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Poetry almanac ‘Voices of Friends’ looks for support

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by ECG

The Eurasian Creative Guild together with the Hertfordshire Press is happy to present its new project -the poetry almanac ‘Voices of Friends’! The project is aimed at supporting the poetry of classics and spreading the poetic heritage of the Eurasian peoples.

We all have been experiencing difficult times over at least the past few months. But no matter what humanity went through, there was always something that supported people in difficult times and helped them not to give up. This ray of light was and remains poetry.

The almanac ‘Voices of Friends’ is a special project that will allow you not only to present your work to the world in English, but also to preserve memories of people close to you, significant historical dates or your homeland as a part of world history and literature. The idea for this kind of collection appeared in 1960, when Soviet writer Konstantin Simonov published a collection of translations of the Voices of Friends, which included poems from poets of Uzbekistan. 60 years on, we decided to revive this wonderful idea and to give it a new sound.

The uniqueness of the almanac (diary – calendar) arises from the fact that it will be divided into 365 calendar days, where 1 page is allocated to each day. For example, you have the opportunity to put your work on Independence Day, or the anniversary of Abay Kunanbayev, etc. The collection will be a great gift for an unforgettable celebration, anniversary, birthday and perfectly fits personal social circles as well as events at the public and state level.

Each author can choose up to 6 calendar days (6 pages). The almanac will be published in the UK by Hertfordshire Press as part of the ECG book series. Mandatory copies will be sent to both the British Library and the world’s largest repository of copyrighted copies – Legal Deposit.

If you would like to participate in this project and to place your poetry in the almanac, you have to be an active member of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) and to fill this form. The deadline is August 1st!

If you just want to support this project – you are more than welcome to do so! How to support this creative project? Here is a step-by-step instruction:

  1. Follow this link;
  2. Read about the project;
  3. Be interested;
  4. Click on the “Back it” button;
  5. Enter the amount of money or choose one of the benefits (Perk);
  6. Go to the payment page;
  7. Enter your card number;
  8. Transfer the amount;
  9. Be proud of yourself!

You have provided help and support to the Great Poets!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/poetry-almanac-voices-of-friends–3/x/7707228#/

We express our incredible gratitude in advance for your support!

If you become a sponsor of one of the poems of the eminent classic (exclusively of your choice), your name will be mentioned next to the great poet in history! We also highly encourage you to share it with your friends and relatives. Let’s support the poetry classics together!

Less cash for footballers, empty stadiums and piped-in cheering: La Liga returns

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News desk
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EURONEWS – In times of crisis, some communities resort to barter. Now Spanish football teams might too – La Liga.

La Liga President Javier Tebas says he expects the country’s clubs to consider more direct swaps of players instead of big transfer payments, as they try to cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

“The transfer market will be subdued. It is clear that there will be fewer direct cash transactions. There will be more player swaps,” Tebas told reporters in a videoconference on Thursday.

He said he did not expect the Spanish league’s transfer market to move more than €800 million, compared to €3 billion last summer.

And he ruled out blockbuster moves such as the world record €222 million Paris Saint-Germain spent to pry Neymar from Barcelona in 2017.

La Liga resumes on Thursday – Sevilla meet Real Betis in a much anticipated local derby – after it was suspended for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. But things will be looking very different on the pitch.

So what is it going to be like for fans?

All football games in Spain will be played without fans, and authorities will try to stop supporters from gathering outside stadiums. Only a few journalists will be allowed inside to cover the matches.

Joris Evers, Chief Communications Officer at La Liga, explained to Euronews how canned cheering will be used to give the games more oomph.

“On the international broadcast, anybody who’s watching La Liga outside of Spain, you will have a virtual stand. (…) There’ll be an audio a soundtrack that is actually based on the EA Sports FIFA product, which uses real sound from real fans from real matches,” he said in a TV interview.

In Spain, viewers will be able to choose whether they prefer to listen to the original sound from the empty stadium, or watch the virtual experience with virtual supporters.

What about for players?

Players will continue to undergo regular tests and maintain strict safety and hygiene measures.

La Liga has been taking care of all of the travel arrangements for the different clubs, to try to limit the risk of infection.

