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The Hindu
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Breaking into top-50 is the main target: Anahat
The 17-year-old Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh, who recently won the u-19, women's doubles, and mixed doubles Asian titles, played her maiden senior World championships in Chicago in May this year. She reached the second round, beating American Marina Stefanoni (World No. 26) and losing to Egyptian Fayrouz Aboelkheir (World No. 13). Shortly after the Worlds, she won the women's and mixed doubles National titles with Joshna Chinappa and Abhay Singh, respectively, at the Indian Squash and Triathlon Academy (ISTA) in Chennai. On the first day of the event, Anahat, who later in June was honoured with the Women's Challenger Player of the Season and the Women's Young Player of the Season awards for the 2024-25 season, spoke about her World championships experience and the key takeaways from it, training with her coach and former men's World No. 1 Gregory Gaultier, and her goals for now. Excerpts: How was your maiden senior World championships experience? I mean, the experience was really good. I got to be around all the top players. It's the biggest event of the year, and just getting to see what it's like as well. Going into the tournament, I knew it wasn't really much of a pressure to win. It was more of just going and doing my best. But along with that, I knew I had a chance to put on a performance as well. So, I put in my 100%, and I tried in the second match as well. But my first match was extremely tough. So, I wasn't fully recovered. But yes, I'm happy with how the whole tournament went. What are the major takeaways from the event? I think just getting to see what it's like — how the senior players (go about it). I mean, I've not really gotten to be at tournaments, and see what they're like and how they're playing their matches. And I think playing at a tournament like the World Championships is completely different to playing at a normal PSA event. The whole mentality is different. It's one of the last events of the year. Just getting to see how the top players are reacting, even when their body's extremely tired and how they're coping up with it. It's just that I'm still quite young. There's still a lot for me to learn on and off the court from them. Did you get to interact with any top players there? Did anyone give you any memorable advice? A few of them said I played well and that I've improved a lot since they had last seen me. And my coach Gregory Gaultier (France, currently resides in Prague) is a former World No. 1. He's training a lot of the top players like the women's World No. 2 (Egyptian Nour El Sherbini), who won the World championship as well. He's overseeing a few of the top-10 players as well. I was able to spend a lot of time with them and once again see what it's like for them playing at one of these events, and how it's different for me and different for them. What key differences did you see between you and the top players? Obviously, the experience (they have) is on another level. I don't really have much of that right now. But besides that, I'd say the strength that they have on the court. I'm still working on that. I've not really gotten to it yet. I've not had much time to do it. But yes, that's something I've been trying to figure out — how to fix a little bit of that and work towards it a bit more for the past few years. I don't really like to warm up and cool down, and everyone has been saying that it's really important. Actually, just the game is only like 20% of it. Besides that, there's a lot more to it. So yes, I think just a few things like that have helped me a lot as well. What does your coach Gaultier bring to the table? Has he brought about any specific changes to your game? There wouldn't be anything specific. But I think overall, my game has definitely improved a lot. Just the confidence I'm feeling when I'm going into court, because when I go to Prague and train with him, I only play with people who are a lot better than I am compared to when I'm in Delhi, where it's people who are a bit worse or even the same level as me. I think just getting to play with people who are a lot better than me has improved my game a lot overall. It's given me confidence to play at the top events as well. How often do you visit Prague and train with him? It's whenever I get the chance, honestly. Because, I don't really get much time. I have school going on as well, so I don't really get too much time to go. But whenever I'm playing a tournament which is maybe in the Europe area, or if I have a big tournament coming up, like the World championships, I make time to go for at least a week; or if in the middle of two tournaments, I get to go and just train with him for a few days, that's also really helpful. You've said that you like to watch videos of your opponents before facing them. Did that help in your first-round match against Stefanoni, or were there a lot of nerves? No, I wouldn't say I was really nervous. But yes, I've been watching whoever I play. It's something that I always do, even if I know I'm going to win — I still do it. Because, it's just important to see what you're going to do inside the court as well. It definitely helps in getting to know what the player is going to do with you. And people's game styles are very different. It's always good to be familiar with the way they're