromobility" -- lightweight, often electric individual transport intended to cover short distances. McKinsey forecasted in pre-pandemic research that the global market might worth between $300-500 billion in 10 years.Read MoreWhile lockdowns depressed the use of e-scooters over the first months of 2020, McKinsey says the pandemic could actually encourage widespread adoption. "It's a big driver," Heineke says, "because public transit is not considered safe and not everybody has access to a private vehicle. Folks have opted more and more towards micromobility."Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will be the world's longest immersed tunnelOther factors could fuel long-term success. McKinsey says that about 60% of car trips worldwide cover less than 8 kilometers and Heineke believes that in cities, e-scooters and e-bikes can save people time that they'd otherwise spend stuck in traffic or looking for parking spots.Sustainability is another driver, with growing public awareness of climate change."Micromobility is always electric by design," Heineke says. "Consumers are caring about how they get from A to B and how much CO2 they produce. Electrification is the basic enabler and a strong accelerator for the adoption of this type of mobility."With a lack of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and inconsistent road regulations, micromobility has challenges to overcome. But Heineke believes cities can help by adopting forward-thinking policies. "Cities can incentivize the use by making more bike lanes, taking away parking spots or increasing parking prices and, above all, integrating micromobility with public transport," he says.Milan's micromobilityMilan is a city that has used the Covid-19 crisis to aggressively promote e-scooters and bikes."We launched the first micromobility proposals in 2018, but the pandemic sped up this transition," says Marco Granelli, Milan council member for mobility. "In just a few months, we had the need to move to a more sustainable mobility."As coronavirus cases spiked in the city in March, Milan had to find ways to keep the city open for business. Investing in micromobility seemed to be the perfect solution.A man rides an electric scooter on a pop-up bike lane on Corso Buenos Aires, in Milan, on September 23, 2020.The city implemented a plan called "Strade Aperte" (Open Streets), which added new 20mph speed zones and 35 kilometers (22 miles) of bike lanes, with a goal of reaching 100 km by April 2021. It also increased the size of the city's fleet of e-scooters available for public hire from 2,500 to 6,000, with a plan grow it further in the future. "Before the pandemic hit, 700,000 cars entered Milan every single day," Granelli says. "We now follow two principles: decreasing the traffic by using vehicles that occupy less public roads, and reducing CO2 levels in the air. Micromobility solutions are offering the best performance in that regard."Struggling to work productively from home? Let strangers watch youGranelli says Milan will keep investing in micromobility. The city has already set aside €7.5 million ($9.1 million) for new bike lanes and €5.2 million ($6.3 million) to adopt more e-bikes and e-scooters."People are using them," he says. Cameras filming one large road found that between 5,000 and 6,000 e-scooters and bikes passed by every day in November. "That's 20% of total traffic there, more than double the pre-Covid levels."If Milan's efforts are echoed in other cities, Heineke's vision of a future that embraces micromobility could be one step closer to reality.

Ana Moreno, CNN

2020-12-18 13:17:17

news

world

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/18/world/ai-smart-traffic-lights-transform-commute-spc-intl/index.html

AI and smart traffic lights could transform your commute - CNN

Scientists and engineers want to use artificial intelligence to rethink the way we use our streets and to reduce congestion post-pandemic.

world, AI and smart traffic lights could transform your commute - CNN

AI and smart traffic lights could transform your commute

(CNN)Lockdowns around the world have seen streets temporarily empty of cars, offering a glimpse of what our cities could be like without traffic jams. Now, scientists and engineers want to use artificial intelligence (AI) to rethink the way we use our roads and reduce congestion post-pandemic.Michael Ganser is an engineer with Kapsch TrafficCom, an Austrian company that provides intelligent transportation systems. "Building new roads or adding new lanes alone is not sustainable," he says. Ganser believes the solution to gridlock lies in a combination of smart traffic lights, connected vehicles and congestion charges -- all informed by AI. In cities including Madrid and Mumbai, Kapsch TrafficCom has implemented a system where roadside sensors, traffic cameras and vehicles collect data on things like road works, accidents and congestion.Could the pandemic drive an e-scooter revolution?The information is fed into a central system and a prediction model creates a comprehensive view of traffic conditions in real-time. The system is then able to adjust the timing of traffic light signals, so that they improve the flow of vehicles. In the future motorists will be sent information via an app telling them which routes to take to avoid congestion, as well as the optimum speed they should drive.Read MoreKapsch, along with other companies, has worked with cities such as Singapore to implement a variable congestion charge that makes it cheaper to travel outside peak times, which encourages drivers to avoid rush hour.Ganser says combining smart lights, connected vehicles, and congestion charges "leads to a traffic system that, under good conditions, allows almost jam-free roads." He estimates that combination could reduce congestion by around 75%, saving large cities billions of dollars every year. Buenos AiresThe Argentine capital of Buenos Aires is one of the most populous cities in Latin America. It has over 3 million residents, and an additional 3 million commuters from adjacent towns travel there every day. To manage its roads the city implemented a number of intelligent traffic devices, but it needed a way to coordinate the different technologies. Buenos Aires officials worked with Kapsch TrafficCom to integrate the city's existing traffic management systems. Having the disparate traffic data going into a single network means information can be exchanged more effectively and provide commuters with real-time advice, according to Alan Balfour, director of the city's Special Projects Unit for Mobility Infrastructure."The ability we have today to manage transit through this tool allows us to control traffic flow and support tomorrow's sustainable mobility with quality planning," says Balfour.Busy Buenos Aires streets, in March 2020.Time and moneyBefore the pandemic, traffic congestion cost EU economies €100 billion ($118 billion) annually. A report by traffic analytics firm INRIX revealed that in the US, the total cost of lost productivity stood at $88 billion in 2019.There's also the issue of time: American commuters wasted about 99 hours a year on average and British commuters about 178 hours a year due to congestion.Damon Wischik researches traffic flow optimization using AI at Cambridge University. He's developing software to control traffic signals in UK cities. He equates "queues of cars at traffic lights as blocks in Tetris," which can be re-routed using AI. "If you treat cities like a computer game, it can learn to clear congestion," Wischick says. Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will be the world's longest immersed tunnelBut he thinks technology alone isn't the solution. Wischik believes drivers need to be prepared to change their habits and to travel outside peak traffic times."It all comes down to -- can you change people's behavior, and can you make people willing to accept some slight change in behavior if it's imposed on them?" he says.While road traffic in many places plummeted during initial lockdowns, there are signs that as restrictions are lifted, many people are choosing to drive rather than take public transport. Any traffic benefits from the pandemic may be short-lived, unless cities rethink their traffic management. When it comes to tomorrow's mobility, Ganser believes digital technologies are the solution. "They are inexpensive and easy to scale," he says. "So if society wants a quick win that brings down carbon emissions and gets rid of congestion, this is the way to go."This story has been updated to better clarify the notification function of the Kapsch TraffiCom app, and to add that other companies were also involved in implementing the congestion charge in Singapore.

Matt McFarland, CNN Business

2020-11-09 02:01:14

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/tech/virgin-hyperloop-passengers/index.html

Virgin Hyperloop completes its first test with actual passengers  - CNN

Virgin Hyperloop gave the first ride on its test track Sunday in Las Vegas, but it will be years before the public can potentially take a high-speed ride on a hyperloop.

tech, Virgin Hyperloop completes its first test with actual passengers  - CNN

Virgin Hyperloop completes first test with actual passengers 

Washington, DC (CNN Business)Virgin Hyperloop gave the first ride on its test track Sunday in Las Vegas, but it will be years before the public can potentially take a high-speed ride on a hyperloop.A hyperloop is an unproven transportation system in which people travel in a vehicle in a vacuum tube at speeds as high as 600 mph. Virgin's system includes magnetic levitation, much like used in advanced high speed rail projects in Japan and Germany.Magnetic levitation lifts a train car above a track, as the magnets' like poles push the train upward. The magnets also propel the train as like poles repel and push the train forward, and the opposite poles attract and pull the train forward. Magnetic levitation has been used on some train systems since the 1970s. Virgin Hyperloop selects West Virginia as the future home of its new high-tech certification centerVirgin Hyperloop's pod only reached 100 mph on the track, according to the company, rather than the 600 mph that hyperloop advocates have long promised. Virgin Hyperloop says its track is 500 meters long, limiting how fast the pods can go.Still, Virgin Hyperloop executives view the test as a major milestone and a step toward commercializing hyperloop technology. Read MoreJosh Giegel, Virgin Hyperloop's Chief Technology Officer, and Sara Luchian, its Director of Passenger Experience, took the first ride. They sat in Virgin Hyperloop's two-person pod, which includes seat belts, plush seats and small windows.Giegel told CNN Business that hyperloop pods can travel at the speed of aircraft but with a fraction of the energy consumption. Virgin Hyperloop had its first human passengers at its test track in Las Vegas, Nevada.Virgin Hyperloop envisions building systems that connect cities. Giegel said that its future commercial systems will have pods that seat between 25 and 30 people. Giegel said Virgin Hyperloop envisions carrying tens of thousands of passengers per hour. Hyperloop systems can run either above ground or below ground, but so far the company has focused on above-ground projects. Tunneling below ground can be time consuming and expensive.Hurdles remain before a commercial hyperloop system is built. Virgin Hyperloop still needs to raise enough money for its next project, a six-mile, $500 million test facility in West Virginia. Walder said that pods at the facility wouldn't reach 600mph, but declined to share how fast they would go. The test facility is being built to certify Virgin Hyperloop's technology.Walder believes that the company's hyperloop system will be certified in 2025 or 2026, and that we could see hyperloop projects before the decade ends. Virgin Hyperloop expects to have its technology certified by 2025 or 2026.Virgin Hyperloop isn't alone in its interest in hyperloops. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced a concept for such a system in 2013.Then in 2017, Musk tweeted that he had "verbal govt approval" to build a tunnel from Washington, DC to New York, in which trips could take 29 minutes. The first leg of the project is mired in an environmental review, and there's no clear timeline for it being completed.Musk's hyperloop venture, the Boring Company, has focused on building tunnels under cities, for a lower speed service in Tesla vehicles that don't require a vacuum tube. It's currently building a system in Las Vegas, called "Loop."Virgin Hyperloop was founded as Hyperloop Technologies in 2014. Richard Branson joined its board of directors in 2017, and the company's name was changed then.

Milly Chan, CNN Business

2021-10-04 17:53:22

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/04/business/eco-concrete-ocean-biodiversity-climate-spc-intl/index.html

Israeli startup's ocean concrete could boost biodiversity and get stronger at the same time - CNN

Concrete structures like sea walls, breakwaters and ports can discourage ocean life, but Israeli startup ECOncrete says its technology for sea defenses helps marine biodiversity.

business, Israeli startup's ocean concrete could boost biodiversity and get stronger at the same time - CNN

This underwater concrete attracts marine life and gets stronger at the same time

Hong Kong (CNN Business)Rising sea levels are boosting the need for flood defenses. But the main material used in many man-made barriers is concrete, which can inflict its own huge cost on the climate and sea life. In a bid to make shoreline construction more sustainable, an Israeli startup called ECOncrete has come up with a range of products that can reduce the carbon footprint of concrete and attract marine life.Concrete-based structures on coastlines certainly have benefits — with structures like sea walls, breakwaters and ports shoring up human habitats. But most marine species live near the coast too, and these man-made structures can damage the ecosystems these sea creatures depend on."Seventy percent of coastal structures worldwide are concrete based," Ido Sella, co-founder and CEO of ECOncrete, told CNN Business. Concrete can leach chemicals that turn the surrounding water more alkaline, making it hard for some marine species to survive, until the ph level of the seawater eventually returns to neutral. And the smooth, straight surfaces of structures like sea walls make it difficult for sealife like algae, oysters and barnacles to latch on. Sella's nine-year-old company makes additives that can be mixed with concrete to help it match the chemical balance of seawater. It also manufactures blocks and panels for sea defenses that mimic the shape and texture of rock formations that lie at sea level; tiny crevices on their surface give larvae a place to settle and develop, while ridged sides and shallow pockets retain water like a tide pool.Read MoreThe company's products have been installed in over 35 locations around the world over the last eight years, including in New York City, Rotterdam and Monaco. Sella, who is a marine ecologist, said that the products can more than double the amount of biodiversity, compared to traditional concrete. This allows the "next generation" of organisms to develop on the surface and attracts other marine life, Sella added, kickstarting a self-sustaining ecosystem. ECOncrete armor blocks mimic the shape and surface texture of underwater rocks to help sea life latch onto the surface.Lowering emissionsApart from harming ocean life, cement — the material that binds the concrete mix together — is responsible for up to 8% of the world's carbon emissions, according to think tank Chatham House. ECOncrete says its additives lower the amount of cement needed in the concrete mix, reducing its carbon footprint. But some ecologists warn that man-made structures cannot replicate the full ecological benefits of natural shorelines. Beth Strain, a researcher at the University of Tasmania who has trialed ECOncrete products, has studied the impact of different eco-engineering approaches on coastal biodiversity.How 3D printing could help save Hong Kong's coral"Wherever possible, you should try to avoid building more artificial structures," Strain said.In situations where coastlines need more fortified barriers, she recommended a "hybrid" approach, incorporating both eco-friendly infrastructure and natural buffers against wave power, like mangrove forests or oyster reefs. "There's quite a bit of evidence to suggest that they work just as effectively under some conditions as artificial structures by themselves," Strain said. "They're also a lot more cost effective."However, Strain added that nature-based solutions require a lot of space and can take years to mature. 'Positive results'In densely-populated coastal cities surrounded by sea, ECOncrete's technology is an attractive eco-engineering solution, according to Kenneth Leung, a Hong Kong University professor of water ecology.In 2018, Leung's team installed ECOncrete's tide pools, armor blocks and sea wall panels on sites on Hong Kong's coast, as part of a government-funded trial to boost biodiversity on artificial shorelines."So far, we've had very positive results," Leung said, adding that in a region vulnerable to strong waves and flooding, concrete alternatives must be durable enough to meet safety regulations and last "20 or 30 years at least."ECOncrete says that when installed along the shoreline, its technology can help reverse the damage to marine life caused by humans building by the sea.Sella, who is based in Tel Aviv, said that organisms living on the surface of ECOncrete can make the structures stronger over time. As they settle on the surface, they encase the concrete in a layer of calcium carbonate, one of the main components of seashells, which stops the concrete from cracking, and can increase its tensile strength tenfold, according to Sella. Although the material is up to 15% more expensive than standard concrete, Sella said this "bio-protection" saves developers money in the long run, as infrastructure requires less maintenance. ECOncrete — which raised $5 million in funding last year, including from impact investment fund Bridges Israel and Barclays — produces its products in Israel, Europe and the United States, but Sella plans to open more manufacturing facilities around the world, and double his 39-person team in the next six months. Sella expects demand to rise, as developers look for ways to ways to protect shorelines from increasingly regular extreme weather events. "Taking into account that we're now in an era of a shifting climate with predictions of rising sea levels and increased storminess, we need to armor our shoreline in a better way," Sella said. "We need to keep those resources available for the next generation."

Story by Milly Chan and Anagha Subhash Nair; Video by Milly Chan, CNN Business

2021-08-30 03:18:12

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/29/business/insectta-black-soldier-fly-maggots-hnk-spc-intl/index.html

Insectta, a Singapore startup, is using insects to turn trash into treasure - CNN

In Singapore, the amount of generated food waste has increased 20% over the past decade. Startup Insectta is turning to maggots to take a bite out of the problem.

business, Insectta, a Singapore startup, is using insects to turn trash into treasure - CNN

This Singapore startup is using insects to turn trash into treasure

(CNN Business)Singapore-based farmer Chua Kai-Ning spends a lot of her day making sure that her animals are well fed and growing fast. But she's no ordinary farmer, and these aren't ordinary animals. Chua and her partner, Phua Jun Wei, founded startup Insectta in 2017. They are battling Singapore's food waste crisis with the help of an unlikely ally: the black soldier fly larva. "The concept behind Insectta is that nothing goes to waste," said Chua. "Waste can be reimagined as a resource if we change how we think about our production methods, and how we deal with waste."In 2020, Singapore generated 665,000 metric tons of food waste — only 19% of which was recycled. Read MoreChua said the company feeds the black soldier fly maggots up to eight tons of food waste per month, including byproducts received from soybean factories and breweries, such as okara and spent grain. Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteWith over 2 billion metric tons of waste produced annually, there's an urgent need to change the way we handle our trash. Luckily, startups are coming up with countless innovations, from smart bins to fly larvae that eat food waste. Look through the gallery to see some cutting-edge waste management solutions.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteColdHubs are 10-foot-square solar-powered cold storage units that have been installed at markets and farms in Nigeria. They can keep produce fresh for up to 21 days, preventing food from spoiling.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteSingapore-based Insectta uses black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste into fertilizer and animal feed (pictured). Now, the startup is developing a method to extract high-value biomaterials like chitosan and melanin from the black soldier flies. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteRecycling Technologies also uses circular waste management solutions to tackle plastic waste. The UK-based company uses "chemical recycling" that breaks down plastics using high temperatures into an oil-like liquid called Plaxx. This is then used to manufacture more plastic, increasing the sustainability of the production process.Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteThis smart-bin from Bin-e has sensors and uses artificial intelligence to recognize and sort objects. It automatically opens when approached with trash, compresses waste, and notifies the waste disposal company when the bin is full -- automating waste management. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteSome companies are trying a different approach: to minimize the waste produced in the first place. Apeel uses plant-based materials to create a tasteless, biodegradable exterior "peel" for fruits and vegetables to extend their shelf-life. In May, it announced an imaging technology that would allow monitoring of ripeness, nutritional content and other indicators of the quality of the produce. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteLoop is reducing single-use packaging by partnering with a range of brands including Häagen-Dazs, Pantene and The Body Shop, to sell their products in containers which buyers can return after use, to be cleaned and reused. Initially available only online, Loop is now available in retail stores around the world. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteShareWaste connects those who want to get rid of food scraps sustainably with composting operations, helping users find eco-conscious solutions for organic waste in their area. Compost enriches soil quality and helps it stay moist -- even a small amount of compost in the upper layer of soil helps retain up to 27,000 gallons of water per acre. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: These startups are revolutionizing how we manage wasteToo Good to Go connects consumers with bakeries, restaurants and supermarkets. The vendors offer customers "surprise bags" containing surplus food at the end of the business day. Launched in 2016, the company says that its venture, involving over 42 million users, has helped save over 88 million meals to date.Hide Caption 9 of 9 Insectta can then flash dry the maggots into animal feed, and turn the insects' excrement into agricultural fertilizer. While there are plenty of companies using insects to manage waste, including Goterra, Better Origin and AgriProtein, Insectta is extracting more than agricultural products from black soldier flies. With funding from Trendlines Agrifood Fund and government grants, Insectta is procuring high-value biomaterials from the byproducts of these larvae. "During R&D, we realized that a lot of precious biomaterials that already have market value can be extracted from these flies," Chua told CNN Business. The startup hopes its biomaterials can revolutionize the growing insect-based product industry and change the way we look at waste. The larvae can eat up to four times their body weight in food waste a day.Bugs to biomaterialsAs the maggots grow into adults, they form a cocoon, emerging about 10 to 14 days later as a fully-grown fly. Insectta has developed proprietary technology to obtain biomaterials from the exoskeleton they leave behind. This startup is creating 'real' dairy, without cowsOne of these biomaterials is chitosan, an antimicrobial substance with antioxidant properties sometimes used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Insectta aims to eventually produce 500 kilograms of chitosan a day and is now collaborating with Singapore-based Spa Esprit Group for the use of its chitosan in its moisturizers. Insectta is also collaborating with face mask brand Vi-Mask, which hopes to use black soldier fly chitosan to make an antimicrobial layer within its products.Currently, Vi-Mask uses chitosan from crab shells in the lining of its face masks. The company says that the switch to insect-based chitosan is an environmentally friendly move, as Insectta's chitosan is more sustainably sourced. A more sustainable sourceAt present, crab shells are one of the primary sources for chitosan, according to Thomas Hahn, a researcher with the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Germany. Hahn has studied insect-based chitosan production with chemical engineer and biologist Susanne Zibek. According to Zibek, chitosan could replace synthetic thickeners and preservatives in cosmetics. The first products made with Insectta's chitosan are currently in development. Chua says the startup is now looking for further collaborations within the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.Chitosan extraction from shellfish involves chemical processes and large amounts of water. Chua said that Insectta's extraction techniques involve fewer chemicals, like sodium hydroxide, than traditional extraction processes, making it a more sustainable alternative. Zibek said the insect biomaterial market will grow as companies look to lower their environmental impact. "There's a change in consumer awareness, and people want sustainable products," she added. "We can support that by substituting synthetic products with chitosan."Overcoming the 'gross factor'To widen the market for its black soldier fly materials, Insectta needs to challenge the stigma against insects."When people think of maggots, the first thing they think is that they're gross and harmful to people," Chua said. "By putting the benefits first, we can transform people's 'gross factor.'"Chua says black soldier flies do not bite and they grow very quickly, making the insects ideal for urban farming.There is ongoing scientific debate about the consciousness of insects. But Phua said rearing black soldier flies is more humane and sustainable than rearing livestock, as insects need less water, energy and space to grow.Rather than running its own farms, however, Insectta plans to sell eggs to local black soldier fly farms, and collect exoskeletons produced by these farms to then extract the biomaterials."We not only want insects to feed the world," Phua added, "we want insects to power the world."

Story by Rebecca Cairns; Video by Milly Chan, CNN Business

2021-08-12 08:25:34

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/12/business/perfect-day-dairy-protein-hnk-intl-spc/index.html

Perfect Day is creating 'real' dairy, without cows - CNN

California startup Perfect Day uses fungi to make dairy protein it says is "molecularly identical" to the protein in cow's milk, and can be used to make dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.

business, Perfect Day is creating 'real' dairy, without cows - CNN

This startup is creating 'real' dairy, without cows

Hong Kong (CNN)We've grown used to oat milk and soya milk — now a food-tech startup is taking alternative milk to the next level. California-based Perfect Day uses fungi to make dairy protein that is "molecularly identical" to the protein in cow's milk, says co-founder Ryan Pandya. That means it can be used to make dairy products such as cheese and yogurt."We were interested in the question of what is in milk ... that gives it incredible versatility and nutrition that is somehow missing from the plant-based milks," says Pandya. Perfect Day has assembled the gene that codes for whey protein in cow's milk, and introduced it into a fungus. When the fungus is grown in fermentation tanks, it produces whey protein, which is then filtered and dried into a powder used in products including cheese and ice cream — which are already on the shelves in the United States and Hong Kong."[It's for] people who still love dairy, but want to feel better about it for themselves, for the planet, and for the animal," says Pandya. Read MoreFermented fungi Although Perfect Day's protein contains no lactose, hormones or cholesterol, it isn't suitable for people with a dairy allergy. But as the process involves no animals, Pandya describes the product as "vegan-friendly." It's also good for the environment. By removing cows from the equation, the production of milk is "dramatically more efficient," says Pandya, producing up to 97% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional dairy. Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyThe dairy industry is estimated to have emitted 1.7 billion metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in 2015, and food-tech companies have seen an opportunity to create alternative products. California-based Perfect Day uses a fermentation process to create milk protein using fungi. Scroll through to see more dairy innovations changing the way we eat.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyPerfect Day's milk protein is already being used in ice cream products in Hong Kong and the US, including Brave Robot. The animal-free ice cream also contains no lactose.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyTurtleTree is also producing milk without cows, by using cultured mammary cells. The process is still in the R&D phase, but TurtleTree says it can replicate cow, goat, camel, and even human milk.Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyOther companies are looking to make plant-based solutions more sustainable. Nestle says its pea-based milk, Wunda, is made in a factory that buys 100% renewable electricity.Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyMooala's gluten-and-nut-free organic banana milk is made from bananas and sunflower seeds. It has a "hint" of a banana taste, making it suitable for foods like cereals or smoothies.Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyCanadian statup Plant Veda has expanded its nut-based milk products into cashew-based lassi, a yogurt drink containing fruits and maple-based sweeteners. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyDespite its name, Rude Health's Tiger Nut milk is made from tubers with tiger-like stripes, rather than nuts, which are also used to make the Spanish drink "horchata." Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyMade from locally sourced ingredients, Yoconut's coconut-based yogurt is dairy, gluten and soy-free and has no added sugar or preservatives. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: These food-tech startups are reimagining dairyFood-tech startups are now looking beyond the ordinary to make alternative dairy products. Grounded Foods has created vegan cheese from hemp, and cauliflower that is considered too imperfect to be sold in shops, helping to tackle food waste.Hide Caption 9 of 9In 2020, Perfect Day launched Brave Robot ice cream with The Urgent Company, and partnered with ice cream brands N!ck's and Graeter's to make its products available in 5,000 stores across the United States. The company is already reaching an international market, with its protein used in Hong Kong's Ice Age ice creams, which taste similar to regular supermarket brands — and unlike some plant-based dairy alternatives, there's no taste of coconut, banana, or other base flavors. The next product in development is cream cheese, due to be released later in 2021, says Pandya. A rapidly growing marketPerfect Day isn't the only company looking to science for sustainable dairy solutions. California startup New Culture is also developing cheese products without cows through a fermentation process, and TurtleTree Labs is creating milk — including human milk — from cultured cells. According to figures from the Good Food Institute — a nonprofit that aims to boost innovation in alternative proteins — $590 million was invested in fermented alternative proteins in 2020, and $300 million of that went to Perfect Day. Chemical and biological engineer Ryan Pandya (left) and biomedical engineer Perumal Gandhi (right) founded Perfect Day in 2014.Plant-based milk accounted for 15% of US milk sales in 2020 and is expected to grow, says Mirte Gosker, acting managing director of the Good Food Institute in Asia Pacific.One challenge for companies is getting regulatory approval, and another is the higher price of innovative products, says Gosker. Perfect Day's ice cream retails for about the same as high-end brands like Häagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry's. Many countries are eager to develop food-tech innovation. Singapore, where Perfect Day recently established a research and development lab with a government-backed agency, is "leading the way with its regulatory framework," Gosker says. Support from "governments has a big role to play here, to invest in open-access R&D and in infrastructure," she adds.Pandya says the startup is also seeking regulatory approval in Canada, India and Europe, as well as looking for partners in the dairy industry. "We're developing the kinder, greener way to make your favorite foods starting in the dairy aisle, and we can't do that alone," says Pandya.

Rebecca Cairns, CNN Business

2021-09-30 02:36:02

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/business/scotland-pea-based-gin-arbikie-climate-hnk-spc-intl/index.html

Why Scotland's pea-based gin is 'climate-positive' - CNN

Arbikie Highland Estate in Scotland has created a line of pea-based spirits which removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits.

business, Why Scotland's pea-based gin is 'climate-positive' - CNN

Three ways this gin made from peas is good for the climate

(CNN Business)Garden peas are sometimes an afterthought on our dinner plates. But one Scottish farm-based distillery is reimagining the humble legume as the star ingredient in its eco-friendly gin. Arbikie Highland Estate in Arbroath has created a line of spirits called Nàdar ("nature" in Gaelic) which removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits, making it "climate-positive," says Kirsty Black, master distiller at Arbikie. Spirits are usually made by fermenting grains such as wheat or barley, cereal crops that typically require synthetic fertilizers. By using peas instead of wheat for the base spirit, Arbikie avroids the carbon emissions and pollution created by synthetic fertilizers. Then, after distillation, residual pea by-products are then used to make high-protein animal feed, with zero waste. Black says consumers are increasingly interested in sustainably produced spirits, and hopes that Nàdar will introduce other producers to the opportunities.Peas don't need fertilizingRead MoreThe production of synthetic fertilizers is energy intensive, says Felicity Crotty, a senior lecturer at the Royal Agricultural University in London. A 2017 study found that 43% of a loaf of bread's carbon footprint came from the ammonium nitrate used to grow the wheat.Without fertilizers, most plants are unable to get the nitrogen they need — yet legumes such as peas and lentils have a "symbiotic relationship with bacteria" which helps them remove nitrogen from the air and feed the plant, Crotty tells CNN Business. Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryArbikie Distillery says its pea-based gin is the world's first "climate positive" gin. A life-cycle analysis found it removes 1.54 kilograms of CO2 from the atmosphere per bottle by not using synthetic fertilizers and utilizing the leftover peas as high-protein animal feed -- meaning the process of making each bottle absorbs more carbon than it emits. Take a look at these other alcohol innovations making the spirits industry more sustainable.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryUS-based Endless West is creating lab-made molecular whiskey, wines and sake that require less water and land, creating 40% fewer carbon emissions, according to the company.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryNc'Nean Distillery in Scotland produces whisky with organic barley in a distillery powered by renewable energy. It also uses 100% recycled clear glass bottles, which it says is a "first in Scotch whisky." Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryThe Sustainable Spirit Co. specializes in ethical and eco-friendly spirits, reducing packaging by providing "bottles for life" that can be refilled with reusable pouches — which it says has saved more than 300,000 bottles from production. Fifteen percent of sales from its Toti Rum are donated to marine conservation charities.Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryIn April 2021, Silent Pool Distillers launched Green Man Woodland gin, the "world's first" spirit packaged in a cardboard bottle. Made from 94% recycled paper, the bottle is lightweight and 100% recyclable. The company says its carbon footprint is six times lower than glass and it uses 77% less plastic. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryAir Company is creating vodka from carbon dioxide captured as a byproduct of fermentation. The company says its vodka is "carbon-negative" and each liter cleans 1 pound of CO2 from the atmosphere. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryTequila is notoriously water intensive -- researchers estimate for every gallon of the spirit, 18 gallons of toxic waste water are produced. That's why Ambhar Tequila has dedicated itself to creating low impact spirits using a rainwater irrigation system that conserves water. Additionally, it composts leftover agave to minimize waste. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryIt's not just craft distillers making commitments to sustainability; drinks giant Beam Suntory has invested $1 billion in its sustainability initiative, "Proof Positive," which aims to cut water usage and greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Its whisky brand, Maker's Mark, constructed a new solar array in Loretto, Kentucky (pictured), to offset the energy needed to store the bourbon barrels as they age.Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: The sustainable spirits shaking up the drinks industryThe drinks industry isn't just cleaning up the spirits themselves, but the way they are delivered to bars. Singapore-based EcoSPIRITS is a low-emissions, closed-loop distribution system that transports premium spirits direct from distillers to bars in its refillable 4.5-liter EcoTOTE. It's already being used by eco-conscious bars, such as Penicillin in Hong Kong, named "Asia's most sustainable bar."Hide Caption 9 of 9Peas fertilize other cropsUsing organic produce to grow grains for distilling would also remove the emissions associated with synthetic fertilizers. However, organic farms currently make up just 1.5% of agricultural land use, representing a tiny fraction of food production.Not only do legumes not need fertilizing, they can be planted alongside other crops, leaving the soil richer in nitrogen and reducing the need for those crops to be fertilized too. That's what Arbikie is doing. One of the downsides of using peas instead of wheat is that the crop occupies 112% more space than the equivalent amount of wheat. But as well as a distillery, Arbikie is a working farm, where peas were already grown alongside other plants to add nitrogen to the soil. By producing gin, it has come up with a high-value use for peas that would otherwise go to waste.Pea waste can become animal feedThe residual pea waste is also turned into animal feed, which eliminates carbon emissions associated with feed production, such as land clearing, cultivation and transportation.All of these sustainable actions add up. Analysis of the gin determined that the production of each bottle of Nàdar gin removes 1.54 kg CO2 equivalent from the atmosphere.This Singapore startup is using insects to turn trash into treasureNow, from a family-run farm in Scotland, the Nàdar range — which also includes a climate-positive vodka — is quickly becoming available around the globe through partnerships with luxury hospitality groups such as Aman Resorts, Four Seasons, and Rosewood Hotels. Priced at £43.00 ($60) per 70cl bottle, Nadar is targeting the luxury drinks sector, with a price comparative to high-end brands like Tanqueray and Monkey 47. "We developed a valuable, high-end product with [peas]," says Black. "In turn, that'll increase the value of the crop, encourage more farmers to grow them, and ultimately, affect the environmental footprint of the supply chain."Arbikie Highland Estate is a combined farm and distillery.A taste for sustainable spiritsAccording to the UK Spirits Alliance, the spirits industry in the United Kingdom has tripled in size in the past decade, adding an estimated £13 billion ($18 billion) to the economy last year. Since 2016, the number of gin distilleries has more than doubled. As Nàdar plans to tap into this growing market and expand its global reach, increasing sustainability is still the priority — part of a larger trend in the alcohol industry as drinks manufacturers try to cut waste and emissions associated with packaging and transport.Meet the mixologists behind 'Asia's most sustainable bar'Nc'Nean Distillery in Scotland produces whisky with organic barley in a distillery powered 100% by renewable energy. In the United States, Endless West is creating lab-made molecular whiskey, wines and sake that require less water and land, creating 40% fewer carbon emissions.At Arbikie, the distillery already has solar panels and plans to introduce hydrogen power. In August, it further reduced its carbon footprint through a partnership with EcoSpirits, a low-emissions distribution system hoping to revolutionize the bar industry's supply chain. "The alcohol industry as a whole now is really focused on improving its environmental impact," says Black. "I think [Nàdar] demonstrates how people can think differently."

Nell Lewis, CNN Business

2020-09-29 07:52:36

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/29/business/curefit-wellness-apps-india-spc-intl/index.html

Indian health platform wants to nourish mind, body and soul - CNN

Cure.fit has transformed itself from an exercise startup to an all-encompassing health platform.

business, Indian health platform wants to nourish mind, body and soul - CNN

Indian health platform wants to nourish mind, body and soul

London (CNN Business)The Indian start-up Cure.fit began in 2016 as a fitness app like many others, offering gym memberships and exercise classes to young adults in Bangalore. But it has since transformed into one of India's top health platforms, with meal and grocery deliveries, online workouts, mindfulness classes, appointments at its health centers and even an online store for fitness gear. The spread of coronavirus spurred the business to further reinvent itself, from one primarily reliant on physical gyms to an international online fitness platform.This summer Cure.fit announced its digital expansion into the US, where it has begun offering online fitness and therapy sessions."Lockdown has expedited these efforts," Shamik Sharma, Cure.fit's head of international business, tells CNN Business. "When we saw the demand for our app in the United States, we launched rapidly," he adds.Read MoreQuick reaction to Covid-19 Like businesses all over the world, Cure.fit was forced to re-strategize in response to the pandemic. It shut the doors to all of its 250 plus fitness and health centers in March, when India locked down parts of the country. So far, it has reopened 30 centers, in compliance with government regulations, with more scheduled to open in the coming months. But some centers are expected to close permanently, says the company.It has had to cut jobs and furlough workers — Cure.fit declined to comment on the number of staff affected, but Reuters and TechCrunch have reported that at least 800 employees have been laid off in the past few months. In the same May report, Reuters pegged Cure.fit's staff count at 5,000 across India, citing an anonymous source.Before lockdown Cure.fit operated eight health clinics in Bangalore, offering check-ups, diagnosis and prescription services. These will reopen once government regulation allows. The company, which has raised more than $400 million in funding, was at risk of coming to a complete standstill — before March, at least 60% of Cure.fit's revenues were generated by its physical fitness studios, according to the company. Instead, lockdown has accelerated the company's pivot to online."When our gyms closed, we immediately knew that our customers would miss in-person classes so we created live classes through our app," says Sharma.The Cure.fit app hosts more than 200,000 sessions daily in India, with instructor-led online classes ranging from strength to pilates, cardio and yoga. During the pandemic, this platform has thrived. Since the start of India's lockdown, the company says it has signed up 1.5 million users in the country and amassed 100,000 paid subscribers since launching a paywall in May. In the US, the company has reported 75,000 downloads since testing for the app began in May. Cure.fit currently offers its live sessions there for free, but plans to introduce a subscription model by the end of the year. India's healthcare appsWhile the virus has prompted more interest in healthcare apps, India already had a well-developed market. Pre-pandemic, the market for such apps was projected to grow in value from 27 billion rupees ($360 million) in 2018 to 138 billion rupees ($1.8 billion) by 2024, according to a report from Netscribes, an India-based technology and market research firm. This is primarily credited to technological advances, including falling device and mobile data costs, says Lalatendu Sahoo, a senior consultant at Netscribes.Cure.fit appeals to young adults who are embracing a wholesome and healthy lifestyle. "People are also becoming more and more health conscious," says Sahoo, particularly younger generations living in big cities. "They are more familiar with the internet, they're more comfortable with mobile devices ... and they are really trying to add the wellness factor into their day-to-day life," he adds.Cure.fit wanted to attract this millennial market by selling a whole lifestyle through its range of food, therapy and fitness services. "The idea was to build a one-stop solution for anything health and wellness," Ankit Nagori, who co-founded Cure.fit with Mukesh Bansal, tells CNN Business. "We want to build a community of fitness enthusiasts who would like to lead a healthy lifestyle and promote healthy living," he adds.

