Olympic boxing qualifier in China scrapped over virus: report
Tokyo:A boxing qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for next month in China's Wuhan will be cancelled over the outbreak of a new virus, Japan's Kyodo news agency said Wednesday.
Citing organisers, Kyodo said the qualifiers would be rescheduled and moved from Wuhan, where the outbreak of the new strain of coronavirus is believed to have begun.
There was no independent confirmation from the organisers, and Japan's boxing federation said it was waiting to hear from the International Olympic Committee on the reported cancellation.
Kyodo said the IOC was expected to announce a new host and schedule for the qualifiers.
Boxing has struggled in the run-up to the 2020 Games, and was almost excluded from the Olympic programme after a series of scandals.
The amateur boxing body AIBA was stripped of the right to organise the Olympic competition and replaced with a special taskforce. Other measures have been introduced to rebuild trust in the sport, including a more transparent judging system.
The reported cancellation comes as China said the new strain of coronavirus has killed nine people and infected at least 440 others in the country.
Cases have also been reported outside China, in countries including the United States, South Korea, Japan and Thailand.
The coronavirus has caused alarm for its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
Several countries have already stepped up monitoring measures for visitors coming from China, and the World Health Organisation will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday on whether to declare a rare global public health emergency over the virus.
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Annamalai questions Naxals surrender policy in Karnataka
Udupi (Karnataka), Jan 11: Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has raised concerns over the Naxal surrender and rehabilitation policy in Karnataka, questioning its effectiveness and transparency.
Annamalai, who had served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Udupi between January 2015 and August 2016 and as SP Chikkamagaluru, considered a hotbed of Naxals in Karnataka, in 2018, had convened a press conference in Udupi on Saturday.
According to him, while the policy aims to reintegrate former Naxals into mainstream society, doubts persist regarding its implementation.
He pointed out that surrender and encounter cases have sparked widespread speculation, with many questioning the circumstances under which these events unfolded.
"The recent Naxals surrenders, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, raise several questions. The process, which involves surrenders in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, appears to have been made too easy for Naxals," he said.
Annamalai also questioned the credibility of the surrender process, stating that the government's approach could create doubts about the policy's integrity. He cited the case of Vikram Gowda's encounter, which has triggered concerns among locals.
"There are reports that the Chief Minister himself was involved in the surrender process, and weapons were displayed in a remote forested location. The public is finding it difficult to believe this narrative," he added.
The remarks come amid growing debates on the handling of Naxal issues in Karnataka, with political leaders and activists weighing in on the government's approach to surrender.
Annamalai was in Udupi to launch "Samvidhana Badalayisisddu Yaaru?" (Who changed the Constitution?), authored by Vikas Kumar P, at an event organised by the Citizens for Social Justice today.
Taking to 'X' post the event, Annamalai wrote, "This book highlights the numerous amendments made during the Congress regime, which sought to undermine our citizens' fundamental rights, civic liberties, and even the very meaning of the Preamble."
He had also posted on X that he met today and received blessings from the current Paryaya Swami, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Sugunendra Theerth Swamiji, of Jagadguru Sri Madhwaachaarya Moola Mahaa Samsthaanam, Shri Puthige Matha, Udupi.
