Beijing: China has unveiled the country's space missions crews of Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 who are undergoing relevant training and mission preparations.In a press conference on Sunday, Huang Weifen, chief designer of the China manned space program's astronaut system said that both crews will stay in orbit for six months, and they will for the first time rotate in orbit to realize the uninterrupted manned residence.The two crews, totalling six astronauts, will live together in orbit for five to 10 days.According to Xinhua News Agency, the Shenzhou-14 crew will cooperate with ground control to complete the assembly and construction of the space station, and gradually develop it from a single-module space station into a three-module combination. Huang said the Shenzhou-14 crew will enter the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules. They will also cooperate with ground control to carry out tests on the two-module complex, the three-module complex, the station's large and small mechanical arms, and the exit function of the airlock cabin in the lab modules, she said. They will use the airlock cabin to carry out extravehicular activities for the first time. Huang further said, the Shenzhou-15 crew will carry out several extravehicular activities; assemble, test and debug the payloads inside modules; and control the mechanical arms to install extravehicular payloads. They will also operate, manage and maintain the largest complex composed of three modules and three spacecraft, the news agency reported.The two crews will undertake science popularization and other public activities, in-orbit scientific research experiments and engineering technology tests, and will collect flight mission data, she added. They will also carry out in-orbit health monitoring, protective exercises, in-orbit training and drills, station platform inspections and tests, equipment maintenance, and station and material management, Huang said.&nbsp;—ANI

 China has unveiled the country's space missions crews of Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 who are undergoing relevant training and mission preparations.

China Reveals Space Missions Crews Of Shenzhou-14, Shenzhou-15

New Delhi : Dhanush Srikanth struck gold in the men’s 10M Air Rifle competition on day three of the ongoing 24th Deaflympics 2021 at Caxias do Sul, Brazil, thereby ensuring a golden start to India’s campaign at the Games.Shourya Saini put the icing on India’s cake with a bronze, finishing behind Korea’s Kim Woo Rim in the eight-man final. Dhanush shot 247.5, a finals world record score, to emerge triumphant as Kim fell short with 246.6, while Shourya bowed out in third with 224.3.Later the Indian badminton team also won gold beating Japan 3-1 in the final to make it a double gold day for the country. India is currently placed eighth on the medals table with two gold and one bronze medal. Ukraine tops the standings currently with 19 gold, six silver and 13 bronze medals.Dhanush and Shourya, judiciously prepared by National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) coaches Anuja Jung and Priti Sharma for the marquee sporting event for the hearing impaired, shot well throughout the day to come away as deserving medal winners.Dhanush shot 623.3 in qualification to come in behind Kim, who shot 625.1 to top the field. Shourya was third with 622.7 ensuring two Indians made it to the final stage.In the final too, Kim began with a bang and was leading Dhanush till the 18th shot of the 24-shot final. The Indian found his bearings when the single shots began after the 10th shot and slowly but surely made-up lost ground to the Korean.After going past Kim on the 18th shot, Dhanush never looked back and kept widening the gap, eventually leaving the Korean almost a point behind to seal victory. Shourya was third throughout the final and ensured a full return for the squad from the event.India has sent 10 Shooters in their 65-strong contingent for the Brazil Deaflympics. It is their largest and youngest ever squad and will be participating in 11 sporting disciplines. In the previous 2017 edition India had finished with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals and so this is now already an improvement on that result—IANS

Dhanush Srikanth struck gold in the men’s 10M Air Rifle competition on day three of the ongoing 24th Deaflympics 2021 at Caxias do Sul, Brazil, thereby ensuring a golden start to India’s campaign at the Games.

Deaflympics: Dhanush Srikanth wins gold, Shourya Saini gets bronze as shooters give India golden start

Gwangju:The Indian men's compound archery team produced stunning performances to shock World No.1 USA and powerhouse South Korea in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively, and assure itself a silver medal at the World Cup Stage 2 in Gwangju, South Korea, on Wednesday. Abhishek Verma, Aman Saini and Rajat Chauhan rose above expectations to shock USA 234-228 in the quarter-finals before getting the better of South Korea in the shoot-off to seal their place in the title clash, where they will take on world no.4 France. Later, the women's compound team of Avneet Kaur, Muskan Kirar and Priya Gurjar suffered a two-point defeat against South Korea in the semi-finals but defeated Turkey 232-231 to claim a bronze.The biggest shocker came earlier in the day in the men's compound team event when the Indian trio of Abhishek, Aman and Rajat defeated USA in a one-sided quarter-final. Continuing their giant-killing run, the Indians then bounced back from a two-point deficit at the halfway mark to oust the Korean trio of Kim Jongho, Choi Yonghee and Yang Jaewon in a shoot-off 233-233 (29-26) to advance into the final. Having started off with a one-point lead (59-58) in the semi-finals, the Indians found the going tough and lost the next two ends to trail 174-176. In the fourth end, they edged out the Koreans 59-57 to level the scores at 233-233.In the shoot-off, the top-seeded Koreans crumbled under pressure, shooting one in the outer red circle (7) as the Indians shot two Xs (closest to the centre) to confirm at least a silver. India had begun their campaign with a 235-229 win over Italy in the round of 16 in the men's compound section.In the women's compound team event, the Indians, who got a bye into the quarter-finals, started off defeating Chinese Taipei 228-226, lost to Korea 228-230 in the semi-finals.—PTI

The Indian men's compound archery team produced stunning performances to shock World No.1 USA and powerhouse South Korea in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively, and assure itself a silver medal at the World Cup Stage 2 in Gwangju, South Korea, on Wednesday.

