Category: Global

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Final four target World Cup history as they prepare for semi-final showdowns

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  • India finished top of the group standings after overtaking Australia with victory over Sri Lanka
  • The semi-finals will see India take on New Zealand before England face Australia

After seven weeks, 45 matches and plenty of standout performances with both the bat and ball, the four semi-finalists for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 have been confirmed.

On the face of it, the top four sides are as expected – with India, Australia England and New Zealand going into the tournament ranked the best four ODI teams in the world.

But as hosts England can attest to, the journey to reach the knockout stage has not been plain sailing for all of the sides that remain in contention to be crowned champions.

Australia will now continue the defence of their 2015 crown against England at Edgbaston, while India face New Zealand at Old Trafford in the other semi-final showdown.

And as the race to reach the tournament showpiece at Lord’s on 14 July draws to a close, here’s a look at the World Cup records of the four teams who are still in contention for silverware.

INDIA

The tag of being one of the favourites can weigh heavily on some – but India have shown no signs of being burdened by the pressure as they topped the standings after the round-robin stage.

India won seven of their nine games to finish at the summit, with their defeat to tournament hosts England the only blot on their record following a complete washout against New Zealand. Continue reading “Final four target World Cup history as they prepare for semi-final showdowns”

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“Stand By” – Countdown to ICC World Cup Cricket 2019 Tournament Begins!

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“STAND BY” THE ICC MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP OFFICIAL SONG, BY LORYN AND RUDIMENTAL IS RELEASED
  • The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup official song “Stand By” with LORYN and Rudimental has been released and is now available across all streaming platforms.
  • “Stand By” is set to become one of the biggest songs of the summer, being played on the ground and across televised events as part of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Official Song “Stand By” is now available to the world as the countdown to the tournament enters the final two weeks.

“Stand By” – a collaboration between new artist LORYN and one of the UK’s most successful and influential  acts, Rudimental – will be played in ground and city events across the tournament as the official song to this summer’s showpiece event.

The exciting partnership celebrates the cultural diversity of The United Kingdom and was announced earlier in May at an exclusive event hosted by Radio 1 Breakfast DJ, Greg James in discussion with Cricket World Cup Ambassador Freddie Flintoff and LORYN.

“Stand By” will be played around the world and provide a common voice for fans to show their passion.

The tournament will run from 30 May to 14 July. The semi-finals will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester and Edgbaston in Birmingham on 9 and 11 July respectively, while Lord’s will host the final on 14 July.

Continue reading ““Stand By” – Countdown to ICC World Cup Cricket 2019 Tournament Begins!”

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The Best Gift for Mother’s Day?

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 Help Mom Live a Long, Healthy  Life with the Mediterranean Diet (and These Delicious Recipes)–By Amy Riolo

May is Mediterranean Diet Month, and with Mother’s Day just around the corner, most of us are busy planning the perfect present for Mom. The usual gifts of flowers and cards are nice ideas, but the greatest gift you could give your mother is helping her achieve lasting health.  The best way to show love to your mother on Mother’s Day is by making a meaningful contribution to her life. Let your mom know that you love her, and that’s why you want her to live a long, healthy, and happy life. Introducing her to the healthful and delicious dishes from the Mediterranean region is a great way to do just that.

You’ve likely heard of the Mediterranean diet, which was recently named best overall diet of 2019 and has been shown to help extend your lifespan by roughly a decade. This eating pattern has also been linked to preventing heart attacks, strokes, certain cancers, and diabetes, and reducing inflammation. It may even help lower your risk of dementia by a third.

The Mediterranean eating pattern centers around seasonal produce, fish and seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, and small amounts of meat and sweets. Part of what makes this diet so successful is that people in the Mediterranean region consider food to be a friend and ally—a source of pleasure, nutrition, history, medicine, and tradition. When combined with lifestyle choices like communal eating and physical activity, the Mediterranean diet is believed to contribute to remarkable longevity in the region. For example, residents in Sardinia are ten times more likely to live past 100 than people in the United States.

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to help your mother make the lifestyle changes that can give her a longer and more joyful life. Continue reading “The Best Gift for Mother’s Day?”

