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]