“During normal circumstances, all the clubs arrange their own travel when they go from one city to another to play another team,” Evers explained.

“Now we’re really trying to get them into kind of a safety bubble, and La Liga is taking care of all of the travel for all the clubs – chartering planes, booking trains, buses, and also housing them in hotels, which is difficult because in many places in Spain, hotels aren’t yet open.”

With so many things up in the air – how will players perform after months without playing? How will they react to having no fans in the stadium? – he argues these unprecedented times are actually making it a “really exciting season.”

Watch highlights of the interview with Joris Evers in the video player above.

Schengen key to recovery: interview with civil liberties committee chair

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Newsdesk
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“EU Borders should reopen as soon as possible,” according to Juan Fernando López Aguilar, chair of Parliament’s civil liberties committee . Learn more in our interview.

After months of free movement in the Schengen area being suspended, Parliament is calling for a swift and coordinated return to normal. Ahead of a vote on the Schengen area situation in the June plenary, Spanish S&D member Juan Fernando López Aguilar , chair of Parliament’s civil liberties committee, discussed how to restore the borderless zone and the lessons learned from the Covid-19 crisis.

When will the internal borders in the Schengen zone reopen?

They should reopen as soon as possible, that’s my message. But apparently it’s not going to happen in full before early July. Our committee has been reminding member states that they are bound by European law, the Schengen borders code. The law says that all restrictions should be time-framed and that the grounds for suspension should be reasonable and proportional.

Now the important thing is that the [European] Commission oversee the restoration of free movement in a phased timeframe. Interior ministers need to coordinate all extensions of restrictions with the Commission. It is obvious that without Schengen there will be no recovery [from the pandemic]. In my view, without Schengen, there would be no European Union.

Read more on what the EU can do about the reopening of Schengen borders

Does the Schengen zone need better coordination and governance?

There has been a deplorable lack of coordination. Member state governments have not lived up to their obligations, which are binding. They should have communicated before [suspending Schengen] with each other and the Commission so that the latter could ensure the suspensions are time-limited and not discriminatory to some citizens. In the process of restoring the normal functioning of Schegen, we will ensure that these mistakes become lessons learned.

If there is a second wave of infections, what should we do differently in Europe? Is closing borders the best way of preventing the spread of the virus?

Let’s face it, the pandemic took us by surprise. Unprecedented measures were taken. It challenged the liberties that we took for granted for many years. Free movement has been suspended and that’s damaging. But, precisely because the situation was unprecedented, we have to show some understanding with the errors of governments in their efforts to secure public health, which is their number one priority.

Watch the full interview, which also delved into Schengen enlargement, migration, asylum and the use of personal data in the fight against Covid-19, on our Facebook page.

Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden recognized as Best Destination Spa in Europe 2020

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The Hotel has received the recognition of the publication ‘Condé Nast Johansens’ at the World Travel Market for Europe and the Mediterranean

Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden, located in Puerto de la Cruz on the island of Tenerife, has become the Best Destination Spa in Europe and the Mediterranean 2020, after receiving the Condé Nast Johansens award. This award, of great international prestige, recognizes, thanks to the votes of customers, the excellence of its facilities.

This award has been handed out at the World Travel Market fair and joins the other certifications with which Hotel Botánico and its complex The Oriental Spa Garden have been recognized. It values its effort to optimize its services. Among its recent accreditations are, for example, the recognition of Condé Nast Johansens as the best hotel with Spa in Europe and the Mediterranean or the prestigious TUI Holly 2019, with which it has been ranked as one of the 100 best hotels in the world.

Hotel Botánico, a commitment to excellence

The Hotel Botánico*****GL is a prestigious five-star spa hotel located in the beautiful and peaceful north of Tenerife, with privileged views of the Orotava Valley. The Hotel offers unique suites and first-class facilities that blend magically with its paradisiacal surroundings. The rooms are fully equipped with all kinds of state-of-the-art services and amenities, including a modern noise-control system that ensures a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere.

