Latest news with #HAF
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Why filmmakers can't do without Cannes
I first met independent Assamese filmmaker Rima Das in 2017 at the Marché du Film or Cannes Film Market, when her second feature, Village Rockstars, was featured in the 'HAF Goes To Cannes' initiative. Having been part of the Work In Progress Lab of Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), it had made its way to the market's prestigious platform which provided Das the opportunity to look for post-production funds and pitch to sales agents and other festivals. Goes To Cannes, one of the tailor-made official programmes at the Cannes Film Market, aims to discover promising, new-generation talents through their works-in-progress, selected and curated by partner festivals like the HAF. Thanks to it, not only did Das get a great mentor in the famous editor, Jacques Comets, who guided her with the first cut of Village Rockstars, but found the world opening its door for her modest indie. About a free-spirited and rebellious 10-year-old village girl Dhunu who dreams of owning a guitar and makes herself Styrofoam one till she gets a real one, the film played at hundreds of international festivals thanks to the initial exposure at Cannes. At Toronto and San Sebastian, it was the first film from Northeast India to be featured in the official selection. It won the National Award for the best film in 2018 and went on to represent India at the Oscars. This year, the debut feature of Tribeny Rai—a Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute graduate—Shape of Momo was showcased under the same section. Rai is from Sikkim and her Nepali-language film is set in her home state. She was looking for gap-financing, post-production funds and interactions with sales agents and festival programmers. Whether Shape of Momo will also follow the same trajectory of success as Das's film can't quite be predicted. But what's amply clear is the significance of the market for independent Indian filmmakers trying to strike their own course in the international arena, away from the claptrap and constraints of commercial Indian cinema.
Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
I live in the water park capital of the UK – we can visit 5 of the country's best on a day trip from just £8
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LIVING in a landlocked part of the country, as far away from the sea as we can be, we have a raft of fantastic water parks to make up for our lack of coastline. I can drive less than 90 minutes in any direction and get to some of the best indoor splash parks in the UK. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Despite being landlocked, there are many waterparks in and close to Leicestershire 6 American holiday chain Great Wolf Lodge, is also due to create a waterpark near Bicester From our home in Leicestershire, we can visit five water parks on day trips, including Alton Towers, The Wave Coventry, Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent and two Center Parcs. My boys love a splash about and what we look for in a great waterpark is a wave pool, a variety of slides and flumes and a splashpad with fountains and jets for little ones who might be too small for some of the bigger rides. An outdoor space with rapids or a lazy river is an added bonus. So we're excited that American holiday chain Great Wolf Lodge, which has 23 resorts overseas, could be bringing one of its epic waterparks to neighbouring Derbyshire, after already getting planning permission to build one near Bicester. That'll mean my boys have access to eight indoor waterparks in driving distance, as well as several great outdoor options, like Twinlakes near Melton Mowbray and Wheelgate up near Nottingham. The new Therme Manchester, due to open in 2027, and Blackpool's Sandcastle are only a couple of hours away too. Our favourite is actually a council-run park as it's just such a cost-effective option for a few hours of fun. Moorways in Derby only opened its indoor splashpad with slides and rides in 2022 and it often has deals that drop the price down to £8 per person, even during school holidays. With free parking and a huge aqua inflatable course in the main pool included in the price for some sessions, it really is incredible value for money. There's a soft play on site and other sports facilities too, so you can make a day of it. If you decide to head to one of the other options, there's ways to keep costs down so you don't end up paying over the odds for a day of water fun. The perfect Haven holiday park for a kid-friendly break - with direct beach access, indoor waterpark and neighbouring seaside theme park At Alton Towers, you can get a parent and toddler waterpark ticket for £23 on term-time midweek dates if you're visiting with a little one aged five or under. That's quite a saving compared to around £25 per person normally. If you have Blue Light Card membership, you can visit the waterpark from £15, depending on the date. At the Wave in Coventry, if your children are on benefits-related free school meals, you could use your Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) code to get family entry free for certain sessions in the school holidays. And while you can't visit Center Parcs just for the day unless you know someone who is on holiday there, it's worth an ask if you've got family members or friends who have a break booked. If my family of five book a lodge, we have a spare sixth space that we could assign to a friend or relative, even if they're only coming for the day. 6 Parent and toddler waterpark tickets cost from £23 on term-time midweek dates at Alton Towers Credit: Alamy 6 Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent has a 'tornado alley' of waterslides Credit: Alamy 6 Center Parcs also have good waterpark options And there was recently a midweek term-time deal that included two free day visit passes, so it's worth keeping an eye open in case that pops up again. I can't wait to see how the plans to bring Great Wolf Lodge to the UK progress. Work is already underway at the site near Bicester, which will include accommodation and other attractions as well as the waterpark. And now discussions with Bolsover Council in Derbyshire to bring a second resort to Clowne near Chesterfield means we could get a park an hour north of us, as well as an hour south of us, as we are exactly in between the two Great Wolf spots. Hopefully the American ethos of bigger is better will be in full force when Great Wolf unveils its plans. The Sun has also listed the UK's best outdoor water parks and lidos – as temperatures rise. Plus, the £75million indoor tropical waterpark that nearly opened in the UK.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
This Greek Air Combat Exercise Was A Low-Level Fighter Flying Paradise
After three weeks of air warfare training over the Greek mainland and sea, the Hellenic Air Force's (HAF) multinational Iniochos exercise wrapped up Sunday. This year's maneuvers involved a remarkably wide variety of air forces and types and provided a unique opportunity to see tactical aircraft put through their paces at low level through the spectacular mountainous scenery of western Greece. Aviation photographer and TWZ contributor Rich Cooper was in Greece and now shares with us some of the highlights of the exercise, which was hosted out of Andravida Air Base, which is home to the HAF Air Tactics Center. The 2025 iteration of Iniochos began on March 24 and concluded on April 13, with a wide range of missions being trained for. These comprised Offensive Counter Air Operations (OCA), Defensive Counter Air Operations (DCA), Strategic Air Operations, Air Power Contribution to Counter-Land Operations (APCLO), Air Power Contribution to Maritime Operations (APCMO), Reconnaissance Missions (RECCE), Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Time Sensitive Target (TST), and High Value Airborne Asset (HVAA). #INIOCHOS25 wraps up with unforgettable moments in the sky.@IAF_MCC @MOD_Qatar @SztabGenWP @ItalianAirForce @Armee_de_lair @modgovae @HQUSAFEAFAF @EjercitoAire @defence_mne@Slovenskavojska#Interoperability #MultinationalExercise #MissionSuccess #haf #πολεμικηαεροπορια — Hellenic Air Force (@HAFspokesperson) April 12, 2025 Reflecting the growing use of virtual training aids in air warfare training, Iniochos 2025 also made use, for the first time, of F-16 tactical simulators of the HAF's newly established Synthetic Training Squadron. As well as putting multiple Hellenic Armed Forces assets — including ground-based air defenses — through their paces, the exercise also saw strong foreign participation, underscoring how these drills have become increasingly popular for a range of NATO, allied, and partner air forces. External participants this year included French Μirage 2000D and Italian Tornado strike fighters, Emirari Μirage 2000-9, Indian Su-30MK, Polish F-16, Qatari F-15QA, and Spanish EF-18 multirole fighters, Israeli G550 signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, Montenegrin Bell 412 utility helicopters, Slovenian PC-9 turboprop trainers, and U.S. Air Force F-16s as well as KC-46 and KC-135 aerial refueling tankers. Israeli participation in Iniochos is not new, but remains noteworthy, for several reasons. In the past, the Israeli Air Force has conducted exercises with the Hellenic Armed Forces to expose its assets to Greek-operated S-300 air defense systems, originally procured for the protection of Cyprus. These Russian-made surface-to-air missiles are notably operated by Iran and Syria. Meanwhile, Greek jets have also flown in Israel's corresponding Blue Flag maneuvers. Iniochos also provides a rare platform for the Israeli Air Force to take part in maneuvers alongside their counterparts from the Gulf states: in this instance, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Although Qatar and the UAE, like most of the Arab world, long rejected diplomatic ties with Israel, these policies have softened in recent years, and the UAE, in particular, has cultivated increasingly military relations with the country. Nevertheless, in light of general security concerns, the Israeli Ministry of Defense typically provides very few details about the Israeli Air Force's participation in Iniochos, although this time it did provide some comments. The Israeli Air Force confirmed it sent a single SIGINT-configured G550, although in previous years it had sent several fighter jets and tankers, as well s surveillance aircraft. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said that its participation in the exercise was 'intended to strengthen strategic cooperation with foreign armies, improve the competence of the participating forces, and give the crews a professional challenge in flight conditions in an unknown environment and with varying threats.' The IDF finally comments on its participation in an annual aerial exercise hosted by Greece, which this year included the participation of other countries joined Greece in its Iniochos exercise this year: the United States, France, India, Israel, Italy, Montenegro,… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 11, 2025 While classed as a medium-scale exercise, in terms of participating aircraft, the year's Iniochos was the biggest since the maneuvers first took place in the late 1980s, back then as an all-Greek affair. The exercise had a notable focus on low-level flying, with most of the participants making good use of the Peloponnese mountain low-level flight training area. Low-level flying is a highly perishable skill and one that remains of critical importance for evading hostile air defense networks. Access to appropriate flight training areas is not always easy, so opportunities like this are very welcome for tactical fliers. Here is just a taste of what a few lucky spectators got to see flying down low the Greek valleys and over the Aegean Sea during the 2025 edition of an exercise that's clearly of growing significance. Rich Cooper runs the Centre of Aviation Photography. Make sure to check them out here and to follow him on Instagram here. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Easter holiday fun to have around Dudley for the whole family
