Monthly Archives: December 2020

How two green pets have won the hearts of visitors to Koh Tao #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

How two green pets have won the hearts of visitors to Koh Tao (nationthailand.com)

How two green pets have won the hearts of visitors to Koh Tao

ThailandDec 15. 2020

By The Nation

When you think of “Koh Tao”, beautiful beaches, clear water, coral reefs, and scuba diving immediately come to mind. The island is acclaimed as one of the world’s most famous diving destinations. Each year, hundreds of thousands of international tourists travel to the island.

Yet Koh Tao has another story that is equally captivating — the story of two golden retrievers, a two-year old mother dog “Money” and her nine-month-old pup “Fanta”.

Money and Fanta are celebrities. Young hipsters who visit Koh Tao are eager to meet them. Not only are they cute and healthy dogs, but they also possess “green hearts”.

Money and Fanta’s stories have been continuously covered by many Thai celebrities and bloggers as well-trained dogs who show their love for nature by collecting marine debris.

Bunthin Daenthaisong (Uncle Chai), the owner of Money and Fanta, said the mother-son duo became known among local and international tourists after a group of youngsters hired a boat ride with the two dogs tagging along.

“Money and Fanta started to sail with me since they were young. In the beginning, the mother, Money, was just three months old and now both of them are used to sailing,” said Uncle Chai.

Tourists enjoy spending time with Money and Fanta and always post photos of them on social media channels, thus ensuring popularity of the duo.

The most impressive thing about both dogs is that they are trained to collect marine debris. When the owner throws a bottle or branches into the sea, Money and Fanta would jump off to collect the debris. If Money and Fanta spot any marine debris, such as bamboo or bottles, they would jump off the boat and swim to collect them. They are truly ‘green-hearted dogs’ who truly love nature, according to Uncle Chai.

This story has enabled Uncle Chai to earn extra income even in the Covid-19 crisis, compared to other small tourist boat drivers on Koh Tao, thanks to Money and Fanta.

“Koh Tao was affected by Covid-19 because tourists were unable to visit due to the national lockdown policy. Before the pandemic, many foreign tourists visited the island for diving and stayed more than a week, but after the Covid-19 outbreak there are no foreigners at all. Only groups of Thai visitors came during the holidays, for only 2-3 days. The situation created a huge impact on small tourist boat drivers in Koh Tao as they lacked the income to survive and to take care of their families.”

The upside of Covid-19 in Koh Tao is the respite provided to nature and the resulting restoration of Koh Tao’s natural beauty and the clear waters, ideal for snorkelling and diving. Highlights of the famous tourist spots in Koh Tao include Nang Yuan Pinnacle, Mango Bay, Hin Wong Pinnacle, Aow Leuk, Japanese Gardens, and Shark Island.

Since October 2020, a crowdfunding campaign — “Koh Tao Better Together” — by Biofin, UNDP Thailand, Krungthai Bank, Raks Thai Foundation and Koh Tao subdistrict municipality has been ongoing to raise money to support a group of small tourist boat drivers in Koh Tao under the “cash for work” modality for three months. Recently, a Big Cleaning Day was organised through the campaign in preparation for an expected return of tourists.

DDC recommends six ways to reduce PM2.5 #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

DDC recommends six ways to reduce PM2.5 (nationthailand.com)

DDC recommends six ways to reduce PM2.5

Health & BeautyDec 17. 2020

By The Nation

The dire PM2.5 dust situation is expected to affect the health of people in some Bangkok areas up to December 24 before getting better, Department of Disease Control (DDC) director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Thursday.

Despite the lower dust mass during Christmas, he said people should continue to take care of themselves.

He had six tips to reduce the source of dust:

1) Regularly clean your house, sweeping away dust and any spiderwebs. Clean the floor and nooks to keep dust from gathering. Also use a damp cloth to clean furniture, washing machines, fans, air conditioners, filters and screens. The bedroom, where dust mites are likely to hide, need to also be cleaned, including bedsheets, pillowcases, mosquito nets, blankets and doormats at least once a week. Wear gloves while cleaning and cover your nose and mouth so you don’t inhale dust.

2) Use your vehicle less often, opt for public transportation instead.

3) Regularly check the condition of your vehicle and turn off the engine whenever you park.

4) Do not burn leaf waste.

5) Stop burning incense, switch to using short incense sticks or electric incense.

6) Plant a tree with rough/hairy leaves since this type of leaf is highly effective in trapping dust. Jamaican cherry, Afgekia Mahidoliae Burtt et Chermsir, Rangoon Creeper and Shower Orchid are all effective anti-dust plants.

Dr Suwanchai also suggested that before leaving home, you need to continue wearing a protective mask and monitor air quality by viewing the Air Quality Index on the DDC website.

“If you experience unusual symptoms such as frequent coughing, dyspnea, shortness of breath, chest tightness, palpitations, nausea, unusual fatigue or dizziness, seek immediate medical attention,” he warned.