playing as well. In that match against Stefanoni, you were trailing 1-2 before going on to win 3-2. So, how did you manage to cope and make a comeback in the contest? I mean, I had heard about her. Obviously, she's a top-30 player. So, I had seen her play for the past couple of months as well, and she's been doing extremely well. Her ranking has gone up to the top-30 very recently. And I knew I was going to be in for a battle. It wouldn't have been easy at all. I'd say our games are quite similar, but she runs a lot and so do I. But I think she runs a bit more than I do. I realised that I needed to just incorporate my shots as well and play my best. I didn't really go in thinking too much about it. I just went in and played the best I possibly could. What goals have you set for yourself now? I don't think there are too many PSAs lined up for the rest of the season. I have the World Juniors coming up. So, hopefully a medal at or even win the World Juniors. I've been thinking about that for the past three years. I've lost in the quarters every single time. I hope I can break the curse this time around. I'm not in the top-50 (currently ranked World No. 54) yet, and I got into the top-100 just at the beginning of this year. So, I mean, I'm pretty close to it (top-50) now, but there are not many PSA tournaments coming up. So, it might take some time, but that's the main goal (breaking into the top-50) for the rankings.
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
PSA calls for urgent action to eliminate ghost workers from public service
Ghost workers are fraudulent entries on government payrolls, receiving salaries without performing any work. The Public Servants Association (PSA), representing more than 245 000 public-sector employees, calls for immediate, decisive actions to eliminate ghost workers from South Africa's public service. Ghost workers are fraudulent entries on government payrolls, receiving salaries without performing any work. This deep-rooted and systemic form of payroll fraud continues to drain billions from public coffers, severely undermining service delivery and robbing deserving South Africans, particularly the youth, of meaningful employment. These fictitious employees are inserted into the system through deliberate collusion between corrupt officials. Recent investigations have highlighted the alarming extent of the problem. In 2024, the Mpumalanga Department of Education uncovered R6.4 million in such fraudulent payments. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa's payroll audit revealed nearly 3 000 ghost workers. Similar concerns emerged at the Gauteng Department of Health, which recently froze the salaries of over 200 unverified employees. The PSA warns that if only 1% of the public-service workforce of 1.3 million employees is compromised by ghost workers, the state could be losing over R3.9 billion annually. Such money should be used to employ qualified educators, nurses, social workers, and other critical positions or be invested in infrastructure and service delivery. Equally troubling is the growing suspicion that early-retirement schemes may be exploited to discreetly remove ghost workers from payrolls, whilst corrupt officials cash out huge pension benefits. This theory remains unproven, but the lack of transparency in early-retirement processes raises legitimate concerns. The PSA, therefore, calls for rigorous audits of all such schemes, including biometric verification and cross-checking with payroll data. To end this crisis, the PSA demands the immediate implementation of biometric and in-person verification of all public servants, digitisation of payroll systems with real-time oversight, and the imposition of harsh penalties for officials involved in payroll fraud. The PSA supports international best practices such as those adopted in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania, where digital verification systems have saved millions. The PSA will continue to work closely with the Department of Public Service and Administration, National Treasury, and oversight bodies to strengthen public-service payroll integrity. The PSA will further pursue whistle-blower protection measures for the Union's members and intensify the campaign to raise awareness among public servants about their role in identifying and reporting fraud. The PSA is committed to building a transparent, professional, and future-ready public service. The ghost worker phenomenon is a financial crime as well as an attack on the integrity of government and the rights of citizens, and should be rooted out as a matter of urgency. The Public Servants Association, Pretoria
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Parliamentary Services Act 2025 gets royal assent in Malaysia
SEREMBAN: The Parliamentary Services Act 2025 (PSA) has officially received royal assent from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia. This landmark approval allows Parliament to function as an independent institution, marking a significant step in institutional reform. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul confirmed the development, stating that the effective date of implementation will be announced by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. 'Alhamdulillah, this morning I was informed by the Dewan Rakyat secretary that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim has signed the PSA. This means Parliament will now exist as an independent entity,' Johari said. He added that discussions with Azalina will determine the official enforcement date, coinciding with Parliament's next session on July 21. The PSA, passed by the Dewan Rakyat on March 5, restores Parliament's autonomy in policy and governance after 33 years. The original Act, introduced in 1963, was repealed in 1992. Johari highlighted the bipartisan support behind the legislation, calling it the result of strong collaboration between the government and opposition. Meanwhile, the Malaysia Youth Parliament (PBMy) 2025 is set for implementation in June next year. The secretariat is finalising policies, including ICT system development and leadership programmes. - Bernama
New Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Parliamentary Services Act 2025 receives royal assent
SEREMBAN: The Parliamentary Services Act 2025 (PSA) has received royal assent from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, paving the way for parliament to operate as an independent entity, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul. He said the effective date of implementation of the Act will be announced soon by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. "Alhamdulillah, this morning I was informed by the Dewan Rakyat secretary that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim has signed the PSA. This means parliament will now exist as an independent entity. "Parliament will convene on July 21, and I will be discussing with the minister (Azalina) to set the official date for the enforcement of this Act," he told reporters after opening the Malaysia Youth Parliament (PBMy) 2025 Guidebook Enhancement Workshop at Klana Resort Seremban today. Also present were PBMy advisory chairman Tan Sri Borhan Dolah, Malaysian parliament chief administrator Datuk Ahmad Husaini Abdul Rahman and 50 participants from various implementing agencies nationwide. Johari explained that the implementation of the PSA will allow parliament to function without being bound by instructions from the executive. "Alhamdulillah, this is the fruit of a long journey. This Act is the result of strong collaboration between the opposition and the government, both of which gave it their full support," he said. On March 5 this year, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Parliamentary Services Bill 2025, granting parliament autonomy to determine its own policies and governance for the first time in 33 years. The passing of the bill marked a major milestone in the institutional reform efforts championed by the Madani Government, aiming to restore the country's administration through the enactment of legislation that enables parliament to function as a truly independent and sovereign institution. The original Parliamentary Services Act was introduced in 1963 but was repealed in 1992. Johari also said the PBMy is expected to be implemented in June next year, and the secretariat is formulating its implementation policy, including planning, ICT system development, selection of PBMy members and leadership strengthening programmes. – BERNAMA
The Star
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Parliamentary Services Act 2025 gets royal assent, Speaker says
SEREMBAN: The Parliamentary Services Act 2025 (PSA) has received royal assent from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, paving the way for Parliament to operate as an independent entity, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul announces. He said the effective date of implementation of the Act will be announced soon by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. "This morning, I was informed by the Dewan Rakyat secretary that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim has signed the PSA. This means Parliament will now exist as an independent entity. "Parliament will convene on July 21, and I will be discussing with the minister (Azalina) to set the official date for the enforcement of this Act," he told reporters after opening the Malaysia Youth Parliament (PBMy) 2025 Guidebook Enhancement Workshop at Klana Resort Seremban on Monday (July 14). Also present were PBMy advisory chairman Tan Sri Borhan Dolah, Malaysian Parliament chief administrator Datuk Ahmad Husaini Abdul Rahman and 50 participants from various implementing agencies nationwide. Johari explained that the implementation of the PSA will allow Parliament to function without being bound by instructions from the executive. "This is the fruit of a long journey. This Act is the result of strong collaboration between the opposition and the government, both of which gave it their full support," he said. On March 5 this year, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Parliamentary Services Bill 2025, granting Parliament autonomy to determine its own policies and governance for the first time in 33 years. The passing of the bill marked a major milestone in the institutional reform efforts championed by the Madani government, aiming to restore the country's administration through the enactment of legislation that enables Parliament to function as a truly independent and sovereign institution. The original Parliamentary Services Act was introduced in 1963 but was repealed in 1992. Johari also said the PBMy is expected to be implemented in June next year, and the secretariat is formulating its implementation policy, including planning, ICT system development, selection of PBMy members and leadership strengthening programmes. - Bernama
