News Today

TV time
SOCCER: FA Cup, 4th rd replay: Middlesbrough v Bristol City (Live, Ch24, tomorrow, 3.55am).... [Read more]

Body of diver found on Pulau Hantu coral reef
A PLACE had been set for him at the family reunion dinner, but Mr Sue Qing Wen never made it back for the meal.The 21-year-old went missing while diving off Pulau Hantu on Saturday afternoon, the eve of Chinese New Year.Soon... [Read more]

Doctor sacked for filming nurses in shower
A TRAINEE doctor at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has been sacked after he admitted to surreptitiously filming nurses in the shower.Described by colleagues and nurses as 'a wonderful co-worker', he had left a black waist pouch with a video camera... [Read more]

Yong: Durai wrote own bonus letter
A LETTER written by former NKF chairman Richard Yong to Mr T.T. Durai - praising his work and offering him an eight-month bonus - was actually drafted by the then chief executive himself. Mr Yong admitted this in court yesterday -... [Read more]

Lawyer wants witness' testimony thrown out
THE trial of Chee Soon Juan, accused of trying to leave Singapore while a bankrupt, took an unexpected turn yesterday when his lawyer asked the court to throw out the testimony of a key prosecution witness.The reason: Ms Kalaselvi Rengasamy, a... [Read more]

Officials to look into Thai walkout before final
THE Asean Football Federation (AFF) will look into Thailand's walkout incident before Sunday's Asean Championship second-leg final. This was confirmed by Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad, AFF's head of delegation for the Singapore-Thailand first-leg final at the National Stadium on Wednesday.... [Read more]

Bringing cheer to young parents
AROUND 500 children, including cancer patients and their siblings, received TY Beanie Bears and goodie bags filled with toys and snacks this week - a joint gift from Tangs and the Viva Foundation for Children with Cancer.About 300 children were presented... [Read more]

From tanks to work of art
ONCE feared machines of war, 16 SM1 light tanks are now going in very much the opposite direction - becoming a work of art. They have been melted down and cast into 7,000 tiles to fashion a special exhibit at the... [Read more]

Indonesia insists it has good reasons to ban sand exports
JAKARTA - INDONESIA has rejected Singapore's questioning of its decision to ban sand exports, maintaining that it has 'good reasons' to do so.Indonesia's reaction, published in the Jakarta Post yesterday, followed a discussion of the issue in Singapore's Parliament on Monday.'We... [Read more]

S'pore-Laos ties stronger: PM Lee
SINGAPORE'S ties with Laos have strengthened at all levels over the years, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a dinner in honour of Laos Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh. 'People-to-people exchanges and cross- cultural interactions have strengthened. A growing number of... [Read more]

Urgent cases receive priority
I REFER to Miss Nurazlina Kamis' letter, 'Terrible toothache but dental date is Feb 14' (ST, Jan 26). At our dental clinics, emergency cases are attended to on the same day while non-emergency cases are given the earliest appointment slot available.... [Read more]

Tottenham on target for Uefa Cup quarter-finals

LONDON - HERO Robbie Keane believes Tottenham Hotspur are on course to reach the Uefa Cup quarter-finals.

He scored twice in the English club's 3-2 win over Sporting Braga in the first-leg last-16 match in Portugal on Thursday.

Spurs looked in total command when Keane and Steed Malbranque put them 2-0 ahead after 72 minutes.

But the Portuguese club were given a lifeline when Paulo Jorge scored from the rebound after Paul Robinson saved his penalty, harshly awarded for a foul by Anthony Gardner.

Then Brazilian Ze Carlos put the home side level with a near-post header, following a free kick.

Spurs seemed content to take a draw back to White Hart Lane - a result manager Martin Jol had felt would be satisfactory.

But the irrepressible Keane had other ideas in stoppage time.

He ran into acres of space to reach Didier Zokora's pass and drill the ball past goalkeeper Paulo Santos.

'To score three times away is excellent, and we're confident we can build on that at home,' he told the BBC.

'We made it difficult for ourselves by conceding two goals, but we now fancy our chances at White Hart Lane.

