Latest news with #LuzhnikiStadium
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ozzy Osbourne Embodied The Spirit Of Heavy Metal
(MANDATORY CREDIT Koh Hasebe/) Ozzy Osbourne Band, live, Moscow Music Peace ... More Festival 1989 at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, USSR, 12th and 13th August, 1989. Ozzy Osbourne (vocals). (Photo by Koh Hasebe/) Few contemporary artists have shaped an entire genre the way Ozzy Osbourne has. Without Ozzy, the heavy metal genre would not be what it is today, and iconic bands from the likes of Metallica, Slipknot, Pantera, and so many more would simply not exist. From his early work in Black Sabbath, which pioneered the heavy metal genre, to his solo work throughout the '80s which created the blueprint for arena metal, the impact that Ozzy Osbourne had on the genre will forever be second to none. For these reasons and so many more, the metal community has always shared a deep love and reverence for Ozzy Osbourne. The outpouring of love showcased from fans and fellow musicians since Osbourne's death is telling, and it's a clear sign that his loss will be one of the most significant moments in the genre's history. Ozzy Osbourne Died Doing What He Loved The loss of Ozzy Osbourne is the end of an era, however, the ending was far more magnificent than what any rock star or musical icon could have dreamt of. Osbourne died only weeks after performing at Back to the Beginning – his final show with Black Sabbath – which has since become the highest-grossing charity concert of all time. To achieve such a feat in one's final hour is beautifully poetic and a genuine showcase of the passion that Osbourne had for performing and connecting with fans through metal music. Given the serious health issues Osbourne was going through leading up to his final bow, particularly his battle with Parkinson's disease, it's all the more incredible that he was able to perform in front of fans and the world one last time. Ozzy Osbourne Was A Metal Mentor Many of the bands that performed at Back to the Beginning shared a history and deep connection with the late singer. Metallica, for one, were brought on their first arena tour in 1986 as direct support for Ozzy Osbourne during The Ultimate Sin tour. This tour had a monolithic impact on Metallica, exposing them to thousands of fans that would soon hear their 1986 opus Master of Puppets, and Metallica were just one of many bands that Osbourne took under his wing in their early years. Mötley Crüe, Slipknot, Lamb of God, System of a Down, and so many of metal's biggest acts owe Ozzy Osbourne for giving them their first huge breaks on tours, in addition to the mentorship he and his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne would provide. Not to mention, Ozzfest, the legendary touring metal festival founded and curated by the Osbournes, brought metal into the early 2000s and exposed dozens of bands who are now household names in the genre. The way in which Ozzy Osbourne directly kickstarted careers for so many was unprecedented, and it was a part of his personality that endured and was admired until the very end. Ozzy Osbourne's Persona Was As Big And Loud As His Music Ozzy Osbourne's outlandish and often chaotic behavior earned him a reputation in the eyes of pop culture early on in his career. Whether it was him biting the head off of a bat, or getting banned from the Alamo in Texas, Osbourne's wild persona made him the perfect poster child for heavy metal, specifically in the eyes of pop culture. Later on in his career when he and his family ventured into reality TV with "The Osbournes," viewers got a glimpse into the life of Ozzy Osbourne. What was revealed amidst all the hilarity and chaos was someone who was authentically himself and beloved by his family for it. While his crude behavior and aggressively loud personality wasn't for everyone, Osbourne was genuinely himself whether he was on stage or on camera, and that aspect alone gave so many millions of viewers the idea that it's okay to be authentic. Ozzy Osbourne's Musical Legacy Is The Gold Standard Whether it was his albums with Black Sabbath or his solo records throughout the '80s and '90s, the multifaceted success Ozzy Osbourne saw has since cemented him as one of the most influential musicians in rock. A huge reason why Osbourne embodies the spirit of heavy metal is simply because he helped invent it. Every band whether they're hard rock or death metal, has in some way, shape or form been influenced by the music of Ozzy Osbourne. Between his albums with Black Sabbath and his solo career, there isn't another artist in hard rock or heavy metal that has as many masterfully crafted albums in their discography as Ozzy Osbourne. For that and so many other reasons, Ozzy Osbourne will forever be remembered as the godfather of heavy metal, and moreover, as the Prince of Darkness who ironically was a shining light to so many.
