Today, 2 January 2008

Total Pages: 40
1 40 Today
  • 13 1 TODAY /A=DlJ\CORP MICA(P) 132/10/2007 we set you thinking Wednesday January 2, 2008 todayonline.com
    13 words
  • 134 1 BWj?Bi Millions party, but bombs and security concerns cloud celebrations MILLIONS staged midnight parties at iconic landmarks around the world to ring in 2008, but bomb attacks and security fears quickly darkened New Year festivities. In New York, hundreds of thousands of revellers crowded Times Square,
    BWj?Bi; COURTESYTHE ESPLANADE; ■; AffM; dggy  -  134 words
  • Page 1 Miscellaneous
    • 59 1 PRIMA DELI REOPENS FAITHFULS RETURN AS FOOD SCARE ENDS LOCAL PAGE 4 PAKISTAN POLLS DECISION ON DATE WILL COME TODAY WORLD PAGE 8 EYE ON THE US A YEAR OF CHANGES IN THE OFFING? WORLD PAGE 12 LOVE, LIES AND LOSS WHAT'S IN STORE ON THE TELLY PLUS•PAGE 30 NAKED
      59 words
    • 42 1 IN 2008, what policies will affect you the most? who will be the new us president? how will inflation affect our economy? will we find the next zoe/fann? can spore finally win another olympic medal? a Today special, pages m to 27.
      42 words

  • Page 2 Advertisements
    • 388 2 JH Mr Sofyan Suryang joined the Live Freely Seminar in end June 2QQ7 to learn from fre No. 1 money and stock dptidns coach-, Dr Ciemen Chiang, As a business owner and director df several F+ jriH^ successful companies in Indonesia, he has learnt many lessons on growing his wealth
      388 words

  • hot news
    • 239 3 —AGENCIES COLOMBO A prominent ethnic Tamil opposition MP was shot dead during a New Year service at a Hindu temple in the Sri Lankan capital, the third assassination of a minority legislator in two years. Mr T Maheswaran, a lawmaker from the United
      —AGENCIES  -  239 words
    • 510 3  -  TEOXUANWEI How workers can earn more and keep up with rising costs xuanwei@media corp.com.sg LIVING costs are rising worldwide, not just in Singapore and workers here have to learn to cope by making sure they remain competitive in the job market, NTUC secretary-general Lim Swee Say
      001 BOON KEONG  -  510 words
  • Page 3 Advertisements
    • 77 3 JiiruT FOR a PERSONS W UtLIQHT v.p. $28.40 Save up to $3.90 1 Personal Pan Pizza (Family Favourites only) 1 Pasta Perfetto/Baked Rice/ Baked Pasta* v^ B 2 Soup of the Day M fmii^M 2 Glasses of Pepsi B I *Selected variants only. |j I HV I Peps 'N' Spice
      77 words

  • Singapore news
    • 485 4  -  SHERALYN TAY Food scare over, deli back in trade sheralyn@media corp.com.sg ALMOST every day for three weeks, Mdm Lim Ah Sun would check if the Prima Deli outlets had started rolling out confections again, as her grandson particularly loves the Swiss rolls. Yesterday, to her
      SHERALYNTAY  -  485 words
    • 373 4  -  SHERALYN TAY sheralyn@media corp.com.sg AS SCORES of Singaporeans greeted the New Year with feasting and revelry, one was marking it by beginning a fiveday fast outside the Malaysian High Commission here. In a statement to the media, local artist and
      " ooi'boon'keong  -  373 words
    • 298 4  -  TEOXUANWEI xuanwei@mediacorp.com.sg THE culprits of a break-in on Monday could have taken far more than just the three laptops they stole from Camford Business School. But the ones they took contained the data of the school's students. In an email sent to Today,
      001 BOON KEONG  -  298 words
    • 772 6  -  KOGYUECHOONG NTUC Fair Price returns to its original objective with 5% discount on house brands NTUC Fair Price's 5-per-cent discount on 500 house brands for essential food items for two months could not have come at a better time not just due to worries
      772 words
    • SINGAPORESNIPPETS
      • 146 6 The Minister for Trade and Industry has appointed Mr Cedric Foo (picture) as the chairman of the JTC Corporation with effect from yesterday. Mr Foo, a Member of Parliament, was appointed to the JTC board exactly one year ago as deputy chairman and was Spring Singapore
        TODAY FILE PHOTO  -  146 words
      • 87 6 The Singapore Police Force has arrested 33 people for drink driving in the first few hours of 2008. During a six-hour operation conducted between lam and 7am yesterday, the police administered the breathalyser test on 145 persons. Of those arrested, 31 were men and
        87 words
      • 167 6 Three new members have been appointed to the board of the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS). They are Monetary Authority of Singapore executive director (capital markets) Andrew Khoo, Education Ministry permanent secretary Tan Ching Yee and Mr Teo Eng Cheong, who has been
        167 words