Archery WC: Compound men assure of silver, women bag bronze

Gwangju: India's women archers won a team bronze in the recurve section to take their medal's tally to three at the World Cup Stage 2 in Gwangju, South Korea, on Thursday.On a day when India's men team made a quarter-final exit going down to lower-ranked France, the young trio of Ridhi Phor, Komalika Bari and Ankita Bhakat defeated Chinese Taipei 6-2 (56-52, 54-51, 54-55, 55-54) in a one-sided bronze medal play-off encounter.Displaying a consistent show, the trio drilled in three perfect 10s and eight 9s from the first 12 arrows to cruise to a 4-0 lead. Two arrows (8-8) in the inner red circle cost them the third set but they bounced back strongly in the fourth to wrap the issue with one X and five 9s. The Indian women's team had to fight for a bronze after they lost out to its&nbsp;nemesis and home favourites Korea 2-6 (53-55, 57-55, 51-53, 43-53) in the semi-final. It wasn't as if the top-seeded team shot some great scores but the Indian women choked under pressure. They were at their inconsistent best and only time they could up their game was in the second set where they had a spectacular show of four 10s including one X and one 9. But in the fourth set, they misfired an arrow, while another shot in the red-ring (7) snuffed out any chance of a fight, even as the famed Koreans totalled an ordinary 53. Earlier, the new look men's team which had the experienced duo of Tarundeep Rai and Jayanta Talukdar along with debutant Neeraj Chauhan capped a disastrous outing to lose out to their 15th-seeded France 2-6 (54-57, 55-52, 53-55, 47-53).The seventh-seeded men's team had two 8s in the first set and put up an improved show to win the second but they slipped again and were eliminated with a horror show in the fourth set where they shot twice in the red rings (8-7) and once in the blue-ring (6). The men's compound team had stormed into the final on Wednesday to assure at least a silver, while the women's team won a bronze to open their account.—PTI

India's women archers won a team bronze in the recurve section to take their medal's tally to three at the World Cup Stage 2 in Gwangju, South Korea, on Thursday.

Archery World Cup: India women win bronze

Berlin: Leipzig came from behind despite a numerical disadvantage, shocking passive Freiburg 4-2 (1-1) on penalties to clinch their first-ever title in the club history following the 79th German Cup final at Berlin Olympia stadium. Both teams started highly motivated in the encounter on Saturday night, yet the spectators had to wait until the 14th minute to see the first clear-cut chance as Emil Forsberg tested Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken from a tight angle The opener was scored at the other end of the pitch five minutes later when Maximilian Eggestein hammered a loose ball from the edge of the box past Leipzig custodian Peter Gulacsi, Xinhua reports.Leipzig should have levelled the scores in the 24th minute but Christopher Nkunku couldn’t take advantage of Nicolas Hofler’s misplaced pass. After the restart, the ‘Red Bulls’ started where they left off as Nkunku’s turn shot forced Flekken into action once again in the 50th minute. Leipzig’s game suffered a heavy setback in the 57th minute when Marcel Halstenberg committed a professional foul to receive his marching orders. Freiburg gained momentum and pushed forward but Vincenzo Grifo, as well as Roland Sallai, rattled only the side netting in quick succession at the hour mark.However, as the match progressed, Freiburg reduced their offensive actions and got flabbergasted by resilient Leipzig, who restored parity through Nkunku out of thin air. Ten-man Leipzig sparked to life and pressed uninspired Freiburg on the back foot. The ‘Breisgauers’ defended deep in their territory and had a lot of work to reach the overtime. In the overtime, Freiburg assumed control again and squared two promising opportunities by substituting Yannick Haberer against smart defending Leipzig.However, after 120 minutes and a 1-1 stalemate the penalty shoot-out had to bring the decision. Ten-man Leipzig kept their nerves from the spot and snatched the title as Freiburg’s Christian Gunter and Ermedin Demirovic couldn’t convert their penalties. “This is nuts. We played over 60 minutes with 10 men and staged a terrible performance in the first half. It is unbelievable. This is the first title in our club history,” said Leipzig’s sporting director Oliver Mintzlaff.—IANS

Leipzig came from behind despite a numerical disadvantage, shocking passive Freiburg 4-2 (1-1) on penalties to clinch their first-ever title in the club history following the 79th German Cup final at Berlin Olympia stadium.