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Prioritise crowd-control and safety measures for sports extravaganzas
Readers will have seen reports in the media about the stampede at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on June 4, in which 11 people lost their lives, and 56 were left injured. Several causes are being attributed to the tragic disaster, including fans on the rampage, poor anticipation and inadequate control measures and regrettable lapses, in the matter of preparedness to ensure safety of the public, on the part of the official machinery, including the police. The fact that the home grown Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was in the IPL 2025 fray, and fancied to win the tournament, should have made the organisers and the authorities to realise the need for extra precautions. One would have expected the organisers and police to put in places barricades to control entry of the crowd into the stadium. Having failed to do that, the least they could have done was to disperse the mob which was thrusting at the closed stadium gates. The most inexplicable shortcoming in the situation was the absence of officials on the scene, despite prior knowledge about an event of such a magnitude. Another fact that contributed to the tragedy was the absence of an adequate number of exits with enough capacity for the crowd to get out leading to panic, excitement, and stampede. After all, it is not unknown that such high–energy events or celebrations, in the absence of requisite controls, can quickly escalate into a situation such as that. And it is not as if such events have not occurred in the past, from which lessons could have been learnt. For instance, the Luzhniki Stadium disaster in Moscow, the Hillsborough Stadium tragedy in Sheffield, the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana, and the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. All those events, including the recent one at Bangalore, have served to highlight the importance of crowd-control and safety measures in stadiums. The Bangalore incident was followed by the classic situation of political leaders blaming each other; the opposition blaming the government for inadequate anticipation and ineffective response, and the government, in turn, accusing the opposition of politicising a tragic disaster. The phenomenon was not unlike what happened in the wake of the unprecedented super cyclone and tsunami which ravaged the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh in 1977. Leaders from Delhi arrived at Vijayawada, visited the affected areas, came back, assembled the media and, as a very senior official wryly put it, opened their mouths only to put their feet in them! Experts on crowd management have made several suggestions to prevent such strategies in the future, including strengthening the crowd management apparatus, in the departments concerned of the governments, ensuring the presence of adequate number of security personnel on the spot, making sure of the availability of exit routes with sufficient capacity and adoption of effective communication strategies. Avoiding overbooking of sports events which can lead to crowds assembling in excess of the capacity of the premises, adequate and effective emergency preparedness measures, and the posting of trained and readily available medical personnel in the stadium, are other such measures recommended by experts. Generation of public awareness in the fans about safety protocols and encouraging responsible behaviour during the events, it has been recommended, will also ensure improved safety. Also, in the future, stadia will need to undergo improvements in their design to improve flow and access to exits. According to data recently compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India arguably has recorded the highest number of stampedes and resultant injuries, having recorded close to 4000 such incidents since 1996, resulting in more than 3000 deaths. Any discussion about crowd management, reminds me of the days when I was posted, as Sub Collector at Ongole. The agitation for a separate Andhra state was on and the entire state had come to virtual standstill. Commerce, transport, and the government machinery, well everything had come to a complete halt. One day, an enraged crowd attacked the railway station and caused massive damage. Prasad, the Collector of the district and Ramaswamy, the Superintendent of Police (SP), rushed to the spot. After some time, when measures such as a lathi charge and tear gas proved futile, they were constrained to ask the police to open fire. As a result, four people were killed and several others injured. As the crowd started to disperse, they went on a rampage around the town and mindlessly destroyed everything in sight, even setting fire to some facilities, such as the office of the District Collector and the post office. When, in retrospect, the Collector, SP and I sat and reviewed what happened, the consensus was that, given foresight and adequate preparedness and a modicum of tact and patience, the situation could have been averted. Moreover, having done what was needed, adequate measures ought to have been taken to ensure that the dispersed crowd was prevented from causing damage by appropriate follow up action. An abject lesson, indeed, in crowd management. While on the subject of large crowds, I am reminded of an incident involving myself. Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had been elected Chief Minister and was being sworn in at the spacious Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad. As Chief Secretary, it was my duty to receive him on arrival and conduct him to the dais. As it happened, however, following a comedy of errors, I reached the spot at the other end of the stadium and had to literally run, to reach the spot where the entrance was. And lo and behold! The Chief Minister received me with a warm smile, instead of the other way round, with me sporting a sheepish grin in apology! (The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)
Khaleej Times
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Why this Russian hackathon draws cybersecurity professionals from Middle East
