Grand launch of the Sports Illustrated Motorsports
Grand launch of the Sports Illustrated Motorsports Special issue with BhaichungBhutia and Gaurav Gill
New Delhi, 11th August 2016: Sports Illustrated India magazine launched the Motorsports Special Issue, in association with Maruti Suzuki Motorsports on 10th August 2016, at Underdoggs Sports Bar & Grill. Ace Ex Footballer and motorsports enthusiast Mr. Bhaichung Bhutia along with Ace Indian Rally Driver –Mr. Gaurav Gill unveiled the magazine with Mr. Vinay Pant – AVP Marketing,Maruti Suzuki India Limited. Also were present a host of celebs. The extra special coffee table magazine celebrated the growing category of motorsports in India. Bhaichung Bhutia and Gaurav Gill spoke about their passion for the motorsports. The other sponsors included Singapore Grand Prix and Singapore Tourism Board.
The Launch of the special annual Sports Illustrated India issue marks the dawn of the new horizon in the world of Indian motorsports. The Magazine will provide the much needed vital knowledge about the motorsports industry and seeks to be the one-stop information hub for the motor sports enthusiasts. The Motorsports Issue is a refreshing sports magazine poised to bring the Indian as well as international motorsports personalities on the Indian scene, focusing on key areas of motorsports. With exclusive interviews and features from both Indian and International Motorsports icons crossing the spectrum of sports, including Karun Chandok, Narain Kartikeyan, CS Santosh, Hari Singh, Gaurav Gill, Suresh Rana and others. The new publication will bring its readers closer to the lifestyle of India’s top racers/motorists.
Spokesperson Mr. Vivek Pareek, Senior Publisher, Sports Illustrated India said “This special issue is a rendition of Sports Illustrated India’s commitment to every sport in India. We hope this specific initiative will encourage more people to take up the sport and find the support they need to excel.”
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Mr. Vinay Pant, AVP -Marketing spokesperson said” Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to motorsports has spanned almost two decades, and we have constantly endeavoured to take the sports to the grassroots. With more initiative across the country that encourage budding racers, we look forward to a vibrant racing scenario in India.
Spokesperson Mr. Shashank Shekhar Mishra, India Representative of Singapore Grand Prix said “Singapore Grand Prix is one of the world’s most glamorous events, with exceptional racing and performances. We are proud to associate with Sports Illustrated to bring the passion and excellence of the track to readers and visitors to the most spectacular GP event in the world.
Leading the agenda for data production to monitor education 2030
UNESCO Press Release No.2016-104
Paris, 10 August—Monitoring progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on education requires more and better quality data, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The UIS is launching two new tools to kick-start this process: an eAtlas mapping out the currently available global education indicators, and a Digest that sets out a roadmap to improve the measuring of education quality and equity. These new data products are the latest in a set of UIS initiatives to address the gaps in the education monitoring agenda.
SDG 4 is an ambitious goal, seeking to improve learning and skills from early childhood to adulthood. This will require new and improved data to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks and sharpen policies to ensure that every dollar invested in education makes a tangible difference to people’s lives. At present, however, the world gathers only around half of the data needed to monitor progress based on SDG 4 global education indicators.
Launched by the UIS, the eAtlas presents the education indicators currently available for the global and thematic monitoring of SDG 4. Through a ground-breaking series of interactive maps for each of the SDG 4 targets, it pools together a wide range of data sources about access to education, the quality of the education on offer and learning outcomes. The eAtlas is designed to become the go-to source for SDG education data: a place to get the indicators quickly, confident that they are the best and most up-to-date.
With just a couple of clicks, it is possible to explore key issues, such as completion rates from primary to tertiary education, the percentage of children out of school, the amount spent on each pupil’s education, and the supply of qualified teachers.
The eAtlas also shows the extent to which more and better data are needed urgently. So the UIS is releasing a new report, the first edition of the UIS Sustainable Development Data Digest, which offers a practical roadmap to develop the key indicators needed to monitor progress towards SDG 4 – Education 2030.
For example, equity is the central feature of SDG 4 and the pledge to ensure everyone’s right to education, including the most marginalized groups. Yet according to the Digest, only 14% of the global monitoring indicators can be disaggregated by wealth and only 19% by disability status.
