News Today

Keen interest to run foreign currency outlets at Terminal 3
DESPITE low profit margins, interest is fairly strong in a tender that will open next month to operate money-changing services at Changi Airport's new Terminal 3.At least four financial institutions are understood to be interested in submitting bids to operate a... [Read more]

Financial world braces itself for massive China fund
BEIJING - CHINA will send ripples through the financial world when it unleashes an investment company with more money under management than any mutual fund in existence, analysts said. The State Foreign Exchange Investment Company, which could be formed within months,... [Read more]

China's foreign direct investment jumps 14%
BEIJING - CHINA'S actual foreign direct investment (FDI) in January was US$5.18 billion (S$8 billion), a jump of 13.9 per cent over a year ago, government figures showed yesterday.Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands, where many Chinese companies register for tax... [Read more]

News in Headlines
Tao Li and Kendrick not included in exclusive groupSINGAPORE swimmer Tao Li splashed her way to gold in the women's 50 metres butterfly at last month's Asian Games.But, come next year's Beijing Olympics, she is unlikely to make a similar impact,... [Read more]

Federer perfect in 10th Slam win
MELBOURNE - ROGER Federer achieved a perfect 10 at the Australian Open yesterday - and there was not a tear in sight. The champion quelled the challenge of swashbuckling Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 to lift Grand Slam trophy... [Read more]

Don't use flat type for rebate
SINCE the Government uses Annual Value (AV) and Assessable Income (AI) in other components of the GST offset package, why do the U-Save and service and conservancy charge rebates still use flat type?Perhaps one- and two-room flats can be classified as... [Read more]

India banking on tourism potential of Buddhist heritage
NEW DELHI - IN THE 2,550th year of the Buddha's achievement of nirvana, the land of his birth is awakening to the fact that Buddhism-inspired tourism can be a huge money-spinner for the economy. A record 4.5 million tourists visited India... [Read more]

Sports World
ENGLAND TRIUMPHSYDNEY: England ended a run of nine straight losses to Australia with a 92-run win in a tri-series one-day cricket international yesterday.That kept alive their chances of leap-frogging New Zealand into the best-of-three finals.Ed Joyce belted 107 to help England... [Read more]

No reason for retailers not to accept $100 notes
I REFER to the letter, 'Sorry, $100 notes not accepted' (ST, Feb 1). The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) assures the public that the incidence of counterfeit notes in Singapore is very low.In the recent instance of counterfeit $100 notes, the... [Read more]

It's all in the family in Filipino politics
MANILA - THE coming midterm polls in the Philippines could see candidates from just three families fill a quarter of the Senate. Dynasties are a political reality in most countries, but few - if any - can top the Philippines for... [Read more]

Phones of the future
THESE phones may just make current 3G models obsolete. The phones of the future - showcased at the 3GSM World Congress trade show in Barcelona - are here in today's Digital Life.From Nokia's E90 communicator PDA phone to Motorola's Krzr K3, they... [Read more]

Asiad winner Kwang to take 2-year break

JUST two months after Valerie Teo quit competitive bowling, her Asian Games gold medal-winning partner is taking the same route.

Michelle Kwang, who partnered Teo to victory in the Asiad women's doubles in Doha last year, told the Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) of her decision to take a two-year break on Tuesday.

'I've decided to further my studies in Australia,' said the 21-year-old yesterday. 'After that, I'll decide whether or not to resume competitive bowling.'

She will pursue a two-year degree in sports and tourism management at Perth's Curtin University, starting in July.

Until then, the bespectacled Kwang will continue with her part-time coaching job in the Singapore Sports School's primary-schools outreach programme.

As for competitive bowling, she said: 'It will depend on whether I have the time in future, or whether a career opportunity arises.

'But, if there's a chance to represent Singapore again at the Asian or South-east Asia Games, I'll definitely consider it.'

Kwang had talked to her parents, Danny and Wendy, who run their own marine company, before deciding to leave the sport.

