News Today

SM's call to wealthy: Give 0.5% of annual pay to needy
THIS is a call from Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong: If you are wealthy, donate at least 0.5 per cent of your annual income to help the needy. Mr Goh made it yesterday, saying he hoped Singapore will one day become... [Read more]

CapitaLand earns $40m from sale of office space
CAPITALAND has sold all its entire interest in the Samsung Hub office block to two different buyers for a gain of $40 million.The entire divestment of space in the central business district building amounted to $152.9 million.Property company Ho Bee Development... [Read more]

Homecoming kings
PHOTO: ALBERT SIMIt was a football homecoming to savour for Singapore skipper Aide Iskandar and the victorious Lions yesterday. They were mobbed by 300-odd fans at the airport upon their return from Bangkok, where they had clinched the Asean Football Championship... [Read more]

More than 100 accidents over New Year weekend
WHILE most people here were raising a toast to the Chinese New Year over the weekend, many families had to rush to hospital to attend to relatives involved in road crashes. There were 40 accidents on Friday, 35 on Saturday and... [Read more]

News Corp nears deal for Chinese MySpace
SHANGHAI - NEWS Corp is finalising an agreement with partners to launch a networking website venture in China within a few months, venture capital and Chinese government sources said yesterday.The deal, if successful, would be a landmark step for News Corp,... [Read more]

Changing tactics of terrorism
SINCE the start of this decade, more than 1,000 people have been detained in Britain under the country's anti-terrorism legislation. But the threat has not diminished. In a rare public speech last November, Ms Eliza Manningham-Buller, the head of Britain's internal... [Read more]

Pakistan to erect fence along Afghan border
RAWALPINDI (PAKISTAN) - PAKISTAN will erect 35km of fencing to reinforce its porous mountain border with Afghanistan, President Pervez Musharraf said yesterday. He acknowledged for the first time that Pakistani frontier guards may be allowing suspected Taleban and Al-Qaeda fighters to... [Read more]

US plans to put on a more welcoming face
WASHINGTON - THE US government and private sector are launching a massive effort to reshape America's image for foreign visitors amid concerns that tightened security measures have made the country inhospitable. The campaign comes as the number of visitors to the... [Read more]

Some measures to be taken
Educate communities about the impact of the haze on their families' health. Train villagers in ways to prevent forest fires and help them use zero burning techniques to clear land. Reward farmers who reduce burning with funds for necessities such as... [Read more]

Undersea quake hits Indonesia's Maluku islands
JAKARTA - A STRONG 6.6-magnitude undersea earthquake rocked Indonesia's northern Maluku province yesterday, the meteorology agency said, prompting initial fears of a tsunami.The agency urged residents on Bacan island to be alert for signs of rising sea levels after the quake... [Read more]

Today's News Articles
La LigaTodayA. Madrid v SantanderVillarreal v R. Madrid Live, Ch22, tomorrow, 4.55amTomorrowGetafe v OsasunaGimnastic v EspanyolLevante v Sevilla Live, Ch22, 11.55pmMallorca v R. HuelvaR. Sociedad v BilbaoZaragoza v Deportivo Barcelona v Celta Vigo Live, Ch22, Monday, 1.55amReal Betis v Valencia Live,... [Read more]

Car hit by golf ball that flew through safety net

My car was hit by a golf ball that flew through the safety net and went out of bounds at Jurong Country Club while I was driving on the AYE between 6.30pm and 7pm on March 2.

I went to the club the next day to launch a complaint and claim. While the club was professional in handling the matter, it has been a chore since.

In addition to that, I was appalled by the remark of a diner at the club, who commented that it was a 'small matter' and that I was making a mountain out of a molehill. I was made aware that my case was the second in two weeks. This is shocking.

Did the club do anything about it after the first incident?

And why is the process to complete my claim for repair so complicated?

What is the club doing to penalise careless and inconsiderate golfers and members?

Also, the remarks by the diner. What would his reaction be if this had been his car or his family?

I hope he realises that it is not a 'small matter' at all. When it comes to safety, nothing is a small matter and the need to pre-empt and prevent is of paramount importance.

Chew Wee Bing (Ms)

All Singaporeans out of All-England in first round

SINGAPORE'S campaign at the Yonex All-England badminton championships ended after Ronald Susilo was shown the door in the first round by China's Bao Chunlai.

The world No 5 defeated Susilo 18-21, 21-15, 23-21 on Wednesday evening.

Singapore's top player felt the match had been close but he had been the victim of bad luck.

'I was actually leading the last game 20-19 but then I caught the shuttle with the edge of my racket and it went into the net.

'Bao then scored the next point and, even though I managed to level at 21-21, he pulled away to win.

'At this level, sometimes you need a bit of luck. It was a good match.'

Susilo's exit marked the end of Singapore's challenge at the tournament.