'We came here to get a few goals, which we did, but on our ground we fancy ourselves against anyone.'

Meanwhile, midfielder Kieron Dyer was taking nothing for granted after Newcastle's 4-2 home win over AZ Alkmaar.

His side looked to be cruising into their third Cup quarter-final in four years when they went 4-1 up by half-time. But a 72nd-minute strike from Danny Koevermans has raised the Dutch side's hopes.

'The tie is very finely poised as they have got two away goals, so a 2-0 win will see them through,' said Dyer.

'But we have got the pace to frighten them, and I fully expect us to cause them problems in the second leg.'

The speed of Obafemi Martins was a huge factor in unsettling the Alkmaar defence, and he helped himself to the third and fourth goals.

Dyer got the second, before a Gretar Steinsson own goal.

Shota Arveladze was unmarked to head AZ back into the game at 3-1.

And then Koevermans forced the ball over the line, after Shay Given had saved a Moussa Dembele penalty.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

News Today

Bangladesh's Nobel peace laureate eyes politics
DHAKA - BANGLADESH'S 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus said yesterday he might launch a political party and stand for election. Professor Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank and known as the banker to the poor, said he had... [Read more]

Birthday joy for Johnson as he scores winner
EVERTON'S Andy Johnson showed England what they were missing by celebrating his 26th birthday with a trademark winner on Saturday. His goal against Blackburn and overall performance cast doubt over Steve McClaren's decision to let him leave the England squad last... [Read more]

China chemicals firm launches $47m issue
SUNVIC Chemical, a manufacturer of chemicals for industrial and consumer products, is launching its initial public offering (IPO) today for a mainboard listing.It is raising $46.5 million by selling 155 million new shares - eight million shares for the public and... [Read more]

S'pore missed point over Thaksin visit: Thailand
BANGKOK - THAILAND again accused Singapore yesterday of ignoring its concerns over deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra's meeting with a Singapore leader during a visit last month. At the same time, Bangkok also insisted it was eager to move past the... [Read more]

LA hospital dumps patient on Skid Row
LOS ANGELES - A HOSPITAL van dropped off a paraplegic man in a rundown downtown area here, allegedly leaving him crawling in the street with nothing more than a soiled gown and a broken colostomy bag, police said. Witnesses to the... [Read more]

'I feel like a WHORE'
Daring bus stop shoot brings Fann close to 'emotional breakdown' - it's the price of taking on more risky roles CLAD in a short skirt, Fann Wong is sitting at a bus stop, her legs wide apart.She then props one foot... [Read more]

Highest fine, no discount, for big traffic offences
PUTRAJAYA - AFTER months of haggling, the police and the Road Transport Department have finally agreed on a common list of traffic offences.Offences such as speeding, overtaking on double lines, driving in the emergency lane and beating traffic lights will incur... [Read more]

TV times
CRICKET: Hero Honda Cup, 4th ODI: India v Sri Lanka (Live, Ch95, 11.30am).GOLF: SBS Open: Day 2 (Live, Ch22, 7.30am). Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesian Open: Day 3 (Live, Ch24, 2pm). Nissan Open: Day 3 (Live, Ch21, tomorrow, 4am).SOCCER: Scottish Premiership: Aberdeen... [Read more]

Cover-up of $124m losses: Top oil trader held
A TOP oil trader with Japanese trading firm Mitsui & Co has been arrested by Singapore police and questioned in relation to accusations that he concealed his company's multimillion-dollar losses last year.Mr Noriyuki Yamazaki, 35, was released on bail soon after... [Read more]

Clash on Lebanon-Israel border
JERUSALEM - UN PEACEKEEPERS beefed up their presence on the volatile Lebanese-Israeli border yesterday after a clash between the armies of both sides, the first since last year's war between Hizbollah and Israel.The clash took place after Lebanese troops fired into... [Read more]

Ticket details
Singapore will host the first leg of the Asean Championship final at the National Stadium on Wednesday.Tickets for the match will be on sale today and tomorrow, from noon to 7pm.The prices are: $15 (grandstand), $7 (gallery, adult) and $2 (gallery,... [Read more]

