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Viswanathan Anand! are you Indian? HRD Ministry asks
(Sports) |
24-08-10
In another glaring example of red-tape, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry of the Indian Government ended up questioning the nationality of world chess champion, Viswanathan Anand.
It so happened that the University of Hyderabad had some time back requested clearance from the HRD Ministry to honour Viswanathan Anand and renowned mathematician David Mumford of Havard University with a honorary doctrate on Monday during the International Conference of Mathematics currently underway in Hyderabad.
The issue got complicated when the HRD Ministry raised doubts over the chess champion's nationality. The matter was not resolved even when copies of Anand's Indian passport were sent to the ministry.
So much so that even Anand refused to accept the doctrate in the wake of this controversy.
When the story broke out in the media, HRD Ministry Kapil Sibal was quick to react to the goof-up by his ministry. He spoke to Anand today (24-Aug-2010) and has apologized to him saying that there is no question over nationality. Kapil Sibal said that Anand has agreed to accept the doctrate.
Viswanathan Anand, born on 11 Dec 1969, is an Indian chess grandmaster and the current world chess champion since 2007. He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan that same year. |
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Heads roll within Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee
(Sports) |
06-08-10
The organizers get into damage control mode and heads roll at Commonwealth Games committee. Three senior officials of the Organizing Committee, involved in the London payment controvery, have been suspended. The treasurer has resigned.
The action has come in an obvious bid to save face after the media revealed a string of financial irregularities in the arrangements made for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
The Organizing Committee has also recommened the termination of the multi-million deal with SMAM, the Australian compnay and referred cases against its tainted officials for investigation by agencies.
Three high ranking officials
- Joint Director General T. S. Darbari
- Deputy Director General Sanjay Mahindroo, and
- Joint Director General (Finance and Account) M. Jayachandran
were suspended for their alleged role in the payments made for the arrangements at Queen's Baton Relay in London.
The decisions were taken in an emergency meeting of the executive body that had been convened to discuss the report submitted by the 3 member enquiry committee led by Jarnail Singh. The committe had investigated into the alleged irregularities payments for the Queen's Baton Relay program at London.
Treasure Anil Khanna submitted his resignation to the committee quoting "personal reasons". The resignation was accepted at the Board meeting. He was facing allegations in a contract for laying synthetic courts in the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association Complex, that had been bagged by his son's firm. |
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CWG - Common Wealth Games or Controversy Wala Games
(Sports) |
01-08-10
Clouds of controversy and reports of irregularities have shrouded the organization of the Commonwealth Games (CVG) in New Delhi. The government has already spent thousands of crores of rupees to ensure that a quality 12-day event is organized, but it seems to be headed towards being a controversy filled event.
Controversy first came to the fore when senior congress politician and sitting Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Mani Shankar Aiyar went public expressing his hope that the games would fail.
Then came the reports that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had launched an enquiry into the expenditures incurred. It was reportedly alledged that some medical equipment at the CWG village was purchased at 6 to 7 times its original cost. CVC has also found cases where prices were raised after the contracts were awarded.
The countries top sleuths - Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) - has also stepped in. The CBI says that it has also received numerous complaints from different channels.
Even while CWG Organizing Committee (OC) Chairman Suresh Kalmadi is organizing press conferences to say that there is no corruption in the preparations for the event, Times of India has carried a report quoting a CVC Official that fake safety certificates were routinely issued to pass sub-standard work and material. The report states that all certificates were issued without ground verification or technical examination.
In the latest addition to this list of controversies has put CWG OC on the block. Indian High Commission in Britain has denied Suresh Kalmadi's claim that IHC had recommended AM Cars and AM Films. The CWG committee has allegedly paid A M Films over £4.50 lakh (over Rs. 3.5 crore) without following proper tendering procedure or paperwork.
The athletes have not yet come, but one swimmer has already been hurt due to the sub-standard material and poor workmanship during a test event. |
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FIFA World Cup 2010: Ball - Forlan, Boot - Mueller, Glove - Casillas
(Sports) |
12-07-10
FIFA World Cup 2010 hosted in South Africa from 11 June-2010 to 11-July-2010 has ended with Spain emerging as the world champions.
The award winners of the tournament were...
Winner: Spain
Runners-Up: The Netherlands
Third: Germany
Fourth: Uruguay
The other awards at FIFA World Cup 2010 were as follows...
the adidas Golden Ball was won by Diego Forlan (Uruguay),
the adidas Golden Boot was lifted by Thomas Mueller (Germany)
adidas Golden Glove was taken by Iker Casillas the goalkeeper for Spain.
Thomas Mueller also won the Best Young Player Award. Spain was also crowned with the FIFA Fair Play Award.
Spain won a FIFA World tournament for the first time, in fact it was also the first time it played in the finals. It has become the eighth name on the FIFA World Cup Trophy. The runners-up, the Netherlands failed to win the Finals of a FIFA tournament for the third time in a row. |
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Spain lifts FIFA World Cup 2010 - Andres Iniesta scores the lone goal
(Sports) |
12-07-10
Spain has created history. It has won the FIFA World 2010 at South Africa.
This is the first time Spain has ever reached the Finals in FIFA. It has taken the home the World Cup in its very first attempt.
Spain beat Netherlands 1:0 in a game that extended into extra time. The winning goal was scored by the Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta in the 116th minute of the game.
"I can't quite believe this yet. I had the opportunity to score that goal that was so important for my team, and it's incredible." said an excited Iniesta.
The Spanish victory at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on 11-July-2010 has also put the the "Octopus Baba" on top. The eight legged oracle has predicted been correct all his eight predictions that he has made during FIFA World Cup 2010.