Earlier, Kendrick Lee had succumbed to Japan's Shoji Sato 12-21, 14-21.

Li Li and Xing Aiying also bowed out in the first round of the women's singles, while none of the Republic's doubles pairings progressed.

Nonetheless, Singapore Badminton Association acting chief executive Jacqueline Lim was encouraged by the players' performances.

She said: 'There were some close matches and we are pushing the top players from countries like China.

'We are aiming to peak for May's Aviva Open Singapore, which is our home event and a key target for us.'

The shuttlers will compete in the Swiss Open next week before returning home.

Meanwhile, former champion Peter Gade was the highest profile casualty on Wednesday.

The fourth-seeded Dane was beaten 15-21, 21-19, 21-19 by Dicky Palyama.

Gade saved four match points in a row and was denied the chance to save a fifth by a debatable line decision.

It happened after he had forced a defensive lift from his Dutch opponent.

The shuttlecock appeared to land two or three inches out, only for a line judge to indicate the shuttle was in.

Gade looked staggered, and Palyama looked a little surprised momentarily.

He then hurled his racket across the floor and celebrated his first win over the former world No 1.

Gade's demise may help China's Lin Dan, the top-seeded title-holder who is in the same half.

He beat Malaysia's Muhammad Roslin Hashim 24-22, 16-21, 21-9 to advance.

AGENCE-FRANCE PRESSE

Dhoby Xchange flop: SMRT should re-examine its approach

I read with empathy that Dhoby Xchange was a flop. More importantly, packed along with the shops as they close their shutters are broken dreams of possibly young budding entrepreneurs.

My partners and I were one of the few hundred who tendered for one of the shop lots. Before that, we had met up with SMRT's appointed marketing agent, who was reputable in the retail sector, to find out what the tenant mix SMRT intends to attract so that we could pitch our concept to secure the tender.

We did not place high bids as we were sceptical that given SMRT's concept, there would be throngs of shoppers. On the first failed bid, we met up with SMRT to present our proposal in the hope that SMRT would revise its concept. Our proposal was submitted together with our second bid and also in an e-mail.

We felt that the location was excellent, given the ready captive audience - commuters who had to take the train come rain or shine. So the emphasis is to have a tenant mix built round the needs of the commuters most of whom do not have deep pockets.

Forget about the upmarket trendy shops trying to attract shoppers from elsewhere or even fighting for a slice of the Plaza Singapura shopping crowd. Citing examples of the shops at SMU, where business is pathetic, did not help either. We are disappointed that our proposal fell on deaf ears and more so at SMRT's high-handed approach.

Train stations in big cities round the world feature humble shops that cater to the everyday needs of commuters like hot dog stands, newsstands, shoe repair shops and florists. There are no big labels to boast of, trendy shop decor or glitzy advertisements to draw the crowd. They are just focused on serving the needs of the commuters.

Tenants should not be blamed for the predicament of the mall. It is the tenant mix that draws the crowd, not the individual shops. If the mall fails to attract the crowd then SMRT should re-examine its approach in resolving the problems than merely adopting a draconian approach of relying on legal recourse.

Elaine Hong Wai Leng (Ms)

New record price for Sentosa Cove condo plot

SENTOSA Cove's latest condominium plot has set another record price for land in the luxury enclave.

Its 99-year leasehold Seaview Collection attracted five bids when its tender closed yesterday.

The highest is said to be more than $1,300 per sq ft per plot ratio (psf ppr) - or at least $440 million. It beat the $1,308 psf ppr Sentosa land record set by a bungalow plot in November.

Sources said boutique developer Ho Bee tabled the top bid for Seaview, closely followed by CapitaLand. City Developments, Frasers Centrepoint and Lippo Group are said to be the other bidders.

All the bids for the 157,108 sq ft site came in above $1,000 psf ppr, said Sentosa Cove. This means that even the lowest bid exceeded the previous $919 psf ppr record for condo land, also set by Ho Bee, for the Waterfront Collection last year.

At $1,300 psf ppr for Seaview, the break-even price for the plot would be about $1,800 psf ppr, which means the winning developer would have to price the condo units in excess of $2,000 psf, said consultants.

Mr Nicholas Mak, director of research and consultancy at Knight Frank, noted that the top bid 'is near some of the record land prices achieved for freehold land in districts 9 and 10'.

Other experts expressed concern that the recent stock market correction could affect investor sentiment in the property market.

FIONA CHAN

Sports World

WILSON WINS FOUR-MAN PLAY-OFF

FLORIDA: Mark Wilson birdied the third play-off hole to win the USPGA Tour's Honda Classic yesterday, edging out Jose Coceres, Boo Weekley and Camilo Villegas.

It was Wilson's first victory in his 111th start on the world's top golf tour.