“We aim to revolutionize the production and use of education data,” says UIS Director Silvia Montoya. “For example, more than half of the world’s countries have data on reading and math skills of children but the results cannot be compared internationally. So we are working with partners to put in place methodologies and standards to transform data into information that countries can use to tackle their own needs while monitoring global progress towards SDG 4. Together, the Digest and the eAtlas are critical tools in this process..”
The first edition of the Digest, Laying the Foundation to Measure Sustainable Development Goal 4, finds that many countries struggle to produce the data needed today, and will find it even harder to It focuses specifically on areas that are difficult to measure, such as education quality, learning, equity and inclusion. The Digest highlights, for example, ways in which parity indices can be used to track inequalities in education and learning among children and youth, according to their socio-economic status, location (rural versus urban), sex and disability status.
The UIS is leading several initiatives in close collaboration with partners to identify and close data gaps and the UISDigest makes a case for a stronger commitment to achieve key SDG education targets.
Funding Opportunities
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Issue 88
China to ‘uncompromisingly’ respect rule of law
Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay called on China on Thursday to respect maritime law and security, and the rule of law, to resolve peacefully disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Yasay met his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, in the Philippines. “We… urge China to make sure that maritime law and security must be completely and uncompromisingly respected,” Yasay told a news conference, adding the Philippines and Japan shared experiences in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Japan has a dispute with China over tiny islands in the East China Sea while the Philippines and China have overlapping claims in the South China Sea as per International media agency.
Ministry of Railways – India fervent announcements
Ministry of Railways – India
HIGH SPEED RAIL SERVICE IN DELHI – NCR
The Functional Plan on Transport for National Capital Region (NCR) – 2032 has identified the following eight corridors of Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS):
Delhi-Sonipat- Panipat,
Delhi-Gurgaon- Rewari-Alwar,
Delhi-Ghaziabad- Meerut,
Delhi-Faridabad- Ballabgarh-Palwal,
Ghaziabad-Khurja,
Delhi-Bahadurgarh- Rohtak,
Delhi-Ghaziabad- Hapur and
Delhi-Shahadra- Baraut
The following three RRTS corridors have been prioritized :
Delhi–Gurgaon–Rewari–Alwar
Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut
Delhi–Sonepat–Panipat: As per the Feasibility Reports, the total estimated project cost for the above three prioritized corridors including escalation and Interest during construction (IDC) (with Central and State Taxes) is Rs.72,170 crore at 2013 price level.
Since, the individual corridors have not yet been sanctioned, the expected time for completion cannot be projected.
NEW SYSTEMS OF RECRUITMENT IN RAILWAYS
To reduce the time gap to fill up the vacancies in Railways, systems of ‘Online Applications’ and ‘Computer Based Tests’ (CBTs) in recruitment for Group ‘C’ and erstwhile Group ‘D’ posts, have been introduced through a series of pilot projects. Under this system, examination for 54 categories of Senior Section Engineers (SSEs) and Junior Engineers (JEs) have been conducted successfully in 2015. Based on the success of Computer Based Tests for SSEs and JEs, CBTs have also been conducted in three more subsequent examinations i.e. Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) for Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) Under-Graduate Level, NTPC Graduate Level posts and another SRD for PWDs for erstwhile Group ‘D’ posts.
READY TO EAT FOOD IN INDIAN RAILWAYS
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has started sale of Ready-to- Eat food packets at some of the Railway stations on trial basis. During the trial period the MRP has been kept at ₹ 40/- per packet for all items. Details of stations where Ready-to- eat packets are being sold during trial period are apprehended.
IRCTC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Defence Food Research Laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for Transfer of Technology of Retort Pouch Processed Foods so that ready-to-eat food can be warmed and eaten straight out of the packet. The terms and conditions enshrined in the MoU between DRDO and IRCTC, inter-alia, include:
(i) DRDO shall transfer the complete details of the technical know-how and testing method for quality assurance to IRCTC with requisite data on the functioning of the Retort Pouch Processed Food.
(ii) DRDO grants a non-exclusive license to utilize the Technology by IRCTC for manufacture in India for a period of 10 years.
