News Today

Indian newspaper war intensifies
NEW DELHI - A PROMINENT media company yesterday launched India's fifth business newspaper, Mint.HT Media's latest offering marks the beginning of a new phase in its circulation war with rival firm Bennett Coleman, which publishes the English-language daily Economic Times.HT Media,... [Read more]

What's cooking? Help for the needy
EIGHT hundred dollars may be a pittance to some, but to widow Madam Lijah Ahamed, 47, this modest salary she gets each month from baking pastries means food on the table for her five children, aged 14 to 21, and being... [Read more]

No longer noted
PHOTO: AFP Mount Everest will replace this picture of King Gyanendra on Nepalese 10 rupee (20 Singapore cents) notes, the country's government said yesterday. King Gyanendra was stripped of nearly all his powers following mass protests last year that ended nearly... [Read more]

Equal prize money for women
LONDON - AFTER years of holding out against equal prize money, Wimbledon bowed to public pressure yesterday and agreed to pay women players as much men. 'Tennis is one of the few sports in which women and men compete in the... [Read more]

British, US kids the worst-off in rich world
Unicef ranks Netherlands best out of 21 nations to be a child LONDON - BRITAIN is the worst country among 21 wealthy nations in which to be a child, closely followed by the United States, according to a study by the... [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]

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]

Brokers' Choice
SIA CONSTRAINED BY A-380 DELAYS: MERRILL MERRILL Lynch says that Singapore Airlines (SIA) is being hurt by its inability to aggressively grow its business due to Airbus A-380 delays. While it expects SIA to remain in the $17 to $18 price... [Read more]

574 Home Team officers receive award
VOLUNTEER police officer Wayne Koo led a team, made up entirely of fellow volunteers, which cracked a metal cables theft case. They planned and carried out an operation that led to the arrest of 12 construction workers for the theft. For... [Read more]

Kirkland still seething over Henry's taunt
LONDON - WIGAN goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was still fuming about his treatment by Arsenal captain Thierry Henry long after his side lost 1-2 on Sunday.Henry had taunted Kirkland after he conceded an own goal.Although the pair exchanged a handshake at the... [Read more]

3 reasons to support Lions
COME to the National Stadium to back the national team against Malaysia tonight.Football Association of Singapore president Ho Peng Kee gave three reasons why: This is the real thing - they are cheering for Singapore, their country, and not some adopted... [Read more]

SEC suspends trading in 35 stocks over spam scam

WASHINGTON - UNITED States stock market regulators suspended trade in 35 small firms on Thursday due to a fraudulent campaign of mass e-mail, or 'spam', that hyped the firms' shares to investors, officials said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it had acted, issuing its highest number of suspensions ever related to spamming, to protect unsuspecting investors from likely fraud.

'This morning the Securities and Exchange Commission struck a blow for investors and for every American with a computer against one of the worst menaces of the information age,' SEC chairman Christopher Cox told reporters at a news conference.

The suspensions under 'Operation Spamalot' are part of an increased bid by the SEC to aggressively tackle spam e-mail campaigns that tout a company's stock by falsely claiming a major new oil discovery or a new product launch.

Officials said that even SEC staffers had received the widely distributed e-mail, despite spam-blocking software programmes, which they said had netted the perpetrations millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.

Mr Cox said the SEC was vying to bring those behind the e-mail to account and that the agency was working with foreign regulators as such communications often crossed international borders.

The SEC estimates that some 100 million spam messages touting stocks are e-mailed en masse every week, sometimes triggering dramatic spikes in share prices and trading volumes.

The actions aim to protect investors from potentially fraudulent spam e-mails hyping small stocks. The e-mail seek to dupe investors with phrases like, 'ready to explode', 'ride the bull' and 'fast money', according to the SEC statement.

Some of the 35 small stocks suspended include America Asia Petroleum, Equitable Mining, Koko Petroleum and Biogenerics.