News Today

KL backs away from plan to confine foreign workers
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S government yesterday backed away from a proposal to confine foreign workers to their living quarters, acknowledging that such a drastic move would have 'implications'.'The government hasn't taken a position on it yet,' Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun... [Read more]

Strong demand for bank contracts
COVERED warrants on banks were again in the limelight after the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced last week that the Tier 1 capital minimum requirement would be lowered.With more capital freed up to use on investments or for returning to... [Read more]

Recent floods in Jakarta are strong evidence that urbanisation must be reduced
JAKARTA is hit by deadly floods each year and this year is the worst flood in memory. At one point, the flood inundated about 70 per cent of the city. It killed at least 57 people and sent about 450,000 fleeing... [Read more]

$50m overhaul of Changi's runways
CHANGI Airport's 'project runway' has started, with work going on round the clock and clockwork scheduling needed to keep the planes flying. When Terminal 3 opens next year, the airport's two runways will be ready for 'heavier' traffic - in the... [Read more]

London police appealed for help
London police appealed for help yesterday in catching a serial rapist responsible for at least 28 sex attacks including rapes of elderly women as old as 93.Detectives working on the capital's biggest-ever hunt for a serial rapist said the man first... [Read more]

IRs 'on track' despite sand, probity concerns
NO DELAYS, our projects are on track.The assurance was given by Singapore's two integrated resorts (IRs) yesterday, despite flutters over the supply of sand for concrete and a government probe into one of them. Senior staff of the IRs were speaking... [Read more]

What it should have been
IN THE Sunday Times article 'Clash of titans over Singapore's biomed push' published yesterday, we quoted Agency for Science, Technology and Research chairman Philip Yeo as saying that A*Star had sent 118 PhD scholars to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)... [Read more]

Household income of lowest wage earners rises
SINGAPORE'S lowest wage-earners are taking home more pay per household member for the first time in eight years. But this is not because of a rise in individual wages, which have generally remained stagnant. Rather, more family members are working and... [Read more]

Charge Thaksin's wife with tax evasion: Committee
BANGKOK - A PANEL appointed to investigate corruption linked to deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has recommended that criminal tax evasion charges be filed against his wife, her secretary and her brother, its chairman said yesterday. Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra and... [Read more]

School proves disabled can fit in
AT EVERGREEN Primary, Loh Jiawei is just one of the girls, the muscle-wasting disease that confines her to a wheelchair no barrier to learning. With help from an understanding and caring principal, teachers and schoolmates, the determined 11-year-old topped her Primary... [Read more]

11 killed as morning bomb attacks rip through Baghdad
BAGHDAD - A CAR bomb and a suicide attacker killed at least 11 people across Baghdad yesterday as militants showed increasing defiance amid a major security operation in the capital. More than 100 people have been killed in Baghdad since Sunday... [Read more]

News Today

Samsung hopes new portal will spice up market
ELECTRONICS giant Samsung has unveiled a new website that it says sets a new benchmark for top consumer electronics firms. With the website  Samsung is jostling with a host of commercial portals trying to get noticed in the increasinglycrowded market. Uberme means... [Read more]

Five months on, and still no reply to enquiries on cancelled air tickets
In August 2005, I bought some miles and redeemed two air tickets to Hawaii for June last year. In March last year, I made some enquiries to change the ticket dates but there were no flights available, hence I decided to... [Read more]

Companies in brief
COURTS SUFFERS $2.4M LOSS RETAILER Courts (Singapore) incurred a $2.4 million loss in the third quarter ended Dec 31, bringing its loss for the year to date to $5.6 million. Courts issued a profit warning last month, saying it expected losses... [Read more]

Town prepares for more flooding
KOTA TINGGI (JOHOR) - MOTORCYCLE trader Ham Hon Eng has been working overtime to get a lift installed in the second storey of his shophouse.While many residents and businessmen here are almost paralysed by worry over a possible third wave of... [Read more]

