In every bit of honest writing in the world, there is a base theme.
Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. There are shorter means, many of them. There is writing promoting social change, writing punishing injustice, writing in celebration of heroism, but always that base theme.
Try to understand each other.
John Steinbeck in his 1938 journal entry
Beth Bob: (edited)This speaks very well of Kenya. They are doing more than the European countries. USA has reduced and we weren’t even in the climate scam that they pushed. We do our part. It is everyone doing their small part. Not like France putting hardship on the people and they have increased on their emissions. We just all need to clean our own rooms.
|CRIMSON TAZVINZWA, AIWA! NO!|VOA|With the impact of climate change an increasingly pressing global issue, a new generation of start-ups in Kenya is developing new technologies to combat global warming. As Rael Ombuor reports from Nairobi, the technologies offer both environmental and financial sustainability.
Munyaradzi Makoni, nature|AIWA! NO!|Global spending on tuberculosis research hit a high in 2017, according to a report released on 3 December1.
Investment reached US$772 million, up from $726 million in 2016, says the report, from the activist organization Treatment Action Group (TAG) in New York City.
The report, which tracked funding since 2005, shows that investment has gone up and down over the years, with a general upward trend.
The 2017 total is the most spent on research into tuberculosis (TB) in a year, according to the data, but it still falls short of the $2 billion a year that the TB research community says is needed to end the disease by 2030 (see ‘Tuberculosis funding shortfall’). That target is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and part of the World Health Organization Global Plan to End TB.
The rise in funding comes at a time when the disease remains prevalent but science is generating new hope. “We’re at an incredibly promising moment in TB research globally,” says Mike Frick, TB project co-director for TAG.
Around 25% of the world’s population — 1.8 billion people — is infected with TB, the World Health Organization estimates. In 2017 alone, some 10 million people fell ill with the disease, and 1.6 million died.
TB is treated with antibiotics, but health officials say that new treatments are urgently needed for children, as are better and shorter treatments for drug-resistant strains of TB and improved drugs for people living with both HIV and TB.
These treatments might be on the horizon. “Our understanding of the basic biology of TB has also advanced considerably thanks to investments in TB basic science,” says Frick.
For example, Frick notes that last year saw promising results from a vaccine trial and from trials of drugs intended to tackle drug-resistant TB and prevent the disease in people with HIV. And there has been progress in the development of simple tools to diagnose TB, including one that uses a urine dipstick, he says.
Most of the $46-million increase in 2017 was driven by funding from the public sector. The US government was the largest investor, putting in $312 million. Unitaid, an global initiative that raises money for innovations in health diagnoses and treatments, nearly doubled its investment from $15 million in 2016 to $29 million in 2017.
Private-sector funding has risen slightly, but is at its lowest level since 2009. “We continued to see low funding from private industry, which collectively has spent less than $100 million on TB research each year since 2013,” Frick says.
This shows that there is a need for innovative ways of financing to reach the necessary funding levels. “We need to make sure that a commitment to provide more money for research comes with a commitment to doing research differently — moving beyond the market-based system that hasn’t worked for TB,” he says.
More funding could lead to improved vaccination, diagnosis and treatments, says Adrie Steyn, a molecular geneticist at the Africa Health Research Institute in Durban, South Africa.
Christoph Grundner, a biologist at the Center for Infectious Disease Research at the University of Washington in Seattle, agrees. “TB research is still vastly underfunded,” he says. “A lot of really good and promising TB research is not being done or is done too slowly just because of lack of funding.” He thinks that the public sector should step in to plug the gap.
An earlier version of the TAG report was released in September to inform the first ever high-level meeting of the UN on TB, where UN member states committed to closing the $1.3-billion annual gap in funding.
|CRIMSON TAZVINZWA, AIWA! NO!|If you only could know about TEN people in fashion today, these would be the names that matter most. Some are famous, others are more behind the scenes— but each has an outsize influence on the fashion industry.
People in the fashion industry are constantly bringing new and interesting creations to the runway which is why fashion trends never get old. Great fashion comes from within and the talents of some of the most influential people in the business.
From designers to models, photographers, and other people in the fashion industry, there is no shortage of iconic superstars when it comes to the most influential people who have affected the manner in which we dress. The fashion industry is known for its long history of trend-setters, ground-breakers, and visionaries that have created and popularised fashion. Here are ten of the most influential people in fashion today.
Coco Chanel is a fashion designer with creations that have truly stood the test of time. Her designs have always been popular and still remain a staple in the fashion world decades after her death.
Coco Chanel is a true pioneer in fashion and forged ahead with designs that no one else was producing at the time. Chanel designs still reign in the fashion industry as one of the finest for nearly three quarters of a century. Her designs are very stylish with many creations artfully crafted as a mix of male and female design inspirations. Many of the Chanel creations are very luxurious without being too gaudy or overstated.
Coco Chanel first introduced her famous cologne called Chanel No. 5 during the 1920s. It was the first cologne ever to bear the name of a renowned designer. During this same decade, the Chanel suit was first introduced which was designed with a fitted skirt and a jacket without a collar. The design included inspirations borrowed from menswear. Additionally, her fashion helped women to move away from the constraints of tight fitting underclothing, corsets, and other uncomfortable garments.