  • Page 5 Advertisements
    • 202 5 Japan rm Custom^ Skincare Ji |H I Whatever causes your Panda Eyes, we can custom-blend your solution! Your solution is MTM Custom-blended Eye Mask with ingredients specifically VO custom-blended to suit your skin condition. In addition to 300 precious plant extracts, 1 QQ^ CollSQGn EVG P3CI beneficial 'Dang Gui' Herbal,
      202 words

  • Page 6 Advertisements
    • 244 6 JAL SINGAPORE-JAPAN 50th Anniversary Since its inaugural flight from Tokyo to Singapore on 8 May 1958, JAL has been instrumental in bringing Japan and —mm Hfc Singapore closer through the provision of direct air transportation links. As It has In the last 50 years, Japan Airlines Im i W will
      244 words

  • Page 7 Advertisements
    • 35 7 < Pill W/^^s> With all our radio stations now switched on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, /\zzLsm^X^+ \Jr\.r you can turn us on anytime. That's got to be music to your ears. jC>
      35 words

  • world news
    • EYE ON MALAYSIA
      • 179 8 —AFP KUALA LUMPUR A married Malaysian minister has admitted to being the man in a sex video circulated recently. Bernama news agency said Health Minister Chua Soi Lek had apologised to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi but would not step down leaving his fate to
        —AFP  -  179 words
      • 129 8 KUALA LUMPUR- Malaysia's national television station has banned actors from speaking Bahasa Malaysia with a Chinese or Tamil accent in comedies and dramas, according to Bernama news agency. Commenting on the ban by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said in a statement yesterday:
        129 words
      • 121 8 JOHOR BARU Construction of mega projects under the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in southern Johor will begin in April, The New Straits Times (NST) reported. This includes developments in and around Nusajaya, where the state government's new headquarters will be located. Johor Chief Minister
        121 words
    • 435 8 —AGENCIES, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH Commission to announce if Jan 8 elections will proceed as scheduled ISLAMABAD Pakistan's Election Commission will announce today whether the Jan 8 parliamentary ballot should be delayed because of violence sparked by last week's assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Mr
      —AGENCIES, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH  -  435 words
    • 245 8 Assassinated Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is to be posthumously awarded Ireland's 2007 Tipperary Peace Prize. Ms Bhutto is being recognised for her "courageous" work for democracy and reconciliation, the Tipperary Peace Convention said yesterday. "Ms Bhutto fought all her battles through dialogue
      AFP  -  245 words
    • 214 10 —AGENCIES TAIPEI Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has called for the signing of a peace agreement with China, but said any accord would have to be unconditional. He was responding to Chinese President Hu Jintao's call in October for an agreement to formally end the
      —AGENCIES  -  214 words
    • 240 10 PPP and three other parties to command more than half the seats in Parliament BANGKOK The leader of Thailand's People Power Party (PPP) has announced the formation of a coalition government together with three smaller parties with a total of 254 parliamentary seats, reported the Bangkok
      AFP  -  240 words
    • GLOBALROUNDUP
      • 105 10 -AGENCIES A United States diplomat was killed in a pre-dawn shooting in the Sudanese capital Khartoum yesterday, which also left an embassy driver, a Sudanese national, dead, officials said. The shooting came a day after a joint African Union-United Nations force took over
        -AGENCIES  -  105 words