Play was stopped because of darkness at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens on Sunday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONTOYA WINS FIRST STOCK-CAR RACE

MEXICO CITY: Former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya won his first stock-car race at the Nascar Busch Telcel-Motorola 200 in Mexico City on Sunday.

He beat Denny Hamlin to the finish line in Nascar's second-tier series by 0.498 sec after late-race caution periods bunched the field.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

MOGAKA TRIUMPHS IN L.A. MARATHON

LOS ANGELES: Kenyan Fred Mogaka beat countryman Moses Kororia to win the Los Angeles Marathon and its battle-of-the-sexes challenge on Sunday.

Kororia and another Kenyan, Christopher Kipyego, passed eventual women's winner Ramilia Burangolova at the 40km mark.

But Mogaka then surged ahead of all three to win in 2 hr 17min 14sec.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

News Today

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]

Ford chalks up biggest full-year loss of $19.5b
DEARBORN (MICHIGAN) -FORD Motor lost a staggering US$12.7 billion (S$19.5 billion) last year - an average of US$1,925 for every car and truck it sold and the worst loss in the company's 103-year history. The company that invented the assembly line... [Read more]

Sports World
DOWIE TO RUN THE SHOW AT COVENTRY COVENTRY: Iain Dowie was hired as Coventry football club manager yesterday, three months after being fired by Premier League side Charlton.Dowie signed a 31/2- year contract with Coventry, who are 17th in the 24-team... [Read more]

President Nathan: Build cultural, social ties
MANILA - SINGAPOREANS should not only seize investment opportunities in the Philippines, but also embrace social projects and cultural exchanges here, President SR Nathan said yesterday. In an assessment of his four-day state visit, he said his meeting with Philippine President... [Read more]

Serie A
TodayTorino v UdinesePalermo v LazioTomorrowAC Milan v ParmaAS Roma v SienaAtalanta v CataniaCagliari v Reggina Live, Ch23, 10pmChievo v EmpoliFiorentina v LivornoMessina v AscoliSampdoria v Inter Milan... [Read more]

Retirement planning low on S'poreans' priority list
MOST Singaporeans are prepared for short-term financial emergencies and big expenses such as their mortgage and children's education. However, such planning falls well short in other areas like retirement.Those were the key findings of a new survey on how ready people... [Read more]

Sri Lanka peace plan scuttled by defections
COLOMBO - A GROUP of Sri Lankan opposition lawmakers defected yesterday, effectively scuttling a landmark peace deal aimed at ending decades of separatist violence on the island, officials said. Eighteen members of the right-wing United National Party (UNP) formally joined the... [Read more]

Israeli varsity eyes research partnership
IT WAS attraction at first sight. After being swept off its feet on a three-day visit to local universities, Israel's Technion university looks almost certain to become the latest partner in a billion-dollar research initiative by the National Research Foundation (NRF).... [Read more]

Full-day bus lanes will carry extra red line
I REFER to the letters regarding the impending bus-lane modifications. The bus-lane scheme was introduced in 1974 to give priority to public transport so that larger numbers of people can be carried more efficiently, quickly and reliably. Since then, we have... [Read more]

Sports World
DELAY IN LANDIS PROBE SLAMMEDMADRID: The Tour de France's director-general expressed frustration on Tuesday over the slow progress of Floyd Landis' doping case. 'The anti-doping commission in the United States won't meet until the first days of March to study the... [Read more]

NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League
THE S-League begins on March 4, and The Straits Times looks at the interesting faces in the league. Today, we feature the league's youngest referee, and how being the man in the middle has helped him.Format: 12 clubs, 33 matches each.Teams... [Read more]

South Korea's new tank can swim, sit, stand and kneel

SEOUL - SOUTH Korea unveiled yesterday what it calls the world's best tank - capable of fording shallow rivers, defending itself against missiles and firing 'smart' projectiles.

The XK2 Black Panther is a main battle tank of 'the highest technical level all over the world', said its developer, the state-run Agency for Defence Development.

Key features include an active defence system against incoming missiles and aircraft, automatic tracking and ammunition-loading systems, an active suspension unit and high underwater manoeuvrability.

'We have stolen a march over other developed countries in developing ground weaponry. The Black Panther proves it,' agency president Ahn Dong Mahn told journalists.

Mr Kim Eui Hwan, the official in charge of the project, said the Black Panther has 'more superb capabilities than any other existing tank'.

Its armament includes a 120mm smooth-bore main gun which is automatically loaded and capable of firing up to 15 rounds per minute.

A unique system enables it to fire on the move and compensates for errors caused by bumpy terrain.

A special suspension unit enables the tank to 'sit', 'stand' and 'kneel', allowing it to fire its main gun downhill.

Another key feature is Korean Smart Top-attack Munition rounds, which have their own guidance and obstacle-avoidance systems to hit hidden targets.

