Mangaluru, May 29 : As many as 30 surfers from various surfing schools in the country will brave the difficult and testing monsoon waves of the Arabian Sea at the inaugural 'Monsoon Surf Challenge' being hosted at the Panambur beach here from June 2-7.

Conceptualised and hosted by Mantra Surf Club -- India's first surf school, the event is being organised by the Kanara Surfing and Water Promotion Council and carries a winner's cheque of Rs 75000 while the runner's up gets richer by Rs 50,000.

The event is sanctioned by the Surfing Federation of India and has support from corporate houses and government bodies like the TT Group, Firefox Cycles, Union Bank of India, Mangalore Refinery Petrochemical Ltd, Mangalore Chemical Fertilizers and New Mangalore Port Trust Ltd.

The Mantra Surf Club aims to make the ‘Monsoon Surf Challenge' an annual affair to be hosted just after the Indian Open of Surfing every year.

"We are happy to see this unique event taking place in Mangalore for top surfers in India, our aim is to continuously promote Mangalore as a premier surfing destination in the country. This event will provide a platform for top Indian surfers to challenge themselves during the famed monsoon surf season," Kanara Surfing and Water Promotion Council Secretary Gaurav Hegde said.



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Shreveport(US) (AP): A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in shootings at two different homes early Sunday in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in more than two years, police in Shreveport said.

The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old, said Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon. A total of 10 were shot and some of the children were related to the suspect, Bordelon said.

The gunman later died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect, Bordelon said. The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police, according to Bordelon.

Police did not release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male. The shootings were the result of a “domestic disturbance,” Bordelon said.

Officials said they were still gathering details at the crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — the two homes and a third location.

“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.

“I just don't know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”

“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It's a terrible morning.”

Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.

State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.

Louisiana Gov Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We're deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.