Brisbane, Australia – Australian teenager Destanee Aiava created a slice of history Tuesday when she became the first player born in the 2000s to win a main draw match on the WTA Tour.
The 16-year-old Aiava beat fellow qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Brisbane International in a rain-delayed match.
After play was halted Monday night with Aiava leading 3-0 and 40-15 in the third set, the young Australian overcame nerves and a Mattek-Sands fightback to move into a second round clash against veteran Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Aiava will create further history at the Australian Open later this month when she becomes the first player born in the 2000s to play in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament.
Born in Australia to rugby-loving Samoan parents who knew nothing of tennis, Aiava began playing the sport at the age of five after watching Serena Williams in the Australian Open.
“I think it was just her vibe,” she said of Serena.
“Like, I couldn’t feel it from the other side of the TV, but it was just, like, her energy, and that kind of drew me to the sport.” Aiava’s powerful physique has drawn comparisons with Serena, and the teenager admitted that she has based her game on the American superstar.
“Not so much a girl’s game – more a guy’s game,” she said. “More variety.” Aiava said that nerves had got the better of her at the start of the match, played on Showcourt One in front of full stands.
“I was pretty nervous playing in front of that many people. I have never played in front of such a big crowd before,” she said.
“I think the first set of the match I started off pretty bad.
“I think coming out, onto the court, I need to work on not being so tight and feeling the pressure.
“But as the match progressed, I felt a little bit more relaxed.”
SINGAPORE – Irfan Fandi has big shoes to fill. As the son of local football hero Fandi Admad, he is touted as one of Singapore’s most promising football talents.
The 19-year-old is also the new face of Singapore’s anti-drug campaign, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) announced on Tuesday (Jan 3).
Irfan Fandi, who was named by the Guardian as one of the 40 best young talents in world football in 2014, will feature on the campaign’s Facebook and Instagram accounts (CNB.DrugfreeSG).
In a video uploaded on the social media accounts, the Home United player explains why he chooses to remain drug-free.
The campaign is targeted at youths, who are urged to share their reasons to stay drug-free on social media with the hashtag “#IAmDrugFreeBecause…”.
CNB has been taking a softer approach to target youths.
Besides getting celebrities like Taufik Batisah to sing songs like ‘High On Love’ (and not get high on other things, geddit?), CNB has also conducted roadshows giving away a dessert it calls “Tio Smoke’s Dragon’s Breath cups”.
SINGAPORE – Irfan Fandi has big shoes to fill. As the son of local football hero Fandi Admad, he is touted as one of Singapore’s most promising football talents.
The 19-year-old is also the new face of Singapore’s anti-drug campaign, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) announced on Tuesday (Jan 3).
Irfan Fandi, who was named by the Guardian as one of the 40 best young talents in world football in 2014, will feature on the campaign’s Facebook and Instagram accounts (CNB.DrugfreeSG).
In a video uploaded on the social media accounts, the Home United player explains why he chooses to remain drug-free.
The campaign is targeted at youths, who are urged to share their reasons to stay drug-free on social media with the hashtag “#IAmDrugFreeBecause…”.
CNB has been taking a softer approach to target youths.
Besides getting celebrities like Taufik Batisah to sing songs like ‘High On Love’ (and not get high on other things, geddit?), CNB has also conducted roadshows giving away “Tio Smoke’s Dragon’s Breath cups”.
SINGAPORE: A smarter and more energy-efficient street lighting system will be installed island-wide by 2022, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a press release on Tuesday (Jan 3).
As part of the new system, all street lights will be converted to light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which according to LTA are about 25 per cent more energy-efficient than current street lighting.
LTA will also replace the existing timer-based street lighting system with a remote control and monitoring system to allow the system to be more responsive to weather changes.
Currently, street lights operate according to pre-programmed seasonal sunrise and sunset times.
With the new system, LTA will be able to switch street lights on and off remotely in response to weather conditions and other lighting needs.
The system also has automated fault detection and alert capabilities, which enable a more responsive and efficient maintenance regime, said LTA.
Trial for medium-powered LED street lights at Tekka Lane. (Photo: LTA)
Trial for medium-powered LED street lights at West Coast Highway. (Photo: LTA)
The implementation of LEDs was based on findings from trials LTA conducted for medium- and high-powered LED lights.
In addition to being more energy-efficient, LED lighting is more reliable and requires less frequent replacement, hence reducing maintenance and manpower costs, LTA said.
Since 2014, LED lighting has been installed for approximately 4,000 street lights.
LTA said it will call tenders to replace all 25,000 street lights in central Singapore with LED street lights by 2019. These include areas like Rochor Road, New Bridge Road and Kallang Road, said LTA.
Street lights in all other areas will be replaced by 2022.
China’s hard work in trying to ensure the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula is obvious to all, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday after US President-elect Donald Trump said Beijing was not helping to control North Korea.
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, speaking at a regular press briefing, also urged the United States to recognise the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue after Trump left open the possibility of meeting Taiwan’s president if she visits the United States after he is sworn in on Jan. 20.