In another claimed world's first, the agency said the tank - using a special snorkel - can manoeuvre quickly in up to 4.1m of water and is ready for combat immediately after it surfaces.

With three crew members on board, the 55-tonne tank with a 1,500hp engine has a road speed of more than 70kmh and cross-country speed of more than 50kmh.

The Black Panther will enter mass production in three years and the army will take delivery of an unknown number in 2011.

The price tag is estimated at US$8.8 million (S$13.4 million) each and developers will seek export orders.

The tank has been developed by researchers at ADD and Rotem, a unit of Hyundai Motor, along with defence industry firms.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Jardine C&C profit declines for 2nd year in a row

DIVERSIFIED Jardine Cycle & Carriage (Jardine C&C) posted a 21 per cent drop in net earnings to US$223.8 million (S$342.3 million) for the year ended Dec 31.

It was its second straight annual drop in earnings since 2004, when it reaped a record profit of US$349.4 million.

Revenue almost doubled to US$7.19 billion, following the full consolidation of Indonesia-based Astra International, which has become a subsidiary.

Cost of sales rose 87 per cent to US$5.73 billion. Tax expenses more than doubled to US$174.2 million.

As a result, earnings per share sank to 66.02 US cents from 84.06 US cents previously. Net asset value per share however stood at US$5.56 from US$4.59 on a healthier balance sheet with net assets at US$4.06 billion, from US$3.53 billion previously.

Cash and equivalents at the beginning of the year was US$491 million, compared with US$177 million previously. At Dec 31, they were US$551.9 million, against US$491 million.

Group net debt shrank by 19 per cent to US$2.1 billion, on lower demand for consumer loans in Indonesia. Excluding consumer finance, debt dipped 1 per cent to US$600 million.

While its Singapore motoring business fared well on better Mercedes and Mitsubishi sales, it was not enough to offset the far larger Indonesian operation.

Consumer confidence there has yet to recover from the increase in interest rates and removal of fuel subsidies two years ago.

With the damaging floods in recent months, Astra's first-quarter performance in the current financial year will suffer. For the year ended Dec 31, Astra posted a 32 per cent drop in net profit to 3.71 trillion rupiah (S$619.6 million).

Jardine C&C group managing director (MD) Adam Keswick said that while motoring will remain a major business, the group will endeavour to be 'less reliant' on it by growing Astra's other operations. These include plantations and infrastructure.

He remains as hopeful as last year that Indonesia will turn around. He added that the group has no intention of lifting its stake in Astra of just above 50 per cent.

Mr Keswick will take up a new position at Jardine Pacific. His cousin Benjamin Keswick will take over as Jardine C&C group MD in April. Meanwhile, group finance director Neville Venter has retired. His post is being filled by the former finance director of Jardine Schindler, Mr SC Chiew.

Despite the profit shrinkage, Jardine C&C is paying a final dividend of 17 US cents per share.

The group is bracing itself for keener competition. Yamaha, for instance, is giving Astra's Honda a run for its money in the motorbike market. And Nissan, which recently launched a domestic model, could erode Astra's dominant position with Toyota.

In Singapore, the car market could shrink this year on a small supply of certificates of entitlement.

christan@sph.com.sg

Hefty rise in development charges for business areas

THE rush to buy homes in the Marina Bay area late last year has contributed to hefty increases in a charge payable to the Government by developers when they want to enhance a property site.

The downtown area also recorded hefty jumps in the charge for the commercial and hotel sectors.

The Government yesterday raised the development charge, as it is known, for non-landed residential use in the downtown areas of Marina Bay, Shenton Way and Robinson Road by up to 55 per cent.

While high, this was not a total surprise, given that new projects like Marina Bay Residences, One Shenton and Lumiere were sold at $1,600 per sq ft (psf) to $3,450 psf, late last year, well above the previous launch price of $1,200 psf for tower two of The Sail @ Marina Bay in late 2005, consultants said.

Development charges, which are revised twice a year on March 1 and Sept 1, closely mirror property values. They vary according to land use and 118 locations.

The charges can range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to tens of million of dollars for large projects.

The National Development Ministry, in consultation with the chief valuer, yesterday raised the charge for non-landed residential use by 14 per cent on average, compared to a 9 per cent rise six months ago.

The charge for landed residential use rose by 6 per cent on average, from 1 per cent previously, while the charge for commercial use increased by an average of 12 per cent, from 2 per cent.

However, the biggest jump was in the hotel and hospital segment, where rates rose by 27 per cent on average, compared with no change six months ago.

The rates for other uses such as industrial use remain unchanged.

In the residential sector, Sentosa posted significant increases in the charge for landed use (28 per cent) and non-landed use (nearly 28 per cent) as the values of Sentosa Cove properties have risen considerably.

