Malala steals show at star-packed Glamour awards

November 13, 2013

MalalaAwardsNew York, Nov 12: Pakistani teenage activist Malala Yusufzai stole the show at a star-studded awards night here as she was honoured in the presence of flamboyant pop icon Lady Gaga and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2013 were presented to Gaga, Malala and nine other women who have through their works and life been an inspiration to people across the globe.

Malala, 16, was honoured for her "unstoppable drive to change the world" with 'The Girls' Hero' award which included a gift to help The Malala Fund.

Malala Fund helps girls around the world to get the education they deserve. The money raised would go to projects she is most passionate about.

The Fund recently made its first grant, supporting the education of 40 girls in the Swat Valley, an achievement that thrilled Malala who wants to expand to other regions and countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

"We love you, Malala!" people shouted from a balcony in Carnegie Hall, where the annual event was held.

The young Pakistani activist, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in October last year for campaigning for girls' education in Swat Valley in Pakistan, drew the loudest cheers as she went on stage to receive her award.

Accepting her award, she said the pen is much mightier than the gun. "I believe the gun has no power because a gun can only kill," she said.

"But a pen can give life," said Malala who has become a global icon for right to education.

"Nothing can happen when half the population is in the Stone Age," Malala said.

"I believe that when women are educated, then you will see this world change. One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world," she said.

Pop icon Lady Gaga showered praises on the young Pakistani girl, saying the young activist deserves more than anyone else to be on the cover of Glamour magazine.

"If I could forfeit my Glamour cover I would give it to Malala," she said.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to renowned singer-songwriter Barbra Streisand who said it was her voice that allowed her to speak out and "have my opinions heard".

As she accepted her award, Streisand, 71, said it is time the US has a woman as the country's President, referring to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was present at the award show.

"There's never been a woman president," Streisand said, "but I hope that will change very soon...hint, hint! And we really need her now."

Clinton appeared on stage to present the "Couple of the Year" award to former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who have has founded a gun safety organisation, Americans for Responsible Solutions after Giffords was shot in 2011 while she was meeting constituents in a supermarket parking lot.

Giffords has since been recovering but suffers from speech impairment.

"It's been a hard, long time but I'm getting better," she said told the crowd, "I am doing speech therapy, physical therapy, and yoga too. I'm still fighting to make the world a better place, and you can, too," she said.

In another emotional moment during the star-studded awards night, first-grade teacher at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis spoke about the tragic day in 2012 when a gunman shot and injured several kindergarten students.

Roig-DeBellis saved her pupils by making them hide in a small bathroom. "I have lived my life so as not to let that day define myself or my students," said Roig-DeBellis.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 27,2020

Mumbai, Feb 27: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Wednesday said it's with constant education that a country, a family can move forward as there is never an end to learning.

In December last year, when the actor visited the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the La Trobe University announced the 'Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship'. At the event to announce therecipient of the scholarship here on Wednesday, Shah Rukh said it was his honour to lend his name or be attached to the scholarship.

"I am a big believer in education. I truly believe that the way forward for any country, any family, city, state is by educating itself more and more.

"There is never an end to education. I've come to realise the more I know, I figure out, the less I understand. It's very important to keep educating ourselves for the rest of our lives.

"I've always believed education in India and elsewhere in the world, is the most important step forward for any nation," he said.

The scholarship aims to provides an opportunity for an aspiring female researcher from India to undertake research.

The 54-year-old superstar said what also will help taking the world move ahead is educating women.

"Related to the fact, is of course, education of women, empowering women, to look after themselves to look after their families...

"If you are able to empower them with education, the world goes even further forward," the actor added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
March 14,2020

Los Angeles, Mar 14: Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson on Friday gave a health update from coronavirus quarantine, saying they are taking it "one day at a time".

The couple, who is in isolation at a hospital in the state of Queensland in Australia, said they are being well cared for.

"Hello folks. @ritawilson and I want to thank everyone here Down Under who are taking such good care of us. We have COVID-19 and are in isolation so we do not spread it to anyone else.

"There are those for whom it could lead to a very serious illness. We are taking it one-day-at-a-time.There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no?" Hanks posted on Instagram.

The post was accompanied by a photograph that showed the couple smiling.

Hanks announced on Thursday that he and his wife have been tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The actor couple, who is currently in Australia to shoot for the pre-production of Baz Luhrmann's untitled Elvis Presley film, decided to get tested after they felt "a bit tired".

The deadly virus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 4,200 lives and infected more than 117,330 people across 107 countries and territories, with the World Health Organisation on Wednesday describing the outbreak a pandemic.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
March 3,2020

Chennai, Mar 3: Makkal Needhi Maiyam president and actor Kamal Hassan on Tuesday appeared before Chennai Police on Tuesday in connection the deaths last month of three people on the set of the movie, 'Indian 2'.

Hassan appeared before Chennai Police Commissioner in Egmore to record his statement.

Three people died while around 10 suffered injuries when a crane collapsed while shooting of the film was underway in Chennai at EVP Studios on February 19.

Madhu, personal assistant to director Shankar, Krishna, assistant director, and a staffer Chandran, lost their lives in the incident.

In an open letter, "Indian 2" Director S Shankar announced Rs 1 crore as financial assistance to the kin of the deceased.

'Indian 2' stars Kamal Haasan, Kajal Agarwal, Rakul Preet, Siddharth, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Delhi Ganesh and Nedumudi Venu in prominent roles.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.