      • 96 10 —AFP The Sultan of oil-rich Brunei has issued a New Year's warning on the dangers of corruption. "When we are clean from corruption, Allah the Almighty will surely bless our country and us," Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was quoted as saying by the Borneo Bulletin. The
        —AFP  -  96 words
      • 70 10 —AFP India's ruling Congress Party chief Sonia Gandhi has been hospitalised following an asthma attack, but her condition was reported to be stable, said the Press Trust of India yesterday. The 61-year-old Italian-born politician, who married into the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has
        —AFP  -  70 words
    • Article, Illustration
      99 11 KENYA IN CHAOS: Post-election violence has claimed some 300 lives in tribal clashes and police raids in Nairobi (picture) and other parts of the African country. In western Kenya, at least 30 people were burned to death in a church on Tuesday. They were taking shelter from tribal clashes sparked
      AFP  -  99 words
    • 296 11 —AFP Promises to hold prices steady amid rumours of hike YANGON Myanmar's military regime has promised to hold fuel prices at current levels, state media reported yesterday. This came amid rumours of a hike similar to the one that sparked last year's unprecedented mass protests.
      —AFP  -  296 words
    • 148 11 -THE DAILY TELEGRAPH LONDON The first of a series of New Year strikes by workers at seven airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick (picture), has been called off following a break-through in peace talks over a row about pensions. Thousands of fire-fighters, security
      -THE DAILY TELEGRAPH; AFP  -  148 words
    • US PRESIDENTIAL RACE 2008 – THE MAIN CANDIDATES
      • Article, Illustration
        238 12 JOHN MCCAIN Mr John McCain, a 72-year-old senator and former Vietnam War prisoner-of-war, he had hoped to inherit the mantle from Mr George W Bush and that the funding would follow, but neither happened. His hopes are looking up however, after the US troop-surge strategy in Iraq, which he
        238 words
      • Article, Illustration
        247 12 AGENCIES HILLARY CLINTON Ms Clinton (above), 60, hopes to be America's first woman president, and the first former First Lady to make it to the White House in her own right. A New York senator, Clinton leads national polls of the Democratic race but is locked in a fierce
        – AGENCIES  -  247 words
    • 998 12  -  VENESSALEE In Pakistan, Malaysia, US, dissatisfied electorates may not effect change venessa@media corp.com.sg ALTHOUGH landmark polls have been scheduled in a number of countries this year, the prospect of regime change is, in key cases, deeply equivocal. In 2008, which can be dubbed
      AFP; Bloomberg!  -  998 words
    • 289 13 —AGENCIES THE longest, most expensive White House race in history careens into its first electoral test in lowa on Thursday as the Republicans and Democrats battle to become their party's presidential candidate. Most of the 50 states hold state-wide votes, called primaries, to determine their
      —AGENCIES  -  289 words
    • 218 13 JAN 3 lOWA CAUCUSES Mr Bcireick Obama leads Mrs Hillary Clinton in lowa by seven points among Democrats, according to a new poll. The Des Moines Register newspaper poll of people likely to attend caucuses on Thursday put Mr Obama at 32 per cent,
      218 words
  • Page 8 Advertisements
    • 81 8 iIDJ^EIIIIGIUTION CENTER PTE LTD^KfjI ■^CANADA, AUSTRALIA N.Zfl; Date: 5 January 08 {Saturday] Time: 10am (Chinese Session) 2pm (English Session) 1 Venue: 1 Sims Lane, #04-06 One Sims Lane (Near Aljunied MRT Behind Shell Station) PROVIDE HONEST ADVICE, SUPPORT INTERVIEW COACHING 'c 'NO VISA NO FEE' policy |§> FREE Initial Assessment
      81 words
  • Page 8 Miscellaneous