In the Orchard Road area, collective sales have led to a 16 to 21 per cent rise, though the hike is lower than the 32 to 38 per cent rise previously, said Mr Li Hiaw Ho, executive director of CBRE Research.

The hikes for non-landed residential use would affect the collective sale market to a certain extent as developers would have to price in higher charges, consultants said.

'But the increases would not derail the collective sale trend because the major shocks in development charge increases already happened in the past few revisions,' said Mr Lui Seng Fatt of property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle.

However, some developers may raise the selling prices of existing and future developments as the increase in development charges have jacked up their replacement costs, said a property expert.

In the commercial sector, the charge for the Battery Road/Chulia Road/Collyer Quay area showed the biggest rise of 44.4 per cent, probably boosted by the keen competition and bullish bids seen for the Collyer Quay site, said Mr Li.

The Marina Bay area locked in a 31.6 per cent rise in the charge, giving the area an implied land value of $465 psf per plot ratio (ppr), he said.

However, the consortium developing the Marina Bay Financial Centre secured savings for phase two of the project by locking in its rate at $423 psf ppr in the middle of last month, said Mr Li.

In the hotel segment, the increases in the charges were dramatic - at up to 90.5 per cent in the downtown areas, reflecting the record bid for the Collyer Quay site, he said. Interest in hotel sites has been strong in the past six months, with four hotel sites awarded, up from one in 2005 and none in 2004, he added.

The Government had released several hotel sites for sale to cater to an expected rise in tourism.

Mr Lui said the hefty increases in the hotel charge had been expected. 'It has been almost 20 years since we have seen so many hotel sites made available.'

joyceteo@sph.com.sg

Business revenue up 4.4% in last quarter

THE cash tills for most industries were ringing merrily in the fourth quarter of last year, going by the latest business receipts figures from the Department of Statistics (DOS).

The insurance, real estate, IT consultancy, post and telecommunications industries all saw double-digit growth in business receipts, driving the overall business receipts index up 4.4 per cent from the same period a year ago.

Compared with the third quarter, business receipts were up 9.9 per cent.

The few industries which saw a drop in business were financial services (down 11.8 per cent), water transport (down 5.1 per cent) and advertising (down 8.1 per cent).

Excluding the financial and insurance services cluster, total business receipts rose 5.8 per cent, DOS said yesterday.

Turnover in the financial services industry was down due to poorer business for the Asian Currency Units of banks, DOS said. But other financial services such as stockbroking, investment advisory and fund management continued to do well.

And it was boom time for the insurance industry, which enjoyed a 51.1 per cent surge in receipts, as life and general insurance services prospered.

Compiled quarterly, the business receipts index measures short-term changes in the operating receipts of firms. It includes commissions and fees earned, but excludes the goods and services tax.

Chelsea, Arsenal may be charged

LONDON - ARSENAL and Chelsea are awaiting Football Association charges, after Sunday's League Cup final was marred by a brawl.

The Gunners' stand-in skipper Kolo Toure, teammate Emmanuel Adebayor and Chelsea's Mikel Jon Obi were dismissed in the dying stages of the Blues' 2-1 win.

Francesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard were also cautioned after the incident.

Managers Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho had to run on to the pitch to try to calm their players.

Up till then, the match had been an entertaining and intriguing contest between Arsenal's young Gunners and Chelsea's star-studded team.

Toure has apologised for his part in the melee, and hopes the FA will show leniency once it has reviewed video evidence.

He told 4thegame.com: 'I apologise for this moment, and I regret my actions.

'Chelsea were winning and were starting to waste time. I was not happy with that, which is why I went to Mikel and had some words with him.

'Then Lampard came in and maybe made the thing bigger than it was. But that is part of football.'

His regret was in direct contrast to Mikel's attitude.

The Mirror quoted the Chelsea forward as saying: 'I didn't deserve the card. I think Toure attacked me but the ref showed me the red card.

'The referee had already given them a free kick, so why did he attack me? I don't know - I don't have a clue about it.

'I didn't touch him, I kept my hands down. But he didn't punch me. We didn't fight.'

Wenger later acknowledged that his players, whose average age was 21, had lost their cool.

He said: 'It suddenly exploded. It was strange as it didn't reflect the quality of the game.

'Suddenly, we lost it and they lost it as well. It became a brawl. I'm not sure the referee picked the right ones out but he made a decision.

'I don't think you should ever lose your calm. You should always keep in control. Frankly, I felt a few punches were exchanged, not only from our side.

'I went on the field to ensure nothing major happened. I wanted to calm things down.

'I am not strong enough to do that. Maybe I overestimated my power a little bit. I am sure that the players will be punished. Will it be once or twice, who knows?

'With the FA, you always have a good chance to worry. It is better to worry with them.'