Ten-man Leipzig secure comeback win over Freiburg to lift German Cup

Paris: &nbsp;World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena. "Things don't come easy. I refuse to give up. That's simply how it works with me," Tsitsipas said after the match, which ended past midnight."You never really think about getting back after being two sets to love. You just play it point after point. You just wish that your efforts will pay off on a longer scale, longer run," the Greek was quoted as saying by atptour.com. "Being in that situation... it's a mountain that you have to climb, and I was able to climb it and regain the momentum steadily, but consistently," he added.This is the second time in less than two years that Tsitsipas has produced a great escape in the opening round in Paris. He also came back from two sets down against Jaume Munar of Spain in September 2020 in the rescheduled edition of the clay-court Grand Slam. Tsitsipas repeated the feat against Rafael Nadal at the 2021 Australian Open.The 20-year-old Musetti also had tournament favourite Novak Djokovic on the ropes for the second straight year at the French Open in 2021. He won two tie-breaks to take control against the Serb in the 2021 fourth round, but faded late in the match. Djokovic went on to win at Roland Garros that year. "He's fighting. He's a talented player that has a very nice one-handed backhand. He knows the game on clay. He has grown up playing (on) these courts," Tsitsipas opined. "He's definitely a difficult opponent to face in any circumstance, really."Once I really found my momentum on the serve, my routines and everything, I knew that it can be a different match," Tsitsipas said. "I felt like I was serving better than him, creating more opportunities with my serve, pressing more. It would have been kind of not fair from my perspective to have a different outcome." With the victory, Tsitsipas advances to face Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar, who defeated France's Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 earlier on Tuesday.—IANS

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece rallied from two sets down against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti and advanced to the second round of the French Open with a 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win at the Philippe-Chatrier arena.

French Open: Tsitsipas overcomes Musetti challenge to advance

Mumbai: Paralympian Prachi Yadav made history for India by becoming the first canoeist from the country to win a World Cup medal when she bagged a bronze in the VL2 Women’s 200m in the Paracanoe World Cup held in Poznan, Poland. Prachi, the para-canoeist from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh who is the first Indian to qualify for and reach the final in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo last year, finished third in the VL2 Women’s 200m in 1:04.71 to finish behind Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Susan Seipel of Australia and Brianna Hennessy of Canada, who bagged gold and silver respectively.Seipel won the VL2 women’s 200m in 1:01.54 while Henessy finished in 1:01.58 in the final held on Saturday. The Paracanoe World Cup in Poznan, which started on May 26 and will end on Sunday, turned out to be a great outing for India. It was marked by the best performance by Manish Kaurav in KL3 Men 200m and Manjeet Singh in VL2 Men 200m by reaching the finals for the first time in the history of the sport in India. There was also a great effort by Jaideep in VL3 Men’s 200m category as he reached the semifinal. Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and London 2012 wheelchair basketball gold medallist Edina Mller of Germany claimed the KL1 women’s 200 metres gold at the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Paracanoe World Cup in Poznan.Mller, who took up canoeing in 2014, crossed the line in 53.87 sec. Two-time world champion Maryna Mazhula of Ukraine came in second in 54.08 before Brianna Hennessy of Canada bagged bronze in 54.88. It was Germany who triumphed in the women’s KL2 200m thanks to Anja Adler who raced to finish in 52.17. Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Susan Seipel of Australia placed second in 53.27 before Natalia Lahutenko finished third in 54.95.—IANS

Paralympian Prachi Yadav made history for India by becoming the first canoeist from the country to win a World Cup medal when she bagged a bronze in the VL2 Women’s 200m in the Paracanoe World Cup held in Poznan, Poland.