The trading suspensions will last for 10 days. The companies involved are not listed on any US exchange, but are priced by brokers on the Pink Sheets quotation service.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Champions League results

Arsenal 1 PSV Eindhoven 1

PSV win 2-1 on aggregate

Manchester United 1 Lille 0

Man United win 2-0 on aggregate

AC Milan 1 Celtic 0 (after extra time)

Milan win 1-0 on aggregate

Bayern Munich 2 Real Madrid 1

Aggregate score 4-4. Bayern advance on away-goals rule.

Champions League quarter-finalists

Chelsea

Liverpool

Valencia

AS Roma

Manchester United

PSV Eindhoven

Bayern Munich

AC Milan

Q-final draw: Live, Ch23, 7pm

Citigroup offer too low, says Nikko's top investor

TOKYO - NIKKO Cordial Corp's biggest shareholder, Harris Associates, dismissed Citigroup's US$10.8 billion (S$16.5 billion) bid for Japan's third-largest brokerage as too low.

Harris Associates, which owns about 7.5 per cent of Nikko, will not accept Citigroup's offer of 1,350 yen a share, Mr David Herro, chief investment officer of international equities at the US$75 billion fund, said.

'It's worth substantially more than that,' said Mr Herro in an interview, adding that Nikko is worth at least 2,000 yen a share. 'We welcome Citigroup's involvement but certainly not at that price.'

Citigroup said on Tuesday that its offer is conditional on getting at least 50.1 per cent of Nikko stock. It may have to raise the price to draw overseas investors, which control about 55 per cent of the company. Nikko's four biggest shareholders are foreign institutions, according to Bloomberg data.

Nikko shares closed 1.27 per cent higher yesterday at 1,357 yen, above Citigroup's offer price.

Nikko's four top shareholders - Harris, Bermuda-based Orbis Investment Management, Southeastern Asset Management and Mackenzie Financial Corp - control about 26 per cent of Nikko, Bloomberg calculations show. Citigroup, whose 4.9 per cent stake makes it Nikko's fifth-largest shareholder, said it is seeking as much as all of the stock. It needs acceptances from owners of at least 45.2 per cent of the shares to win a majority.

BLOOMBERG NEWS

Emirates back as official airline of S'pore Masters

ENGLISH Premier League football fans have become familiar with the Emirates airline in the last few months.

For the new, £390 million (S$1.15 billion) home of famous London club Arsenal is now known as the Emirates Stadium.

But the airline's involvement in sport is not limited just to football.

It is also a keen supporter of golf, sponsoring some eight tournaments worldwide.

This week sees its return as the official airline of the US$1.1 million (S$1.7 million) Clariden Leu Singapore Masters at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club.

Last year was the first time it was the official airline.

The seven other golf competitions it supports are the Dubai Desert Classic, the BMW Asian Open, BMW International Open, the Austrian Open, the New Zealand Open, the Hong Kong Open and the Malaysian Open.

Globally, Emirates spends more than US$80 million annually on sponsorship.

Last year, it was an official partner at football's World Cup Finals in Germany.

That was part of a US$195 million deal that will see the airline featuring at the 2010 and 2014 World Cup Finals as well.

It is also behind horse racing's Dubai World Cup, as well as cricket's ICC Super Series.

In tennis, it also sponsors the Dubai Open, which was won on Saturday by world No 1 Roger Federer, among others.

In Singapore, it has also sponsored the Singapore Golf Circuit back in 1994, horse racing (Emirates Singapore Derby), football (S-League club Home United) and even netball, as a minor sponsor.

This year marks the 20th year of Emirates' active involvement in sports sponsorship.

The airline's involvement in sports began just two years after it began operations in 1985.

The company views sports sponsorship as vital to its marketing strategy.

Said chairman Sheikh Ahmed Saeed Al-Maktoum: 'We believe such sponsorships are one of the best ways to connect with our passengers.

'They allow us to share and support their interests and to build a closer relationship with them.'

