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APTN will launch Direct to cover the Gulf war
MUMBAI: No news may be good news but bad news is great news. So while Bush is chalking out his invasion plan for Iraq, the Associated Press Television News (APTN) has already made arrangements to capture the action live.
APTN is launching two extra channels under brand name APTN Direct. The video news agency will be providing the signals to the television news companies who subscribe its main satellite service – the Global Video Wire.
According to an official release, the London based new gathering company has invested 12 months of planning and multi-million dollars in hardware, software and satellite capacity to provide live coverage in the event of a new Gulf war.
APTN Direct will be providing live coverage of events as they unfold in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, Israel, and Britain and the United States, as well as live reactions from other parts of the world.
The channels designed for the war coverage will commence its telecast at 12:30 pm on 14 March 2003 or earlier, if necessary. For the initial three months the channel will operate for 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
While the move to launch APTN Direct may be recent, the news agency has already begun transmitting news videos from Baghdad since October 2002 via a satellite uplinking truck stationed in the Iraqi capital. It has a total of 120 staff with 40 cameras deployed throughout the Middle East.
The release also claims that APTN has readied 12 satellite earth stations to the region, including five truck-mount ones. The trucks deployed are specially-constructed desert-friendly vehicles with the latest, lightweight uplinks mounted on the roof.
Meanwhile the team in the field, for maximum mobility and speed of deliver, has also been equipped with the latest software to allow them to transmit video over satellite telephones.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