WITH the start of the Easter holidays a mere few hours away for most schools, many families may be taking a look at their calendars wondering how to make the most of the much-needed break. There is a whole host of activities taking place across the Dudley Borough this April, ranging from live music and immersive performances to craft sessions and, of course, Easter egg hunts. Duncan Edwards, Crystal and Halesowen Leisure Centres will all be offering sessions, including free swimming, family disability swims and pickleball. There will also be soft play sessions at Duncan Edwards and Halesowen leisure centre, as well as £1 football sessions at The Dell Stadium. A wide range of pre-bookable and walk-in sessions including craft, circus skills, board games, Lego workshops and Easter egg hunts are taking place at thirteen borough libraries and the Holidays, Activities, and Food (HAF) programme, a Department for Education funded initiative designed to support children who receive benefits-related free school meals, is also offering an array of activities. Families can enjoy a fantastic line up of live entertainment at Dudley Town Hall this Easter - young pop fans will enjoy 'Sweet and Sour - The Ultimate Tribute to Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo' on Friday April 18, and musical theatre lovers looking to defy gravity can enjoy 'Wicked' sing-along screening events on Friday, April 25. The Red House Glass Cone will be open on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday, with a special Easter trail around the site throughout the break. There will also be free Easter crafts on April 18 as well as 'Make & Take' sessions on April 19, where children can decorate an Easter themed bag. There will even be spring-related glass fusing sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with people asked to book in advance via Ticket Source. Dudley Museum at The Archives will be open weekly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with a free family trail being held during the school break and pre-bookable Easter and Dinosaur crafts on both Wednesdays. Councillor David Stanley, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: 'This Easter we're offering a wide range of activities for children and young people, including sport, free swimming, crafting and live entertainment. 'Parents should ensure they pre-book sessions where possible and we ask families to be aware that free swimming is always very popular with spaces on a first-come, first-served basis.' People who have not previously registered for free swimming are being asked to do so at in advance of their swim. Looking slightly further ahead to the May Day Bank Holiday weekend (if you're one for planning), 'The Wonders of Our Universe will offer older children an immersive exploration of the cosmos at Dudley Town Hall on Sunday, May 4, and Stourbridge Town Hall will also hold the critically acclaimed live performance of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' on Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Free school meals scheme made permanent by council
A scheme that helped feed hundreds more children has been made permanent. Pupils who were entitled to free school meals, but were not receiving them, were automatically enrolled as part of a trial in Middlesbrough. Since September, 546 more children in the town have received a meal as a result of the initiative, Middlesbrough Council said. Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said it had been a "massive success". The approach, which could save families an average of £400 per year, was made permanent earlier in March. An administration fee of 10% will be charged for processing free school meals which are not administered by the council. The Labour-led authority said money raised would go towards its welfare support service or the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme, which helps provide activities and a healthy lunch for children during the school holidays. Automatic enrolment has also unlocked about £765,000 in government funding for schools in Middlesbrough in this academic year alone, the council said. Pupil premium funding is used to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students and is allocated to schools based on how many children are receiving free school meals. Primary schools are granted £1,480 per child, with secondaries receiving £1,050. The auto-enrolment scheme has also run in Stockton-on-Tees, where 324 more children received a free school meal as a result of it. It helped to secure about £421,000 in additional pupil premium funding. Labour-led Stockton Borough Council's cabinet endorsed the scheme in October and it will be considered for the new academic year in September. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Free school meals auto-enrolment 'way forward' Free school meals trial feeds 20,000 more children Middlesbrough Council Stockton Borough Council
