MUMBAI: A plane that had been grounded in France for days over concerns its nearly 300 mostly Indian passengers were part of a human trafficking scheme has landed in Mumbai, flight tracking data showed early on Tuesday (Dec 26). The Airbus A340 initially had been bound for Nicaragua when itContinue Reading
Getty ImagesIf you’ve heard of Harmanpreet Kaur, it’s likely you’re familiar with her epochal 171 not-out in India’s unlikely win in the 2017 ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia.
Or that she is the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, the first and only woman to hit a T20 century for India and the first cricketer from the country to get a contract in an overseas franchise-league.
Impressive as the legacy is, Kaur, 34, has added a raft of firsts to her name in 2023 alone – the 15th year of her international career.
In February, she became the first cricketer to play 150 T20s and the first captain to lift the Women’s Premier League title the following month. Later in the year, she co-captained India to their first-ever Asian Games gold medal in cricket alongside Smriti Mandhana.
Wider recognition followed as Wisden named her one of its five cricketers of the year, a first for an Indian woman; BBC’s 100 influential women of the year line-up featured her, as did TIME magazine on its 100 Next list.
The burgeoning bouquet of accolades is a reflection of Kaur’s peak influence in her field. It also coincides with a time the women’s game continues to break new ground in cricket-obsessed India and beyond.
“She’s an unbelievably talented cricketer and has showcased that for an extended period of time,” Australia captain Alyssa Healy said. The two sides recently met for a test match in the financial city of Mumbai, which India won by eight wickets.
“But what she has done in leading this Indian side, and almost this new generation of Indian women cricket into the modern game, has been really amazing to watch.”
One of the small-town success stories of Indian cricket, Kaur hails from Moga, long dubbed the “drug capital” of Punjab. The oldest of three siblings, she was born into a Sikh family of meagre economic means and first played cricket with a hockey stick, with boys at a ground in her neighbourhood.
It was only after a teenaged Kaur first met her mentor, Kamaldheesh Singh Sodhi – a regular visitor at the ground – between 2006 and 2007, that her life was set on the cricketing track in earnest.
“She was a natural athlete whose potential found direction under my father,” Sodhi’s son, Yadwinder, also Kaur’s first coach, told the BBC. “Her fearless temper and genuine love for cricket has underpinned her appetite for getting better at the game, learning to hit those big sixes…and look how far it has brought her.”
A pivotal force in the surging popularity of women’s cricket in India, Kaur, alongside her vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, continues to elevate her status as a trailblazer in the country’s women’s sports.
“Every era has two or three such figures, and Harman has been in the driver’s seat for a few years now, especially since getting the captaincy in T20s [in 2016],” said former India captain Anjum Chopra.
“Stepping into full-time leadership across formats after the retirement of the legendary Mithali Raj last year has significantly elevated her standing.”
With over 6,500 runs in 290 international appearances, Kaur has led India to uncharted territories both at home and abroad.
In 2020, she guided them to their first T20 World Cup final, secured their inaugural ODI series win in England in almost 23 years during the summer multi-format tour, and won silver at the Commonwealth Games’ inaugural women’s cricket competition just weeks before.
“The most important thing that I remember about working with Harman was the way she was always looking to do things for the team,” former India head coach WV Raman said. “Her personal form wasn’t the best, and the harder she tried, the worse it got. But she was calm, receptive and quick to implement any feedback about her batting for the sake of the team.”
Kaur’s limited-overs prowess remains the cornerstone of her cricketing clout. But in December, she made good on a rare Test-playing opportunity, too.
On Test captaincy debut, she deployed refreshingly attacking ploys from the start and scored 49 and 44 not-out in India’s record 347-run victory against England in Navi Mumbai, the highest margin in women’s cricket ever. Over the weekend, she made history as the first captain to lead India Women to a Test victory against Australia in Mumbai
Ahead of the England Test, India’s first women’s Test on home soil in nearly a decade and Kaur’s fifth overall in the longest format, she made her view on personal milestones clear.
“I want this team to grow in a way that everyone says that this is the best team,” she said. “For me winning a World Cup is a dream … I don’t count my personal achievements to any level because I’m playing a team sport. If the team is doing well I’m happy.
“At the same time, when you’re not feeling great, you see people telling you, ‘You’ve done this and that,’ to make you feel good.”