  • Page 9 Advertisements
    • 695 9 m stakeholders. There's also the k;; iT m with career progression," he said, emphasising two factors that most Gen-Y individuals deem as important aspects 4^^ He also eschews the easy way out in favour of the more challenging mI professional pathway. Hence, despite being able to gain direct entry to
      695 words

  • Page 10 Advertisements
    • 133 10 A SPECIAL SURPRISE Hutji An Easier Way to a Good Healthy Life j a rr\ Strengthens the Body and XlUljl W&lSt 1 OIIIC Replenishes Vital Energy ct nt a i oo1? sz^ Made from 100% natural premium herbs using w^pi) advanced technology Hl^^k. Vsass/ Suitable for vegetarians •No added sugar
      133 words

  • Page 11 Advertisements
    • 60 11 The University of Western Australia INTERN ATI 01N AL EXCELLED CE J For a degree that will inspire you to perform at the highest level, consider The University of Western Australia. We don't just aspire to international excellence, we achieve it. SB A MEMBER OFTUV SUD GROUP 4^|. 4BS""aof In
      60 words


  • Page 13 Advertisements
    • 52 13 DYIVIO Personal Labelmaker LetraTag® .f o l r w* i ii 7T urrcit s i i TTt s 1 too on J O v j^J^j, $39.90 Available at: Carrefour<|> (g Cold Storage tfaltet |.y^j jjl^| BEST 'fcjiw^ft-iu-M^ POPULAR TV\NGS tW g TEOHNDBAY Exclusive Distributor: Beste (S) Pte Ltd Tel: €455
      52 words
  • Page 13 Miscellaneous

  • Voices
    • 89 14  -  DR CHIN SEE CHUNG Letter from Director, Singapore Botanic Gardens WE REFER to the letter from Mr Ronald Ng, "Excessive chlorine harmful for kids?" (Dec 27). We would like to assure Mr Ng that the amount of chlorine used at the water play area in
      89 words
    • 222 14  -  LINDA FOO Traffic lights could have prevented this accident Letter from IT IS sad that my pleas for the installation of a signalised traffic light at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Central 2 and Avenue 8 have not been heeded. I am
      222 words
    • Article, Illustration
      80 14 HANDY STORAGE: ToDAYphotographer Koh Mvi Fong saw this news vendor retrieving a stack of magazines near his stall. The man took the MRT at its word and used the station walkway to give himself access to a new storage area. CALLING ALL SHUTTERBUGS: Email us an interesting picture you
      80 words
    • 190 14  -  DR BILL MAIER KIDS HAVING TROUBLE READING Is your child having a hard time learning to read or spell? Well, don't think you're alone. Experts say that about six in 10 kids today struggle with basic reading and language skills. And for about one out of
      190 words
    • 254 14  -  LUCY HUANG Letter from I THANK Michael Chua Kheng Hwee and Tan Meng Lee for the advice in their respective letters, "Either buy a new condo or a new HDB flat" and "Make it mandatory a one-for-one exchange"( Dec 28). I was told
      254 words
  • Page 14 Advertisements
    • 128 14 fTf ANNAMALAI V^P| ISO 9001 H HMH INTERNATIONAL ll^jKjs UNIVERSITY SSjSa|ffl CERTIFICATION JfV£ EDUCATION CONSULTANTS Annamalai University, India Quality And Student-friendly Distance Learning Programmes are on offer in SINGAPORE Contact seminars Examinations in SPORE Successful completion of 8 years in SPORE 1 Bf ii liii AMMAMAI Al Member Association of
      128 words
    • 48 14 a /^i Specialist Diploma /HVjsJtlhed in Counselling (ounsellors Psychology In V'i'. V I'i'.'l..! I <*^J Free Talk: 7 Jan 08, Mon 7pm www.certifiedcounsellors.org Hotline t6339 5411 All courses are conducted by ACC School of Counselling and Psychology (MOE Reg. N0.2233), the training division of Academy of Certified Counsellors.
      48 words
  • Page 14 Miscellaneous