The news, arriving so soon after Teo's decision, comes as a blow to the fraternity, especially with the SEA Games scheduled for December.

In January, Teo, also 21, resigned from the national team to focus on her medical studies at the National University of Singapore.

Teo and Kwang are widely regarded as two of the Republic's best women bowlers. Along with Jennifer Tan, Evelyn Chan and Cherie Tan, they also finished third in the Asiad team event.

And with Chan, Jazreel Tan, Jennifer Tan and Alice Tay, Kwang took home the bronze in the 2005 SEA Games team event.

Younger keglers such as Jasmine Yeong-Nathan and Jazreel are now expected step up.

Said SBF president Jessie Phua: 'We'll all miss Michelle, who's a great team player. But we give her our full blessings.

'We're quietly confident that she will return after her studies because bowling's in her blood.'

Kwang's older brother, Alvin, 25, is also a former national bowler.

She counts last year's Doha gold as one of her most memorable triumphs.

The Asiad was not the only time she and Teo formed a winning combination. In 2004, they won the Asian Youth Bowling Championships doubles title. Kwang also picked up a singles bronze at the World Youth championships that year.

The decision to take a break had been on her mind for the past two years.

'Since I finished my sports and wellness management diploma at Nanyang Polytechnic, I've always wanted to further my studies,' she said.

'But I decided to wait for last year's Asian Games before deciding to leave bowling.

'Winning the Asiad gold is a good way for Valerie and I to bow out. We can now focus on the next phase of our lives.'

limze@sph.com.sg

News Today

The controversial revisions
THE revisions made by the Taiwanese government to the latest editions of its history textbooks include: Volume II , originally titled History Of Our Country, has been renamed History Of China. Ancient Chinese history is given brief mention in Volume II,... [Read more]

Russian concerns behind the handshakes in India
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin was received with great warmth in New Delhi this week. And he signed a raft of new military agreements for hundreds of tanks, as well as new jets. India plans to spend S$15 billion on new defence... [Read more]

Livedoor founder Horie pleads innocence at trial
TOKYO - TAKAFUMI Horie, Japan's disgraced Internet mogul, yesterday tearfully pleaded his innocence in his trial for financial fraud, saying he was working for the good of society.Horie, 34, who riled Japan's corporate old guard with his brash business tactics, has... [Read more]

Born in the Year of the Pig
Some famous people born in the Year of the Pig, and how old they will be this year:Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, 84;MediaCorp artistes Bryan Wong, 36; Patricia Mok, 36; and Joanne Peh, 24;Singers Elton John, 60; Dannii Minogue, 36; and... [Read more]

Ascott nets $22.2m gain from sale of Hotel Asia
SERVICE apartment operator The Ascott Group has sold its Hotel Asia property in Scotts Road for $147 million, from which it will reap a net profit of $22.2 million.The sale price represents a 41 per cent increase over the price of... [Read more]

'Hard to say goodbye to Harry Potter'
BRITISH author J.K. Rowling has said she is both heartbroken and euphoric about wrapping up the final book in the Harry Potter series. But she gave no clues about the boy wizard's fate. On her website, she sidestepped speculation that he... [Read more]

Blair's top fund-raiser rearrested while on bail
THE top fund-raiser for British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, a police source said.Lord Michael Levy was arrested when he returned to a London police station... [Read more]

Israel's first Arab minister belies reality of racial ties
LONDON - ISRAEL'S Parliament made history earlier this week by confirming the appointment of the country's first Arab Muslim as a Cabinet minister.Immediately after the vote, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - who has yet to decide on the new minister's responsibilities... [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]

Don't Horse around, get act together
THE impeding curtain fall on the Crazy Horse nude revue here only goes to show that Singapore has not got its act together.Singapore's half-hearted attempt at liberalisation is glaring. If not, why allow a class act like the Crazy Horse in... [Read more]

Tata wins Corus with $19b bid
LONDON - INDIA'S Tata Steel is set to become the world's fifth-biggest steelmaker after winning a battle for Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus Group with a &pound6.2 billion (S$18.8 billion) offer.The battle pushed Corus' share price to seven-year highs and pitted 70-year-old Tata... [Read more]

Haig, the next big name for S. African golf?