Adriano struggles to be fit for Inter

ROME - INTER Milan's Brazilian striker Adriano is battling to be fit in time for today's crucial Champions league last-16 tie away to Valencia.

The first leg at the San Siro ended in a 2-2 draw and Inter must either win or get a higher-scoring draw at the Mestella Stadium to reach the quarter-finals.

Adriano pulled his left hamstring in Wednesday's 1-1 Serie A draw with Udinese.

He missed last Saturday's 2-1 victory at Livorno. The win saw Inter stretch their lead at the top of the table to 16 points.

Hernan Crespo, suspended for the Livorno match, is likely to partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack if Adriano fails to prove his fitness.

Luis Figo, who is set to play in the hole behind the two strikers, believes Valencia start as favourites due to their two away goals.

Said the Portuguese: 'They have bags of experience, they're playing at home and have a small advantage from the first leg.

'Valencia are a team that give you little space and are used to big matches, but all we have to concern ourselves with is getting through to the next round.'

Inter's dynamic French midfielder Patrick Vieira has already been ruled out due to a torn right hamstring.

Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso is struggling to recover from the right-leg injury he picked up in the first leg against the Spaniards.

Olivier Dacourt is expected to replace Vieira as the holding midfielder, flanked by Dejan Stankovic on the right and Javier Zanetti on the left.

Valencia's David Villa is convinced his team will prevail today.

He told tribalfootball.com: 'We'll see if we can produce a great performance.

'Inter's record of 33 games without defeat is spectacular.

'But Valencia also have quality and we must turn the Mestalla into a bunker tomorrow night.

' They know they must score, but I don't expect them to go crazy from the first whistle.

'Hopefully I can score again like I did at the San Siro. But the most important thing is we progress.

'To get to the final eight of the Champions League will be a very proud moment.'

ASSOCIATED PRESS

News Today

McClaren in Becks U-turn?
LONDON - SIX weeks ago, David Beckham was dismissed as a 31-year-old has-been bound for a cushy retirement job in America. Now, he has been resurrected as the man who could rescue England.Even coach Steve McClaren admits he has to consider... [Read more]

Drought-hit Queensland turns to Newater solution
SYDNEY - FACED with an acute water shortage in the middle of Australia's worst drought in more than a century, the state of Queensland has decided to follow Singapore's example and start recycling waste water for drinking. Premier Peter Beattie yesterday... [Read more]

Anti-US feelings among Muslims 'at record high'
NEW YORK - THE war on terror has radicalised Muslims around the world and has raised anti-American feelings to unprecedented levels, according to the largest survey of Muslims ever to be conducted.Debunking the myth that religious radicals were to be found... [Read more]

Reach website now more user-friendly
I THANK Ms Anne Wong Holloway for her letter, 'Solution to cyberspace criticism lies within Reach' (ST, Feb 8).There were some teething problems when Reach, the government feedback portal, revamped the website to complement its new identity. We have resolved many... [Read more]

Jakarta bans sand exports, cutting off S'pore's main supply
JAKARTA - INDONESIA has banned the export of some sand and soil products in what it says are efforts to prevent further damage to its environment and to protect its boundaries.The move would cut off the main supply of land sand... [Read more]

Demand for city-fringe, suburban homes picking up
DEMAND for new homes outside the plush prime districts picked up pace late last year, even though prices there climbed more slowly than in the red-hot central region. This may mean that demand is finally trickling down from the booming luxury... [Read more]

Malay barber?s laudable example of fostering spirit of racial harmony
Four days before Lunar New Year, I had a haircut at a Malay barber shop in Bukit Batok.Typical Chinese New Year decorations, such as lanterns, greeting cards and mandarin oranges, adorned the shop. There was an air of festivity reminding patrons... [Read more]

