Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony begins
Tokyo, Aug 8: Held amid the unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic, the 32nd Olympic Games began drawing to an end on Sunday with a closing ceremony that sought to give the message of moving forward.
The ceremony opened with a video that looked back on the 17 days of events and competition.
Fireworks went off at the stadium to mark the beginning of the final chapter in which the organisers "expressed gratitude for the countless individuals who lent us their strength and helped us make it to the Closing Ceremony."
This was followed by Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach's appearance in the official stand.
The focus of the opening video was not records and scores but the valiant efforts of all the athletes, who competed in a strictly enforced bio-bubble, undergoing daily COVID-19 tests.
The salient message of the ceremony was that the Games will open the door to a brighter future.
India certainly could look towards that brighter future after claiming its best ever haul of seven medal, including their first gold medal in 13 years, from javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who is also going back as the country's first track-and-field medallist at the Games
The country's haul also had two silver and four bronze medals.
Photo Courtesy: @Tokyo2020 | Twitter
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14 arrested in JNU protest case
New Delhi (PTI): Fourteen protesters were arrested in connection with a demonstration at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here on Thursday evening, police said.
Those held JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aditi Mishra, vice president Gopika Babu, former president Nitish Kumar, and joint secretary Danish Ali, among others, they said.
Police said an FIR has been registered under sections 132/3(5) (assault or criminal force), 221 (obstructing public servant) and 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station.
ALSO READ: Police, students injured in clash during JNUSU protest march, over 50 detained
The arrests followed an attempted march by JNUSU members, who had gathered at Sabarmati T-Point on the campus and sought to move towards the education ministry as part of ongoing protests over JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit's recent remarks on a podcast over the implementation of UGC norms, rustication of JNUSU office bearers, and the proposed Rohith Act.
Police personnel, however, stopped the protesters at the heavily barricaded university gates, leading to a scuffle.
A total of 51 protesters, including Mishra and Kumar, were detained on Thursday evening, with Delhi Police claiming that the students resorted to physical assault, injuring several of its personnel, during the confrontation.
In a statement, the students' union called for a complete university strike and reiterated allegations of police excess during the march.
It claimed that 13 students, including three office-bearers, were detained and several students were "brutally attacked and injured", while a portrait of B. R. Ambedkar was damaged during the police action.
Among its demands, the JNUSU has sought the immediate and unconditional release of all, resignation of the vice-chancellor, action against police personnel over the alleged desecration of Ambedkar's portrait, and withdrawal of proctorial actions and FIRs against student activists.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) had earlier condemned the police action.
