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Bengaluru to host 10th AASF Asian Age Group championships 2019

Agencies
August 2, 2019

Bengaluru, Aug 2: Bengaluru will host the 10th AASF Asian Age Group Championships 2019 for the first time, giving the Indian swimming enthusiasts an opportunity to witness the largest aquatic event in the continent.

The nine-day sporting extravaganza, scheduled to be held between September 24 and October 2, is set to have over 40 countries and more than 1200 participants competing for top honours in four different aquatic disciplines, including swimming, diving, water polo, and the visually-mesmerizing artistic swimming.

The event venues will be spread across the city with swimming to be held at Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence from September 24 to 27, Water Polo to take place at the Sports Authority of India, Kengeri from September 24 to 30.

Diving will be held at the Sports Authority of India, Kengeri from September 29 to October 2 and Artistic swimming will be conducted at the Kensington Swimming Pool, Ulsoor from September 29 to October 2.

"It is a true honour and pride for us to host the 10th AASF Asian Age Group Championships 2019 in Bengaluru, a city which has seen scores of international swimmers being produced under the Karnataka Swimming Association's umbrella. We are geared up to ensure the event is a mega success and that every participant will return home with memories they would cherish for a lifetime," President of the Organising Committee (AAGC 2019), IPS (Rtd), Gopal B Hosur said.

He further said that the support provided by the Government of Karnataka has ensured the mega event is conducted on-par with top world-class aquatic events.

"I must extend my sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka and the Department of Youth Services and Sports who have come on board as the main sponsor for this event. Their support has come as a shot in the arm in our endeavour to ensure the event is conducted on-par with other top nations," Hosur said.

The event will see a strong contingent from India, including the likes of Olympians Virdhawal Khade, Sajan Prakash and Shivani Kataria, backstroke sensation Srihari Nataraj, sprinter Anshul Kothari, national record holder in breaststroke Likith SP, freestyle specialist Khushagra Rawat take part in the open category while Kenisha Gupta, Kushi Dinesh, Suvana C Baskar, Tanish George Mathew, Sanjay CJ, and Riddhima Virendra among others promise to create headlines in the age-group categories.

The 10th AASF Asian Age Group Championships will also witness top swimmers from Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

"This is the largest Aquatic Championships in Asia as it's not only for open categories (18 years and above) like the Asian Games and Asian Championships but will also include participants from Age Groups I (15-17 years) and II (14 years and below)," Swimming Federation of India, Secretary-General, Monal Chokshi said.

"The last time India hosted this event was in 1999 and I am sure this Championships coming to India will spur the popularity of the sport with aspiring swimmers getting to watch their icons live in action. Traditionally, Indian swimmers have always done well at this competition and I am confident they will make use of the home advantage this time to surpass the previous edition's medal tally,"
With the event recognised by FINA as an Olympic Qualifier, Indian swimmers will enjoy home advantage as they aim for A Qualification Mark for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bengaluru is the most preferred city for Olympians and top Indian swimmers to train and excel.

Meanwhile, Vice President of Indian Olympic Association and veteran sports administrator Virendra Nanavati said, "This is a very crucial period for the Indian swimmers as some of them are vying for the 'A' Qualification mark for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics."

"At the recent FINA World Championships we had good participation with six swimmers, four Open Water swimmers and one diver qualifying to take part and some of them even improved the best Indian Performance record. Good show here at the 10th AASF Asian Age Group Championships Bengaluru 2019 will put them in good stead to make the qualification mark for the forthcoming Olympics," Nanavati added.

In the previous edition held in Uzbekistan in 2017, India won a total of 40 medals in swimming with five gold, 13 silver, and 22 bronze Medals. While in diving, India won three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.

Srihari Nataraj, the national record holder in 50, 100 and 200m backstroke said it is a great opportunity for Indian swimmers to create match-winning performances and get more support in the sport.

"It is very exciting that the 10th AASF Asian Age Group Championships 2019 is happening in my hometown Bengaluru. This is a great opportunity for Indian swimmers to create winning performances and garner more support for swimming in the country. With nearly 45 days to go for the event, I am looking forward to being in my best form and I will be vying for Gold in all my events and make use of the home advantage."

Nataraj further said he is confident of achieving the A Qualification mark. The backstroke player also highlighted that his performance improved at the recent World Championships.

"At the recent FINA World Championships, I further improved my personal best in 50m (25.83), 200m (2:02.08) backstroke slashing my own National Record in these events and I clocked 55.55 in the 100m backstroke."

"Though I could not achieve my goal of securing the A Qualification Mark for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I believe there are quite a few opportunities coming up and I am confident of achieving the A Qualification mark. I was one of the youngest swimmers in my event at the FINA World Championships, so in that sense, I am happy with my performance," Nataraj added.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Northamptonshire, Jul 31: Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez has tested positive for coronavirus, and as a result, he will miss the British Grand Prix.