Coco Chanel was also responsible for bringing the little black dress to the forefront of fashion. This showed the fashion world that the colour black can be used for elegant evening-wear, instead of solely being used by those in mourning.
Approximately ten years following the death of Coco Chanel in 1971, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld took over the company to keep her legacy alive. Currently, Chanel fashions continue to be popular and generate millions of dollars in sales year after year.
Giorgio Armani began his career as a window designer before working his way up to menswear designs. His career in the fashion industry spans more than 35 years and he has been named one of the top fashion designers in the world for 2014-2015.
Following his foray into designer menswear, Armani built a fashion empire of luxurious designs which include Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Privé lines of clothing. His empire also includes shoes, accessories, home décor, and cosmetics as well. His designs are known for unique fabrics which are used in unusual frameworks.
During the 1980s Giorgio Armani redefined the business suit for both women and men and set a new standard for business apparel near the end of the 20th century. Power suits and other business apparel were made with lightweight fabrics designed with flexibility for all day comfort. In addition to comfort, the contemporary apparel was also designed with exquisite tailoring which provided business professionals with the best of both worlds.
The Armani designer brand is one of the few top companies that continue to remain independent in terms of international investment channels. Currently, there are more than five hundred distribution stores around the globe.
Ralph Lauren launched his fashion empire from a job he held with a tie manufacturer. It was here he launched Polo Fashions in the late 1960s by designing wide ties which were a popular style at the time.
By the beginning of the 1970s, his line of menswear won the City Award. A couple of years later, he unveiled the classic Polo shirt with short sleeves and a collar. Not long after, Ralph Lauren designed the first women’s suit with the Polo logo which was designed with hints of menswear fashion in mind. This became the new power suit and rivalled the Armani business suit, also designed with a combination of women’s and men’s fashion in mind.
The Polo line became a fashion statement in itself and is still popular in the fashion world today. Additionally, the short sleeve Polo shirt is still considered a staple in every man’s wardrobe across the globe. Both lines of apparel for men and women is very creative and unique. This is why his designs stand out in the fashion industry and make a statement about gender equality.
Karl Lagerfeld was born in Germany and left for Paris during his early twenties to go to school. It was in Paris that he won an award for a coat design in a contest sponsored by International Wool Secretariat. This placed him on the map when he was offered a job at the Balmain fashion house.
In addition to owning his own brand of designer clothing, Karl Lagerfeld became artistic director for Chanel in the early 1980s. Currently he is also associated with other major designer brand names such as Jean Patou, Chloe, Macy’s, Fendi, and H&M. His designs are well known for bold colours with consistent innovation and reinvention. The Lagerfeld label was recently sold to Tommy Hilfiger.
Karl Lagerfeld currently designs clothing for Macy’s department store and has gotten involved with professional film and photography. In recent years, he has also become known for his glassware designs which are offered by Orrefors, a Swedish company that manufactures exquisite crystal glassware.
Valentino Garavani is known for designing Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding address, in addition to winning the Neiman Marcus award for many of his designs. Valentino designs are known for their luxurious fabrics as well as chic business style. He typically designs most of his creations to meet specific tastes of notable people and fans of the Valentino label. The Valentino website is designed with virtual 3D to allow his clients to view 360 degrees of the creation they are looking to purchase.
Valentino still remains at the top of the fashion world despite stepping down in 2007. His masterpieces which create a natural sense of beauty are timeless creations that still remain in demand by fashionistas with discerning tastes. Jacqueline Kennedy developed an interest in Valentino designs after noticing some of her friends in Valentino creations. As a result, Valentino became her “go to” designer for suits and dresses, as well as her wedding dresses for her marriage to John F. Kennedy and later, Aristotle Onassis in 1968.
Marc Jacobs grew up in New York and was raised by his grandmother who taught him how to knit. The skills he learned from his grandmother marked the beginning of his success designing oversized sweaters. Following his graduation from the Parsons design school, he went to work designing street wear made of opulent fabrics for Perry Ellis. A few years later he was named Creative Director for Louis Vuitton.
Marc Jacobs also owns two designer label brands known as Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs, in addition to designing other fashions including shoes, jewellery, sunglasses, and other accessories. His designs are available in over 50 countries around the world with close to three hundred retail stores throughout the countries.
As a result of his work with Louis Vuitton and the creation of his own labels, Marc Jacobs has become known as the most sought after designer for contemporary fashion. The designs borrow from the past with new and innovative styling and a touch of mix and match vintage looks.
Tom Ford considers his start in the fashion industry as the point when he purchased his first pair of Gucci shoes at the age of 12. He went on to work with Marc Jacobs at Perry Ellis before going to work for Gucci to try and bring back the slowly diminishing designer brand that was nearly bankrupt in the early 1990s.
His designs while working as Creative Director for Gucci put new life in a brand that was lacking in creativity. Many of his designs included chic satin shirts and other fashions made of metallic fabric. This brought Gucci back to the forefront in fashion with an estimated company worth of more than $4 billion by the end of the 1990s.