Keith Hackett, the referees' chief, praised the way his colleague, Howard Webb, dealt with the incident. He also called on the FA to take action.

'Howard and his assistants had a good game on that incident, which was out of character from the rest of the match,' he said.

'They dealt calmly and firmly with it. After consultation, Howard took appropriate action.

'His report will go to the FA today and they will look at those unseemly situations that arose. It was a pity because it was a fantastic game.'

The brawl began when Toure was dragged back by Mikel, prompting an angry reaction from the Arsenal defender.

In the ensuing melee, Emmanuel Eboue clashed with Wayne Bridge, leaving the Chelsea left-back on the ground.

The game was further delayed when Adebayor refused to leave the pitch after being red-carded, and had to be dragged off by Arsenal physiotherapist Gary Lewin.

'My reaction after the card did not mean I wanted to hit the referee. I just wanted to know why he gave me the red card. I do not think I did anything wrong,' said the striker.

There were claims of a case of mistaken identity. Many believe the red card was meant for Eboue.

Even Bridge said: 'Adebayor wasn't the guy who did it.'

Mourinho added: 'My players said it was Eboue who was more responsible than the others.'

The Portuguese said the incidents were disappointing but understandable.

He told the BBC: 'It's a pity that happened. I do understand that it's emotional and I understand how the players are feeling.

'Arsenal were losing the final, so I think their emotions took over. Sometimes, mature people lose control of their emotions.

'You cannot kill a player because something happened. If Mikel did something wrong, it is not my job to kill him, it is my job to educate him.'

Arsenal took an early lead through Theo Walcott's first goal for the club, before the Blues turned things around with Didier Drogba's brace.

News Today

Yeo meets S'poreans in Brunei
Foreign Minister George Yeo met Singaporeans living in Brunei at a reception yesterday hosted by the Singapore High Commission. Mr Yeo, who is visiting Brunei, will call on Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtmadee Billah today. A Singapore Foreign... [Read more]

Just 9 months on, Marina Bay Sands is in overdrive
NINE months after it won the right to build and operate Singapore's first casino resort, Marina Bay Sands has finished most of its on-site piling work and is already promoting its convention venue to 15 organisations. It is also looking at... [Read more]

TV Mobile spoils what would be a pleasant bus ride
I refer to the letter, 'Don't get distracted by glamour, just focus on public transport' (Online forum, Feb 15), I can't help but totally agree with the second point the writer raised, the one about TV Mobile.I am an avid reader... [Read more]

S'pore takes up 29% stake in Nanjing airport
IN NANJING - CHANGI Airports International (CAI) yesterday landed its first airport investment deal in China, acquiring a multimillion-dollar stake in the largest airport in eastern Jiangsu province. CAI is investing 1.1 billion yuan (S$220 million) for a 29 per cent... [Read more]

Nations offer $3.5m in flood aid to Indonesia
JAKARTA - INDONESIA has received offers of foreign aid totalling more than S$3.5 million to help it cope with floods that hit Jakarta and its surrounding areas in the past week. But, despite widespread complaints from flood victims about the lack... [Read more]

Beijing needs to crank up pressure on counterfeiters
BEIJING - IN CHINA, you do not need to spend a fortune to build up an enviable collection of Oscar-winning films, the hottest music CDs or the hippest 'designer' togs. Shops and vendors offer an expansive range of the latest -... [Read more]

Students risking their lives with their nonchalant attitude
It is appalling that some pupils from primary, secondary schools and tertiary institutions in my neighbourhood are nonchalant when it comes to road safety. In one instance, students were walking across a road oblivious to traffic even though they did not... [Read more]

Watford resigned to relegation after loss to Bolton
LONDON - A CONVERSATION between two Watford supporters on the way to Saturday's Premiership match against Bolton said everything about the club's situation.'How do you reckon we'll do in the Championship next season?' one asked.The fact that the match ball was... [Read more]

Arroyo names ally and ex-top cop as defence chief
IN MANILA - PRESIDENT Gloria Arroyo yesterday appointed a former national police chief as the Philippines' new defence secretary, going against recommendations that a civilian be given the post. Mrs Arroyo took on the defence portfolio after the resignation two months... [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]

UN agency to regain control of N. Korea work
NEW YORK - THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has authorised its office in North Korea to take back control of its work from Pyongyang and cease hard currency payments to local staff and suppliers.The move followed fears that the North... [Read more]

Terry out again, as Chelsea jinx strikes

OPORTO - IT HAS been the story of Chelsea this season: Every budding hope tempered with more bad news.

Their 1-1 draw at Porto in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday was a perfect example.

Andriy Shevchenko elevated himself to a new high with a goal of pure class.

Manager Jose Mourinho showed off his brilliant tactical mind.

But not before captain John Terry pulled up after just nine minutes, and left the stadium in a plaster cast and on crutches.