The Racing Point driver was absent from the circuit on Thursday after self-isolating following what his team called an "inconclusive" test. Perez then re-tested later in the day and it returned positive.

Formula 1 is following a strict testing regime as part of the safety protocols put in place when racing resumed earlier this month, and this is the first time a driver has tested positive.

"Perez has entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities, and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities," Formula 1 and the FIA said in a statement.

"With the assistance of the local organiser of the British Grand Prix, local health authorities and the FIA COVID-19 delegate, a full track and trace initiative has been undertaken and all close contacts have been quarantined," the statement added.

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Agencies
January 9,2020

The World Bank says that a lack of credit and drop in private consumption have led to a gloomy growth outlook for India with a steep cut in growth rate for the current fiscal year and only a modest gain projected for the next year.

India's growth rate is forecast to be only 5 per cent for the current fiscal year, weighed down by a growth of only 4.5 per cent in the July-September quarter, according to the 2020 Global Economic Prospects report released on Wednesday.

"In India, [economic] activity was constrained by insufficient credit availability, as well as by subdued private consumption," the Bank said.

The growth rate is forecast by the Bank to pick up to 5.8 per cent in the next fiscal year and to 6.1 per cent in 2021-22.

India's growth rate was 6.8 per cent in 2018-19.

The 5 per cent growth rate projection for the current financial year is a sharp cut of 2.5 per cent from the 7.5 per cent forecast made by the Bank in January last year, toppling it from the rank of the world's fastest growing economy.

India's performance follows a global trend of lowered growth weighed down by developed economies.

The report estimated world economic growth rate to be only 2.4 per cent last year and forecast it to edge up 0.1 per cent to 2.5 per cent in the current year.

Even with the lower growth rate of 5 per cent in the current fiscal year and 5.8 per cent forecast for the next, India holds the second rank among large economies, behind only China with an estimated growth rate of 6.1 per cent for 2019 and 5.9 per cent this year.

The report blamed "weak confidence, liquidity issues in the financial sector" and "weakness in credit from non-bank financial companies" for India's slowdown.

The Bank predicated India's recovery to 5.8 per cent in the coming financial year for India but "on the monetary policy stance remaining accommodative" and the assumption that "the stimulative fiscal and structural measures already taken will begin to pay off."

It also warned that sharper-than-expected slowdown in major external markets such as United States and Europe, would affect South Asia through trade, financial, and confidence channels, especially for countries with strong trade links to these economies."

The Bank said that the growth of advanced economies was 1.6 per cent last year and "is anticipated to slip to 1.4 per cent in 2020 in part due to continued softness in manufacturing."

In contrast the growth of emerging market and developing countries is expected to accelerate from 3.5 per cent last year to 4.1 per cent this year, the report said.

In South Asia, Bangladesh is estimated to have the highest growth rate of 7.2 per cent in the current fiscal year, although down from 8.1 per cent last fiscal year.

But its higher regional growth rates are coming off a lower base with a per capital gross domestic product of $1,698 compared to $2,010 for India.

Bangladesh is expected to grow by 7.3 per cent in the next financial year.

Pakistan's growth rate is estimated at only 2.4 per cent in the current fiscal year and is projected to rise to 3 per cent in the next, according to the Bank.

The Bank blamed monetary tightening in Pakistan for a sharp deceleration in fixed investment and a considerable softening in private consumption for the fall in growth rate from 3.3 per cent in the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Sri Lanka's growth rate was estimated to be 2.7 per cent last year and forecast to grow to 3.3 per cent this year.

Nepal grew by an estimated 6.4 per cent in the current fiscal year and will rise to 6.5 per cent in the next.

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News Network
March 13,2020

Bhopal, Mar 13: The Madhya Pradesh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Thursday decided to verify facts afresh in a complaint against former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and his family, in which they are accused of falsifying a property document while selling land.

The development came after Mr Scindia quit the Congress and joined the BJP on Wednesday. 22 MLAs who belong to his camp also resigned, threatening the survival of the Kamal Nath government in the state.

"Yes, an order has been given for re-verification of facts in the complaint filed by Surendra Shrivastava," an Economic Offences Wing official told PTI.

An EOW release said Mr Shrivastava on Thursday filed a new complaint against Mr Scindia and his family, alleging that by falsifying a registry document, they sold him a piece of land at Mahalgaon which was smaller by 6,000 sq feet than the original agreement in 2009.

He had lodged the complaint first on March 26, 2014. But it was investigated and closed in 2018, the EOW official said. "As he again petitioned us today, we will re-verify the facts," the officer said.

Jyotiraditya Scindia's close aide Pankaj Chaturvedi alleged that it was political vendetta.

"The case had been closed for want of evidence. Now for vengeance, it is being reopened. We have full faith in the Constitution and law. We will get justice and Kamal Nath government a befitting reply," Mr Chaturvedi said.

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