The octopus had predicted the fate each of the 7 games played by Germany and proved his authenticity by once again correctly predicting the World Cup champion. |
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FIFA World Cup 2010: Spain beats Germany 1:0 to play finals on 11-July-2010
(Sports) |
08-07-10
Spain sails past Germany through to the Finals of FIFA World 2010. It beat Germany 1:0 at Durban Stadium on Wednesday night to send the Germans packing home.
The lone goal of the match was headed into the net by Carles Puyol in the 74rd minute. He leapt above Gerard Pique to head the ball shot in by Xavi from a corner to give Spain this decisive goal. Xavi has been named man of the match.
This is the third successive game won by Spain with a 1:0 score. Round of 16 against Portugal, quarter finals against Paraguay and now semi-finals against Germany of FIFA World Cup 2010 have each been won by Spain on a 1:0 score.
This victory has given Spain its first chance to play for the Finals of FIFA World Cup. They will meet Netherlands at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg at 20:30 on 11-July-2010 (00:00 of 12-July-2010 Indian Time) in an attempt to conquer the World Championship.
Germany will play against Uruguay for the third place in the event same time on 10-July-2010 at Port Elizabeth. |
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Netherlands beats Uruguay at semi-finals of FIFA World Cup 2010
(Sports) |
07-07-10
The Netherlands make it to the Finals of FIFA World Cup 2010 after beating Uruguay 3:2 in an exciting semi-final match at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium.
In the 18th minute of the game, Dutch captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst broke the ice with a superb left foot shot that Uruguay's goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was unable to prevent from entering the goal.
Minutes before the break time, captain Diego Forlan struck for Uruguay and equalized the goals to 1:1 at half time.
In the second half, Holland scored two quick goals in the 70th minute (Wesley Sneijder) and 73rd minute (Arjen Robben), tilting the game completely in their favour. 2 minutes into stoppage time after 90 minutes Maximiliano Pereira scored for Uruguay bringing the score to 3:2.
The second team for the Finals will be decided today at Durban. Germany and Spain will fight it out at Durban Stadium. |
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FIFA World Cup 2010: Spain beats Paraguay - books date with Germany for semi-finals
(Sports) |
04-07-10
A shot into the goal in the dying minutes of the game by David Villa, booked a semi-finals slot for Spain at FIFA World Cup 2010. Spain will now play against Germany in the Semi Final match scheduled for 07-July-2010.
The game Spain v/s Paraguay at Ellis Park Stadium Johannesburg was the last of the quarter-final games.
The goal by David Villa in the 83rd minute of the game has made him the highest goal scorer of this year's world cup tournament at South Africa.
He has become the only player with 5 goals to his credit out, making him the top contender for the Adidas Golden Boot. He has played 5 games in the tournmanet.
Earlier Germany has already beat Argentina 4:0 to make it into the Semi-Finals.
Sixty matches have been played so far in the tournament, including 48 group matches, 8 matches in the round of 16 and 4 quarter finals.
The next two games will be played...- Uruguay v/s Netherlands on 6/July/2010 at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town
- Germany v/s Spain on 07/July/2010 at Durban Stadium in Durban
David Villa's nearest competition for the Adidas Golden Boot are Thomas Mueller of Germany with 4 goals and 3 assists and Wesley Sneijder of Netherlands with 4 goals and 1 assist. |
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FIFA World Cup 2010 - Germany wins quarterfinal against Argentina
(Sports) |
03-07-10
Germany graduates to the semi-finals of FIFA World Cup 2010 by trouncing Argentina 4 goals to nil.
Argentina which had not lost any match in the tournament so far just could not stand up to the Germans today at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. Germany's Thomas Mueller headed the ball into the net in the very beginning of the game - 3rd minute.
The Argentinans were never able to recover from this shock. The Germans bettered their lead in the second half. Miroslav Klose struck in the 68th minute followed by Arne Friedrick in the 74th minute. The last goal of the match was shot by Miroslave Klose in the 89th minute, making the the 2nd for this player in the match.
The last quarter-final is scheduled to start at mid-night (Indian time) between Paraguay and Spain. The winner of this match will face Germany in the semi-finals on 7th July. |
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Netherlands and Uruguay enter semi-finals of FIFA World Cup 2010
(Sports) |
03-07-10
Netherlands and Uruguay win on 2-July-2010 and will play the first Semi-Finals of FIFA World Cup due on 06-July-2010.
Unable to maintain their early lead, Brazil loses 2-1 to The Netherlands in the first quarterfinal match of FIFA World Cup 2010 on 2-July-2010.
Playing at Port Elizabeth Stadium in Nelson Mandela Bay / Port Elizabeth, the Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder struck in the 68th minute to score his country's second goal with a header that buried Brazilian dream of winning the World Cup.
Robinho scored an early goal for Brazil only 10th minutes into the game. Everything was going in favour of Brazil until the 53rd minute, when a own goal by Brazil's Felipe Melo turned the tables.
Sneijder was elected Man of the Match and Netherlands became the first team to move into the semi-finals.
In the second match, Uruguay defeated Ghana, 4:2 after having to play a Penalty Shoot Out after the play in extra time ended in a 1:1 tie.
Sulley Muntari scored first for Ghana during the stoppage time play of the first half. This lead was neutralized by Diego Forlan in the 55th minute.
The teams played extra time of 30 minutes, but neither teams scored any goals. Finally, Uruguay won 4:2. It will compete in the semi-finals with Netherlands on 06-July-2010. |
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