Of course, the England defender will miss Sunday's League Cup final against Arsenal.

But the real fear is the early prognosis: He will be out for six weeks with ligament damage in his ankle, just three games since his return from a back injury.

Khalid Boulahrouz, in his first comeback match since knee-ligament damage, dislocated his shoulder in the 4-0 FA Cup victory over Norwich City on Saturday.

That leaves the champions with just one fit central defender, Ricardo Carvalho.

Mourinho was quick to reopen the war with owner Roman Abramovich, who had denied him the funds for a back-up in last month's transfer window.

He said: 'We are not in an easy situation. When will John be back? I don't know.

'But I'm so cool about it because, every day, I lose a player. It's absolutely unbelievable.

'We will have to play with Michael Essien, who is unstoppable in midfield, in defence now. We have no choice.'

It was no coincidence that Porto scored in Terry's absence with Chelsea a man down, with Mourinho looking to bring on John Obi Mikel and shore up the defence.

From a free kick, Essien headed clear but the ball fell to Raul Meireles.

His volley, taking a slight deflection off Jorge Fucile, sailed past Petr Cech for the first goal conceded by Chelsea in 6hr 24min.

Mourinho reacted by throwing on Arjen Robben instead, and changing formation - 4-4-2 became 4-3-3.

Immediately, the Dutch winger played a clever ball inside the backline. Shevchenko finished the move with a left-footed shot across goalkeeper Helton.

That took the £30.8million (S$92.5million) striker above Portugal's Eusebio and on to 58 goals in 104 European appearances - second only to German Gerd Muller's 62.

Equally significant was Mourinho's praise for the player who had been building a reputation as an overpriced dud from AC Milan.

'Shevchenko was brilliant,' he said. 'Even if he doesn't score, he has become almost untouchable because we are delighted with his efforts.'

Porto were far from daunted.

The precocious Ricardo Quaresma jinked towards goal and was stopped.

But the ball broke to Lisandro Lopez, whose shot was brilliantly pushed away by Cech.

Then, from an angle, the winger Quaresma struck Lopez's pass with the outside of his right foot. The ball drifted away from Cech, only to come back off the bar.

It was mere inches from being one of the great Champions League goals, reported The Guardian.

Mourinho had seen enough, and it was time to kill off the threat.

With Robben suffering a muscle injury, Mourinho replaced him with Mikel, whose job was to double up on Quaresma with right-back Lassana Diarra.

It worked. The hosts became frustrated and, after drawing the sting in a sterile second half, Chelsea hit back.

Didier Drogba hit the outside of the post, Shevchenko had an attempt blocked and Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard, playing despite stomach problems, also went close.

'I made the right decisions on the pitch,' the Portuguese manager said.

Said his opposite number Jesualdo Ferreira: 'One-one is clearly a negative result for Porto.'

Terry looks set to miss the return leg at Stamford Bridge and the FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham, along with several Premiership games against lesser sides.

'We cannot cry,' said Mourinho. 'We are in four competitions.'

April 15 is the date that looms the largest: Chelsea host Manchester United in the Premiership.

Terry should be back by then, blue fingers crossed.

Liverpool buy out Mascherano's contract with businessman

LONDON - LIVERPOOL have completed the signing of Javier Mascherano, after buying out his contract with businessman Kia Joorabchian.

But West Ham are still facing the threat of a points deduction for breaking Premiership rules to allow the Argentina midfielder to play for them earlier this season.

The English League forbids a third party from influencing player transfers.

Mascherano's move from Brazil side Corinthians to West Ham could be deemed illegal as he is contracted to Joorabchian.

In buying out the Argentinian's contract, Liverpool could then sign him in a permanent 18-month deal.

It is said to have cost about £10 million (S$30 million).

Liverpool had initially wanted to sign the player on loan.

When they realised such agreement would be in breach of Premiership rules, manager Rafael Benitez turned to the club's new American owners, George Gillette Jr and Tom Hicks, and urged them to invest in Mascherano.

A Premiership statement said: 'We are satisfied that the contractual arrangements proposed by Liverpool are consistent with the rules; particularly that the relationship between club and player is not subject to third-party influence.'

While Liverpool can now include Mascherano in their plans without any fear of reprisals, West Ham will be sweating over their fate.

One senior football official has told The Daily Mail that they are in big trouble after failing to gain clarification from the Premiership before signing Mascherano and another Argentinian, Carlos Tevez.

Tevez remains the property of Joorabchian.

The Hammers are expected to argue that the club's previous administration - in particular former chief executive Paul Aldridge - were responsible for recruiting the two players.

But an independent commission, appointed to examine the issue, may dismiss the argument.

More so, if there are any documents that reveal that the club's new Icelandic owners did not question the arrangement with Joorabchian when they took over.