Botánico Slim & Wellness, a unique concept of dietary haute cuisine in Tenerife

Under the direction of Patrick Jarno, who has made a name for himself in Brittany with his food concept, the Hotel Botánico has launched this year its Botánico Slim & Wellness concept, a holiday that can only be possible in Puerto de la Cruz, in Tenerife, a place known for having the best climate in the world, 365 days a year.

A meticulous programme, developed together with renowned chefs from Brittany, eliminates fat, favours the conscious consumption of proteins and carbohydrates and enhances the original flavours of the ingredients and the freshness of the products. These, cooked in the right proportion, provide a feeling of satiety without compromising on the joy of eating.

Europe manufactures an Anti-Coronavirus iron, B&B Trends informs

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Newsdesk
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Tested by external studies sustained at the Technological Center of Catalonia (EURECAT) and the University of Navarra // It is endorsed by two patents that allow the eradication of COVID-19, as well as other viruses and bacteria, from any type of tissue // It has an efficiency of more than 99.999999%. This technology is the response to the present pandemic and future threats

Europe manufactures the iron that can be used on any type of tissue, deactivating the virus. The B&B Trends Group (Barcelona, ​​Spain), manufacturer of the UFESA and Di4 brands, has managed to reconcile the recommendations of the health authorities regarding clothing hygiene with care so these would be free of COVID-19 or coronavirus. “With this ironing solution it is not necessary to expose the clothes when laundering at 60º, which in most cases it gravely damage the fabric. This innovation allows to iron, either vertically or horizontally, any kind of fabric at a higher temperature range and, in addition, the exclusive pulse steam ejection technology provides a higher speed when transferring this temperature to clothing without damaging it, reaching all points of the garment and ending with the COVID-19”, they assure from the company.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing and disinfecting tissues at 60-90º. However, the labels in the clothes do not suggest washing them above 30-40º, because according to recommendations of textile fabricants the piece of clothing reduces its size; the colors fade; wrinkles get fixed; and, if it contains any elastics, they become loose.

Healthy Program. EURECAT and the University of Navarra

B&B Trends has carried out in the laboratories of the prestigious University of Navarra a study of the Healthy Program, a technology designed in the R&D department of the company itself.

The analysis has focused on testing four types of microbes (C. Albicans; S. Aureus; E-coli; and B. Sutilis), resulting in the fact that this technology completely eliminates these bacteria.

The study in question validates that viruses with lipid envelopes, such as Sars-CoV-2, have lower resistance at certain temperatures than the E-coli type bacteria and much lower than bacteria with spores such as the B subtilis, both observed and tested in the study. Hence this, the same laboratory corroborates that its effective results can be extrapolated against COVID-19.

It is an accessible and available technology for professionals, such as dry cleaners and the textile commerce, for example, and for individuals. Two Di4 signature models equip the Healthy Program.

The Business Group

B&B Trends has extensive experience in manufacturing and developing small household appliances. It manufactures and markets brands such as UFESA, DAGA, Zelmer and Di4, as well as for other manufacturers.

Frankfurt Updates Exhibitors on Changes

By
Juan Sanchez Gil
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Frankfurt Updates Exhibitors on Changes

As promised last month, the Frankfurt Book Fair is offering regular updates for exhibitors and hosted two online video sessions Tuesday, one with publishers in Europe, Asia and Africa, and a second with publishers in North America. The slide deck from the presentations is available for all to see.

Juergen Boos, director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, confirmed much of what he has said before: that the fair would be limited to 20,000 people at any one time; that booths would, by necessity, be larger and that upgrades would be made for free.

He said the fair was continuing to revise health and safety protocols based on guidance from the German government. Boos said that it remains to be determined if the fair will require the installation of plexiglass where there will be face to face interactions and does not yet know whether or not attendees will be required to wear face masks or face shields. “Right now, you can assume that you can do anything at the fair that you could do at a bookstore in Germany right now, which includes the ability to touch, browse and buy books,” said Boos.

There will be few if any on-site events, most of which will be moved online. On the fairgrounds, the focus will remain on trade booths, both for the German publishing trade and international guests. Several times during the update for North Americans, Boos emphasized that the fair would still be “a very international fair,” but admitted that travel restrictions likely meant that this would mean far fewer visitor from North America.

