News Today

Brokers' Choice
MERRILL EXPECTS CDL TO SET UP OFFICE REIT MERRILL Lynch believes that City Developments (CDL) 'will look to establish an office Reit this year, following its successful initial public offer of CDL Hospitality Trusts', referring to a real estate investment trust.... [Read more]

Jobless rate in America climbs to 4-month high
WASHINGTON - THE unemployment rate in the United States climbed to a four-month high of 4.6 per cent as somewhat wary employers added fewer new jobs last month.Wage gains were even more modest.The latest report on the economy, released yesterday by... [Read more]

Poor better off, Middle-incomers puzzled
For some, it was the Great Singapore Puzzle.When the Budget was announced on Thursday, it left quite a few people scratching their heads. A few savings here, a few goodies there. Different permutations, based on age, income and housing type. But... [Read more]

Car-bike crash: NUS student dies
A UNIVERSITY student died after the motorbike he was riding collided with a car in Commonwealth Avenue West on Thursday night. Business undergraduate Sng Seng Liang, 23, was on his way to meet his girlfriend in Toh Tuck Road when the... [Read more]

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

Some questions remain on trans fat labelling
I AM encouraged by the brave initiative by FairPrice to have healthier 'no trans fat' house-brand products on its shelves ('FairPrice house brand to get trans fat labels'; ST, Feb 8). It may start the ball rolling and see the efforts... [Read more]

Beckham yet to find a house in LA
THE Beckhams are struggling to find a suitable mansion in their future hometown of Los Angeles.They are looking at more than 20 homes in the US$18 million (S$27.6 million) to US$30 million range, the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday. David... [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]

Organ transplant: Unease over last-minute opt-out
THE recent incident in which a brain-dead patient's family tried to physically obstruct the operation to harvest his organs for transplant into patients needing them has revived the discussion about brain death and even led to calls to amend the Human... [Read more]

Fuel supplies: Steps in place for security
I REFER to the letter, 'What is procedure for managing energy crisis?' by Mr Raymond Tham Kon Weng (ST, Feb 8).The Government has put in place policies to safeguard the security of our energy supplies. We are developing a terminal to... [Read more]

Newly-weds win events
Foilist Eddie Sng leaps into the air in a bid to catch his opponent, Wu Jie, off-guard yesterday.But the move failed as the top-ranked Wu won 15-5 in the final at the Fencing Singapore Challenge.The competition, held over the weekend, is... [Read more]

Cricket World Cup schedule

Tomorrow: Opening ceremony

Tuesday: West Indies v Pakistan

Wednesday: Australia v Scotland, Kenya v Canada

Thursday: Sri Lanka v Bermuda, Zimbabwe v Ireland

Friday: South Africa v The Netherlands, England v New Zealand

Saturday: India v Bangladesh, Pakistan v Ireland

March 18: Australia v The Netherlands, England v Canada

March 19: India v Bermuda, West Indies v Zimbabwe

March 20: South Africa v Scotland, New Zealand v Kenya

March 21: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Zimbabwe v Pakistan

March 22: New Zealand v Canada, Scotland v The Netherlands

March 23: India v Sri Lanka, West Indies v Ireland

March 24: Australia v South Africa, England v Kenya

March 25: Bermuda v Bangladesh

March 27-April 21: Second stage - Super 8

April 24, 25: Semi-finals

April 28: Final.

News Today

Turning sewage into drinking water
HOW IS WASTE WATER RECYCLED? A combination of reverse osmosis and disinfection with ultraviolet radiation is the most common method. In reverse osmosis, water is forced through very fine membranes that filter out salts and other matter, but let water molecules... [Read more]

Qantas raises full-year earnings forecast again
SYDNEY - QANTAS Airways, target of an agreed A$11 billion (S$13.1 billion) buyout, increased its profit forecast a second time in three months on rising ticket sales and lower fuel prices.It expects earnings to rise as much as 40 per cent... [Read more]

La Liga
SaturdayReal Madrid 0 Betis 0Zaragoza 1 Villarreal 0SundayAthletic Bilbao 2 Getafe 0Deportivo La Coruna 0 Levante 0Espanyol 3 Mallorca 1Celta Vigo 1 Osasuna 0Racing Santander 4 Gimnastic 1Recreativo Huelva 1 Real Sociedad 0Valencia 2 Barcelona 1Sevilla 3 A. Madrid 1... [Read more]