Howard hospital hopes to ease Black people’s fears as it distributes first coronavirus vaccines #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Howard hospital hopes to ease Black people’s fears as it distributes first coronavirus vaccines (nationthailand.com)

Howard hospital hopes to ease Black people’s fears as it distributes first coronavirus vaccines

Health & BeautyDec 16. 2020Roy Dunlap receives the coronavirus vaccine at Howard University Hospital in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Michael Robinson ChavezRoy Dunlap receives the coronavirus vaccine at Howard University Hospital in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Michael Robinson Chavez 

By The Washington Post · Lola Fadulu

WASHINGTON – Roy Dunlap told his family his plans as they sat down to a dinner of salmon, greens and white rice.

“I’m going to take the vaccine tomorrow,” the director of environmental services at Howard University Hospital said.

His 17-year-old son’s eyes bulged, and he raised his eyebrows to the heavens, as he typically does when his father says something out of the ordinary. Then the teenager looked at his mother.

“What do you mean?” Dunlap remembers his wife saying. “Your family needs you. Let somebody else take it.”

Roy Dunlap receives the coronavirus vaccine at Howard University Hospital in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Lola Fadulu

Roy Dunlap receives the coronavirus vaccine at Howard University Hospital in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Lola Fadulu

But Dunlap had already made up his mind to get the coronavirus vaccine. He thought about the number of people who have died of covid-19, the illness the novel coronavirus can cause, including one of the cleaning workers he supervised at the hospital.

He recognized the importance of getting vaccinated, and he wanted to be a leader for not only his staff of 70 people – who clean and disinfect every part of the hospital, including the covid-19 rooms – and his community.

Persuading Black Americans scarred by generations of health-care discrimination to trust the vaccine is a crucial part of ending the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected Black Americans, Latinos and front-line workers.

And so on Tuesday, despite his family’s worries, Dunlap became one of the first seven employees at the Howard hospital to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, sitting straight up in his chair as white-coated, masked and face-shielded Frank Evans, a licensed nurse at the hospital, inserted the needle into his right arm.

Howard is one of six sites that received part of the District of Columbia’s initial shipment of 6,825 doses of the vaccine. They arrived Monday morning as the total number of coronavirus cases reported in the greater Washington region climbed above 540,000, and the death toll in D.C., Maryland and Virginia exceeded 10,500.

Officials at the historically Black institution hope that publicizing the vaccination process will encourage other people to get vaccinated, especially Black Americans, who are nearly three times as likely to die of covid-19 because of health-care disparities and increased exposure at jobs deemed essential.

Many have told researchers and community leaders that they do not plan to take the vaccine because of a history of medical mistreatment and because of the politicization of the vaccine development process.

“We will take the vaccine not to jump in line, but to show people and to help people understand this is a safe weapon against the scourge of covid that has just been taking lives, day after day,” Anita Jenkins, the chief executive officer of the hospital, said before getting her shot.

Howard University’s medical school, founded three years after the end of the Civil War to train doctors to care for newly freed Black people in the nation’s capital, is working alongside the nation’s three other historically Black medical colleges to build community confidence in the vaccine.

Anita Jenkins, CEO of Howard University Hospital, prepares to receive the coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Michael Robinson Chavez

Anita Jenkins, CEO of Howard University Hospital, prepares to receive the coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Michael Robinson Chavez

Howard University set up coronavirus testing sites early on in the pandemic in areas that have the city’s largest populations of Black residents. Howard’s medical school and hospital are running the clinical trial of a vaccine that has yet to reach the market, spokeswoman Alonda Thomas said.

“We have a legacy of leadership in science and developing insights into new science approaches to treating health, and in applying science to the benefit of people of color,” said Reed Tuckson, a doctor and Howard University trustee who is the founder of the Black Coalition Against Covid-19.

Tuesday’s vaccinations, he added, were “a further example of this history.”

Shelly McDonald-Pinkett, the hospital’s chief medical officer, who got vaccinated just before Dunlap, said: “We’ve all heard the statistics about what happens in the African American community and communities of color. And so it’s important for those who are in leadership roles to demonstrate our willingness to take the vaccine.”

Dunlap was eager to do so. He said he decided to get the vaccine weeks ago, after Jenkins announced she was going to be vaccinated.

“The early stage [of the pandemic] was really rough for me, so that’s why I felt that I had to be at the forefront to lead,” Dunlap said.

The housekeeper who died of covid-19 did not contract the virus at the hospital, Dunlap said. In all, 10 of his staff members have tested positive, Dunlap said. Some workers quit, some refused to clean rooms inhabited by virus patients. His shifts, and those of his remaining staff, grew longer.

The virus disrupted his personal life as well; he was unable to travel to Florida for the funeral of a pastor who was one of his childhood mentors and died of cancer.

“I feel this day is historic because this is the beginning stages of making covid-19 decline,” Dunlap said after being vaccinated. “And somebody has to be the guinea pig. Somebody has to be on the front line to volunteer and everything to see if the vaccine works.”

His wife was not easily persuaded. On Tuesday morning, before Dunlap headed to work, she stopped him and asked whether they could pray.

“And so she prayed with me. That kind of gave me more ease, that God got it,” Dunlap said.

