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]