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ICFF celebrates Italian Oscar winners from GreenBook and Life is Beautiful

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— Highlights of the bold 2019 lineup!

Film lovers can expect another glamorous, star-studded Italian Contemporary Film Festival across Canada this June, with more movies and guest stars than ever, including writer and producer of the 2019 Best Picture Green Book, Nick Vallelonga, and renowned Italian composer, Nicola Piovani, winner of the 1999 Oscar for Best Original Score for Life is Beautiful.

Among the many stars arriving from Italy for this year’s festival are Ezio Greggio, Claudio Gubitosi, Luca Barbareschi, Fabio De Luigi and Piera Detassis.

The Italian Contemporary Film Festival, presented by IC Savings and in affiliation with Fare Cinema, announced the lineup for its 8th edition at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto today. The 2019 program features 128 diverse and acclaimed films, including dozens of shorts and documentaries, totalling more than 190 screenings across the country – its largest and most ambitious program to date, which will see no shortage of star power.

Guests of the 2019 festival will include Nick Vallelonga, writer and producer of the 2019 Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, Green Book; world-renowned Italian composer Nicola Piovani, winner of the 1999 Oscar for Best Original Score for Life is Beautiful (La vita è bella); Continue reading “ICFF celebrates Italian Oscar winners from GreenBook and Life is Beautiful”

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Non-Stop to New York: New Delta Airlines to take off from Mumbai on Dec 24th

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• Flight connects financial capitals of United States and India, linking New York-JFK and Mumbai
with the only nonstop service by a U.S. carrier
• Delta will fly the route with a newly renovated Boeing 777-200LR, featuring the airline’s awardwinning product, seatback entertainment throughout, Wi-Fi connectivity and free mobile messaging

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) will begin flying nonstop from Mumbai to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from December 24, 2019. This route establishes a new link between the financial capitals of two large trade partners and boosts competition, choice and options for customers traveling between India and the United States.

“Delta’s nonstop service between New York and Mumbai is the latest example of our international growth as we strive to connect the world better than any other airline,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer.

Connecting through New York’s JFK, customers have access to more than 50 onward destinations throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. Demand for flights between the U.S. and India has increased by 60 percent in the last decade, and New York is the largest U.S. market to India with the largest base of corporate customers. Continue reading “Non-Stop to New York: New Delta Airlines to take off from Mumbai on Dec 24th”

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FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy arrives in Canada

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On Tuesday, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ Trophy arrived in Toronto, Canada, marking the end of a two-month and 24-country tour.

Following its launch in Paris on 24 February, when FIFA Legends Kristine Lilly and Laura Georges sent the most coveted prize in women’s football off on its whirlwind journey, the trophy has stopped in each of the 24 countries that qualified for the competition, with each nation celebrating its arrival in their own unique way.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy spent a day at Scotland’s historic Edinburgh Castle; an afternoon on the pitch in Jamaica’s Montego Bay as part of a grassroots festival and took a trip on speedboat across Sydney Harbour in Australia, just some of the stops on its journey.

The global FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour has visited six continents, accompanied by FIFA legends and welcomed by former international footballers, politicians and even a king.

Fans and football players flocked to get a close up look at the trophy, a symbol of excellence in female football, designed by William Sawaya and handcrafted by Milanese specialists Sawaya & Moroni in 1998. It stands at 47cm and weighs 4.6kg and its artistic design captures the athleticism, dynamism and elegance of international women’s football. It is made of bronze gold-plated, Continue reading “FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy arrives in Canada”

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Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi – A Spiritual Oasis for Global Harmony

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Marking a significant moment in the history of the UAE, around 5,000 devotees and well-wishers thronged to participate in and witness the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the BAPS Hindu Mandir. Volunteers began to arrive at the site location as early as 6:00 a.m., with participants arriving at 8:00 a.m. The Shilanyas Ceremony, which is an ancient Vedic ritual performed to bless and sanctify the main foundation stones, commenced at 9:00 a.m.