Para-Canoeist Prachi Yadav Bags Historic Bronze For India In World Cup In Poznan

Leipzig (Germany): A new study has discovered that ordered vocal sequences in wild chimp communication can shed light on the evolution of human language.The study is published in the journal, 'Communications Biology, 2022'Compared to the complex use of human language, the way animals communicate with each other appears quite simple. How our language evolved from such a simple system, remains unclear. Researchers from the Max Planck Institutes for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) and for Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI-CBS) in Leipzig, Germany, and the CNRS Institute for Cognitive Sciences in Bron, Lyon, France, recorded thousands of vocalisations from wild chimpanzees in Tai, Ivory Coast.They found that the animals produced hundreds of different vocal sequences containing up to ten different call types. The order of calls in these sequences followed some rules, and calls were associated with each other in a structured manner. The researchers will now investigate if this structure may constitute a step toward human syntax and if chimpanzees use these sequences to communicate a wider range of meanings in their complex social environment.Humans are the only species on earth known to use language. We do this by combining sounds to form words and words to form hierarchically structured sentences. The question, of where this extraordinary capacity originates from, still remains to be answered. In order to retrace the evolutionary origins of human language, researchers often use a comparative approach -- they compare the vocal production of other animals, in particular primates, to those of humans. In contrast to humans, non-human primates often use single calls -referred to as call types -- and rarely combine them with each other to form vocal sequences.Consequently, vocal communication in non-human primates seems much less complex than human communication. However, human language complexity does not arise from the number of sounds we use when we speak, which are typically below 50 different sounds in most languages, but from the way we combine sounds in a structured manner to form words and hierarchically combine these words to form sentences to express an infinite number of meanings. In fact, non-human primates also use up to 38 different calls to communicate, but they rarely combine them with each other. However, since they have so far not been analysed in great detail, we may not have a full picture of the structure and diversity of vocal sequences produced by non-human primates.Researchers at MPI-EVA and MPI-CBS in Leipzig and from the Institute of Cognitive Sciences at the CNRS in Bron, Lyon, France, recorded thousands of vocalisations produced by the members of three groups of wild chimpanzees in the Tai National Park on the Ivory Coast. They identified 12 different call types and assessed how chimpanzees combine them to form vocal sequences. "Observing animals in their natural social and ecological environment reveals a previously undiscovered complexity in the ways they communicate," says first author Cedric Girard-Buttoz. "Syntax is a hallmark of human language and in order to elucidate the origin of this human ability it is crucial to understand how non-human primate vocalisations are structured," adds Emiliano Zaccarella, another lead author of the study.The study shows that chimpanzees communicate with each other using hundreds of different sequences, combining up to ten call types across the whole repertoire. This is the first documentation of such a diversity of vocal production in non-human primates. Furthermore, the researches show that calls -- in combination with specific other calls -- predictably occurred in certain positions in the sequence, following adjacency rules. These adjacency rules applied also to sequences with three call types."Our findings highlight a vocal communication system in chimpanzees that is much more complex and structured than previously thought," says co-author Tatiana Bortolato who recorded the vocalisations in the forest. "This is the first study in a larger project. By studying the rich complexity of the vocal sequences of wild chimpanzees, a socially complex species like humans, we expect to bring fresh insight into understanding where we come from and how our unique language evolved," Catherine Crockford, senior author of the study, pointed out.The authors will now investigate what these complex and structured vocal sequences mean and whether they allow chimpanzees to increase the range of topics they can communicate about. —ANI

 A new study has discovered that ordered vocal sequences in wild chimp communication can shed light on the evolution of human language.

Study: Chimpanzees Blend Their Sounds To Create Variety Of Vocal Patterns

Jakarta: The young Indian men's hockey team produced a spirited performance to beat Japan 1-0 and clinch the bronze medal in the Asia Cup here on Wednesday. After missing out of a place in the title clash on goal difference following an exciting 4-4 draw with South Korea on Tuesday, defending champions India came out with purpose and scored a field goal through Raj Kumar Pal as early as in the seventh minute of the game and then defended in numbers to seal the deal.India started brightly and pushed hard in the first five minutes of the match but their attacks fizzled once out inside the opposition D. The Indians, however, broke the deadlock in the seventh minute from a brisk counter-attack with Uttam Singh doing all the hardwork on the right flank to set it up for Rajkumar Pal, who neatly pushed it past the Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa. Three minutes later, the Indians secured two back-to-back penalty corners but wasted both.In the last five minutes of the first quarter, Japan pressed hard in search of the equaliser and mounted numerous raids but the Indian defence stood firm to hold on to their lead. Trailing by a goal, Japan continued to attack and in the process earned two consecutive penalty corners in the 20th minute but the Indians defended in numbers to keep their lead intact. Both Japan and India had a few more chances in the second quarters but both the teams faltered in the final third. Japan came out attacking after the change of ends and secured two more penalty corners in quick succession but they failed to break the resolute Indian defence.In between India had a golden chance to extend their lead but Rajkumar shot over from close quarters from a SV Sunil pass The Japanese put relentless pressure on the Indian citadel in the final two quarters in search of the equaliser but the Birendra-Lakra side stood like a rock to deny their opponents. In the 48th minute, Japan secured three successive penalty corners but couldn't breach the Indian backline. Japan earned another penalty corner in the 51st minute but the Indian defence once again foiled the chance. While Japan pressed hard in the remaining minutes the Indians put numbers at the back to successfully defend their one goal lead and secure a podium finish.—IANS

The young Indian men's hockey team produced a spirited performance to beat Japan 1-0 and clinch the bronze medal in the Asia Cup here on Wednesday.

India beat Japan 1-0 to clinch Asia Cup bronze

Adelaide: Influenza cases in South Australia (SA) have spiked, prompting concerns about pressure on the hospital system. According to data released by SA Health, the number of confirmed flu cases in the state surged by 673 to 1,868 in the past seven days, reports Xinhua news agency. It comes as health authorities warn that a spike in flu and Covid-19 cases could put severe pressure on the health system. Chris Picton, SA's Health Minister, urged everyone to take up free flu vaccines and "do their bit" to save lives. "This is a concern as our hospitals and hardworking staff manage both Covid and flu cases, and normal winter demand," he told News Corp Australia. "You can protect yourself and your loved ones, and stay out of hospital this winter."The Guardian Australia on Thursday published data revealing the number of workers who took sick leave in the first half of May was 50 percent higher than the long-term average.Karen Price, president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), said levels of illness in the community were unusually high. "We've got a larger proportion of the population who have not been exposed to viruses much in the last two years, other than Covid, of which there is still high community transmission," she said. "It's not that the flu is any more severe in nature than normal, the problem is that we just don't have any cross-immunity built up because we haven't really had a flu season in the last two years. There is just no baseline immunity."In the year to date in 2022, there have been 38,743 notifications reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) in Australia, of which 26,193 notifications had a diagnosis date this fortnight, more than three times the notifications in the previous fortnight, according to Australian Influenza Surveillance Report and Activity Updates, which was last updated on May 27. "From mid-April 2022, the weekly number of notifications of laboratory-confirmed influenza reported in Australia has exceeded the five-year average," said the report. Australia on Thursday reported more than 30,000 new Covid-19 cases and more than 40 deaths, according to the health department figures from states and territories.—IANS

