Category: General

The Viet Nam Boat Racing Federation in collaboration with the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports opened the National Rowing and Canoeing Championships 2024 on the Dong Nghe lake in the central city of Da Nang on May 11. The tournament, which runs until May 19, attracts 440 racers from 40 teams nationwide.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

ANKARA: Former Gand Slam champion Dominic Thiem announced on Friday his plan to retire from tennis at the end of the ATP Tour season.

“It is a very important, very sad, very beautiful message that the 2024 season will be my last one,” the Austrian said in a video on Instagram.

He cited a few reasons why he decided to retire, one of which was the injury in his wrist.

“There are some reasons behind it: firstly, of course, my wrist, it is not the way it should be,’ Thiem said.

‘The second reason is my inner feeling: I have been thinking about this decision for a very long time.’

The 30-year-old reached a career-high of No. 3 in the world rankings in 2020, when he won the US Open men’s singles title.

He also reached the final of the French Open twice (2018-2019) and the Australian Open once (2020).

Thiem, who suffered from wrist and knee injuries, remained below the top 300 in the rankings in 2022.

Source: Philippines News Agency

KUANTAN, The organisation of the national-level Al-Quran Recitation and Memorisation Assembly this year in Pahang is a manifestation of the commitment between the federal government and the state government to ensure the continued preservation and elevation of Islamic teachings in the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar this effort was possible through the strong cooperation between both parties, which at the same time supported the empowerment of Islam as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

“We are aware that under Article 3 of the Federal Constitution, Islam is the religion of the Federation, and this recitation event is a manifestation of the commitment of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the federal government, and the state government to continue the agenda of upholding the teachings of Islam not only in Pahang but throughout Malaysia.

“My hope as the minister in charge of religious affairs is that the cooperation between JA
KIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) and the state government through the Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP) can be strengthened, and we want to ensure that this recitation and memorisation assembly becomes the best,” he said after the pre-launch of the event which was also attended by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail here today.

Pahang will host the recitation and memorisation competition scheduled to take place for six days starting May 23 at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Broadcasting Complex in Kuantan. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is expected to officiate the event.

The event this year will involve the participation of 110 participants aged between 14 and 25, with each state represented by eight participants, comprising two for recitation and six for memorisation.

Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy said the state government had allocated RM2.734 million for hosting the event and assured maximum cooperation to ensure its success.

He added that the allocation in
cluded pocket money of RM1,000 for each of the 110 participants, totalling RM110,000.

“We are very pleased that Pahang has been chosen to host, and it is an honour,’ he said, adding that the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) was also pleased to contribute five-gram gold bars (additional prize) to the winners of all recitation and memorisation categories.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA NERUS, The Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) sailing team made history as the sole Malaysian representative to qualify for the FISU World University Championships in Italy.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said the team, comprising six UMT students, is set to compete in the tournament scheduled for June 4 to 11.

He said that the achievement not only elevated the country’s image globally but also highlighted the exceptional quality of Malaysian public higher education institution (IPTA) students.

‘The Higher Education Ministry strongly encourages students to get involved in sports activities like the Malaysia University Sports Carnival.

‘UMT students’ participation in this international tournament will elevate the country’s image. Additionally, students serve as ambassadors, introducing Malaysia to the world,’ he told reporters during his official visit to UMT today.

The six students who will represent UMT at the tournament are Nur Muhammad Aqil Nadzri, 21; Mohamad Hanif Mo
hd Shafiee, 20; Nur Zulaikha Mohd Zafarin, 21; Nur Sofea Balqis Kamal Azalan, 21; Nur Ainul Izzati Zil Husham, 23; and team leader Muhammad Faris Aiman Basri, 22.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Faris Aiman said that he and the team are undergoing intensive training in the country as they prepare for the event in Italy on June 4.

Each day, he and his teammates dedicate up to four hours to training, striving to enhance their skills as part of their preparation to compete against strong contenders from European and Asian nations.

‘We’ll be competing with 16 teams from countries such as America, Ireland, Germany, Japan, China, and France, all renowned for their individual strengths.

‘Despite the daunting task ahead, we strive to achieve a podium position at the tournament,’ he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, A male teacher at a religious school in Pontian, who allegedly assaulted a group of pupils, will be placed at the district’s Islamic Education Office pending investigation.

Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the teacher would be reassigned to the office while the affected pupils would be granted leave.

‘The state government is treating the case seriously and a police report has already been filed,’ he said, adding that the district’s Islamic Education Office is fully prepared to cooperate with the police.

‘I urge everyone to respect the investigation process and the subsequent actions, including any disciplinary measures that may be taken,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Earlier the media reported that the 48-year-old teacher allegedly slapped, hit and attempted to strangle a Year Four pupil and three Year Five students after they purportedly caught him smoking in a storeroom last Wednesday.

Dissatisfied with the teacher’s actions, the parents
of the pupils involved lodged a report at the Ayer Baloi Police Station.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group adopted Vietnam’s National Report under UNHRC’s fourth cycle on May 10. The working group’s report acknowledged Vietnam’s national report, content of the dialogue on May 7 and 320 recommendations made by 133 countries.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: Top Filipino long jumper Janry Ubas left for Japan on Saturday to continue his quest for an Olympics berth.

The 11th Kinami Mitchitaka Memorial Athletics Meet, which starts at the Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka on Sunday, is a bronze category event in the World Athletics Continental Tour.

“Ang goal ko sa Japan ma-hit ang Olympic qualifying standard na 8.27 (meters), or maka-podium para makakuha ng dagdag points ko sa world ranking (My goal in Japan is to hit the Olympic qualifying standard of 8.27 meters, or to be on the podium to get more points in the world ranking),” said the 30-year-old Ubas, who hails from Villanueva town in Misamis Oriental.

The qualification window for Paris is from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Athletes can qualify through the entry standard approved by World Athletics, or the world ranking.

Ubas is coming off a victory at the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Philippine Athletics Championships on Wednesday, where he registered 7.83 meters.

He won th
e gold medal (7.58m) at the Singapore Open last month and got the bronze (7.61m) at the Hong Kong Athletics Championships last week.

Ubas, who joined the national team in 2015, posted 7.85m to win his first gold medal in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

Source: Philippines News Agency