AMY JACKSON TO PRODUCE A SHORT FILM FOR ANIMAL WELFARE!
Be it raising her voice against cruelty towards animals or raising funds through an NGO for the betterment of animals, Amy Jackson has always supported animal welfare.
Taking the noble cause to the next level, the gorgeous actress has now decided to co-produce and feature in short film with her friend creating awareness about cruelty to animals and how to prevent it.
The actress will soon be meeting the government officials in India for the documentary’s sponsorship and plans to send the documentary to several film festivals.
Amy says, “I am producing a short movie with my friend in London (UK). We’ve shot half of it. This cause is close to my heart and I am always up for animal welfare. I’m a public personality, and raising awareness is only a small contribution towards animal welfare. I have also applied to a few festivals and have approached the Indian government for help with this. A lot of ground work is required and I am doing it.”
“There is a need to stop cruelty against animals and love them — not abuse them. A lot of people are cruel to animals and I want to tell them that it’s fine if you can’t do anything for them, but don’t hurt them either,” she adds.
FALCONS TTC TO TAKE ON RP-SG MAVERICKS
Falcons TTC to take on RP-SG Mavericks in the opening match of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis
~While both teams are equally poised with experience and youth in their ranks, RP-SG Mavericks will find local support, thanks to home-grown hero Sharath Kamal ~
~ Former World Champion Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand will grace the opening day’s proceedings ~
Chennai, 12 July 2017: The anticipation to witness India’s first ever professional table tennis league ends as the inaugural edition of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis is ready to roll on Thursday, July 13, at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. The opening day will be graced by the Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, India’s chess maestro, who will be present to watch the Falcons TTC lock horns with RP-SG Mavericks in what promises to be a nail-biting face-off.
While the Falcons TTC boasts of World No.13 among women Wu Yang in their line-up apart from Indian trail blazers in Sanil Shetty, Arjun Ghosh, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Priyadarshini Das and foreign recruits Lee Ho Ching, Par Gerell and Liam Pitchford, team RP-SG Mavericks will be heavily backed by Chennai audience as it features home-grown hero Sharath Kamal Achanta. The team under the tutelage of Sachin Shetty and German Peter Engel features Birdie Boro, Archana Kamath and Amrutha Pushpak as part of Indian contingent while Apolonia Tiago, Stefan Fegerl, Sabine Winter and Sofia Polconova form their foreign line-up.
Both teams are equally poised in terms of experience and youth but what will set them apart is their planning and strategizing to use different combinations that will prove vital in determining the winner of the inaugural match. “The team has gelled well over the past few days and we are eager to start the league. Personally, I am very excited as I have not played in front of my home crowd for more than a decade. The format is quite fast-paced and interesting and we obviously look forward to start on a winning note,” expressed Sharath Kamal.
The format is short and exciting where each team will play nine matches in a Tie with each match comprising 3 Games. Consequently, each Tie shall comprise 27 Games. Each game shall have players competing to score 11 points first, meaning if scores are level at 10-all then the 11th point will be a Golden Point and shall decide the winner. Whichever individual/pair scores 11 points and is termed as the winner of each Game shall receive one point towards the Team’s total for each such game that is won. The winning team in a Tie shall be decided by the number of total games won i.e. total points won in the relevant Tie. The Team that wins 14 or more Games out of the 27 Games shall be the Winner of that respective Tie.
“The lead up to the Ultimate Table Tennis has been a very enriching experience as most of us have got to interact with our idols in the sport and even play a couple of practice matches here in Chennai. We are all set for the first match and I can assure you it will be top class entertainment and action,” stated Sanil Shetty of Falcons TTC.
UTT is India’s newest franchise-based professional sports league which will see 24 foreign players and 24 Indian players (both men and women) playing for six different franchises. While Chennai will host the first leg of India’s first ever professional Table Tennis League at Nehru Indoor Stadium from July 13-20, the second leg will be played in Delhi at Thyagraj Sports Complex between July 21-25. The last and the final leg of the league will be held in Mumbai starting July 26 until 30 with the Semi Finals and Final of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis to be played in Mumbai city at the NSCI.
The matches will be shown live from 7:30 PM on Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 and will be live streamed on Hotstar and JioTV.