In addition to areas for collective stands and trade booths, there will be dedicated areas for exhibitors focused on audiobooks, education, and academic publishing, as well as for libraries and librarians.

Asked how Frankfurt will handle the program for Canada, the 2020 Guest of Honor, Boos said the fair will not host the traditional Guest of Honor pavilion and “their program will be mostly be virtual.”

A few more details were given as well. The Festhalle will be turned into a broadcasting center and will serve as the digital heart of the fair, a place to “connect the physical fair with digital opportunities,” said Boos. He said that the fair was in discussions with several German television stations to partner on event production.

Organizers will now be giving visitors the option of signing up for “workspaces,” which will offer a fairgoer a space at one of several long tables that will serve as quasi-co-working spaces for attendees who want a dedicated place to take meetings but do not want a booth. The price will be 495 euros per day for individuals.

For business-to-business attendees, Frankfurt is looking at implementing a digital rights platform, most likely powered by IPR License, as well as facilitating matchmaking, something which has been available in a limited fashion through the fair’s mobile phone app for several years, as well as virtual meetings.

At present, anyone who is signed up for this year as an exhibitor has until August 15 to cancel and ask for a full refund. After that, the normal penalties will be applied.

While Boos admitted that he “can’t predict the future,” he said that should the situation in Europe change and the German government demand that the fair not proceed due to a second wave of Covid-19 infections, they have a plan. “We’ll move entirely to a virtual fair and refund everybody,” he said.

World Food Safety Day: From planting to your plate, everyone has a role to play

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United Nations News
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World Food Safety Day: From planting to your plate, everyone has a role to play

Eating contaminated food has caused an estimated 600 million people in the world, or almost one-in-ten individuals, to fall ill – 420,000 of whom die every year, two UN specialized agencies highlighted on Sunday, World Food Safety Day.

Joining forces, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) flagged that “food safety is a shared responsibility” with a role for everyone to play, from governments, industry and producers to business operators and consumers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also shined a spotlight on the importance of monitoring and addressing food safety; adapting food safety systems to respond to supply chain disruptions; and ensuring the continued access to safe food.

The Head of FAO’s Food Safety and Quality Unit attested that in these challenging times, this year’s motto – food safety is everybody’s business – is “more pertinent than ever”.

“No matter what else is going on, every single person still needs safe food every day”, said Markus Lipp. “We cannot let up in our vigilance to ensure that our food is safe”.

An investment in health

Safe food is not only critical to better health and food security, but also for livelihoods, economic development, trade and the international reputation of every country.

“Millions of people around the world depend on international trade for their food security and livelihoods”, the heads of FAO, QU Dongyu, WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Roberto Azevedo, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said in a joint statement. 

“As countries move to enact measures aiming to halt the accelerating COVID-19 pandemic, care must be taken to minimize potential impacts on the food supply or unintended consequences on global trade and food security.”

The agencies maintained that each year, an estimated 700,000 people die around the globe because of antimicrobial-resistant infections.

“Improving hygiene practices in the food and agricultural sectors helps to reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance along the food chain and in the environment”, they explained. 

Emphasizing the need for better data to understand the far-reaching impacts of unsafe food, WHO and FAO upheld that an investment in consumer food safety education  has the potential to reduce foodborne disease and return savings of up to ten-fold for each dollar provided.

“We must ensure that our response to COVID-19 does not unintentionally create unwarranted shortages of essential items and exacerbate hunger and malnutrition”, the FAO, WHO, WTO chiefs stated. “Now is the time to show solidarity, act responsibly and adhere to our common goal of enhancing food security, food safety and nutrition and improving the general welfare of people around the world”.

Food production

Infections caused by contaminated food have a much higher impact on populations with poor or fragile health, impacting infants, pregnant women and elderly and sick people more severely, and sometimes even leading to death, according to WHO.

Meanwhile, throughout the various stages of today’s complex supply chains, opportunities for food contamination prevail, from on-farm production to slaughtering or harvesting and during the course of processing, storage, transport and distribution.

Moreover, the globalization of food production and trade is making the food chain even longer, complicating foodborne disease outbreak investigations and emergency product recalls.

And the effects of food contamination reach far beyond direct public health consequences. It undermines food exports, tourism, food handler livelihoods and economic development, in both developed and developing countries.

To improve food safety, WHO advocates for different governmental departments and agencies – encompassing public health, agriculture, education and trade – to collaborate with each other as well as to engage civil society, including consumer groups.

Addressing the issue

To help ensure food safety and quality control, systems must be strengthened at national, regional and international levels, says FAO.

Among other things, this requires: 

  • Leadership in assessing and developing food control systems, including policy and regulatory frameworks.
  • Institutional and individual management, including the management of food safety emergencies.
  • Sound scientific advice to underpin standards at national, regional and international levels. 
  • Platforms, databases and mechanisms that support dialogue and global access to information.
  • Collection, analysis and communication of food chain intelligence.

Members of the educational program called Preparation for Social Action provide food

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Newsdesk
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bunch of vegetables - food
Photo by nrd

Food – Members of the Baha’i inspired educational program called Preparation for Social Action (PSA) have taken steps to confront the possibility of food shortages in their communities due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  

The PSA program, implemented in 17 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific, raises capacity in young people to apply knowledge drawn from both science and religion for the development of their communities.  

Many participants in this program are expanding personal gardens and planting crops that can be harvested quickly, so as to create reliable sources of food over the coming months of uncertainty. A group of participants in Uganda is making use of local radio to promote awareness about food production.  

by BIC

WHO joins forces with 17 central European countries to step up tailored COVID-19 response

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Newsdesk
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WHO in Geneva - Copyright THIX
WHO in Geneva - Copyright THIX

A joint task force has been established by WHO/Europe and the Central European Initiative (CEI) to respond to COVID-19 and step up regional coordination to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

by WHO Europe

Comprising key health officials from the 17 CEI member states, the task force will serve as a strategic platform for updating member states, exchanging information, and sharing experiences, best practices and training. The goal of the task force is to encourage a coherent response and anticipate any unfavourable consequences that may stem from the pandemic while shifting towards easing of restrictions and recovery.

With the CEI Executive Secretariat providing coordination and support, and WHO/Europe contributing scientific advice to the discussions, the twice-monthly meetings will serve as a forum for CEI countries to express their needs and priorities, and establish a common understanding of internationally recommended strategies that are rooted in science and are evidence-based.

Health at the centre of recovery

During the coming weeks, the task force is set to focus on economic and socioeconomic recovery, the recovery of health systems and the safe easing of restrictions. Working groups will be set up as needed to help outline the functions and priorities of the task force, taking a closer look at thematic areas, such as COVID-19 implications for border management and tourism as summer approaches.

The importance of keeping health at the centre of socioeconomic recovery, identifying and evaluating potential risks during the transition phase, easing restrictions safely, and preventing the virus from resurging was stressed by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, in his address to the member states during the Extraordinary Virtual Meeting of CEI Heads of Government on 15 May 2020.

Through the task force, WHO/Europe, the CEI Executive Secretariat, the countries in the region and experts in various health fields will work together to equip the member states with robust mechanisms to tackle common challenges and strengthen their COVID-19 response, with tangible results for the entire region.

Penguin Random House Will Not Attend Frankfurt

By
Juan Sanchez Gil
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Penguin Random House Will Not Attend Frankfurt

Penguin Random House is the last of the Big Five American trade publishers to announce they will not attend this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair.

“As a long-time annual participant in the Frankfurt Book Fair, who believes in its enduring value and importance, Penguin Random House greatly regrets it will neither exhibit at this year’s Fair, nor attend in person, to protect the health and well-being of our employees, authors, and partners,” said the company in a statement. “Our companies will strive to support the Fair’s virtual activities this October.”

Late last month, the Frankfurt Book Fair revealed plans for a smaller event, one limited to 20,000 people at a time, with larger booths spread out over a greater area on the fairgrounds. The fair is also developing a full slate of digital events. “This will not be the same book fair as before,” said book fair director Juergen Boos. “But the changes we make and tools we implement now will help us have a better book fair in the future.”

Previously, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster all said they would not attend the fair, but did not rule out taking part in online programs.

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