After the shots were given, and the crowd cleared out of the hospital’s Freedmen’s Hall, Dunlap began preparing the area for his staff to come in and do the essential work it has been doing every day during this pandemic: thoroughly disinfecting the area to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Moderna vaccine found safe, effective ahead of key FDA review #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Moderna vaccine found safe, effective ahead of key FDA review (nationthailand.com)

Moderna vaccine found safe, effective ahead of key FDA review

Health & BeautyDec 15. 2020

By Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Anna Edney

Moderna Inc.’s vaccine is safe and effective for preventing covid-19, U.S. regulators said, clearing the way for a second shot to quickly gain emergency authorization and add to the country’s sprawling immunization effort.

FDA staff said Tuesday in a report that the experimental vaccine is 94.1% effective at preventing symptomatic covid-19, confirming earlier results released by the company.

The report was posted online ahead of a Thursday meeting of agency advisers who will vote whether to recommend authorization before a final FDA decision. The agency doesn’t have to follow the advice of the independent vaccine experts, though it often agrees with its advisory panels. Last week, the FDA authorized a similar vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE after an advisory panel voted 17-4, with one abstention, to support its authorization.

The FDA got a much deeper look at Moderna’s clinical-trial data than the numbers previously released to the public by the company. Notably, the agency was able to review the shot’s effectiveness across a broad range of racial, ethnic and age groups, and look at evidence of how well the shot worked for people with preexisting medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to severe covid-19.

The agency found the shot was similarly effective across racial and ethnic groups and those with underlying medical conditions. It was 86.4% effective in people age 65 and over, according to the report, and 95.6% effective in those 18 to 65.

Both the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine are based on messenger RNA technology that hasn’t been previously used in inoculations. Additionally, both are two-dose vaccines, meaning once people receive an initial shot they will need to return to their care providers weeks later for an additional injection.

Between Pfizer and Moderna, Operation Warp Speed officials have said 20 million people in the U.S. are expected to get their first shots by year-end.

Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising across the country, increasing pressure to get the pathogen under control. While health officials are hopeful that the immunization push will begin to slow a pandemic that has killed more than 300,000 Americans, it’s not yet known what effect the vaccines have on transmission of the disease.

Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine was cleared first in the U.K. where there were a few reports of serious reactions that led regulators there to advise against anyone with a history of significant allergies getting the shot. The Food and Drug Administration did not take such a step, but told facilities where the vaccine would be administered to have medication on hand to treat possible allergic reactions, including a severe form called anaphylaxis.

Moderna’s vaccine isn’t yet approved in any other countries and hasn’t yet been used on anyone outside of a clinical trial.

Once the U.S. grants authorization, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must meet, as they did last week on Pfizer’s vaccine, to give Moderna’s shot the green light and provide offer specific recommendations for use and monitoring. Moderna’s vaccine will be distributed to sites around the country where health-care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes, are expected to get the earliest doses.

Pfizer and BioNTech’s first vaccines were sent to more than 600 sites around the country. The shot must be kept extremely cold and requires special freezers to transport, while Moderna’s can be kept in more traditional cold storage.

ONE Championship and Xiaomi Announce Partnership to Broadcast Exclusive Event Content Live in 5G #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

ONE Championship and Xiaomi Announce Partnership to Broadcast Exclusive Event Content Live in 5G (nationthailand.com)

ONE Championship and Xiaomi Announce Partnership to Broadcast Exclusive Event Content Live in 5G

Dec 17. 2020

 Select ONE: COLLISION COURSE highlights to be shot and broadcast live on Xiaomi’s Mi 10

ONE Championship™ (ONE), today announced that the organization will be partnering with Xiaomi, one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers and smart technology brands, on the emerging use of 5G in live sports production and broadcast. The first collaboration will be select content from ONE: COLLISION COURSE, an event scheduled for live broadcast from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 18 December.

Xiaomi and ONE Championship will showcase the power and capabilities of the company’s 2020 flagship smartphone, the Mi 10. Portions of ONE: COLLISION COURSE will be streamed live using the Mi 10’s high-end imaging system and the latest in 5G technology.

Hua Fung Teh, Group President of ONE Championship, stated: “I am thrilled to announce this unique collaboration between ONE Championship and Xiaomi, one of the most well-loved technology brands in the world. It’s a great opportunity to bring together the unrivaled action and excitement of ONE Championship martial arts with Xiaomi’s fast, secure, and class-leading 5G technology. Just like our ONE Championship athletes, Xiaomi’s latest Mi 10 smartphone packs a combination of raw power and excellent performance, and I am excited to showcase those capabilities with all of our viewers globally.”

Shou Zi Chew, President of International, Xiaomi, stated: “Xiaomi is delighted to deepen our ongoing partnership with ONE Championship, as we team up to inspire the next generation of sports and technology fans worldwide. By leveraging Xiaomi’s 5G-enabled Mi 10, users around the world can watch ONE Championship’s COLLISION COURSE competition from a new perspective. We look forward to showcasing the advantages of 5G technology and putting real-life superheroes in the palm of your hand.”

Inbee Park looking for memorable 2020 souvenir #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Inbee Park looking for memorable 2020 souvenir (nationthailand.com)

Inbee Park looking for memorable 2020 souvenir

Dec 17. 2020

 Rolex Rankings No. 3 Inbee Park can’t remember the last time she had to finish a tournament on Monday.