Indian minister in Iran to discuss gas, nuclear issue
NEW DELHI - INDIA'S External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee begins a two-day visit to Teheran today, during which he will discuss the multi-billion-dollar India-Pakistan-Iran (IPI) gas pipeline and the nuclear issue. While the worsening situation in Afghanistan and Iraq will also... [Read more]

Beijingers to be warned of harmful haze
BEIJING - RESIDENTS in Beijing will be warned in daily weather forecasts of the presence of haze, one of city's first steps to evaluate its air quality.>From Thursday, the municipal meteorological authorities will include such information on hazy days when humidity... [Read more]

Abramovich will not leave Chelsea
LONDON - BILLIONAIRE Roman Abramovich, who on Saturday watched Chelsea beat Norwich 4-0 in the FA Cup, has no intention of walking away from the club. But, after pouring in more than &pound500 million (S$1.49 billion), the Russian is no longer... [Read more]

Spurs beat Blues to teenager Parrett's signature
LONDON - TOTTENHAM have beaten Chelsea to sign one of the most highly-rated youngsters in English football.Dean Parrett, 15, was signed from Queens Park Rangers in a deal that could be worth more than &pound1 million (S$3 million), according to how... [Read more]

Tax credit queries for Teck Wah

I was glad to read about Isetan's decision to declare a historically large dividend of $1.50 per share in an attempt to return the Section 44 tax credits to its minority shareholders. This was despite the objections of its parent, Isetan Japan.

Unfortunately, despite the late deadline for these tax credits to be used, there are still some companies which have yet to return these tax credits.

I mention here the case of a locally incorporated company, which also has significant tax credits and large cash balances which has yet to do so.

The company in question is Teck Wah Industrial Corp Ltd (TWIC). TWIC recently announced its full-year results for December 2006. It achieved very good results, a 40 per cent increase in after-tax earnings to reach $8.36 million or $0.0365 EPS. Its cash balance was a very healthy $23 million, net of debt. This works out to about 10 cents per share, also net of debt.

I believe the company must have significant tax credits of $5,000,000 at least, as it has Retained Earnings of more than $64 million. This amount will be able to frank about 12 cents of dividends. The tax benefit to the minority shareholders is about two cents, much more than the paltry dividend declared of only 0.82 cent per share. Imagine if the tax credit is larger than my estimate.

Nevertheless, even if the company did not intend to declare a dividend as just illustrated, it makes sense for it to follow the Isetan example to declare a larger dividend using its cash balances as this is the last year in which this exercise can be done. It will then give a signal that the company is cognizant of its shareholders' interests.

I hope this will encourage and spur these companies to give the right, much needed signal.

Charles Chua Kuan Lim

NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League 2007

Format: 12 clubs, three rounds of 11 matches each.

Teams and home stadiums

Albirex Niigata (Jurong East, Jurong East St 31)

Balestier Khalsa (Toa Payoh, Lorong 6 Toa Payoh)

Geylang United (Bedok, Bedok North Street 2)

Gombak United (Jurong West, Jurong West Street 93)

Home United (Bishan, Bishan St 14)

Korean Super Reds (Yishun, Yishun Avenue 1)

Liaoning Guangyuan (Queenstown, Stirling Road)

Sengkang Punggol (Hougang, Hougang Ave 2)

Singapore Armed Forces FC (Choa Chu Kang, Choa Chu Kang St 53)

Tampines Rovers (Tampines, Tampines St 82)

Woodlands Wellington (Woodlands, Woodlands Street 13)

Young Lions (Jalan Besar, Tyrwhitt Road)

Opening fixtures

Sunday: Home v Super Reds (Bishan)

Monday: Albirex v Balestier (Jurong East)

March 8: Gombak v Geylang (Jurong West)

March 9: Young Lions v Liaoning (Jln Besar)

March 10: Sengkang v SAFFC (Hougang)

March 11: Woodlands v Tampines (Woodlands)

Ferguson will not retire in the next two years

ALEX Ferguson plans to remain as Manchester United manager for at least another two years.