Nell Lewis, CNN Business

2020-08-03 12:57:27

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/03/business/singapore-virtual-dining-it-spc-intl/index.html

Michelin-starred meals to your door: How fine dining pivoted for the pandemic - CNN

Singapore's high-end restaurants are introducing luxury virtual experiences to save their businesses.

business, Michelin-starred meals to your door: How fine dining pivoted for the pandemic - CNN

Michelin-starred meals to your door: How fine dining pivoted for the pandemic

London (CNN Business)With panoramic views of Singapore's marina and fresh seafood flown in from Hokkaido, Japan, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Saint Pierre oozes luxury. But when the pandemic hit and Singapore announced its lockdown, the restaurant's future was thrown into doubt.Unlike many other establishments, Saint Pierre did not have a food delivery system in place. Its fine dining was designed to be experienced in house — with every plate delivered fresh from the kitchen and presented as a work of art, rather than on the back of a moped. To survive, head chef and owner Emmanuel Stroobant knew this had to change. The Belgium-born chef came up with Virtual Saint Pierre, a unique experience where diners can indulge in the restaurant's cuisine — modern French with an Asian twist — while at home. Meals are served in lacquered bento boxes and hand-delivered by a waiter dressed in black tie. Guests enter a virtual dining room through a video conferencing link and eat together with others in their party. During the meal, Stroobant pops up to introduce the carefully curated menu.Helmed by chef Emmanuel Stroobant, Saint Pierre specializes in contemporary French cuisine with an Asian twist.This way the communal experience of eating out is not lost, says Stroobant. "Virtual Saint Pierre is aimed to bring back people together," he says. "We are social creatures and we want to be able to eat together."Read MoreEven at home, this is an extravagant experience. At a minimum of 180 Singapore dollars ($130) per person, these are not typical takeaways."We try to avoid people having to re-cook or reheat food at home. We just deliver the box and we come back after to clear it for you. It's really the same service you would have in the restaurant but at home," says Stroobant.Is virtual dining here to stay?The impact of coronavirus on Singapore's restaurant industry has been enormous. According to a survey by Chope, a restaurant reservation platform, 93% of restaurants on the island have seen a dip in revenue, with 80% reducing staff to cut costs.But Sherri Kimes, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and co-author of the report, says the impact has been particularly hard on fine dining restaurants as many have never previously offered delivery or takeaway."They basically had three choices: develop innovative ways in which to stay in business, temporarily close or just cease operations," Kimes tells CNN Business. Saint Pierre overlooks Singapore's Marina Bay. It has now reopened in a reduced capacity, with social distancing guidelines in place. Saint Pierre is not the only high-end eatery to choose the first option: 28 HongKong Street is inviting guests to join online house parties as cocktails and canapés are delivered to their doors, and the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Odette is offering home deliveries of its signature dishes from black truffle tart to blue lobster.Such virtual offerings are expected to outlive the pandemic. One survey by Nielsen found that more than 60% of consumers in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam plan to eat at home more. "People still want to go out for dinner, but uneasiness with the safety of going out and restrictions on party size will still make virtual dining popular," says Kimes. She adds that though dine-in business is still allowed in Singapore there are capacity restraints, so many restaurants are developing their delivery and virtual offerings. They have "discovered new revenue streams that they hadn't considered in the past," she says. Stroobant agrees. Without its virtual dining experience, Saint Pierre would have shut down and the staff would have lost their jobs, he says. "We wanted to go and get out of this undamaged," he adds.

Rebecca Cairns, CNN Business

2020-10-23 02:30:41

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/22/business/japanese-craft-breweries-turning-beer-into-gin-spc-intl/index.html

Japanese craft breweries are turning unsold beer into gin - CNN

After the pandemic hit and beer sales dropped, craft brewery Kiuchi found themselves with a spoiling stockpile of beer. The solution? To turn it into a long-lasting spirit without an expiry date.

business, Japanese craft breweries are turning unsold beer into gin - CNN

Japanese craft breweries are turning unsold beer into gin

(CNN Business)This was going to be a big year for Japan. With the Summer Olympics due to be hosted in Tokyo, the island nation expected 40 million tourists to grace its shores.But when Covid-19 took hold, the Olympics were postponed and the already struggling economy took a further battering. With bars and restaurants suffering a significant reduction in business, beer sales in Japan dropped 26% by volume for the first half of the year, according to Bloomberg.That's a big problem for small beer breweries, says Isamu Yoneda, head distiller at artisanal drinks maker Kiuchi Brewery. With few customers in its brewpubs, and export orders canceled, Kiuchi Brewery was left with a stockpile of spoiling beer. The company had to come up with a solution — and decided to turn the unsold beer into a different alcoholic beverage.Read MoreIn April, Kiuchi Brewery launched the "Save Beer Spirits" campaign at its Tokyo distillery, offering local bars and breweries the chance to turn unused beer, a product with a four to six-month shelf life, into gin — a product without an expiration date.A mission to save beerIn 1994, Japan relaxed its strict laws around microbrewing, sparking a boom in craft beer. While overall beer sales in Japan have stagnated for the last decade, craft beer has been on the rise: its 0.5% share of the total beer market in 2007 had more than tripled by 2016. Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsUsing lemons, mikan (Japanese oranges), and sansho peppers — a relative of the tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorn — Kiuchi Brewery's Save Beer Spirits Craft Gin has a citrus flavor, and is available as a traditional gin or as a sparkling canned cocktail. Click through for more Japanese craft gins.Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsThe craft gin market in Japan has been growing since whisky giant Suntory launched its first craft gin, Roku, in 2017. Global sales volumes for Roku — which uses traditional Japanese ingredients including sakura flower, green tea, sansho pepper, and yuzu peel — increased more than tenfold from 2017 to 2019, according to Suntory. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsJapan's first dedicated gin distillery, Kyoto Distillery, opened in 2016. It's KI NO BI gin uses a rice spirit base and incorporates Japanese flavors like yellow yuzu, hinoki cypress wood chips, bamboo and green tea.Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsSakurao Distillery was opened in 2018 as the gin-focused extension of Chugoku Jozo, a 100-year-old sake and shochu maker. Its limited edition Hamagou gin has won multiple awards including The Gin Masters 2020, and the Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition 2020.Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsMade at Asahikawa Distillery in the northern Hokkaido region, Etsu craft gin uses a neutral cane spirit with green bitter orange peel, coriander, licorice and angelica root botanicals for an unusual taste. It won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2018.Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsNikka Whisky's Coffey gin is distilled in traditional, Scottish, column-shaped Coffey stills. The company's founder imported the stills from Scotland in 1963, having spent several years in the country, learning to make whisky. Launched in 2017, the gin is flavored with Japanese citrus fruits — yuzu, kabosu, amanatsu and shikuwasa -— balanced with spicy sansho peppers and apples.Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: These craft gins celebrate traditional Japanese flavorsThe second gin created by The Ethical Spirits & Co., Revive is made with Budweiser beer and flavored with lemon peel, beech wood, cinnamon and san'ontō (a dark, sweet sugar), as well as juniper berries.Hide Caption 7 of 7Kiuchi Brewery — which began as a sake producer in 1823 — is one of many drinks producers that branched into craft beer when microbrewing laws changed. It has been making its signature Hitachino Nest craft beer for 24 years.Yoneda says that turning beer into spirits isn't a new innovation. Kiuchi Brewery has been using beer to make plum wine liqueur for years, and has experimented with gin liqueurs in the past.Most gins are made with a base of grains like barley, rye or wheat, which are fermented into a mash, then distilled into a high-proof "neutral" spirit. The spirit is then distilled a second time with juniper berries and other botanicals, which add flavor. The beer replaces this neutral spirit, skipping the mash and fermentation process, and jumping straight to distillation. Kiuchi Brewery asked participating bars to send in a minimum of 20 liters of unused beer, which would be sent back as gin, says Yoneda. Kiuchi can produce eight liters of gin from every 100 liters of beer. It then sends back the gin as a standard 750ml bottle of gin or as a sparkling gin cocktail, either in cans or in a keg for bars to use in their taps. Gin is distilled in copper stills. The stills used by Kiuchi Brewery have a "swan neck" design. Yoneda says the beer base makes the gin bitter, but in addition to juniper berries, Kiuchi uses sansho peppers, lemons and mikan (Japanese oranges), which helps to "balance out the bitterness" with "citrusy notes."The bars only have to shoulder the cost of delivery, with Kiuchi Brewery offering its distillation service free of charge. "In these troublesome times, it is our responsibility to offer this service to everyone," says Yoneda. "Most importantly, we want to keep the breweries and bar community alive." A sustainable spiritKiuchi isn't the only brewery using beer to make gin. The Ethical Spirits & Co was founded in February 2020 to help sake distillers turn leftover sake lees into new spirits, says co-founder Chikara Ono. When the pandemic hit and beer sales plummeted, Ono says the company began exploring new recipes to make gin from beer.Revive gin is made with Budweiser beer, and flavored with lemon peel, beech wood, cinnamon and san'ontō, a dark, sweet sugar. In May, they received a donation of 20,000 liters of expiring Budweiser from drinks giant AB InBev, who had a surplus of stock due to a drop in beer sales. The startup used the beer to create 4,500 bottles of gin."We had a problem of excess inventory and Ethical Spirits had the knowledge and the right ethos to create a product that we mutually thought would be a positive impact," says Takahiro Shimada, head of marketing for AB InBev Japan, adding that the company wanted to support local businesses. The Ethical Spirits & Co is still in the process of building its own distillery in Tokyo, scheduled to open in December, so they collaborated with Gekkeikan sake distillery to distil the Budweiser. The beer-based gin initiatives are tapping into a rapidly emerging market. Beam Suntory purchased British craft gin makers Sipsmith in 2016, and launched its first Japanese craft gin, Roku, the following year. Japan's first dedicated gin distillery opened just four years ago in Kyoto, but the gin market is already estimated to be worth $209 million and is anticipated to grow by 4.4% annually over the next three years. Large drinks companies, including Japanese whisky giants Suntory and Nikka, have helped launch Japanese craft gin onto the international stage.Drinking trends in Japan are pointing towards gin sodas and ready-to-drink canned cocktails, creating an opportunity for creative spirit producers to sustainably reuse surplus drink stock, says Ono. "If you can essentially use unused or remaining ingredients to create something special and something premium, that's great. It follows with our vision of trying to achieve a sustainable, circular economy," says Ono.

Rebecca Cairns, CNN Business

2020-08-03 12:08:41

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/03/business/japanese-robotics-smart-face-mask-spc-intl/index.html

This Japanese face mask translates into eight languages - CNN

Japanese startup Donut Robotics has created a smart mask designed to make communication and social distancing easier.

business, This Japanese face mask translates into eight languages - CNN

A Japanese robotics startup has invented a smart mask that translates into eight languages

(CNN Business)When the Covid-19 pandemic made face masks an everyday essential, Japanese startup Donut Robotics spotted an opportunity. They created a smart mask — a high-tech upgrade to standard face coverings, designed to make communication and social distancing easier.In conjunction with an app, the C-Face Smart mask can transcribe dictation, amplify the wearer's voice, and translate speech into eight different languages.The cutouts on the front are vital for breathability, so the smart mask doesn't offer protection against the coronavirus. Instead, it is designed to be worn over a standard face mask, explains Donut Robotics CEO Taisuke Ono. Made of white plastic and silicone, it has an embedded microphone that connects to the wearer's smartphone via Bluetooth. The system can translate between Japanese and Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, English, Spanish and French.Donut Robotics first developed the translation software for a robot called Cinnamon — but when the pandemic hit, the robot project was put on hold. That's when the team's engineers came up with the idea to use their software in a face mask. Donut Robotics CEO Taisuke Ono tests out the communication robot prototype, Cinnamon, at Tokyo's Haneda Airport in 2017.An appealing robotRead MoreDonut Robotics started life in a garage in Kitakyushu City, in Fukuoka prefecture, in 2014.Ono co-founded the company with engineer Takafumi Okabe with the aim to "change the world with small and mobile communication robots."With venture capital investment, the duo applied to Haneda Robotics Lab — an initiative that sought robots to provide services for visitors at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.According to a spokesperson for Haneda Robotics Lab, robots fill a need as Japan's declining workforce will make it harder to recruit human staff.Donut Robotics' Cinnamon robot — designed to provide tourists with useful information and help them to navigate the airport — was one of four translation robot prototypes selected by the project in 2016. Haneda Robotics Lab says Cinnamon beat the competition because of its appealing aesthetics and user-friendly design, and because the translation software performed well in noisy environments. The smart mask translates between Japanese and eight languages. This success prompted the company to relocate to Tokyo and take on three new team members.Ono says the Donut Robotics software uses machine learning developed with the help of translation experts and specializes in the Japanese language. He claims that "the technology is better than Google API, or other popular technologies" for Japanese language users, because most competitor apps focus on translating to and from English. The team started testing a prototype at Haneda Airport in 2017 and continued developing the technology.But earlier this year, Covid-19 hit Asia and the airport project ground to a halt. "We were running short of money and wondering how to keep the company going," says Ono. The team sought a solution and came up with the idea to adapt its software for a product that would sell well in a pandemic. A quickly growing marketThe coronavirus pandemic has led to a boom in face mask sales, with mask-wearing in public now mandated in many countries around the world.Seeing an opportunity to monetize their translation technology, Donut Robotics launched a fundraiser on Japanese crowdfunding platform Fundinno in June. They raised 28 million yen ($265,000) in 37 minutes, says Ono. "It was very surprising," he says, "because it would usually take three or four months to get that kind of money." Masks were commonly used in Japan even before the pandemic. Now their use is widespread.A second round of crowdfunding on Fundinno in July raised a further 56.6 million yen ($539,000), which Ono plans to use to develop translation software for the international market. To scale up production, Donut Robotics have partnered with a company in Tokyo, which they declined to name.Ono says the first wave of distribution is expected to take place in Japan, with 5,000 to 10,000 masks available by December. They will be priced at $40 to $50, he says, with an extra subscription for the app. Donut Robotics will not expand overseas until April 2021 at the earliest, but there has been interest in the UK and US, where they plan to crowdfund on Kickstarter, says Ono.The mask's Bluetooth chip can connect to smartphones up to 32 feet (10 meters) away, says Ono. He hopes the mask will make new social distancing norms in locations including hospitals and offices easier, by enabling good communication. "We still have many situations where we have to meet in person," he says. "In this new normal ... the mask and the app are very helpful."

Hilary Whiteman, CNN Business

2020-08-03 12:15:44

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/03/business/india-touchless-elevator-buttons-hnk-spc-intl/index.html

Covid-19 is taking elevator anxiety to the next level. This Indian tech company has a solution - CNN

Tackling concerns that the people might catch coronavirus from elevator buttons, an Indian engineer has come up with a contactless system.

business, Covid-19 is taking elevator anxiety to the next level. This Indian tech company has a solution - CNN

Covid-19 is taking elevator anxiety to the next level. This Indian tech company has a solution

(CNN Business)Before the pandemic, there were many reasons to be anxious about taking an elevator — from being crammed in a small space with strangers, to getting stuck between floors.Now, as coronavirus cases exceed 18 million worldwide, many people are concerned about catching the virus, whether from someone else in the elevator or via the buttons.Software engineer Bhavin Ahir felt the fear in the apartment block where he lives in March, when the Indian government implemented what would become a four-month lockdown.Ahir lives on the 12th floor of a 13-floor apartment block in the western state of Gujarat. The tower block is home to hundreds of people who take the elevator multiple times each day."There is always fear to touch the buttons, so I decided to do some developments from that side," says Ahir, the founder of Indian electronics company, TechMax Solution.People worldwide are finding ways to avoid touching elevator buttons. This man in Tehran is using toothpicks.Read MoreUnable to leave his apartment, he set to work in his spare room, creating prototypes for a product now known as "Sparshless" (sparsh means touch in Sanskrit).The system consists of a panel that is fitted alongside existing elevator buttons. It allows users to select a floor by pointing their finger at each button from a distance of 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches), triggering an infrared signal which tells the elevators where they want to go. Sparshless units are also mounted at elevator entrances on each floor, says Ahir. Users place their hands under the arrows on the unit to indicate whether they want to travel up or down. It's a completely contactless system designed for a world where people have become cautious about everything they touch.Dirtier than a toilet seat We've long known that elevator buttons are dirty. Studies have found more bacteria on elevator buttons than toilet seats.Modeling shows that the risk of catching the virus from people traveling in elevators is relatively low, as the cars are typically well-ventilated and passengers spend a short time inside.However, as the virus is believed to survive on some surfaces for up to 72 hours, it's not surprising that people feel anxious about touching buttons.The pandemic has led to some creative solutions. In Thailand, a shopping mall has installed pedals so patrons can choose their floor with their feet. And in Japan, one toothpick company is marketing "noncontact sticks" for pressing the buttons. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people avoid touching the buttons directly and instead "use an object (such as a pen cap) or their knuckle."In India, Ahir sought more sophisticated technology. At a shopping mall in Bangkok, a woman uses a foot pedal to choose her floor.Making the product Ahir usually works from his company's office in the city of Surat, where he employs 12 permanent staff. The 31-year-old entrepreneur started his business, TechMax Solution, in 2009, straight after graduating from college. The company's key products are security devices, but during India's four-month lockdown, work dried up. During that time "we didn't raise even one rupee," he says.Ahir responded to the crisis by developing the Sparshless system, testing the first prototypes on his neighbors. Early models were adjusted when he discovered that daylight triggered false readings. The system also needed to be installed in such a way that it didn't affect the elevators' normal workings — or warranty. With those problems solved, the next step was finding customers. That hasn't been easy during a nationwide lockdown, says Ahir, but so far, the units have been fitted in 15 buildings in India.Users call lifts fitted with Sparshless by placing their hand under a unit equipped with infrared transmitters.Sumit and Sushila Katariya live in one of those buildings. Sumit is an elevator consultant, and Sushila is a doctor at Medanta Hospital, southwest of Delhi, who has treated hundreds of coronavirus patients since March. Sumit Katariya had the touchless buttons installed in the personal elevator at his two-story housing complex to reduce the risk of this wife infecting the family and their visitors, if she caught the virus. He says the panel has been working "perfectly fine" since they had it installed about one month ago. Ahir says he has received inquiries from Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil about the panels. He hopes to sell up to 1,500 units by the end of the year, an ambitious target for a small company with one manufacturing facility in the country with the world's third highest number of coronavirus cases. It's a "tough situation" he says, but "I always think positive."

Nell Lewis, CNN Business

2021-09-07 07:36:25

business

business

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/07/business/xocean-uncrewed-surface-vessels-ireland-spc-intl/index.html

Irish startup is exploring the ocean with crewless vessels the size of a car - CNN

XOCEAN is helping to slash the carbon cost of ocean surveying with its uncrewed surface vessels.

business, Irish startup is exploring the ocean with crewless vessels the size of a car - CNN

Greener and cheaper: Crewless vessels are mapping the ocean thanks to an Irish startup

London (CNN Business)Ocean-based industries are growing fast, boosting demand for data on conditions at sea. But the huge research vessels that typically map the seas often come at great financial and environmental cost.Irish startup XOCEAN has floated an alternative. Its uncrewed surface vessels (USV) — about the size of an average car and half the weight — are fitted with sensors that collect ocean data and send it via satellite to experts on shore. The company says it improves safety, while cutting the cost and emissions of ocean surveying. According to XOCEAN, its USVs emit 1,000-times less carbon than traditional research vessels."If nobody needs to go offshore, that removes people from a potentially hazardous environment," says James Ives, XOCEAN's founder and CEO. On top of that, "(we have) a tiny environmental footprint ... and we believe we can deliver the data at a lower cost," he adds. XOCEAN's uncrewed surface vessel is 4.5 meters long and weighs 750kg -- about the size of an average car, and half its weight. Credit: XOCEAN Ocean activity Read MoreXOCEAN says its growing fleet of USVs has been deployed across the world, completing 30,000 hours at sea and more than 100 projects since the company was founded in 2017. It has been used by the oil and gas industry to carry out pipeline surveys, by fisheries to collect acoustic data on fish populations, and for environmental research and monitoring. The vessels are powered by a battery charged by solar panels on deck and a small diesel generator. Equipped with sensors such as multibeam echo sounders — which send sound pulses into the water that bounce off the seabed — they are able to measure depth, air and water temperature, wind speed, wave height and tidal flows. The ocean economy is expected to be worth more than $3 trillion by 2030, according to a 2016 report from the OECD, with strong growth predicted in offshore wind, fish processing, and shipbuilding and repair. "Data is the foundation for any activity in the ocean," says Ives, adding that XOCEAN has experienced a huge boom in demand. At the beginning of 2020, the company had around 20 full employees; now it has 112. It has raised roughly €8 million ($9.4 million) in funding, with offices in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Canada. Next, the company is looking to expand into Asia-Pacific, and by the end of the year plans to increase its fleet from 15 to 40 vessels. Wind farms are increasingly becoming a major source of business for XOCEAN.New interest is mostly coming from the offshore wind industry, says Ives — both from clean energy heavyweights such as Ørsted, which employed XOCEAN to carry out a site survey for the world's biggest offshore wind farm, and oil and gas companies that are shifting to renewables. BP (BP) recently announced that it was using XOCEAN's USVs to survey an area in the Irish Sea for two 60-year offshore wind leases. "We are seeing firsthand a tremendous shift in the energy markets towards a more renewable future," says Ives.Greener, cheaper, safer?XOCEAN isn't the only company riding this wave. There is L3Harris, whose unmanned vessels have been used by the US Navy, Saildrone which has collected data from the Arctic to the equator as part of environmental research, and Ocean Infinity, which is spearheading the development of larger uncrewed vessels. Yet proving safety to marine regulators remains a challenge. In the case of the United Kingdom, "all regulations were written with the intention that there will be somebody onboard," says Katrina Kemp, autonomy technical specialist for the UK government's Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which grants permits for uncrewed vehicles to operate in national waters. USV operators have to demonstrate that their vessels have an equivalent level of safety, she says, including how the boat would react to a potential collision, or what happens if there's a technical failure or lag between the remote operator and the vessel itself. The vessel sends real time images and situational data to XOCEAN's control room."We have to be really confident that the plans and processes they have in place and the equipment they're using ensures that if things go wrong, the vessel is in a safe state and isn't going to endanger others," she tells CNN Business.XOCEAN's vessels use light detection and ranging (lidar) technology to detect nearby objects, and there is both a USV pilot and surveyor monitoring each active vessel 24 hours a day. They can control navigation if the vessel goes off course and ensure that it follows "the rules of the road at sea," says Ives.Without a human on board, each watercraft can spend up to a month at sea — which means more time on data collection. It can also brave weather conditions that a crewed ship might avoid. "We've had a vessel out in really truly horrible conditions, and we sit here in the comfort of our homes," says Ives.

Amanda Sealy, Carma Hassan and Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN

2022-03-15 19:51:38

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/health/pfizer-fourth-shot-seniors/index.html

Pfizer/BioNTech seek FDA authorization for fourth Covid-19 vaccine doses for people 65 and up - CNN

Pfizer and BioNTech submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of an additional booster dose of their Covid-19 vaccine for adults 65 and older who have gotten a booster dose of any of the authorized or approved vaccine, the companies said Tuesday.

health, Pfizer/BioNTech seek FDA authorization for fourth Covid-19 vaccine doses for people 65 and up - CNN

Pfizer/BioNTech seek FDA authorization for fourth Covid-19 vaccine doses for people 65 and up

(CNN)Pfizer and BioNTech submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of an additional booster dose of their Covid-19 vaccine for adults 65 and older who have gotten a booster dose of any of the authorized or approved vaccine, the companies said Tuesday.The submission is based on two data sets from Israel. "Both data sets showed evidence that an additional mRNA booster increases immunogenicity and lowers rates of confirmed infections and severe illness," the companies said in a news release.Here's what could lie ahead for the US in the third year of the pandemic The first data set cited in the release was an analysis of records for more than 1.1 million adults 60 and older by the Israeli Ministry of Health that showed a decreased rate of infection and severe illness after a second booster.The participants had no known history of Covid-19 and were eligible for an additional booster. "These data showed rates of confirmed infections were 2 times lower and rates of severe illness were 4 times lower among individuals who received an additional booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine administered at least four months after an initial booster (third) dose compared to those who received only one booster dose," the news release says. That research has not been peer-reviewed or published in a professional journal.Read MoreThe second data set is the result of an ongoing trial looking at health care workers 18 and older who had gotten three doses of Pfizer/BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine. Those findings were published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.Of 700 participants, 154 received an additional Pfizer/BioNTech booster at least four months after their third dose. The fourth dose was safe and boosted antibody levels similar to what was seen after a third dose but didn't appear any more effective at preventing Omicron infection.Covid-19 booster shot uptake is at all-time low in the US, CNN analysis findsThe companies said this additional booster did not result in any new safety concerns. Although not included in the EUA submission, the companies referenced other "emerging evidence" that could support the need for an additional booster. "These early studies indicate that an additional booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine administered at least 4 months after an initial booster dose could restore antibody titers to peak post-third dose titer levels, improve protection against both infection and severe disease in individuals 60 years of age and older in Israel, and have a similar safety profile to that of previous doses."The FDA said it will review Pfizer and BioNTech's request "as expeditiously as possible using our thorough and science-based approach."The agency also said it will convene its independent vaccine advisers, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, in April "to have a transparent discussion about considerations for 2022 booster shots, including whether and when those boosters may be needed and for which populations, based on the available data and latest science on circulating or emerging virus variants." A date for the meeting has not been set. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Sunday that he expects that a fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine will be needed."It is necessary -- a fourth boost for right now. The protection we are getting from the third, it is good enough -- actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths -- is not that good against infections, but doesn't last very long," Bourla said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "But we are just submitting those data to the FDA, and then we'll see what the experts also would say outside Pfizer."Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.A few countries area already offering fourth doses of Covid-19 vaccines. In the United States, only certain immunocompromised adults can receive three doses of the coronavirus vaccine and a fourth shot as a booster dose. Two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine are available for people 5 and older, and people 12 and older are eligible to receive a booster five months after their second shot.

Deidre McPhillips, CNN

2022-03-16 16:24:08

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/health/overdose-deaths-record-high-fentanyl/index.html

US drug overdose deaths reach another record high as deaths from fentanyl surge - CNN

Annual drug overdose deaths have reached another record high in the United States as deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids surge to unprecedented levels.

health, US drug overdose deaths reach another record high as deaths from fentanyl surge - CNN

US drug overdose deaths reach another record high as deaths from fentanyl surge

(CNN)Annual drug overdose deaths have reached another record high in the United States as deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids surge to unprecedented levels.An estimated 105,752 people died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending October 2021, according to provisional data published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.Here's what could lie ahead for the US in the third year of the pandemic About two-thirds of those deaths involved synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, a stronger and faster-acting drug than natural opiates. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have had a rapid and dramatic rise; overdose deaths involving these drugs have nearly doubled over the past two years, from about 35,000 deaths in the 12-month period ending October 2019 to more than 69,000 in October 2021. "Fentanyl, even at very, very small quantities, is lethal for most people," said Katherine Keyes, an associate professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health whose research focuses on psychiatric and substance use epidemiology. "It's just an incredibly potent opioid."Read MoreCDC data first indicated that overdose deaths from any drug surpassed 100,000 annually in data through April 2021. This is the seventh month in a row that estimates for the latest 12-month period have stayed above this level. Overdose deaths were up in all but four states compared with a year earlier, the provisional CDC data shows. New Hampshire, Hawaii, Delaware and Wyoming each saw year-over-year declines. But it's easy for the 54 fewer lives lost in these four states to be overshadowed by the much larger loss nationwide. The latest data shows that about 15,000 more people died of drug overdoses in the US than in the previous year, a 16% increase.Along with synthetic opioids, the new federal data shows that overdose deaths from methamphetamine and other psychostimulants increased significantly, up nearly 40% from the year before. They accounted for about 30% of all overdose deaths in the latest 12-month period.These stimulants are often seen in overdoses in which multiple drugs are involved, Keyes said -- sometimes intentionally but other times when adulterated with fentanyl, for example. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.Addressing these harrowing trends involves "big, systems-level issues," said Caleb Banta-Green, principal research scientist at the University of Washington's Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute. "Reconceptualizing opioid-use disorder as an urgent health emergency is necessary," he wrote in an email to CNN. As the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic linger, "mentally and financially depressed people are at increased risk for harms associated with opioids, so addressing wellness, poverty and housing are essential to health overall, including opioid-use disorder."

Tara John and Isabelle Jani Friend, CNN

2022-03-16 12:03:42

news

world

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-16-03-22/index.html

Covid-19: Europe thought it was done with Covid-19. But the virus isn't done with Europe - CNN

Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising in an increasingly restriction-free Europe.

world, Covid-19: Europe thought it was done with Covid-19. But the virus isn't done with Europe - CNN

Europe thought it was done with Covid-19. But the virus isn't done with Europe

This is the weekly edition of CNN's coronavirus newsletter. Look out for your roundup every Wednesday. If you haven't subscribed yet, sign up here. (CNN)It has been two years since the Covid-19 pandemic became a reality for millions of people in Europe and many of the region's leaders now believe it is time to move on. But as countries shed restrictions, cases and hospitalizations are slowly inching up and public health experts are worried about the consequences. Covid-19 cases are rising in Britain just two weeks after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted most mitigation measures. Infections were 48% higher last week compared with the one before and hospitalizations were up 17% over the same period, CNN's Brenda Goodman and Deidre McPhillips report. The country's daily case rate -- about 55,000 a day -- is still less than a third of what it was during the Omicron peak, but cases are rising as fast as they were falling just two weeks earlier, when self-isolation rules for infected people ended in the UK. Daily cases are also rising in more than half of the countries in the European Union. They have jumped 48% in the Netherlands. On Tuesday, Germany reported a record high seven-day incidence in Covid-19 cases, of 1,585.4 Covid-19 infections per 100,000 people, days before the government is due to consider easing some restrictions. The situation has caught the eye of American public health experts, who worry that Europe's rise in infections may be a preview of what's to come in the US. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that his British counterparts have pegged the rise in cases to a combination of three factors: The more transmissible BA.2 variant; the opening of society and people mingling more indoors without masks; and waning immunity from vaccination or prior infection. Read More"Without a doubt, opening up society and having people mingle indoors is clearly something that is a contributor, as well as overall waning immunity, which means we've really got to stay heads-up and keep our eye on the pattern here," Fauci said. "So that's the reason why we're watching this very carefully." Although the UK may provide a glimpse of the future, there are key differences that will affect how BA.2 plays out in the US, Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNN. In the UK, 86% of eligible people are fully vaccinated, and 67% are boosted, compared with 69% of those eligible vaccinated and 50% boosted in the US. "What we see happening in the UK is going to be perhaps a better story than what we should be expecting here," Althoff said. Even though the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did away with masking recommendations for most parts of the country two weeks ago, it is vital to stay vigilant. "We have to stay diligent in terms of monitoring of it and testing and be prepared to possibly reverse a lot of the relaxing of these restrictions," said Deborah Fuller, a microbiologist at the University of Washington. "We can't let our guard down, because the message that people get when they say 'we're lifting restrictions' is the pandemic is over. And it's not." YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED. Q: What factors should people consider if they need to return to work in person? A: It depends on the individual and the circumstances involved, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said. "People should consider three factors. What are your medical circumstances and that of others in your household? What's the level of Covid-19 in your community? And finally what safety precautions are already being taken in your place of work?" Wen added. "Some offices require proof of vaccination, require regular testing, distancing, and ventilation. And remember that masks are always available, even if they are not required," she said. Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415. READS OF THE WEEK White House warns Congress about potential disruptions to Covid response The White House is amping up its warning that aspects of the federal Covid-19 response will be curtailed after lawmakers failed to pass additional funding, with administration officials speaking in dire terms in a call with reporters and sending a letter to congressional leaders Tuesday, Betsy Klein reports. The latest warnings mark an escalation in pressure from the Biden administration ahead of key funding deadlines. Additional funding for federal Covid-19 efforts was initially included in a recent massive omnibus spending package, but was stripped out following a spat over how the spending would be offset. As daily cases rise in Europe, a senior Biden administration official warned that Congress' failure to pass a supplemental Covid-19 funding bill could leave the US unprepared for another potential surge. "Our scientific and medical experts have been clear that in the next couple of months, we could see Covid cases increase here in the US just as we're seeing cases rising abroad right now," the senior official said, adding, "We are less well prepared without additional funding than we would be otherwise." In China, 37 million people are in lockdown as the country suffers its worst outbreak since Wuhan China is battling its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the early days of the pandemic. This outbreak has spread far faster than previous waves of less infectious variants, with daily cases skyrocketing from a few dozen in February to more than 5,100 on Tuesday -- the highest figure since the early 2020 outbreak in Wuhan. While the number may sound low compared to other countries, it is alarmingly high for a nation that has adhered to a strict zero-Covid policy throughout the pandemic. Five cities -- collectively home to more than 37 million residents -- are now under varying levels of lockdown in China, Jessie Yeung reports. Authorities and state media say it is still unclear how the first few outbreaks began. But several factors -- including cases imported from overseas and the prevalence of the Omicron variant -- exacerbated the severity of the outbreak nationwide. Paige Deiner, who nearly died of Covid-19 in 2021, still has nerve damage from her illness. She had a near-death experience because of Covid. But it wasn't a glimpse of an afterlife that changed her In the two years since it began, the pandemic has spawned a new category of near-death experiences -- recounted by people who say they lived through them and returned to see the miraculous in the ordinary rhythms of daily life, John Blake reports. They were spiritually transformed not by a glimpse of the afterlife but by what they saw in this life, when they were struggling to stay alive after being stricken by Covid. Those type of stories don't tend to get book or movie deals. Yet people like Paige Deiner, 41, have these incredible stories of survival that can help us all. Start with the power of gratitude. It's a cliché for some, but not for many Covid survivors. "I think often of how much we take for granted," Deiner wrote in a Facebook post not long after she was released from the hospital in December, "from the ability to walk or swallow to breathe." TOP TIP Mask mandates may be lifting in many parts of the US, but many people are holding on to them in case guidance changes. Here is what you need to know to store masks safely and tell if they are expired: Masks need to be stored in a dry area, said Christopher Sulmonte, project administrator for the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "I personally use a paper bag without sealing it, because the big thing is you want it to recirculate with air," he said. Store your face coverings using a plastic container with holes in it. For cloth masks, make sure to wash them like you would any other piece of clothing you own. If you're taking a break from wearing a mask, be sure to check the expiration date, this can often be found on the outside of the boxes. TODAY'S PODCASTWhen astronaut Christina Koch embarked on her record-breaking 11-month spaceflight, she didn't know she would return to Earth at the start of a global pandemic. CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks to Koch about her remarkable journey. Listen here.