With last week’s U.S. Women’s Open spilling over into this week, Park arrived at the CME Group Tour Championship a little later than usual, pulling into Naples late Monday night. But in her sixth trip to Tiburon Golf Club, Park already knows the challenge that awaits her here – these greens.

“I never really feel like I’ve conquered this green at all over all those years. The tee-to-green is not a big issue. I think it just really comes down to the putting, and the bermuda greens can get really tricky on you reading as feet,” said Park on Wednesday. “I’m just trying to adjust the speed on the greens and read the putts right. You can’t read them right all the time, but I’m just trying to do a little better at a time, and hopefully I can putt a little better this week.”

Park sits atop the standings for Rolex Player of the Year honors, leading Sei Young Kim by six points and Danielle Kang by 25 points. The trio will tee it up together in Thursday’s first round, starting on No. 1 at 10:50 a.m. If Park can capture the award, she would become the 14th player to win the title multiple times after she previously earning the honor in 2013. Park said adding this award to her 2020 resume would be a great “souvenir” of such a strange yet fulfilling season.

“This year has been a gift. I’m just happy that we got to play,” said Park, who won her 20th LPGA Tour title in February at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and has seven other top-10 finishes this year. “Just that’s really all I can ask for. If the results follow, that’s great. If not, I’m just really happy we’re out here and playing and playing some really good golf.”

DANIELLE KANG MOVED TO DONATE AFTER IMPRESSIVE SEASON

Danielle Kang is playing in her eighth CME Group Tour Championship this week, in a season unlike any other. In 2020, Kang is one of only two players with multiple victories this season after winning the LPGA Drive On Championship – Inverness Club and Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana in the Tour’s restart in July. Throw in an additional three top-10 finishes, and Kang is third in the standings for the Rolex Player of the Year award. And, after making every cut in 12 events played, Kang is on the verge of closing out the year with the Vare Trophy.

“I definitely had, whether it was world No 1, Player of the Year, Vare Trophy, everything was a possibility at one point or another. I was world No. 2 at one point. You have goals and dreams in your mind and you set them when you play, and even before I started and while I’m on tour,” said Kang, who meets the 70% of the Official Tournament rounds requirement with her 69.978 scoring average. “That’s part of it, though, and I think whether I do it or not, I’m okay with having the opportunity to have almost done it. Because I don’t think it’s just going to be once or twice that you have to have the opportunity. That’s what actually Inbee said to me, too. We had a good chat a month ago.”

Kang said she likes Tiburon Golf Club and has been looking forward to this event. “I keep telling people if I just don’t “beep” around I should be contending pretty well. I don’t know why. I just get really greedy out here. When you get greedy, there is this nice little lost ball waiting for you. I don’t know. I just get really excited to play this event, and I even said to people that I took seven weeks off before U.S. Women’s Open,” said Kang, who finished in a tie for third in Naples in 2019. “U.S. Women’s Open is great, but I wanted it to be kind of a steppingstone for though week. I know the golf course pretty well. I know how the greens break. There are some par-3s that I have made doubles out here with 8-irons because I got so cocky on the tee box and thinking I could hit it to five feet.”

While gearing up for CME week, Kang was able to talk with Mary Browder, a 17-year-old cancer survivor who, with the help of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, beat Hodgkins Lymphoma. Moved by her story, Kang pledged to donate $1000 per birdie this week in Browder’s honor. Her goal? 20 birdies, to equal the $20,000 donation made by CME Group for every ace this season thanks to the CME Group Cares Challenge – Score 1 for St. Jude.

“20 so I can get to $20,000 then,” said Kang. “That would be cool. I got you, Mary.”

CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP FEELS LIKE HOME FOR BROOKE HENDERSON

Canadian star Brooke Henderson has won at least one tournament every season since 2015, when she captured the Cambia Portland Classic title as a non-member. In order to keep that streak alive, the nine-time LPGA Tour champion must find the winner’s circle this week at the CME Group Tour Championship.

“In the springtime I wasn’t sure what my schedule was going to look like, how much I was going to play, so I’m really grateful for the LPGA and protocols they put in place to make this a safe place to play,” said Henderson, who is currently No. 2 on Tour this year in scoring average (69.727). “I’ve been comfortable out here playing 10 events, and five top-10s. It has been a really successful year and would be really nice to finish this week off with another top-10, or maybe better. Hopefully put in two solid rounds Thursday, Friday and see where that puts me going into the weekend.”

This is the sixth straight appearance in the LPGA Tour season finale for Henderson. She has never missed a cut at Tiburón Golf Club (all top-25s) and secured a career-best in the event of solo fifth last year.

“Getting off the plane on Monday night, I was so grateful to be back here in southwest Florida. Just feels like home,” said Henderson, who calls Miromar Lakes Golf Club (20 miles north of Naples) her home club in the United States. “Feels really nice to be back, sleep in my own bed and be so close to this course. I am definitely really grateful for that, and having my sister [and caddy Brittany] nearby, too.

“This tournament is such a great opportunity. There is a lot of money on the line and it is top-70 players from this year. It’s just an honor to qualify and hopefully I can capitalize on the opportunity.”

TOURNAMENT WITHIN A TOURNAMENT STILL ON THE LINE AT CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

No one imagined it would be this close. With Sei Young Kim capturing a major championship at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and then following it up with a victory at the Pelican Women’s Championship in her next start, most casual observers figured she would be a shoo-in for Rolex Player of the Year honors. In an abbreviated season with limited starts, who could catch her? 

The answer turned out to be simple: the only LPGA Hall of Fame member who still plays a full-time schedule and the woman who continues to amaze us every year she tees it up – Inbee Park.

Park is actually leading the Player of the Year race by a slim six points with one week to go. That is because in addition to her lone win of the year back in pre-COVID February – seemingly a lifetime ago – at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, the Queen Bee of women’s golf has an additional seven top-10 finishes in 2020, including runner-up finishes at the KPMG Women’s PGA (to Kim) and the Volunteers of America Classic. A tie for sixth at the U.S. Women’s Open moved Park into the driver’s seat for her second Rolex Player of the Year title.

But to show the differences in where Park and Kim are in their careers, Park said of possibly capturing Player of the Year, “You know, it would be nice to have some kind of a souvenir for a great year. To be honest, it really doesn’t bother me that much anymore. It would be nice to have another award, obviously, but this year has been a gift. I’m just happy that we got to play. That’s really all I can ask for. If the results follow, that’s great. If not, I’m just really happy we’re out here and playing and playing some really good golf.

BY THE NUMBERS — CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The following statistics were compiled by Amy Mills, the LPGA Senior Manager of statistical research

Lexi Thompson has recorded four top-six finishes in six starts at the CME Group Tour Championship, including one win (2018) and second-place finish (2017), which is the best overall performance of any player in the event. Thompson has averaged 2.58 strokes under par per round since 2014.

Champ Nong-0 ‘100% ready’ to take on ‘worthy’ Muay Thai foe Rodlek #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Champ Nong-0 ‘100% ready’ to take on ‘worthy’ Muay Thai foe Rodlek (nationthailand.com)

Champ Nong-0 ‘100% ready’ to take on ‘worthy’ Muay Thai foe Rodlek

Dec 17. 2020Nong-O Gaiyanghadao Nong-O Gaiyanghadao 

By THE NATION

Reigning One Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao couldn’t be happier to make his highly anticipated return to the One Circle.

The Thai legend is scheduled to face One Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament Champion and countryman Rodlek PK Saenchai Muaythaigym in one of the main events of One: Collision Course, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore this Friday, December 18.

Nong-O is prepared for this fourth world title defence, and believes Rodlek is a worthy foe.

“I’m excited to get the chance to compete again, finally. But I can definitely feel the pressure. I haven’t been in the ring for a long time, so I hope I’m sharp enough because Rodlek is not an easy opponent,” said Nong-O.

“Physically, I’m 100 per cent ready. I trained hard even with the pandemic going on. I feel physically strong and ready. I recently dedicated a lot of time to training, as the fight got closer.”

Nong-O captured the One Super Series title in May 2019 after dominating China’s Han Zi Hao. Since then, he’s made three successful defences of the belt. His finest performance came against rising phenom Saemapetch Fairtex in November the same year, where he dominated and then knocked out his younger counterpart with a sensational right cross.

Rodlek, on the other hand, took part in the prestigious One Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament held earlier this year. He succumbed to Saemapetch in the first round of the tournament, but after the former pulled out of the four-man ladder due to injury, Rodlek took his place in the final round against Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek-Uthai.

In the finals, Rodlek was incredible, as he dominated his opponent en route to an unanimous-decision victory.

All the while, Nong-O watched carefully from the sidelines, as the newest challenger to his throne rose through the ranks.

“The last fight I watched was of him and Saemapetch. I thought that was a close fight that could have gone either way. It wasn’t an easy fight for Saemapetch. They were matched evenly,” said Nong-O.

“Rodlek is a great fighter. He’s a worthy challenger, otherwise he wouldn’t be here standing across from me in the Circle now. He got here through hard work and sacrifice, just like all great fighters. There is no way I am taking him lightly. I will treat him as the toughest test of my career.”

One: Collision Course is One Championship’s final live event of the year. The stacked card features a main event showdown between One Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Roman Kryklia of the Ukraine and challenger Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica of Romania.

Nong-O vows to do his family and loved ones proud when he steps into the Circle this Friday night. He says he is grateful to be a One World Champion, especially during the time of this pandemic, which has swept the globe.

“Being a world champion in One Super Series, getting to represent Thailand on the global stage, it means a lot to me, especially during these times when things are uncertain,” he said.

“I want to make my parents, my family, especially my sons proud. I am happy if I can make them happy. That to me is the biggest motivation heading into this fight,” he added.

Catch One: Collision Course live on AIS Play at 7.30pm Indochina Time (ICT). Additionally, Thairath TV32 will air the event at 10.40pm ICT.