Influenza cases in South Australia (SA) have spiked, prompting concerns about pressure on the hospital system.

Influenza cases spike in Aus state

New Delhi: Signed from the AIFF Elite Academy, Lalrinzuala joined the two-time champions of the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2016 and immediately made headway in the ISL 2016 season, becoming the youngest player to score for Chennaiyin FC in the league, making 13 appearances and racking up a goal and two assists in his debut season.His top-notch performances throughout the 2016 season earned him the accolade of the Emerging Player of the season. The consistency and the maturity of Lalrinzuala's game at a tender age saw him shoot up the ranks, expediting him to be a starter on the team sheet. The 23-year-old continued his impressive performances season by season and his numbers kept on improving, earning him a vital role in the team. In the latest ISL 2021-22 season, Lalrinzuala put up yet another fantastic show, managing 68 tackles, 31 blocks, 24 clearances, and 15 interceptions across 18 matches.A promising player living up to his name, the defender might not be the Marina Machans' torchbearer but is one of the hardest workers amongst the team besides holding an irreplaceable position in the hearts of the Chennaiyin FC supporters.—IANS

Signed from the AIFF Elite Academy, Lalrinzuala joined the two-time champions of the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2016 and immediately made headway in the ISL 2016 season, becoming the youngest player to score for Chennaiyin FC in the league, making 13 appearances and racking up a goal and two assists in his debut season.

Chennaiyin FC release defender Lalrinzuala after 6 successful seasons

New Delhi: Sakshi Malik's struggles were nowhere to be seen as a fearless and aggressive Rio Olympics bronze medallist grabbed her first international gold medal in almost five years at the UWW Ranking Series event, in Almaty, on Friday. India's Mansi and Divya Kakran too earned top of the podium finishes.But the day belonged to Sakshi, who has been struggling till the recent CWG trials.She was consistently losing to young Sonam Malik in the 62kg category and even missed qualification for the Tokyo Games but looked completely transformed on Friday as she fought her bouts with tremendous confidence. She began with a win by technical superiority against Kazakhstan's Irina Kuznetsova and followed that up with another big 9-3 win over Uzbekistan's Rushana Abdirasulova.As Mongolia's Tserenchimed Sukhee forfeited her semifinal, Sakshi entered the final, where she pinned Kuznetsova while leading 7-4, beating the home wrestler for a second time in the day.Sakshi stood out with her double leg attacks and agility, hardly giving breathing pace to her opponents. Even when her rival won a challenge to take 5-3 lead, Sakshi was not perturbed and won in an emphatic fashion.The last time she won a gold was in 2017 Commonwealth Championship even as she won two bronze medals at the Asian Championships in 2020 and 2022.Also winning the gold was Mansi (57kg), who won her final bout 3-0 against Kazakshtan's Emma Tissina, who hardly made a move. Mansi got push out points as mostly the two wresters were involved in standing wrestling. Divya won two of her bouts by 'fall' -- against Mongolia's Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan and Kazakhstan's Albina Kairgeldinova -- but lost the final bout 10-14 to Mongolia's Bolortungalag Zorigt in the four-wrestler 68kg category.Zorigt also finished with two wins and a defeat (against Delgermaa) but since Divya had more convincing results, she was declared winner.India now have won four medals with Greco Roman wrestler Neeraj winning a bronze in 63kg category on Thursday.—PTI

Sakshi Malik's struggles were nowhere to be seen as a fearless and aggressive Rio Olympics bronze medallist grabbed her first international gold medal in almost five years at the UWW Ranking Series event, in Almaty, on Friday.