One of the most belligerent batters in modern cricket, paradox underlines Kaur’s playing style as it does her personality. Poise and power define her batting, affable reticence her private demeanour, and the occasional inability to read the room her chequered time at office.
Issues concerning on-field conduct have dotted her career. In June, the latest incident, where Kaur smashed her stumps and criticised umpires during an ODI against hosts Bangladesh, resulted in a two-match ban imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
“You can be angry if you don’t feel a decision was right, but you can’t have an outburst in front of the world,” Chopra said. “That said, as an athlete, if you trade the natural instincts that make you human and genuine for a picture-perfect, plastic personality, you cease to be relatable.”
Both Chopra and Raman believe the next three years or so might be Kaur’s best, and most consistent, yet.
“That’s because she’s gradually understanding herself better and is also aware of her cricket a lot more,” Raman said. “Plus, she knows that she’s got a bunch of cricketers who relate to the fact that she’s all for the development of the team and the individuals.”
The ingredients are in place for Kaur to leave an unrivalled legacy. If the stars align, it could be marked by India’s first senior women’s World Cup win, in the T20 edition in Bangladesh next year, at home in the ODI edition in 2025, or both.
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Since August, Emma Li has sent 300 job applications to companies in China. She has had four interviews. The 26-year-old, who will graduate from one of the top business schools in Europe next year, has struggled to find a job that meets her expectations during the “golden fall” recruitment periodContinue Reading
AFPA plane carrying about 275 Indian nationals who were held for days at an airport in France over human trafficking fears has arrived in India.
The chartered Airbus A340, which had been flying from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nicaragua, aroused suspicion after it stopped at an airport east of Paris to refuel.
It was allowed to leave on Monday but some passengers stayed in France.
The plane landed in Mumbai early on Tuesday local time.
The Legend Airlines flight had initially been prevented from leaving Châlons-Vatry Airport, about 130km (81 miles) from Paris, after authorities received an anonymous tip-off that some passengers might be victims of human trafficking.
Two of those on board were taken into custody, while a number of others requested asylum in France, according to sources.
Most are believed to be Indian citizens working in the UAE.
French authorities reportedly suspected that the people on board might have travelling to Nicaragua before attempting to enter the US or Canada.
It was not clear whether authorities had definitively determined that no crime had been committed before allowing the plane to leave.
It is also unclear why the flight went to Mumbai instead of resuming its journey to Nicaragua.
Legend Airlines is a Romanian charter airline with a fleet of four planes, according to the online flight tracker Flightradar.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Home Affairs published a tender on the government procurement website GeBIZ, calling for project management and consultancy services for redevelopment works at the park. The tender closed on Dec 21.
This also comes as road accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities in Singapore rose from 3,169 in the first half of 2022 to 3,542 in the same period this year.
Drink driving accidents spiked 21.4 per cent from 70 in the first half of 2022 to 85 in the same period this year as well. The traffic police flagged the rising number of accidents involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians as being “of continuing concern”.
The park’s somewhat dilapidated state may lead people to believe that it is abandoned, but this is far from the truth. Students from about 200 primary schools paid visits there last year; Primary 4 students form the bulk of visitors, though the occasional Primary 5 or 6 batch also turns up.
Their parents or even grandparents would have been among several past generations of Singaporeans who formed core memories at the park, which first opened at Kallang Park in 1961 amid an uptick in the number of vehicles and drivers on the road pre-independence.
The Traffic Games were held there annually. However, the Road Safety Park – as it was then called – had to close in 1967 due to the construction of the old National Stadium.
It reopened at its current location at 910 East Coast Parkway in 1981. It was renamed in 2002 to include the word “community”, as a reminder that everyone in the community has a part to play in road safety.
Students take on different roles as drivers, cyclists or pedestrians during school visits, learning proper road safety rules and etiquette such as how to cross at a zebra crossing. Demerit points are doled out for any violations.
The road circuit comes with traffic signs and signals as well as miniature buildings – including bus stops, the Toyota service centre and a petrol station with kid-sized petrol pumps – to simulate an actual traffic environment.
Either students or cadets from the National Police Cadet Corps youth uniformed group act as traffic marshals.
Verdict linked to 2019 restaurant shooting
PUBLISHED : 26 Dec 2023 at 04:37
High-profile fugitive Chaowalit Thongduang, alias “Sia Paeng Nanod”, was on Monday sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for attempted murder.