For Mascherano, meanwhile, it is now all about impressing Benitez.

If Liverpool decide not to extend his deal beyond the initial 18 months, Joorabchian could be given the option of buying him back.

Meanwhile, Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek has apologised for his role in the team's drunken escapades after a training stint on the Algarve in Portugal last week.

The Polish custodian was restrained by security guards after a row with an off-duty policeman in a bar.

Champions League

Today

Barcelona v Liverpool

Live, Ch23, tomorrow, 3.30am

Porto v Chelsea

Live, Ch24, tomorrow, 3.30am

Inter Milan v Valencia

Roma v Lyon

S'pore food firms serve up local fare at Dubai fair

LOCAL food manufacturers will be dishing up Singaporean delicacies at a mega trade show in Dubai this week that will feature more than 2,000 companies from over 70 countries.

The Tasty Singapore pavilion at the Gulfood 2007 event will showcase 17 firms and more than 150 products, ranging from sauces and pre-mixes to noodle products and instant beverages with the aim of boosting sales in the Middle East.

Seah's Spices Food Industries, which has previously exhibited at the Dubai show, will feature products such as spices for prawn-flavoured fried chicken and fried crispy prawn.

However, it is not just about taste. The Tasty Singapore initiative also wants to promote the country as a reliable supplier of consistently good quality products.

The food fair strategy is already a winner. This will be Tasty Singapore's second appearance at Gulfood. The 19 participating companies last year secured sales that will reach S$18 million when fully realised.

Mrs Tan Li Lin, a director at IE Singapore, the agency that helped develop the Tasty Singapore brand, said international fairs provide a valuable opportunity 'to promote Singapore's unique cuisines and world-class food manufacturing capabilities to a new market with great potential'.

The food industry is not the only one hoping to penetrate the Middle East market.

The Singapore Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Market in the UAE recently signed a deal to promote cross-border trading and clearing between their markets.

Singapore and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are also negotiating a free trade agreement.

News Headlines

Parliament Shorts
INCOME CEILING: HDB TO BE FLEXIBLE INCOME ceilings are still needed for purchases of subsidised Housing Board flats, but HDB will be flexible if families are in difficulty, said Minister of State (National Development) Grace Fu yesterday.Income ceilings help ensure that... [Read more]

3 homes burgled in one night
THREE homes on the same street in Pasir Ris were burgled on a single night while the occupants were all asleep, and over $14,000 worth of valuables were stolen. All three homes, just a few doors from one another in Pasir... [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]

BY DAY: A private school; BY NIGHT: Supplier of vice girls
BY DAY, it appeared to be a private school. At night, it was supplying women for vice-related activities. This was how private school group Ritz Everton Academy was believed to have been operating, until it shut down suddenly in the middle... [Read more]

Companies in brief
SGX IN TIE-UP WITH ABU DHABI EXCHANGESINGAPORE Exchange (SGX) has tied up with its counterpart in Abu Dhabi to explore cross-border trading and clearing.The SGX announced yesterday that it signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Securities Market that will pave the... [Read more]

'Bubble forming' in China's stock market
DUBAI - CHINA'S stock market is developing into a 'bubble', and investors are in danger of behaving irrationally, a leading Chinese legislator has said.In the strongest public expression of concern to come from a senior state figure, Mr Cheng Siwei told... [Read more]

New Taiwan charter 'at odds with US policy'
WASHINGTON - THE incoming No.2 US diplomat, Mr John Negroponte, said a proposed new Constitution for Taiwan would likely be at 'cross purposes' with Washington's policy. When asked at a Senate hearing about his opinion on Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian's push... [Read more]

Beijing slams Taipei over changes to textbooks
BEIJING - CHINA lashed out at Taiwan yesterday for dropping phrases from high-school history textbooks that link the two as one country, and said the move was another step towards promoting the island's independence.The changes included replacing terms such as 'the... [Read more]

CitySpring listing to raise up to $315m
CITYSPRING Infrastructure Trust, Singapore's biggest initial public offering (IPO) so far this year, could raise up to $315 million. The Temasek-backed entity launched its IPO yesterday with a projected tax-free distribution yield of between 6.7 per cent and 7.7 per cent,... [Read more]

Lee Teng-hui denies he sought formal split from China
IN TAIPEI - FORMER Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui has caused a stir by saying he had never advocated formal independence for the island. Mr Lee, dubbed the 'godfather of Taiwan independence', said in an interview with Taiwan's Next Magazine published yesterday... [Read more]

Almost all quake-hit cables fixed
BEIJING - CHINA'Sbiggest telecommunications companies have restored nearly all phone and Internet capacity that was affected by last month's earthquake near Taiwan, state media reported yesterday.China Telecom and China Netcom said major cables handling fibre-optic traffic, mostly between China and North... [Read more]