INTERNATIONAL
International Yoga Day
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday joined thousands practising yoga at the Rajpath in New Delhi and said the International Yoga Day on June 21 was the start of a new era for training the human mind for peace and harmony.
Speaking at a function marking the start of the International Yoga Day at the Rajpath, Modi said yoga is not only an exercise to make the body flexible but a path for inner development.
It marks a new era of training of human mind for peace and harmony, said Modi who wore a white T-shirt and was seen doing yoga as well.
About 37,000 people are taking part in the yoga programme on the Rajpath.
Modi began his speech by asking: Did anybody ever think that Rajpath can become Yogpath.
United Nations is celebrating International Yoga divas today. I think it is not any other day, but an effort to achieve peace and harmony.
I bow to the gurus who have kept this tradition alive since centuries, he said.
He said: Yoga is not a physical activity, if that would have been the case, then people working in circus would have been yogis.
The prime minister recalled the contribution of ancient sages, yoga gurus and practitioners across the world through the ages, for making yoga what it is, today.
He said that as mankind advances in various spheres of development and technology, individual human beings must progress too, and yoga offered an avenue for this.
Yoga is not merely an exercise, but offers an opportunity for balancing the mind and body, and can help harness an individuals inner strength, he said.
He acknowledged all countries across the world who are observing International Yoga Day and the 177 countries which co-sponsored the resolution in the United Nations for adopting June 21 as International Yoga Day.
Earlier the PM took to twitter to greet people around the world, on the first International Day of Yoga.
Greetings to people around the world on 1st International Day of Yoga! Lets pledge to make Yoga an integral part of our daily lives, he tweeted.
While the main function was held at Rajpath, events related to the International Yoga Day events were held across cities, towns and districts in the country.
Yoga day events are also being held in 192 countries, including in the Arab world.
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The Tigers have almost confirmed their ticket to the 2017 Champions Trophy with Thursdays 79-run win that gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, taking the cricket world by storm.
Nawaz suspects India lost the match intentionally to ensure Pakistan do not get a place in the next Champions Trophy to be held in England and Wales.
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The IRA apologized this week ten years ago for killing a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Londonderry more than 30 years ago. The IRA blamed the Army for shooting Kathleen Feeney near her Brandywell home in 1973, and claimed later it killed a soldier in retaliation. The Army had said a patrol came under fire in Quarry Street, but insisted none of the soldiers opened fire. In a statement in the Derry Journal newspaper, the IRA said that one of its members shot the teenager.
The IRA said it apologised unreservedly for what happened and admitted that its failure to accept responsibility for the killing added to the familys hurt and pain.
