Day: March 21, 2022

Everything You Need to Know About the 2022 Oscars

Final preparations are underway for the 94th Academy Awards and a long awaited return to Hollywood’s glamorous normalcy after a muted ceremony and ratings low last year. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2022 Oscars, including where to watch the live show, who’s expected to win and what the big controversies are this year. 

When are the Oscars?

The Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ABC. 

Who is hosting the 2022 Oscars?

Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes are taking the stage to co-host the ceremony, which has been without an emcee for the past three years. Producer Will Packer said each woman brings something different to the show. 

Who is presenting?

Show producers will continue adding names throughout the week, but at the moment stars expected to hand out awards Oscar night include Bill Murray, Lady Gaga, Kevin Costner, Samuel L. Jackson, Zoë Kravitz, Anthony Hopkins, Lily James, Daniel Kaluuya, Mila Kunis, John Leguizamo, Simu Liu, Rami Malek, Lupita Nyong’o, Rosie Perez, Chris Rock, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes, Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Yuh-jung Youn, Ruth E. Carter, Halle Bailey, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Shawn Mendes, Tyler Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross, Stephanie Beatriz, DJ Khaled, Jennifer Garner, H.E.R., Tiffany Haddish, Tony Hawk, Elliot Page, Kelly Slater and Shaun White.

Which movies are nominated for best picture at the 2022 Oscars?

The 10 movies competing for best picture this year are: “Belfast”; “CODA”; “Don’t Look Up”; “Drive My Car”; “Dune”; “King Richard”; “Licorice Pizza”; “Nightmare Alley”; “The Power of the Dog”; “West Side Story.” Here’s the full list of 2022 Oscar nominations. (( https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022 )) 

What were the most surprising Oscar snubs?

There were a lot of surprises Oscar nominations morning. 

Some exclusions that stood out include Denis Villeneuve, whose “Dune” got the second most nominations (10) behind “The Power of the Dog” (12) including best picture, but who failed to get a directing nomination for himself. 

The best actress category was especially brutal this year, leaving out Lady Gaga for “House of Gucci,” Jennifer Hudson for “Respect,” Caitriona Balfe for “Belfast” and Renate Reinsve for “The Worst Person in the World.” 

What are the predictions for the winners on Oscar night? 

“The Power of the Dog” is the presumed frontrunner for best picture and best director, for Jane Campion, but there is also the possibility that “CODA” will take best picture, especially after it won at the Producer’s Guild Awards. Either way, it’ll be the first time a streaming service has won best picture. Other likely winners include Will Smith for best actor (“King Richard”), Jessica Chastain for best actress (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), Troy Kotsur for best supporting actor (“CODA”) and Ariana DeBose for best supporting actress (“West Side Story”). 

What else can we expect from the Oscars?

Organizers have promised that they will keep the broadcast to three hours and Packer (whose films include crowd pleasers like “Girls Trip”) wants to make it as entertaining as possible while still honoring the nominees and winners. 

“The show will flow, not unlike a movie, in that there will be different themes and a different feel and different energy throughout the night,” Packer said in an interview with IndieWire. “It will not feel or look or sound like one show for three hours. It’s taking you through the course of this cinematic journey.” 

Best song nominees like Beyoncé, Van Morrison and Billie Eilish are also in talks to perform. 

Are there any controversies this year?

The Oscars are so high profile that every year someone is upset about something (especially when changes are involved) but this year the biggest controversy is over the decision to present some awards before the live broadcast begins and edit them into the show later. The eight awards are for shorts (live action, animated and documentary), editing, score, hair and makeup, sound and production design. The decision has its defenders, but also an army of high-profile detractors, including Campion, Villeneuve, Steven Spielberg, Chastain and Penelope Cruz. 

 

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Ukraine War Delays EU Sustainable Farming Proposals

The European Commission is set to delay the publication of proposals on sustainable farming and nature that were expected this week, with the impact of the war in Ukraine on food supply leading some countries to question the European Union’s environmental push. 

The EU’s “Green Deal” is overhauling all sectors, including agriculture, which produces roughly 10% of EU greenhouse gas emissions. Brussels has targets that include halving chemical pesticide use by 2030 and is drafting laws to make them a reality. 

The EC was due to have made public on Wednesday two new proposals — binding targets to restore nature and a more sustainable pesticides law. 

However, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski on Monday said that the EU would not discuss pesticides at its meeting this week, meaning that the proposal’s publication would be pushed back. He did not comment on the nature restoration plan. 

Earlier, EU Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told national agriculture ministers in Brussels that the bloc had to shift to sustainable pesticide use but that the Ukraine crisis did not give the “political space” for a proper discussion now. 

The EC will put forward measures to deal with the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has driven up prices of wheat and barley, and raised fears of shortages. 

Russia and Ukraine make up more than 30% of global trade in wheat and more than 50% for sunflower oils, seeds and meals. 

One proposal would be to allow cultivation on land lying fallow, a practice that allows the environment to recover between farming cycles. 

The measures are also set to include help for pig farmers, given pork exports to Ukraine are now cut off, and greater freedom to provide state aid. 

A group of 400 scientists and food sector experts on Friday said abandoning sustainable farming practices would be counterproductive. 

“These measures would not move us toward but further away from a reliable food system that is resilient to future shocks, and delivers healthy and sustainable diets,” their statement said. 

They called instead for a shift to crops less reliant on fertilizers produced using Russian gas, and to more plant-based diets to cut the amount of grain needed for animal feed. 

 

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Threats to Groundwater the Focus of This Year’s World Water Day

Tuesday, March 22, marks the 29th annual World Water Day. This year’s focus is groundwater, which provides freshwater to much of the world. VOA’s Michelle Quinn reports.

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