HE WAS one of the biggest babies to come out of South Africa's Nelspruit Hospital.

Now, 20 years on, Anton Haig looks set to make it big in golf.

He stands at 1.93 metres and weighs 83 kilograms, with 330-yard drives and a great short game.

'I don't know how much I weighed exactly, but my mum said I was a helluva big baby,' he said.

And the swinger is hoping to stand out from the 204-strong field at this week's US$1.1 million (S$1.7 million) Clariden Leu Singapore Masters.

Teeing off today at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club, Haig is gunning for his second win in as many weeks.

'I'm feeling good, I'm hitting the ball solid,' he said, looking relaxed and confident. 'Hopefully, I can just keep my nerves and go out and play my best.'

At last week's Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, he sank a 10-foot birdie putt in a sudden-death play-off against compatriot Richard Sterne and England's Oliver Wilson to clinch his maiden European Tour title.

He upstaged a world-class field that included Australia's world No 4 Adam Scott and his golfing idols, compatriots Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.

'All I thought about during the play-off was that if I won, it would change my life - and it has,' said Haig, the youngest of four sons to Tony, a farm owner, and Lorraine, a golfer.

The US$405,000 winner's cheque took his Asian Tour season earnings to US$421,889, catapulting him to the top of the Tour's Order of Merit.

Victory also earned him a priceless two-year exemption on the European Tour, and boosted his world ranking from 285th to 88th.

Not bad for a boy who picked up golf at age 12, only because a knee injury restricted him from his favourite sports - cricket, tennis, swimming and soccer.

Using his mother's cut-down clubs, he was given a first handicap of 13.

His mother promised him a new set of clubs when he reached single figure - a feat achieved in just four months. Within the year, he was a scratch-golfer.

Explained Haig: 'I played cricket in my schooldays and I would hit the ball as hard as I could. I would hit sixers all the time. So I brought that out to the golf course.'

At 18, he failed to make the South African team for the Eisenhower Trophy, a biennial world amateur men's team championship, despite being ranked second in the South African Order of Merit.

It was then that he decided to turn pro, calling it 'the best decision I've ever made'.

To date, he has won twice on the Sunshine Tour, South Africa's professional tour.

He also lifted his maiden Asian Tour title at the Pulai Springs Malaysian Masters in Johor last year - thanks to a borrowed driver from countryman Nico van Rensburg.

At the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters, Haig heads a group of golfers aged 21 and younger who could create a stir.

That group includes Philippine Open 2006 runner-up, South Korea's Park Jun Won, 20; Johnnie Walker Asian Rising Star award winner, Thailand's Chinarat Phadungsil, 18, and England's European Tour rookie Oliver Fisher, 18.

Els predicted a big future ahead for Haig.

'He's one of the longest hitters out there. If he gets control of his game, he's going to be very tough to beat,' said the three-time Major winner, on the Asian Tour website.

Goosen, a two-time US Open champion, added: 'He's a very nice guy, good mannered, friendly and positive, all good for the game.'

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke called Haig 'a Major winner in the making'.

The Ryder Cup winner added: 'He hits the ball miles and has a great short game. He has the whole package.'

Having just broken into the world's top 100 - a year ahead of schedule - Haig's next goal is to break into the top 20 by the time he turns 25.

Meanwhile, he plans to use his recent winnings to buy a house in Manchester.

Partly because he will he spending the next two years on the European Tour, and partly because he is a big Manchester United fan.

When asked if Premiership leaders United will be caught by second-placed Chelsea, who are nine points adrift, Haig replied with confidence: 'No, no way.'

That, perhaps, is how he hopes his golf will be this week.