The Scot had reversed his original retirement decision in 2002, and signed a rolling one-year contract following the arrival of the Glazer family as owners in 2005.

There has been speculation that he might step down if United win the Premiership this season.

However, he said on Tuesday: 'Retirement can wait, it is not a possibility for at least a couple of years.

'I decided to retire back in 2002, and I regretted it. To have reconsidered that decision gave me a boost of energy.'

However, he could very well lose his best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, within these two years.

Real Madrid have claimed that the winger's agent told them his destiny lies with the Spanish giants.

A Real source told The Mirror: 'The club have been told that, while Ronaldo is flattered by the interest from Barcelona and Inter Milan, he wants to come here.'

The Times also reported that Real are prepared to pay a world-record transfer fee for the 22-year-old.

The current record of £48 million (S$143 million) has stood since 2001, when Zinedine Zidane moved from Juventus to Real.

The Times claimed that Real's management team would be prepared to go beyond that sum to sign Ronaldo.

The winger's 16 league goals have helped United open a nine-point lead over Chelsea in the Premiership race.

Many believe a victory at Liverpool on Saturday would virtually clinch the title.

Said Ferguson: 'Compared to our last two campaigns, we have had a magnificent start this season.

'Now, it is Chelsea who are following us. They are the ones who have to play every game under pressure.'

Lille continue their appeal

FRENCH club Lille intend to appeal over Uefa's decision to uphold Manchester United's disputed Champions League-winning goal.

The European soccer governing body threw out their protest that Ryan Giggs took the crucial free kick while their players were still lining up their wall.

United won the Feb 20 game 1-0.

Lille claimed that Dutch referee Eric Braamhaar made a mistake in allowing the free kick to be taken without having blown his whistle beforehand.

They asked for the game to be replayed.

Uefa said they will consider the appeal on Friday.

The second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie will be played in Manchester next Wednesday.

Uefa announced last week that it was also investigating possible violations during the tie at the Stade Felix- Bollaert in Lens, where United fans were involved in a crush.

Lille fans responded to the goal by hurling missiles onto the pitch, one of which struck United captain Gary Neville on the head as he was waiting to take a throw-in.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

News Today

Punjab goes to the polls amid reform woes
CHANDIGARH (INDIA) - POLLS were held yesterday in the northern Indian state of Punjab, where a defeat for the ruling Congress Party could highlight wider national concerns over rising food prices and economic reforms. India's annual inflation rate rose to a... [Read more]

Woman minister killed for not wearing Islamic garb
ISLAMABAD - A SUSPECTED Islamic militant on Tuesday shot dead a Pakistani female provincial minister and supporter of President Pervez Musharraf because she was not wearing Muslim clothing, officials said. Zilla Huma Usman, 35, the Punjab province minister for social welfare,... [Read more]

HK woman sues Osim over 'faulty' foot massager
HONG KONG - A WOMAN in Hong Kong is seeking HK$50,000 (S$9,800) from Osim, a Singapore health products company, alleging that one of its foot massagers had injured her legs, local reports said yesterday. Ms Wong Hoi-yin, who has taken her... [Read more]

More Chinese delay pregnancy by freezing eggs
BEIJING - AN INCREASING number of Chinese women are asking fertility institutes to freeze their eggs so that they can postpone pregnancy to enjoy their careers and youth, Chinese media reported yesterday.More than 260 couples in Shanghai had frozen eggs, the... [Read more]

'Commitment by govts needed' to tackle region's water woes
ONE word - commitment - stood out as experts distilled the challenges ahead, on the second day of the Asia Pacific Water Forum's inaugural governing council meeting here. Only political commitment by leaders can result in policy action in tackling the... [Read more]

Kreta Ayer Centre tops charity vote
TIGER Beer has donated more than $40,000 to three charities, as part of the brewery's Golden Wish Promotion launched on Jan 12.During the month-long promotion, Tiger invited the public to vote for the charity they supported most out of three -... [Read more]