Under the bright Moscow sunlight, the majestic Luzhniki Stadium, which famously hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics and the final of the 2018 Fifa World Cup, opened its doors to tech experts for a high-profile international cybersecurity festival last month. Arenas such as the Luzhniki Stadium resemble a cauldron in the middle of a sporting slugfest. But during the three-day festival (May 22-24), one of the world's most iconic sporting venues seemed like an exhibition centre where thousands of people arrived to get a glimpse of the latest advancements in the war on cyberattacks. The irony was not lost on footballing connoisseurs as it was at the Luzhniki Stadium that the video referral technology was used for the first time in a Fifa World Cup when the Kylian Mbappe-inspired France were awarded a penalty during their 4-2 victory in the final against Croatia after a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) consultation by Argentinian on-field referee Nestor Pitana. While technology has played a big role in neutralising human errors from referees, umpires and line judges in the sporting world, it can cripple human life when hackers penetrate computer systems. Given that context, Positive Hack Days (PHD), the cybersecurity festival hosted by Positive Technologies, is a significant platform for a secure digital future. The event — supported by the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia — saw prominent government officials, cybersecurity experts and ethical hackers from Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East share their knowledge on countermeasures against threats posed by hackers. Ali Azzam, the Egypt-based Vice President of Mideast Communication Systems, underlined the importance of cybersecurity festivals such as the PHD in the current global environment. 'As the official distributor of Positive Technologies in the Middle East and Africa, we are thrilled to be attending Positive Hack Days Fest. This is our second time participating in this event, and it provides a fantastic opportunity to connect with cybersecurity experts from around the world,' Azzam said. 'Positive Technologies offers a range of unique cybersecurity solutions and has significant strengths and key advantages in various sectors. We believe it is essential for us to encourage Egyptians to attend this festival, as they can gain valuable insights that can be applied to the Middle Eastern industries.' With more than 150,00 visitors and 180,000 online viewers, the 2025 edition of the Positive Hack Days was the biggest since its inception in 2011. Among the attendees was Tushar Dinesh Vartak, Chief Information Security Officer of the UAE's RAKBank. 'Today's cybersecurity leaders must speak the language of top management and understand business processes to implement proactive, business-aligned security strategies,' Vartak said. Vikneswaran Rajagopalan, a Dubai-based cybersecurity professional, revealed why it was so important to attend this cybersecurity festival in Moscow. 'Two years ago we started focusing more on OT (Operational Technology). We have a protected system, but attacks are still happening. So that's why it's one of the reasons for us to be here at this festival to look at the new inventions and learn about the new roadmaps and how we can adapt all that to our system for better security,' Rajagopalan said during a media roundtable at Luzhniki Stadium on the first day of the festival. 'We are well aware of this annual event for a long time. It's one of the biggest hackathon events in the world. It's very important for us to be here and understand how the technology grows. 'And Russia is well-known for ethical hackers. So we are here to understand the new solutions so we can serve the customers even better and prevent the attacks.' The festival also threw light on AI-driven fraud and the importance of regulatory reforms for business strategies. 'Today if you look at it, AI is the buzzword, everything revolves around AI. If I look at Positive Technologies, and I have been working with them for quite a long time, their research team is using the technology properly and it is giving very good results,' said Rajagopalan. Hundreds of professionals from corporate houses across the world attended the event. While they compete for the attention of clients in the cut-throat world of business, what binds them together is the need for a secure digital future. 'The solution lies in jointly building a new digital architecture where collaboration becomes a strategic advantage, not dependency,' said Yury Maksimov, co-founder of Cyberus.
The Sun
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Argentina lined up to play controversial friendly in RUSSIA this year despite Fifa ban
ARGENTINA are set to play Russia in an international friendly this November, according to reports. The Russian national team has largely been shunned since the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 4 Russia were kicked out of the 2022 World Cup, and have been banned by Fifa ever since. Argentine football reporter Gaston Edul claimed last month that a meeting could be on the cards. And further reports from Telegram in Russia suggest that a game is in the works for the November international break. Such a deal would see the world champions travel to Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium for a match. A preliminary agreement has reportedly been agreed, with the Luzhniki having been reserved for dates between November 10 and 18. Should the match go ahead, it is unlikely that big stars such as Lionel Messi will participate. That's because Western sponsors would likely be uncomfortable with their partners playing in Russia. Russia's ban has seen them not play in Fifa or Uefa competitions since 2021. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 4 4 Their last competitive match was a 1-0 defeat at Croatia on November 14, 2021. They have since participated in 16 friendlies, primarily played in Moscow. Russia's opponents have included Qatar, Iraq, Cameroon and Serbia. US president Donald Trump recently claimed that participation in the 2026 World Cup could be an incentive for Russia to end their invasion of Ukraine. During a chat with Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Trump, 78, was at first not even aware that Russia were banned. He asked: "I didn't know that. Is that right?" To which Infantino replied: "That is right. "They are banned for the time being from playing but we hope that something happens and peace will happen so that Russia can be readmitted." Trump then said: "That's possible. Hey, that could be a good incentive, right? We want to get them to stop. We want them to stop. "Five thousand young people a week are being killed - it's not even believable." 4