News Today

S'pore Girl born out of creativity, not statistics
SINGAPORE Girl, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.The Straits Times article about the selection of advertising agencies to pitch for the Singapore Airlines (SIA) account and decide your future shows just how fearful in business we have become ('Shortlist... [Read more]

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]

Tough measures to curb violence sought
ROME - THE Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) held an emergency meeting yesterday, as soccer stadiums fell silent for the second day after a policeman died following fan violence.All soccer matches, from children's leagues to the national team's friendly against Romania on... [Read more]

Henry left out of League Cup final team
LONDON - THIERRY Henry will be confined to the role of cheerleader when Arsenal play Chelsea in Sunday's League Cup final.Arsene Wenger will keep faith with the young players who have taken them to Cardiff, and the Gunners' captain understands the... [Read more]

Putting this shop's best face forward
Many people come to the shop daily, during their lunch breaks, 'to soak in the feel and experience'. Ms Peggy Kho, 31, creative director of The Face Shop chain of cosmetic stores, said the combination of attentive sales staff and look... [Read more]

Blackstone's $60b Equity Office buyout is biggest ever
NEW YORK - 'ROSES are red, violets are blue; I hear a rumour, is it true?' Strange as it sounds, that strained line of poetry set off the fiercest buyout battle since the epic bidding for RJR Nabisco in the late... [Read more]

Fighting global warming - need to change the way we use air-conditioning
Much has been said about global warming - the effect, the warnings and the potential downfalls it brings. But I have yet to see a blueprint of what should be done to reduce the effects of global warming.Simply put, if global... [Read more]

Strong demand for bank contracts
COVERED warrants on banks were again in the limelight after the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced last week that the Tier 1 capital minimum requirement would be lowered.With more capital freed up to use on investments or for returning to... [Read more]

Bad fumble gives Charlton precious point
BOLTON (ENGLAND) - CHARLTON secured an unlikely but precious point in their battle for Premiership survival, after a 1-1 draw at Bolton on Wednesday.An error by goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen allowed the Addicks to equalise, and move within two points of Wigan,... [Read more]

Google to open sales office here
INTERNET giant Google is in the process of setting up a sales office in Singapore - its first in South-east Asia - to attend to both advertisers and users of the search engine.Interviews have begun to hire personnel, with some candidates... [Read more]

Rise of sea levels 'will hit big nations too'
NEW DELHI - SMALL island states are most vulnerable, but even Indonesia, Thailand and China will feel the backlash as global warming causes sea levels to rise. That is the warning from the scientist who chaired the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate... [Read more]

News Today

Results
BASKETBALLNBA: Detroit 92 LA Clippers 74, Denver 123 Golden State 111, Utah 102 Atlanta 76.SOCCERFAS Women's Challenge Cup, Group A: Bishan Arsenal A 14 NYPGA 0. Group B: Jollilads Arsenal 7 Paya Lebar Punggol 3, UWC 0 Police 0. Group C:... [Read more]

Bryant shines brightest in NBA All-stars show
LAS VEGAS - NOT surprisingly, the first National Basketball Association All-Star Game in Las Vegas featured plenty of flash, but little substance. There were slam dunks galore and no defence to be found, as the Western All-Stars beat their Eastern counterparts... [Read more]

World Quickly
NEGROPONTE TO VISIT EAST ASIA WASHINGTON: US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte plans to visit Japan, China and South Korea soon, but will not go to North Korea, the US State Department said on Wednesday. State Department spokesman Tom Casey... [Read more]

N. Korea deal begins new political game
LONDON - TALKS over North Korea's nuclear weapons have produced so little progress in the past three years that it is tempting to believe that the deal concluded on Tuesday was a real breakthrough. That progress has been recorded is undeniable.... [Read more]

Suicide bomber foiled in attack on Islamabad airport
NEW DELHI - ARMED with pistols and grenades, a would-be suicide bomber was killed after a shootout at Islamabad's international airport in what was described as a thwarted but brazen terrorist attack. The incident, on Tuesday night, was the latest in... [Read more]

Fuck you, just read something!
General insurers turn to Govt as workplace injury claims riseA SPATE of costly lawsuits by construction workers seeking bumper payouts has prompted general insurers to seek government action. General insurers have asked the Ministry of Manpower to increase the benefit limits... [Read more]