I feel like a WHORE
Daring bus stop shoot brings Fann close to 'emotional breakdown' - it's the price of taking on more risky roles CLAD in a short skirt, Fann Wong is sitting at a bus stop, her legs wide apart.She then props one foot... [Read more]

Thai panel to probe phone-tapping claims
BANGKOK - THAILAND'S military-appointed government is setting up a panel to investigate allegations of eavesdropping on its telecommunication lines. The move came a week after Thailand's army chief accused Singapore of spying on its military phone conversations. In a spiralling diplomatic... [Read more]

So cool, so calm, so perfect
SINGAPORE'S passage into the Asean Championship final may have been confirmed only after Saturday's penalty shoot-out victory over Malaysia. But the win was actually the result of more than a year of diligence, during which the Lions devoted extra time after... [Read more]

Pompey and Man City row over Barton
LONDON - MANCHESTER City's relationship with Portsmouth is in danger of descending into total hostility, after another day of mudslinging over Joey Barton. Pompey's manager Harry Redknapp infuriated his opposite number Stuart Pearce by claiming on Tuesday that the midfielder had... [Read more]

Brand-less Clippers are no match for the Pistons
THE Detroit Pistons got the Los Angeles Clippers at the right time, and they knew it.Chris Webber had 19 points and nine rebounds as he helped the Pistons beat the short-handed Clippers 92-74 on Monday for their seventh straight victory.The Clippers... [Read more]

China trade surplus hit $24.4b in January
HONG KONG - CHINA posted a US$15.9 billion (S$24.4 billion) trade surplus last month, pumping more cash into the world's fourth-biggest economy and adding pressure on Beijing to let the yuan rise faster. Imports jumped 27.5 per cent from a year... [Read more]

Admiration for ex-chief slowly melted away
THE voice at the other end of the line was one that Mr Michael Lim had not heard for some 20 years.It was Mr Vincent Lam, founder of Youth Challenge - which was being probed by the Commissioner of Charities (COC).He... [Read more]

News Today

S'pore army chief's China visit
Singapore's Chief of Army, Major-General Desmond Kuek, exchanging mementoes with People's Liberation Army's Chief of General Staff, General Liang Guanglie, during his four-day introductory visit to China.Singapore's Ministry of Defence said yesterday that Maj-Gen Kuek, who returned on Thursday, was hosted... [Read more]

Quick News
ROAD CLOSURES IN CHINATOWN SEVERAL roads in Chinatown will be closed to traffic from today, in the run-up to Chinese New Year.To facilitate the light-up ceremony there tonight, New Bridge Road between Upper Cross Street and Kreta Ayer Road, and Eu... [Read more]

Two Indonesians plead guilty to US arms charges
BALTIMORE - TWO Indonesian men have pleaded guilty to trying to illegally export weapons to Indonesia through undercover US federal agents.The sting operation also netted a suspected international arms dealer and three men associated with the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers rebel... [Read more]

Singapore remembers victims of Japanese Occupation
THE long wail of an air raid siren yesterday morning, distinctly heard over the War Memorial at Beach Road, sounded the 'All Clear' signal. It marked the start of a 30-minute ceremony to remember victims of the Japanese Occupation 65 years... [Read more]

Bourse set for further run-up
THIS week promises to be packed with action, as traders bid farewell to the lunar Year of the Fire Dog and welcome in the Year of the Golden Pig.While many will be sorry to see the curtains drawn on the Dog... [Read more]

Seven months later, still no answers
SEVEN months after the skeleton of an old woman was found in the toilet of a dilapidated house off Upper Thomson Road, police have still not been able to establish her identity. Yesterday, the Coroner's Court postponed the case for the... [Read more]

Japan rips into author of book on Masako
TOKYO - THE Japanese government has demanded an apology from the Australian author of a new book accused of defaming the imperial family through its depiction of Crown Princess Masako, officials said yesterday. Written by Ben Hills, the book Princess Masako:... [Read more]