S'pore to hold major Asian gaming show
COMPUTER gaming companies from around the world will gather here in September to show off their products and strike deals that could run into the millions of dollars.The Games Convention Asia (GCA) 2007 will be the regional equivalent of the Games... [Read more]

Putin throws down gauntlet to West
THE annual security conference in the southern German city of Munich is traditionally a venue where defence leaders showcase their plans for making the world a more stable place. Not the one held last weekend, however. For in a speech which... [Read more]

They just want to go home
PHOTO: AP Queuing for a ticket home for Chinese New Year is a bone-chilling task for these folks in Taiyuan in China's central Shanxi province. The heavy snow has blanketed the highways, preventing coach services from running; hence this long line... [Read more]

Search is on for Joscelin's successors
FOR the first time in 16 years, Singapore will be without Joscelin Yeo at a South-east Asia Games.But a host of young swimmers are gearing up for December's edition, to make sure the Republic do not miss the six golds that... [Read more]

Cash for tribal women who bear over 12 children
GAUHATI (INDIA) - TRIBAL leaders in India's remote north-east are offering cash rewards to women who bear more than a dozen children in a bid to keep from being outnumbered by settlers from elsewhere.In the past two months, Khasi tribal chieftains... [Read more]

News Today

Programme not designed to play up sensuality of pole dancing
We refer to the letter, 'Shocked over local TV programme' (Online forum, Jan 29) by Ms Daphne Lim. The premise of this new series is to be daring and different in its approach to a wide variety of topics, providing a... [Read more]

Disease threat in Jakarta
A medical team treats a Jakarta flood victim amid a deepening crisis brought on by the worst floods to hit the Indonesian capital in five years. At least 44 deaths have been blamed on the flooding, and officials fear that toll... [Read more]

Richard Yong may end up paying the most
WITH all four defendants now having admitted that they are liable to the new National Kidney Foundation (NKF), the way has been paved for the charity to recover the money it is claiming from them. But the twist is that it... [Read more]

Thai govt trying to boost image in Western media
BANGKOK - THAILAND'S military-appointed government is seeking ways to repair its image in the foreign media in the face of a determined publicity drive by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Among its key objectives is to dispel misunderstandings over the 'sufficiency economy'... [Read more]

Make perverting history a global crime
I AGREE totally with Mr Boguslaw Marcin Majewski, Ambassador of Poland to Singapore, that it is indeed extremely troubling that historian David Irving should persistently deny the existence of Auschwitz and the Holocaust ('Proof of Auschwitz gassing indisputable'; ST, Jan 30).Having... [Read more]

Let a panel review strong objections of families
IT IS very sad and distressing to read about the recent scuffle between Singapore General Hospital staff and brain-dead man Sim Tee Hua's next of kin over an operation to harvest his organs for transplant (ST, Feb 8). We had in... [Read more]

We need a unique Singaporean roar
With the recent euphoria on our Lions' victory at the Asean Football Championship and comments made in the Forum pages about cheering our team, I think the time has come for a Singapore Roar to be created.This will be the rallying... [Read more]

STI breaks 3, 200 mark with few signs of bull run ending
A POTENT mix of New Year fever and pre-Budget expectations propelled the share market on to a dizzying bull run yesterday that ended with another record high close.The Straits Times Index (STI) rocketed 49.58 points to 3,217.68, bringing the gains over... [Read more]

Pressure on China as Hu visits Sudan
KHARTOUM - INTERNATIONAL pressure was on China yesterday to use diplomacy to stop Sudan's civil strife after President Hu Jintao arrived in the country, the highlight of an eight-nation tour of Africa. But Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol said the meeting... [Read more]

Suicide bomber kills 3 in Israel
An Israeli medic wheels a stretcher holding a body bag from the scene of a suicide attack, which ripped through a bakery in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat yesterday. Three people were killed by the Palestinian suicide bomber, in... [Read more]