  • Page 15 Advertisements
    • 135 15 My boss just messed up an order from Japan. Guess who's going there to apologize?" We know there are times you'd rather undergo root i t^ canal than do certain things for work. So, for constantly taking one for the team, and taking care of business, let us take care
      135 words



  • PEOPLE & PLACES TO WATCH IN 2008
    • 2008 WHATS IN STORE
      • SINGAPORE WORLD BUSINESS +PLUS SPORTS
        • Article, Illustration
          652 18  -  DERRICK A PAULO Assistant News Editor derrick@mediacorp.com.sg You may or may not have cared that the law against gay sex was not repealed in 2007, or that ministerial salaries went up, or that the environment shot to the top of the global agenda. It is likely that you
          652 words
        • 247 18 The first instance already happened when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong handed the reins of the Finance Ministry over to Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (picture) in December. Mr Shanmugaratnam will relinquish his education portfolio around March, and more pieces will fall in place as to the line-up of Mr
          001 BOON KEONG  -  247 words
        • 186 18 The authorities' move to allow controversial Qatar-based news agency Aljazeera to broadcast in Singapore, albeit on Internet protocol TV, has raised a few eyebrows. This is the station branded by the US as being anti-American. Its probing coverage of the recent riots across the Causeway also
          186 words
        • 219 19 With a projected 3.5- to 4.5-per-cent inflation rate in 2008, many are looking to the Budget, to be unveiled in February, for fiscal measures to put the brakes on inflation, and for handouts to help the low-in-come and the "sandwiched generation". The situation could get worse "if
          219 words
        • 226 19 After much debate, Singaporeans will see how their feedback is incorporated into the national longevity insurance scheme. A tripartite committee chaired by Professor Lim Pin will submit its final report to the Manpower Ministry in March. The suggestion that Central Provident Fund (CPF) members would have to lock up
          226 words
        • 15 19  -  LOH CHEE KONG Seven issues to look out for in the coming year cbedkong@mediacorp.com.sg
          15 words
        • 214 19 The upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix race coulc burn more than just rubber. The rich and famous will sashay into town possibly in 8-m stretch limousines which Today reported about last week to be greeted by a more glitzy downtown Marina, transformed by the Marina Barrage and the
          214 words
        • 234 19 With the recent hike in taxi fares, there is greater reason to look forward to the results of the Land Transport Review in the coming weeks and, consequently, a revamp of the public transportation system. The bus sector, with concerns such as frequency of service and availability of
          234 words
        • 203 19 As soon as plans were announced for Singapore's fourth, and possibly fifth, university, the question everyone had was what form and shape they would take. Government figures have mooted various suggestions, including an allied healthcare university and a liberal arts college. A committee will present
          203 words
        • 72 20 Malaysia enters the new year facing its biggest political crisis since 1998, when former DPM Anwar Ibrahim led the Reformasi movement Imprisoned on what were believed to be po-litically-motivated charges, Mr Anwar is making his comeback at a time of rising racial tensions in Malaysia three years after
          72 words
        • 70 20 Bangkok in whose hands? In November, Thailand's Gross Domestic Happiness Index rating soared to its highest since the September 2006 coup. The survey also found that "Thais have turned away from politics to find pleasure from their families", a sentiment that may stand them in good stead. After the Dec
          70 words
        • 45 20 With the Olympic Games coming to Beijing, China is going to come under closer international scrutiny in 2008. Defence officials will be closely tracking the movements of Chinese hackers, the alleged perpetrators of "cyber-attacks" against Western governments, major corporations, even sporting bodies.
          45 words
        • Article, Illustration
          66 20 General Djoko Santoso, the newly-installed commander of Indonesia's National Defence Forces (TNI), needs to finalise during his one-year tenure the military's 10-year reform programme begun in 1998. Gen Santoso, 55, can definitely leave an indelible mark on his country's hisl tory, but with presidential elections in 2009, he
