International Friendship Day
International Friendship Day
International Friendship Day[1] is a day for celebrating friendship. The day has been celebrated in several southern South American countries for many years, particularly in Paraguay, where the first World Friendship Day was proposed in 1958.
Initially created by the greeting card industry, evidence from social networking sites shows a revival of interest in the holiday that may have grown with the spread of the Internet, particularly in India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Digital communication modes such as the Internet and mobile phones may be helping to popularize the custom, since greeting friends en masse is now easier than before. Those who promote the holiday in South Asia attribute the tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends to have originated in the U.S. in 1935, but it actually dates from 1919. The exchange of Friendship Day gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.
Friendship Day celebrations occur on different dates in different countries. The first World Friendship Day was proposed for 30 July 1958.[6] On 27 April 2011 the General Assembly of the United Nations declared[7] 30 July as official International Friendship Day. However, some countries, including India, celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. In Oberlin, Ohio, Friendship Day is celebrated on 8 April each year
History
Friendship Day was originally promoted by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, intended to be 2 August and a day when people celebrated their friendships by sending cards. The second of August was chosen as the centre of the largest lull between holiday celebrations. Friendship Day was promoted by the greeting card National Association during the 1920s but met with consumer resistance - given that it was too obviously a commercial gimmick to promote greetings cards. By the 1940s the number of Friendship Day cards available in the US had dwindled and the holiday largely died out there. There is no evidence to date for its uptake in Europe; however, it has been kept alive and revitalised in Asia, where several countries have adopted it.
In honor of Friendship Day in 1998, Nane Annan, wife of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship at the United Nations. The event was co-sponsored by the U.N. Department of Public Information and Disney Enterprises, and was co-hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford
Some friends acknowledge each other with exchanges of gifts and cards on this day. Friendship bands are very popular in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and parts of South America.[4] With the advent of social networking sites, Friendship Day is also being celebrated online.[5] The commercialization of the Friendship Day celebrations has led to some dismissing it as a "marketing gimmick". But nowadays it is celebrated on the first Sunday of August rather than 30 July. However, on 27 July 2011 the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly declared 30 July as "International Day of Friendship
The idea of a World Friendship Day was first proposed on 20 July 1958 by Dr. Artemio Bracho during a dinner with friends in Puerto Pinasco, a town on the River Paraguay about 200 miles north of Asuncion, Paraguay
Out of this humble meeting of friends, the World Friendship Crusade was born. The World Friendship Crusade is a foundation that promotes friendship and fellowship among all human beings, regardless of race, color or religion. Since then, 30 July has been faithfully celebrated as Friendship Day in Paraguay every year and has also been adopted by several other countries
The World Friendship Crusade has lobbied the United Nations for many years to recognise 30 July as World Friendship Day and finally on 20 May, General Assembly of the United Nations decided to designate 30 July as the International Day of Friendship; and to invite all Member States to observe the International Day of Friendship in accordance with the culture and customs of their local, national and regional communities, including through education and public awareness-raising activities
Click Here For More Details
Initially created by the greeting card industry, evidence from social networking sites shows a revival of interest in the holiday that may have grown with the spread of the Internet, particularly in India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Digital communication modes such as the Internet and mobile phones may be helping to popularize the custom, since greeting friends en masse is now easier than before. Those who promote the holiday in South Asia attribute the tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends to have originated in the U.S. in 1935, but it actually dates from 1919. The exchange of Friendship Day gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.
Friendship Day celebrations occur on different dates in different countries. The first World Friendship Day was proposed for 30 July 1958.[6] On 27 April 2011 the General Assembly of the United Nations declared[7] 30 July as official International Friendship Day. However, some countries, including India, celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. In Oberlin, Ohio, Friendship Day is celebrated on 8 April each year
History
Friendship Day was originally promoted by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, intended to be 2 August and a day when people celebrated their friendships by sending cards. The second of August was chosen as the centre of the largest lull between holiday celebrations. Friendship Day was promoted by the greeting card National Association during the 1920s but met with consumer resistance - given that it was too obviously a commercial gimmick to promote greetings cards. By the 1940s the number of Friendship Day cards available in the US had dwindled and the holiday largely died out there. There is no evidence to date for its uptake in Europe; however, it has been kept alive and revitalised in Asia, where several countries have adopted it.