The conviction stemmed from a shooting at a restaurant in tambon Prang Moo of Muang district, Phatthalung, on Sept 9, 2019.
He was charged with colluding with four others to try and murder a court assistant at the restaurant. All five were handed life terms by the court.
The court also convicted them for carrying firearms in public, resisting authorities, assaulting state officials and helping others escape legal punishment.
Sub-Lt Chatchawal Bamroongwong, Chaowalit’s lawyer, said he was not certain whether his client would appeal. If he decided to do so, he would need to file the appeal with the court in person.
He said he would continue as Chaowalit’s lawyer, but added he had not met or heard from Chaowalit for some time.
One report suggested Chaowalit may have fled, possibly to Indonesia. The report says he left Thailand via Satun’s La Ngu district in a speedboat.
Chaowalit: Has evaded capture
Chaowalit, who was serving time for another attempted murder and faced multiple other charges, has remained at large since fleeing from Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital on Oct 22, where he was taken for dental treatment.
He fled into the Banthad mountain range, which stretches across Phatthalung, Trang, and Satun provinces.
Despite a massive manhunt, he has managed to evade capture.
He also released video clips in which he claimed he was unfairly treated and complained he was the only person sentenced despite numerous other suspects being involved.
He also claimed his application for bail had not been handled fairly.
PUBLISHED : 26 Dec 2023 at 04:00
Huawei Thailand has won the “Prime Minister Awards: Thailand Cybersecurity Excellence Award 2023” for the second consecutive year, reflecting the company’s dedication to enhancing Thailand’s cybersecurity standards.
Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co Ltd, led by Chief Executive Officer David Li, received the prestigious award from the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Prasert Jantararuangtong, yesterday.
The awards are given to government agencies, private sector entities, and other organisations in Thailand that prioritise the development of cybersecurity and promote awareness of cyber threats throughout all sectors of Thai society.
The award reflects the value and dedication of these organisations in continuously improving their cybersecurity capabilities in Thailand. Huawei is recognised as one of the organisations supporting cybersecurity operations in the country, with its effort to drive the ecosystem of intelligent technology and innovation that has enabled Thailand to be ready for the digital economy and become the digital hub of Asean.
Mr Prasert expressed his appreciation for Huawei’s efforts in elevating the country’s cybersecurity standards and its continued push to provide valuable knowledge to Thailand by working with various partners from both the public and private sectors.
“The National Cyber Security Agency aims to make the Thailand Cybersecurity Excellence Awards 2023 a crucial part of driving awareness and preparedness among organisations and their personnel, as well as society as a whole, in dealing with increasing cyber threats that have severe economic and social impacts. This will lead to a creative and supportive force that elevates Thailand’s competitive capabilities,” the minister said.
AVM Amorn Chomchoey, secretary-general of National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) said the award winners were evaluated by a committee of nine highly-qualified experts in the field of cybersecurity. The evaluation committee has also entrusted TRIS Corporation, a central agency with expertise in this area.
“As partners, NCSA and Huawei Thailand agree that we need to drive those agendas both directly and indirectly through various campaigns in order to achieve those goals, which will result in an even stronger cybersecurity standard for the country and more digital talents to serve the demands from the industrial side,” said AVM Amorn.
“That is why the NCSA is partnering with Huawei to elevate the cybersecurity standards across every sector of Thailand. The NCSA would like to thank Huawei Thailand for its partnerships in many successful projects throughout the years and to congratulate Huawei for receiving this prestigious award.”
Mr Li reiterated Huawei’s commitment to enhancing Thailand’s cybersecurity standard.
“Throughout the years, Huawei has been partnering with various partners from both public and private sectors in order to enhance the cybersecurity standard for Thailand and to enable more data protection for everyone in the country through our leading innovations, various education platforms, and competition activities hosted by Huawei and our partners from the government sector,” he said.
“Those activities were designed to incubate the next generation of digital talent in the country and to elevate knowledge and understanding of cybersecurity. We are honoured to be presented with the award in the ‘Cybersecurity Supporting Awards 2023’ category, which is the result of our active commitment in digital talent incubation and to assist Thailand in its sustainable digital transformation journey, and becoming the digital hub of Asean,” he said, adding that this is in line with Huawei missions “In Thailand, For Thailand” and “Lead Everyone Forward, Leave No One Behind”.