Photo caption:
UTT is India’s newest franchise-based professional sports league which will see 24 foreign players and 24 Indian players (both men and women) playing for six different franchises. While Chennai will host the first leg of India’s first ever professional Table Tennis League at Nehru Indoor Stadium from July 13-20, the second leg will be played in Delhi at Thyagraj Sports Complex between July 21-25. The last and the final leg of the league will be held in Mumbai starting July 26 until 30 with the Semi Finals and Final of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis to be played in Mumbai city at the NSCI.
The matches will be shown live from 7:30 PM on Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 and will be live streamed on Hotstar and JioTV.
Photo caption:
Sharath Kamal of RP-SG Mavericks during a training session
Liam Pitchford and Sanil Shetty of Falcons TTC during a training session
Liam Pitchford and Sanil Shetty of Falcons TTC during a training session
-ENDS-
About Ultimate Table Tennis:India’s newest franchise sports league Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) is set for its inaugural season in July 2017 to promote and enhance the sport of table tennis in the country. After the positive impact of India Open 2017, held in New Delhi in February 2017, Ultimate Table Tennis aims to take the sport of table tennis to greater heights. UTT is owned and developed by 11Even Sports Private Limited (ESPL), a Mumbai based company exclusively formed for the promotion and development of the game of Table Tennis in India. UTT will strive to be a world-class league that inspires the youth, entertains and engages fans, drives development at grassroots level and delivers value to all stakeholders.
INDIA TO HOST NEXT EDITION OF THEATRE OLYMPICS
INDIA TO HOST NEXT EDITION OF THEATRE OLYMPICS
‘THE BIGGEST THEATRE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD’
The theme of the 8th Theatre Olympics will be ‘Flag of Friendship’
TO BE ORGANISED BY
NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
- 8th edition of the greatest carnival of theatre in the world to take place in India for the first time ever from February 17 – April 08, 2018
- To take place simultaneously in various cities across the country
- 500 plays, 700 ambience performances from across the world
- Allied activities like exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known academicians, authors, actors, designers and directors
- Leading luminaries of world theatre to take part
New Delhi (India), 12th July 2017: In a development that puts India firmly among the top nations in the world theatre map, the country is all set to host the next edition of the prestigious Theatre Olympics. Established in 1993, the Theatre Olympics is the foremost international theatre festival, presenting the finest productions of well-known theatre practitioners from around the world.
The Theatre Olympics, being held in India for the first time, is being organised by National School of Drama, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The country’s tryst with the biggest celebration of theatre in the world will take place from February 17 till April 08, 2018 and will be held in 15 cities across India.
The announcement was made today by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism & Culture, Govt. of India, along with Shri Ratan Thiyam, Chairperson, NSD Society & Prof. Waman Kendre, Director, National School of Drama.
It was also announced that the inaugural ceremony of the Theatre Olympics will take place in New Delhi, in a gala function with performances by hundreds of artistes while the closing ceremony will take place in Mumbai.
The Theatre Olympics 2018 will be the 8th edition of the event and will feature maximum number of Indian & International theatre groups, invitee eminent theatre personalities along with their performances.
In addition, there will be ambience performances with allied activities like exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known academicians, authors, actors, designers and directors.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism & Culture, Govt. of India, said, “I strongly believe that the 8th Theatre Olympics will make its mark in India’s rich cultural history and will prove to be a milestone. Cultural Ministry, Govt of India is committed to support this grand initiative. We will request Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to inaugurate the 8th Theatre Olympics in New Delhi and Hon’ble President of India to be a part of the concluding ceremony in Mumbai ”
Talking about the Theatre Olympics, Shri Ratan Thiyam, Chairperson, NSD Society said, “It is a great feeling of joy and happiness that the prestigious event of Theatre Olympics is taking place in India, a country which is proud of its innovation and heritage and it will provide a valuable platform to showcase significant productions of groups from India and abroad. India is proud of its ancient tradition and cultural heritage.”
“We live in a changing world with a new cultural landscape where the technological fanfare has already penetrated in all spheres of our life, making us more intoxicating day by day with limitless external comfort and new discoveries. We also require a compatible ambience, peace and happiness and art provide us the expression of experience of the world and aspirations of the human spirit.
