Zuckerberg, wife pledge $3 bn to banish diseaseSeptember 22, 2016 - 09:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Mark Zuckerberg and his wife on Wednesday, September 21 pledged $3 billion over the next decade to help banish or manage all disease, pouring some of the Facebook founder's fortune into innovative research, AFP reports. "This is a big goal," Zuckerberg said at a San Francisco event announcing the effort of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative established by the couple. "But we spent the last few years speaking with experts who think it is possible, so we dug in." Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, had their daughter Max late last year. Shortly after, they pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook holdings or some $45 billion to "advance human potential and promote equality." At Wednesday's event, Zuckerberg said their goal is to cure all disease, or at least turn catastrophic illnesses from terminal to manageable or preventable within their daughter's lifetime. While the funding effort is for the next decade, Zuckerberg and his wife said they hope to achieve their objective of by the end of this century. Chan, fighting back tears at times, said that curing all disease within Max's lifetime will not mean children won't ever get sick, but it would happen less often and be less severe. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |