Defending champions Al-Ahli set for Firmino reunion in Asian Champions League
Defending champions Al-Ahli will face a reunion with Roberto Firmino in the league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite after the Saudi Pro League side were drawn to meet the former Liverpool forward's new side Al-Sadd of Qatar on Friday.
Firmino was instrumental in the Jeddah-based outfit lifting the continental title for the first time in May when he inspired Al-Ahli to a 2-0 win over Japan's Kawasaki Frontale in the final before leaving the club in July.
The Brazilian has since joined the Qatar Stars League champions and the two clubs have been drawn to face one another in Doha during the eight-match league phase of the competition, which will kick off on Sept. 15.
The tournament will again adopt the Swiss league format for the opening round after its introduction last season, with the 24 participants divided into 12-team groups for both west and east Asia.
The first eight finishers on each side of the Asian confederation will progress to the last 16, which will be played in March with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final to be held in Saudi Arabia from April 17 to 25.
Al-Ahli will also face Shabab Al-Ahli, Sharjah FC and Al-Wahda, all from the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan's Nasaf, Iraqi outfit Al-Shorta as well as Al-Gharafa and Al-Duhail of Qatar.
Four-times Asian champions Al-Hilal, also from Saudi Arabia, will take on Al-Sadd, Al-Shorta, Shabab Al-Ahli, Nasaf, Al-Duhail, Al-Wahda, Sharjah FC and Al-Gharafa.
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In the east, Japanese champions Vissel Kobe will meet South Korean trio Ulsan HD, FC Seoul and Gangwon FC, Melbourne City from Australia, China's Shanghai Port, Chengdu Rongcheng and Shanghai Shenhua plus Johor Darul Ta'zim from Malaysia.
Ulsan HD, winners of the Asian title in 2012 and 2020, play Japan's Vissel Kobe, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Machida Zelvia, Shanghai Port, Shanghai Shenhua and Chengdu Rongcheng from China as well as Melbourne City and Thailand's Buriram United. REUTERS
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AsiaOne
34 minutes ago
- AsiaOne
Ong Beng Seng's PR status to be reviewed following conviction and sentencing for abetting obstruction of justice: ICA, Singapore News
Billionaire and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng will have his Singapore permanent residence (PR) status reviewed following his conviction and sentencing for abetting obstruction of justice on Friday (Aug 15). In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said that it will review the residency status of Singapore permanent residents who have been convicted of an offence. "ICA will review Mr Ong Beng Seng's PR since he has been convicted and sentenced," added ICA. The 79-year-old pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to one charge of abetting former Transport Minister S. Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice. A second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts was taken into consideration for sentencing. Ong, who was born in Malaysia in 1946, was fined $30,000 on Friday. This is also the maximum fine the district court can impose. Principle District Judge Lee Lit Cheng said that had Ong's medical condition been absent, the appropriate sentence would have been three months' jail after taking into consideration his early guilty plea and his second charge. She agreed with both defence and prosecution that "exercise of judicial mercy is warranted" given that Ong suffers from multiple myeloma and that imprisonment would carry high and increased risk of endangering his life. [[nid:638979]] Ong is known for being one of those responsible for bringing the Formula 1 night race to Singapore in 2008, and owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. He stepped down from Hotel Properties Limited, which he set up on 1980, in April this year. In an exchange filing on April 14, HPL said that Ong Beng Seng will step down as its managing director to devote more time to managing his medical conditions. [[nid:721375]] editor@
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Using nature, multi-use structures among solutions being studied to protect Singapore coastlines
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox With a coastline that stretches over 300km, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for coastal protection in Singapore. SINGAPORE – With a coastline that stretches over 300km, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for coastal protection in Singapore. Currently, about 70 to 80 per cent of the country's coastline is covered by seawalls and stone embankments. But these just serve to prevent waves from eroding the shores. Research is under way to develop the most effective solutions against rising sea levels for the different parts of Singapore. National water agency PUB said Singapore's coastal protection challenges require innovative solutions that go beyond conventional approaches. 'As a small island nation with limited land, we need to develop solutions that are not only cost-effective but also multifunctional to maximise land use,' said PUB, which was appointed as the country's coastal protection agency in 2020. In 2023, the Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI) Singapore was set up to bring together expertise from various universities, research institutes and industry players to advance knowledge and create innovative solutions for coastal protection and flood management. There are now 17 research projects under the institute, which are funded by PUB's $125 million Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy Singapore Why was Ong Beng Seng fined instead of jailed? Key points from the case Singapore ICA to review Ong Beng Seng's PR status after he is fined for abetting obstruction of justice Singapore Drug trafficker gets death sentence commuted after President Tharman grants clemency Asia Former China envoy to Singapore Sun Haiyan reappears after reported questioning Life Founder of Singapore Symphony Orchestra Choo Hoey dies at 90 Singapore Hawkers at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre will not need to provide free meals under new contracts The Straits Times looks at the different solutions Singapore is considering to protect its coastlines. Using nature as an ally Engineered solutions such as seawalls can offer predictability and control, but natural ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs can also contribute to protection from sea-level rise. Mangroves, for example, can serve as a living defence, as their roots trap sediment from the tides, allowing them to keep pace with rising seas. They also act as a carbon sink, as their water-logged soils allow these habitats to soak up more planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than land-based forests. At CFI Singapore, some projects are dedicated to the research of solutions that combine nature and hard structures – so-called hybrid solutions. For example, a three-year project by NUS Faculty of Science Associate Professor Peter Todd looks into identifying optimal combinations of 'green' solutions such as mangroves and corals and 'grey' solutions like seawalls and breakwaters, and the feasibility of their integration for Singapore. 'A concrete sea wall provides little in the way of ecosystem services and does not contribute very much to the natural marine environment,' said Prof Todd. NUS marine biologist Huang Danwei said natural ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass can help to dissipate wave energy and lower the impact of storm surges and coastal erosion, especially with the increase in frequency of extreme weather events. Nature-based solutions are also more cost-effective and adaptive than hard engineering solutions, said Professor Huang. This is because they are naturally regenerating and provide a slew of other ecosystem services, generally without the need for much man-made interference or enhancements, he added. Ecosystem services include their ability to improve water quality and support populations of marine life, among others. 'These solutions are more cost-effective than hard coastal protection in the long run. It is very costly to try to out-engineer nature all the time,' Prof Huang said. The National Environment Agency told ST it is looking into the possible use of mangroves as a nature-based solution to protect Semakau Landfill against coastal erosion and sea-level rise. Predicting extreme weather Developing the most optimal coastal protection solutions requires an understanding of how bad flooding could get. Seven of CFI's projects are dedicated to coastal science and predicting extreme events. In one of the projects, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) researchers are building a model that can predict storm surges within five days, so that residents and businesses can take emergency measures. These measures could include staying indoors, moving vehicles to higher ground and installing barriers to prevent losses caused by coastal flooding. Storm surges are higher-than-usual tides caused by offshore storms. Areas in Singapore that are most at risk from storm surges are likely to be the East Coast and Jurong Island, said Associate Professor Tay Zhi Yung from SIT's engineering cluster. Current-wave and storm-surge models near Singapore's coasts are based on physics and mathematical equations. SIT's model integrates machine learning with existing weather data, such as wind forecasts, to improve the accuracy of storm-surge predictions. 'A data-driven model can provide much faster predictions when compared with physics-based models,' said the project's lead, Associate Professor Victor Wang of SIT's engineering cluster. The four-year project is currently 1½ years in, and the team is looking to incorporate other elements like sustained wind speed and rainfall to improve the model. The other related projects are looking at predicting intense rain and other extreme coastal events more accurately. 'The eventual goal is to develop reliable early warning and operation response for coastal-related flooding occurrences,' said Prof Wang. Separately, since 2021, PUB has been building a $13.4 million model that can simulate and evaluate inland and coastal floods in tandem, based on the latest climate projections. When high tide happens to coincide with an intense deluge, coastal flooding worsens. This coastal-inland flood model is currently being validated and undergoing pilot testing, said Ms Hazel Khoo, director of the coastal protection department at national water agency PUB. Flexible, multi-use options Singapore is also looking at flexible structures that can help it tackle sea-level rise across a range of different scenarios. This could include, for example, flexible seawalls with adjustable heights or modular units that can be added to seawalls. Existing structures used for coastal protection typically do not allow provisions for subsequent add-ons or modifications to adapt to rising sea levels. Researchers are now studying whether a flexible seawall with adjustable heights can also support a concrete structure that allows for multi-function uses, such as a road or a park. PHOTO: PUB But innovative engineering solutions can be deployed to better utilise land. They can also be adapted to future requirements and have multiple uses beyond protecting against sea-level rise. Flood risk expert Matthijs Bos – who works at global engineering consultancy Haskoning – said Singapore could take reference from a sea-facing boulevard in The Hague, Netherlands, which doubles as a recreational spot on good weather days. The popular Scheveningen Boulevard sits on top of a hidden sea wall – replacing a former sand dune ridge – and in front of it lies a widened beach that was topped up with sand. The nourished beach acts as a buffer to weaken waves, and the sea wall prevents the boulevard from flooding during storm events. Mr Bos envisions the future Long Island having a similar concept. 