(iii) The title and ownership of the Technology including new variants, copyrights and intellectual property will rest exclusively with DRDO. (iv) DRDO shall depute experts/personnel free of cost for Technology Transfer Period not exceeding 10 mandays beyond which the service will be chargeable.
(v) IRCTC shall pay to DRDO an upfront Technology Transfer Fee at the time of signing of Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology along with the service tax in this regard.
(vi) IRCTC shall pay Annual Royalty @ 2% on net sales to Indian Market and 6% on net sales for Export Market. Steps taken to improve the quality of food in Railways inter-alia include:
(i) Phased introduction of station based e-catering at all A1 and A category stations for widening the range of options available to passengers for ordering food of their choice.
(ii) Introduction of precooked food (‘ready to eat’ meals). (iii) Operation of centralized Catering Service Monitoring Cell (CSMC) (toll free number 1800-111- 321) for prompt redressal of passenger grievances relating to the catering activities and real time assistance to travelling public.
(iv) Imposition of penalties in case of deficiencies detected in services. (v) Operation of All India Helpline (No.138) for rail- users to lodge complaints/suggestions regarding food and catering services
(vi) A Twitter handle with the address @IRCATERING has also been made operational to cater to the complaints/suggestions with regard to catering services
(vii) Technology Transfer Agreement has been signed with Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore in order to provide safe, nutritious and hygienic ready-to- eat food to Rail passengers.
Kiren Rijiju’s statement at the “International Meeting on Counter Terrorism” in Indonesia
The Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju delivered a statement at the “International Meeting on Counter Terrorism” in Bali, Indonesia today. Following is the text of Shri Kiren Rijiju’s statement:
“India congratulates Indonesia for hosting this timely and important meeting to discuss the menace of terrorism that is plaguing the entire world today. India condemns in the strongest possible terms, the heinous terrorist attacks in Jakarta, Paris, Nice, Brussels, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, Orlando, in various parts of Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, and at an Indian airbase at Pathankot in the state of Punjab this year. Terrorism is an attack on the very idea of civilized societies and an attack on humanity itself. It defies international boundaries and hardly any nation is free from its impact. Lately, the menace has seriously escalated with terrorist groups creating havoc by maximizing human losses through perpetration of widespread killings and destruction.
The Government of India is committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to ensure that the perpetrators of terrorist acts, their masterminds and conspirators are brought to justice. We unequivocally condemn all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, which cannot be justified under any circumstances, regardless of their motivation, wherever and by whomsoever they are committed. There should be zero tolerance against terrorism. We reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.
It also needs to be ensured that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronized by any state. One country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. A terrorist anywhere is a terrorist everywhere. Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated. Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organizations but also against those individuals, institutions, organizations or nations that support them.
The will and the mandate of international community against proscribed and wanted terrorists and their organizations must be respected and implemented. If the world community is to rid themselves of the terrorism, we will have to rid ourselves of the notion of making distinctions between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ terrorists. No type of terror activity or support to it can be justified on any grounds whatsoever. Only then justice will be delivered for the victims of terrorist attacks such as in Mumbai and Pathankot.
India, which has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades, is not immune from the threats of radicalization and terrorist violence which is now affecting more and more countries all over the world. However, India’s firm adherence to open, inclusive and secular democratic governance processes, deep-rooted culture which regards the whole world as one big family and strong family ties and values which strongly uphold and protect the welfare interests of our children and youth, have checked the sweeping forces of radicalization from taking root in our country. Nevertheless, we remain highly concerned and closely monitor and guard against the activities of terrorist entities in various parts of the world from influencing the younger sections of the Indian population with extremist online propaganda and material. The risks posed by Foreign Terrorist Fighters trying to enter the country from across the border and by other means are also similarly constantly assessed and monitored.
To counter the problem of cross-border infiltration, the Government of India, has adopted a multi-pronged approach, which includes, inter alia, strengthening of border management through multi-tiered deployment along international borders/Line of Control and infiltration routes, construction of border fencing, improved use of technology, better intelligence and operational coordination, synergizing intelligence flow to check infiltration and proactive action against terrorists within the country.