          AFP  -  66 words
        • 31 20  -  JESSINTA TAN TIFFANY TAN JASON LEE What will make the headlines in the coming year? Today helps make trend-spotting easier with this alphabetical list. jessinta@mediacorp.com.sg tiffany@mediacorp.com.sg jasonlee@mediacorp.com.sg
          31 words
        • 51 20 Energy security concerns the availability of energy in various forms, in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices. The world is seeing a sharp rise in terrorist attacks on energy supply infrastructure, including attacks on oil and gas pipelines, according to a recent report by Gulf Research Centre in
          51 words
        • 53 20 Social networking website Facebook has penetrated the realm of business and politics. Even US presidential hopefuls and supporters of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement have used the platform for their campaigns. Tech watchers expect the site to soon strengthen its business applications. We may also see airline ticketing sites
          53 words
        • 81 20 Despite ongoing violence between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recently delivered an unusually conciliatory speech towards Hamas, calling for "dialogue, dialogue, dialogue". The offer of negotiations was promptly rejected by Hamas. While the Palestinian infighting looks
          81 words
        • Article, Illustration
          80 20 There are Americans who think ex-Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee cannot be serious presidential material because of his name which sounds like a popular US restaurant chain. But in the most open presidential race since 1928, the Baptist preacher shot from fifth place to the top of Republican national
          BLOOMBERG  -  80 words
        • 75 20 Iran's nuclear programme will be closely watched by the international community, after Russia last month delivered nuclear fuel to the power plant at Bushehr in southern Iran. The issue of possible sanctions against Tehran for its persistent refusal to comply with UN demands that it halt uranium
          75 words
        • 69 20 Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is not required to call for the lower house election until September 2009, but will he be forced to do so thisyear^Observers reckon that the current deadlrxkfl in Parliament between th fl lower house and the opposfl tion-controUed upper house fl
          BLOOMBERG  -  69 words
        • 51 20 Koreans will be keeping a close watch on any changes in inter-Korean ties following the victory of South Korea's conservative Lee Myung Bak in last month's presidential election. Mr Lee who has cited North Korea's denuclearisation as a precondition for economic cooperation is set to assume office next
          51 words
        • 81 21 Mr Gordon Brown, who took over as British Prime Minister from Mr Tony Blair in June 2007, was knee-deep in crises last year. These included the loss, by the tax agency, of two computer disks holding the bank account details and addresses of 25
          81 words
        • 51 21 Organic food is set to be among the top consumer trends this year. Organic fruits and vegetables, according to a recent EU-funded study, could contain as much as 40 per cent more anti-oxidants. Another recent survey indicated that makers of organic products would begin to target the kids'
          51 words
        • 52 21 fin Russia's presidential election on JMarch 2, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is the favourite to succeed President Vladimir Putin. But speculation has been rife that Mr Putin will be appointed Prime Minister under Mr Medvedev, paving the way for him to prei serve influence after he I
          52 words
        • 67 21 Myanmar suu kyi Myanmar's Labour Minister Aung Kyi will continue to be in the spotlight as the world keeps tabs on progress made in the junta's dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. While the regime's liaison with Ms Suu Kyi has met her thrice, the US has said
          67 words
        • Article, Illustration
          135 21 Will the drive for democracy in Pakistan be cruelly snuffed out, just like Benazir Bhutto's life? Bhutto, whose two previous terms as Premier were deeply flawed, was assassinated on Dec 27. Bilawal, her ;on, is now heir to a blood-soaked legacy. Bilawal's father, Asif Ali Zardari, will lead Bhutto's
          EPA  -  135 words