In honor of Friendship Day in 1998, Nane Annan, wife of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship at the United Nations. The event was co-sponsored by the U.N. Department of Public Information and Disney Enterprises, and was co-hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford
Some friends acknowledge each other with exchanges of gifts and cards on this day. Friendship bands are very popular in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and parts of South America.[4] With the advent of social networking sites, Friendship Day is also being celebrated online.[5] The commercialization of the Friendship Day celebrations has led to some dismissing it as a "marketing gimmick". But nowadays it is celebrated on the first Sunday of August rather than 30 July. However, on 27 July 2011 the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly declared 30 July as "International Day of Friendship
The idea of a World Friendship Day was first proposed on 20 July 1958 by Dr. Artemio Bracho during a dinner with friends in Puerto Pinasco, a town on the River Paraguay about 200 miles north of Asuncion, Paraguay
Out of this humble meeting of friends, the World Friendship Crusade was born. The World Friendship Crusade is a foundation that promotes friendship and fellowship among all human beings, regardless of race, color or religion. Since then, 30 July has been faithfully celebrated as Friendship Day in Paraguay every year and has also been adopted by several other countries
The World Friendship Crusade has lobbied the United Nations for many years to recognise 30 July as World Friendship Day and finally on 20 May, General Assembly of the United Nations decided to designate 30 July as the International Day of Friendship; and to invite all Member States to observe the International Day of Friendship in accordance with the culture and customs of their local, national and regional communities, including through education and public awareness-raising activities
Click Here For More Details
Hrithik-starrer Bang Bang poster unveiled
Hrithik-starrer Bang Bang poster unveiled
The film has been directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Fox Star Studios.
The first promotional poster of Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif’s upcoming film ‘Bang Bang’ has been released.
The film has been directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Fox Star Studios.
The poster shows Hrithik and Katrina holding each other while the actor has a gun in one of his hands.
‘Bang Bang’ releases on October 2.
Click Here For More Details
The film has been directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Fox Star Studios.
The first promotional poster of Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif’s upcoming film ‘Bang Bang’ has been released.
The film has been directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Fox Star Studios.
The poster shows Hrithik and Katrina holding each other while the actor has a gun in one of his hands.
‘Bang Bang’ releases on October 2.
Click Here For More Details
Granite Exports cross Rs.12,000 crore
Granite Exports cross Rs.12,000 crore
Despite facing internal hurdles and severe competition from host of
countries such as China, South Africa, Saudia Arabia and Brazil, the
Indian granite exports have grown by 23 per cent in value term during 2013-14. However, it remained more or less similar volume-wise.
According to sources, the Indian industry
faced hurdles due to inconsistent and contradictory leasing policies
followed by the State governments and also due to absence of
export-oriented policies by the Centre that prevented setting up of
large number of EOUs for granites, marble, slates and sandstones near
the quarries and as well as closer to the shipping ports. Besides, only a
few ports in the country had the facilities to handle granite.
During 2013-14, India exported granite blocks worth Rs.12,047 crore
against Rs. 9,766 crore in the previous year. Granite and products
accounted for the majority of exports revenue, followed by other stones
and products, marbles and slate stone. Granite was exported to China and
European countries, and finished marbles to Japan.
“Though there is a growth in the industry, the growth could have been
300 per cent more if the policies were implemented speedily with a
positive approach. On behalf of the industry, we are seeking a uniform
leasing and renewal policy and allowing marble for re-exports without
hassles,” said an industry representative.
Chemical and Allied Export Promotion Council of India, Southern Regional
Chairman, R. Veeramani, said that due to the prevailing negative
factors, the industry performed at 50 per cent of it capacity and it was
time the Centre provided IT exemption on 100 per cent EOUs and float
common brand equity fund for promoters of Indian brand in exports.
“This sector is growing by 5-10 per cent annually, though it faces
severe shortcomings. We have been asking the Directorate General of
Foreign Trade to provide subsidy/incentive to this sector. They have
been denying it citing the progress made by us in the recent times,”
said a granite exporter.
India Among jihad Targets of ISIS
India Among jihad Targets of ISIS
Ibrahim Awwad al-Badri, commander of the insurgent group Islamic State of Iraq
and al-Shams (ISIS), has vowed war against several countries, including
India, in a Ramzan speech released online late on Tuesday.
The
reference to India, the first in an ISIS manifesto, raises new concerns
for the safety of the almost hundred of its nations trapped in Iraqi
cities controlled by the Islamist group, which is battling the
governments of Iraq and Syria.