Katia Hetter, CNN

2022-03-16 09:30:02

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/health/five-to-eleven-kids-covid-vaccine-wellness/index.html

Vaccine effectiveness for 5- to 11-year-olds: Should parents worry? - CNN

The Covid-19 vaccine doesn't seem to be as effective in 5- to 11-year-olds. But that doesn't mean parents and caregivers should worry, says CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.

health, Vaccine effectiveness for 5- to 11-year-olds: Should parents worry? - CNN

Should parents be worried about vaccine effectiveness for 5- to 11-year-olds? An expert weighs in

(CNN)To many parents' dismay, a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the Covid-19 vaccine is less effective against the Omicron variant for children ages 5 to 11 than for older children and adults. Two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine reduced the risk of Omicron infection by 31% among children 5 to 11 years old, compared with 59% among those 12 to 15.As masks become optional, kids take their health into their own hands Vaccinated children ages 5 to 11 were about 46% less likely to need medical treatment for Covid-19 from an urgent care clinic or emergency department, compared with unvaccinated children, a previous CDC study found. That study also revealed vaccination appears to protect against severe disease: Out of almost 1,700 total admissions, there were 59 unvaccinated children in this age group admitted to the hospital with Covid-19, compared with just two who were vaccinated.Why is this happening? How worried should parents and caregivers be? Do the new data mean they should keep masks on their kids in school and avoid indoor extracurriculars? What are implications for kids with underlying medical conditions? And what's the update for kids under 5?To guide us through these questions, I spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health" and the mother of two young children.CNN: Why do you think the Covid-19 vaccine may be less effective in younger children than older children?Read MoreDr. Leana Wen: First, I want to urge everyone to keep these data in perspective. The vaccines in younger children still appear to protect against severe illness, and that's the most important reason we get vaccinated: to prevent hospitalization and death.Scientists don't know as to why the vaccine shows less effectiveness in younger kids compared with older kids and adults. The most likely explanation is that it's related to dose. The dose of the Pfizer vaccine given to 12-year-olds and above is 30 micrograms, compared with 10 micrograms for those ages 5 to 11. The higher the dose, the higher the possible side effects -- that's why a lower dose was chosen for the younger group. It's possible that this lower dose resulted in less effectiveness.There are some other explanations of the data. It's possible that by the time of the Omicron infection, so many young children had been exposed to Covid-19 that the effect of vaccination was reduced. It's also worth noting that effectiveness against symptomatic infection also wanes in adults, and that's why the CDC recommends the booster dose for all those 12 and older. Still, we can see that vaccination is still protective in this younger age group against severe illness.CNN: How worried should parents and caregivers be? Should they rethink their decisions to remove masks and allow their kids to participate in extracurricular activities and indoor playdates?Wen: The decreased protection is against symptomatic illness. It's certainly disappointing, but I don't think this alone should make them second-guess their decisions about removing masks and resuming extracurricular activities.The vaccine shows less effectiveness in younger kids compared with older kids and adults, but it still appears to protect against severe illness, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said.The main reason is that the level of Covid-19 is much lower in most parts of the United States compared with even a few weeks ago. In the state of Maryland, where I live, the seven-day average of daily cases was around 15,000 per 100,000 people during the peak of Omicron in January. It's now just over 2,000 per 100,000, according to the CDC. That means the risk of contracting Covid-19 is reduced more than sevenfold now compared with two months ago.Vaccines continue to provide some protection against symptomatic disease, but most importantly, it shields against severe illness. As a result, I don't think parents should have to rethink their decisions. If members of their household are vaccinated and boosted if eligible, and if they live in areas that are classified as either "low" or "medium" Covid-19 community level by CDC's new tracker, I think it's reasonable for families to allow their children to resume all pre-pandemic activities. That includes going to school without a mask and participating in extracurriculars and indoor playdates. CNN: What are implications for kids with underlying medical conditions, or children who live with adults who have them?Struggling after her son was born with disabilities, a mom learns to ask for helpWen: It's important to discuss the specific risks with your medical provider. Some people have certain medical conditions that clearly predispose them to severe illness if they contract Covid-19. Being moderately or severely immunocompromised, for example — if the child or someone in the family has cancer and is on chemotherapy, is an organ transplant recipient on immunosuppressants, or other similar conditions. There are also other conditions that make it more likely for the individual to end up in the hospital: those with advanced age or who also have multiple chronic medical problems like diabetes, obesity and lung disease, for instance.There are other medical conditions that need to be treated but that don't necessarily result in severe illness due to Covid-19. A child who has asthma would be in this category, for example. Speak with your medical provider to understand what your child's and other family members' risk of severe illness is due to Covid-19. If someone in the household faces a substantial risk for severe illness despite vaccination, you should all take additional precautions — such as continuing to wear a high-quality mask (N95, KN95, or KF94) when in indoor crowded settings.Sign up for CNN's Stress, But Less newsletter. Our six-part guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it. CNN: What's the latest for when vaccines will be available to children younger than 5?Wen: For children under 5, Pfizer is testing a smaller dose (3 micrograms, compared with 10 micrograms for those 5 to 11), as a three-dose vaccine. Those results are expected in April. Moderna's data are also expected in the next month or so. Its vaccine dose is higher (25 micrograms) for children 2 to 5 years old, and it's being tested as a two-dose series. Families with young children need to make the best decisions for themselves about the level of risk they are willing to take while awaiting the vaccine. Some may still wish to take additional precautions, especially if they live in areas with high Covid-19 community levels. Others may decide that the level of Covid-19 in their area is low enough, and the value of resuming pre-pandemic activities high enough, that they will resume indoor playdates and other activities they have been missing.

Opinion by Megan Ranney

2022-03-11 11:28:58

news

opinions

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/11/opinions/covid-19-vaccine-florida-kids-ranney/index.html

Opinion: Florida's top doctor is dangerously misguided - CNN

Megan Ranney writes that Florida's guidance against the pediatric Covid-19 vaccine under emergency use authorization in the US for kids 5-11 undermines an effective protection available to children.

opinions, Opinion: Florida's top doctor is dangerously misguided - CNN

Florida's top doctor is dangerously misguided

Megan Ranney, MD, MPH, is a professor of Emergency Medicine and associate dean at the School of Public Health at Brown University. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion on CNN. (CNN)A few years ago, I visited a cemetery in an old mining town in Utah. My husband and I were struck by the rows of little tombstones. Each tombstone's death date was within a few weeks of each other in the early 1900s. They were all children who had died of diphtheria. As a parent and a physician, it was an all-too-concrete reminder of the toll that infectious diseases used to take on US families and children.Megan RanneyLuckily, we rarely see these kinds of little tombstones any longer. Thanks to pediatric vaccination, one of the greatest public health successes of the 20th century, we have all but eliminated diphtheria -- along with polio, measles, Haemophilus influenzae type b and more -- from the United States. It is no longer common for American kids to experience death or disability from infections. Instead, injuries (particularly firearm injuries) are typically the top causes of death among kids in the US.The new guidelines put out by the Florida surgeon general on Tuesday, that "healthy children from ages 5 to 17 may not benefit from receiving the currently available COVID-19 vaccine" therefore flummoxes those of us in the public health and medical communities.Covid-19 is certainly not as lethal as diphtheria. And it is true that the death and hospitalization rates from Covid-19 are lower in kids than they are in adults. Still, the lower absolute number of deaths among kids than adults doesn't mean that these kids' deaths don't matter. Read MoreIndeed, in 2021, Covid was among the top 10 causes of death for American children and young adults every month (except June, for 5 to 14-year-olds, when it dropped to the 11th spot but remained in the top 10 for adolescents). As of this month, almost 40,000 Covid-19 associated hospitalizations were registered in 25 states (data is not available from the other states). We are just beginning to learn about the nature and frequency of the long-term consequences of Covid among children.This is why the development, testing and eventual distribution of a pediatric vaccine against Covid-19 -- with the goal of preventing severe illness, long-term symptoms and deaths -- was so welcomed by parents, physicians and public health professionals alike. Here was a chance to offer our kids a way back toward normal. And this illustrates why Florida's guidance is so misguided.Florida officials are harming children in their bid to 'protect' themLet me be clear about the facts. The Covid-19 vaccine currently under emergency use authorization in the US for kids 5 and up -- a two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech series -- is effective at preventing the worst outcomes: severe illness, hospitalization and death. Study after study shows that the kids who get hospitalized for Covid-19 are, by and large, those who are unvaccinated. Even during the Omicron wave, when the vaccines became somewhat less effective in preventing a SARS-CoV-2 infection, preliminary analyses supported that vaccinated kids were still much less likely to have these most severe outcomes.Equally important, these vaccines are safe for kids. Almost 20 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine have been given to 5 to 11-year-olds, and another 30 million ages 12 to 17. Of these, only a handful have had allergic reactions. Very few children ages 12 to 17, and even fewer 5 to 11, have been reported to experience the rare side effect of myocarditis; these cases were generally mild and self-resolving.Compare that to the known effects of Covid-19, which the vaccine can prevent: the tens of thousands of children hospitalized, the over 1,000 children dead, the unknown numbers who will struggle with long Covid -- and severe, life-changing myocarditis and other heart disorders. Some studies estimate that the risk of myocarditis among youth after a Covid-19 infection is 100 times higher than the risk after vaccination.Finally, the Florida Department of Health claims that only "children with underlying conditions are the best candidates for COVID-19 vaccination." But, aside from the ableism of this claim, it's important to remember all the reasons that this is silly. Almost 20% of American children are obese -- a leading risk factor for poor outcomes after an infection; never mind the untold more with diabetes, cancer and the multitude of other risk factors. Moreover, even healthy children get sick: One study last summer reported that a third of pediatric Covid-19 hospitalizations were among youth with no pre-existing high-risk conditions. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookAll of these reasons are why I enthusiastically vaccinated my own children against Covid-19. (P.S. They're both fine.) It's also why countries across the world -- including the UK, which was initially reluctant to vaccinate kids -- are urging all children 5 or older to get their Covid-19 shots.Here in the US, at a time when we are asking the public to take an increasingly individualistic role in the control of Covid-19, let's not undermine these effective protections available to our children. We should celebrate, not denigrate, vaccines. Let's let common sense, compassion and respect for the data prevail.

Brenda Goodman, CNN

2022-02-28 20:12:29

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/28/health/pfizer-vaccine-effectiveness-kids-omicron/index.html

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness fell quickly for kids during Omicron surge but still offered some protection against severe diseae - CNN

The effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines for children waned quickly during the Omicron surge, especially among children ages 5 to 11, but was still protective against severe disease, according to new data from the New York State Department of Health.

health, Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness fell quickly for kids during Omicron surge but still offered some protection against severe diseae - CNN

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness fell quickly for kids during Omicron surge but still offered some protection against severe disease

(CNN)The effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines for children waned quickly during the Omicron surge, especially among children ages 5 to 11, but was still protective against severe disease, according to new data from the New York State Department of Health.Within one month of being fully vaccinated, effectiveness of the Pfizer shots against infection caused by the Omicron variant fell from 68% to just 12% in the youngest children eligible to get the shots: those 5 to 11 years old. As Omicron cases fall, doctors anxiously await possible surge of dangerous child complication MIS-C Effectiveness against hospitalization in that age group was higher but also dropped substantially, falling from 100% in early December to just 48% by the end of January."The data are not surprising as the vaccine was developed in response to an earlier COVID-19 variant and reduced effectiveness of 2 doses against the Omicron variant has been seen to some degree with all vaccines and ages," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said in a statement posted online.Read More"It is critical to stress that vaccination is still recommended for everyone 5 years and older, including children 5-11. These data also demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of more severe illness and hospitalization for children 5-11, and I encourage parents and guardians to consult their pediatrician about getting their children vaccinated, and boosted if eligible, as soon as they can."Children 5 to 11 get a dose of the Pfizer vaccine that is 10 micrograms, one-third the dose given to children 12 to 17. The study also found that while vaccine effectiveness also fell for older children and teens, it fell more slowly than it did for grade-schoolers. For any illness caused by Covid-19, vaccine effectiveness waned from 66% in early December to 51% by the end of January for kids 12 to 17. For hospitalizations, vaccine effectiveness fell from 85% to 73% over the same time frame.The data was posted Monday as a preprint study on the medRxiv server. Preprints have not been reviewed by outside experts or accepted for publication in a medical journal.The authors concluded that if other studies repeat these findings, the vaccine dose for younger children may need to be reviewed. The authors also said the data may demonstrate a need to continue "layered protections, including mask wearing, to prevent infection and transmission" in younger children.Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been collecting its own data on vaccine effectiveness in children and is expected to release it soon."Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer high levels of protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and deaths in all age groups, despite decreased effectiveness against infection alone during the Omicron wave," the agency said in a statement."CDC continues to monitor and evaluate data on vaccine effectiveness as it becomes available, but these vaccines work well and are the best tool we have to avoid severe outcomes."

Jacqueline Howard, CNN

2022-02-16 23:21:16

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/16/health/covid-masks-for-kids-white-house-plans/index.html

US government plans to make high-quality masks available for kids, White House adviser says - CNN

High-quality masks for children soon might be easier to find in the United States, if government plans come to fruition.

health, US government plans to make high-quality masks available for kids, White House adviser says - CNN

US government plans to make high-quality masks available for kids, White House adviser says

(CNN)High-quality masks for children soon might be easier to find in the United States, if government plans come to fruition.The US government plans to make high-quality face masks available for children, and "that process is underway," Dr. Tom Inglesby, senior adviser to the White House Covid-19 Response Team, told CNN on Wednesday. JUST WATCHEDHere's how you can get your free N95 masksReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHere's how you can get your free N95 masks 01:23The forthcoming plan appears to be an extension of the White House's ongoing effort to distribute 400 million free N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile for the public to access at pharmacies and community health centers nationwide."Already, 230 million masks have been delivered to pharmacies and community health centers as part of the administration's efforts to deliver high-quality masks around the country, and that process will continue," Inglesby said during a virtual White House briefing Wednesday."We are now in the process of planning for the distribution of masks for children, and we'll have more to say about that in the days ahead," he added. "But there is a commitment to do that."There are plenty of N95 masks, but they're not designed for your kidsRead MoreIn January, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on masks and respirators to recommend that everyone over the age of 2 "wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently," noting that "some masks and respirators offer higher levels of protection than others." The agency describes well-fitting respirators approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health -- such as N95 masks -- as offering "the highest level of protection." Although NIOSH-approved N95 respirators may be available in smaller sizes, the CDC notes that they are typically designed to be used by adults in the workplace and have not been tested for broad use in children. Therefore, high-quality child-sized masks can be difficult to find.Masks may be especially important for children, as many kids ages 5 to 11 remain unvaccinated and there is no Covid-19 vaccine authorized for those under the age of 5.The difference between N95, KN95 and KF94There are three types of respirators, or high-quality masks, often discussed as offering the highest level of protection: N95, KN95 and KF94.The difference between N95 and KN95 masks is where each is certified. The US tests, certifies and regulates the N95s that public health experts have been recommending; manufacturers in China test KN95s, but the country's government doesn't have a regulatory body that's validating them. Roughly 60% of KN95 respirators that NIOSH evaluated during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 didn't meet the requirements they were intended to meet, according to the CDC.Should parents be worried if their child's school no longer requires masks? An expert weighs inN95 and KN95 masks are both designed to be at least 95% efficient at filtering particles, but N95s feature headbands due to the tighter face seal requirements.KF94 masks are Korean-standard masks tested and regulated by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and they are designed to be at least 94% efficient at filtering particles."The problem in the US is that we do not have a respirator standard for kids. We only have the NIOSH series of masks, which the lowest is the N95, and those are not designed for kids," Aaron Collins told CNN on Wednesday. Collins, a Minneapolis-based mechanical engineer with a background in aerosol science, has been testing and evaluating masks. He said he has been calling for the US government to make high-quality masks available for adults and children since the early days of the pandemic."In terms of supply, they've been very tight. There are options in the KN95, which is the Chinese mask test standard, and the KF94 space, that's South Korea's general public mask standard," Collins said. He added that he would be interested to see what types of high-quality masks the US government plans to make available for children.Overall, "I think it's great," he said of the government plan. "The question for me is, what kind of masks will they distribute?"Parents struggle to find high-quality masks for kidsDr. Vivek Cherian knows firsthand the need to have high-quality masks for young children -- and the difficulty finding them.5 ways to get your kids to wear masks"Two of my children are between the age of 2 and 4 -- so right in there -- and I absolutely do think there is a need because, for example, whenever my wife and I find a good mask, it's either constantly sold out or constantly going in and out of stock," said Cherian, a Chicago-based internal medicine physician and father of three. His third child, 7 months old, is too young to wear a mask."As a parent, I have run into this issue several times trying to get good high-quality KN95 masks for kids that are available," Cherian told CNN on Wednesday, adding that he tends to search for masks online."When it comes to children particularly, you want to find a mask that's really comfortable and that's a good fit. So it's completely covering their nose and their mouth and there are no gaps -- because when the gaps occur, that's when the air leaking occurs too," Cherian said. "And that's one of the big reasons also, other than the filtration issue, that surgical masks are not nearly as effective, because there tend to be several gaps that occur when wearing the regular surgical masks."Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.Cherian is looking forward to the US government's possible plans to roll out high-quality masks for children, he said. "We should be doing our due diligence of giving them the best possible masks," he said. "And if they're not eligible for vaccinations at this point, to make sure we're surrounding those kids with adults and teachers who are fully vaccinated."

Katia Hetter, CNN

2022-02-09 12:11:00

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/09/health/school-mask-mandates-removal-wellness/index.html

Should parents be worried if their child's school no longer requires masks? An expert weighs in - CNN

Oregon's health department and the governors of Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey have announced when their states will end the school mask mandate. Leaders in other states, cities and counties are also considering when to end required masking as well.

health, Should parents be worried if their child's school no longer requires masks? An expert weighs in - CNN

Should parents be worried if their child's school no longer requires masks? An expert weighs in

(CNN)Oregon's health department and the governors of Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey have announced when their states will end the school mask mandate. Leaders in other states, cities and counties are also considering when to end required masking as well. The White House is also reported to be discussing an off-ramp for pandemic restrictions, although the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet updated its guidance on masking in schools. Should parents and caregivers be worried if their child's school is no longer going to require masks? What steps can they take if they want to continue reducing their children's risk of contracting Covid-19? How can families weigh the risk of going to school and extracurricular activities? What about kids younger than 5, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated?To help us with these questions, I spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health," and the mother of two young kids.CNN: A lot of parents and families are concerned — is the decision to drop mask requirements premature?Read MoreDr. Leana Wen: First, I want to clarify something — the end of a statewide mask mandate doesn't mean that a particular school will no longer require masks. And even if the school is no longer requiring masks, that doesn't mean the end of masks and that everyone should walk around maskless. To me, ending mask mandates means that masking is no longer a government-imposed requirement. It's still the choice of parents and families whether their child should be masked.What you should know about taking an at-home Covid-19 testThe reason why I don't think it's premature to have an off-ramp for school mask requirements is because unlike before, prior to vaccines, parents who want to take additional precautions can still do so. Vaccines are widely available for children ages 5 and older, and they protect very well against severe illness due to Covid-19. In addition, one-way masking protects the wearer, in particular, with a high-quality mask (N95, KN95 or KF94). Even if people around your child are not wearing masks, you could still choose for your child to mask, and that would offer some protection.CNN: For months, you've been supporting the idea of having more high-quality masks available to people. How does it make sense to drop mask mandates, while you want to upgrade the quality of masks?Wen: It's precisely because high-quality masks exist that we can move to mask-optional policies. For months, high-quality masks weren't widely available. When most people are wearing single-layer cloth masks, source control becomes very important, meaning that we wear masks to protect others as much as the mask also protects us. Now that high-quality masks are available, it allows people the choice to protect themselves. Plus, we have highly effective vaccines.CNN: Are there other tools that can help make the school environment safer, if masks are no longer required?Wen: Yes. All along I've talked about layers of protection, in the same way that we talk about layers to shield you and your kids when it's cold outside. When there is a lot of virus around — or when it's very cold — we need more layers. Layers can also replace one another.It's not just you -- we are all more forgetful during the pandemic, experts say. Here's how to fix itThe vaccine is a very powerful layer of protection because people who are vaccinated are less likely to contract Covid-19 and therefore less likely to transmit it, too. Those who want to can choose to wear a mask, which is another very powerful layer. Other layers include improved ventilation and regular testing. These are also tools that can reduce risk, in the classroom and in other situations.CNN: How should parents decide whether to keep their children masked in schools?Wen: There are three factors to consider. First, what is the medical circumstance of your child and your household? If everyone in your household is fully vaccinated and boosted if eligible, and everyone is generally healthy, the chance of severe illness from Covid-19 is very low. That's a different calculation than if your child or someone else in your home is moderately or severely immunocompromised.As state, city and county officials consider when to end mask mandates, families should consider their risk tolerance and the medical circumstances of their child and household members.Second, what is your family's tolerance of risk? Some families are trying very hard to avoid contracting Covid-19, while others are not. Third, how onerous is masking for your child? Many children have adapted very well to masking. However, it has been problematic for some. Some experts have speculated that prolonged masking may particularly impact younger children, kids with learning disabilities, and English-as-a-second-language learners. The possible effects of continued masking should be weighed against the possible benefit in your specific family's situation.CNN: My child has asthma. Is that considered a high-risk condition to keep masking?Wen: Every family has to make the right decision for them. Asthma is not a condition that predisposes to particularly severe outcomes from Covid-19. Many families with kids who have asthma will not choose to continue having their child mask, especially if they are vaccinated. Conditions that are high risk in children would primarily be being moderately or severely immunocompromised — for example, someone receiving chemotherapy for cancer.'I couldn't stop.' The pandemic is triggering eating disorders in our children There are other conditions that are more commonly associated with hospitalization in children who contract Covid-19, including obesity and diabetes. Again, families have to make individualized decisions. Many will decide that vaccination is sufficient for protection, while others may want to continue masking.CNN: What if my child doesn't want to stand out as the only kid who's wearing a mask?Wen: Consider speaking to other parents in the class. There may be other children who are still wearing masks, too. Perhaps arrangements can be made for these kids who want to be extra cautious to have certain options, for example, eating lunch in an area separate from others.CNN: What about extracurriculars? Should my child still participate in these activities?Wen: Again, it will be up to you. So many kids have lost a lot and made great sacrifices during the pandemic. As long as it makes sense for your family, I think it makes sense to prioritize returning them to as much normalcy as possible. CNN: What about kids younger than 5 years old who aren't yet eligible to be vaccinated? Should they keep masking? What if they have older siblings who now don't need to mask in schools?Wen: I'm hopeful that vaccines will soon be available for children under the age of 5. As a mom of two little kids under 5, I cannot wait until vaccines are authorized for this age group.In the meantime, I think it's reasonable to have masks still be required for children under 5 and the school and daycare staff taking care of them. After all, these kids don't have the option of getting vaccinated just yet. If masks are not required, I'd recommend keeping children masked at least until they are able to be vaccinated. The exception is if they recently contracted Covid-19. Those with recent infection probably have immune protection for a couple of months.Sign up for CNN's Stress, But Less newsletter. Our six-part guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it. Whether older siblings continue masking in schools will depend on the risk tolerance of the family. If the goal of the family is to avoid infection for the unvaccinated younger child, then I'd recommend that the older sibling wear a mask in school.At the end of the day, masks have to be seen just like any other intervention. There are clear benefits and some potential drawbacks. Mask mandates being lifted is out of recognition of this risk-benefit analysis. Masks aren't ending, though, and parents will be able to make an individualized decision that's best for their circumstance.

Scottie Andrew, CNN

2022-01-23 14:25:21

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/23/entertainment/muppets-2022-elmo-rocco-fraggle-rock-cec/index.html

The Muppets are having a moment -- just when we need them most - CNN

The recent Muppet resurgence has been powered by our need for comfort and a hefty dose of positivity. Adults find their way back to the Muppets when they need their favorite frog or pig or monster most.

entertainment, The Muppets are having a moment -- just when we need them most - CNN

The Muppets are having a moment -- just when we need them most

(CNN)When Joshua Gillespie was holed up in the hospital as a kid, where he stayed frequently in between surgeries for his rare heart condition, his best friend was a 3-and-a-half-year-old monster with red fur and a vibrant imagination. Elmo, that lovable, occasionally grating Muppet and "Sesame Street" stalwart since 1984, kept Gillespie company for much of his early childhood from a TV inside his hospital room. He'd watch the same tapes -- the "Best of Elmo" compilation, usually -- so often that his nurses had chosen their own favorite parts. Gillespie has loved the Muppets ever since he watched in awe as Elmo tap danced down a staircase like a regular Fred Astaire. So seeing the preschool-aged monster get his due among other adults who grew up with him -- this time for his feud with a rock -- has been extremely gratifying, he said."There's so much attention being brought to these things, which is fantastic for me just to see ... there's a whole new generation of people to grow up with it," he said. The cast of "Sesame Street" celebrated the show's 50th anniversary in 2019.The Muppets have been in our lives for more than 50 years, and they're still finding new ways to entertain us, even if it's by accident (the Elmo v. Rocco feud had been going on for years on "Sesame Street," but Twitter and TikTok rediscovered it earlier this month). There's a revival of "Fraggle Rock" debuting this month, too, and Kermit, Fozzie and the gang have been riding the nostalgia wave to potentially host the Oscars -- fans are campaigning hard for them. (New episodes of "Sesame Street" currently stream on HBO Max, which, like CNN, is a part of WarnerMedia.)Sesame Street introduces family with two gay dads during Pride MonthRead MoreThe recent Muppet resurgence, Gillespie suspects, has been powered by our need for comfort and a hefty dose of positivity. Adults find their way back to the Muppets when they need their favorite frog or pig or monster most. Our cherished childhood moments are preserved in internet amber, and they're often even lovelier, wittier or wilder than we remember. And their philosophy -- that the show must go on, even when sets collapse and chicken feathers fly -- is particularly poignant in years when it feels like we're perpetually jumping through our own rings of fire while a choir of chickens cluck the "William Tell Overture."Things so often go south for the Muppets. But they still, always, manage to make something enduring and silly and subtly moving. They taught us our ABCs, about love and the power of a well-timed flying fish. And they're teaching us, still, about making it through the tough times and coming out stronger -- and zanier, too. The Muppets aren't just for kidsPart of why it's so easy to return to the Muppets' oeuvre is because it still holds up -- and oftentimes, it evolves with its audience. The characters are deceptively witty, often telling jokes that fly right over the heads of younger viewers like Gonzo's beloved chicken Camilla, to be uncovered on repeat viewings. Joe Hennes, who co-leads the popular Muppet fan publication ToughPigs, has devoted much of his life to harnessing that Muppet-induced joy. His lifelong love of Jim Henson's creations has helped him find a family of likeminded fans and even landed him working for several years at Sesame Workshop, where he watched -- and sometimes contributed -- to the creation of his favorite childhood series."There's definitely something comforting about all of those different franchises we have loved at one point in our life, so going back to them, we get to rediscover that love, which is a beautiful thing," he told CNN. "You can rediscover it at different points in your life and find new joy in it." Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy presented at the 2012 Oscars to great fanfare.Take Hennes -- as a kid, he fell hard for the rascally Ernie and naive Big Bird. But as he's gotten older, he better appreciates the curmudgeons of the Muppet world, like Ernie's stickler foil Bert, the dreadfully serious Sam the Eagle and eternal grouch Oscar. As he's grown up with the Muppets, he's found new wrinkles in their lore to explore on ToughPigs -- and new characters to identify with. Jennifer Garlen and Anissa Graham, academics who have edited and authored collections of essays analyzing various Muppet projects, said that part of what makes Kermit, Miss Piggy and co. so enchanting is their ability to speak to viewers young and old and affect them in different ways. 'Sesame Street' introducing new Korean American character "Jim Henson always had his eye on narratives that could speak to people of all ages, not just children, and he never saw puppetry as merely children's entertainment," Garlen said in an email to CNN. "There are levels of social commentary, comedy, metaphysics, drama, and psychology in these stories that make them speak to a very broad audience; you'll also see different things if you revisit them over many years."Graham, a senior lecturer in English at the University of North Alabama, said that as a kid, she picked up that the Muppets were speaking to both children and their parents and felt that style bridged a divide."It meant that somewhere along the line those two halves could connect," she told CNN in an email. That's why it's so easy to fall back in love with the Muppets after some time apart: Graham said Henson's works "remind the grown-up audiences of the value of play and nonsense not as a by-product of nostalgia but as a part of their everyday lives." If we can adopt the Muppets' zany, whimsical streak ourselves, we might be better for it. Nostalgia reels us back inIf there's a Muppet moment that's gone viral on your Twitter timeline in the last few years, chances are it resurfaced because of Gillespie. He runs Muppet History, accounts across social media platforms that share rare Muppets footage -- Kermit's reference-laden performance of the Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime," anyone? -- and behind-the-scenes factoids on his favorite felt performers and their human creators. He collects moments with collaborators at ToughPigs, Muppet Wiki and friends who got lucky on eBay and uncovered reels with old Muppet clips.Nonbinary characters like 'Gonzo-rella' are lighting up children's TV and encouraging self-acceptance"I just think the Muppets are something so timeless," Gillespie said. "And I think the reason why is they've never tried to be timely. They've always been sort of irreverent."The Muppets may not be the timeliest comedians, but they've always got something to say. The critically acclaimed "Fraggle Rock" revival that debuts on Apple TV+ this month has an environmentalist bent. Big Bird, who is canonically 6 years old, received his vaccine as soon as kids his age were eligible. Last year, "Sesame Street" debuted its "ABCs of Racial Literacy" program, in which two Black Muppets discuss race and inclusion with Elmo (that's in keeping with the origins of "Sesame Street," which was created with young Black viewers in mind). "Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock" continues the original series' environmental spirit.The Muppets' progressivism can offend the occasional viewer, but it's part of their staying power, too. While some bits haven't aged well (a few episodes of "The Muppet Show" on Disney+ have a content warning), characters have rarely shied from difficult conversations about death, racism, health, homelessness and other topics kids wonder about but don't always have the words to dictate. As animated as the Muppets can be, they're also mirrors for viewers to better understand themselves. Frankie Cordero, a puppeteer who plays Rudy on "Sesame Street" and Purple Panda on the PBS series "Donkey Hodie," said he related to Gonzo, an oddball whose origins are probed in the film "Muppets from Space." As a person of mixed Puerto Rican, Mexican and Spanish heritage, he often felt othered by his young peers, much like Gonzo is (though the Muppet finds a family with Kermit and the gang)."This was an incredibly diverse group that would work to stick together as a team to defeat huge obstacles in their world," Cordero said. The jokes grabbed his attention as a kid, but it's the characterization that kept him as a fan -- and helped him determine that he wanted to make a career in puppetry. Henson's characters are good at evolving to stay relevant, but they're still themselves, forever the ages they were when they debuted. Cookie Monster will forever hunger for his favorite dessert, just like the Count will forever obsess over numbers, and Kermit will forever flail his gangly green arms when he's excited, peeved or overwhelmed. "The Muppets are always going to be the Muppets," Hennes said. "They'll always have that opportunity to surprise us with something new or bring back that feeling of joy."The Muppets teach us how to keep goingThere's an appropriate metaphor for the last two years of destruction and disorder in the finale of "The Muppet Movie." The final minutes see Kermit and his newfound family of weirdos finally making the film of their dreams. The cast breaks into a reprise of "Rainbow Connection," and just when things seem stable, if a bit stale, the set comes crashing down. Things explode, Gonzo's hanging onto a balloon for dear life, and then, just when all seems lost, a real rainbow finds its way through a gaping hole in the studio roof. The Muppets bask in its glow while the pieces of their would-be film lay strewn around them. "Life's like a movie -- write your own ending," Kermit sings. "Keep believing, keep pretending, we've done just what we've set out to do." Elmo is always 3, but he's evolved with his viewers. The Muppets cobbled together a film out of debris and chaos -- one could say they thrive on chaos (that's kind of Animal's whole M.O.), or have at least found a way to work through it. Revisiting their funniest pratfalls or most touching musical numbers through older, hardened eyes returns to us "a bit of hope," Gillespie said. Elmo was Gillespie's constant companion while he recovered from heart surgeries. Now, Elmo's a hero among Gillespie's peers once again for standing up against a pet rock who took the last oatmeal raisin cookie. And the cycle continues."Right now we need that comfort ... that things are gonna be okay, because, well, Kermit the Frog says it's gonna be okay, I think it's gonna be okay then," he said. "I think it's gonna be all right."

Matt Villano, CNN

2022-01-16 11:01:58

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/16/health/under-five-children-covid-safety-wellness/index.html

Taking care of children under 5 during the latest Covid-19 outbreak - CNN

While vaccines are available for kids ages 5 and up, parents with younger kids are still finding themselves living in fear of their kids getting Covid-19. As many of their families struggle through two years of isolation, here's what their parents told CNN.

health, Taking care of children under 5 during the latest Covid-19 outbreak - CNN

With Omicron, parents of kids under 5 are even more stressed

Sign up for CNN's Stress, But Less newsletter. Our six-part guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it. (CNN)Birthdays are usually joyous occasions for Bonnie Wiener-Bambara, with daylong parties that involve pampering, dinner and friends.When she turned 47 on January 10, however, the festivities were practically nonexistent.There was good reason for the change in plans: The college professor in Patchogue, New York, has a 13-month-old daughter. Because there's no vaccine approved for babies that young, because cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 are rising precipitously across the United States, and because experts are once again recommending that people avoid gathering in groups, Wiener-Bambara didn't want to take any chances."It didn't feel much like a birthday," she said. "Since Christmas, my daughter Lily hasn't seen anyone except me and my husband, but her not getting sick is most important."Wiener-Bambara certainly isn't the only grown-up ditching plans to keep babies and toddlers safe right now. Across the country, parents, grandparents and even teenagers who share households with children under age 5 find themselves making similar sacrifices.Read MoreJust like they have for nearly two years.As we approach the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, there's still no vaccine approved to protect children under age 5. This demographic is just as vulnerable as they were when the pandemic started. This means their parents and loved ones are just as worried as ever. It also means the grownups in these kids' lives are angry, stressed out and totally overwhelmed."So many parents were just starting to breathe a sigh of relief after having their older kids being eligible for vaccination," said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. "Instead, we find ourselves in the middle of a viral blizzard, with an extremely contagious variant, and it's one of the most dangerous times for young kids in this pandemic."Keeping guard upWen doesn't just think about the public health implications around Covid-19 and how it's affecting the mental health of parents with young kids -- she lives it every day.Wen, a CNN Medical Analyst and author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health," has two children: a 4-year-old who doesn't turn 5 until August and a 21-month-old. For these reasons, Wen said her family will continue taking precautions, such as wearing face coverings in public, avoiding indoor settings where they and others are unmasked, testing themselves and friends before intimate gatherings in private homes, and minimizing travel to cut back on risk."Despite the precautions we are taking, it is still quite possible that we could be exposing our kids to Omicron," she said.There's certainly cause for concern. Early data indicates Omicron appears to cause less severe disease and lead to fewer hospitalizations, but its rapid spread indicates it is much more contagious than other variants. Case numbers have soared over the past few weeks to an average of over 754,000 new infections per day, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.Omicron represented 95% of all U.S. Covid cases in the week ending January 1, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The spike is potentially bad news for kids, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases."The sheer volume of infections because of its profound transmissibility will mean that many more children will get infected," Fauci said last week at a White House briefing.For the week ending January 6, more than 580,000 child Covid-19 cases were reported nationwide, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. This number is a 78% increase over the 325,000 added cases reported the week ending December 30, according to the report.Help for children under 5 doesn't appear to be coming any time soon. Pfizer has been working on a vaccine for kids ages 2 to 4, but company officials announced last month that two doses of a 3-microgram shot didn't offer as much protection as they hoped. (By contrast, the grownup shots are 30 micrograms apiece.) The study has been updated to give all participants under age 5 a third dose, and data is expected around the end of March or beginning of April, a company scientist told US officials in mid-December.Overwhelming, overwhelmedThis news has rankled parents of those children who would qualify for the under-5 vaccine. These parents say they're tired and stressed. Since some of them have never stopped social distancing, they're also going a little stir-crazy.Tony and Maggie Christopher, and their children Micah (age 3) and Kamden (age 6). Take Maggie Christopher. The 35-year-old resident of Stow, Ohio, has two children -- a 6-year-old boy who is fully vaccinated and a 3-year-old who is not. Her older son was exposed to Covid-19 on the day he got his second shot, and Christopher and her husband bent over backward to keep their children separate and make sure the boys didn't cross paths for five days at home."We came up with an alternating shower schedule. We wore masks inside," Christopher remembered. "After two years of anxiety about the unknown, to have to deal with that for five days was overwhelming."Thankfully, she said, neither of the boys tested positive.Oregon resident Mary Anne Cooper wasn't as lucky. After staving off Covid-19 for the better part of two years, she got the virus last week and immediately began isolating in her bedroom so as not to infect her 21-month-old son. Cooper described the symptoms like a "bad flu," noting she had lost her voice as a result.In an interview over a messaging app, Cooper said the whole experience of raising a young child through the pandemic has tested her patience as a parent and as a person."We are the lucky ones -- we both had job stability and while my husband was never able to go remote, we both had enough work flexibility to make it through increased sick days, daycare closures, our first quarantine and everything that has come with the pandemic," she said. "It's also taken so much from us -- we had our son in April 2020 and have only known parenting in the pandemic. Our families didn't get to meet him right away, hiring help was risky, and sending our son to daycare carried its own risk."She added: "We are grateful we had the resources to manage this, but it's still been challenging."In Coldwater, Ontario, Kaidy Mae Newman and her partner haven't gotten out much since the pandemic started, largely because their 4-year-old son is unvaccinated, and they don't want to take the risk.Newman said there's no question the boy's social skills have suffered as a result."We were excited for our son to start school in September and be able to make some friends, but six weeks into the school year, his teacher told us that he had yet to communicate with any of his peers," Newman recalled. She added that by the Christmas break, things seemed to be getting better for the boy. He had two play dates at a park, and he welcomed a friend over for a masked playdate. Then came Omicron, and a return to distance learning. "He is right back to where we were in September now. He won't say a word in his online class," Newman said.Reasons for hopeDespite the uncertainty, despite the sacrifices, despite the hardship, most parents of kids under age 5 agree there are reasons for hope.For starters, young children are at "extremely low risk" for severe cases of Covid-19, according to Dr. Monica Gandhi, professor of medicine and associate division chief of the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital in California. Less than 1.5% of all child Covid-19 cases in the United States resulted in hospitalization of any kind, according to state data in the recent American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association report.Fauci, the country's top infectious disease doctor, added that there are ways to minimize risk for children who are not yet eligible for vaccines: by surrounding children with vaccinated adults and by having them wear face coverings (preferably KN94 or KN95 masks) in public and group settings. Christopher, the Ohio mother of two, said sometimes she allows herself to think about the future and daydream about normalcy for her younger son -- if only for a moment or two. "The light at the end of the tunnel definitely keeps getting a little bigger and a little brighter, but it's not nearly as fast as we all hoped it would be," she said. "Once he's vaccinated, I hope we can find the right location for him to begin social interactions with other kids his age."Larkin O'Leary is equally optimistic.O'Leary lives in Santa Rosa, California with her husband and two kids -- a 7-year-old son with Down syndrome and a 2-year-old daughter. While her son was among the first children to be vaccinated, her daughter still has not received a shot.Her son tested positive for Covid-19 this week, but everyone else in the family has tested negative.O'Leary said that although she recognizes how unfair it has been for her kids to grow up during this time, she understands the precautions their family must take and has, for the most part, embraced them. She said she will jump at the chance to get her daughter vaccinated and admitted that she longs for the day when she and her family can see friends and relatives without fear of infection."Until then, we just have to be patient," she said. "The only way to get past this is to go through it."Matt Villano is a writer and editor in Healdsburg, California.