Fearless Sakshi grabs first international gold in almost 5 years

Beijing: China on Sunday launched a new three-person mission to complete assembly work on its permanent orbiting space station. The Shenzhou 14 crew will spend six months on the Tiangong station, during which they will oversee the addition of two laboratory modules to join the main Tianhe living space that was launched in April 2021. Their spaceship blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert at 10:44 a.m. (0244 GMT) atop the crewed space flight program’s workhorse Long March 2F rocket. Fifteen minutes later, it reached low Earth orbit and opened its solar panels, drawing applause from ground controllers in Jiuquan and Beijing.The launch was broadcast live on state television, indicating a rising level of confidence in the capabilities of the space program, which has been promoted as a sign of China’s technological progress and global influence. Commander Chen Dong and fellow astronauts Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will assemble the three-module structure joining the existing Tianhe with Wentian and Mengtian, due to arrive in July and October. Another cargo craft, the Tianzhou-3, remains docked with the station.The arrival of the new modules will “provide more stability, more powerful functions, more complete equipment,” said Chen, 43, who was a member of the Shenzhou 11 mission in 2016, at a press conference Saturday. Liu, 43, is also a space veteran and was China’s first female astronaut to reach space aboard the Shenzhou 9 mission in 2012. Cai, 46, is making his first space trip.China’s space program launched its first astronaut into orbit in 2003, making it only the third country to do so on its own after the former Soviet Union and the U.S. It has landed robot rovers on the moon and placed one on Mars last year. China has also returned lunar samples and officials have discussed a possible crewed mission to the moon.China’s space program is run by the ruling Communist Party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, prompting the U.S. to exclude it from the International Space Station. Chen, Liu and Cai will be joined at the end of their mission for three to five days by the crew of the upcoming Shenzhou 15, marking the first time the station will have had six people aboard.—AP

China on Sunday launched a new three-person mission to complete assembly work on its permanent orbiting space station. The Shenzhou 14 crew will spend six months on the Tiangong station, during which they will oversee the addition of two laboratory modules to join the main Tianhe living space that was launched in April 2021.

China launches mission to complete space station assembly

Tokyo: Bajrang Punia got his act together to claim a bronze medal after ultra-defensive tactics resulted in his opening-round defeat even as Aman claimed his first gold medal at the senior level with a commanding show in the 57kg competition at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup, in Almaty on Sunday.Bajrang, the Tokyo Games bronze winner, struggled in his opening bout against Uzbekistan's Abbos Rakhmonov, losing 3-5 but competed much better in the bronze-play off where he played smartly to score on counter-attacks against Kazkahstan's Rifat Saibotalov, winning 7-0.Bajrang foiled a right leg attack from Saibotalov and then scored two points on counter attack after his rival went for his right leg. The 28-year-old converted a left-leg attack into points and foiled another valiant effort from the home-favourite.Bajrang was quick with his movements that was key in his mix of defence and attack in the crucial bout.Earlier, the overtly defensive tactics that Bajrang has been adopting, of late, continued against Rakhmonov and paid the price.Bajrang got the first two points when his rival was cautioned twice for foul play. He hardly made a move but the Uzbekistan wrestler converted a left-leg attack into a take-down move for two points to level the score.The celebrated wrestler later got one more point on the passivity of Rakhmonov and was leading but dropped guard when only six seconds were left in the bout.It seemed Bajrang took it easy, thinking the referee has whistled to halt the action but Rakhmonov grabbed the opportunity to launch a leg attack and eventually got decisive two points.Later Rakhmonov reached final, giving opportunity to fight for bronze.In the 57kg, Aman, who trains at Chhatrasal stadium with Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Dahiya, was very impressive.He began with a 15-12 win over Meirambek Kartbay in the high-scoring opening bout and followed that with a technical superiority win over Abdymalik Karachov from Kyrgyzstan.In his final bout, he edged out Kazakhstan's Merey Bazarbayev 10-9 to stay unbeaten in the five-wrestler category to claim gold.It is Aman's third medal this season, having won a silver at Dan Kolov and a bronze at Yasar Dogu.Meanwhile, Vishal Kaliramana (70kg) and Naveen (74kg) missed out podium finishes after losing bronze medal rounds.Gourav Baliyan (79kg) could not make the medal round while Deepak Punia forfeited all his bouts due to injury in 92kg category, where Viky lost both his bouts.India thus signed off with 12 medals from the Ranking Series event with the women's wrestlers claiming eight of them, including give gold.—PTI

Bajrang Punia got his act together to claim a bronze medal after ultra-defensive tactics resulted in his opening-round defeat even as Aman claimed his first gold medal at the senior level with a commanding show in the 57kg competition at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup, in Almaty on Sunday.

Bajrang claims bronze in Almaty, gold for Aman

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games bronze medallist RMV Gurusaidutt on Monday announced his retirement from international badminton, bringing down the curtains on a professional career that spanned over a decade and a half. The 32-year-old from Hyderabad, who had claimed a bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, took the decision after battling multiple injuries in the last few years."I was not able to give my 100 percent. I love the sport a lot and I felt I wasn't not able to do justice to it. My body was not able to take it. So I decided to retire from competitive badminton. It is super super emotional decision for me," Gurusaidutt said. Gurusaidutt, who is a 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist and also has a world junior bronze medal, will be stepping on a new journey as a coach."I am really looking forward to a coaching stint with the Indian team. Working under Gopi sir, who has been my mentor, I will learn a lot," said Gurusaidutt."I will be with the Indian team at Indonesia for the 1000 event and with the camp till the CWG. I am thankful to BPCL for giving me the opportunity and really look forward to working with the Indian team." Gurusaidutt had finished second best at the 2010 India Open Grand Prix. He represented India at the South Asian Games and won the silver in the singles event besides being part of the gold medal in team category.He had won the Bulgarian International in 2015, besides claiming the title at 2012 Tata Open India International.He also won the trophy at Bahrain International in 2008. His biggest moment came at 2014 CWG when he beat England's Rajiv Ouseph to win the bronze medal.—PTI

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist RMV Gurusaidutt on Monday announced his retirement from international badminton, bringing down the curtains on a professional career that spanned over a decade and a half.