Official who built China 'White House' gets life term
A CHINESE provincial Communist Party official who put up a building modelled after the White House has been sentenced to life in prison for bribery and embezzlement. Feng Liucheng was found guilty of taking bribes worth 3.7 million yuan (S$730,000) and... [Read more]

Tottenham's attacking policy pays off with last-gasp winner
LONDON - MARTIN Jol will stay true to Tottenham's attacking traditions, after his side's cavalier approach clinched a dramatic win at Everton. Spurs tasted success in the English Premiership for the first time since Boxing Day, as Jermaine Jenas' last-minute goal... [Read more]

Electronics weakness clouds exports rebound
EXPORTS of made-in-Singapore goods jumped 11.1 per cent last month over the same period last year, beating forecasts and reversing December's sharp decline of more than 14 per cent. The strong turnaround in non-oil domestic exports (Nodx) growth was more than... [Read more]

Regular MRT commuter wins trip to Australia
A REGULAR train commuter received an early hongbao when he won the first prize in the Ride SMRT, Go Places competition, simply for taking the train to work daily. Mr Wong Yeow Fan, 24, won the top prize in the December... [Read more]

TT Int'l pays $13.5m for Novena's furniture arm
HOME-GROWN TT International, which owns and distributes consumer electronics products under the Akira brand, has bought Novena Holdings' core furniture arm for $13.5 million. It plans to incorporate the business into its existing consumer electronics retail stores in Singapore and Indonesia... [Read more]

Online bomb hoax: Youth pleads guilty
A MAN who 'mooched' on a neighbour's unsecured wireless network to make a bomb hoax posting online caused alarm and got his neighbour arrested.Full-time national serviceman Lin Zhenghuang's hoax posting on Aug 1, 2005 - a day after the London subway... [Read more]

Bouquets
CELLPHONE FOUND, THANKS TO STAFF OF FAST-FOOD OUTLETON FEB 2, I left my mobile phone at McDonald's at Centrepoint after having breakfast there. I only realised this later, at the National University of Singapore campus, and had to get my husband... [Read more]

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]

Is the Classic course easy fodder?

ENGLAND'S David Howell has termed the Classic course of Laguna National Golf and Country Club 'the scoring course'.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee would not be surprised to see his fellow professionals shooting nine-under par there at the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters, starting today.

The Classic will host this week's US$1.1 million (S$1.7 million) event for the first time.

Most golfers see the Classic as easy fodder. With its more forgiving fairways and lack of water obstacles, as compared to the Masters course, it seems the ideal place to pick up birdies.

After all, the par-72, 7,099-yard Classic is usually used for corporate tournaments, club competitions and members' social games.

The last time a professional tournament was held there was the Nations Cup in 2003.

The record field of 204 has caused organisers to use both the Classic and Masters courses for the first time since the tournament's inception in 2001. The event featured about 150-odd golfers previously.

But do not underestimate the Andy Dye-designed Classic course as it will pose some challenges of its own.

As Lam Chih Bing, whose home club is Laguna, put it: 'The Classic greens are more undulating. Depending on the pin placements, putting could get tricky.'

Added 2005 winner Nick Dougherty: 'The Classic course is tougher in some respects - it has some long par-fours on it. You can come unstuck there.

'I was disappointed that we were playing another course. I played my last eight rounds at the Masters course in 28-under-par.'

This time, the Englishman will have added incentives to maintain his fine form at the par-72, 7,112-yard Masters course.

Two cars and a 1kg gold bar have been offered as prizes for acing the Masters' eighth, 12th and 17th holes.

The car prize at the 180-yard eighth hole is a Geely CK, while a Skoda Superb is on offer for the 201-yard 17th.

A US$20,000 gold bar is the reward for a hole-in-one at the 185-yard 12th.

Playing on two courses will pose an added challenge.

Said Thai Chinarat Phadungsil: 'You have to remember double the information.'

But it is nothing new for those who have competed on the European Tour. For instance, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland is played on three courses.

Similarly, January's Joburg Open was played over two courses - at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

Organisers say the two-course move was to give more players from the European Tour and Asian Tour a chance to compete.

Owing to the large number of golfers, an additional 20-odd staff have been drafted in to help.

Said South Africa's Anton Haig: 'Having more players is good. You are giving more players a chance to win.'

Said defending champion Mardan Mamat: 'It's both an advantage and a disadvantage. More players can compete, but there's more pressure to perform, as only 65-odd golfers out of the 204 will make the cut.'