Sandee LaMotte and Jen Christensen, CNN

2022-01-20 15:51:46

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/20/health/no-alcohol-good-for-heart-wellness/index.html

No amount of alcohol is good for the heart, new report says, but critics disagree on science - CNN

No amount of alcohol is good for the heart according to a new policy report by the World Health Federation, fueling an ongoing debate on what role drinking might play in heart heatlh.

health, No amount of alcohol is good for the heart, new report says, but critics disagree on science - CNN

No amount of alcohol is good for the heart, new report says, but critics disagree on science

(CNN)In a bold move, the World Heart Federation released a policy brief Thursday saying that no amount of alcohol is good for the heart.Drinking any amount of alcohol causes damage to the brain, study finds"At the World Heart Federation, we decided that it was imperative that we speak up about alcohol and the damages to health, as well as the social and economic harms, because there is an impression in the population in general, and even among health care professionals, that it is good for the heart," said Beatriz Champagne, chair of the advocacy committee that produced the report."It is not, and the evidence has increasingly shown that there is no level of alcohol consumption that is safe for health," said Champagne, who is also executive director of the Coalition for Americas' Health, an organization dedicated to improving health in the Americas.Swift criticismCritics were swift to dispute the federation's stance, saying that it was ignoring studies that do show a small benefit to some heart conditions when a moderate amount of alcohol is consumed.Read MoreOne such study on the risks of alcohol, published in the Lancet in 2018, was extensively used in the WHF brief, "but seriously misrepresents, and selectively reports, their findings," said David Spiegelhalter, the Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge."Given that the WHF report references this paper, it is really odd that their conclusion is that 'no amount of alcohol is good for the heart,'" said Emmanuela Gakidou, a professor at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation who analyzes alcohol risks based on the Global Burden of Disease Study, which gathers worldwide data on premature death and disability from over 300 diseases."There are some scientific studies that support their headline, but based on my work on the Global Burden of Disease Study, which pulls together all the available evidence to date, the claim by the WHF is not supported by the scientific evidence currently available," Gakidou said.In response to these criticisms, Champagne sent CNN the following response:"While we stand by our key messages, it is helpful to know that the wording of parts of the policy brief can give rise to misunderstandings. To address this we have updated the document (specifically page 8) to more clearly articulate our conclusions and specifically cite the studies by which they have been reached," Champagne said an email. "In brief, our position is that studies showing a significant cardioprotective effect of alcohol consumption have by-and-large been observational, inconsistent, funded by the alcohol industry, and/or not subject to randomized control. Furthermore, any potential cardioprotective effect is negated by the well-documented risks and harms, rendering our judgment that no amount of consumption can be considered good for heart health."The American Heart Association, which is a member of the federation, says "moderation is key" when it comes to alcohol, which is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. Dr. Mariell Jessup, the chief science and medical officer for the AHA, told CNN in an email that the AHA will "carefully review" the WHF brief. She said that the AHA had recently reviewed evidence on alcohol and cardiovascular risk for its 2021 Dietary Guidance Scientific Statement, and "we concluded that if one doesn't drink alcohol, do not start; and if one does drink alcohol, limit intake."A world viewAlcohol and your heart: Just getting a buzz can trigger an irregular rhythmThe World Health Federation is a Geneva-based health advocacy organization that represents hundreds of heart associations worldwide. It released the new policy brief, "The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Health: Myths and Measures," to counter reports that some alcohol is OK or even good for heart health.Drinking alcohol increases the risk of several cardiovascular problems, including coronary disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke and aortic aneurysm, according to the report. Any amount of alcohol, not just heavy drinking, can lead to loss of healthy life, it says."Over the past several decades the prevalence of cardiovascular disease has nearly doubled, and alcohol has played a major role in the incidence of much of it," the report says. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the world, disproportionately affecting people of low socioeconomic status. In 2019, nearly 2.4 million deaths -- not just heart-related -- could be attributed to alcohol, the report said. Alcohol negatively affects mental health, as well. The World Health Organization has called for a 10% relative reduction in the per capita use of alcohol between 2013 and 2030, but the report said a lack of investment in proven alcohol reduction strategies, in addition to misinformation from the industry, has stymied progress toward that goal. "The portrayal of alcohol as necessary for a vibrant social life has diverted attention from the harms of alcohol use, as have the frequent and widely publicized claims that moderate drinking, such as a glass of red wine a day, can offer protection against cardiovascular disease," said Monika Arora, a member of the WHF Advocacy Committee and co-author of the brief, in a news release. "These claims are at best misinformed and at worst an attempt by the alcohol industry to mislead the public about the danger of their product."

Brenda Goodman, CNN

2022-02-17 19:21:48

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/17/health/ba-2-covid-severity/index.html

Coronavirus: As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity - CNN

The BA.2 virus -- a subvariant of the Omicron coronavirus variant -- isn't just spreading faster than its distant cousin, it may also cause more severe disease and appears capable of thwarting some of the key weapons we have against Covid-19, new research suggests.

health, Coronavirus: As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity - CNN

As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity

(CNN)The BA.2 virus -- a subvariant of the Omicron coronavirus variant -- isn't just spreading faster than its distant cousin, it may also cause more severe disease and appears capable of thwarting some of the key weapons we have against Covid-19, new research suggests. New lab experiments from Japan show that BA.2 may have features that make it as capable of causing serious illness as older variants of Covid-19, including Delta. And like Omicron, it appears to largely escape the immunity created by vaccines. A booster shot restores protection, making illness after infection about 74% less likely.BA.2 is also resistant to some treatments, including sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody that's currently being used against Omicron. Dr. Tom Frieden: Why I'm cautiously optimistic about Covid-19The findings were posted Wednesday as a preprint study on the bioRxiv server, before peer review. Normally, before a study is published in medical journal, it is scrutinized by independent experts. Preprints allow research to be shared more quickly, but they are posted before that additional layer of review.Read More"It might be, from a human's perspective, a worse virus than BA.1 and might be able to transmit better and cause worse disease," says Dr. Daniel Rhoads, section head of microbiology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Rhoads reviewed the study but was not involved in the research.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is keeping close watch on BA.2, said its director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky. "There is no evidence that the BA.2 lineage is more severe than the BA.1 lineage. CDC continues to monitor variants that are circulating both domestically and internationally," she said Friday. "We will continue to monitor emerging data on disease severity in humans and findings from papers like this conducted in laboratory settings."BA.2 is highly mutated compared with the original Covid-causing virus that emerged in Wuhan, China. It also has dozens of gene changes that are different from the original Omicron strain, making it as distinct from the most recent pandemic virus as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta variants were from each other. Kei Sato, a researcher at the University of Tokyo who conducted the study, argues that these findings prove that BA.2 should not be considered a type of Omicron and that it needs to be more closely monitored.CDC unveils its latest weapon in Covid-19 detection: wastewater"As you may know, BA.2 is called 'stealth Omicron,' " Sato told CNN. That's because it doesn't show up on PCR tests as an S-gene target failure, the way Omicron does. Labs therefore have to take an extra step and sequence the virus to find this variant. "Establishing a method to detect BA.2 specifically would be the first thing" many countries need to do, he says."It looks like we might be looking at a new Greek letter here," agreed Deborah Fuller, a virologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who reviewed the study but was not part of the research.Mixed real-world data on subvariant's severityBA.2 has been estimated to be about 30% more contagious than Omicron, according to the World Health Organization. It has been detected in 74 countries and 47 US states.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 4% of Americans with Covid-19 now have infections caused by BA.2, but many other parts of the world have more experience with this variant. It has become dominant in at least 10 other countries: Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Denmark, Guam, India, Montenegro, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines, according to World Health Organization's weekly epidemiological report.However, there's mixed evidence on the severity of BA.2 in the real world. Hospitalizations continue to decline in countries where BA.2 has gained a foothold, like South Africa and the UK. But in Denmark, where BA.2 has become the leading cause of infections, hospitalizations and deaths are rising, according to WHO.Resistant to monoclonal antibody treatmentsThe new study found that BA.2 can copy itself in cells more quickly than BA.1, the original version of Omicron. It's also more adept at causing cells to stick together. This allows the virus to create larger clumps of cells, called syncytia, than BA.1. That's concerning because these clumps then become factories for churning out more copies of the virus. Delta was also good at creating syncytia, which is thought to be one reason it was so destructive to the lungs.When the researchers infected hamsters with BA.2 and BA.1, the animals infected with BA.2 got sicker and had worse lung function. In tissues samples, the lungs of BA.2-infected hamsters had more damage than those infected by BA.1.How worried should we be about the new 'stealth' Omicron? Our expert weighs inSimilar to the original Omicron, BA.2 was capable of breaking through antibodies in the blood of people who'd been vaccinated against Covid-19. It was also resistant to the antibodies of people who'd been infected with Covid-19 early in the pandemic, including Alpha and Delta. And BA.2 was almost completely resistant to some monoclonal antibody treatments.But there was a bright spot: Antibodies in the blood of people who'd recently had Omicron also seemed to have some protection against BA.2, especially if they'd also been vaccinated.And that raises an important point, Fuller says. Even though BA.2 seems more contagious and pathogenic than Omicron, it may not wind up causing a more devastating wave of Covid-19 infections."One of the caveats that we have to think about as we get new variants that might seem more dangerous is the fact that there's two sides to the story," Fuller says.Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.The virus matters, she says, but as its would-be hosts, so do we."Our immune system is evolving as well. And so that's pushing back on things," she said.Right now, she says, we're in a race against the virus, and the key question is, who's in the lead?"What we will ultimately want is to have the host be ahead of the virus. In other words, our immunity, be a step ahead of the next variant that comes out, and I don't know that we're quite there yet," she said. For that reason, Fuller says, she feels like it's not quite time for communities to lift mask mandates."Before this thing came out, we were about 10 feet away from the finish line," she said. "Taking off the masks now is not a good idea. It's just going to extend it. Let's get to the finish line."

Brenda Goodman and Deidre McPhillips, CNN

2022-03-15 10:35:52

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/health/covid-rising-uk-us/index.html

What rising Covid-19 infections in the UK and Europe could mean for the US - CNN

Two weeks after the United Kingdom dropped its last remaining Covid-19 mitigation measure -- a requirement that people who test positive for the virus isolate for five days -- the country is seeing cases and hospitalizations climb once again.

health, What rising Covid-19 infections in the UK and Europe could mean for the US - CNN

What rising Covid-19 infections in the UK and Europe could mean for the US

(CNN)Two weeks after the United Kingdom dropped its last remaining Covid-19 mitigation measure -- a requirement that people who test positive for the virus isolate for five days -- the country is seeing cases and hospitalizations climb once again. Covid-19 cases were up 48% in the UK last week compared with the week before. Hospitalizations were up 17% over the same period. The country's daily case rate -- about 55,000 a day -- is still less than a third of the Omicron peak, but cases are rising as fast as they were falling just two weeks earlier, when the country removed pandemic-related restrictions. Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Is America ready to take the next step in its Covid-19 recovery?Daily cases are also rising in more than half of the countries in the European Union. They've jumped 48% in the Netherlands and 20% in Germany over the past week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. But daily cases in Germany had yet to drop below pre-Omicron levels, and the Netherlands hadn't seen cases fall as much as they did in the UK. The situation in Europe has the attention of public health officials for two reasons: First, the UK offers a preview of what may play out in the United States, and second, something unusual seems to be happening. In previous waves, increases in Covid hospitalizations lagged behind jumps in cases by about 10 days to two weeks. Now, in the UK, cases and hospitalizations seem to be rising in tandem, something that has experts stumped.Read More"So we're obviously keenly interested in what's going on with that," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN. Fauci said he's spoken with his UK counterparts, and they have pegged the rise to a combination three factors. In order of contribution, Fauci said, these are:The BA.2 variant, which is more transmissible than the original Omicron The opening of society, with people mingling more indoors without masksWaning immunity from vaccination or prior infectionIn a technical briefing Friday, the UK Health Security Agency said BA.2 had an 80% higher relative growth rate than the original Omicron strain, though it does not seem more likely to lead to hospitalization. White House warns of 'severe consequences' if Congress doesn't pass supplemental Covid fundingGiven that BA.2 doesn't seem to be causing more severe disease -- at least not in the highly vaccinated British population -- it's not clear why hospitalizations are ticking up."The issue with hospitalization is a little bit more puzzling, because although the hospitalizations are going up, it is very clear their use of ICU beds has not increased," Fauci said. "So are the numbers of hospitalizations a real reflection of Covid cases, or is there a difficulty deciphering between people coming into the hospital with Covid or because of Covid?" The US, like the UK, has lifted most mitigation measures as Covid-19 infections have fallen. Two weeks ago, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed how it measures Covid-19 impact in communities. The new metric -- which relies on hospitalizations and hospital capacity in addition to cases -- did away with masking recommendations for most parts of the country. States and schools have followed suit, lifting indoor masking requirements.READ: Your top Covid questions, answered"Without a doubt, opening up society and having people mingle indoors is clearly something that is a contributor, as well as overall waning immunity, which means we've really got to stay heads-up and keep our eye on the pattern here," Fauci said. "So that's the reason why we're watching this very carefully."Michael Osterholm, who directs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN, "it's like a weather alert. Right now, the skies are sunny and bright, and we hope they stay that way. But we could have some bad weather by evening, and we just don't know."What will BA.2 do in the US?BA.2 has been growing steadily in the US. Last week, the CDC estimated it was causing about 12% of new Covid-19 cases here. Meanwhile, BA.2 now accounts for more than 50% of cases in the UK and several other European countries."The tipping point seems to be right around 50%," said Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "That's when we really start to see that variant flex its power in the population" as far as showing its severity.Althoff said although the UK may provide a glimpse of the future, there are key differences that will affect how BA.2 plays out in the United States.In the UK, 86% of eligible people are fully vaccinated, and 67% are boosted, compared with 69% of those eligible vaccinated and 50% boosted in the US. "What we see happening in the UK is going to be perhaps a better story than what we should be expecting here," Althoff said.In the Netherlands, it took about a month for BA.2 to overpower BA.1, she noted. If the same timeline occurs in the US, that will mean the variant is taking off just as the immunity generated by winter's Omicron infections will be waning. Coronavirus wastewater data, CDC guidelines can give mixed signals on whether to mask"I'm concerned about that," Althoff said. "But we were in a similar situation last spring, where we really got hopeful that things were going to settle down, and we got a little bit of a summer, and then we got walloped by Delta."It will be important for people to understand they may be able to take their masks off for a few weeks, Althoff said, but they might also need to go back to wearing them regularly if cases spike."We could see another wave of illness at our hospitals," she said.Althoff will also be closely watching wastewater data over the next few weeks. "Wastewater surveillance is an incredible advancement in how we can monitor SARS-CoV-2 and what it's doing in the population without needing, really, any input from people," she said. "Keeping our eye on wastewater surveillance is an important tool to understand where the virus is going and if it's increasing in terms of infection."Preparing for the next waveProtection against the next variant has to start with vaccination."We absolutely have to continue to find people who are unvaccinated and get them vaccinated," Althoff said.Fauci agreed that vaccination rates could be better in all age groups but said current numbers are especially bad for kids. Data collected by the CDC show about 28% of children ages 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated, while 58% of kids ages 12 to 17 have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.Even though the youngest children, those under 5, can't yet be vaccinated, recent studies have shown young kids are less likely to catch Covid-19 when they're surrounded by vaccinated older children and adults.Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team."So the way you protect them is to surround the children, to the extent possible, with people who are vaccinated and boosted so that you have somewhat a veil of protection around them," Fauci said.It will also be important to continue to be flexible."The important thing in this massive experiment where we're dropping all masking and restrictions is we have to stay diligent in terms of monitoring of it and testing and be prepared to possibly reverse a lot of the relaxing of these restrictions," said Deborah Fuller, a microbiologist at the University of Washington."We can't let our guard down, because the message that people get when they say 'we're lifting restrictions' is the pandemic is over. And it's not," she said.

Julia Hollingsworth, Wayne Chang, Elizabeth Yee, Ivan Watson and Teele Rebane, CNN

2022-03-05 06:00:10

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asia

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/05/asia/hong-kong-covid-crisis-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

Hong Kong bet on zero-Covid. Now it's facing a 'preventable disaster' - CNN

Morgues are nearly at capacity, hospitals overwhelmed and, as fears grow of a citywide lockdown, panicked shoppers have stripped supermarket shelves bare.

asia, Hong Kong bet on zero-Covid. Now it's facing a 'preventable disaster' - CNN

Hong Kong bet on zero-Covid. Now it's facing a 'preventable disaster'

Hong Kong (CNN)Morgues are nearly at capacity, hospitals overwhelmed and, as fears grow of a citywide lockdown, panicked shoppers have stripped supermarket shelves bare. Hong Kong -- once lauded as a zero-Covid success story -- is now battling a deadly outbreak reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic, despite having had more than two years to prepare.With locally transmitted cases surging past 312,000 in the city of 7.4 million in just the last two weeks, hospitals and embattled health workers have been stretched to breaking point. The numbers are likely to be far higher due to suspicions people are not reporting their positive test results for fear of being separated from families and put into government isolation facilities. Although the rampant surge has been driven by the less deadly Omicron variant, Hong Kong's deaths are also rising -- particularly among the city's unvaccinated elderly. According to Our World in Data, which uses data from Johns Hopkins University, Hong Kong reported more deaths per million people in the week to March 3 than any country or territory. Empty shelves at a grocery store in Hong Kong on March 1, 2022.A pedestrian crosses a near empty street in Hong Kong on February 24, 2022.The city's leader Carrie Lam said the city is facing an "unprecedented challenge" and insists nobody could have predicted the latest wave. But according to Hong Kong University clinical virologist Siddharth Sridhar, the situation was a "predictable and preventable disaster."Read MoreFor two years, as the pandemic raged around the world, Hong Kong largely contained the virus, and there was a growing feeling the city might keep the virus out forever. As cases rose this year, the government reimposed its strictest rules, limiting public gatherings to two, closing restaurants and bars after 6 p.m., and roping off public playgrounds. But it still wasn't enough. With few other levers to pull, the government plans to launch a mandatory mass testing drive in an attempt to purge the city of Covid. Schools will break for summer early and be repurposed as isolation, testing and vaccination facilities. And it's still unclear whether a citywide lockdown is on the cards. "March is going to be a very, very difficult time," said Sridhar. "(It's) definitely an unprecedented health crisis for Hong Kong."For a city that has already put up with two years of tough restrictions, news of citywide testing has proved too much for some residents who are frantically looking for a flight out. And while vaccines mean Hong Kong is better off than it would have been two years ago, immunization rates are still lagging among its elderly population -- meaning many of the city's most vulnerable are still unprotected. What went wrong in Hong KongAt Queen Elizabeth, one of Hong Kong's largest hospitals, patients sit in a sparse, windowless observation room while they wait for a bed in an isolation ward. Two nurses, who asked not to be named because they fear repercussions for speaking out, told CNN last week the observation room smells of feces -- there are no restrooms, so patients are forced to use bedpans.The nurses say staff shortages mean there's often a delay in checking on patients as more arrive for care, and there are too many people wanting treatment and not enough beds. The situation doesn't change, yet we still cannot stop. The situation is hopelessHong Kong nurse"A patient is unlikely to get into an isolation ward unless that patient is on the verge of dying," one staffer said. "No matter how hard we work, the situation doesn't change, yet we still cannot stop. The situation is hopeless." The hospital's morgue is overflowing and some bodies are being stored for hours at room temperature, according to one of the nurses.A medicine and geriatrics doctor at another hospital in Hong Kong, who asked not to be named as she fears repercussions, said the sheer number of patients was "astounding," with some waiting up to four days to be seen by a doctor. "It's so packed and spread so thin for manpower, you have like one nurse seeing 20 patients," she said last week. "What we're seeing here is nothing I've ever seen before."Covid-19 patients seen laying on beds outside the Caritas Medical Center in Hong Kong. In a statement to CNN, the Hospital Authority said it was facing "unprecedented challenges," and apologized to patients who had experienced long wait times. With a sharp increase in Covid-19 deaths due to the cold weather, the "storage space in hospital mortuaries has reached full capacity," the statement said.In a briefing Tuesday, health officials said they are adding refrigerated containers and expediting the construction of a new mortuary to provide at least 800 extra units. To date, Hong Kong has recorded 1,554 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, up from 213 at the end of December 2021.Covid patients outside the Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong on February 25, 2022.A Covid patient on a stretcher outside the Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong on February 25, 2022. That surge in cases is also putting pressure on hospital wards.Previously, all Covid positive cases were placed in hospital, and any close contacts into government-run quarantine -- even if they were asymptomatic. But with soaring cases, it became no longer feasible to quarantine all positive cases and close contacts. "Our healthcare system is at the edge of collapse," the Hong Kong Doctors Union said in an open letter in February.But some positive cases are desperate to be admitted to government-run facilities, no matter how sick they are, because for much of the pandemic they've been told that's the right thing to do, Hong Kong University professor Jin Dong-yan said. That's not only putting pressure on the system, he said, but is exposing others to infection."They just hang around, come to this or that hospital, just hoping to be admitted," he said last month. "They might spread the virus to others."The situation is also being exacerbated by Hong Kong's high proportion of unvaccinated people.People really started to believe that even the miniscule risk associated with vaccination was higher than the risk of CovidKaren Grepin, University of Hong KongAs of this week, 78% of the population -- excluding those aged 3 to 11 -- are double vaccinated, but just 48% of people aged 70 or older have received two doses. At the start of this year, just 25% of people age 80 or over had been vaccinated. On Friday, government officials said vaccinating the elderly was now a public health priority, describing care homes as "hot spots" for the virus. And as of Friday, the wait time between the first and second doses of the Chinese-made Sinovac shot would be reduced from 28 days to 21 days for the elderly. The low vaccination rate among the elderly appears to be playing out in the city's death toll. Almost all of the city's Covid-19 deaths reported this year are elderly and unvaccinated -- and many of them lived in care homes. Stephanie Law, an executive committee member from the Elderly Services Association of Hong Kong, said for many older residents, concerns about Covid vaccine side effects outweighed the risks of getting the disease. "In the past, a lot of people felt that it's not a priority to have the vaccine," she said. Now, care workers feel "helpless" as the virus spreads through homes, where some residents live four or six people to a room, she said.Karen Grepin, an associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong, said the narrative in the city had evolved to the point that people had started to believe Hong Kong could keep the virus out forever."People really started to believe that even the miniscule risk associated with vaccination was higher than the risk of Covid," she said."We are paying for that complacency."Why Hong Kong is unable to shiftHong Kong isn't the only zero-Covid place in the world to experience an outbreak. Both New Zealand and Singapore spent more than a year shut off from the world. During that time, they prepared for an inevitable outbreak. They increased vaccination rates, especially in their most vulnerable populations, and adjusted their public messaging from eradicating Covid to living with the virus, albeit with precautions. And while both countries are now experiencing a spike in cases, neither are seeing the same level of deaths as Hong Kong.In both countries, more than 90% of those age 70 or over are fully vaccinated -- far higher than in Hong Kong, despite vaccines being available in the city for a year. Health care workers collect swab samples at a Covid-19 testing facility in Hong Kong on February 24.Pedestrians along a near empty street at night in Hong Kong, February 24, 2022.Experts say Hong Kong could have done more to emphasize the importance of vaccination -- especially among the elderly and vulnerable. Unlike many places in the West, Hong Kong didn't push vaccines as a way out of the pandemic because living with the virus has so far been rejected as an option. The Hong Kong government is ultimately answerable to China's ruling Communist Party, which maintains a stringent "zero-Covid" policy and has touted its suppression of the virus as evidence of the supposed superiority of its one-party system over Western democracies, especially the United States. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed Hong Kong to "take all necessary measures" to contain the outbreak.A theory based on this idea that you can keep Covid out of your population forever just defies any sort of logicDr. Ramanan Laxminarayan, Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy"With central government's support and the Hong Kong People's unity, we will certainly triumph over this pandemic," Lam said last Tuesday. "After the storm we will see a rainbow again."Lam has maintained the latest measures are not dictated by Beijing, and instead are the result of the two sides "exchanging ideas."Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan, the founder and director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy, says Beijing believes its Covid policy is superior to other countries."It's the narrative that China will always be free of Covid that will be problematic for China going forward," he said. "A theory based on this idea that you can keep Covid out of your population forever just defies any sort of logic."China's strategy is also driven by public health concerns. Mainland China, unlike Hong Kong, has yet to authorize an mRNA vaccine, despite questions over the efficacy over its domestically produced shots. And a study by mathematicians at the country's prestigious Peking University found that China could face more than 630,000 Covid-19 infections a day if it dropped its zero-tolerance policies by reopening its borders. Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist at China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said this week that the zero-Covid policy won't remain unchanged forever -- but added there was "no need to open the door at the peak of the global epidemic."Workers build isolation units in Hong Kong on February 27, 2022.An aerial view of the Tsing Yi mobile cabin hospital under construction on February 27, 2022, in Hong KongAn uncertain futureAs other places around the world open up and learn to live with Covid, Hong Kong still has some of the strictest border rules in the world, including a ban on most non-Hong Kong residents entering. And for many in the city, the apparent absence of a more forward-facing plan is difficult to bear. Within days of the announcement of mass testing, a new Facebook group for advice on relocating had attracted more than 3,900 members, with some saying they wanted to get out before citywide testing started. One 37-year-old mother of two who asked not to be named for privacy reasons said last week she was leaving the city for Australia -- and was unsure if or when she'll be back. She worried that Hong Kong's public health measures could mean her son, who has an autoimmune disease, might not be able to get the hospital treatment he needs and that her children could be separated from her if they test positive."I feel like the kids are being punished the most throughout this whole thing. It's not fair on them," she said, referring to the restrictions. "(The public health policy) scares me more than the virus itself."JUST WATCHEDBaby with Covid separated from family and quarantined alone in Hong KongReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBaby with Covid separated from family and quarantined alone in Hong Kong 03:41Many locals, too, are growing frustrated. James Hov, 31, poured his life savings into a barbershop that has been closed for weeks under the restrictions. He worries he could lose his business and struggle to pay off the engagement ring he bought for his future spouse."You can't end Covid. Closing barbershops but having a cluster of people on trains for their daily commute -- it's moronic -- I'm not so sure any logic was behind it," he said.One 25-year-old tattoo artist who asked not to use her real name as she is afraid of repercussions, said last month she is continuing her business underground despite a current ban. She is refusing to get a vaccine as she doesn't trust either the Chinese or Pfizer vaccines available in the city. She is skeptical of Hong Kong's policies, which she said were merely there to satisfy China. "It's harming society, it's harming economics, it's harming people's well-being," she said. For Hong Kong, there's an unprecedented health crisis ahead, and then little light at the end of the tunnel -- even if the city opens up, another wave is inevitable, said virologist Sridhar. "We're just waiting for either the next wave or a shift in stance from the powers that be."

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

2022-03-11 12:36:20

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/11/health/covid-endemic-pandemic-anniversary-america-patient-gupta/index.html

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Is America ready to take the next step in its Covid-19 recovery? - CNN

As we reach the second anniversary of the World Health Organization acknowledging Covid-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, we appear to be standing on the edge of the endemic phase of this global health crisis. For many, that's the moment when we hope we can get back to our regular lives.

health, Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Is America ready to take the next step in its Covid-19 recovery? - CNN

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Is America ready to take the next step in its Covid-19 recovery?