CWG bronze medallist Gurusaidutt retires from badminton

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said that they have attached 210 immovable properties worth Rs 110 crore belonging to Maithri Plantation and Horticulture Pvt Ltd (MPHPL) in connection with Prevention of Money Laundering related to ponzi scam case. A senior ED official said that the attached properties are in the name of MPHPL, its sister concerns Sree Nakshatra Builders and Developers India Pvt Ltd (SNBDIPL), Maithri Realtors India Pvt Ltd (MRIPL) and the directors namely, Lakku Konda Reddy, Lakku Malayadri Reddy, Lakku Madhava Reddy and Kolikalapudi Brahma Reddy of these companies.The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by Andhra Pradesh Police under section 420 of the IPC, Sec 4 and 5 read with sections 2(c) of Prize Chits Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act and Sec 5 of APPDFE Act against Lakku Konda Reddy and others for allegedly cheating and defrauding general public. In total, 12 FIRs were registered by Andhra Pradesh police. The ED learnt during the investigation that MPHPL ran an illegal ponzi scheme and solicited deposits from general public without any permission and without any kind of license to run a Collective Investment Scheme or NBFC etc. It collected deposits from lakhs of gullible depositors who were encouraged to join by a network of organised agents who were in turn promised very high commission on the invested amount. Investors were lured with the false promise of very high returns or delivery of a plot in dream projects on maturity.Money trail revealed that the money collected from the public by MPHPL was illegally diverted to other group companies namely SNBDIPL and MRIPL.They invested in their real estate business and several properties were acquired in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka in the names of MPHPL, SNBDIPL, MRIPL and the directors of these companies. The accused managed to collect Rs 288.42 crore from lakhs of gullible investors. As on date, out of the collected amount, MPHPL has failed to return nearly Rs 158.14 crore to the investors. “The ED has provisionally attached 196 landed properties in AP, 13 landed properties in Telangana and 1 landed property in Karnataka state. The properties include open lands, plots, flats etc, and are valued at Rs 110 crore,” said the ED official. Further investigation in the matter is on.—IANS

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said that they have attached 210 immovable properties worth Rs 110 crore belonging to Maithri Plantation and Horticulture Pvt Ltd (MPHPL) in connection with Prevention of Money Laundering related to ponzi scam case.

ED Seizes Assets Worth Rs 110 Cr In Ponzi Scheme Case

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was "deeply distressed" over the attack on his "dear friend", former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, who was shot at earlier in the day. Taking to Twitter, Modi said: "Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan."Abe, who was Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister, collapsed after he was shot at while addressing en election rally in Nara city on Friday, state media said in a report, adding that the police have arrested a 41-year-old suspect.According to state broadcaster NHK, the incident took place at around 11. 30 a.m. (local time) near the Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara city while the 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate's election campaign. Abe did not appear to show any life signs following the attack, and is presently hospitalised. --- IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was "deeply distressed" over the attack on his "dear friend", former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, who was shot at earlier in the day. Taking to Twitter, Modi said: "Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan."

 Modi shocked by attack on 'dear friend' Shinzo Abe

Tokyo : Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday after he was shot while addressing an election rally in the city of Nara, according to state media."Officials say former Japanese Prime Minister #Abe Shinzo has been confirmed #dead. He was reportedly #shot during a speech on Friday in the city of #Nara, near Kyoto," official broadcaster NHK tweeted.According to NHK, the attack took place at around 11.30 a.m. (local time) near the Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara city while the 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate's election campaign.The police said that Abe was shot twice, with the second shot hitting him in the back, causing him to fall to the ground. -- IANS

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday after he was shot while addressing an election rally in the city of Nara, according to state media.

 Ex-Japan PM Shinzo Abe dies after being shot while campaigning

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday after he was shot while addressing an election rally in the city of Nara, according to state media.



