Tokyo christens futuristic 2020 Olympic mascots

Agencies
July 22, 2018

Tokyo, Jul 22: Japanese organisers formally introduced their doe-eyed 2020 Olympic mascots to the world on Sunday, christening them with superhero names that could provide a tongue-twisting challenge to some.

The blue-checked Olympic mascot was dubbed "Miraitowa" -- combining the Japanese words for future and eternity, organisers said at an event in Tokyo.

It expresses the hope for a bright future stretching off forever, according to officials.

Its Paralympic partner which sports pink checks is called "Someity" -- borrowing from the word for a variety of Japan's iconic cherry trees and the English expression "so mighty".

The characters are said to combine tradition and innovation, organisers said.

The pointy-eared mascots bestowed with "special powers" were unveiled in February this year after being chosen by schoolchildren from a shortlist of three across mascot-mad Japan.

Miraitowa has a "strong sense of justice and is very athletic," according to Olympic officials, adding that it also possesses magical powers that enable it "to move anywhere instantaneously".

Someity is said to be "usually calm" but "gets very powerful when needed," organisers noted cryptically.

Mascots are massive in Japan, where there are literally thousands representing everything from small communities to prisons.

Known locally as "yuru-kyara" or "laid-back characters," mascots can also be major money-spinners.

Tokyo organisers will hope their 2020 mascots can replicate the success of Soohorang, the cuddly stuffed tiger from the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang earlier this year.

At their unveiling in February, social media reaction was mixed with some posters complaining they wanted something "more round" and more "huggable."

The Tokyo Olympics begin on July 24, 2020.

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News Network
January 7,2020

Mumbai, Jan 7: People protesting against the JNU violence were evicted from Gateway of India here on Tuesday morning as roads were getting blocked and tourists and common people were facing problems, a police official said.

Police had appealed to the protesters to shift but they didn't listen, so they were "relocated" to Azad Maidan, the official said.

Hundreds of people, including students, women and senior citizens - who assembled at the iconic Gateway of India since Sunday midnight - demanded action against the culprits and called for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation.

Violence broke out in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus.

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News Network
May 3,2020

New Delhi, May 3: In a startling revelation, India speedster Mohammed Shami has claimed that he thought of committing suicide thrice while battling personal issues a few years ago, forcing his family to keep a watch over him at all times.

He said his family members feared he "might jump" from their 24th floor apartment.

Shami, one of India's leading bowlers in recent years, opened up on his personal and professional life during an Instagram chat with teammate and limited overs squads' vice-captain Rohit Sharma.

"I think if my family had not supported me back then I would have lost my cricket. I thought of committing suicide three times during that period due to severe stress and personal problems," Shami revealed during the session on Saturday.

Now one of the mainstays of Indian bowling attack across formats, the 29-year-old was struggling to focus on his cricket, then.

"I was not thinking about cricket at all. We were living on the 24th floor. They (family) were scared I might jump from the balcony. My brother supported me a lot.

"My 2-3 friends used to stay with me for 24 hours. My parents asked me to focus on cricket to recover from that phase and not think about anything else. I started training then and sweated it out a lot at an academy in Dehradun," Shami said.

In March 2018, Shami's wife Hasin Jahan had accused him of domestic violence and lodged a complaint with the police, following which the India player and his brother were booked under relevant sections.

The upheaval in his personal life forced his employer BCCI to withheld the player's central contracts for a while.

"Rehab was stressful as the same exercises are repeated every day. Then family problems started and I also suffered an accident. The accident happened 10-12 days ahead of the IPL and my personal problems were running high in the media," Shami told Rohit.

Shami said his family stood like a rock with him and the support helped him get back on his feet.

"Then my family explained that every problem has a solution no matter how big the problem. My brother supported me a lot."

Speaking about another painful period in his life after his injury in the 2015 World Cup, Shami said it took him almost 18 months to get back on the field.

"When I got injured in the 2015 World Cup, after that it took me 18 months to fully recover, that was the most painful moment in my life, it was a very stressful period.

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News Network
March 16,2020

New Delhi, Mar 16: A total of 110 cases of coronavirus, including 17 foreign nationals have been confirmed across India, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday.

The maximum positive cases have been reported from Maharashtra (32), followed by Kerala (22).

The total number of passengers screened at airports is 12,76,046, the ministry said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that Europe has become the new 'epicentre' of the coronavirus pandemic that has infected more than 15 lakh people with over 6,000 deaths globally.

The virus had first emerged in China's Wuhan city in December last year.

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