The Ramzan speech by
Mr al-Badri — also known by the pseudonym Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — calls
on believers to take up arms during the month of penitence, and “terrify
the enemies of Allah and seek death in the places where you expect to
find it, for the dunya (worldly life) will come to an end”.
“Muslims’
rights”, Mr. al-Badri states in his speech, “are forcibly seized in
China, India, Palestine, Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Caucasus,
Sham (the Levant), Egypt, Iraq, Indonesia, Afghanistan, the Philippines,
Ahvaz, Iran (by the rafidah (shia)), Pakistan, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria
and Morocco, in the East and in the West” [all text as in original
released by ISIS].
“Prisoners are moaning and crying
for help”, Mr. al-Badri continues. “Orphans and widows are complaining
of their plight. Women who have lost their children are weeping. Masajid (plural of masjid) are desecrated and sanctities are violated”.
Thus, he says, “the ummah of Islam is watching your jihad with eyes of hope, and indeed you have brothers in many parts of the world being inflicted with the worst kinds of torture”.
Mr.
al-Badri’s speech, released online in English, Russian, French,
Albanian and Russian, apart from Arabic, appeared part of a campaign to
reach out to violent Islamists worldwide.
Earlier
this week, ISIS had declared Mr. Badri the amir al-mumineen, or
commander of the faithful, and declared him the leader of the Islamic
caliphate it seeks to create.
Di Maria sends Argentina To quarters with late winner Against Swiss
Di Maria sends Argentina To quarters with late winner Against Swiss
Argentina beat Switzerland 1—0 to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Tuesday thanks to an extra-time goal from Angel Di Maria.
The breakthrough came in the 118th minute when Lionel Messi released Di Maria and he shot past Diego Benaglio.
The Swiss were aiming to reach their first World Cup
quarter-final since 1954 and almost equalised when Blerim Czemaili hit
the post a minute later but Argentina held on to the delight of their
10,000 supporters inside the Corinthians Arena.
It
had been a frustrating afternoon in Sao Paulo with Messi unable to add
to his four tournament goals so far. He had his first shot smothered by
Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio on the quarter-hour and then cut between
Ricardo Rodriguez and Valon Behrami only for Rodriguez to recover his
position and clear.
Di Maria was also causing the
Swiss problems and when he won a free-kick just outside the penalty area
Messi took it and found the head of Gonzalo Higuain who headed over.
Anything
Messi could do at one end Xherdan Shaqiri was showing he could match.
Shaqiri dribbled around Marcos Rojo and pulled the ball intelligently
back to the edge of the area where Granit Xhaka drilled a low shot goal
wards that Romero saved.
Switzerland had an even
better chance shortly after when Shaqiri raced away on the break. The
ball ran straight to Josip Drmic who only had the keeper to beat but
inexplicably he lofted a weak shot into the hands of Romero.
Switzerland started the second half on the front foot with Shaqiri testing Romero with a free-kick that almost crept in at the keeper’s near post.
For
Argentina, Rojo got forward from full-back to draw a save from Benaglio
and then crossed for Higuain, whose header was brilliantly tipped over
by the Swiss keeper.
Higuain again should have done
better with a header, this time glancing Pablo Zabaletta’s cross wide.
Messi also went close with a shot from distance as Argentina pressed.
Rodrigo Palacio came on for Argentina and the Inter Milan striker almost
scored with a header from his first touch after he connected with a
Messi cross.
Di Maria had the best chance of the
first period of extra time, racing away down the left but producing a
poor cross at the end of it that was cleared by Johan Djourou.
He
also had the first chance of the second period with a shot that
Benaglio tipped over and finally with two minutes left he went one
better finishing from Messi’s astute pass to send Argentina through.
Board orders water Release From Sagar For 1 More week
Board orders water Release From Sagar For 1 More week
The Krishna River Water Management Board has ordered
release of 6,000 cusecs of water daily to Krishna delta from Nagarjuna
Sagar Project (NSP) for one more week,
The order issued by board member secretary R.K. Gupta comes in the light of the Telangana
irrigation department officials’ decision to close the NSP gates from
Tuesday midnight. The extension of time for release of water follows a
letter addressed by the Andhra Pradesh
government to the water board seeking additional release of water to
meet the drinking water needs of Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari and
Prakasam districts.
The AP government, in its letter,
contended that though water release commenced from the project a week
ago, the staggered releases could not meet the requirement of the delta
as the quantum that reached the Prakasam barrage was “very minimal’’.