Meanwhile, Wales' Ian Woosnam felt unwell yesterday, but will still compete. However, 2002 champion Arjun Atwal of India will miss out, as he was unable to obtain his travel documents on time.

alfoo@sph.com.sg

News Today

Donald Tsang launches re-election bid
HONG KONG Chief Executive Donald Tsang yesterday launched his bid for a second term with a pledge that he would get the job done. Some of the things he promised to do were to cut taxes, raise government spending and cut... [Read more]

Drought-hit Australia gets $12b water plan
CANBERRA - AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister John Howard yesterday unveiled a radical A$10 billion (S$12 billion) plan aimed at protecting dwindling water supplies in the world's driest inhabited continent. The move was also seen as an attempt by the Prime Minister to... [Read more]

Fashion flair develops into passion for interior design
MS TERRI Tan waited anxiously at an ATM near her Chinatown office, glancing constantly at her watch, wishing that 2pm would arrive sooner so a client's cheque would clear. She had only a few dollars left in her account so that... [Read more]

Hold courtesy drive instead of axing bus bays
THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) plan to do away with bus bays is a step backwards. I agree with readers it would lead to severe traffic congestion and much confusion.Rather than do away with bus bays, the LTA should call for... [Read more]

Call-centre deal done improperly?
THE deal the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) had with Protonweb Solutions to run a call centre was a 'good deal', even though it was sealed without a 'proper' tender exercise. Cross-examined for the third day, former NKF finance manager Raghavan Gopinath... [Read more]

SIA, SilkAir cut fuel surcharges
PASSENGERS on all Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights will pay less from today as the airlines cut fuel surcharges for the second time in four months.This follows a fall in jet fuel prices in recent weeks: A barrel now costs about... [Read more]

Van bursts into flames in Scotts Road
A VAN burst into flames in Scotts Road yesterday, sending passers-by scurrying for cover.Its engine burned for about 10 minutes before a deafening explosion engulfed the entire vehicle in flames, said Madam Rosedah Abdul Karim, 41.The sales executive was on the... [Read more]

World Quickly
BANGKOK'S TOP COP OUSTED BANGKOK: Bangkok's police commissioner was dismissed yesterday, along with 56 other senior officers in the second recent shake-up in the department triggered by its failure to solve a series of deadly New Year's Eve bombings. Acting national... [Read more]

Horse bites man at children's zoo
ON SUNDAY, a father carrying his year-old son in his arms was bitten by a horse in the Children's World Animal Land section at the Singapore Zoo.Mr Karl Verhulst, 39, said: 'It stretched over the 1.3m-tall barrier and in a flash... [Read more]

Regular MRT commuter wins trip to Australia
A REGULAR train commuter received an early hongbao when he won the first prize in the Ride SMRT, Go Places competition, simply for taking the train to work daily. Mr Wong Yeow Fan, 24, won the top prize in the December... [Read more]

Report perverts immediately to facilitate follow-up action
I refer to the letter, 'Please advise women how to deal with MRT perverts' (Online forum, Jan 23) by Mr Nelson Quah.Indecent exposure is an offence punishable under the law. In addition, under the Rapid Transit Systems Regulations, it is stipulated... [Read more]

News Today

Jail terms of copper wire thieves upped on appeal
ARGUING that the theft of copper wire had become a widespread problem, the prosecution won its appeal yesterday to have deterrent sentences imposed on two men described as 'career criminals'. One had his jail term doubled from nine months to 1-1/2... [Read more]

China and Japan in show of camaraderie
TOKYO - VISITING Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing expressed hope yesterday that a rapprochement in ties with Tokyo would stay on course, but also mentioned the wartime past that haunts relations. On the second day of his visit to Tokyo, he... [Read more]

Iran 'at least 5 years away from N-bomb'
LONDON - IRAN may be able to enrich uranium on a mass scale in just six months, but it is still at least five years away from having the capacity to build a nuclear bomb, according to the chief UN monitor.... [Read more]

Planned missile shield triggers Russian wrath
WARSAW - A US proposal to base a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic has moved ahead with both countries indicating agreement, while a top Russian general warned the plan could lead Moscow to target the former allies with... [Read more]

More Chinese going abroad instead of heading home
BEIJING - CLUTCHING plane tickets in the teeming departure hall of Beijing airport, Mr Wang Wei is happy he is not going to his hometown for Chinese New Year. The 36-year-old engineer is one of thousands escaping China's frosty northern winter... [Read more]