There is close and effective coordination amongst intelligence agencies at the Centre and the State levels. The Multi Agency Centre (MAC) has been strengthened and re-organized to enable it to function on 24×7 basis for real time collation and sharing of intelligence between the State and the Central agencies.
In order to strengthen legislative measures for countering terrorist attacks and terrorism-related offences and to ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of such cases, the Government of India has created the National Investigation Agency (NIA), as a Central Agency to deal with terror related cases in 2008 through the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.
The States most affected by terrorism have already raised well-trained police forces to deal with the menace of terrorism. The Centre supports them in this endeavor by providing them human, financial and material resources.
Cross border movements of terrorists is the most prominent manifestation of internationalization of terrorism through sophisticated networks and use of advance technologies. Thus controlling and checking cross border movement is one of the most potent tools to counter this peril.
Intelligence can play a vital role in combating terrorism. The need of the hour is to share relevant inputs to prevent acts of terrorism. I take this opportunity to request all concerned to develop intelligence mechanisms for smooth dissemination of inputs on real time basis.
Countering terrorism also requires a strong collective action by the global community. India is regularly engaging with various countries bilaterally for exchanging perspectives on developments pertaining to the menace of terrorism and deepening cooperation for exploring possibilities and modalities of addressing security threats emanating from it. India is also actively participating in deliberations about this scourge at various regional and mulitateral fora.
In order to address the menace of terrorism, a strong international legal framework is the need of the hour. In this context, nations must urgently consider expediting finalization of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the UN umbrella mooted by India as early as 1996. Additionally, there is a need for increasing the effectiveness and transparency of procedures under the UNSCR 1267 and related resolutions for effective implementation and better coherence between various UN counter terrorism structures.
Here I would like to again reiterate that all forms of terrorism and in one voice is determined to counter and combat terrorism in its various violent and subtle manifestations. We assure this learned assembly of our fullest cooperation and support in unitedly combating this global scourge for safeguarding humanity and the human civilization. At the end, I also take this opportunity to thank the Indonesian government for their kind hospitality.”
Reporters grill US Elizabeth Trudeau over Clinton emails
“I’m not going to speak anymore,” replied a State Department spokeswoman, reaching a point of exasperation repelling reporters’ hounding over a new batch of Hillary Clinton’s emails that exposed cozy relationships between the former secretary’s team and wealthy donors of her husband’s foundation.The reporters wanted to know on the fate of “an associate” who Bill Clinton’s controversial aide Doug Band asked “to take care of,” implying a job at the Department, and whose name was redacted from the email for some unknown reasons.Trudeau refused to speak on the matter, setting a tone to her subsequent answers.“I’m also not going to speak to specific redactions,” she replied, stressing that she can’t “speak to specific cases.”
But Trudeau tried to get away with a general response, saying that “the department regularly hires political appointees with a range of skill sets for a broad variety of jobs” and it is not “unusual” for their candidates to be recommended by a “variety of avenues.”
Reporters also wanted Trudeau to address the ethics of her Department and Clinton Foundation after one of the emails exposed a special request from the former president’s team. In a 2009 email, Band wanted a “right hand” of the former Secretary of State Huma Abedin to put Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire Gilbert Chagoury in touch with a proper person at the Department.
Trudeau also tried to evade answering the uncomfortable question.
“I’m not going to speak to specific emails,” she said again, now adding that working with “a wide variety of outside individuals and organizations, including businesses, nonprofits, NGOs, think tanks” was not unusual for her Department either.
The reply has prompted a harsh reaction from AP’s Lee, who said:
“Can you at least try to answer Abigail’s question, which was: Has the department looked into this and determined that there was no impropriety?”
Failing to receive a satisfactory answer he snapped:
“I’m sorry, are you – am I not speaking English? Is this – I mean, is it coming across as a foreign – I’m not asking you if – no one is saying it’s not okay or it’s bad for the department to get a broad variety of input from different people. Asking – the question is whether or not you have determined that there was nothing improper here.”
However, it did not help him get the answer he was looking for with Trudeau generally saying: “We feel confident that all the rules were followed.” RT news
Clinton aide Huma Abedin had access to Clinton email address used for classified emails
https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/29372… …
https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/29372… …
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