Irrigation officials maintained that against the 3.6 tmcft of water
released, the Prakasam barrage received 1.47 tmcft of water while the
crest level at the barrage was currently at little over 10 ft as against
12 ft full level.
The Irrigation department
officials complained that the dry bed, losses due to evaporation and
other factors had resulted in a steep drop in the amount of water that
actually reached the barrage. Senior officials, in their reports sent to
the government, informed that more than 500 tanks downstream were yet
to receive water a week after it was released from NSP.
Following
the complaint, a team of Central Water Commission officials led by
Deputy Executive Engineer G. Satyanarayana visited parts of the Krishna
delta on Tuesday. Accompanied by a team from the irrigation department,
the CWC officials visited Prakasam barrage and Ryves and Eluru canals
besides inspecting several tanks catering to drinking water needs
downstream.
“Following water release from NSP,
canals could reach less than 60 per cent of their flow levels. We are
pushing hard to get more water for drinking water needs,” a senior
official who accompanied the CWC team told The Hindu. According
to sources, the CWC officials who obtained first hand information
briefed the water management board about the ground situation over
telephone following which the orders for continuing release of water for
one more week had been issued.
Sharapova Out Of Wimbledon 2014
Sharapova Beaten By Kerber In Thriller
LONDON (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova's hopes of celebrating the 10th
anniversary of her Wimbledon triumph with a sequel ended in a thrilling
defeat by Germany's Angelique Kerber in the fourth round on Tuesday.
The Russian's chances of recapturing her 2004 title rose at the weekend when world No.1 Serena Williams was surprisingly beaten in the third round, but she joined the list of big-name casualties after a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 defeat on Centre Court.
The below-par fifth seed fought off six match points in a gripping final set that had hearts pounding on and off the court, but finally succumbed when she fired a backhand long.
Out-hit for most of the match, 2012 semi-finalist Kerber often resembled a climber hanging on to a cliff face by the fingertips as she stretched every sinew to retrieve a barrage of power from Sharapova, but she would not let go.
"It's unbelievable, it was such a tough match, playing on a high level and it was so close," 26-year-old Kerber, seeded nine, said after catching her breath.
"I'm so happy, she's a great player on grass, but I was just focusing on myself and I'm so happy to be in the quarters."
Both players had been out of action since Saturday, after foul weather meant their fourth-round clash was postponed on Monday, and it was Kerber who was quicker into her stride, leading throughout the first set.
Sharapova finally found her range to break back at 4-5 but some poor errors allowed the 26-year-old Kerber to win the last three points of the opening set tiebreak.
The Russian hit back to level the match and seemed to be favourite to book a quarter-final place but Kerber, defending for all her worth, moved into a 5-2 lead in the decider.
Sharapova saved a match point at 2-5 and Kerber's nerve failed her at 5-3 as she served a double-fault on the way to dropping her serve.
The real drama was saved until the end with Sharapova saving five more match points, three in a row from 0-40, and looking poised to complete a remarkable comeback.
Kerber would not be denied, though, and showed remarkable resilience to prevail in a rally that had both players scampering to all corners of the court before Sharapova rolled a forehand into the net.
Sharapova then hit a backhand long to end the contest and send her packing along with Williams, second seed Li Na and 2012 runner-up Agnieskza Radwanska, the fourth seed.
Kerber will have to recover quickly as she faces Canada's Eugenie Bouchard on Wednesday for a place in the semis.
Click Here For More Information
The Russian's chances of recapturing her 2004 title rose at the weekend when world No.1 Serena Williams was surprisingly beaten in the third round, but she joined the list of big-name casualties after a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 defeat on Centre Court.
The below-par fifth seed fought off six match points in a gripping final set that had hearts pounding on and off the court, but finally succumbed when she fired a backhand long.
Out-hit for most of the match, 2012 semi-finalist Kerber often resembled a climber hanging on to a cliff face by the fingertips as she stretched every sinew to retrieve a barrage of power from Sharapova, but she would not let go.
"It's unbelievable, it was such a tough match, playing on a high level and it was so close," 26-year-old Kerber, seeded nine, said after catching her breath.
"I'm so happy, she's a great player on grass, but I was just focusing on myself and I'm so happy to be in the quarters."
Both players had been out of action since Saturday, after foul weather meant their fourth-round clash was postponed on Monday, and it was Kerber who was quicker into her stride, leading throughout the first set.