In this changing world and challenging journey, I sincerely feel that theatre serves as a confluence of river of modernity, the past, present and future where very important issues, complex, aesthetics and philosophical challenges are negotiated.”-Shri Thiyam further added.
Speaking on NSD playing host and organising the Theatre Olympics, Prof. Waman Kendre, Director, National School of Drama said, “This is for the first time, as a country India is trying to showcase and exchange theatre in front of the world. When it comes to theatre, it doesn’t get any bigger than the Theatre Olympics, and it is indeed a proud moment for National School of Drama that it has got the opportunity to organise this prestigious event. NSD is all geared up to play the perfect host as India will be the cynosure of the theatre world and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the Theatre Olympics in India is a grand success.”
The Theatre Olympics was established in 1993 in Delphi, Greece, as the first international theatre festival. With the tagline ‘Crossing Millennia’, this is an initiative to connect the cultural past with the present and future, bringing the richness and diversity of theatre heritage to the experiments and research of contemporary theatre.
The first country to host the Theatre Olympics was Greece in 1995. Japan hosted the second edition in Shizuoka in 1999, followed by Russia in 2001. In 2006 the Olympics were held in Istanbul, Turkey and four years later, in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. China hosted them in Beijing in 2014 and in 2016 the 7th Theatre Olympics were held in Wroclaw, Poland. India is all set to join this illustrious list as it plays host to the 8thedition of this global event.
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Anuj Kumar Boruah / Ayonava Bagchi / Shakti Raj Vidyarthi
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EU:DEPT BIOTECH, GOI, JOINS THE INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE TO TACKLE ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE.
The European Union is pleased to announce that the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, joins the international initiative to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance
Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR)
On 29 June 2017, India, South Africa and Egypt were accepted as new members of the European Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR). This global forum aiming at curbing the resistance to antibiotics counts now 26 member countries of which 20 from Europe and 6 from outside Europe: Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Japan, India and South Africa.
Congratulations to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of India for becoming member of JPIAMR: it means that India’s “National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance” was considered well established and includes serious efforts on research and innovation all contributing to improve the capacity on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the coming years. Through this Platform, increased opportunities on international R&I collaboration on AMR will be offered, which in turn will help further strengthening India’s R&I capacity on AMR.
What is a Joint Programming Initiative (JPI)?
JPI is an initiative launched by the European Union aiming at addressing a given problem through cross-border cooperation of research funding. The issues to be addressed are of such a nature that a single Member State cannot address it alone. Concentration of efforts is required as well as alignment of national programmes. In doing so, a critical mass is being created and duplication of research funding is avoided.
JPIs have their own governance structures; the member countries are on geometry variable basis depending on interest in a given field and R&I capacity. The JPI member countries establish a joint Strategic Research Agenda together. Currently 11 Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs) have been launched (notably on Food Security, Agriculture & Climate Change; Cultural Heritage & Global Change; Urban Europe; Water Challenges for a Changing World).
The EU is offering financial support to these initiatives through the EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme ‘Horizon 2020’ (2014-2020).
Why a JPI on AMR?
Antibacterial resistance is a multifaceted problem needing vast and versatile solutions. No individual sector or nation has the capacity to independently handle this major societal challenge. Therefore, to collectively address antibacterial resistance at a national level and to increase the current impact of public research through more effective, efficient, and aligned investment, the JPIAMR was established in 2011 and by June 2017 it brings together 26 member countries. The secretariat is hosted by the Swedish Research Council in Stockholm, Sweden.
The JPIAMR launched its strategic research agenda in April, 2014, outlining the member states’ common vision to tackle antibacterial resistance. The strategic research agenda identifies six priority topics (therapeutics, diagnostics, surveillance, transmission, environment, and interventions). The JPIAMR has also organised joint calls for proposals on AMR as well as information sharing among the Members on AMR and convening of various experts’ meetings.
The collaborative platform is by now internationally recognized: JPIAMR interacts with stakeholders such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the ASEAN countries, G7 and the G20. The JPIAMR coordinates research priorities and calls with the EC and pharmaceutical industry. At the G7 in Elmau (Germany) in 2015, the health ministers agreed on joint efforts to combat AMR and in 2016, AMR was treated as one of the top priorities for global health at the G7 at the Ise-Shima Summit.