PUBLISHED : 26 Dec 2023 at 04:00
The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) has created an ecosystem for artificial intelligence to ensure ethics and standards are in place to prevent the wrongful use of AI, according to the agency’s chief.
NSTDA director Chukit Limpijamnong said yesterday that efforts to set up the ecosystem are proceeding apace. AI technology has helped boost economic and social development, he added. However, regulations are needed to ensure the technology will not be misused.
Mr Chukit said the NSTDA and its digital partners are discussing regulations for AI ethics and AI standards to ensure its proper use. AI technology for medicine, for example, can help diagnose patients suffering from lung cancer with 90% accuracy.
“We will start with AI for medicine by setting up ethical regulations and standards because medical treatments are a sensitive issue,” he said. “We need to make sure any diagnosis made by AI is correct and safe. We should not fully rely on AI technology,” he said.
Mr Chukit said the agency would accept investments in the development of a chatbot programme, to boost its ability to understand Thai.
Chai Wuttiwiwatchai, executive director of National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec), said it plans to launch an AI project to scan for illegal online accounts linked to scammer networks. If the project is successful, it could help reduce the number of illegal accounts in the country by 30%, he said. In addition, the NSTDA will promote technology research and development in agriculture.
PUBLISHED : 26 Dec 2023 at 06:41
The Transport Ministry will ask the operator of the Pink Line monorail system to extend the free trial period along the line after a section of the line had to be closed on Sunday following the failure of a part of the track’s conductor rail.
As of Monday, a total of seven stations, from Nonthaburi Civic Centre (PK01) to Pak Kret Bypass (PK07) remain closed. The stations will re-open once repairs and safety inspections along the entire line are completed.
Rides along the Pink Line are currently free of charge, but commercial services are slated to begin on Jan 3, with fares ranging from 15-45 baht. On Sunday, a section of the conductor rail came off the monorail’s track between Cholaprathan Market and Khae Rai junction, a few hours before the line was due to open for the day. Three cars and one motorcycle were damaged, but no one was injured in the incident.
Speaking at a press briefing on the matter, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said that while the incident forced the temporary closure of the line on Sunday, the structural integrity of the 34-km monorail line remains intact.
He said state agencies inspected the line again at 5am on Monday and confirmed that the 23 other stations along the line can function as normal. To make up for the suspension of services at the seven stations, the ministry will hold talks with the system’s operator to extend the free trial period, he said.
Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote said an initial investigation suggested the conductor rail might have been accidentally dislodged by workers removing construction equipment under the monorail line.
A 300-metre stretch of the conductor rail fell to the ground, while a four-km section was left hanging over the street below.
He said all agencies must work together to prevent similar accidents in the future.
PUBLISHED : 26 Dec 2023 at 04:00
Narathiwat: Two days of heavy rain in the South has caused widespread flooding in Narathiwat and Yala provinces, affecting 67 tambons in 16 districts.
In Narathiwat, nine districts were flooded yesterday — Waeng, Sukhirin, Chanae, Rangae, Sungai Padi, Si Sakhon, Cho Airong, Yingo and Ruso — affecting 9,558 households with 37,900 people in 44 tambons, local authorities said yesterday.
Hardest hit was Yingo district, where 2,755 households with 11,020 people were affected, followed by Chanae district where 2,115 households and 9,626 people were affected and a school was damaged.
Rangae district saw 2,073 households and 8,087 people affected, and seven schools damaged.
In Yala, flooding hit 23 tambons in seven districts — Thanto, Yaha, Kabang, Bannang Sata, Raman, Krong Pinang and Muang.
Roads and houses in Yala town, particularly those in low-lying areas, were inundated. The Tuebo-Sateng Nok road was about one metre under water yesterday morning and impassable for small vehicles.
Talad Kao and Withoon Uthit communities were flooded by water from nearby Bae Mo marsh. Tessabal 5 School in the Talad Kao area was badly flooded and closed for two days or until the situation returns to normal.
Chaiwat Junthirapong, director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said provincial offices were working with local authorities to drain water from flooded areas and survey the damage so compensation can be provided.
For help, people can call the department’s complaint centre at 1784. They can also follow disaster warnings on the THAI DISASTER ALERT application.