A shop owner shows a customer a live chicken for sale in the Wanchai markets of Hong Kong on December 30, 2016
Hong Kong on Friday confirmed its second human case of bird flu this season, days after an elderly man died of the virus. / AFP PHOTO / ISAAC LAWRENCE
BEIJING – Health authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guizhou have confirmed a new human case of H7N9 avian influenza, state radio said, bringing the total number of human infections of the highly pathogenic strain to 19 this winter.
The 49-year old man, who is a chicken trader, was being treated in hospital in Qiannan prefecture, the report said on Sunday (Jan 1). The local authorities were taking precautions to try and prevent the infection from spreading, the report said.
A total of 19 people have been infected with bird flu in China so far this winter, all with the H7N9 strain, killing at least three of them.
Regional fears of a major bird flu outbreak have been raised by a record outbreak of avian influenza in poultry in South Korea as well as infections in birds in Japan.
The last major bird flu outbreak in mainland China – from late 2013 to early 2014 – killed 36 people and led to more than US$6 billion (S$8.7 billion) in losses for the agricultural sector.
China has culled more than 170,000 birds in four provinces since October and closed some live poultry markets after people and birds were infected by strains of the avian flu. The outbreak among poultry has been the H5N6 type, another highly pathogenic strain of the disease.
However, The H7N9 strain is highly pathogenic in humans, causing severe respiratory disease, but is not virulent among birds, making it nearly impossible for farmers to detect, experts said.
China’s Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday the recent outbreaks of bird flu have been handled in a “timely and effective” manner without spreading and have not affected chicken products or prices.
Five year old Sunderland fan and cancer patient Bradley Lowery (L) warms up with Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa ahead of the English Premier League football match between Sunderland and Chelsea at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, north-east England on December 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /
LONDON – A five-year-old Sunderland fan who has terminal cancer was adjudged joint winner of the BBC’s December goal of the month award.
Bradley Lowery, who earlier this season had his name chanted by Sunderland and Everton fans in the fifth minute of their match in which he led the Black Cats out, beat Chelsea reserve goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from the penalty spot at half-time of their Premier League game last month.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa had given the youngster advice on the best way to beat his team-mate.
Lowery, who received 250,000 Christmas cards following his penalty, shared the award with Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan and beat the likes of Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez.
“We have woken up this morning to the news that Bradley’s goal got joint goal of the month,” his mother Gemma told the Sunderland Echo.
“We can’t actually believe this and would like to thank every single one of you for your support. This is a very special moment for us and something we can treasure forever.”
The Sunderland fanatic was diagnosed in 2013 with stage four neuroblastoma, which attacks the nervous system, but was told he was in remission in December 2014 after several operations and a first bout of chemotherapy.
But the cancer returned.
Last year more than £700,000 ($1.25 million) was raised to pay for treatment in the United States, including a donation of £200,000 from Everton following their match against Sunderland.
His family however were later told his cancer had spread and that treatment would only help to prolong his life.
In the light of the gloomy economic outlook, voluntary welfare organisations (VWO) in Singapore must come up with “innovative ways” to attract donors, said Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society (THK) chairman Lee Kim Siang.
At Junction 8 in Bishan yesterday, THK launched a roadshow highlighting its services, with an example of such innovation – the introduction of two claw machines that offer users a chance to win stuffed toys at $2 a try.
The money raised will go towards services such as THK’s free meal centres and free clinics, which do not receive government funding.
Mr Lee said the roadshow and the machines were a “minor expenditure” to attract people to find out more about THK’s services and programmes. An anonymous donor sponsored about $10,000 to buy 10 claw machines.
VWOs, Mr Lee said, must raise awareness of what they are doing to help the needy, adding that THK had not yet been affected by the sluggish economy.
“We are OK. In good times and bad times, people help us,” he said. He added that, during this time, the public may be more likely to help bigger VWOs which they are more familiar with.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, agreed that VWOs could do more to raise funds, given the economic slowdown. He said: “Creative methods of fund raising could be one way.”
Other charities are also looking at innovative ways of reaching out.
During the Christmas season, private-hire car service Uber roped in drivers to collect toys and books to donate to the Singapore Red Cross, while HCA Hospice Care aims to hold a golf tournament this year.
THK’s roadshow and claw machines will be at Junction 8 until Sunday. From Jan 16, they will be at AMK Hub in Ang Mo Kio, as well as Northpoint in Yishun, for between one and three months.
In the future, THK hopes to place the machines at other malls, as well as places such as community centres and swimming complexes.
Mr Prakash Gedam, whose two children tried out the claw machines at Junction 8, said it was a good way to raise funds. Said the 41-year-old, who works in a bank: “The kids can enjoy themselves while the parents give to charity.”
azhaki@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Jan 03, 2016. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
The issue of seat-hogging has become a perennial bugbear whenever exam season rolls around.
From airport lounges to cafes and even hospitals, the sight of students crowding into public areas to study for hours at a go has drawn the ire of some members of the public, with numerous complaints filed about the issue over the years.
Now, some entrepreneurs are offering alternatives: pay-per-use study areas that function much like co-working spaces.