The Future – Global Collaboration Creates Transformative Changes
The mission for JPIAMR for the years 2020-2025 is stated as: “To join forces across nations by leading the alignment, coordination, and support to Antimicrobial Resistance One Health collaborative research and global policy activities”.
The mission for JPIAMR for the years 2020-2025 is stated as: “To join forces across nations by leading the alignment, coordination, and support to Antimicrobial Resistance One Health collaborative research and global policy activities”.
JPI AMR and India
India recognizes the importance of strengthening global capacity to counter infectious disease threats and is working across sectors to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
DBT will participate in the next board meeting of the JPIAMR to be held on 10-11 October 2017 in Stockholm (Sweden) where DBT will give the overview of its activities and funding for research on AMR. It is expected that DBT will further contribute to this initiative, through various activities, such as participating in joint calls and joint mapping efforts for the coming year
INDIANS CRICKETING
Jadeja, Ashwin remain on top of ICC Test bowlers’ rankings
India’s spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin continue to remain at the top two positions in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings released in Dubai today. Jadeja is heading the table with 898 points, while Ashwin is placed at the second spot with 865 points. However, none of the other Indian bowlers figure in the top-10 list. In the all-rounders chart, Jadeja remains static at second place, while Ashwin is holding on to the third spot.
As far as Indian batsmen are concerned, Cheteshwar Pujara remains at the fourth position, and Virat Kohli is static at the fifth place. K L Rahul climbed up a place to ninth spot in the batting table, which is continued to be headed by Australia’s Steve Smith.
Meanwhile, England’s Moeen Ali has received a rankings boost in both batsmen’s and bowlers’ list. Ali was declared the player of the match at the Lord’s Test yesterday. He helped England beat South Africa by 211 runs to go 1-0 up in the four-match series.
In the batting chart, Ali has gained three places and is now just outside the top 20, at 21st place, while in the bowling table, he has broken into the top-20 and is in 19th position by rising nine places.
WWC : Indiaeve to take on Australia today
Indian women will be keen to take a step towards securing a semifinal spot when they take on Australia in the ICC Women’s World Cup, in Bristol today. The match will statrt at 3 pm.
India were on a rampaging run beating England, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka before South Africa disturbed their momentum with a massive 115-run win. Similarly Australia’s four-match unbeaten run was stopped by England in the previous game and they would also look to get back to winning ways.
Both teams have eight points but with better run rate Australia is second in points table while India is on third spot. Neither of the teams have yet qualified for the semi-finals. England eves are on top in table tally.
Ravi Shastri to be head coach of Indian cricket team
BCCI named Ravi Shastri as the new chief coach of the Indian cricket team till ICC World Cup 2019. Former fast bowler Zaheer Khan has also appointed as bowling coach for a period of two years.
Former Indian Captain Rahul Dravid has appointed as batting consultant for specific overseas tours. Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket team has been without a head coach after Anil Kumble resigned from the post after the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
SERGEY LAVROV THREATENED COUNTER ACTIONS AGAINST US
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has threatened counter actions against the United States over the lingering dispute centering on a pair of Russian diplomatic compounds that the United States seized last year.
A month after Donald Trump’s election victory, President Barack Obama seized the Cold War-era recreational estates and expelled 35 Russian officials. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the issue at the Group of 20 summit in Germany last week.
After meetings at European Union headquarters today, Lavrov said Moscow was still hopeful that the US, as a proponent of the rule of law, will finally respect the international obligations. He said if this is not the case, if Washington decides not to solve this issue, we will have to take counter actions. Lavrov refused to elaborate.
GR OF MINISTER APPROVED A DRAFT NATIONAL POLICY FOR WOMEN
A Group of Ministers, headed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, approved a draft national policy for women proposing free education for girls from poor families and a health card for all women.
The draft National Policy for Women, 2017, also moots that a woman accused of a non-heinous crime, who has remained an under-trial for one-third of her jail time, should be given bail. The policy document will now be sent to the Cabinet for its nod.