Soccer Shorts
BARTON MAY FACE POLICE, FA PROBELONDON: Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton may face police and Football Association enquiries for making abusive gestures at Portsmouth fans, the Daily Star said.However, the club insist that he did no such thing in Saturday's 1-2... [Read more]

Peek into history
The Prime Minister of Laos, Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh, learns about a manual ice-shaver used to make ice balls in the 1950s and 1960s at the National Museum. Explaining it to him is Ms Wong Hong Suen, an assistant curator at the... [Read more]

Drogba reveals Chelsea differences
LONDON - DIDIER Drogba has confirmed one of football's worst-kept secrets - that there are problems between Chelsea's manager Jose Mourinho and his superiors.That is why the Premiership champions have faltered in the title race this season, the striker added, pointing... [Read more]

British, US kids the worst-off in rich world
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 United Nations. The Netherlands is the best, the study says, followed by... [Read more]

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

Don't wait for complaint, act against law-breakers
WHERE there has been violation of any law or rule, the authorities do not take action unless someone complains (or writes to The Straits Times' Forum page), which is disappointing.There are many instances where laws have been flouted with impunity, for... [Read more]

News Today

Learn the 'language of non-violence'
I refer to Ms Aishah Mohamed's letter, 'Don't call non-Muslims infidel or kafir' (ST, Feb 13). In Singapore, Muslims normally use the term 'kafir' to mean 'non-Muslim' and not 'a rejector of truth'. In the early history of Islam, even the... [Read more]

More in your CPF
What: Employers will contribute an extra 1.5 percentage points into their workers' Central Provident Fund (CPF) from July 1. This increase is only for those who earn more than $1,500 a month, or who are 35 years or younger. How much:... [Read more]

Is service charge for waiters and waitresses or for the establishment?
I refer to Mr Patrick Tan Siong Kuan's letter, 'Want good service? Bring back tipping' (ST, Jan 25), and Mr Alvin Gho Weijie's letter, 'Service charge is a misnomer' (ST, Feb 1). The unspoken understanding is that the mandatory 10 per... [Read more]

Education the way to bridge income gap: Fed chairman
WASHINGTON - BOLSTERING education and training - rather than erecting trade barriers - would help narrow the economic gap between low- and high-income workers, US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said.In his most extensive remarks to date on economic inequality, Mr... [Read more]

Is there an offset plan for defence spending?
THE letter, 'Hefty spending on defence justified' (ST, Jan 30), by Mr Goh Khee Kuan says, and I agree, that a decisive deterrence is critical. He concedes that the defence expenditure is large and at the expense of many other areas,... [Read more]

Red light for traffic photo contest
KUALA LUMPUR - EMBARRASSED officials have suspended a contest offering citizens cash for photographs of traffic offenders after protests from lawyers. The 'Snap, Send and Win' contest had a weekly prize of RM150 (S$66) for the best picture of traffic offences,... [Read more]

Malaysia Airlines' earnings 'to beat target'
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) said fourth-quarter earnings exceeded internal targets after the company cut 3,000 jobs and some routes. The carrier also forecast a profit for this year. 'We'll beat our fourth-quarter target,' managing director Idris Jala said in... [Read more]

Jail terms of copper wire thieves upped on appeal
ARGUING that the theft of copper wire had become a widespread problem, the prosecution won its appeal yesterday to have deterrent sentences imposed on two men described as 'career criminals'. One had his jail term doubled from nine months to 1-1/2... [Read more]

Is Woods' total dominance good for golf?
ATLANTA - NO ONE is crazy enough to suggest that anyone other than Tiger Woods is the world's best golfer. The American has held the No1 spot in the world rankings since June 12, 2005, a span of 89 weeks. He... [Read more]

Time-wasting: Allardyce calls Wenger a 'hypocrite'
LONDON - BOLTON manager Sam Allardyce has accused Arsene Wenger of hypocrisy over claims that teams use time-wasting tactics against Arsenal. Wenger was unhappy with Wigan on Sunday as they attempted to hold onto their slender lead by taking as much... [Read more]

FA Cup q-finals
Middlesbrough/West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United/ReadingArsenal/Blackburn Rovers v Manchester CityChelsea v Tottenham HotspurPlymouth Argyle v Watford... [Read more]