News Headline
Fox to rechristen Fox Sports World
MUMBAI: US broadcaster Fox has announced that its soccer channel Fox Sports World will be renamed Fox Soccer Channel on 7 February 2005.
Fox Soccer Channel will draw more than 80 per cent of its first-run programming hours from world-class soccer competitions. They include the Barclays English Premier League, the English FA Cup, the Uefa Cup, the Toyota Intercontinental Cup. Other events that will air will include World Cup qualifying matches for the US and England national teams, the Champions World Series, and numerous European and Latin American national leagues.
Fox Soccer Channel executive VP and GM David Sternberg said, “Soccer has long been the world’s game and now it is increasingly America’s game as well. Participation rates and attendance at soccer matches, including MLS games and international exhibitions, have grown dramatically in the past decade.
“The US national teams have excelled in both the men’s and women’s Fifa World Cups. We at Fox are committed to creating the single best place for American soccer fans, players, professional and amateur associations and business partners to converge and share in the phenomenal success of the sport.”
The flagship sports channel Fox Sports will provide viewers with an exclusive first look at the Fox Sports Channel during the Super Bowl XXXIX Pre-Game Show on 6 February.
Fox Soccer Channel will introduce several new programmes and features, including a soccer scores ticker. A new weekly show debuting in April Fox Soccer USA will focus on the youth and the amateur soccer scene in the US.
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.