LPGA returns to Naples for CME Group Tour Championship #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

LPGA returns to Naples for CME Group Tour Championship (nationthailand.com)

LPGA returns to Naples for CME Group Tour Championship

Dec 16. 2020Jin Young Ko (Photo Credit to LPGA)Jin Young Ko (Photo Credit to LPGA) 

The LPGA Tour returns to Naples, Fla. for the 18th and final event of the 2020 season at the CME Group Tour Championship, the culmination of the season-long Race to the CME Globe.

LPGA TOUR RETURNS TO NAPLES FOR CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The Race to the CME Globe is a season-long points competition in which LPGA Members accumulate points in every Official LPGA Tournament to gain entry into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. The player who wins the CME Group Tour Championship will be named the “Race to the CME Globe Champion.” Following the U.S. Women’s Open, the CME Group Tour Championship field was set to the top 70 players in the Race to the CME Globe points standings, and two additional sponsor invitations. All 72 players in this week’s field will compete in a 72-hole, no-cut competition.

The top eight of the Rolex Rankings highlight the field, including World No. 1 Jin Young Ko. Ko finished No. 45 in the Race to the CME Globe standings after playing in just three events in 2020 and is also coming off a tie for second finish at the U.S. Women’s Open. Rolex Rankings No. 2 Sei Young Kim is back to defend her 2019 title since winning the event in spectacular fashion with a 25-foot birdie on the 72nd hole for a one-stroke victory over 2016 champion, Charley Hull. Rolex Rankings No. 3 Inbee Park, who returns to the top three in the Rankings for the first time since September 24, 2018, is looking for her second victory of the year after earning the most points in the season-long race with 2,035. With the field set at 72 players, all will have an equal chance at the $1.1 million winner’s prize, the largest in 2020.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

  • This is the seventh playing of the CME Group Tour Championship and the seventh consecutive year it will be played on the Tiburon Golf Club’s Golf Course
  • It is the 18th and final event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season
  • The CME Group Tour Championship is one of four total tournaments on the 2020 LPGA Tour schedule to be contested in the Sunshine State, along with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions (Lake Buena Vista), Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio (Boca Raton) & Pelican Women’s Championship presented by DEX Imaging and Konica Minolta (Belleair)
  • Seven past champions are in the field this week – Charley Hull (2016), Ariya Jutanugarn (2017), Cristie Kerr (2015), Sei Young Kim (2019), Lydia Ko (2014), Hee Young Park (2011) and Lexi Thompson (2018)
  • Eight of the top 10 in the Rolex Rankings highlight the field this week,
  • There are 12 of the season’s 15 different winners playing, including Sei Young Kim and Danielle Kang, the only players with multiple victories in 2020

WORLD NO. 1 WORKS HER WAY INTO CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

With the dawn of every new LPGA Tour season comes goals, ambitions and dreams. Back in January (and once again in a few weeks) when LPGA pros jotted down objectives for the year, at the top of most list was qualifying for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. That mission was no different for Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko, even in this unprecedented year.

Ko originally planned to begin her season in March at the Volvik Founders Cup to allow more time for an ankle injury—sustained at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA last November—to heal. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic had other plans. Instead, Ko went home to her native Republic of Korea.

As the LPGA Tour anxiously awaited its restart, Ko competed on the LPGA of Korea Tour (KLPGA). Across six tournaments, she played the weekend six times and captured four top-10s including a runner-up. The six-time LPGA winner also showcased a solid scoring average (70.83) and driving accuracy (80.36%). It was great preparation for reaching her ultimate target: the CME Group Tour Championship.

In November, Ko made her highly anticipated return to American soil at the inaugural Pelican Women’s Championship presented by DEX Imaging and Konica Minolta. She finished tied for 34th. Then she made the trek to Irving, Texas, for the Volunteers of America Classic, where she finished solo fifth. From there, it was her first LPGA Tour major championship of 2020 at Champions Golf Club in Houston for the 75th U.S. Women’s Open. A tie for second, highlighted by a final-round 3-under par 68, was enough for Ko to punch her ticket to Tiburón Golf Club.

“I had rest time [on Sunday] and I needed the rest. I had a great [final] round, couple of missed putts but I finished good,” said Ko, who enters the week at No. 45 in the Race to CME Globe standings. “It was my best finish at the U.S. Open so I can play this week as well. I’m really thankful. This season is too tough with coronavirus, so I want to say thanks to the USGA and all the volunteers.”

PAGDANGANAN AND NOH AMONG ROOKIES LOOKING TO MAKE A SPLASH IN NAPLES

The CME Group Tour Championship is the reward of a hard-fought season, and through the ups and downs of 2020, this week in Naples, Fla. was the goal for many. It’s even sweeter for those playing in their first season finale, including four 2020 rookies – Andrea Lee, Leona Maguire, Bianca Pagdanganan and Yealimi Noh.

“I definitely made CME one of my biggest goals beginning of the year to make it with the full schedule, but with half the schedule I was still trying get into CME,” said Noh, who finished the highest on the Race to the CME Globe standings at No. 14 (952 points). “And just being here in nice warm weather is really nice.”