This ceremony signifies the beginning of the construction of the Mandir. The Vedic ceremony was performed by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The occasion was also graced with the presence of His Excellency Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community
Development and Member of the Executive Council, His Excellency Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and His Excellency Dr Ahmad Bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Cabinet Member and Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills.
Also present were His Excellency Navdeep Suri, Indian Ambassador to UAE, Vipul, the Consul General of India, and Dr. B.R. Shetty, Chairman of Mandir Ltd. After laying the foundation stones in position, water from the three main holy rivers of India was showered on the stones by His Holiness and the distinguished guests. The enthusiasm and devotion of all participants and volunteers was evident as they arrived for the Vedic ceremony. Continue reading “Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi – A Spiritual Oasis for Global Harmony”
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River Ganges Initiative 2019 Kickstarts India’s Earth Day 2020 Plans

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A landmark citizen-led cleanup of the iconic River Ganges is to be launched by the Earth Day Network as part of worldwide plans to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

The initiative, which got underway on April 13 as part of Earth Day 2019,  began on Vaisakhi—the Hindu New Year for many in India —high in the Himalayan mountains at Devaprayag where two glacier-fed streams meet to form India’s most famous and sacred river.

This first phase will evolve over the next 15 months to encompass 100 cities and towns close to the Ganges—known as the Ganga in India– as it meanders to the famous Sunderbans Delta.

A Global Clean Up Movement

The launch of the first phase coordinated by Earth Day India and NGO partner Lok Paryavaran Shiksha Sansthan (LPSS), comes as major cleanups are planned during the month of April in countries across the globe including the United States, where more than 2,000 cleanups are taking place from American Samoa and Asheville North Carolina to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Portland, Seattle and Honolulu.

Many of these are expected to join the even bigger 50th anniversary Great Global Cleanup planned for 2020.

Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network, said: Continue reading “River Ganges Initiative 2019 Kickstarts India’s Earth Day 2020 Plans”

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Canada & India stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka

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The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, today condemned the terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.“I was shocked and saddened to hear of the devastating terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, which have claimed the lives of more than two hundred people and injured many hundreds more. On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I offer my heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost loved ones and my hope for a full recovery to those injured.

“Canada strongly condemns these heinous attacks on hotels and Christians at prayer in churches. Places of worship are sacred, where all should feel safe and secure. No one should be targeted because of their faith.

“For millions of people around the world, Easter is a time to reflect on Jesus’ message of compassion and kindness—a time to come together with friends and family. We cannot let attacks like these weaken the hope we share.

“To the people of Sri Lanka and other communities affected by today’s attacks: Canada stands with you. We will continue to work with you and other international partners to combat terrorism and violent extremism and to promote greater peace and stability around the world.

“To date, we have no reports of any Canadian citizens being affected. Due to the current situation, our High Commission in Colombo will be closed on April 22. However, Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact sos@international.gc.ca or call +1 613 996 8885. Continue reading “Canada & India stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka”

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Hyatt’s Presence in India to Expand from 19 Cities to 27 Cities by 2020

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14 new Hyatt hotels to open, adding approximately 2,100 new guestrooms during the next 24 months

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced that 2019 will mark record growth for Hyatt in India. Expansion plans foresee the addition of over 2,100 guestrooms through the opening of more than 14 new properties over the next 24 months. Aside from growth in the larger capital cities, the emphasis will be on leisure and cultural destinations, with a focus on emerging cities within India.

As a result of an increasingly favorable business climate and heightened tourism spend, encouraged by relaxed visa rules and a growing upper middle class, there is a general demand for growth in the hospitality industry in India. This expansion includes hotels in eight new markets in the country, thereby establishing Hyatt’s brand presence across 27 cities in India over the next 24 months.

“Hyatt is one of the longest-running international hotel management brands in India, the first Hyatt hotels in India opened over 30 years ago,” said Dhruva Rathore, vice president development-India, Hyatt. “Our heritage and experience in this complex market, paired with the strong relationships we hold with local developers and owners has helped make India one of the top three growth markets for Hyatt globally.”

This year’s expansion began with the introduction of the Hyatt Centric brand through the opening of Hyatt Centric Candolim Goa. Continue reading “Hyatt’s Presence in India to Expand from 19 Cities to 27 Cities by 2020”