1. Tokyo 2020 Committee Officially Launches Olympic Mascots.
apan`s superhero-like mascots for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games made their formal debut at a ceremony in Tokyo on Sunday.
Miraitowa, a big-eyed, blue-checked character, will be the official Olympic mascot. Organizers said the name was a combination of the Japanese words for future and eternity, expressing "hope for a bright future stretching off forever."
The pink, pointy-eared Paralympic counterpart was christened Someity, which comes from the word for Japan`s iconic cherry blossoms and also sounds a bit like the English words "so mighty," officials noted.
2. Lewis Hamilton Wins German Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton took a sensational victory in a thrilling, rain-hit German Grand Prix as Ferrari`s Sebastian Vettel crashed out to gift the Mercedes driver a 17-point lead in their championship battle.
Vettel had been cruising to victory ahead of Hamilton`s team-mate Valtteri Bottas until rain started to fall with about 25 laps to go.
The downpour, affecting only part of the track, turned the race on its head and brought Hamilton into the mix when he had been looking at a fourth-place finish after starting 14th following a hydraulic failure in qualifying.
Hamilton began to carve into the advantage of the three leading drivers - Vettel, his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and Bottas - as chaos erupted down the field.
And then, as the rain became heavier, Vettel lost control at the Sachs Kurve hairpin in Hockenheim`s Stadium section in front of tens of thousands of his home fans, bringing out the safety car.
The four-time champion swore over the radio as he took in the potential damage to his title hopes.
Hamilton pulled away at the front following the safety car period, but only after Bottas was told to back off an initial challenge and hold position.
Behind the Mercedes one-two, Raikkonen took third while Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull despite making two pit stops to change tyres in three laps amid the confusion caused by the rain.
It was a remarkable result in a remarkable race, which had started as a damage-limitation exercise and ended with Hamilton`s 66th career victory - and one of his best.
"Get in there, Lewis," his engineer Peter Bonnington said as the chequered flag fell. "Miracles do happen."
"Great job by you guys," Hamilton said, but it had been far from smooth sailing for the world champion.
3. Olympic Medalists To Now Receive Rs 20,000 Pension Per Month.
Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore announced that the rate of pension for sportspersons who have won medals in international competitions and have retired from active sports, has been doubled from April 1.
In a written reply in Lok Sabha on Thursday, Rathore said at present the government gives lifelong pension to 588 players under the scheme of ‘Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons.`
According to the revised rates, Olympic and Para Olympic medallists will get a sum of Rs 20,000 per month each, while gold medallists at World Cups and World Championships in Olympic and Asian Games disciplines will receive Rs 16,000 per month.
Silver and bronze medallists at World Cups in Olympic and Asian Games disciplines will receive a sum of Rs 14,000 per month and an equal amount is payable to gold medallists of the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Para Asian Games.
Silver and bronze medallists of the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Para Asian Games will receive Rs 12,000 per month.