Noh said she’s watched the event before, but experiencing this week already is “totally different.” Pagdanganan said despite everything 2020 has thrown her way, her rookie season went better than expected, and there’s nothing like capping it off playing for a winner’s prize of $1.1 million.

“Overall, it’s been a great year for me in terms of golf and being able to play my way into the CME,” said Pagdanganan. “Didn’t start off that great this year but I played a couple good events and eventually put myself in a good position. Now I’m here and I’m really excited and looking forward to this whole week.”

Pagdanganan said she’s loving the weather Southwest Florida has to offer, especially after the frigid temperatures last week at the U.S. Women’s Open. “Everything is perfect. I love the course. I actually enjoyed playing it. I feel like some holes you got to know — pick the right spots off the tee,” said Pagdanganan. “Overall, I think it’s a great course. It’s in really good condition, especially with the PGA [Tour] having a tournament here last week. So that’s pretty cool. Yeah, going to be a fun week.”

STEPHANIE MEADOW COMES FULL CIRCLE AT CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The last time Stephanie Meadow arrived at Tiburón Golf Club was 2015 as the recipient of the Heather Farr Player Award, given each year since 1994 to an LPGA Tour professional who demonstrates spirit, determination and perseverance in fulfilling her goals. This year she arrives as a competitor.

“Things have come a long way since then,” said Meadow, who is No. 42 in the Race to CME Globe. “I thought about it today because I obviously stayed at the Ritz [Golf Resort] then. I was bummed to not be playing. I received such an amazing award, selected by peers. But in my heart, all I wanted to do was play. This is what I love to do, and it has always been my dream.

“There were definitely points in my career where I thought I was done – 2015 and 2016. I wasn’t in a good place mentally, so now to be in position where I’m playing, it hit me a little bit harder yesterday when I first walked on. I’m just proud of myself for sticking it out and excited to see what I can continue to do.”

In May of 2015, Meadow lost her father Robert to pancreatic cancer. She didn’t touch a golf club for five weeks after. The Heather Farr Player Award was a small condolence from the pain of losing a loved one. Later that same summer, she learned of a stress fracture in her back. In 12 events as an LPGA rookie that year, Meadow made one cut—a tied for 20th finish at the ANA Inspiration.

Meadow continued to battle but eventually was forced to regain LPGA status through the Symetra Tour. She won the 2018 IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, propelling her into the Volvik Race for the Card top-10 by season’s end to qualify for the LPGA as a Symetra Tour graduate. Back to where she belonged.

Her return wasn’t a walk in the park. She entered Volunteers of America Classic week in October 2019 in need of a solid finish to retain her LPGA card for 2020. Walking up the 72nd hole at Old American Golf Club, Meadow knew exactly what she needed to do. And she did it, by draining a long birdie putt under pressure to seal her spot on the big stage once again.

“I couldn’t have missed the leaderboard, it was literally right behind my putt,” Meadow said laughingly. “I learned a lot about myself that week. I knew what I had to do. I knew on the last hole what I had to do. I knew I needed birdie to kind of guarantee it. To actually do it and prove under the gun you can pull it off, that was awesome. I think I’ve been able to carry that through.

“This whole year has just been kind of almost proving to myself that do I belong here. To consistently be making cuts, it builds confidence. Such a long journey but a good one. You learn a lot of things along the way, and hopefully I can use those in the future.”

ICYMI: A U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN THAT HAD MORE THAN ONE WINNER

Amy Olson’s life has always been about more than just herself. Family and faith are her north stars. On Olson’s hat is the logo of Golf Fore Africa, the humanitarian effort to bring clean drinking water to those in need. In her heart on Monday as she played the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open was her father-in-law, who died suddenly Saturday night.

This enormous talent from North Dakota, who at North Dakota State University set the NCAA career victory record with 20, played the final round buoyed by that Christian faith and the always-present love of her family, even though they mourned back home, far away from her.

Winless in 147 LPGA starts, Olson was looking to make her first Tour win a major championship. Twice before she’d been in this position, playing in the final group of a major. Both times she let it get away from her. But his was not a major championship that Olson lost or let slip away.

On a brutally difficult day, A Lim Kim of South Korea was simply sensational. The 25-year-old two-time winner on the Korea LPGA closed with three consecutive birdies for a 67 — low round of the day – to finish at three-under-par 281, a single stroke ahead of Olson and Rolex Ranking No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who shot 68.

Muay Thai legend Nong-O final hurdle for Rodlek to achieve dream ONE world title #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Muay Thai legend Nong-O final hurdle for Rodlek to achieve dream ONE world title (nationthailand.com)

Muay Thai legend Nong-O final hurdle for Rodlek to achieve dream ONE world title

Dec 16. 2020

 It’s every athlete’s dream to become a world champion in their chosen sport. It’s no different for Thailand’s Rodlek PK Saenchai Muaythaigym. Rodlek has wanted to become a ONE world champion ever since he joined the organisation in 2019. Now, he is one step closer to realising his dream.

Rodlek will challenge compatriot and reigning ONE bantamweight world champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao in the co-main event of “ONE: Collision Course”, which will be broadcast live from Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on December 18.