Thailand to review telecom concessions
BANGKOK - THAILAND'S telecom sector is likely to see further turbulence as the authorities begin to review concession agreements struck under the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra government. Telecom operators will probably need to sign new agreements if the Council of State rules... [Read more]

Cold wave disrupts travel in Britain and US
LONDON - BRITAIN was hit by travel chaos yesterday with much of the country covered by a thick blanket of snow during the morning rush-hour. There were delays on railways and roads, and airports were forced to close as snow and... [Read more]

Shanghai index issue in demand as bourse recovers
WHILE Hang Seng Index contracts have dominated trading here, covered warrants giving exposure to other stellar performing markets such as Shanghai have also begun to steal the hearts of local investors. One such contract is the covered warrant on the China... [Read more]

240, 000 new PRs, citizens in next 5 years
SINGAPORE can expect to add about 200,000 permanent residents (PRs) and 40,000 citizens to its fold in the next five years, if it draws the same numbers as it did in the last five years.This is part of the three- pronged... [Read more]

Management team at odds over $15k withdrawal
THE new Youth Challenge management committee yesterday appeared a fractured lot, publicly trading accusations over a $15,220 withdrawal from the charity's bank account.The committee told the media last Tuesday it had discovered that the sum - withdrawn via an Internet bank... [Read more]

News Today

Cheney reassures Japan over N. Korea deal
TOKYO - US VICE-PRESIDENT Dick Cheney worked yesterday to ease Japanese concerns about a landmark deal with North Korea and told its Iraq war allies that Washington will never adopt 'a policy of retreat'. With Japan refusing to contribute funds to... [Read more]

Youth gambling: Nipping it in the bud
STUDIES show that youth gambling is a problem that needs to be tackled early. A 2004 gambling prevalence survey here showed that nearly half of all Singaporean gamblers started aged between 18 and 24. Global research also showed that young people... [Read more]

British doctors lose right to be own watchdog
LONDON - BRITISH doctors will lose the right to act as their own watchdog under government plans for Britain's biggest medical regulatory overhaul in decades. The changes, announced on Wednesday, are part of the government's response to the inquiry into how... [Read more]

Tonight's Summary
Four new lifestyle groups for members'AKAN datang'' (Malay for coming soon) will be more affordable and fun activities for workers.That was what the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC) new secretary-general Lim Swee Say promised as part of the organisation's workplan this... [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]

Make high-quality preschool available to rich and poor
I REFER to the recent parliamentary debates between several MPs and Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Masagos Zulkifli concerning preschool education.In the debate, it was assured that the Ministry of Education (MOE), in tandem with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and... [Read more]

Forum draws up goals and strategy
Things to do Increase water-related investments, so that access to clean water supplies and sanitation is improved. Economic development coupled with population growth increases pressure on already-stressed water resources, especially in less developed countries. Money also has to be channelled into... [Read more]

Hyundai overtakes Mercedes as largest limo cab
MOVE over Mercedes - Hyundai now has the biggest limo taxi here. The Hyundai Azera is the choice of taxi operator Smart Automobile, which has secured a fleet of these cars. They are longer, wider and taller than the Mercedes-Benz E-class... [Read more]

Govt shows its capitalist head, socialist heart
A CAN-DO Budget with buzz. And one that positions Singapore to run the next lap of the global economy, even as it beefs up social-security spending to take care of those who can't run as fast. That's what Second Finance Minister... [Read more]

Let's do our part to protect planet Earth
I refer to the letter, 'Saving the planet, one degree at a time' (ST Forum, Feb 14).The report from IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change) released on Feb 2 showed that the scientific community has finally agreed that human-induced climate change... [Read more]

Colourful, sickening
PARIS - ALLERGY to hair dye is soaring in numerous countries as more and more young people colour their locks, the British Medical Journal warns. The culprit is para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and its cousins in a chemical family called aromatic amines, the... [Read more]