(CNN)As we reach the second anniversary of the World Health Organization acknowledging Covid-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, we appear to be standing on the edge of the endemic phase of this global health crisis. For many, that's the moment when we hope we can get back to our regular lives. Several times during this pandemic, I have written essays about America as if the country was my patient. The current situation has me thinking along those lines again. Doctors, like anyone else, love to give good news. We see the value of hope but also recognize that honesty must be our North Star. I would love to be the good guy here and tell my patient that it's time to be discharged from this chapter of our lives. But a doctor's job is to fully assess the situation and lean into the nuance, as opposed to simple axioms. Time for a physicalSo let's examine America, the patient. On the one hand, the numbers are going down. Cases of Covid-19 are more than a third lower this week than they were last week and the lowest they've been since July, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. And the number of people hospitalized is about a fifth of what it was during the country's mid-January peak. Even deaths, the so-called lagging indicator, have been falling; they're at their lowest point in two months. Read MoreAll 50 states are in the process of lifting restrictions. On March 26, Hawaii will become the last state to end its indoor mask mandate. Requiring masks in K-12 schools cut Covid-19 infections, study showsAt the federal level, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made big changes in late February. Instead of primarily using levels of coronavirus transmission within a community as the key metric for determining mask guidance, the agency recommends that three data points be considered instead: new Covid-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity and Covid-19 cases. So now, instead of a transmission map that paints most of the country an "inflamed" red, the community levels map shows a lot of cooler green and yellow, with a bit of orange -- the new low, medium and high categories. Since that change, there has been a big drop in the percentage of Americans living under masking recommendations, from 99% under the old metrics to just about 2% now.And at the start of the month, the White House unveiled its National Covid-19 Preparedness Plan. The new plan focuses on "vaccines, treatments, tests, masks," White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said. "These tools are how we continue to protect people and enable us to move forward safely and get back to our more normal routines."As part of that, government testing and treatment initiatives are being streamlined and made more widely available. A closer lookBut in medicine, we cannot rely on lab results and a medical history. We need to perform a thorough and detailed exam. And when we do that, a more complete picture of the patient emerges. First on CNN: Biden administration set to extend travel mask mandate for another monthTruth is, America, my patient still has an active infection. Although the numbers are falling, they are still painfully high: The country is averaging just under 37,000 new cases of Covid-19 a day. It's as if saying the patient used to have a very high fever but now only has a moderately high fever. The point is, it's still too high. We wouldn't stop treating the patient's infection at this point but rather complete the course of treatment and care.There's also the issue of understanding the effects the illness may have on my patient in the future. In this case, it means acknowledging an entirely new disease: long Covid. Many Americans are enduring the lingering effects of a past infection, battling health conditions like fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, cardiac issues. The list of long Covid symptoms is lengthy and varied; there are no answers as to who and why, nor are there easy, one-size-fits-all treatments. We are in the early days of this disease, but I was particularly struck by the recent paper indicating a previous Covid infection being a significant risk factor for future heart problems.And, even more important, there are still about 30,000 Americans hospitalized for Covid and, on average, more than 1,250 deaths a day. That's the equivalent of about two jumbo jets dropping out of the sky every day. My patient still needs lots of care.Other factors at playDespite the less red and inflamed transmission map, it still shows there's a lot of virus out there. If the virus came in the form of a raindrop, parts of our country would still be getting drenched. I have often imagined how different things would be if we could have actually seen the virus -- little green particles circulating around people's noses and mouths and becoming airborne. What if we had been able to witness its destruction and journey into blood vessels and lungs? This invisible enemy circumvented our basic human ability to detect a threat and, as a result, made us more likely to ignore and even deny it. Covid-19 safety tips to consider as you return to workI would remind my patient we have been here before. We experienced moments of genuine hope earlier and then witnessed how quickly things can change. In the summer of 2021, the Delta variant surprised us, and in December, Omicron blindsided us. Both times, the spikes caused by these variants followed declarations of victory heralding the end of the pandemic. Currently, there is a subvariant of Omicron called BA.2 that may spread even faster than Omicron itself. According to the latest figures from the CDC, it now makes up about 11.6% of Covid cases in the US; the week before, 6.6%. BA.2 is the dominant variant in Denmark, the United Kingdom, India, South Africa and more than a dozen other countries. According to the World Health Organization, studies estimate it is 30% more contagious than the original Omicron (BA.1). And while studies suggest that BA.2 is not more likely to lead to hospitalization than BA.1, another patient that I've been keeping an eye on, the United Kingdom, is seeing cases and hospitalizations starting to trend up again after declining steadily since mid-January. Sometimes, doctors gain a lot of information from watching how other patients are faring. Podcast: Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta Again, I get it. I would love to look at these past two years in the rearview mirror as well, but we need to learn the lessons of this pandemic and apply that knowledge in real time. Today. Now.Delta and Omicron represent two cautionary tales in the span of a few months. It would be shortsighted to ignore that reality, believing it will never happen again. A blend of science and judgment The International Epidemiology Association's Dictionary of Epidemiology defines a pandemic as "an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people." Two years ago, when we made the decision to use the word pandemic on CNN, before the CDC or WHO, it was fairly straightforward -- fundamentally, it was an exercise in math and data analysis. My producers and I spent a lot of time looking at whiteboards where we kept tabs on the growing numbers and locations of Covid-19 cases. One day, I remember thinking, "If this isn't the very definition of a pandemic, I don't know what is. So why is no one else calling it that?" And so we did.JUST WATCHEDDr. Gupta: Here's why CNN is calling this a pandemic (2020)ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDr. Gupta: Here's why CNN is calling this a pandemic (2020) 04:40 Although the line was clear entering the pandemic, it will be much fuzzier as we approach endemicity. A disease is considered endemic when it is a "constant presence ... within a given geographic area or population group." It would also be predictable in its rate of spread without causing the level of disruption it does in a pandemic. But what is considered disruptive may be very different in one country compared with another, even from one person to the next. Progressing into this next phase will be based on a blend of science and judgment. What the exam reveals So if America were my patient, the question I would be asking: Is it really time to downgrade the country's present-day condition from pandemic to endemic? It's analogous in some ways to deciding when to discharge my surgical patients to the general care floor from the intensive care unit. This season's flu vaccine seems to be a poor match, early CDC data shows, but it's been a mild flu seasonI make rounds in the intensive care unit, carefully reviewing each patient's chart -- full of lab results, metrics and data. And then I sit at the bedside, watching, examining and understanding how they really feel. Can they stand on their own, put a fork to their mouth and a comb through their hair? Are their basic bodily functions returning to normal, and can they get by independently? It is a judgment call. Two people can have the same vital signs but be in very different places. If America were my patient, what would I see when I sit at its bedside? Beyond 1,300 people dying a day, I would make note that almost 60,000 people died of Covid-19 during the month of February alone. In other words, more people died of Covid-19 in one month than die of the flu during a bad year. So the question ultimately is: What is too disruptive? What are we willing to tolerate? At what point do we as a society throw up our hands and say, "We can't do any better than this," so let's call this level of sickness and death "endemic," accept the numbers and move on with our lives? And of course, my patient, America, lives on a planet with lots of other patients, all part of an intricate ecosystem. We must realize that America's health is dependent on the health of all the other patients on the planet: When any one of us is at risk, we are all at risk. Finding a measure of peace and quiescence None of this is easy. It's why epidemiologist and author Dr. Larry Brilliant said that "endemic" is a terrible word. "Smallpox was 'endemic' when it killed somewhere between a third and half a billion people in the 20th century. Malaria is endemic, and it's killing millions. Tuberculosis is endemic. And HIV/AIDS was sort of thrown out of people's consciousness by just labeling it 'endemic,' " he said. Brilliant, who is CEO of Pandefense Advisory and a senior adviser at the Skoll Foundation, was a key player on the WHO team that eradicated smallpox. Coronavirus wastewater data, CDC guidelines can give mixed signals on whether to maskHe pointed out that the technical definition of "endemic" is a disease that is generating an expected number of cases, to the expected community and the expected time. "And because [Covid-19] is a baby of a disease ... it's way too early to try to figure out what is endemicity. We have to wait for it to become a teenager and see how it behaves," he said. Brilliant prefers the term "quiescent." "We want this thing to be quiet," he said. He recalled that in the early days of 2020, he and other epidemiologists and public health experts speculated that the illness would come in waves. "A wave is a really good metaphor to think about this. Sometimes, the waves come in a bunch at a time, and sometimes there's not a wave for hours, even days. Some waves are too small to really be called waves. But every once in a while, there's a rogue wave, this tsunami." Here's how to get free antiviral medicine if you test positive for Covid-19He explained, "what we want is the interval [between waves] to be long and the water in the waves to be quiescent. And that's what we're trying to say when people use the word 'endemic.' ... To say that the pandemic has gone endemic is failure -- it's not success. We haven't put it where we want it. So it's the wrong way of thinking about it." Plus, said Brilliant, saying that the pandemic is over means "we give up our duty of care."He believes we still have a duty of care to the immunocompromised, the elderly, the vulnerable and, yes, even the unvaccinated, because they are the ones disproportionately dying. Life with an endemic disease Humans are increasingly living side by side with pathogens that were once in the wild but then took hold among us. We might not like it, and sometimes the pathogen comes too close for comfort, but we learn to live with it. Take the parasite malaria. For millennia, it killed off wide swaths of the global population. In fact, the mosquito, which transmits the parasite that causes disease, is one of the most prolific killers of humans worldwide. Global Covid-19 deaths surpass 6 millionInarguably, the course of humanity has been shaped by malaria: It's believed to have contributed to the fall of Rome, and for hundreds of years, it helped protect Africa from European colonization even as it infected the local population. (And it's why the gene for sickle cell anemia, which is protective against malaria, never died off evolutionarily.) In this country, Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln grappled with it. The disease stunted the physical and economic growth of the rural South through the 1930s, and it is why the precursor to the CDC was founded. It's an understatement to say man has been living with malaria for a very long time. And although we may not have eradicated it from the face of the Earth or completely tamed it, we have learned to coexist with it and reduced it to an endemic disease in a shrinking number of countries. The United States eradicated it in 1951. How did we do that? By arming ourselves with knowledge. Through scientific research, we learned about where malaria comes from and how it is spread. We developed mitigation strategies and medications to blunt its impact. And our work is still not done: In 2020, malaria killed an estimated 627,000 people, the vast majority of them children in sub-Saharan Africa.Early detection, rapid responseMany experts, including Brilliant, are pretty sure that Covid-19 is here to stay. Like the common cold (also often caused by a coronavirus) or the flu, it's expected to be part of our lives for the next 10, 50 or 100 years, and life will never be quite the same again. Burnout may be changing your brain. Here's what to do But we can improve the situation and learn to live with it. "We want the disease to occur in places that we expect it, in the numbers that we expect, so we know how to deal with it," Brilliant said. "You can go to Hawaii on vacation and not worry. Your kids can go to school. And you don't need to worry about going to dinner with your parents or your grandparents. Maybe it's quiet and you have to still wear masks. Maybe it's quiet and you still have to be tested before you go someplace. But it's not on the front page every day." The key, said Brilliant, is two-part: early detection and rapid response. For that to happen, we have to have good monitoring tools and be nimble going into and out of protective mode. Maybe that means we carry a mask in our coat pocket during wintertime, just like we take an umbrella when the forecast predicts rain; maybe we keep a box of rapid tests and a packet of antivirals in the bathroom cabinet for when we are under the weather; maybe we close a school but like we do with the flu -- with surgical precision, using a scalpel instead of a chainsaw.The good news, Brilliant said, is that moving forward, our tools -- vaccines, surveillance, tests, treatments, prophylactics -- will only get better. The inescapable fact is that we live in the era of pandemics. There are simply more and more opportunities for a pathogen, like the SARS-CoV-2 virus, to come in contact with the human population, make the jump and take hold. It's a dance we are increasingly doing because we are infringing more and more on the microbes' territory. Population growth, deforestation, climate change all contribute to this. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. These pathogens are going to keep emerging in humans, but pandemics are not inevitable. Humans have evolved to create remarkable public health tools to prevent that, just as long we are smart and humane enough to use them. My patient -- America -- is still in precarious health and will have to be careful moving forward to maintain all of the gains and continue making progress. Both the patient and doctors will have to remain vigilant and act quickly if there's any new infection. It's just not time for my patient to completely drop their guard, however much we would all like that to happen. We can and should be hopeful, but honesty must lead the way, full and transparent. CNN's Andrea Kane contributed to this report.

Tasnim Ahmed and Katherine Dillinger, CNN

2022-03-01 22:13:35

health

health

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/01/health/140-million-covid-19-infections/index.html

CDC estimates 140 million US Covid-19 infections - CNN

There have been an estimated 140 million Covid-19 infections in the US, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, even though only 74.3 million cases have been reported as of January 31.

health, CDC estimates 140 million US Covid-19 infections - CNN

CDC estimates 140 million US Covid-19 infections

(CNN)There have been an estimated 140 million Covid-19 infections in the US, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, even though only 74.3 million cases have been reported as of January 31.The data comes from the CDC's nationwide antibody seroprevalence survey, in which it's working with state, local, academic and commercial partners to test blood samples for antibodies to the coronavirus triggered by infection, not by vaccination. By measuring Covid-19 seroprevalence, the study provides an estimate of the percentage of the population that was previously infected.The blood samples are submitted to commercial labs for unrelated reasons, such as routine medical checkups, and identifying information is removed. Every two weeks, researchers collected data from these samples, which encompass all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.Covid-19 is killing more people now than during most of the pandemic. Here's who's still at riskThe agency estimates that about 43% of the country has had the virus as of late January, including almost 60% of children up to age 18, nearly half of people 18 to 49, 37% of those 50 to 64 and 23% of those 65 and older. Wisconsin has the highest seroprevalence, with an estimated 56.1% of its population infected by the coronavirus at some point. Vermont has the lowest, at 17.8%. Estimates for Nevada, Utah, Arizona and North Dakota could not be provided due to low numbers of samples from these states. Read More"I think this reflects more exposure than immunity," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "I think what people should take from that is about half the country's been infected with Covid-19, which is pretty extraordinary itself."The statistics recorded from this seroprevalence survey are a big jump from the 74.3 million total number of Covid-19 cases reported, which is measured using antigen testing or PCR testing of viral RNA. This difference may lie with a large portion of asymptomatic or mild cases of Covid-19 that are not identified through testing, leading to an underestimate of total Covid-19 infections. Many people have also recently been relying on at-home Covid-19 antigen tests, which generally are not reflected in the CDC databases. As the CDC shifts masking guidance, Americans are split on path forwardKeri Althoff, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNN that although the CDC data can accurately say who does or doesn't have antibodies, "what it doesn't tell us is: Are those antibodies high enough to actually protect against infection if the virus would come that person's way again?" The presence of antibodies does not imply protection from reinfection, and the survey does not measure how much antibody is present. Studies have shown that the level of protective antibodies created from an infection can last longer than those from vaccination, but the CDC does not recommend using antibody testing to assess for immunity to Covid-19."The Covid infections themselves have created a lot of immunity. How durable, how strong, what the duration of that immunity is, remains to be determined," said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At the end of November, according to the CDC estimates, there had been 102.9 million infections. This would mean more than 30 million infections came in December and January, as the Omicron wave swept the country.Making -- and muddling -- the case for mask and vaccine mandatesAccording to Hotez, the Omicron variant mainly affects the upper respiratory system, "and there's literature there that says the upper respiratory coronaviruses do not induce much in the way in terms of durable protection," he told CNN. Though it's not possible to draw conclusions about overall immunity against reinfection from these studies, they do provide scientists and policy makers with a broad overview of how the population was affected by the pandemic."What these data are designed to give us a sense of is: What's the magnitude of the issue? It's a little like looking at some mountains across a big plain. You can see where the mountains rise, where they peak and where they fall. You don't have to count every tree to get the big picture," Schaffner said. For example, as hospitalization and death rates trend down, this data can explain why. "These data ... give us some expectation, assuming that this protection lasts for a while, that we can continue to plan about moving from the pandemic phase to the endemic phase," Schaffner said. "These data undoubtedly played a substantial role in the CDCs decision to revise its masking recommendations."However, there are limitations to the data. Althoff said that because it sources blood work done for non-Covid purposes, it's important to consider who is being left out of the study.Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team."Who's having blood work done? People who have access to health care. And what do we know about this virus? ... It disproportionately impacted communities of lower socioeconomic statuses, communities that also tend to have a lower access to health care," she said, noting that the seroprevalence measure is probably an underestimate. Nevertheless, the data offers a snapshot of one source of immunity for the US population."As we're peeling back these mandates ... it's important to know we've got a pretty good cushion of population immunity going on right now. And we're going to have to watch it closely, because that will wane," Althoff said.

Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN

2022-03-07 05:24:38

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/politics/vladimir-putin-ukraine-carnage-analysis/index.html

Analysis: Putin is wreaking carnage in Ukraine and no one can stop him - CNNPolitics

Millions of lives could be destroyed to slake Vladimir Putin's Cold War obsession.

politics, Analysis: Putin is wreaking carnage in Ukraine and no one can stop him - CNNPolitics

Putin is wreaking carnage in Ukraine and no one can stop him

(CNN)Millions of lives could be destroyed to slake Vladimir Putin's Cold War obsession.Less than three weeks into Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- a historic outrage 30 years in the making -- the world is looking on in horror at the barbarity, human tragedy, appalling destruction and worldwide reverberations sparked by one man's orders.Ukraine's fate starkly underlines that even 20 years into the 21st century and despite the world's vows to learn from history, a lone autocrat who has ruthlessly fashioned a political system to eliminate dissent and reality itself has the power to cause unfathomable human loss and misery.Putin's apparent willingness to bombard Ukraine into submission and clearly gratuitous targeting of the innocent civilians he insisted are Russian kin mean the humanitarian disaster is likely only just beginning. More than a million refugees have already fled their homes, according to the United Nations. Millions more will likely follow -- as family lives, jobs and communities are shattered. That's without the thousands of civilians sure to die in a prolonged Russian blitzkrieg.While there is speculation about Putin's goals and state of mind and huge public interest in the courage of Ukrainians vowing to resist the invasion, it is critical for the world to properly understand the basic reality of the apparent war crimes that are now occurring in Ukraine.Read MoreUS officials identify 3 areas where US may take action soon on UkraineIn a Kyiv suburb on Sunday, two small children and two adults were obliterated by Russian shelling as they tried to flee. "A family died ... in front of my eyes," Oleksandr Markushyn, the mayor of Irpin, said. Meanwhile, the dead lay unburied in the smoldering wreckage of Kharkiv -- a city of 1.5 million people, which was under a prolonged bombardment that served as a warning of Kyiv's likely fate to come. Other Ukrainians were trapped by shocking Russian shelling of humanitarian corridors. Photos and video of Ukrainian men putting their families on evacuation trains and heading out to fight are reviving the trauma of a continent's blood-soaked history.If harrowing video of Ukraine was in black and white, it would be easy to mistake it for historic newsreel of World War II, the last time such scenes of devastation and cruelty were inflicted by one sovereign nation on another in Europe.And it all flows from the mind of a Russian President apparently motivated by his own historic scars as a KGB officer in East Germany when the Berlin Wall fell. Putin, seeking to redraw the post-Cold War map of Europe, has now engineered the counterpoint to those joyous scenes three decades later in his relentless bombardments designed to revive Russia as a superpower.Ukraine's future looks increasingly bleakThe events of a bloody weekend underscore that despite the West's impressive ramping up of sanctions strangling the Russian economy and the courage of resisting Ukrainian civilians and the pleas of their president, Ukraine's future is bleak, with Putin having raised questions about it continuing to exist as a nation state.Massive Western sanctions might eventually whip up sufficient opposition inside Russia, where citizens are struggling under a collapsing economy, to topple Putin. Arms shipments to Ukraine from the West will certainly increase the cost to Moscow's forces of the invasion and possible occupation. But the reality that the West will not intervene directly to avoid triggering an escalation with Russia that could spark a nuclear exchange grants Putin an advantage and deepens Ukraine's tragedy. Sooner or later, the outside world may find itself looking on at a massacre it was powerless to prevent. This terrible possibility was raised in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest heartbreaking appeal for help on Sunday."We are humans, and it's your humanitarian duty to protect us, protect civilians, and you can do it," Zelensky told the world."If you don't do it, if you at least don't give us airplanes so that we could defend ourselves, that the only conclusion remains -- you also want us to be very slowly killed."Putin is still dictating eventsWhile the US is talking with Poland about a plan to send its Russian-made warplanes to Ukraine and there is debate about a full embargo on Russian oil exports, the West is close to hitting the limit of what can be done without triggering a direct conflict with Putin. Thus, US messaging is beginning to stress the magnitude of what has already been done to help. That includes western sanctions that have thrown the Russian economy back into a Soviet-era dark age and the arsenals of anti-tank and anti-aircraft rockets poured into Ukraine in the West's new proxy war with Russia.As Americans cursed Putin over the weekend with gasoline soaring well above $4 a gallon in some states because of an oil market rocked by the invasion, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on CNN's "State of the Union" that the Russian leader's savagery was still dictating events.Stocks sink while oil soars after US and allies consider banning Russian oil "Vladimir Putin has, unfortunately, the capacity -- with the sheer manpower that he has in Ukraine and the overmatch that he has -- the ability to keep grinding things down, against incredibly resilient and courageous Ukrainians," he told Jake Tapper.Speaking from Moldova, a non-NATO US ally that fears it might be next in Putin's firing line, Blinken seemed to be looking ahead to a post-invasion future in which a western-supported Ukrainian resistance might make Putin's troops pay a heavy price."I think we have to be prepared for this to last for some time. But just winning a battle is not winning the war. Taking a city does not mean he's taking the hearts and minds of the Ukrainian people," Blinken said. "On the contrary, he is destined to lose. The Ukrainian people have demonstrated that they will not allow themselves to be subjugated to Vladimir Putin or to Russia's rule."Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, also stressed the severity of Western sanctions but signaled that Zelensky's plea for immediate EU membership was unlikely to be fast tracked."Nobody doubts that these brave Ukrainian people and the outstanding leadership of President Zelensky, all fighting for our common values, that they belong to our European family," von der Leyen told Tapper. "And with the application, President Zelensky set a process in motion. This process will take some time."Putin's personal crusadeThe way that Putin has single-handedly pushed his country into war, crushed internal dissent and berated apparently bemused national security aides on television has underscored how much of the Ukraine war is a personal crusade.His unhinged and ahistorical speeches about the war -- including his false claims he is trying to denazify Ukraine -- have sparked concern about whether a leader once seen as a ruthless and cool broker of Russia's national interests has slipped into a parallel mental reality. That, along with his nuclear threats, have caused concern about how far a desperate Russian leader, who has effectively made his own political survival contingent on a war that is turning into a quagmire, might go.JUST WATCHEDRubio: Russia will 'destroy and level entire cities' in UkraineReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRubio: Russia will 'destroy and level entire cities' in Ukraine 01:14"He is now engaged in a conflict where he's either going to have a costly military victory, followed by a costly occupation that he can't afford, or he's going to get caught in a long-term military quagmire, at the same time as he's facing a second front, which is an economy in free-fall in his own country," Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said on "State of the Union.""So, the combination of these two things, I think, puts us in a very dangerous place. And that is, he's going to have to do something, some escalation, some amplification of this crisis, in order to restore strategic balance, in his view, with the West. And I'm worried about what those things could be."So far, in the two-and-a-half weeks since the invasion, Putin has done nothing but escalate, despite a calm Western reaction to his nuclear provocations. It remains unclear how he would react to the possibility that Poland or Romania might provide fighter jets to Ukraine -- a step that appears to drag two ex-Warsaw Pact nations closer to indirect conflict with Russia.The record of the invasion, however, shows that regardless of how much pain new Western steps might inflict, they are unlikely to stop Putin playing out his obsession that Ukraine must never be allowed to join the West -- even if that means blowing it and its people to smithereens.As Zelensky put it in a new video message Sunday evening, "The aggressor's audacity is a clear signal to the West that sanctions imposed against Russia are not enough."

Chloe Melas, CNN

2022-03-06 16:47:14

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/06/entertainment/sting-russians-song/index.html

Sting posts video of himself singing his 1985 song 'Russians' amid war in Ukraine - CNN

Sting says his 1985 song "Russians" is more relevant than ever due to the war in Ukraine.

entertainment, Sting posts video of himself singing his 1985 song 'Russians' amid war in Ukraine - CNN

Sting posts video of himself singing his 1985 song 'Russians' amid war in Ukraine

(CNN)Sting says his 1985 song "Russians" is more relevant than ever due to the war in Ukraine. The Grammy winner posted a video on Instagram of himself singing the song. In the caption he wrote, "I've only rarely sung this song in the many years since it was written, because I never thought it would be relevant again. But, in the light of one man's bloody and woefully misguided decision to invade a peaceful, unthreatening neighbor, the song is, once again, a plea for our common humanity. For the brave Ukrainians fighting against this brutal tyranny and also the many Russians who are protesting this outrage despite the threat of arrest and imprisonment - We, all of us, love our children. Stop the war." View this post on Instagram A post shared by STING (@theofficialsting) "Russians" is off Sting's debut solo album "The Dream of the Blue Turtles" and is about the Cold War. In it Sting sings, "There is no monopoly on common sense/On either side of the political fence/We share the same biology, regardless of ideology/Believe me when I say to you/I hope the Russians love their children too."He went on to post the address of a place where people can send supplies to those affected by the war.

Toyin Owoseje, CNN

2022-03-04 11:01:05

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/entertainment/mila-kunis-ashton-kutcher-ukraine-intl-scli/index.html

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher vow to match $3 million in donations for Ukrainian refugees - CNN

"Proud Ukrainian" Mila Kunis and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, have pledged to match up to $3 million in donations to help refugees fleeing her native country amid the conflict with Russia.

entertainment, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher vow to match $3 million in donations for Ukrainian refugees - CNN

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher vow to match $3 million in donations for Ukrainian refugees

(CNN)"Proud Ukrainian" Mila Kunis and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, have pledged to match up to $3 million in donations to help refugees fleeing her native country amid the conflict with Russia. The Hollywood couple launched a "Stand With Ukraine" GoFundMe campaign on Thursday with the goal of raising $30 million for Flexport.org and Airbnb.org, which, they said, are "two organizations who are actively on the ground providing immediate help to those who need it most." Kunis was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine -- then part of the Soviet Union -- and moved with her family to the United States at the age of 7. While acknowledging all that America has done for her and her family, she said she couldn't forget her roots."Today, I am a proud Ukrainian," the "Black Swan" star said in a statement shared on the fundraising page. "Ukrainians are proud and brave people who deserve our help in their time of need." "Our family is starting this fund to help provide immediate support," she wrote, "and we will be matching up to $3 million dollars." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) Read MoreAccording to the fundraising page, the freight transporter Flexport is organizing shipments of relief supplies to refugee sites in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova. Nonprofit Airbnb.org is providing free, short-term housing to refugees fleeing Ukraine.Kunis also appeared alongside her husband in a video shared to his Instagram account, where she spoke out about the "devastating" conflict in Ukraine. "The events that have unfolded in Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity," Kunis said. In the clip, Kutcher, 44, applauded the "bravery of the people of the country that (Kunis) was born in" while emphasizing to his 4.4 million Instragram followers "the needs of those who have chosen safety." Russia invades UkraineThe couple are the latest stars to show their support for Ukrainians affected by the conflict. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are also fundraising to help the country's refugees. "In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection. When you donate, we'll match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support," Reynolds wrote Saturday on Twitter, promoting donations to the United Nations refugee agency. According to the UN, one million refugees have fled Ukraine in just a week.

Dakin Andone, CNN

2022-03-19 10:00:19

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/19/europe/ukraine-aid-organizations-response/index.html

How aid organizations are responding to the crisis in Ukraine -- inside the country, at the border and beyond - CNN

In the parking lot of a refugee reception center just inside Poland, Ukrainian women spoke last week with a bus driver as aid worker Chris Skopec stood nearby.

europe, How aid organizations are responding to the crisis in Ukraine -- inside the country, at the border and beyond - CNN

How aid organizations are responding to the crisis in Ukraine -- inside the country, at the border and beyond

(CNN)In the parking lot of a refugee reception center just inside Poland, Ukrainian women spoke last week with a bus driver as aid worker Chris Skopec stood nearby. "It looks like I'm going to Germany," one of the war refugees told Skopec as she laughed hysterically. "How ridiculous is that?" 'We will stay here. We will fight'Then, the next moment, the woman was weeping, Skopec recalled. Her husband and two sons were still far inside Ukraine, where humanitarian needs were burgeoning amid Russia's bombardment. Here she was, at the first meager waypoint on her migrant journey. And if she took this ride, she'd be headed into the unknown, unsure where she'd even sleep."And she got on the bus," Skopec, executive vice president of global health for Project HOPE, told CNN. "That's everyone's story." More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began more than three weeks ago, according to the International Organization for Migration, or IOM, and legions more flee to the border every day. Meantime, many more of Ukraine's 45 million residents remain in a country where active conflict has cut off access to basic supplies like medicine.Read MoreTo serve their needs, the United Nations and its partners on March 1 launched an emergency appeal for $1.7 billion. Of that, $1.1 billion would go toward helping 6 million people inside Ukraine over the next three months and nearly $551 million help support Ukrainians who fled to other countries in the region.Aid groups are working now to address the massive humanitarian crisis -- inside Ukraine, along the country's borders and in places of refuge far beyond. At each stage, Ukrainians face distinct needs, aid officials have found, and delivering proper resources at each one is no easy task.Inside Ukraine, everything is neededThe need for medical supplies inside Ukraine is so great that Skopec stopped compiling lists. Every hospital is saying the same thing, he told CNN: "We're running out of everything."He and a Project HOPE team traveled last weekend into Ukraine to deliver a shipment of medical supplies to a 4,000 bed, three-hospital network in Lviv. Among the supplies were specialized sutures used in a heart transplant the very next day, he said."Of course, we can talk a lot about the life we saved there, but this is a country of 45 million," he said. "So, we won't and can't stop with the idea of just helping one person."Resupplying health care facilities -- and the doctors, nurses and support staff now doing their jobs in a war zone -- is the principal focus of Project HOPE's efforts inside Ukraine, said Skopec. The 64-year-old organization's mission is supporting health care workers around the world.A medical worker walks through the hall of a maternity hospital damaged in a shelling attack on March 9 in Mariupol, Ukraine.But as the demand for health care services inside Ukraine is greater than ever, the nation's supply chain has been severely disrupted, Skopec told CNN. He compared the needs to those of American doctors and nurses at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic: In Ukraine, health care workers in clinical settings are running out of masks and trauma supplies.Another aid group, Americares, has sent 3 tons of critical medicine and medical supplies to Ukraine, its vice president of emergency programs, Kate Dischino, said in an email. And it's working on getting more."We are getting requests from health care facilities in Ukraine running low, or stocked out of, the most essential supplies," she said.There's a heavy emphasis on trauma supplies like bandages and antibiotics due to the fighting, with at least 1,333 people injured as of Friday, per the UN Human Rights Office.But there are also people with chronic conditions who need continued access to care and medicine -- and primary care inside Ukraine is functionally nonexistent, Skopec said. For instance, an estimated 2.3 million people in Ukraine, or 7.1% of the population, live with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. And some 10,000 people in Ukraine depend on dialysis to live, several global nephrology groups said in a joint statement.A field hospital set up by medical staff with US evangelical Christian disaster relief nonprofit Samaritan's Purse operates Monday in an underground parking lot of the King Cross Leopolis shopping mall in the settlement of Sokilnyky near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv."Beyond the direct causes of conflict ... you have all of the emergency needs that every population on the earth has," Alex Wade, a Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator told CNN on Monday. "You have people who need access to insulin, people who need access to dialysis. You have pregnant women who need access to safe deliveries and, who could have complicated pregnancies, need access to surgical services. You have people with serious mental health conditions that need access to mental health services."These are all conditions where, if access is interrupted, the condition can deteriorate ... leading to serious complications or death," Wade said.And needs extend beyond medicine: Food is the most urgent one now for the Odesa Humanitarian Volunteer Center, said Inga Kordynovska, head of the group that launched after the invasion. On top of supporting locals in the port city, refugees are pouring in from other Ukrainian cities like Kherson and Mariupol, she said.Still, the nature of the conflict means there are large swathes of Ukraine where it's extremely difficult -- or impossible -- to deliver humanitarian aid.Firefighters work Monday at a building destroyed by a Russian shell in Kharkov, Ukraine.At borders, safe passage is planned for the wearyUkrainians escaping active conflict flee to the nation's borders, where their needs are distinct from those inside the war zone -- but just as pressing. Many tell similar stories: They left their homes on short notice, grabbing what they could and embarking on dayslong journeys. Some ran out of fuel or found it heavily rationed. At the border, they faced lengthy waits to cross."They're coming across exhausted, scared, angry," Skopec said. Strangers are leaving strollers, car seats, winter coats and toys at the Polish border for Ukrainian refugeesSome have medical problems that must be addressed immediately: exhaustion, dehydration or gastrointestinal problems. Project HOPE buys and distributes medical supplies to clinics and temporary shelters that receive refugees, Skopec said. It also provides hygiene kits to support public health -- and refugees' dignity.At border crossings to Poland and Romania, humanitarian workers support a refugee population still in transit, Skopec said. They move on quickly, getting tickets for buses or trains to take them further into Europe. More than 200,000 people entered Romania from Ukraine between February 24 and Wednesday, according to the IOM. The Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs' state secretary on Tuesday put that number at 425,000, saying most had moved on to other countries.People wait Tuesday to board buses for further transportation after crossing from Ukraine into Poland at the Medyka border crossing.Aid workers at border crossings register refugees so assistance can be better targeted to their needs -- a challenge in itself. CARE International is among aid partners working within existing civil infrastructure to register refugees, particularly those with extra vulnerabilities, and share it with other vetted organizations, like resettlement agencies."In the chaos of mass displacement," it's difficult to register everyone, CARE's humanitarian communications coordinator, Lucy Beck, told CNN from Isaccea, Romania, along the Danube River at the Ukraine border. "So the aim is really to put in place systems and registration to catch as many people as possible."CARE's focus on women and girls is also key: 9 in 10 fleeing violence in Ukraine are women and children, according to the UN's Children's Fund, or UNICEF. Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country and must stay to help fight the Russian invasion.People line up Monday after arriving from Ukraine at the train station in Przemysl, near the Ukrainian-Polish border.Part of CARE's mandate is protecting women and girls from gender-based violence, like rape or trafficking -- a risk as they move from one country to the next, Beck said. For example, many people have offered transportation to refugees, and while that's generous, it could also open refugees up to trafficking."There may be predatory people who will be taking some of these women and girls away," UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths told CNN. "That's an added, indecent part of this terrible conflict."Ukrainian women who escaped their country now go back to help fight the invasionIn Sighet, another Romanian border city, anyone offering refugees transport must register with aid workers so they -- like the refugees they're ferrying -- can be kept track of, Beck said. Meantime, vulnerable people, like unaccompanied children, are given specialized transportation services, she said.Volunteers and translators doing this work interact with a huge volume of people, Beck said. Needed, too, are counselors and social experts who can support those in distress or confused to keep them away from potentially dangerous situations.Border crossings are also filled with tearful goodbyes, and it's not just men. Beck met a 22-year-old woman who dropped off her 84-year-old grandparent at the border -- and then went back, she recalled."She was absolutely turning around straightaway to go back and volunteer," Beck said. "Should it come that she (is) needed to fight, she was willing to do whatever it took, I guess, to stay and help the people in Ukraine rather than choosing to leave and go somewhere safe."Refugees from Ukraine arrive March 9 at the Siret border post in Romania.Far from home, entire lives must be resetRefugees are not just working to overcome short-term challenges -- they're faced with medium- and long-term needs, as well. And the shock of leaving their homes on such short notice could reverberate for years. Warsaw alone had welcomed 300,000 people in the two weeks that ended Tuesday, Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski said. The city, he said, will help refugees, "but we are slowly becoming overwhelmed, and that's why we make a plea for help.""If you think about all the things that you do as a normal person in your hometown, all of those things need to be ... recreated for people in another country," Beck said. Adults need to jobs and language skills to help to find employment; children need school.Crowds wait for a train to Berlin at Warsaw's central train station.Of the more than 3 million refugees who have fled Ukraine, Poland has by far received the most, at more than 1.8 million as of Wednesday, per the IOM. Hundreds of thousands more have entered Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, Lithuania and countries even further west, including Hungary, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Portugal and the Netherlands, among many others, officials from those countries have said. Refugees have also arrived in Italy, where two Ukrainian schoolchildren from Lviv got a warm welcome from their Italian classmates after arriving to live with their grandmother.Refugees also need continued medical care, and the mass displacement has prompted a disruption in care for chronic diseases like HIV and tuberculosis, Doctors without Borders' emergency program manager, Kate White, told CNN. Medications for these conditions might be available for free or cheaply in Ukraine but are more expensive in other countries, she said."There is going to be a significant burden, either on the individual or on the government that welcome this population to ensure that they can have continuity of care," White said.International Committee of the Red Cross trucks wait in line Monday at the Siret border crossing in Romania on their way to deliver aid to Ukraine, in this still image taken from a video.Already, for instance, 16 Ukrainian patients whose treatment was interrupted by the invasion are getting care in Italy, the country's Civil Protection Department said Monday. Among them are nine pediatric patients in the Lazio, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions.How to help the people of Ukraine And Krakow Children's Hospital, which has had a decadeslong partnership with Project HOPE, is moving to open a separate ward for Ukrainian children, with Project HOPE contributing supplies and pharmaceuticals and installing equipment, Skopec said.For those who want to help, aid organizations need monetary donations more than relief supplies. As well-meaning as the donation of medical supplies, hygiene kits and other items might be, money allows humanitarian groups to most efficiently direct their resources, Skopec said.With cash, organizations like CARE "can look at that short-, medium- and long-term assistance," Beck said, "and working with all the other NGOs and UN, identify the gaps in those different areas and sectors, so that we can work together to make sure everything's covered across different needs."CNN's Theresa Waldrop contributed to this report.

Alaa Elassar, CNN

2022-03-20 08:01:32

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/us/harvard-students-ukraine-refugees-website-hosts-shelter/index.html

These teens created a website matching Ukrainian refugees with hosts offering shelter - CNN

Two Harvard University students have created a website connecting thousands of Ukrainian refugees with hosts around the world offering them a safe haven.

us, These teens created a website matching Ukrainian refugees with hosts offering shelter - CNN

'I couldn't sit there and do nothing': These teens created a website matching Ukrainian refugees with hosts offering shelter

(CNN)Two Harvard University students have created a website connecting thousands of Ukrainian refugees with hosts around the world offering them a safe haven.The idea was born when Avi Schiffmann attended a pro-Ukraine demonstration while visiting San Diego, where he came face to face with hundreds of Ukrainian Americans sharing distressing stories and pleading for help."I remember thinking, 'I know how to design websites with big platforms,' so how could I not do anything to help?" Schiffmann, 19, told CNN. "They need assistance, immediately and on a really big scale, and I had to find a way to make that happen as soon as possible."As of Friday, at least 847 civilians -- including 64 children -- have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in late February, according to the latest update from the United Nations Human Rights Office.More than three million people have since fled Ukraine, according to the International Organization for Migration. Thousands more head to the border every day. Meanwhile, millions of Ukrainians remain in a country where active conflict has cut off access to basic supplies and medicine.Avi Schiffmann, left, and Marco Burstein, creators of the website.Read MoreSchiffmann, who resides in Seattle while he takes a semester off school, reached out to fellow classmate and friend Marco Burstein to share his idea.Although Burstein was in Massachusetts and entangled in the middle of a busy semester, the 18-year-old computer science major signed up for the effort.For three days -- and only a few meals in between, according to Schiffmann -- the pair spent every waking moment designing, editing and perfecting a website dedicated to assisting refugees.Ukraine Take Shelter launched on March 3. Within a week more than 4,000 people had created listings offering shelter to Ukrainian refugees."For me, I'm behind a computer across the world, which is what I'm good at, but it's very disconnected sometimes," Schiffmann said. "To see so many people from countries in every corner of the world doing something to help these refugees, who need and deserve safety, is really inspiring."How aid organizations are responding to the crisis in Ukraine -- inside the country, at the border and beyondThis isn't the first time Schiffmann has used his passion for web design to help strangers.During the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, he built a website to track the impact of Covid-19. That same year, he also designed a website that tracked Black Lives Matter protests taking place across the United States."I see it like this: Almost everybody has a smart phone and internet connection," Schiffmann said. "There's always something happening around the world, an earthquake, a war, a pandemic, and there is always a way to use technology to improve the lives of people in these humanitarian crises."To date, there have been more than one million users on Ukraine Take Shelter and over 25,000 listings. Short- and long-term hosts across the world have offered whatever they can, from living room couches and spare bedrooms, to entire homes and apartments.Schiffmann and Burstein are now working on a way to allow the website to also aggregate listings from major rental platforms, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, as well as listings posted by nonprofit and government organizations.The website has caught the attention of many, including the Ukrainian government, which responded to one of Schiffmann's tweets."Dear Avi Schiffmann, many thanks for your important work," Ukrain'e official government Twitter account wrote.'This puts power back into the hands of refugees'While designing Ukraine Take Shelter, Schiffmann's and Burstein's priority was making it as easy to use as possible."When I researched what tools Ukrainian refugees had to get connected to hosts, they weren't very efficient," Schiffmann said. "This website allows refugees to not have to sit on a curb in some European country during the winter while they wait for one overwhelmed group or another to connect them." "Now they can see tens of thousands of listings around the world ready for them to match with, and all they have to do is call or text them immediately," he said.The website design is simple. Refugees enter the nearest city where they hope to flee. Then they can go through available listings, each with a description of the accommodation.More than 2.5 million Ukrainians have fled their country since Russia's invasion. Here's where they are nowFinally, the refugee can click on the phone or email button to get the personal contact information of the listing holder.The site has been translated into dozens of languages, including Ukrainian, German and Polish."This puts power back into the hands of refugees by allowing them to take the initiative, go straight to the website, enter their city and immediately find listings," Schiffmann said. "They don't need to rely on anyone else to help them find a safe place. There's millions of refugees, and it's going to be millions more, so balancing efficiency and security as well as safety is critical."Of course, there are safety concerns. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths told CNN that human traffickers might take advantage of refugees. "There may be predatory people who will be taking some of these women and girls away," he said. "That's an added, indecent part of this terrible conflict."To mitigate the risk, Ukraine Take Shelter includes warnings on each listing to guide refugees on how to safely contact a host, request a video call, and recognize possible red flags. The site also provides examples of questions to ask.Schiffmann and Burstein said they worked with experts to make sure the site was built with strong cybersecurity."It can't get hacked into, and even if someone tries. There is nothing dangerous that can geolocate the refugees or put their lives at risk," Schiffmann said. "There are safety features to make sure the refugees are in constant contact with the hosts until they arrive."The pair are currently partnering with major companies, which they can't reveal yet, to work on making sure all the listings are verified to better guarantee refugee safety. 'We want to help you find peace again'When a refugee searches the website for a host in the nearest city to them, they are met with dozens if not hundreds of options.Some are young couples who don't have much to offer but a mattress on the floor. Others are big families offering whatever space they can."We want to help you find peace again," one host from the US wrote in a listing.Many also offer to help refugees with basic necessities like food and clothes. Others offer babysitting help. Those who can't offer their homes can be found providing various forms of assistance, from donating money to pet sitting for those who need it."I have a place for one person...I know it's not so much, but I can provide a roof and food until he/she can find a job or a stable situation," another host offering to share their apartment in Paris said on the website.One of the host listings on Ukraine Take Shelter.Another host, in Poland, said: "We would like to offer a double room in our home. We don't have a big house but you will be safe, warm and fed. We have a young child so feel we could best help someone with also a young child or baby."Among the thousands of interactions taking place through Ukraine Take Shelter was one story Schiffmann said would stick with him for the rest of his life.A family in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, were looking to escape the country. After matching with a host offering their French countryside home, the family fled. Only three days later, they discovered their entire home, including the basement where they had been sheltering, was completely destroyed."That's what made me realize how real this was, that this website isn't just helping people find housing, it's saving their lives," he said. After the war ends and the website is no longer needed, the pair hope to expand their efforts to help asylum seekers find a place to call home -- if even for a brief moment."I have plans to expand to all refugees in general, refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, any victims of natural disasters or wars," Schiffmann said. "It is just as important they can find available housing, too, and we're going to make that happen."