Rodlek fully expects the toughest test of his career thus far, against a man they consider a Muay Thai legend in practically every circle.

“I am very glad I can compete for this world title. This is my first attempt to win a world title in the ONE Super Series, and it’s an honour. If I win this title, nothing else will make me happier,” said Nong-O.

“Nong-O is a legend in this sport. He’s a complete fighter. He has all the tools and weapons. On top of that, he has all the experience. It’s going to be a tough fight for sure.”

At 30 years of age, Rodlek is four years younger than the defending champion. To compound matters, Nong-O hasn’t defended his title in over a year, having last fought in November 2019.

Rodlek, on the other hand, has already competed three times in 2020 alone, in the midst of a global pandemic, no less. His most recent bouts came in July and August, where he lost a majority decision to young phenomenon Saemapetch Fairtex, and then scored a dominant win over highly-regarded Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek-Uthai.

Rodlek expects to be the sharper man on fight night.

All factors considered, he is fully confident he can dethrone Nong-O and become the division’s new Muay Thai king. He is also counting on facing the toughest version of Nong-O possible, so he doesn’t expect it to be a walk in the park.

“Nong-O is older than I am, so he may be a bit slower than before. Age may play a factor, and it might affect his performance, but I’m not counting on it. That being said, he’s still very fast and powerful. It won’t be right to underestimate him,” said Rodlek.

“Fighting against Nong-O won’t be easy. The probability of beating the champion is very low. He’s seen everything in the sport, and knows how to prepare himself. But I will try to be the better man in the fight. Anything can happen. He’s a legend for a reason, so I won’t underestimate him.”

ONE: Collision Course is ONE Championship’s final live event of the year. The stacked card features a main event showdown between ONE light heavyweight kickboxing world champion Roman Kryklia of Ukraine and challenger Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica of Romania.

If Rodlek can defeat Nong-O on Friday night, he would have accomplished his goal of becoming a ONE world champion in front of millions watching around the globe.

“My goal has always been to be a ONE Super Series champion. That’s going to be the best moment of my life. ONE Championship is a global organisation and is seen all over the world, not just in Thailand. It is my dream to showcase my skills in front of the world,” Rodlek concluded.

The event can be watched live on AIS Play at 7.30pm Indochina Time (ICT). Additionally, Thairath TV32 will air the event on a same-day delay at 10.40pm ICT.

Nokia to sacrifice network margins to improve 5G technology #SootinClaimon.Com

Posted on by
Reply

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Nokia to sacrifice network margins to improve 5G technology (nationthailand.com)

Nokia to sacrifice network margins to improve 5G technology

Dec 17. 2020Pekka Lundmark during a news conference at the Nokia Executive Experience Center in Espoo, Finland, on March 2, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Roni Rekomaa.Pekka Lundmark during a news conference at the Nokia Executive Experience Center in Espoo, Finland, on March 2, 2020. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Roni Rekomaa. 

By Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Kati Pohjanpalo

Nokia said it expects the margin for its networking business to be zero next year as it develops more competitive products for fifth generation wireless technology.

“We are now putting so much money in R&D that we are sacrificing a little bit of the short-term profitability to get to where we want to be in the long term,” Chief Executive Officer Pekka Lundmark said in an interview on Wednesday after Nokia unveiled more details about its strategic overhaul. Still, “we are only taking contracts that make commercial sense,” he said.

The Finnish company has increased its research and development budget for 5G by 40% since January 2019, Lundmark said.

Lundmark, who took over as CEO in August, is driving a reorganization at the telecommunications gear maker as the roll out of 5G networks gathers speed. The company said its overall outlook for next year is unchanged and it expects a margin, excluding some items such as restructuring costs, for the entire business of 7% to 10% in 2021.

The break-even margin implies that the “Mobile Networks’ present status seems worse than feared,” analyst Daniel Djurberg at Svenska Handelsbanken wrote, even as Nokia seeks “a significant improvement over the longer term” for the unit. Djurberg said he had expected a low single-digit margin.

The company has been losing out on contracts for carriers’ 5G build outs, including missing a deal to provide the technology to Verizon Communications Inc. earlier this year after the U.S. carrier chose Samsung Electronics Co.

After spending years digesting the $18 billion deal for Alcatel Lucent, Nokia was late to produce its own 5G chipsets, forcing it to buy more expensive alternatives and eating into the resources left over to invest in development. It will probably take until 2022 to fully replace the more expensive generation of chipsets with Nokia’s own system-on-a-chip, Lundmark said.

A growing ban on Huawei Technologies Ltd. may provide Nokia’s new CEO an opening to take market share. A trade war between the U.S. and China has contributed to many American allies prohibiting the Shenzhen-based network gear maker from providing technology for their phone networks.

In addition to the traditional network gear, the company will develop its products for so-called Open RAN, a type of architecture that allows operators to use equipment from multiple vendors, and virtual RAN, which can be run as software on generic hardware.

“Customers are using a best-of-breed approach to build these networks, selecting network elements from multiple individual vendors who are able to offer the best performance per total cost of ownership,” Lundmark said in the statement. “Nokia is aiming to be the technology leader in the areas it chooses to play in.”