Sharapova finally found her range to break back at 4-5 but some poor errors allowed the 26-year-old Kerber to win the last three points of the opening set tiebreak.
The Russian hit back to level the match and seemed to be favourite to book a quarter-final place but Kerber, defending for all her worth, moved into a 5-2 lead in the decider.
Sharapova saved a match point at 2-5 and Kerber's nerve failed her at 5-3 as she served a double-fault on the way to dropping her serve.
The real drama was saved until the end with Sharapova saving five more match points, three in a row from 0-40, and looking poised to complete a remarkable comeback.
Kerber would not be denied, though, and showed remarkable resilience to prevail in a rally that had both players scampering to all corners of the court before Sharapova rolled a forehand into the net.
Sharapova then hit a backhand long to end the contest and send her packing along with Williams, second seed Li Na and 2012 runner-up Agnieskza Radwanska, the fourth seed.
Kerber will have to recover quickly as she faces Canada's Eugenie Bouchard on Wednesday for a place in the semis.
Click Here For More Information
Transformers Age of Extinction Hollywood Movie Review
Transformers Age of Extinction Hollywood Movie Review
Story: The Autobots are in hiding as they're being hunted down by the CIA with the help of a ruthless bounty hunter Transformer. When a broke inventor accidentally 'finds' Optimus Prime, the CIA and the Decepticons make a beeline for them.
Review: Transformers takes a little time to really build up, with the necessary character-establishing scenes of the humans. Cade Yeager (Wahlberg) lives in the Texas countryside with his daughter Tessa (Peltz). Struggling to pay the bills, he invests every cent into buying and re-purposing what Tessa calls 'junk'. She is skeptical that the eager Yeager will one day make a game-changing invention. Yet later, when the pace kicks in, Bay ensures that you are blindsided by a juggernaut of metal
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, JackReynor, Bingbing Li, John Goodman, Ken Watanabe, John DiMaggio, Reno Wilson, Peter Cullen
Direction: Michael Bay
Genre: Action
Duration: 2 hours 46 minutes.
Click Here For More Details
Story: The Autobots are in hiding as they're being hunted down by the CIA with the help of a ruthless bounty hunter Transformer. When a broke inventor accidentally 'finds' Optimus Prime, the CIA and the Decepticons make a beeline for them.
Review: Transformers takes a little time to really build up, with the necessary character-establishing scenes of the humans. Cade Yeager (Wahlberg) lives in the Texas countryside with his daughter Tessa (Peltz). Struggling to pay the bills, he invests every cent into buying and re-purposing what Tessa calls 'junk'. She is skeptical that the eager Yeager will one day make a game-changing invention. Yet later, when the pace kicks in, Bay ensures that you are blindsided by a juggernaut of metal
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, JackReynor, Bingbing Li, John Goodman, Ken Watanabe, John DiMaggio, Reno Wilson, Peter Cullen
Direction: Michael Bay
Genre: Action
Duration: 2 hours 46 minutes.
Click Here For More Details
Israel launches Air strikes In Gaza
Israel has launched a series of air strikes across the Gaza Strip. Tensions have escalated since three Israeli teenagers were found dead. The Israeli government accuses Hamas, which controls Gaza, of their murder
The Palestinian interior ministry said on Tuesday there had been more than 30 Israeli air strikes on deserted militant training sites across Gaza.
The ministry said the targets included bases of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
According to the Israeli military, the airstrikes were a response to a barrage of 18 rockets fired into Israeli territory.
Tensions have risen in the West Bank and Gaza since the disappearance of Eyal Yifrah, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Frankel, 16.
Their bodies were found in a field to the north of the city of Hebron on Monday, after the biggest ground operation by Israeli forces in the Palestinian territories in nearly a decade. The search operation involved house raids across the West Bank and was followed by the rocket attacks.
During the search, at least five Palestinians were killed and more than 400 arrested.
'Murdered in cold blood'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas was to blame for the killings. Israel believes two alleged Hamas members, Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aysha, are responsible for the murders, having abducted the three and shot them immediately afterwards.
"They were kidnapped and murdered in cold blood by human animals," he said. "Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay," said Netanyahu.
Hamas itself has rejected the Israeli allegations, accusing Israel of using the teenagers' killings as a pretext for a military escalation against Palestinians.
"If the occupiers carry out an escalation or a war, they will open the gates of hell on themselves," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the AFP news agency
Click Here For More Information
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)