Wi-Fi thief's sentence lauded as 'practical'
BY SENTENCING a teenager to 18 months' probation and an accompanying Internet ban for piggybacking on his neighbour's wireless connection, the Community Court sent a clear signal that the teen's actions were wrong but not serious enough to warrant jail time,... [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 v Celtic (Live, Ch107, 8.30pm). English FA Cup, 5th rd: Arsenal v Blackburn (Live, Ch24, 8.25pm), Chelsea v Norwich (Live, Ch23, 10.55pm), Middlesbrough v West Brom (Live, Ch24, 10.55pm), Man Utd v Reading (Live, Ch24, tomorrow, 1.10am). French Ligue: St Etienne v Rennes (Live, Ch108, tomorrow, 12.10am). Spanish Primera Liga: Real Madrid v Betis (Live, Ch22, tomorrow, 2.55am), Real Zaragoza v Villarreal (Live, Ch22, tomorrow, 4.55am). Dutch C'ship: Heracles v PSV (Live, Ch108, tomorrow, 3am).

Today in Summary

Supermart staff under probe for skiving on YouTube
LONDON - A BRITISH supermarket chain has launched a probe after video clips of people performing stunts while wearing the company uniform surfaced on the YouTube website.The videos allegedly featured Somerfield staff 'skiving' from work and showed - among other antics... [Read more]

Good chance for Barca to increase league lead
MADRID - BARCELONA'S coach Frank Rijkaard refuses to see his team as the Primera Liga title favourites.He is adamant, despite history showing that the leaders at the half-way point have gone on to win the Spanish championship in 10 of the... [Read more]

Four-month wait to be seen at SGH
MY FRIEND'S mother, who had been having diarrhoea for the past month despite seeing a GP, was given a referral to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) by Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic on Tuesday. However, she could be seen only on May 11.My... [Read more]

Pakistan denies harbouring Taleban leader
ISLAMABAD - PAKISTAN denied yesterday that its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was sheltering Taleban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in the city of Quetta near the Afghan border. 'It is an absurd and sheer lie,' said top military spokesman Shaukat Sultan. The claim... [Read more]

New project spending in China loses steam
BEIJING - CHINA saw less investment in new projects last year than in 2005, government sources said yesterday. This marked a sharp turnaround from the rapid expansion in such spending seen in the first few months of last year. China carried... [Read more]

Two women slipped on VivoCity stairs and fell
ON JAN 6, my friend and I visited VivoCity for the first time. She was on vacation in Singapore.It was 9pm when we went up to the rooftop sky garden where children were still playing in the pools. It was surprising... [Read more]

Scramble for aid
Kota Tinggi flood victims crowd around an official handing out queue tickets for the next day's handouts. Malaysians affected by the first wave of floods last month were promised aid of RM200 (S$87) per family. They also get coupons to collect... [Read more]

Ask customers before charging for trial services
TELCOS often throw in extra free services for a limited period of time to woo customers. This is well and good.However, before the expiry of such services, they do not ask customers whether they would like to continue receiving the services.... [Read more]

Focus on Mideast peace, free trade, climate change
DAVOS (SWITZERLAND) - THIS year's gathering at the World Economic Forum produced fresh commitments to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, a glimmer of hope on liberalising world trade and determination to combat global warming. And, as a tailpiece, emotional appeals at yesterday's... [Read more]

Ukraine leader pleased with talks here
FEW Singaporeans have taken the 15-hour flight to visit Ukraine.Ukraine's First Vice-Prime Minister Mykola Azarov wants Singapore businessmen to know that his country of 47 million people is replete with history, scientific expertise and investment opportunities.Summing up his four-day official visit... [Read more]

Existing customers left in cold for SingTel mio package
I'VE BEEN using SingTel mobile services for five years and currently hold three lines. In August 2005 and April last year, I also signed up for the home residential fixed line and unlimited broadband services. Thus, I was quite excited when... [Read more]