New Delhi: With a 'tilak' on his forehead and a 'puja thali' in his hands, Shinzo Abe's picture attending the 'Ganga aarti' alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the fabled Dashashwa-medh Ghat in Varanasi in 2015 symbolised his 'India connect' and reflected the very special bond he shared with the country.Also, dressed in a crisp 'kurta pajama' and a blue 'sadri' as he undertook a road show with Modi while heading to Sabar-mati Ashram, and sitting 	alongside the Indian prime minister on the Sabarmati riverfront may have been eye-catching images for sure, but there was diplomacy at play as well, with the two nations forging robust economic partnerships on the sidelines of these visits.The former Japanese prime minister's special bond with India is also evident from the fact that he was given the Padma Vibhushan -- India's second-highest civilian award -- in 2021.Abe, 67, was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech in Nara on Friday. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment but was not breathing and his heart had stopped, according to media reports. He was later pronounced dead despite the emergency treatment.Over the years, the camaraderie between Abe and Modi was always on display as the two were often seen sharing a light moment and paying each other compliments. Abe had described Modi as one of his most "dependable" friends.Condoling the demise of his "dear friend" Abe, Modi, in emotional posts on Twitter, said on Friday that during his recent visit to Japan, he had the opportunity to meet Abe again and discuss many issues, but "little did I know that this would be our last meeting"."He (Abe) was a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator. He dedicated his life to make Japan and the world a better place," Modi said.Modi also lauded Abe's immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership.Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, has certainly left an indelible mark on Japan-India ties and shared a great rapport not just with Modi but with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well.In 2006, Singh and Abe had factored in the new challenges, and the relationship was upgraded to a Global and Strategic Partnership with the provision of annual Prime Ministerial Summits.In 2007, Abe became the first-ever Japanese PM to address a joint session of the Indian Parliament. Addressing the MPs, the Japanese leader recalled the time India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru hosted Abe's maternal grandfather, the then Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, in New Delhi in 1957.Abe was also the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi in 2014.Then came a series of annual summits where the bonhomie between Abe and Modi was there for everyone to see. Prime Minister Modi visited Japan in 2014 and during that visit, the two sides upgraded the relationship to a 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'.In subsequent visits, Abe and Modi included personal touch and cultural messaging to deepen the ties between the two nations further.From the two leaders attending the 'Ganga aarti' and both leaders travelling on the 'shinkansen' (Japan's railway system) to Abe's Ahmedabad trip during which the two leaders held a road show and were clicked at the Sabarmati riverfront, the visits were high on optics and substance both.Abe's 2017 India visit during which he visited Ahmedabad also saw the laying of the foundation of India's first bullet train project. The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed corridor is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 trillion and will have 12 stations in Maharashtra and Gujarat.The bullet train may still take some time to become operational but Abe ensured that his country's ties with India remain on a fast track. —PTI&nbsp;

With a 'tilak' on his forehead and a 'puja thali' in his hands, Shinzo Abe's picture attending the 'Ganga aarti' alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the fabled Dashashwa-medh Ghat in Varanasi in 2015 symbolised his 'India connect' and reflected the very special bond he shared with the country.

In Abe's Death India Loses A Very Dear Friend

Tokyo [Japan] : As an investigation into the assassination of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues, local media reports revealed that the man who was detained after Abe was shot served in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/japanese-navy" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Japanese Navy</a>&nbsp;for three years.<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/tetsuya-yamagami" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Tetsuya Yamagami</a>, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City, in western Japan shot Abe while he was during a campaign speech on Friday.Yamagami has told police that he initially planned to attack a leader of a religious group that he believed caused his mother to become bankrupt through donations, Kyodo News reported citing sources.Yamagami admitted that he had visited other locations where Abe had delivered campaign speeches ahead of Sunday's House of Councillors (upper house of the National Diet of Japan) election, sources informed the media outlet.The man denied that he committed the crime because he was opposed to Abe's political belief, according to the police.Following Abe's assassination, the police searched his home on Friday. They found items that are believed to be explosives and homemade guns, the media outlet reported citing Japanese police.Yamagami is currently unemployed. However, he was working at a manufacturer in the Kansai region from around the autumn of 2020. According to a staffing agency employee, he quit the job in May this year.He was previously a member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/japanese-navy" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Japanese Navy</a>) for about three years through August 2005.On Saturday morning, a car carrying the body of Abe left the hospital in Nara where his autopsy was conducted. His wife Akie Abe was in the car and the body is expected to arrive in Tokyo later in the day.The police said that Abe died from blood loss. The police also said that the autopsy determined that there were two gunshot wounds, on his upper left arm and neck.There was another wound on the neck but it is unknown how that was caused, the police added.After the attack on him, Abe was rushed to hospital and initial media reports citing authorities said that it appeared that the former Japanese PM was shot at in the chest. They described his condition as in "cardiopulmonary arrest" and said he showed no vital signs.Public broadcaster NHK later reported, citing ruling Liberal Democratic Party sources that Abe, had died. Abe died at 5:03 pm (local time) and had two gunshot wounds in his neck, according to officials from Nara Medical University Hospital.A gun that appeared to be handmade was retrieved from the site where Abe was campaigning for a candidate ahead of Sunday's elections for Japan's upper house of Parliament.Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons. He was prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida.Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida earlier in his live address to the country yesterday said "this is not a forgivable act," and that authorities would "take appropriate measures to handle the situation." Kishida further said that the motive behind Abe's shooting is not known.The Japanese PM also requested everyone to not speculate about any political ramifications at the time. (ANI)

As an investigation into the assassination of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues, local media reports revealed that the man who was detained after Abe was shot served in the Japanese Navy for three years.Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City, in western Japan shot Abe while he was during a campaign speech on Friday

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