'For the outer edge facing the sea of Long Island, they will make sure it's not only a coastal protection but maybe a nice recreational area to go to. It could be a new waterfront,' he said. Researchers are also studying whether a flexible seawall with adjustable heights can support a concrete structure that allows for multi-function uses, such as a road or a park. The flexible seawall can also be used to separate water bodies to form a coastal reservoir that can be used as a water catchment area to reduce inland flooding and for freshwater storage. Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Professor Chu Jian, the project's principal investigator, said the flexible seawall will also be more cost-effective as less material is needed to build it. 'If you integrate it for other uses, the overall cost will be much cheaper as it also provides infrastructure,' he said. The three-year project, which started in November 2023, mainly focuses on the design and modelling of the wall. Another project under Prof Chu, who is also the chair of the NTU School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, involves lining the shoreline with tube-like barriers made of natural materials. Each barrier resembles a number of sandbags, but its outer covering is made of plant fibre such as jute. The barrier is filled with a mixture of sand, soya bean powder and calcium ions that will be cemented together to form an erosion-resistant 'rock' after the barrier has been placed. Over a few years, as seawater seeps into the beams, the natural fibres will decompose. But ions from the water will react with the material inside the barrier to make it sturdier. These bundles will not only shield the beach from strong waves but also allow sand and soil to slowly accumulate and raise the shores, turning the beachfront into a natural sea wall of sorts, to catch up with higher sea levels. Such barriers made with environmentally friendly materials are suited for coastlines with fragile ecosystems such as mangroves and intertidal habitats. 'You cannot use concrete walls everywhere,' said Prof Chu, adding that they restrict nature from thriving. Prof Chu hopes to conduct pilot tests for these tube-like barriers in Singapore soon. Existing coastal protection structures can also be retrofitted with innovative solutions such as adding modular, watertight units on top of seawalls. PUB is working with Delta Marine Consultants to explore the use of modular blocks known as XblocPlus – a single layer concrete armour unit placed in a regular pattern along the shoreline – on Singapore's coastlines. It is a flexible and scalable design that minimises land take, as well as has the potential to be integrated with urban developments or natural habitats. The firm is looking forward to potentially test-bed and pilot these blocks here. While the aim is to protect every corner of our coastline from flood waters, there might be a situation where some parts of the island – more remote and with lower footfall – may be left to flood once in a while, suggested Mr Bos and Mr James Lam, Surbana Jurong's executive director for coastal engineering. These floodable areas could be coastal parks, nature spots and beach areas. Mr Lam said: 'Certain places could tolerate flooding for a few hours before it subsides. If it's a parkland, you just have to close it for a few hours… It doesn't mean that you have to stop every centimetre of flooding. You cannot protect everything.'
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
US stocks mostly lower after mixed data
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Traders working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in New York City, on Aug 15. NEW YORK - Wall Street stocks finished mostly lower on Aug 15 with chip companies under pressure as markets digested mixed US economic data. US retail sales climbed 0.5 per cent in July to US$726.3 billion (S$930 billion) from June, in line with analyst expectations and a solid performance after numerous tariff announcements by President Donald Trump. But the Federal Reserve's index for industrial production edged down in July, while the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey fell for the first time in four months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a 0.1 per cent gain at 44,946.12, after earlier hitting an intraday all-time high. But the broad-based S&P 500 dropped 0.3 per cent to 6,449.80, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index slid 0.4 per cent to 21,622.57. Mr Steve Sosnick, of Interactive Brokers, said the Aug 15 reports amounted to a 'difficult combination' of data that the market took in stride. 'When the news is good, (stocks) react really positively,' he said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy Singapore Why was Ong Beng Seng fined instead of jailed? Key points from the case Singapore ICA to review Ong Beng Seng's PR status after he is fined for abetting obstruction of justice Singapore Drug trafficker gets death sentence commuted after President Tharman grants clemency Asia Former China envoy to Singapore Sun Haiyan reappears after reported questioning Life Founder of Singapore Symphony Orchestra Choo Hoey dies at 90 Singapore Hawkers at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre will not need to provide free meals under new contracts 'And when the news isn't good, they just go down a little.' Several semiconductor companies traded lower following a disappointing outlook from Applied Materials, which tumbled 14.1 per cent as it warned of lower revenues in the current quarter while it navigates 'near-term uncertainties' in economic conditions. Mr Trump also announced plans to set tariffs on semiconductors in the coming weeks. Lam Research, KLA and Micron Technology all finished sharply lower. But UnitedHealth Group surged 12 per cent after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed an equity stake in the insurer, which has been beset with government investigations into its billing practices. AFP