Theresa Waldrop, CNN

2022-02-27 20:00:01

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/27/entertainment/blake-lively-ryan-reynolds-ukraine-donations/index.html

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds pledge to match donations for Ukrainian refugees up to $1 million - CNN

Actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are promising to match every donation up to $1 million for refugees fleeing war in Ukraine, the couple said on social media.

entertainment, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds pledge to match donations for Ukrainian refugees up to $1 million - CNN

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds pledge to match donations for Ukrainian refugees up to $1 million

(CNN)Actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are promising to match every donation up to $1 million for refugees fleeing war in Ukraine, the couple said on social media. "In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection. When you donate, we'll match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support," Reynolds wrote Saturday on Twitter in promoting donations to the United Nations refugee agency.Lively posted a UNHCR photo on Instagram showing a child, saying the agency is "providing life saving aid." Putin orders Russian deterrence forces onto high alert as troops battle for control of Ukrainian citiesUkrainians crowded onto trains and waited in long lines for hours to leave the country after Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on Thursday. About 368,000 refugees have managed to leave, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported Sunday. EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said Sunday the European Union needs to prepare for millions of refugees to arrive.Read More"It's very difficult to guess how many, but I think we should be prepared for millions," Johansson said. The UN agency said that because of "years of violence," more than 2 million people had left Ukraine even before Russia troops invaded last week, and almost 3 million people in Ukraine will need humanitarian assistance this year. "Those fleeing for their lives need immediate shelter, protection and safety," the non-profit USA for UNHCR said on the site where donations can be made.

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2022-02-04 17:36:24

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/04/entertainment/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-north-cec/index.html

Kim Kardashian calls out Kanye West's 'obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation' - CNN

In a rare public rebuke,Kim Kardashian has pushed back on estranged husband Kanye West's posting about their daughter North being on TikTok.

entertainment, Kim Kardashian calls out Kanye West's 'obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation' - CNN

Kim Kardashian calls out Kanye West's 'obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation'

(CNN)In a rare public rebuke,Kim Kardashian has pushed back on estranged husband Kanye West's posting about their daughter North being on TikTok.On Friday the rap mogul, who now goes by "Ye," posted a screen grab on his verified Instagram account of their eight-year-old on TikTok."Since this is my first divorce I need to know what I should do about my daughter being put on TikTok against my will," the caption read.Kardashian shot back with a statement, posted on the stories portion of her verified Instagram account, in which she wrote, "Kanye's constant attacks on me in interviews and on social media is actually more hurtful than any TikTok North might create.""As the parent who is the main provider and caregiver for our children, I am doing my best to protect our daughter while also allowing her to express her creativity in the medium that she wishes with adult supervision -- because it brings her so much happiness," the statement read. Read More"Divorce is difficult enough on our children and Kanye's obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly is only causing further pain for all."North West has a joint TikTok account with her mother, and last year Kardashian reprimanded her daughter publicly for going live on the platform without her permission. Mason Disick warned Kim Kardashian about North's TikTok activity But on Friday Kardashian used West's complaint to also address what she says has been his behavior in the midst of their split. "From the beginning, I have wanted nothing but a healthy and supportive co-parenting relationship because it is what is best for our children and it saddens me that Kanye continues to make it impossible every step of the way," the statement continued. "I wish to handle all matters regarding our children privately and hopefully he can finally respond to the third attorney he has had in the last year to resolve any issues amicably."North is the eldest of the couple's four children.The couple married in 2014 and Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021.

Donie O'Sullivan, CNN

2022-03-17 02:53:50

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/entertainment/kanye-west-trevor-noah-instagram/index.html

Kanye West suspended from Instagram for 24 hours after directing racial slur at Trevor Noah - CNN

Kanye West has been suspended from Instagram after he posted a racial slur directed at "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, a spokesperson for Meta confirmed to CNN.

entertainment, Kanye West suspended from Instagram for 24 hours after directing racial slur at Trevor Noah - CNN

Kanye West suspended from Instagram for 24 hours after directing racial slur at Trevor Noah

(CNN)Kanye West has been suspended from Instagram after he posted a racial slur directed at "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, a spokesperson for Meta confirmed to CNN. West violated the platform's policies on hate speech, bullying and harassment, according to Meta. He is restricted from posting, commenting and other actions for 24 hours and the company will take further action if necessary, the spokesperson said. West posted a slur directed at Noah on Wednesday, after the talk show host had addressed the rapper's treatment of his former wife Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend comedian Pete Davidson in a "Daily Show" segment Tuesday. "You may not feel sorry for Kim because she's rich and famous," Noah said in the segment. "But what she's going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave." Kim Kardashian declared legally single by courtIn West's post, since deleted by Instagram, he replaced the lyrics to "Kumbaya" with a racial epithet. Prior to the removal of the post, Noah had responded by expressing his admiration for West as an artist and his sincere concern for him and his family.

Chloe Melas, CNN

2022-03-02 20:14:55

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/02/entertainment/kim-kardashian-declared-legally-single/index.html

Kim Kardashian is declared legally single by a judge amidst ongoing divorce from Kanye West - CNN

Kim Kardashian is now legally single.

entertainment, Kim Kardashian is declared legally single by a judge amidst ongoing divorce from Kanye West - CNN

Kim Kardashian declared legally single by court

(CNN)Kim Kardashian is now legally single.A Los Angeles judge granted the reality TV star and businesswoman's request to change her marital status on Wednesday, according to a source close to Kardashian.The news was first reported by TMZ.This comes after she filed the request three months ago. Kardashian first filed her request to be declared legally single nearly three months ago. Her estranged husband, Kanye West, opposed the request. The former couple have been in a contentious divorce battle for one year. Read MoreTogether they have four children and were married for seven years. In divorce documents obtained by CNN last week, Kardashian stated, "I very much desire to be divorced. I have asked Kanye to keep our divorce private, but he has not done so. Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private family matters and co-parenting on social media which has created emotional distress."Kardashian's court filing continued, "I believe that the Court terminating our marital status will help Kanye to accept that our marital relationship is over and to move forward on a better path which will assist us in peacefully co-parenting our children."Kardashian has been dating "SNL" star Pete Davidson in recent months, while West has been newly linked to influencer Chaney Jones.

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2021-11-23 17:49:00

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/23/entertainment/grammy-nominations-2022/index.html

Grammy nominations 2022: See who's nominated - CNN

Nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards were revealed Tuesday.

entertainment, Grammy nominations 2022: See who's nominated - CNN

Grammy nominations 2022: See the list of nominees

(CNN)Nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards were revealed Tuesday.Jon Batiste, the soulful musician who also serves as the bandleader on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," led among all nominees with 11. He celebrated nominations by pointing out on Twitter that is birthday is 11/11.i was born on 11/11— jon batiste (@JonBatiste) November 23, 2021 Chart toppers Justin Bieber, H.E.R., Doja Cat, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo all followed closely with multiple nominations. Rodrigo scored nods in all four of the top categories: record of the year, album of the year, song of the year and best new artist. The Grammys will take place on Monday, Jan. 31 on CBS and will stream live and on demand on Paramount+.A list of nominees in several major categories follows below. You can see the full list of more than 80 categories here.Read MoreRecord of the Year"I Still Have Faith In You," ABBA"Freedom," Jon Batiste"I Get A Kick Out Of You," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga"Peaches," Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon"Right On Time," Brandi Carlile"Kiss Me More," Doja Cat Featuring SZA"Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish"Montero" (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X"drivers license," Olivia Rodrigo"Leave The Door Open," Silk SonicSong of the Year"Bad Habits," Ed Sheeran"A Beautiful Noise," Alicia Keys Featuring Brandi Carlile"drivers license," Olivia Rodrigo"Fight For You," H.E.R."Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish"Kiss Me More," Doja Cat Featuring SZA"Leave The Door Open," Silk Sonic"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," Lil Nas X"Peaches," Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon"Right On Time," Brandi CarlileAlbum of the Year"We Are," Jon Batiste"Love For Sale," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga"Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)," Justin Bieber"Planet Her (Deluxe)," Doja Cat"Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish"Back Of My Mind," H.E.R."Montero," Lil Nas X"Sour," Olivia Rodrigo"Evermore," Taylor Swift"Donda," Kanye WestBest New ArtistArooj AftabJimmie AllenBaby KeemFINNEASGlass AnimalsJapanese BreakfastThe Kid LaroiArlo ParksOlivia RodrigoSaweetieBest Pop Solo Performance"Anyone," Justin Bieber"Right on Time," Brandi Carlile"Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish"Positions," Ariana Grande"drivers license," Olivia RodrigoBest Pop Duo or Group Performance"I Get a Kick Out of You," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga"Lonely," Justin Bieber & benny blanco"Butter," BTS"Higher Power," Coldplay"Kiss Me More," Doja Cat feat. SZABest Traditional Pop Vocal Album"Love for Sale," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga"'Til We Meet Again (Live)," Norah Jones"A Tori Kelly Christmas," Tori Kelly"Ledisi Sings Nina," Ledisi"That's Life," Willie NelsonA Holly Dolly Christmas, Dolly PartonBest Pop Vocal Album"Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)," Justin Bieber"Planet Her (Deluxe)," Doja Cat"Happier Than Ever", Billie Eilish"Positions," Ariana Grande"Sour," Olivia RodrigoBest Dance Recording"Hero," Afrojack & David Guetta"Loom," Ólafur Arnalds Featuring Bonobo"Before," James Blake"Heartbreak," Bonobo & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs"You Can Do It," Caribou"Alive," Rüfüs Du Sol"The Business," TiëstoBest Rap Album"The Off-Season," J. Cole"Certified Lover Boy," Drake"King's Disease 2," Nas"Call Me If You Get Lost," Tyler, the Creator "Donda," Kanye WestBest Rap Performance"Family Ties," Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar "Up," Cardi B"My Life," J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray "Way Too Sexy," Drake, Future, Young Thug "Thot S***" Megan Thee Stallion Best Rap Song"Bath Salts," DMX, Jay-Z, Nas"Best Friend," Saweetie, Doja Cat "Family Ties," Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar"Jail," Kanye West, Jay-Z"My Life," J. Cole, 21 Savage & MorrayBest Latin Pop Album"Vertigo," Pablo Alborán"Mis Amores," Paula Arenas - Mis Amores"Hecho A La Antigua," Ricardo Arjona "Mis Manos," Camilo "Mendó," Alex Cuba "Revelación," Selena GomezBest Musica Urbana Album"Afrodisíaco," Rauw Alejandro"El Último Tour Del Mundo," Bad Bunny"Jose," J Balvin"KG0516," KAROL G"Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) 8," Kali UchisBest American Roots Performance"Cry," Jon Batiste "Love and Regret," Billy Strings "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free," The Blind Boys of Alabama and Bela Fleck "Same Devil," Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile"Nightflyer," Allison RussellBest R&B Performance"Lost You," Snoh Aalegra"Peaches," Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon"Damage," H.E.R."Leave The Door Open," Silk Sonic"Pick Up Your Feelings," Jazmine SullivanBest R&B Song"Damage," H.E.R."Good Days," SZA"Heartbreak Anniversary," Giveon"Leave The Door Open," Silk Sonic"Pick Up Your Feelings," Jazmine SullivanBest Country Solo Performance"Forever After All," Luke Combs"Remember Her Name," Mickey Guyton"All I Do Is Drive," Jason Isbell"camera roll," Kacey Musgraves"You Should Probably Leave," Chris StapletonBest Country Duo or Group Performance"If I Didn't Love You," Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood"Younger Me," Brothers Osborne"Glad You Exist," Dan + Shay"Chasing After You," Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris"Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)," Elle King & Miranda LambertBest Country Song"Better Than We Found It," Maren Morris"camera roll," Kacey Musgraves"Cold," Chris Stapleton"Country Again," Thomas Rhett"Fancy Like," Walker Hayes"Remember Her Name," Mickey GuytonBest Country Album"Skeletons," Brothers Osborne"Remember Her Name," Mickey Guyton"The Marfa Tapes," Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall & Jack Ingram"The Ballad Of Dood & Juanita," Sturgill Simpson"Starting Over," Chris StapletonBest Rock Performance"Shot in the Dark," AC/DC"Know You Better (Live from Capitol Studio A)," Black Pumas"Nothing Compares 2 U," Chris Cornell"OHMS," Deftones"Making a Fire," Foo FightersBest Rock Song"All My Favorite Songs," Weezer"The Bandit," Kings of Leon"Distance," Mammoth WVH"Find My Way," Paul McCartney"Waiting on a War," Foo FightersBest Rock Album"Power Up", AC/DC"Capitol Cuts- Live From Studio A," Black Pumas"No One Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1," Chris Cornell"Medicine at Midnight," Foo Fighters"McCartney III," Paul McCartney

Analysis by Oliver Darcy, CNN Business

2022-03-03 04:35:43

business

media

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/02/media/rt-propaganda-network/index.html

Russian propaganda: The warped reality presented to viewers on RT - CNN

A version of this article first appeared in the "Reliable Sources" newsletter. You can sign up for free right here.

media, Russian propaganda: The warped reality presented to viewers on RT - CNN

I spent an entire day watching Russia's propaganda network. Here's the warped reality I saw presented to viewers

New York (CNN Business)A version of this article first appeared in the "Reliable Sources" newsletter. You can sign up for free right here.On Wednesday morning, as Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine entered its seventh day, I turned on RT, the Russia-controlled network that has in recent days been banned in Europe and dropped by television carriers across the world. Founded in 2005, RT, which operates multiple channels, including RT America, has served as one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's largest megaphones across the world. It offers insight into how the Kremlin would like to portray the world and its role in it. For several hours I watched the channel and was struck by how brazenly its hosts and personalities worked to mislead its audience and deflect from the issues at hand. The main thrust of RT's coverage presented Russia as a mere victim of western aggression, a country forced to launch a limited "military operation" after its hand was forced by a high-and-mighty NATO that showed no interest in taking Moscow's security concerns seriously. Here's a breakdown of what I observed on the network.Russia the "liberator" Read MorePeter John Lavelle, the host of RT's signature talk program, "Crosstalk," put it like this: He said that the failed "liberal order" implemented by the West was to blame. "It is so irritating," Lavelle said on his show. "The way it is being framed: Ukraine's democracy. Well, it has nothing to do with Ukraine's democracy — if you can say it even has one... This is about security... There is only security for other countries." On its news programs throughout the day, RT's on-screen graphics blared breaking news alerts supporting that notion: "RUSSIA: NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS LEFT NO CHOICE BUT TO START MILITARY OPERATION." Another chyron read, "RUSSIA SAYS ITS GOALS IN UKRAINE TO DEMILITARIZE & DENAZIFY THE COUNTRY." In fact, according to RT, Russia wasn't even necessarily the aggressor. The channel at times said that Russia was a "liberator," essentially freeing people from the menacing forces in Kyiv. "MILITIA SAYS 40 TOWNS AND VILLAGES NOW LIBERATED IN CURRENT OFFENSIVE," a chyron declared.One package the network repeatedly ran characterized life under Ukraine as unbearable for those who lived in the Lugansk region. In another package, RT focused on damages to residential buildings in the Donetsk region.Missing from coverage Noticeably left out of the coverage was a focus on how unbearable life has been for Ukrainians whose cities are under attack by unrelenting Russian forces. I did not see much coverage showing the damage that Russian forces have caused as they try to seize control of the country. Or coverage about the residents of cities such as Kyiv who live in terror and sleep underground in bomb shelters. Or coverage about the hundreds of thousands who have simply chosen to flee the country for their safety. Those inconvenient facts were not the emphasis of the narrative RT pushed. >> Also left out of RT's coverage: The ramifications the West's sanctions and other actions are having on Russia's economy.Other areas of focusWhile RT turned a blind eye to inconvenient facts, it did find time to portray Russians who aren't even in the war zone as the victims. One segment focused on how Russians "face hostility in western countries" over the "situation" in Ukraine. It quoted a man in the UK who said that he is "not ashamed" to say he is Russian, but "afraid" and "worried that society will have this perception that all Russians are bad."At other times, RT aimed to portray Russia as a country that cares deeply about humanitarian issues. The network aired a story on how Russia has welcomed school kids displaced by the war: "RUSSIAN SCHOOLS WELCOME HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM DONBASS." To the backdrop of uplifting music, the segment featured interviews with several children expressing how thankful they were and saying Russia is willing to welcome many more kids. Real-world consequences RT is being choked from public discourse now that Russia has invaded Ukraine and its role in promoting the Kremlin's dishonest talking points has been exposed. But the outlet's propaganda aired across the world unfettered for years and years, coloring the minds of untold numbers of people, many who distrust western news organizations. It's a shame that it takes a war to get corporations to realize that the programming they beam into homes does matter. Russia's real-world war started last week, but it's information war started long before then. Imagine if these companies had acted sooner how things might be different.Further reading-- The RT resignations continue: "Maria Baronova, the editor in chief of RT's Russian-language edition, said she resigned from the outlet in an interview with news outlet Znak," Aidan McLaughlin reports. (Mediaite)-- "The Russian invasion is clearly making headlines globally — but how it is being portrayed by the media in East and West, is a different conversation altogether," writes Rezwana Manjur. (Marketing)-- Evelyn Cheng examines "how Chinese media is covering Ukraine." She notes that state media has used the term "special military operations." (CNBC)

Devan Cole, CNN

2022-03-20 13:24:03

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/politics/zelensky-putin-ukraine-negotiations-war-cnntv/index.html

Zelensky: 'I'm ready for negotiations' with Putin, but if they fail, it could mean 'a third World War' - CNNPolitics

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that he's "ready for negotiations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin but warned that if they fail "that would mean that this is a third World War."

politics, Zelensky: 'I'm ready for negotiations' with Putin, but if they fail, it could mean 'a third World War' - CNNPolitics

Zelensky: 'I'm ready for negotiations' with Putin, but if they fail, it could mean 'a third World War'

Washington (CNN)Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that he's "ready for negotiations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin but warned that if they fail "that would mean that this is a third World War.""I'm ready for negotiations with him. I was ready for the last two years. And I think that without negotiations we cannot end this war," he told CNN's Fareed Zakaria. "I think that we have to use any format, any chance in order to have a possibility of negotiating, possibility of talking to Putin. But if these attempts fail, that would mean that this is a third World War," he added. Zelensky has urged more negotiations in recent days as Russia's invasion of Ukraine nears its fourth week. In a video message posted Saturday, he called for talks "without delay," warning that otherwise Russia's losses would be "huge." "We have always insisted on negotiations. We have always offered dialogue, offered solutions for peace," he said. "And I want everyone to hear me now, especially in Moscow. It's time to meet. Time to talk. It is time to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine."Read MoreZelensky has previously said that his priorities in the talks are clear: "The end of the war, security guarantees, sovereignty, restoration of territorial integrity, real guarantees for our country, real protection for our country."Zelensky also told Zakaria on Sunday that if Ukraine "were a NATO member, a war wouldn't have started." "I'd like to receive security guarantees for my country, for my people. If NATO members are ready to see us in the alliance, then do it immediately. Because people are dying on a daily basis," he said, while also adding that he was grateful for the aid NATO has provided since the invasion began.Still, last week, Zelensky dropped his clearest hint yet that he does not expect his country to join NATO anytime soon, something that has been a Ukrainian goal.NATO, a security alliance currently made up of 30 North American and European nations, was created in 1949 in response to the start of the Cold War. Its original purpose was to protect the West from the threat posed by the Soviet Union. Since the end of the Cold War, many former Soviet satellite states and three former Soviet republics have joined NATO, meaning Russia now shares a land border with the world's largest military alliance.'We are trying to defend our sovereignty'Asked how he is holding up amid the war, Zelensky told CNN that he was "doing just everything that everyone else in Ukraine is doing.""We have made up our team to defend our country, so it seems to me that the person does not need to turn into anyone else. That is important when you can be just yourself," he said. "So I am holding up quite well," he added. Zelensky also admitted that as of now his weakest point is losing people and children in these "huge numbers.""I go to sleep with this information about children who were killed and we are continuing to pray in order to prevent new losses of people, but so far we haven't attained these results," he said, adding that "we are trying to defend our sovereignty, defend our country." The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Sunday that since the start of the war, 11 girls and 25 boys have been killed. Asked about Putin's claims that the Ukrainian government is full of neo-Nazis, Zelensky told Zakaria that it shows that the Russian President "might be capable of very horrendous steps." "I'm not afraid of anything except for people, but the fact -- the fact is that if he is serious about this statement, he might be capable of very horrendous steps because that would mean that this is not a game for him," Zelensky said. This story has been updated with additional reaction and background. CNN's Chris Liakos contributed to this report.

Hannah Lawson, CNN

2020-03-08 06:48:01

news

us

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/08/us/guide-international-womens-day-2020-trnd/index.html

What is International Women's Day? - CNN

Countries around the world will celebrate International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8. The day not only recognizes the achievements made by women, but also brings awareness to the obstacles that still stand in their way.

us, What is International Women's Day? - CNN

What exactly is International Women's Day?

(CNN)Countries around the world will celebrate International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8. The day not only recognizes the achievements made by women, but also brings awareness to the obstacles that still stand in their way. If you want to get involved or need a brief history lesson on its significance, here's everything you need to know:When did it begin?Although the day wasn't officially recognized until 1977 by the United Nations, the history of the celebration can be traced back to the early 20th century, thanks to labor movements across North America and Europe. Members of the women's movement in Russia during World War I celebrated the first International Women's Day on March 8, 1913 to peacefully protest the war. A year later, women across Europe held rallies in solidarity on that same date. On March 8, 1917, thousands of women in Petrograd rallied together for "Bread and Peace." This demonstration helped spark the Russian Revoluion. Read MoreFollowing World War II, countries from all continents began using March 8 as a marker for advocating women's equality. Hundreds of women march for abortion rights and workplace equality in downtown Boston on March 8, 1970.More than a century later, numerous events and marches still take place on that day to celebrate the achievements of women and to take action. Tangcheng Film and Television Base was free of charge for female visitors on International Women's Day and attracted about 100,000 visitors.What is it about?The United Nations is focusing this year on gender equality and human rights for all women and girls. The theme of the commemoration is: "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights."8 March, #InternationalWomensDay is a time to ✔️challenge gender norms,✔️empower each other,✔️celebrate diversity,✔️break stereotypes,✔️reject the binary,✔️mobilize, and ✔️take action.It's the time for #GenerationEquality!#IWD2020 pic.twitter.com/mo3F4HGbdq— UN Women (@UN_Women) February 27, 2020 "2020 is a massive year for gender equality," said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of UN Women. "And the benefits of gender equality are not just for women and girls, but for everyone whose lives will be changed by a fairer world that leaves no one behind."She explains how even though there's been progress for women that "no country has achieved gender equality."How can I get involved?There are many ways to take part in International Women's Day, from attending a festival to donating to a related cause. You can find information on specific events in your area by searching here.CNN's Impact Your World has identified organizations that support the issues affecting women worldwide. There will also be plenty of posts on social media celebrating the day. Be sure to follow #EachforEqual, #GenerationEquality, #InternationalWomensDay and #IWD2020 to see the calls for gender equality around the globe.

Lianne Kolirin and Tim Lister, CNN

2022-03-09 16:57:07

news

europe

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/09/europe/zelenska-first-lady-intl/index.html

Olena Zelenska: Ukraine's first lady emerges as a staunch defender of her nation on social media - CNN

Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, posted an open letter addressed to the world's media on Tuesday, detailing what she described as the "mass murder of Ukrainian civilians."

europe, Olena Zelenska: Ukraine's first lady emerges as a staunch defender of her nation on social media - CNN

Ukraine's first lady emerges as a staunch defender of her nation on social media

(CNN)Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, posted an open letter addressed to the world's media on Tuesday, detailing what she described as the "mass murder of Ukrainian civilians."In recent weeks Zelenska has repeatedly used social media to highlight the plight of her nation, yet none have been quite as direct as her recent post, which ends with the rallying cry: "We will win. Because of our unity. Unity towards love for Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine!"As her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, has emerged as the face of Ukrainian defiance of the Russian invasion, Zelenska has become increasingly vociferous online as a means to support him and bolster international awareness of their country's plight. When Russia first invaded Ukraine on February 24, Zelensky declared in a video statement that he believed "enemy sabotage groups" had entered Kyiv and that he was their number one target. His family, he said, was the second target.Zelensky and Olena first met in high school.The whereabouts of his wife and two children are secret, for security reasons. Nonetheless, Zelenska has been playing an active role on social media, inspiring her people and backing resistance to Russian forces, while garnering support from the rest of the world. On Instagram alone, she has 2.4 million followers. Read MoreThe 44-year-old published the open letter Tuesday on her various social media platforms, as well as on the President's official website, in response to what she said was the "overwhelming number of media outlets from around the world" that had requested an interview with her. She began the impassioned missive -- headlined "I testify" -- by recalling the events of February 24."Tanks crossed the Ukrainian border, planes entered our airspace, missile launchers surrounded our cities," she wrote. "Despite assurances from Kremlin-backed propaganda outlets, who call this a 'special operation' -- it is, in fact, the mass murder of Ukrainian civilians." Before the Russian invasion, Zelenska campaigned on numerous issues, including children's nutrition.Zelenska highlighted the "terrifying and devastating" child casualties, while also describing the horror of babies born in bomb shelters and roads "flooded" with refugees. According to the website of the Ukrainian Women's Congress, a public platform that lobbies for gender equality in government and wider Ukrainian society, Zelenska was born in February 1978 and met her future husband at the Kryvyi Rih Gymnasium №95 high school in Kryvyi Rih, the southern Ukrainian city where they both grew up. Her biography on the site says she then majored in architecture at the Kryvyi Rih Economic Institute, graduating in 2000. The couple married in 2003 and had daughter Oleksandra a year later. Their son, Kyrylo, was born in 2013. Like her husband, who has a law degree, Zelenska moved away from her academic field of interest and into showbusiness. She helped Zelensky create stand-up performances for the Russian TV comedy show KVN, according to Ukrainian press agency UNIAN, and later became a screenwriter at TV production company Kvartal 95 Studio, which she co-founded.Zelensky is not Churchill. He's a more unlikely hero.In an extensive interview with Vogue Ukraine in 2019, shortly after her husband swept to power in a landslide election, Zelenska described herself as a "non-public person" who prefers to stay "backstage." When her comedian husband first expressed his political ambitions, his wife was none too impressed. In the interview with Vogue, which featured a glamorous photo shoot, she said: "I was not too happy when I realized that those were the plans. I realized how everything would change, and what difficulties we would have to face." She spoke of adjusting to life in the public sphere, but expressed her determination to protect her children, saying: "Let them choose how they want to live."In the three years since assuming the role of first lady, she has accompanied her husband on numerous official visits around the world, including to the USA, Japan and France. Meanwhile her position has enabled her to focus on numerous issues close to her heart, among them "children's health, equal opportunities for all Ukrainians and cultural diplomacy," she told Vogue. One of her campaigns has been to improve meals for children at school, going on fact-finding missions to Latvia, Japan and the USA, among other countries.Zelensky's heroism is coming up against Western red linesNeedless to say, she is now focused on Ukraine's battle for survival. Earlier this month she set up a dedicated Telegram channel to provide advice on "how to act and live in war time."Hours after publishing her open letter, Zelenska, who in 2020 was admitted to hospital with Covid-19, updated her Instagram feed with a picture of young cancer patients heading to safety and treatment in Poland. She wrote: "These are young cancer patients from Ukraine. Just yesterday, they were hiding from the shelling in the basements of clinics. Now they are crossing the Polish border on the way to find safety and, most importantly, to continue their treatments. No aggressor in the world can prevent them from winning the battle against the disease!"In her open letter she reiterated her husband's demand for a no-fly zone, adding: "Ukraine is stopping the force that may aggressively enter your cities tomorrow under the pretext of saving civilians.""If we don't stop Putin, who threatens to start a nuclear war, there will be no safe place in the world for any of us."

Opinion by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

2022-03-15 10:14:24

news

opinions

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/opinions/maternal-wall-challenges-equal-pay-day-rowe-finkbeiner/index.html

Opinion: This Equal Pay Day, let's smash the maternal wall - CNN

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Author and executive director of MomsRising.org, writes that Tuesday is Equal Pay Day, the day in 2022 until which women have to work to make the same amount of money that men made in 2021.

opinions, Opinion: This Equal Pay Day, let's smash the maternal wall - CNN

This Equal Pay Day, let's smash the maternal wall

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner is executive director and co-founder of MomsRising.org, a nonprofit national organization that supports policies to improve family economic security. She is the author of "Keep Marching: How Every Woman Can Take Action and Change Our World." The views expressed here are solely hers. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN)Tuesday is Equal Pay Day. Much as it sounds like a day to celebrate, it's a day to agitate. After all, it's the day in 2022 until which women have to work -- on average across all races and ethnicities -- in order to earn what men were paid in 2021. Yes, you read that right: Women have to work 14-and-a-half months to earn what men earned in the 12 months of 2021. Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner And it gets worse. There's a grim reality in America: Being a mom is a greater predictor of wage and hiring discrimination than gender -- and due to structural racism, Black, Brown, Indigenous and other moms of color experience compounded wage and hiring discrimination. The data is shocking. Latina moms earn just 46 cents, Native American moms just 50 cents and Black moms just 52 cents to a White dad's dollar, according to the National Women's Law Center. Moms, on average, are paid just 75 cents to every dollar that White fathers are paid, per that same study.Read More In her response to President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address, Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds mentioned the words "mom," "parents" or "families" almost a dozen times, coming to a crescendo by saying that "parents matter." But missing from her speech was any mention of the care infrastructure policies that really, truly matter to parents (ones that Biden rightly lifted up in his address). Let's be clear: If families really mattered to Republican leaders, then they wouldn't be focused on banning important books, restricting access to reproductive healthcare and attacking LGBTQ+ kids. Instead, they'd be focused on building the care infrastructure America needs, which would go a long way toward finally breaking through the "maternal wall," the barrier of bias that moms face in the workplace and our lives.This maternal wall is holding the majority of women in America back and its extreme wage gaps hurt not only moms, women, parents and families -- but also our communities, businesses and economy. More than 85% of women become moms by the time we're 44, according to Pew Research, including the majority of never-married women -- and, importantly, the majority of families need moms' wages to make ends meet, according to the Center for American Progress. It also can't be overlooked that in our consumer-fueled economy, women and moms make the majority of purchasing decisions. So, when we don't have funds to spend at the grocery store, or to get our kids new shoes that fit their tiny growing toes, or for school supplies, or to fill our tanks with gas and more, then there are negative ripple effects through our whole economy. If we take steps to close the wage gap by implementing solutions already at our fingertips, then our nation's GDP would increase by nearly 3% and women's poverty would be cut in half, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. This is what a nation run by women looks like To be clear, smashing through the maternal wall is entirely and eminently possible. In fact, many of the care infrastructure measures that would address this crisis are under consideration in Congress right now and are policy priorities for the Biden administration. Studies show that passing care infrastructure policies that cover people of all genders would not only boost our economy and help families, but also significantly help close the wage gaps between moms and non-moms -- and thus between women and men. And a recent study found that building a care infrastructure would lift our country's long-term real GDP growth by 10 to 15 basis points. These care infrastructure policies include paid family/medical leave for when a new baby arrives or a serious health crisis strikes us or a close loved one -- as all other industrialized nations have already done. Access to quality, affordable child care and Pre-K, living wages for all care workers, equitable health care and maternal health care, earned sick days, the monthly child tax credit, and home- and community-based services for the elderly and people with disabilities are also integral care infrastructure policy elements. Unsurprisingly, these policies don't just help narrow the wage gaps, they also help parents stay consistently in much-needed jobs and help businesses to thrive because with a care infrastructure in place, people aren't pushed out of jobs when child care can't be found or when a serious illness strikes or a new baby arrives. This too helps lower inflation because having consistent workforce participation helps address supply chain issues, which, in turn, helps lower inflation. To add to the argument for immediate passage of these policies, adequate care infrastructure also helps lower family costs. Take, for instance, childcare, which is one of the consistently largest expenses for families, costing more than rent or college in most states and 30% of the income of low-income families, according to Child Care Aware. Creating an affordable, accessible, quality childcare and Pre-K system would significantly lower family costs and, at the same time, bring a large return on investment for taxpayers because children who have early learning opportunities do better in school when they're older -- and moms who can stay in the workforce need less government assistance over time. In addition to care infrastructure policies, we also need non-discrimination policies like the Paycheck Fairness Act, which adds labor force protections against unfair pay and prohibits retaliation for sharing salary information. This is in part because, as the majority of women are working in paid jobs, moms in particular have also been putting in a tremendous amount of unpaid, devalued and unaccounted for caregiving labor that's worth trillions of dollars per year. The devaluation of this unpaid labor carries over into the lower valuation of the paid labor done by moms in the form of wage discrimination, and in particular to paid labor in care industries. Not surprisingly, since the care infrastructure policies boost women, moms, parents and families, help combat systemic inequalities as well as lift our economy, their passage is also hugely popular with Republican, Democratic and Independent voters alike. In fact, recent polls show support a strong majority of US adults support federal funding for paid family and medical leave.Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook This spring we'll begin a rhetorical courtship we've seen before. Both parties will tailor campaign messages toward an incredibly important bloc: moms. But we'll need more than flowery words, empty promises or red herrings. Now our nation -- and our nation's moms -- need permanent, national policy changes that support our first caregivers and push us past barriers that are holding back not just moms, but our entire country. It's past time for Congress to update our outdated care infrastructure policies and advance equity so that our families, our businesses, our economy and our country can thrive -- and so that moms can do the important work we need to do in our homes and our workplaces.