The most well-known labels that carry Tom Ford’s designs include Yves Saint Laurent, Perry Ellis, and Cathy Hardwick, in addition to his own brand label known as Tom Ford. He has also been awarded by the American Best Fashion Designers in the World for his menswear designs. Recently, he has been making movies which have also been the recipient of many awards as well.
Jérôme LaMaar was born in New York City and got his start in the fashion industry working as an intern for Baby Phat fashions at the age of 15. Three years later he was named Senior Designer and Creative Brand Coordinator for Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simons.
While working for Baby Phat, Jérôme became interested in designing jewellery as a pastime. Two years later, he was commissioned to work with Adventures of Mimidesigning the costumes for Mariah Carey’s world tour. His designs include a combination of class and inane with a 2015 collection that emanates a disco vibe.
Following his position at Phat, Jérôme went on to work for Chado Ralph Rucci, a fashion design company. At this time he was also appointed by Promostyl Paris as a fashion trend forecaster. A few years later, he became a consultant for the Armani brand label before travelling to Japan to hone his skills as a silversmith for jewellery fashions.
As a result of his experience as a consultant, forecaster, and designer, Jérôme is currently highly sought after by some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. The brand labels include Givaudan, Calvin Klein, Victoria’s Secret, Tommy Hilfiger, GAP, Swarovski, Adidas, Moussy Japan, and many more.
Kim Haller started out designing knitwear for major brand labels such as Jason Wu and Calvin Klein before introducing her own line of fashion knitwear creations. Her forte is working with yarn creating sculpted creations including one-piece garments, dresses, sweaters, skirts, and more.
The popularity of her designs prompted a need for more knitwear designers in the fashion industry. As a result, she became a consultant for knitwear providing support for other designers aspiring to expand their own knitwear lines. She has also worked as a design consultant for the Michael Kors Collection.
In addition to her consultancy for aspiring fashion designers in knitwear, Kim Haller has also designed popular knitwear for major brand labels in the fashion industry. Some of the labels include DKNY, Anne Klein, TSE Cashmere, Derek Lam, Adrienne Vittadini, Maiyet, and many more. She is one of the most sought after knitwear designers in the fashion industry as the result of her innovative creations and the ability to manage technical challenges associated with designing fine knitwear.
Miuccia Prada began her career in the fashion industry after managing a leather goods company owned by her grandfather in Milan. While managing the company, she was able to convert it into a thriving enterprise that took charge of many different brand labels. Miuccia Prada owns an endless variety of brand labels which started when she managed brands such as Jil Sander, Fendi, and Helmut Lang.
During the mid-1980s, the Prada brand began to rise to the top of the fashion world with the introduction of simple black nylon handbags and other similar products that were adorned with understated labelling. This made the Prada brand stand out in an era where many other fashion brands were inundated with logos.
At the end of the 1980s, Prada introduced a new line called Uniforms for the Slightly Disenfranchised. This line of clothing was categorised as a ready to wear style for women and marked the beginning of Prada’s journey into new designs, regardless of what was currently considered fashion industry trend at any given time. This is why she is considered to be one of the most influential female fashion designers to date. Instead of designing her creation with an eye on trends, she disregards fashion industry trends to create designs that are feminine but still powerful and intelligent. Miuccia Prada holds a Ph.D in political science with no formal training in fashion design.
Micar computers is a UK-based supplier of the original bespoke ERP software solution for the apparel industry. Are you in the clothing, textile or footwear sector? Check out our products page to find out how our tailor made ERP software could improve your business.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marches in the Toronto Pride parade on June 25, 2017. Credit: Nick Lachance/Xtra
|Crimson Tazvinzwa, AIWA! NO!|Caitlyn Jenner has expressed her regret at supporting U.S. President Donald Trump in an opinion piece in The Washington Post.
The transgender star voted for Trump to become President in 2016 and had to repeatedly defend her Republican stance, but has subsequently gone on to speak against the leader after he introduced policies which would negatively affect the trans community.
Earlier this week (begs22Oct18), the 68-year-old publicly blasted the U.S. leader for a policy that has been proposed which would require an individual to “be defined as male or female based on their genitalia at birth”, a move which would have profound consequences on transgender and non-binary people.
On Thursday she went one step further by writing an op-ed for The Washington Post, in which she explains how she was mistaken to believe Trump’s campaign promises that he would protect the LGBTQ community, and she was convinced that she could work with his administration and use her privilege to create change.
“Sadly, I was wrong. The reality is that the trans community is being relentlessly attacked by this president,” she wrote. “The leader of our nation has shown no regard for an already marginalised and struggling community. He has ignored our humanity. He has insulted our dignity… It is unacceptable, it is upsetting, and it has deeply, personally hurt me.
“Believing that I could work with Trump and his administration to support our community was a mistake… My hope in him — in them — was misplaced, and I cannot support anyone who is working against our community. I do not support Trump. I must learn from my mistakes and move forward.”
The reality star concluded by saying she was more determined than ever to use her voice and privilege to advocate for and support the community.
“I will still work with anyone who is committed to help our community,” she added. “The world needs to hear us. The world needs to know us. We will not be erased.”