Malaysia warns dual licence holders
JOHOR BARU - MALAYSIAN motorists will have their driving licences revoked if they also have a Singapore licence, transport officials here have said.State Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Mohd Rosli Ramli said this was to make it easier to trace drivers... [Read more]

News In Brief
Tokyo, New York bourses on track for tie-up dealTOKYO - THE Tokyo and New York stock exchanges are expected to reach an agreement on their tie-up when bourse officials meet in New York at the end of the month, said a... [Read more]

Mahathir out of hospital
FORMER Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was discharged from hospital yesterday after being treated overnight for flu, his aide said. Tun Dr Mahathir, 81, said he was feeling better, according to his aide Sufi Yusoff. Details of his medical treatment were... [Read more]

Qantas suitor rules out higher offer
SYDNEY - A PRIVATE equity consortium bidding for Australia's iconic airline Qantas Airways yesterday rejected speculation that it would increase its A$11 billion (S$13 billion) takeover bid. In lodging its offer with Qantas shareholders, Airline Partners Australia (APA) confirmed that the... [Read more]

News Today

Companies in brief
SUNTEC REIT'S PROFIT RISES 21% TO $21MSUNTEC Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) has posted a 21 per cent jump in profit to $21 million. Revenues grew 17 per cent to $45.9 million for the quarter ended Dec 31, buoyed by rising... [Read more]

India's Essar rules out selling out of Hutchison joint venture
MUMBAI - INDIA'S Essar Group has no plans to sell out of Hutchison Essar, increasing the pressure on Britain's Vodafone to come up with a workable shareholder arrangement with the company that could end up being its main partner in India.... [Read more]

Singapore remembers victims of Japanese Occupation
THE long wail of an air raid siren yesterday morning, distinctly heard over the War Memorial at Beach Road, sounded the 'All Clear' signal. It marked the start of a 30-minute ceremony to remember victims of the Japanese Occupation 65 years... [Read more]

Change Agent
NEW DELHI - BACK from Paris after presenting a climate change report, Dr Rajendra Pachauri was disturbed by a mosquito's buzz as he rested in his New Delhi home last week. What alarmed the environmental expert, who chaired the United Nations-backed... [Read more]

Police inquiry ordered into botched murder investigation
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S police chief has ordered an inquiry into the botched investigation of the murder of a 21-year-old which led to the case being thrown out of court earlier this week.The collapse of the Mohd Hosni Fadzil Mohd Amin... [Read more]

World Quickly
PERES THE FAVOURITE TO BE PRESIDENTJERUSALEM: The battle to succeed Israel's disgraced president Moshe Katsav got under way yesterday, with veteran politician Shimon Peres favoured to gain the prestigious post that slipped from his grasp seven years ago.Prime Minister Ehud Olmert... [Read more]

Bogus NKF fund seekers
THERE were two reported cases this week of fake donation seekers using the name of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) in Clementi and Jurong East. The NKF, which does not have any door-to-door donation drives in these areas, advises the public... [Read more]

Hu heads to Africa again
WHAT IT IS CHINESE President Hu Jintao begins a 12-day trip to Africa tomorrow, his third trip there in three years.He will visit eight African countries, including major trading partner South Africa and geopolitical flashpoint Sudan. His trip comes two months... [Read more]

STI dips as investors play it cautious after recent surge
AFTER Wednesday's big surge, cautious sentiment weighed down the Straits Times Index (STI) yesterday although the broader market was mildly positive. Across the bourse, 430 gainers outgunned 312 losers. Another 628 counters sat out the action, ending unchanged. The STI, made... [Read more]

Sign of Mars life?
New evidence has surfaced that water may be present on Mars. This image from Nasa spacecraft Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows alternating layers of dark- and light-toned rock in Becquerel Crater on the planet. Within those deposits are a series of linear... [Read more]

PayPal picks Singapore for regional headquarters
ONLINE payments giant PayPal has set up its regional headquarters in Singapore.California-based PayPal helps users to send and receive payments securely online, using its own technology coupled with bank accounts and credit cards.Owned by popular online auction site eBay, PayPal has... [Read more]