Chris Isidore, CNN Business

2022-03-15 13:17:03

business

energy

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/energy/us-gas-price-drop/index.html

Gas prices fall -- a little - CNN

After more than a month of surging prices, Tuesday brought some modest -- very modest -- relief to drivers.

energy, Gas prices fall -- a little - CNN

Gas prices fall -- a little

New York (CNN Business)After more than a month of surging prices, Tuesday brought some modest -- very modest -- relief to drivers.The average price of a gallon of regular gas fell to $4.32 a gallon, down from $4.33 a gallon Monday, according to AAA. Even at just nine-tenths of a cent, it was the biggest single-day decline in gas prices since August 2021.Of course, gas prices remain historically high. Before last week, the record high had been $4.11 a gallon, a level first reached in 2008. Last week, gas set four records in a row before prices stayed virtually unchanged through the weekend and Monday. The drop in retail gas prices follows a sharper drop in oil prices in Monday trading as prices fell 8%. If oil prices stay at this level, there could be more meaningful relief on the way at the pump, perhaps as much as 20 cents a gallon, predicted Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Analysis, which tracks gasoline prices for AAA. But it's not surprising the drop in gasoline prices has trailed the drop in oil prices."Gasoline prices can go up like a rocket and come down like a feather," said Kloza.Read MoreEven if drivers get that 20 cent a gallon break at the pump, it's not likely to last. US demand for gasoline is likely to increase, especially with record job gains over the last year and more workers who had been working from home returning to the office. Kloza said as the summer driving season approaches and the United States switches over to a more expensive summer blend of gasoline meant to fight smog and pollution, prices are likely to rise to about $4.50 a gallon.There are two factors that could limit the rise in oil and gasoline prices: one good, one bad.The good one would be peace in Ukraine, especially a peace that led to the lifting of sanctions on Russia by the United States and many other western nations. Hopes of peace negotiations Monday in part helped to drive down oil prices.Russia is the one of the largest exporters of oil in the world. Although relatively little Russian oil reaches US customers, oil is priced in global commodity markets. So the disruption to its flow of its oil had sent prices soaring. Oil briefly tumbles below $100 a barrel. That's good news for gas pricesThe bad news that could drive down prices would be a new surge of Covid-19, forcing countries that had been opening up to reimpose restrictions on businesses and individuals. China imposed new lockdowns over the weekend because of a Covid surge. That was one of the factors in the drop in oil prices on Monday, according to analysts.The run-up in gas prices so far this year has been historic, at times achieving the the steepest rate of increase since Hurricane Katrina hit the US Gulf Coast in 2005, devastating oil platforms and refineries in the region. The average US price rose 78 cents, or 22%, since February 23, the day before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

2022-03-14 21:51:45

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/14/entertainment/jane-campion-venus-serena-williiams/index.html

Jane Campion apologizes for 'thoughtless' comment about Venus and Serena Williams - CNN

Director Jane Campion has apologized to tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, calling a comment she made during her acceptance speech at Sunday night's Critics Choice Awards "thoughtless."

entertainment, Jane Campion apologizes for 'thoughtless' comment about Venus and Serena Williams - CNN

Director Jane Campion apologizes for 'thoughtless' comment about Venus and Serena Williams

(CNN)Director Jane Campion has apologized to tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, calling a comment she made during her acceptance speech at Sunday night's Critics Choice Awards "thoughtless." The social media ire directed toward Campion over her speech for best director stemmed from one particular moment that came after she acknowledged the other nominees in the category, who were all men. "The Power of the Dog" helmer then said, "Venus and Serena, you're such marvels. However, you don't play against the guys, like I have to."In addition to being inaccurate (the tennis champions have faced off men), some perceived Campion's statement as being dismissive of two successful Black women's accomplishments. "I made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved. I did not intend to devalue these two legendary Black women and world class athletes," Campion said on Monday in a statement via her representative. "The fact is the Williams sisters have, actually, squared off against men on the court (and off), and they have both raised the bar and opened doors for what is possible for women in this world. The last thing I would ever want to do is minimize remarkable women." Read MoreCampion's speech -- which was for one of four awards her Oscar-nominated film earned on Sunday -- began on a positive note, with Campion acknowledging the many "incredible" women present in the audience, including the Williams sisters. "What an honor to be in the room with you," she said, specifically addressing the pair, before asking them for tennis lessons.In her statement Monday, Campion reiterated her "love" for Venus and Serena Williams. "Their accomplishments are titanic and inspiring. Serena and Venus, I apologize and completely celebrate you," she said. It has been an up and down few weeks for Campion, whose film is a strong contender for best picture at the Oscars later this month. Last week, actor Sam Elliott expressed harsh criticisms of "The Power of the Dog" in a podcast interview, blasting the Western's "allusions of homosexuality." The Netflix drama, however, found many defenders in the aftermath against the comments -- naturally, its director among them."I'm sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. He's not a cowboy; he's an actor," Campion told Variety in response to Elliott's comments. "The West is a mythic space and there's a lot of room on the range. I think it's a little bit sexist."CNN's Hazel Tang contributed to this report.

CNN staff

2022-03-13 22:54:45

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/13/entertainment/critics-choice-awards-winners-list-2022/index.html

Critics Choice Awards 2022: See the full list of winners - CNN

"Ted Lasso" and "The Power of the Dog" were big winners at the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards on Sunday.

entertainment, Critics Choice Awards 2022: See the full list of winners - CNN

Critics Choice Awards 2022: See the full list of winners

(CNN)"The Power of the Dog" is showing it has big power during award season.The film, directed by Jane Campion, walked away with the award for best picture at The 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards, which were presented on Sunday. The Netflix drama led the winners in the move categories, earning four awards total, including best director."Belfast" was also a multiple award winner.On the TV side, "Succession," "Mare of Easttown" and "Ted Lasso" took home some top prizes, with the latter earning the most awards of the night among nominated series, with four wins.The event, which celebrates film and television projects as selected by critics and entertainment journalists, took place in both London and Los Angeles. Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer hosted. Read MoreHeading into the night, "West Side Story" and "Belfast" had 11 nominations each, the most on the film side. HBO's "Succession" scored the most nods among TV nominees with eight. (CNN and HBO are both part of WarnerMedia.)Below is a list of major winners:Best drama series"Evil" (Paramount+)"For All Mankind" (Apple TV+)"The Good Fight" (Paramount+)"Pose" (FX)"Squid Game" (Netflix)"Succession" (HBO) *WINNER"This Is Us" (NBC)"Yellowjackets" (Showtime)Best actor in a drama seriesSterling K. Brown -- "This Is Us" (NBC)Mike Colter -- "Evil" (Paramount+)Brian Cox -- "Succession" (HBO)Lee Jung-jae -- "Squid Game" (Netflix) *WINNERBilly Porter -- "Pose" (FX)Jeremy Strong -- "Succession" (HBO)Best actress in a drama seriesUzo Aduba -- "In Treatment" (HBO)Chiara Aurelia -- "Cruel Summer" (Freeform)Christine Baranski -- "The Good Fight" (Paramount+)Katja Herbers -- "Evil" (Paramount+)Melanie Lynskey -- "Yellowjackets" (Showtime) *WINNERMJ Rodriguez -- "Pose" (FX)Best supporting actor in a drama seriesNicholas Braun -- "Succession" (HBO)Billy Crudup -- "The Morning Show" (Apple TV+)Kieran Culkin -- "Succession" (HBO) *WINNERJustin Hartley -- "This Is Us" (NBC)Matthew Macfadyen -- "Succession" (HBO)Mandy Patinkin -- "The Good Fight" (Paramount+)Best supporting actress in a drama seriesAndrea Martin -- "Evil" (Paramount+)Audra McDonald -- "The Good Fight" (Paramount+)Christine Lahti -- "Evil" (Paramount+)J. Smith-Cameron -- "Succession" (HBO) Sarah Snook -- "Succession" (HBO) *WINNERSusan Kelechi Watson -- "This Is Us" (NBC)Best comedy series"The Great" (Hulu)"Hacks" (HBO Max)"Insecure" (HBO)"Only Murders in the Building" (Hulu)"The Other Two" (HBO Max)"Reservation Dogs" (FX on Hulu)"Ted Lasso" (Apple TV+) *WINNER"What We Do in the Shadows" (FX)Best actor in a comedy seriesIain Armitage -- "Young Sheldon" (CBS)Nicholas Hoult -- "The Great" (Hulu)Steve Martin -- "Only Murders in the Building" (Hulu)Kayvan Novak -- "What We Do in the Shadows" (FX)Martin Short -- "Only Murders in the Building" (Hulu)Jason Sudeikis -- "Ted Lasso" (Apple TV+) *WINNERBest actress in a comedy seriesElle Fanning -- "The Great" (Hulu)Renée Elise Goldsberry -- "Girls5eva" (Peacock)Selena Gomez -- "Only Murders in the Building" (Hulu)Sandra Oh -- "The Chair" (Netflix)Issa Rae -- "Insecure" (HBO)Jean Smart -- "Hacks" (HBO Max) *WINNERBest supporting actor in a comedy seriesNcuti Gatwa -- "Sex Education" (Netflix)Brett Goldstein -- "Ted Lasso" (Apple TV+) *WINNERHarvey Guillén -- "What We Do in the Shadows" (FX)Brandon Scott Jones -- "Ghosts" (CBS)Ray Romano -- "Made for Love" (HBO Max)Bowen Yang -- "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)Best supporting actress in a comedy seriesHannah Einbinder -- "Hacks" (HBO Max)Kristin Chenoweth -- "Schmigadoon!" (Apple TV+)Molly Shannon -- "The Other Two" (HBO Max)Cecily Strong -- "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)Josie Totah -- "Saved By the Bell" (Peacock)Hannah Waddingham -- "Ted Lasso" (Apple TV+) *WINNERBest limited series"Dopesick" (Hulu)"Dr. Death" (Peacock)"It's a Sin" (HBO Max)"Maid" (Netflix)"Mare of Easttown" (HBO) *WINNER"Midnight Mass" (Netflix)"The Underground Railroad" (Amazon Prime Video)"WandaVision" (Disney+)Best actor in a limited series or movie made for televisionOlly Alexander -- "It's a Sin" (HBO Max)Paul Bettany -- "WandaVision" (Disney+)William Jackson Harper -- "Love Life" (HBO Max)Joshua Jackson -- "Dr. Death" (Peacock)Michael Keaton -- "Dopesick" (Hulu) *WINNERHamish Linklater -- "Midnight Mass" (Netflix)Best actress in a limited series or movie made for televisionDanielle Brooks -- "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia" (Lifetime)Cynthia Erivo -- "Genius: Aretha" (National Geographic)Thuso Mbedu -- "The Underground Railroad" (Amazon Prime Video)Elizabeth Olsen -- "WandaVision" (Disney+) Margaret Qualley -- "Maid" (Netflix)Kate Winslet -- "Mare of Easttown" (HBO) *WINNERBest supporting actor in a limited series or movie made for televisionMurray Bartlett -- "The White Lotus" (HBO) *WINNERZach Gilford -- "Midnight Mass" (Netflix)William Jackson Harper -- "The Underground Railroad" (Amazon Prime Video)Evan Peters -- "Mare of Easttown" (HBO)Christian Slater -- "Dr. Death" (Peacock)Courtney B. Vance -- "Genius: Aretha" (National Geographic)Best supporting actress in a limited series or movie made for televisionJennifer Coolidge -- "The White Lotus" (HBO) *WINNERKaitlyn Dever -- "Dopesick" (Hulu)Kathryn Hahn -- "WandaVision" (Disney+)Melissa McCarthy -- "Nine Perfect Strangers" (Hulu)Julianne Nicholson -- "Mare of Easttown" (HBO)Jean Smart -- "Mare of Easttown" (HBO)Best foreign language series"Acapulco" (Apple TV+)"Call My Agent!" (Netflix)"Lupin" (Netflix)"Money Heist" (Netflix)"Narcos: Mexico" (Netflix)"Squid Game" (Netflix) *WINNERBest Picture"Belfast""CODA""Don't Look Up""Dune""King Richard""Licorice Pizza""Nightmare Alley""The Power of the Dog" *WINNER"tick, tick...Boom!""West Side Story"Best actorNicolas Cage -- "Pig"Benedict Cumberbatch -- "The Power of the Dog"Peter Dinklage -- "Cyrano"Andrew Garfield -- "tick, tick...Boom!"Will Smith -- "King Richard" *WINNERDenzel Washington -- "The Tragedy of Macbeth"Best actressJessica Chastain -- "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" *WINNEROlivia Colman -- "The Lost Daughter"Lady Gaga -- "House of Gucci"Alana Haim -- "Licorice Pizza"Nicole Kidman -- "Being the Ricardos"Kristen Stewart -- "Spencer"Best supporting actorJamie Dornan -- "Belfast"Ciarán Hinds -- "Belfast"Troy Kotsur -- "CODA" *WINNERJared Leto -- "House of Gucci"J.K. Simmons -- "Being the Ricardos"Kodi Smit-McPhee -- "The Power of the Dog"Best supporting actressCaitríona Balfe -- "Belfast"Ariana DeBose -- "West Side Story" *WINNERAnn Dowd -- "Mass"Kirsten Dunst -- "The Power of the Dog"Aunjanue Ellis -- "King Richard"Rita Moreno -- "West Side Story"Best young actor/actressJude Hill -- "Belfast" *WINNERCooper Hoffman --" Licorice Pizza"Emilia Jones -- "CODA"Woody Norman -- "C'mon C'mon"Saniyya Sidney -- "King Richard"Rachel Zegler -- "West Side Story"Best acting ensemble"Belfast" *WINNER"Don't Look Up""The Harder They Fall""Licorice Pizza""The Power of the Dog""West Side Story"Best directorPaul Thomas Anderson -- "Licorice Pizza"Kenneth Branagh -- "Belfast" Jane Campion -- "The Power of the Dog" *WINNERGuillermo del Toro -- "Nightmare Alley"Steven Spielberg -- "West Side Story"Denis Villeneuve -- "Dune"Best comedy"Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar""Don't Look Up""Free Guy""The French Dispatch""Licorice Pizza" *WINNERBest animated feature"Encanto""Flee""Luca""The Mitchells vs the Machines" *WINNER"Raya and the Last Dragon"

Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN Business

2021-11-09 20:49:03

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/09/tech/adam-neumann-wework-regrets/index.html

Former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann opens up about his regrets - CNN

Just weeks after WeWork's much-anticipated public offering, its infamous co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann opened up about the lessons he's learned after he all but ran the company into the ground.

tech, Former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann opens up about his regrets - CNN

Former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann opens up about his regrets

(CNN Business)Just weeks after WeWork's much-anticipated public offering, its infamous co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann opened up about the lessons he's learned after he all but ran the company into the ground. "I've had a lot of time to think, and there've been multiple lessons and multiple regrets," said Neumann, speaking publicly for the first time in two years, at the New York Times DealBook Summit on Tuesday. IPOs are having their best year ever -- even better than the dot com boomUnder Neumann's leadership, WeWork raised billions of dollars, scaled its coworking operations to hundreds of cities around the world, and was valued at an eye-popping $47 billion during one investment round, a valuation that he acknowledged "went to his head." But also under Neumann, the company failed spectacularly in its attempt to go public in large part because its IPO paperwork revealed his unchecked power and numerous potential conflicts of interest, as well as WeWork's staggering losses. Last month, WeWork went public on the New York Stock Exchange at a valuation of about $9 billion. Despite being forced out, Neumann ultimately walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars.WeWork wasn't just about selling co-working spaces; it aimed to sell a new way of life. Neumann's vision included co-living apartments with bustling communal areas so you never feel alone, schools that promised to teach entrepreneurial superpowers to children, a WeBank and an airline. Neumann was ultimately ousted in 2019 following pressure from investors. Shortly after, WeWork halted its plans to go public and later laid off thousands of employees. In the interview Tuesday, Neumann expressed regret for the workers who lost their jobs and saw the value of their equity in the company collapse. He also addressed the criticism he received for the way he ran the company, including allegations of drug use and excessive spending.Read More"We had a fun culture, but first let's start with the fact we built a global brand and in over 110 cities in over 40 countries," he said. "We became a household name. So that culture had a lot of things that worked really well. .... But there also comes a moment where you grow out of that to the next stage. I think that could have happened sooner."Neumann said the $47 billion valuation was partially to blame for exacerbating his management style. As more high-profile investors came on board and the valuation increased, it "made me feel that whatever style I was leading at was the correct style at the time," he said. "At some point [it went to my head]. I think the moment you lose focus on really the core of your business and why this business was what it meant to be." The disgraced founder also recalled a 90-minute sit-down meeting with Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook about two and a half years ago. "In that meeting with one of the biggest CEOs on the planet ... I spoke so much, instead of listening," he said. "I had the chance to sit in front of a great person like that and learn, and I was busy talking again."Cook had appeared via a video chat during the DealBook conference about an hour before Neumann. "I actually hoped that he was going to be here today," Neumann said. "I was going to apologize to him and tell him that if I ever get a chance to speak to him again, I will listen. I apologize for being an idiot back then."Neumann, who reportedly sold shares worth more than $700 million to start his own family office, said he's particularly interested in investing in crypto companies right now. He added that, despite a tumultuous few years, he continues to stay open to learning."I'm not the same," he said. "There was a moment where we thought [the money] was all gone. [My wife] Rebecca looked into my eyes and told me, 'We're okay.' If you can have your loved ones and your family and your friends, things will work out in the future. Take it as a lesson. Enjoy the journey and be present."

Seth Fiegerman, CNN Business

2019-09-13 20:49:34

business

tech

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/13/tech/wework-ipo-criticism/index.html

WeWork risks becoming poster child for everything wrong with tech unicorns - CNN

WeWork was supposed to be one of the most high-profile Wall Street debuts of the year. Instead, it's rapidly shaping up to be one of the most high-profile IPO debacles in recent memory.

tech, WeWork risks becoming poster child for everything wrong with tech unicorns - CNN

WeWork has become poster child for everything wrong with tech unicorns

New York (CNN Business)WeWork was supposed to be one of the most high-profile Wall Street debuts of the year. Instead, it's rapidly shaping up to be one of the most high-profile IPO debacles in recent memory. In the month since WeWork's parent company first publicly filed paperwork for an IPO, it has attempted to defuse investor concerns and outside criticisms by promising to add new board members, announcing an overhaul of its corporate governance structure and having its CEO repay millions for a trademark he had sold to his own business. If that's not enough, every day seems to bring reports of the company's potential IPO valuation falling further and further from its private market valuation of $47 billion. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that The We Company's IPO valuation could dip below $20 billion. On Friday, CNBC reported the valuation could fall below $15 billion. Not to be outdone, Reuters reported Friday that it could be as low as $10 billion.The coworking space provider's apparent willingness to move forward with its public offering, even at such a steep discount from its prior valuation, suggests the money-losing business feels pressure to raise money now. The We Company reportedly wants to tap a $6 billion credit line that is contingent on it raising at least $3 billion in an IPO completed before the end of the year. A spokesperson for WeWork declined to comment for this story, citing quiet period rules ahead of a public offering. Read MoreWeWork is effectively fielding intense scrutiny and criticism less for being an anomaly in the tech industry than for the many ways it is a poster child for the worst excesses of other tech unicorns -- the term used for private companies valued at $1 billion or more -- going public this year.WeWork makes sweeping corporate governance changes in advance of its IPOLike Uber (UBER), The We Company lost well over $1 billion in the year before it went public. Like Lyft (LYFT), Pinterest (PINS) and others, WeWork's parent company looked to give its founder outsized voting control over the business. And like these and other companies, WeWork had a lofty private market valuation that proved to be a harder sell on Wall Street.Wall Street investors might have been "more tolerant" of these red flags if WeWork's IPO wasn't coming after a series of lackluster public market debuts this year, according to Kathleen Smith, principal at Renaissance Capital, which manages IPO-focused exchange-traded funds. Shares of Uber and Lyft are both hovering around all-time lows, well below their IPO prices, as investors worry about their path to being profitable. WeWork names first female board member ahead of IPOWeWork had other issues, too. The company confirmed in its IPO prospectus that it had "entered into several transactions" with its CEO Adam Neumann, "including leases with landlord entities in which Adam has or had a significant ownership interest," which it said could "present potential for conflicts of interest." Neumann's wife, Rebekah, also sits in the C-Suite and was originally empowered to form a committee to pick her husband's successor as CEO under certain conditions. "Investors are saying: 'You are showing me by the way you set up the governance that you don't care about me. You haven't shown me I can trust your business yet'," Smith said. On Friday, in its latest attempt to keep its IPO from capsizing, WeWork's parent company announced it had scrapped the plan for Rebekah Neumann to set up a committee to pick the next CEO, instead relying on the board. The company also said its founders, including Neumann, would receive super voting shares with 10 votes per share instead of 20, an improvement but still potentially allowing for a disproportionate influence over the company.Inside WeWork, one couple wields controlWhether WeWork ultimately goes public at a $20 billion valuation, a $10 billion or not at all, its turbulent road to Wall Street -- and the flurry of changes announced in recent weeks -- could prove to be a reality check for the wider startup industry. For years, Silicon Valley has enabled, if not outright encouraged, startups to seek stratospheric valuations, bleed eye-popping amounts of money and institute little to no checks on a founder's power. Now, the public market is signaling that yes, in fact, there are limits to what they'll back. "Maybe this is a wake-up call for others who want the opportunity for the public market to be an outlet for raising capital," Smith said. "Investors kind of care."Sara O'Brien contributed to this report

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2022-03-04 17:25:23

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/entertainment/volodymyr-zelensky-acting-career/index.html

Volodymyr Zelensky's acting career prepared him for the world stage - CNN

It makes sense that Hollywood has rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

entertainment, Volodymyr Zelensky's acting career prepared him for the world stage - CNN

Volodymyr Zelensky's acting career prepared him for the world stage

(CNN)It makes sense that Hollywood has rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. After all, he's one of their own.Before he entered politics, Zelensky was a comedian, actor and writer, starring in romantic comedies and as a high school teacher who becomes president in the Ukrainian political satire series, "Servant of the People." His magnetism and skill at orating have been on display since Ukraine was invaded by Russia. His courage, passion and resolve drawing praise from around the world. During the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards, Zelensky received recognition from two actors as they accepted their trophies.Read More"I would tell you we have a fellow actor in Zelensky who deserves some credit tonight for fighting the fight," Michael Keaton said while accepting the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or limited series for "Dopesick."Brian Cox, accepting the award for outstanding drama ensemble for his show "Succession," also praised Zelensky."The President of Ukraine was a comic. He was a wonderful comic performer," Cox said. "And we should respect that for him. To come to the presidency was amazing."Zelensky was elected president in 2019 in what the BBC described as "a landslide victory." More about his career in the arts before he took office follows below.Volodymyr Zelenskiy walks backstage during the filming of his comedy show 'Liga Smeha' (League of Laughter) in 2019.He didn't just star in his productionsZelensky co-wrote the 2009 film "No Love in the City" in which he starred as a dentist with a penchant for the ladies, who, along with his friends, cuts a romantic swath through New York City.It's been likened to a male (but not as good) version of "Sex in the City."The movie had its fan base and spurred sequels: "No Love in the City 2" in 2010 and "Love in Vegas" in 2012.His roles were sometimes politicalZelensky once played a character who becomes president of Ukraine after his video about corruption in the country goes viral, but that it was not his only role that touches on current events.The 2012 film "Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon" features the future politician in the role of political leader Napoleon Bonaparte during the invasion of Russia.Comedy rootsAs a teen, Zelensky began participating in comedy competitions and helped found what would become the Kvartal 95 comedy troupe.Journalist Amy Spiri tweeted a video of Zelensky from 2016 doing a comedy bit in which he and others appeared to play the piano with their pants down."Who among us has not played "Hava Nagila" on a piano with their genitals on stage and then gone on to lead their country against a foreign invasion?," she tweeted. Volodymyr Zelensky performs with his "95th block" comedy group in Kiev in 2019.Voicing a beloved characterThe world recently discovered that Zelensky voiced Paddington Bear for the Ukrainian version of the hit 2014 film and its 2017 sequel."Paddington" star Hugh Bonneville was thrilled by the news. "Until today I had no idea who provided the voice of @paddingtonbear in Ukraine," Bonneville tweeted. "Speaking for myself, thank you, President Zelensky. #PaddingtonBear." National pride over "Dancing With the Stars"The future president proved to be light on his feet in 2006 when he competed in and won his country's version of "Dancing With the Stars."Clips of him and his professional dance partner Olena Shoptenko on the show have since gone viral.In another bit of irony, the American "Dancing With the Stars" former champion and dance pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who is from Ukraine, was in the country as part of a dance competition when Russia invaded.Chmerkovskiy documented his fleeing the country and return to the US where he now lives. The return of Zelensky's showUK's Channel 4 has reportedly picked up Zelensky's 2016 comedy series "Servant of the People."It will air with the documentary special "Zelensky: The Man Who Took on Putin," according to a report from Deadline.

Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN

2022-03-16 16:08:57

politics

politics

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/politics/zelensky-speech-national-psyches/index.html

Zelensky taps national psyches of other countries as he appeals to save his own - CNNPolitics

This is President Volodymr Zelensky's message to the West and its leaders: We are all Ukrainians.

politics, Zelensky taps national psyches of other countries as he appeals to save his own - CNNPolitics

Zelensky taps national psyches of other countries as he appeals to save his own

Washington (CNN)This is President Volodymr Zelensky's message to the West and its leaders: We are all Ukrainians.As he wages an existential struggle for his own nation, Zelensky is tapping into the patriotic symbolism, historic traumas and idealized self-images people have about their countries to encapsulate the desperate plight of his own.His masterful political conceit, on display in his address to the US Congress on Wednesday, is designed to frame the war not as a confusing and far-off dispute bound up in the confusing history of greater Russia but as everybody's war.So Zelensky made the conflict relatable to Americans he wants to pressure President Joe Biden to do more by comparing Russia's unstoppable airborne attacks to 9/11 -- or the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. He skillfully tweaked America's national psyche in invoking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" refrain to bring alive Ukraine's dream: sovereignty and independence.Zelensky to US lawmakers: 'We need you right now' as he invokes Pearl Harbor and 9/11As Western leaders worry about being dragged into a direct shooting clash with nuclear-armed Russia, Zelensky is arguing that a broader, existential war is already underway that involves everyone — for freedom, democracy and human dignity.Read MoreAnd as he switched into English at the end of his speech to personally address Biden, after referring to Prime Minister Trudeau by his first name "Justin" in a similar address to Canadian lawmakers on Tuesday, the deeper, political purpose of Zelensky's rhetorical strategy became clear. He is effectively putting those leaders on personal notice that his fate, those of his people and the continued existence of Ukraine will live on their conscience -- and depends on their willingness to defend the principles for which they speak and on which their democracies rest."I'm addressing the President Biden: You are the leader of the nation, of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace," Zelensky said.Desperate pleas hit geopolitical realityThe Ukrainian leader is on a virtual tour addressing national legislatures as he desperately seeks measures like a no-fly zone and more sophisticated weapons as Russia's troops mercilessly pound civilian areas and besiege cities.His message is rooted in the spirit of the headline French newspaper Le Monde carried after the September 11 attacks in 2001 "Nous sommes tous Américains" -- "we are all Americans." While, this time, Ukrainians are under attack -- the values for which they are fighting, freedom from tyranny, democracy and the right to die in old age when their time comes as Zelensky put it, are shared by everyone.As he has in addresses to the European parliament, as well as British and Canadian lawmakers, Zelensky on Wednesday leaned heavily into the national self-perception and patriotic mythology of his audience.Biden announces hundreds of millions in new security aid for Ukraine following Zelensky's speech"Remember Pearl Harbor, the terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Just remember it," Zelensky said, wearing a T-shirt in combat green as spoke from the under-fire Ukrainian capital Kyiv."Remember September 11th, a terrible day in 2001 when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories, into battlefields. When innocent people were attacked, attacked from air," Zelensky added. "Just like nobody else expected it, you could not stop it. Our country experienced the same every day."Zelensky point is that the horror of airborne attack is shocking, indiscriminate and unstoppable and is now raining death from the skies of Ukraine just as it did against Americans in Hawaii and New York City and the Washington area. The power and logic of his argument was impossible to ignore. But part of Ukraine and Zelensky's tragedy is the reality of geopolitics. Biden and most leaders in Congress have ruled out the idea of a no-fly zone over non-NATO member Ukraine as too risky since it could force US pilots to shoot down Russian jets. Such confrontations could trigger a cycle of escalation that would risk World War III and a nuclear exchange that could put humanity at risk.Still, Zelensky's powerful national imagery may be more decisive in building support for a plan also blocked by the administration, for former Warsaw Pact members of NATO to send Soviet-era jets to Ukraine.A political transformation Zelensky was often seen as naive and a little out of his depth when he took office. Ex-President Donald Trump, who remains a hero to many of the GOP members who watched Zelensky's address in rapt silence, even tried to extort him with the promise of US military aid to try to force him to open a politically motivated investigation into Biden and his son Hunter. The campaign season dirty trick led to Trump's first impeachment. But after initially downplaying the chances of a Russian invasion — to the frustration of the United States -- Zelensky, with his own life in peril, has met his moment like few modern political leaders.His refusal to leave Kyiv -- encapsulated by his comment, "I don't need a ride, I need more ammunition" -- galvanized the heroic Ukrainian resistance to the invasion, contrasted with Russian President Vladimir Putin's isolation in the Kremlin, and inspired a stronger than expected international response.His ability to corral the foreign front against Russia rests on deft rhetorical devices like his powerful allusion Wednesday to the civil rights movement in a direct appeal to American lawmakers who often invoke Dr. King but do not always live up to its spirit and the obligations demanded by his legacy."'I have a dream' -- these words are known to each of you. Today, I can say: I have a need, I need to protect our sky. I need your decision, your help, which means exactly the same, the same you feel when you hear the words 'I have a dream.' "Four takeaways from President Zelensky's address to CongressZelensky's facility with patriotic psychology -- he also invoked the faces of great US Presidents on Mount Rushmore to express shared values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law -- is by now not a surprise.On Tuesday, he asked Canadian lawmakers to imagine what it would be like if Vancouver was under siege or if Toronto's trademark CN Tower was bombed. When he spoke to the European Parliament, he channeled the bloc's sense that it encapsulates a lofty purpose above purely national principles. Ukraine may not yet be part of the European Union, he argued, but it is already doing more than any other member to safeguard its values."Do prove that you are indeed Europeans, and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness," he said.And in addressing the British House of Commons, Zelensky drew analogies to wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the country's lonely stand against Nazi tyranny in 1940. "We will fight in the forests, on the shores, in the streets," he said, echoing a famous Churchill speech in which the great statesman also appealed for help from the "New World" -- America -- much as Zelensky is doing now.Zelensky, who has become something of a Shakespearean hero himself, coined the playwright's most famous line "To be, or not to be" in another appeal to the national pride of Britons. As he did in that address and also on Wednesday, he pleaded with the world to honor the choice of Ukrainians who had chosen life and sovereignty -- or in Hamlet's words simply, "to be."

