Latest news with #'sResidence
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governor's Hartford residence to open for annual open house day
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Governor Ned Lamont will open the 'Governor's Residence' Saturday for annual Connecticut Open House Day festivities. The residence will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 14. Lamont 'a lot more inclined' to run for 3rd term Volunteer docents will be on site to answer any questions about the 1909 home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors will be able to tour the first floor of the house and the outdoor garden near the pool. There will be artwork on loan from the New Britain Museum of Art and Wadsowrth Museum on display, along with with pieces from the Lamont family's personal collection. Floral arrangements will be provided by the West Hartford Garden Club and the Garden Club of Hartford and ice cream from the Ice Cream Depot in Stafford Springs will be served on the patio. It will be one of more than 170 attractions participating in open house day, including multiple museums, cultural venues, and restaurants. The full list can be found on the CT Visit website. The annual day is hosted by the Connecticut Office of Tourism. The governor's residence is located at 990 Prospect Ave. Visitors can park on Belknap Road, directly across the street. The event is free. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Israeli singer Yuval Raphael carries Nova Festival survival story to Eurovision
Just before departing for Basel, Switzerland, to represent Israel in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, Yuval Raphael visited the President's Residence in Jerusalem on Monday. She was warmly welcomed by President Isaac and first lady Michal Herzog, who praised her courage and spirit. Raphael, a survivor of the Oct. 7,2023, Hamas massacre at the Supernova music festival, will perform 'New Day Will Rise,' a powerful anthem penned by songwriter Keren Peles. She earned her place at Eurovision by winning Season 11 of 'The Next Star' television competition and is scheduled to compete in the second semifinal on May 15. Herzog offered his heartfelt support, saying: 'You have a wonderful personality, your story is incredible, and every time I hear the song, my heart swells with pride. We are immensely proud of you and wish you the best of luck in this mission,' according to a press release from the President's Residence. 3 Yuval Raphael, Israel's representative in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, is flanked by President Isaac Herzog and first lady Michal Herzog at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, May 5, 2025. Ma'ayan Toaf/GPO Raphael emphasized that simply standing on the Eurovision stage is a profound personal victory. 'On the one hand, I'm working as someone who wants to win,' she told the president. 'But on the other hand, just being there feels like a victory. I have the privilege to do this.' That privilege is not to be taken for granted. On that dark Simchat Torah morning 19 months ago, Raphael was dancing with friends at the music festival near the Gaza border when the massacre began. For seven harrowing hours, she hid in a small bomb shelter near Kibbutz Be'eri, lying beneath bodies, pretending to be dead—even after being hit by shrapnel. 'I had to step on bodies to get out,' she recalled. 'It was unbearable.' She wrestled with heavy survivor's guilt. 'You ask yourself: 'Why was I saved and not them?'' she said. 'Once I made peace with that, I decided to give my dreams a chance. I got a second shot at life. To let fear hold me back would be dishonoring those who didn't survive. I have to fly with what I've been given.' 3 The personal belongings of festival-goers are seen at the site of an attack on the Nova Festival by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, October 12, 2023. REUTERS The trauma still echoes, but so does her resolve. 'We're coming to win no matter what,' she said. 'It feels like training for the Olympics—we're working around the clock.' Her participation comes amid intensified scrutiny of Israel's role in the contest. The European Broadcasting Union recently updated its flag policy, allowing PLO flags and other banners permitted under Swiss law to be displayed in the audience—so long as they are not 'associated with hate, terrorism or violence.' However, all political messaging remains banned on stage, and only national flags are allowed during performances and official events. Violators risk confiscation or removal from the venue. 3 Israel's representative to the Eurovision Song Contest, Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the deadly October 7 2023 attack by Hamas on the Nova festival in Israel's south, sings on a stage on January 23, 2025. via REUTERS The European Broadcasting Union's decision follows calls from activists and broadcasters, including Spain's RTVE, to ban Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza. The EBU rejected the appeal, affirming that all member broadcasters remain eligible. Last year's contest in Malmö, Sweden, saw large protests, security threats, and the disqualification of Israel's original entry—'October Rain'— for being too political. Despite the challenges, Israel's Eden Golan placed fifth overall with the modified song 'Hurricane.' This year, Eurovision officials are again preparing for tensions but insist the event's core mission—to celebrate music—is unchanged. The contest will be held at St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, with semifinals on May 13 and 15 and the grand final on May 17. Representing Israel, Raphael carries not just a song, but a story of survival, resilience and tribute to lives lost. 'After everything,' she said, 'just standing on that stage is an act of defiance—and of hope.'
Business Recorder
03-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan-Japan Human Resources Stakeholders meeting held
ISLAMABAD: Akamatsu Shuichi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Pakistan, hosted the 'Pakistan-Japan Human Resources Stakeholders Meeting' at the Ambassador's Residence in Islamabad. The high-level gathering brought together approximately 70 key stakeholders actively engaged in developing and facilitating Pakistani human resources for employment opportunities in Japan. The event witnessed the presence of distinguished figures including Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development; Shaza Fatima, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications; Mohammad Aaun Saqlain, Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and representatives from leading Japanese and Pakistani organisations. Participants included representatives from PlusW, Proud Partners, Japan Pakistan Innovation Institute (JPII) and Japan Station. Also, representatives from key institutions such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) were present. The forum centered on the growing demands for skilled Pakistani labour in Japan and explored strategies to build stronger linkages that enable the smooth deployment of qualified professionals across multiple sectors, including IT, healthcare, construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. Ambassador Akamatsu, in his welcome remarks, stated: 'I am confident that the success of Pakistani professionals in Japan is becoming one of the key pillars of the bilateral relations. Both Japanese and Pakistani embassies remains committed to making contributions in this area. The evaluation of Pakistani talents in Japan is becoming higher and higher. Therefore, I expect that the demands for skilled Pakistani professionals will be expanding in the future. Japan seeks high-quality human resources, and by engaging with Japan, young Pakistani talents will contribute significantly to strengthening the Japan-Pakistan relations. For Pakistan, remittances are one of the major economic pillars, and the skills and knowledge Pakistani workers acquire in Japan will help to foster industrial development after returning to their home country. Please allow me to touch upon the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which has opened as of 13th of April until 13th of October, half a year. More than 160 countries participate in this Expo. Among them, Pakistan Pavilion, which is consist of pink salts, is so popular among the visitors.' Minister Salik Hussain emphasised the need for enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Japan to help Pakistani professionals access opportunities in the Japanese corporate sector. He commended the partnership between the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) and PlusW, noting that its recent expansion under the Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) program now covers sectors beyond IT, including healthcare, construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. Minister Shaza Fatima highlighted the success of Pakistani IT companies at Japan IT Week in Tokyo (April 2025), where 15 companies secured contracts exceeding $600,000. She called for more roadshows to showcase Pakistani tech talent in Japan and urged the development of a demand-supply matching platform to better align Pakistan's workforce development with Japan's needs. She also advocated for the inclusion of IT and telecommunication fields in Japan's Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) programme. Speakers from JICA, JETRO, PlusW (celebrating its 5th anniversary), Pakistani university student (with fluent Japanese and English) and OEC Pakistan also shared updates on their respective initiatives to expand workforce collaboration and strengthen the people-to-people ties. The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of mutual commitment to promoting sustainable, long-term collaboration among stakeholders of Japan and Pakistan through human capital development and cross-border workforce mobility. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