For a flat fee, students can secure a desk space to study for hours at a stretch, and have access to Wi-Fi and power points, and even beverages and snacks.
Most of the “co-study areas” that offer such services charge an average of $1 an hour, with cheaper rates if one books a seat for longer stretches of time.
Last July, entrepreneur Tan En Wei, 23, started a study area called Desk Next Door, which can accommodate up to 18 people, in a Housing Board shophouse in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.
The idea for the service came from his own experiences when he was a polytechnic student.
“I couldn’t study at home when I was a student, but when I went out to study, it was hard to get a space in fast-food restaurants or libraries, and you might get chased out during peak hours,” said Mr Tan.
Response to Desk Next Door, which is also open to working adults, has been good, with about 30 to 40 students using the space every week during the peak period of September to November.
A spokesman for The Study Area, which started in July 2015 and now operates two study spaces in Tai Seng and Kovan, said it expects to be “expanding quite aggressively” in the next few years, with plans to open one to three units this year.
Each of its study areas can accommodate 30 students, and it is open 24 hours a day, with rates of $12 for a 12-hour slot, or $18 for a full-day slot. It is also open to adults and freelancers.
The spokesman said that, during peak season last year, almost all of of its 60 12-hour slots at its two centres were taken up.
He said The Study Area also hopes to provide opportunities for networking between adults and students, shaping it into a community space similar to co-working spaces.
The idea for such set-ups came from reports about the need for study space, said the spokesman.
Other organisations such as Sky High Educators, an education services start-up, rented space from a co-working space run by a marketing firm at International Plaza.
As part of a pilot programme funded by self-help group Yayasan Mendaki, it provided a study space for 15 undergraduates over five days in November at a rate of $5 for five hours.
Sky High’s owner, Mr Faris Abdul Malik, 24, a Nanyang Technological University student, said it hopes to expand the self-study programme this year.
Mr Harith Sulaiman, 25, who is doing a mechanical engineering degree at PSB Academy, said he started going to The Study Area last August. “I used to study at cafes like Starbucks and would always end up paying for a drink or two, so I might as well use study spaces like this. It’s cheaper and not noisy at all,” he said.
Anyone who has used Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation in mobile apps or vehicles may have noticed that the location data can be inaccurate and “jumpy”.
Given this, how do driverless or autonomous vehicles – which require great accuracy – manage to navigate safely? In Singapore, the answer lies partly with a local network of reference stations.
The Singapore Satellite Positioning Reference Network (Sirent) uses eight powerful antennae across the country to correct satellite data for real-time precision of up to 3cm accuracy (see graphic).
It is currently used by “auto riders” – self-driving shuttle buses – at Gardens by the Bay, and autonomous vehicle trials in one-north.
The Singapore Land Authority’s (SLA) Sirent was set up in 2006, but updated in 2015 to use global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data from several countries’ satellites, not just the United States’ GPS data.
With more potential satellites, users are more likely to get the required clear line of sight to satellites from any particular point.
Sirent’s system processes and corrects satellite data to give a constantly updated, accurate position, which is used mainly for surveying and mapping. The Singapore Turf Club even uses it to ensure accurate lane markings on race tracks.
But with its real-time updates and precision, Sirent could also help Singapore’s smart-city push in areas such as autonomous vehicles, said SLA deputy director of land survey, Dr Victor Khoo.
“When you want to automate something, you first need to know its position,” he said.
Regular GPS technology, as seen in mobile phones, is inadequate for autonomous vehicles as its accuracy is within a few metres, he added.
Instead, Sirent’s GNSS capabilities are used alongside technologies such as sensors and lasers so that the vehicles can navigate with an accuracy of mere centimetres.
Laser scanning and cameras are necessary for capturing surrounding data relative to the vehicle’s position, noted Dr Khoo.
But real-time kinematic navigation – the method which relies on Sirent – pinpoints the vehicle’s actual position on the roads.
Satellite positioning is also more suitable for locations such as Gardens by the Bay, said autonomous vehicle expert Niels de Boer.
Laser-based systems need clear, defined edges to work well – and “trees don’t have sharp edges”, said Mr de Boer, programme director for future mobility solutions (autonomous vehicles) at Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute.
Many other countries do not have the benefit of a central set-up such as Sirent, he noted.
If someone wants to use corrected satellite data, they would have to buy their own system and servers, which could cost US$80,000 (S$116,000) to US$100,000.
“By having this system available for the whole of Singapore, it saves a lot of money,” Mr de Boer added.
Sirent is also helping construction firms work smarter, in pinpointing where to put foundation piles.
This was done last year for public flats in Bidadari and Punggol, for instance, by building firm S C Ang Consortium.
Agency for Science, Technology and Research scientist Sivanand Krishnan, who is helping with the project, said this method improves productivity fourfold, measured in man-hours.
Graphic showing how the Singapore Satellite Positioning Reference Network (Sirent) uses eight powerful local antennae across the country to correct the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data received from international satellites.Photo: The Straits Times
This article was first published on Jan 3, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