Brian Lowry, CNN

2022-03-11 00:46:40

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/10/entertainment/emilio-delgado-obituary/index.html

Emilio Delgado, 'Sesame Street's' Luis for more than 40 years, has died - CNN

Emilio Delgado, who spent more than 40 years entertaining generations of children playing the Fix-It Shop owner Luis on "Sesame Street," has died, according to his manager.

entertainment, Emilio Delgado, 'Sesame Street's' Luis for more than 40 years, has died - CNN

Emilio Delgado, 'Sesame Street's' Luis for more than 40 years, has died

(CNN)Emilio Delgado, who spent more than 40 years entertaining generations of children playing the Fix-It Shop owner Luis on "Sesame Street," has died, according to his manager.He was 81."We are saddened by the news of Emilio's passing. Emilio was an immense talent who brought so much joy and smiles to his fans. He will be missed by many and we know his legacy will live on. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his wife, Carole," Robert Attermann, CEO of A3 Artists Agency, told CNN in a statement.The actor died Thursday at his home in New York City. He had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, in 2020, according to a report from TMZ, citing his wife.Delgado had remained active in theater, starring in "Quixote Nuevo," a version of "Don Quixote," before the pandemic struck in early 2020. His extensive stage work included serving as artistic director of the Barrio Theatre Ensemble of East Los Angeles. Read MoreStill, he'll be best remembered for the popular children's program. Delgado had cited the PBS show's importance as a cultural touchstone in the way people of color were depicted on TV."For the first time on television, they showed Latinos as real human beings," Delgado told the Houston Chronicle in 2020. "We weren't dope addicts. We weren't maids or prostitutes, which were the way we were being shown in television and in film. Here, on 'Sesame Street,' there were different people who spoke different languages and ate interesting foods, and they were all Americans.""A beloved member of the Sesame family for over 50 years, his warmth and humor invited children to share a friendship that has echoed through generations," Sesame Workshop said of Delgado in a statement to CNN. "At the forefront of representation, Emilio proudly laid claim to the 'record for the longest-running role for a Mexican-American in a TV series.' We are so grateful he shared his talents with us and with the world." Photos: People we've lost in 2022Longtime NFL reporter John Clayton, who was known as "The Professor" because of his encyclopedic knowledge of the game, died Friday, according to both ESPN, where he was an analyst, and Seattle Sports, where he hosted a radio show. Clayton was 67.Hide Caption 1 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022US Rep. Don Young, a Republican of Alaska and the dean of the House, has died, according to a statement from his office on Friday, March 18. He was 88.Hide Caption 2 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Former pro wrestler Scott Hall, a WWE Hall of Famer who reached stardom as "Razor Ramon" during the heyday of his career in the 1990s, died at the age of 63, the WWE said on March 14.Hide Caption 3 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022William Hurt, the Oscar-winning star of "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "The Big Chill," and "Broadcast News," died on Sunday, March 13, his son Will told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 71. Hurt played a variety of roles in classic 1980s films, including "Body Heat," "Children of a Lesser God" and "The Big Chill."Hide Caption 4 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Singer Traci Braxton, who also starred on the reality series "Braxton Family Values," died of esophageal cancer on Saturday, March 12. She was 50.Hide Caption 5 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Emilio Delgado, who played the Fix-It Shop owner Luis on "Sesame Street," died on Thursday, March 10, according to his manager. He had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, in 2020, according to a report from TMZ, citing his wife. Delgado was 81.Hide Caption 6 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Australian cricketer Shane Warne, widely considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, died March 4 at the age of 52, his management company confirmed to CNN. Warne was one of cricket's most lethal bowlers, with 708 Test wickets to his name. That's the most ever for an Australian and the second-most of all time.Hide Caption 7 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Elsa Klensch, who was among the first to bring fashion to TV screens with CNN's "Style with Elsa Klensch" in the 1980s, died on March 4. She was 92. For two decades, Klensch gave CNN viewers a front-row seat to runways all over the world, including New York, London, Milan and Paris.Hide Caption 8 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Actor Johnny Brown, who played building superintendent Nathan Bookman on the 1970s sitcom "Good Times," died on March 2, according to his daughter, Sharon Brown. He was 84.Hide Caption 9 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Sally Kellerman, the prolific Oscar-nominated actress who played Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" O'Houlihan in the 1970 film "M*A*S*H," died on February 24, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which cited her son. She was 84.Hide Caption 10 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Mark Lanegan, a leader within Seattle's grunge music scene and frontman of the influential group Screaming Trees, died February 22 at the age of 57, his family and friends confirmed on his verified Twitter account. Though he often downplayed his contributions to indie rock, the gravelly voiced Lanegan helped usher in a new era for the genre that saw many of his collaborators soar to international fame.Hide Caption 11 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Jamal Edwards, a music entrepreneur best known for founding media platform SBTV, died February 20 at the age of 31. His mother confirmed that her son died from a "sudden illness." Edwards got into the music scene at the age of 15 and was a pioneering figure in British rap and grime music.Hide Caption 12 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Taylor died at the age of 80, the Washington Commanders announced on February 19. Taylor retired in 1977 as the NFL's all-time leading receiver. His record of 649 receptions for 9,110 yards and 79 touchdowns would stand until 1984.Hide Caption 13 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Indian singer and composer Bappi Lahiri, who lent his talent to Indian cinema for nearly 50 years, died February 15 at the age of 69, according to a statement from his doctor. Lahiri, who was fondly referred to as "India's Disco King," was known for his love of 1970s-inspired dance beats. His signature hits, including the 1982 smash "Disco Dancer" from the Bollywood movie of the same name, helped to infuse Indian cinema with a lively, more contemporary sound.Hide Caption 14 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Ivan Reitman, a storied producer and director behind some of Hollywood's biggest comedies, died on February 13, according to the CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. He was 75. Reitman created some of the most enduring comedic films of the '80s and '90s, including 1984's "Ghostbusters," which he produced and directed.Hide Caption 15 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Former Major League Baseball player Jeremy Giambi died at the age of 47, a few of his former teams announced on February 9. The cause of death was not released.Hide Caption 16 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Singer Lata Mangeshkar, the "nightingale of India" who gave her voice to Indian movies for more than 70 years, died on February 6, according to her doctor. She was 92.Hide Caption 17 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Bill Fitch, a Hall of Fame basketball coach who won the NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics in 1981, died February 2 at the age of 89.Hide Caption 18 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Italian cinema star Monica Vitti died February 2 at the age of 90, according to Italian politician and family friend Walter Veltroni. Vitti was well-known for her work with some of Italy and Europe's most influential filmmakers throughout the 1960s and 1970s.Hide Caption 19 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst died on January 30, said her family and the New York Police Department, which is investigating her death. She was 30. Kryst was an attorney who sought to help reform America's justice system, and she was a fashion blogger and entertainment news correspondent. She was crowned Miss USA in 2019.Hide Caption 20 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Actor Howard Hesseman, best known as the hard-rocking disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati," died on January 29, according to his manager, Robbie Kass. Hesseman died from complications related to colon surgery, Kass told CNN. He was 81.Hide Caption 21 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Legendary Mexican-Argentinian singer Diego Verdaguer died at the age of 70, his family announced in a statement on January 28. Verdaguer first achieved international success in 1975, when his song "Volveré" ("I'll Be Back") became a hit in Mexico and went on to sell more than 5 million copies.Hide Caption 22 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Actor Vachik Mangassarian, a character actor who appeared on "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "The Mentalist," died of Covid-19 complications, his manager told CNN on January 27. He was 78.Hide Caption 23 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Brig. Gen. Charles McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died on January 23, according to a family spokesman. He was 102. McGee successfully completed 409 air combat missions across three wars — World War II, Korea, and Vietnam — and he received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.Hide Caption 24 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022French fashion designer Thierry Mugler, whose flamboyant creations transformed haute couture, died January 23 at the age of 73, according to a message posted to his official Instagram account.Hide Caption 25 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Clark Gillies, a Hall of Fame hockey player and four-time Stanley Cup winner with the New York Islanders, died on January 21, according to the National Hockey League. He was 67.Hide Caption 26 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Louie Anderson, an Emmy Award-winning actor who also spent part of his career as a stand-up comic and game-show host, died January 21 from complications related to cancer, his publicist Glenn Schwartz confirmed to CNN. Anderson was 68.Hide Caption 27 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Meat Loaf, the larger-than-life singer whose 1977 record "Bat Out of Hell" is one of the best-selling albums of all time, died January 20 at the age of 74, according to a statement from his family on his verified Facebook page. In pictures: Rock 'n' roll legend Meat LoafHide Caption 28 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022André Leon Talley, the former longtime creative director for Vogue and a fashion icon in his own right, died January 18 at the age of 73, according to a statement on his official Instagram account. Talley was a pioneer in the fashion industry, a Black man in an often insular world dominated by White men and women.Hide Caption 29 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022French actor Gaspard Ulliel, best known for playing Hannibal Lecter in "Hannibal Rising," died after a skiing accident on January 18. He was 37.Hide Caption 30 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Lusia "Lucy" Harris, a college basketball star during the 1970s and the first and only woman ever to be officially drafted by an NBA team, died on January 18, according to a statement from her family and Delta State University. She was 66. Harris led Delta State to three national championships from 1975-1977.Hide Caption 31 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Steve Schapiro, an acclaimed photojournalist perhaps best known for his work documenting the civil rights movement, died January 15 at the age of 87. Schapiro was also known for his portraits of some of the world's biggest celebrities, including Muhammad Ali, David Bowie and Barbra Streisand.Hide Caption 32 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Ralph Emery, a legendary radio and television personality in the world of country music, died January 15 at the age of 88, according to the Country Music Association.Hide Caption 33 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Ronnie Spector, the leader of pop group The Ronettes and the powerful central voice of hits like "Be My Baby" and "Baby I love You," died on January 12, her family announced in a statement on her website. She was 78.Hide Caption 34 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Clyde Bellecourt, a leader in the Native American struggle for civil rights and a founder of the American Indian Movement, died on January 11, his wife Peggy Bellecourt told the Star Tribune. He was 85.Hide Caption 35 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Deon Lendore, an Olympic and world championship medalist from Trinidad and Tobago, died in a car accident in Texas on January 10. He was 29.Hide Caption 36 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Don Maynard, a Hall of Fame football player known for helping the New York Jets win Super Bowl III, died January 10 at the age of 86. At the time of his retirement in 1973, Maynard's career receptions (633) and yards receiving (11,834) were league records. He also amassed 10,000 yards receiving before any other pro player.Hide Caption 37 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Bob Saget, the comedian and actor who played wholesome patriarch Danny Tanner on the sitcom "Full House," was found dead in an Orlando hotel room on January 9, his family confirmed in a statement to CNN. He was 65.Hide Caption 38 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Michael Lang, co-creator of the Woodstock music festival, died January 8 at the age of 77.Hide Caption 39 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Award-winning lyricist Marilyn Bergman died January 8 at the age of 93. Along with Alan Bergman, her husband and longtime collaborator, Bergman was nominated for 16 Academy Awards over the course of her career and won three. One was for the song "The Way We Were," from the 1973 film that starred Barbra Streisand.Hide Caption 40 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Sidney Poitier, whose elegant bearing and principled onscreen characters made him Hollywood's first Black movie star, died at the age of 94, it was reported on January 7. In pictures: Hollywood legend Sidney PoitierHide Caption 41 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Lani Guinier, a legal scholar and champion for voting rights who was once nominated to be assistant attorney general by then-President Bill Clinton, died on January 7, her cousin, Sherrie Russell-Brown, confirmed to CNN. She was 71.Hide Caption 42 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Peter Bogdanovich, the Oscar-nominated director of movies such as "The Last Picture Show" and "Paper Moon," died on January 6. He was 82.Hide Caption 43 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022College Football Hall of Famer Ross Browner, a two-time All-American at Notre Dame and a 10-year NFL veteran, died January 6 at the age of 67. Browner, a defensive lineman, started all four seasons at Notre Dame, winning national championships in 1973 and 1977 and setting several school records.Hide Caption 44 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022South Korean actress Kim Mi-soo died at the age of 29, her agency, Landscape Entertainment, announced on January 5. The budding TV star and model appeared in the Disney+ series "Snowdrop" and Netflix's "Hellbound."Hide Caption 45 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Kenyan paleoanthropologist and conservationist Richard Leakey, who unearthed evidence that helped prove humankind evolved in Africa, died January 2 at the age of 77.Hide Caption 46 of 47 Photos: People we've lost in 2022Dan Reeves, a former NFL running back and head coach, died January 1 at the age of 77. Reeves coached 23 seasons in the NFL and was twice named Coach of the Year.Hide Caption 47 of 47Beyond "Sesame Street," Delgado appeared in such series as "Law & Order," and early in his career in the dramas "Lou Grant" and "Falcon Crest." He also co-starred in the 1975 TV movie "I Will Fight No More Forever," a true story about Nez Perce Native American leader Chief Joseph.Delgado was born in Calexico, Calif., but raised by his grandparents on the other side of the US-Mexican border in Mexicali.

Scottie Andrew, CNN

2022-03-14 16:21:24

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/14/entertainment/dolly-parton-withdraws-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-cec/index.html

Dolly Parton bows out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations - CNN

Parton said Monday she was taking herself of the running for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2022 class, saying she didn't feel she'd "earned that right."

entertainment, Dolly Parton bows out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations - CNN

Dolly Parton bows out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations

(CNN)Dolly Parton, one of popular music's most beloved stars, is taking herself out of the running for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2022 class of inductees. In a statement shared to her social media accounts, the country chanteuse said that while she was "extremely flattered and grateful" for the nomination, she didn't feel she'd "earned that right." "I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out," she said. Parton was the sole country star on this year's ballot, which also included Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest and Dionne Warwick. She said she hoped the hall of fame would consider her again one day if she's "ever worthy."The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees include Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called QuestRead More"This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock 'n' roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do!" she said, noting her husband, Carl Dean, "has always encouraged [her] to do one."The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has made an effort in recent years to nominate and induct artists who aren't traditional rock artists but have made major contributions to popular music and influenced other musicians. Previously inducted artists who align more with other genres include The Supremes, Johnny Cash and Madonna. But it wasn't until 2007 that the hall of fame inducted its first rap group, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Earlier this year, when announcing the newest slate of nominees, Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation John Sykes said the artists chosen each had "a profound impact on the sound of youth culture."The current criteria for inductees doesn't require them to record within the rock genre -- to be eligible, artists must have released their first commercial recording 25 years earlier. This year's inductees -- now down one likely shoo-in -- will be announced in May, with an induction ceremony to follow in the fall.

Scottie Andrew, CNN

2022-02-02 14:40:44

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/02/entertainment/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-nominees-2022-cec/index.html

The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees include Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called - CNN

Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called Quest are on the ballot with Eminem, alternative darlings Beck and Kate Bush, New Wave groups DEVO and Duran Duran, and singer-songwriters Lionel Richie and Carly Simon, among others.

entertainment, The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees include Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called - CNN

The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees include Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called Quest

(CNN)Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called Quest don't have much in common aside from a propensity for making great music. But now, the beloved country songstress and mythic rap group from Queens might belong to the same class of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. They're among the nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2022 class, announced Wednesday. Also on the ballot are alternative darlings Beck and Kate Bush, New Wave groups DEVO and Duran Duran, and singer-songwriters Lionel Richie and Carly Simon. Several of the nominees are nominated for the first time. First-time nominees include Eminem, who makes the ballot in his first year of eligibility. An artist or band becomes eligible for induction 25 years after their first commercial recording was released, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. A Tribe Called Quest (three members pictured: Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad) are first-time nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. More than 1,000 artists, music historians and music industry professionals vote on the nominees, the foundation said, taking into account an artist or group's influence on other musicians, their body of work and "length and depth of career."This year's inductees will be announced in May, with an induction ceremony to follow in the fall. Read MoreLast year's class of music legends included Tina Turner, Jay-Z and Foo Fighters. Full list of 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees:Asterisks mark first-time nominees.Beck*Pat BenatarKate BushDEVODuran Duran* Eminem*EurythmicsJudas PriestFela KutiMC5New York DollsDolly Parton*Rage Against the MachineLionel Richie*Carly Simon*A Tribe Called Quest*Dionne Warwick

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2022-01-12 16:08:06

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/12/entertainment/ben-affleck-gigli-jennifer-lopez/index.html

Ben Affleck doesn't regret 'Gigli.' After all, he met Jennifer Lopez - CNN

"Gigli" may have bombed at the box office and the film became the punchline for many a joke, but Ben Affleck is choosing to look at the bright side.

entertainment, Ben Affleck doesn't regret 'Gigli.' After all, he met Jennifer Lopez - CNN

Ben Affleck doesn't regret 'Gigli.' After all, he met Jennifer Lopez

(CNN)"Gigli" may have bombed at the box office and the film became the punchline for many a joke, but Ben Affleck is choosing to look at the bright side.In an Entertainment Weekly interview with his BFF Matt Damon, Affleck talked about the 2003 film which put him in the loss column for awhile, but also left him winning since it costarred his former and now current love, Jennifer Lopez."[Gigli] didn't work and we did five weeks of reshoots, which we knew were not gonna work," Affleck said. "It was a movie that didn't work....Interestingly, I learned more about directing on that movie than anything else because Marty [Brest, "Gigli' director] is a brilliant director, really gifted."Also, Affleck believes that "for being a movie that's such a famous bomb and a disaster, very few people actually saw the movie."Yet, he also said that if the movie hadn't flopped "I probably wouldn't have ultimately decided, 'I don't really have any other avenue but to direct movies,' which has turned out to be the real love of my professional life."Read MoreAffleck has gone on to direct several films, including "Argo," which won a best picture Academy Award.Plus, Affleck got the girl in the end."And I did get to meet Jennifer, the relationship with whom has been really meaningful to me in my life," he said.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2019-11-27 14:05:00

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/27/entertainment/knives-out-review/index.html

'Knives Out' review - CNN

Director Rian Johnson puts a razor-sharp twist on the old-fashioned whodunit, with an all-star cast that includes Daniel Craig and Chris Evans

entertainment, 'Knives Out' review - CNN

'Knives Out' puts a razor-sharp twist on the old-fashioned whodunit

(CNN)Placing its own slightly unorthodox twist on the Agatha Christie whodunit -- complete with an all-star cast, seemingly having a grand time doing it -- "Knives Out" is a whole lot of fun, intended to keep the audience off-balance right up until the finish. It's a razor-sharp throwback from writer-director Rian Johnson, which almost feels like a palate cleanser after directing the last "Star Wars" movie.The premise can be summed up neatly enough, with the apparent-suicide death of bestselling mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), the 85-year-old patriarch of a highly dysfunctional family. The circumstances, however, leave everyone looking like a potential suspect -- there's the little matter of that estate, after all -- and thrust Harlan's nurse Marta (Ana de Armas) squarely into the midst of the craziness.Tasked with unraveling it all, meanwhile, is Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), who speaks in a Foghorn Leghorn Southern drawl (a point overtly made) and is described as "the last of the gentleman sleuths." Blanc spends a fair amount of time appraising the familial quirks, while saying Holmes-ian lines like "The game is afoot" and referring to a sidekick as "Watson."As for the family, everyone has a possible motive for wanting to do in ol' Harlan, including his grown kids (Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon), in-laws (Don Johnson, a scene-stealing Toni Collette) and grandchildren (Chris Evans, "13 Reasons Why's" Katherine Langford, "It's" Jaeden Martell), who each rely on papa bear's wealth and anticipated inheritance in one way or another.Christie's mysteries have never really gone out of fashion, and indeed, have mounted a bit of a comeback with new versions of "Murder on the Orient Express" and the upcoming "Death on the Nile."Read MorePart of the charm involves seeing these stars get to flex some different muscles. Still, Johnson offers a somewhat unique point of entry, providing a great deal of information early on, peeling back layers -- using frequent flashbacks -- as the story unfolds primarily within the confines of the Thrombeys' sprawling estate."Knives Out" does include some current political references, but otherwise it's the kind of playful, cleverly constructed lark designed to be nothing more than fun, exhibiting a genuine fondness for both the books and movies that inspired it.That might not add up to a blockbuster, but like one of Harlan's mysteries, it's a movie that in its amusing simplicity could enjoy a long shelf-life."Knives Out" premieres Nov. 27 in the US. It's rated PG-13.

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2020-05-01 16:54:07

entertainment

entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/01/entertainment/ana-armas-ben-affleck-instagram/index.html

Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck are Instagram official - CNN

Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck made their affectionate debut on Instagram.

entertainment, Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck are Instagram official - CNN

Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck are Instagram official

(CNN)Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck made their affectionate debut on Instagram. The actress, 32, posted photos of her hugged up with the 47-year-old actor in honor of her birthday on her verified Instagram account.In two of the photos, de Armas and Affleck are seen cuddling. View this post on Instagram Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes and love! Cheers to another great year. 🎉🌈💕🙏🏻🌸🌹✨🎈 Gracias a todos por los mensajes de cumpleaños y el amor. Un brindis por otro año maravilloso. A post shared by A N A D E A R M A S (@ana_d_armas) on Apr 30, 2020 at 3:36pm PDT "Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes and love! Cheers to another great year," she wrote in the caption in a series of photos. There has been speculation for weeks that they were a couple, heightened by Affleck writing "Photo credit pls," in the comment section of a set of photos the actress posted in March showing her on the beach.Read MoreThe pair star together in the forthcoming film "Deep Water." Affleck was married to actress Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018, and they are the parents of Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and Samuel, 8.

By Chris Lee, EW

2014-08-14 15:51:35

entertainment

showbiz

https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/14/showbiz/movies/ben-affleck-gone-girl-ew/index.html

Ben Affleck says scrutiny helped 'Gone Girl' performance - CNN

Ben Affleck looks distinctly ill at ease.

Ben Affleck , Gone Girl, movies, books, showbiz, Ben Affleck says scrutiny helped 'Gone Girl' performance - CNN

Ben Affleck says tabloid scrutiny helped 'Gone Girl' performance

Story highlightsAffleck plays Nick Dunne in "Gone Girl"He faced tabloid scrutiny while dating Jennifer LopezDirector says Affleck's experience factored into castingBen Affleck looks distinctly ill at ease.Portraying Nick Dunne—a man attempting to put out the dragnet for his missing-and-presumed dead wife Amy (played by British actress Rosamund Pike)—during a key scene in the adaptation of Gillian Flynn's bestselling crime thriller "Gone Girl," Affleck has swapped his usual movie star luster for, well, flop sweat. In a sequence that was screened by director David Fincher exclusively for an EW cover story hitting newsstands Friday, Affleck's Dunne faces a candlelight vigil for Amy crawling with TV cameras, police detectives, and somber neighbors in the sequence, and he appears less like a grief-stricken husband than a shifty dude trying to seem grief-stricken."I may not behave the way the cameras want me to," Affleck tells a crowd that already views him as the prime suspect. "If you need to mock somebody, mock me. But please don't turn this investigation into a circus.""Where's your wife, Nick?" responded a voice from the darkness. "What did you do to your pregnant wife?!"Affleck, of course, knows the searing glare of the spotlight all too well, having comprised, along with J-Lo, the celebrity entity "Bennifer." To hear him tell it, portraying a guy who's being hounded by the press and second-guessed by a judgmental public hardly required extensive prep."It wasn't something I had to do a lot of research for," Affleck says with a weary smirk. "I knew what it was like to have the tabloid world paying attention to me and ascribing negative motivations to whatever I might be engaging in. I knew what it was to be cast in a soap opera I had no control over."Ben Affleck will be a great Batman, Adam West saysAccording to Fincher, Affleck's intimate familiarity with being misunderstood by the Fourth Estate— moreover, with "what it's like to be hunted"—factored heavily in his casting."We knew we needed somebody who was charming and could be seductive, who could be a ladies man, a guy's guy, a frat boy," Fincher says. "But most important, [someone] who had the wits and experience of knowing that situation. The gift of having Ben Affleck is that this is a guy who knows. He knows what a lose-lose situation is and understands what's funny about it, however sad."See the original story at EW.com.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2022-02-17 16:12:37

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https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/17/entertainment/severance-review/index.html

'Severance' review: Adam Scott and producer Ben Stiller team on an Apple series that puts a creepy sci-fi spin on work-life balance - CNN

The best kind of science fiction sometimes feels set about 10 minutes in the future, and so it is with "Severance," an extremely creepy, slow-moving but instantly engrossing Apple TV+ series.

entertainment, 'Severance' review: Adam Scott and producer Ben Stiller team on an Apple series that puts a creepy sci-fi spin on work-life balance - CNN

'Severance' puts a creepy sci-fi spin on the idea of work-life balance

(CNN)The best kind of science fiction sometimes feels set about 10 minutes in the future, and so it is with "Severance," an extremely creepy, slow-moving but instantly engrossing Apple TV+ series. Produced by Ben Stiller, the project features a stellar cast, in a show about memory that proves appropriately hard to forget.The title refers to a procedure practiced by corporate giant Lumon Industries in which employees sever their memories of what transpires at work from what happens outside, and vice versa, theoretically bringing new meaning to the phrase "work-life balance."Yet when a member of the team suddenly leaves, and a newcomer arrives, it upsets the chemistry within the office, triggering thoughts about what really might be motivating the practice -- and what the company might actually be doing that its robotic, happy-talking top brass appear eager to avoid.Answers don't come quickly, but the scenario becomes utterly fascinating, with Adam Scott as Mark Scout, the low-key new leader of the team; and Britt Lower as Helly, the new arrival who asks way too many questions.All told, it's enough to make even those pining for the office appreciate Zoom calls. As for the aforementioned cast, Lumon's personnel roster includes John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman and Patricia Arquette, the last reuniting with Stiller after the splendid 2018 prison drama "Escape at Dannemora."Read MoreFor Mark, the severed memories have served a particular purpose, allowing him to create distance between work and the pain he was experiencing after the loss of his wife.Scott turns out to be the perfect Everyman, but the cast is uniformly good. Why the others would agree to this Faustian bargain is only one of the breadcrumbs that "Severance" takes its time sprinkling, in a series that leaves plenty of runway for more at the end of its nine episodes.Created by Dan Erickson, there's a "Twin Peaks"-esque quality to some of the quirkier aspects of the series, such as Arquette's monotone-voiced boss informing Mark that "A handshake is available upon request," the walks down impossibly long hallways or the odd obsession with melon balls at the awkward company celebrations. The show also invites comparisons to the under-appreciated AMC drama "Rubicon" and ahead-of-its-time 1960s series "The Prisoner," given the confined setting and uncertainty about who can be trusted."Severance" won't be for everyone, but those drawn into its antiseptic, maze-like workspace won't be able to get enough of its provocative implications about messing around with the brain and memories, a la the movie "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."Light escapism it isn't. But until the show's fictional technology becomes reality, a series like "Severance" is just the sort of cerebral concept to help take one's mind off the daily grind of working 9 to 5."Severance" premieres Feb. 18 on Apple TV+. (Disclosure: My wife works for a division of Apple.)

Lauren M. Johnson, CNN

2019-06-27 20:28:43

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/27/us/adam-scott-responds-to-mcconnell-tweet-trnd/index.html

Adam Scott tells Mitch McConnell to take down his 'Parks and Rec' GIF - CNN

"Parks and Recreation" star Adam Scott was not OK with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell using a GIF featuring his character, Ben Wyatt.

us, Adam Scott tells Mitch McConnell to take down his 'Parks and Rec' GIF - CNN

Adam Scott tells Mitch McConnell to take down his 'Parks and Rec' GIF

(CNN)"Parks and Recreation" star Adam Scott was not OK with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell using a GIF featuring his character, Ben Wyatt. Scott tweeted Wednesday: "Dear Mitch McConnell & all those representing him,Please refrain from using my image in support of anything but your own stunning & humiliating defeat.Thanks!Read MoreAdamcc: @senatemajldr @McConnellPress" Dear Mitch McConnell & all those representing him,Please refrain from using my image in support of anything but your own stunning & humiliating defeat.Thanks!Adamcc: @senatemajldr @McConnellPress https://t.co/0lfxuKlUiK— Adam Scott (@mradamscott) June 26, 2019 McConnell used the GIF in response to a tweet by a reporter on Monday who was sharing a comment from President Trump regarding a Supreme Court nomination. Before Scott's response, several users tweeted GIFs from the show to express their opinions of the tweet, both showing support and mocking the Senate majority leader. This isn't the first time a cast or crew member of "Parks and Rec" responded to a political tweet that used GIFs from the show. In February 2018, the creator Michael Schur responded to a tweet from the NRA under his Twitter alias Ken Tremendous after a CNN town hall. The organization used the show's main character, Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, to thank spokeswoman Dana Loesch for defending gun rights. "Hi, please take this down. I would prefer you not use a GIF from a show I worked on to promote your pro-slaughter agenda," Schur tweeted. Schur ended the tweet with a strongly worded message for the NRA directly from Poehler, as she doesn't have a Twitter account. Scott and co-star Nick Offerman, who played Ron Swanson, also responded to the NRA tweet with similar sentiments.

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

2021-06-08 19:08:14

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/08/entertainment/loki-review/index.html

'Loki' review: Tom Hiddleston returns, making a new kind of mischief for Disney+ - CNN

The slow wind-up has characterized all three of Marvel's Disney+ series, but the pacing feels particularly sluggish — and the endgame, pardon the expression, elusive — watching the first two episodes of "Loki."

entertainment, 'Loki' review: Tom Hiddleston returns, making a new kind of mischief for Disney+ - CNN

'Loki' makes a new kind of mischief as Marvel's latest 'variant' for Disney+

(CNN)The slow wind-up has characterized all three of Marvel's Disney+ series, but the pacing feels particularly sluggish — and the endgame, pardon the expression, elusive — watching the first two episodes of "Loki." Seeing Tom Hiddleston reprise his role as the suave Thor villain certainly has its charms, but thus far the god of mischief hasn't taken the shape of a wholly compelling concept.Part of the difference between this latest Marvel show and predecessors "WandaVision" and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," which offered similar promotions to supporting players, stems from the lack of a clearly mapped direction. In the former's case, it was Wanda working through her grief, while consciously satirizing the long history of sitcoms. In the latter, the story built toward the transfer of Captain America's shield into new and deserving hands.Loki being gender fluid confirmed in trailer"Loki," by contrast, initially exists primarily as a showcase for Hiddleston, picking up the string from a loose end in "Avengers: Endgame" and teasing it out (and out).As the introduction reminds us, Loki escaped into parts unknown during the events of "Endgame," as the Avengers tinkered with the past to alter the future. The result of that has left a Loki "variant" (a term with another distracting usage right now) on the loose, drawing the attention of an organization whose mandate is to police the time continuum.The problem with time-travel plots is that they tend to work best the less you dwell on the details. Thanks to the premise, the audience can think about little else, since the source of the drama (and considerable comedy) fixates on the threat that a glitch in time poses to reality itself.Read MoreThe program's primary kick thus boils down to Hiddleston, as well as his interactions with time cop Mobius (Owen Wilson), who realizes Loki isn't trustworthy but sees him as the means to an end. An early template would be "It Takes a Thief," where a skilled cat burglar's insights were employed to help catch other thieves.With the time element and buddy aspect of that, the opening episodes could be called "Tom and Owen's Excellent Adventure." There's less to do for the rest of the cast, which includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Mobius' boss.On the plus side, "Loki" looks fabulous, creating a bizarre world that feels distinctly different from other quadrants of the Marvel universe. Being weird, however — especially in those moments when it seems to be mostly for the sake of that — has its drawbacks too.For the most part, Marvel has proven exceptionally shrewd in capitalizing on the Disney+ platform to offer richer characterizations than the movies allow, while providing the streaming service with marquee titles that echo through the pop-culture space.Early on, the series asks a question at the heart of its appeal: "What makes Loki tick?" "Loki" clearly could have more tricks up its sleeve, since the format has dictated that these Marvel shows can only truly be judged at the end, not the beginning.Even so, the clock is ticking on whether the series can rally enough during the remaining chapters to fulfill its promise, as opposed to simply killing time."Loki" premieres Wednesday, June 9, on Disney+.

Lisa Respers France and Chloe Melas, CNN

2018-07-08 18:40:10

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https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/08/entertainment/justin-bieber-hailey-baldwin-engaged/index.html

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are engaged - CNN

Singer Justin Bieber and model Hailey Baldwin got engaged over the weekend, a source close to the singer confirmed to CNN.

entertainment, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are engaged - CNN

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are engaged

Story highlightsSocial media was in a tizzy about engagement Bieber had talked about the possibility of them marrying before (CNN)Singer Justin Bieber and model Hailey Baldwin got engaged over the weekend, a source close to the singer confirmed to CNN.The couple, who dated in 2016 before splitting, had stirred chatter among fans in recent weeks, appearing together and sparking speculation that they had reunited.Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin in New York's Dumbo neighborhood on July 5.Social media postings popped up over the weekend saying the pair were spotted in the Bahamas. Hailey and Justin in the Bahamas. (July 6, 2018) @haileybaldwin @justinbieber #haileybaldwin #justinbieber #jailey A post shared by Hailey Baldwin Updates (@haileybaldwincr) on Jul 7, 2018 at 2:15pm PDT As reports surfaced that Bieber, 24, had popped the question to the 21-year-old Baldwin during the trip, his father, Jeremy Bieber, set fans to wondering with his own social media post. @justinbieber Proud is an understatement! Excited for the next chapter! A post shared by Jeremy Bieber (@jeremybieber) on Jul 8, 2018 at 8:31am PDT "@justinbieber Proud is an understatement! Excited for the next chapter!," the caption on a photo showing the younger Bieber at the beach read on his father's official Instagram account.Read MoreLove Love Love Love Love Love Love.— Pattie Mallette (@pattiemallette) July 7, 2018 On Saturday the Bieb's mom, Pattie Mallette, tweeted "Love Love Love Love Love Love Love" with no further explanation. Baldwin's father, actor Stephen Baldwin, tweeted Sunday that he and her mother, his wife, Kennya, "Always pray 4 God's will !!"Stephen Baldwin via Twitter: pic.twitter.com/GXm4w5oUkf— Justin Bieber Crew (@TheJBCrewdotcom) July 8, 2018 "He is moving in the hearts of JB & HB," the elder Baldwin said in the tweet, which also tagged Bieber's parents to congratulate them. "Let's all pray for His will to be done. Love you 2 so much!!! #Godstiming #bestisyettocome."How fashion model Hailey Baldwin made a name for herselfThe tweet was quickly deleted. Bieber's love life is a big deal with his fans, who have closely followed his on-again, off-again relationship with singer/actress Selena Gomez which reportedly fizzled most recently after they reunited in October 2017.Naturally, Twitter lit up with talk of his engagement, with some noting the similarities between it and the recent engagement of singer Ariana Grande to actor Pete Davidson after weeks of dating. Bieber and Grande share the same manager, Scooter Braun.First ariana get engaged to pete Davidson and now Justin bieber to hailey Bladwin the devil works hard but Scooter Braun works harder— gabrielle 🇭🇺 (@mermaiidk) July 8, 2018 Justin Bieber is engaged... here comes the "my life is ruined" tweets from girls who have never even met him— Brielle Biermann (@BrielleZolciak) July 8, 2018 Justin Bieber is engaged to Hailey Baldwin and I have never been so sad in my entire life... did she know every word to every song? did she go to his concert by herself? did she buy all purple clothes because he said it was his favorite color? did she even watch never say never— hanna 💫 (@hannalangevin) July 8, 2018 Baldwin was recently linked with singer Shawn Mendes after the pair attended the Met Gala in New York together in May.In May, she told the UK's The Times that she and Bieber, who both attend Hillsong Church in Los Angeles, had a tense time after their 2016 breakup."We didn't speak for quite some time and there was a lot of weirdness that went on," she said. "But it brought both of us to the realization that we just work much better as friends. He's somebody I really cherish. Now it's a very mature situation. It's good."Bieber told GQ magazine in February 2016 that he wanted to be careful not to rush things with Baldwin in case she ended up being the one."What if Hailey ends up being the girl I'm gonna marry, right? If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then it's always gonna be damaged," he said. "It's really hard to fix wounds like that. It's so hard ... I just don't want to hurt her."

Sandra Gonzalez and Lisa Respers France, CNN

2019-10-01 12:20:06

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entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/01/entertainment/justin-bieber-hailey-baldwin-wedding-trnd/index.html

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin got married again - CNN

Congrats are in order again for Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Baldwin. The couple retied the knot again Monday in a ceremony at luxury resort Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina, according to People magazine.

entertainment, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin got married again - CNN

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin got married again

(CNN)Congrats are in order again for Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Baldwin.The couple retied the knot Monday in a ceremony at luxury resort Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina, according to People magazine.The pair's "I Do" No. 2, attended by family and friends, comes after Bieber, 25, and Baldwin, 22, got engaged last summer and were secretly married months later at a New York City courthouse.Bieber confirmed in November that he was "a married man." This time around, the singer shared wedding photos of himself and his wife (who months ago started going by Hailey Bieber) on his official Instagram account.Read More View this post on Instagram My bride is 🔥 A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Oct 1, 2019 at 2:11am PDT "My wife is (fire emoji)," the caption read on two pictures of the couple stamped "The Biebers" and "September 30, 2019." View this post on Instagram Got my self a lil wedding gift ... thanks @jadellebh A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Sep 30, 2019 at 3:27pm PDT Bieber even posted the spiffy watch he said he picked up as a wedding present for himself.The couple, who first met as young teens, opened up about their union this year in a "Vogue" interview, with Baldwin saying, "I'm not going to sit here and lie and say it's all a magical fantasy. It's always going to be hard.""It's a choice. You don't feel it every single day," Baldwin said. "You don't wake up every day saying, 'I'm absolutely so in love and you are perfect.' That's not what being married is."But she added, "There's something beautiful about it anyway -- about wanting to fight for something, commit to building with someone.""We're really young, and that's a scary aspect," she said. "We're going to change a lot. But we're committed to growing together and supporting each other in those changes."CNN has reached out to reps for the couple for additional comment.

Marianne Garvey

2022-02-01 15:03:55

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https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/01/entertainment/jessica-biel-justin-timberlake-birthday/index.html

Jessica Biel wishes husband Justin Timberlake a Happy 41st Birthday - CNN

Jessica Biel wished husband Justin Timberlake a happy 41st birthday on social media.

entertainment, Jessica Biel wishes husband Justin Timberlake a Happy 41st Birthday - CNN

Jessica Biel wishes happy birthday to husband Justin Timberlake

(CNN)Jessica Biel wished husband Justin Timberlake a happy 41st birthday on social media. "The Sinner" actress took to Instagram on Monday, writing, "Happy birthday, 80s baby," alongside a snap of the two in '80s inspired looks on the beach.The two will celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary in October and share two sons, Silas, 6, and Phineas, 18 months.In September 2020, Biel posted a throwback to Instagram amid the pandemic, posting a picture of the couple at the Emmy Awards. "Once upon a time, a long LONG time ago... Mom and Dad put on some real clothes and stayed out past midnight," she wrote.Read MoreIn September, Biel discussed her children with "Today," "[Silas] finds him really funny, and the baby thinks that Silas has hung the moon. So, that's really cute," she said. "He, of course, wants to do everything that his older brother's doing and follows him around everywhere. But Silas is the best big brother. He's so sweet, and he's just a lovely guy. We're pretty lucky. They're sweet boys."

Lisa Respers France, CNN

2021-06-15 13:09:01

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entertainment

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/entertainment/jessica-biel-baby-trnd/index.html

Jessica Biel didn't mean to have 'a secret Covid baby' - CNN

It's not like Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake set out to keep their second child a secret.

entertainment, Jessica Biel didn't mean to have 'a secret Covid baby' - CNN

Jessica Biel didn't mean to have 'a secret Covid baby'

(CNN)It's not like Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake set out to keep their second child a secret.The actress talked about the pregnancy with their now 11-month-old son Phineas during a recent appearance on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast.Biel told Shepard she had "a secret Covid baby.""It wasn't like it was supposed to be a secret," she said. "It was just Covid happened and then I went to Montana with my family and never left."Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet JacksonGiving birth during a pandemic meant a lot of uncertainty, she said.Read More"The hospital restrictions had just changed," Biel recalled. "And there was a moment there that there was nobody allowed at all and I was really getting nervous about that situation."Things worked out and Timberlake was able to be present, she said.The pair, who wed in 2012, are also the parents of 6-year-old son Silas.Biel is loving being a family of four."The conversations I'm having now with my six-year-old is so cool," she said. "Like, he's a real person saying the funniest stuff and he's so sensitive and tender. It's just so interesting to see that part of it happen and the little one is just cute as hell."