        • 60 21 Mr Surin Pitsuwan, a former Foreign Minister of Thailand, began his five-year term as the new Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations yesterday. Over the next few months, the 58-year-old will face an uphill task in overseeing the ratification of the Asean Charter, which
          60 words
        • 53 21 PM Manmohan Singh has written to the widow of an Australian missionary, promising to protect India's Christiana Graham Staines and his sons had been burnt alive nine years ago by a Hindu mob in India. Fatal clashes between Christians and Hindus over Christmas are symptomatic of simmering sectarian
          53 words
        • 82 21 Generation Q, a term coined by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, has been seen as too quiet, too much online. This generation of Quiet Americans is not paying enough attention to huge budget deficits and ecological deficits. America needs a jolt of the idealism of Generation Q
          82 words
        • 53 21 Taiwanese go to the polls on March 22 to elect a new President Many observers are optimistic that cross-strait relations will improve after President Chen Shui-bian steps down, regardless of whether Mr Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party or the main opposition Kuomintang's Ma Ying-jeou
          53 words
        • 53 21 With the clout he once had fading away, Mr George W Bush has a stripped-down agenda in his final year as US President His to-do list includes trying to forge peace in the Middle East, and trying to extend domestic achievements such as the No Child Left
          53 words
        • 50 21 Vietnam labour Vietnam, one of Asia's fastestgrowing economies, is expected to register GDP growth of 8.5 per cent in 2008, according to the Asian Development Bank. But observers say Vietnam still faces challenges such as a shortage of skilled labour. They also stress the importance of developing the necessary infrastructure.
          50 words
        • 49 21 Meteorologists have forecast that the weather anomaly La Nina could influence global weather patterns through the early part of 2008. La Nina, meaning "little girl" in Spanish, is the wet weather phenomenon that can trigger weather changes worldwide, including a higher-than-normal number of hurricanes in the Atlantic.
          49 words
        • 88 21 Xi Jinping is likely to be appointed China's vice-president during the National People's Congress session in March, a move that would further fuel speculation that he is set to become the country's leader when President Hujintao retires in 2012. Mr Xi, 54, was also named the mainland's point
          88 words
        • 54 21 China's boom has a social cost A rapidly rising rate of juvenile crime. The number of young offenders rose from 33,000 in 1998 to an estimated 80,000 in 2007, state media reported recently, citing experts who blamed factors such as social change and easy Internet access. The trend
          54 words
        • 86 21 Not many politicians bounce back from a rape charge to defeat a President within his own party. Last month, hours after Mr Jacob Zuma beat South African President Thabo Mbeki to the leadership of the governing African National Congress (ANC), prosecutors said there was enough evidence
          86 words
        • 515 22  -  CHEOW KIN VI ESTHER FUNG xinyi@mediacorp.comsg estherf@mediacorp.com.sg If 2007 was scary for the stock market, don't expect 2008 to get much better. More turbulence and uncertainty that marked the market in the second half of 2007 can be expected this year, as
          515 words
        • 197 22 With attention fixed on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chinese stocks listed at the Singapore Exchange are a favoured play, particularly consumer stocks which also benefit from strong Chinese domestic consumption. But export-related industries should be avoided as the global economy weakens and the yuan continues to
          197 words
        • 215 22 oil gas barrelling ahead The oil and gas-related sector will continue to be a defensive favourite in 2008. Record oil prices in 2007 wreaked havoc with economies, pushing inflation higher while damping demand. But high oil prices also mean more exploration and production activities, and more business for companies such
          215 words
        • 164 23 Strategists aren't writing off the Singapore property market just yet While collective sales and foreign buying propelled prices especially for high-end properties to record highs in 2007, prompting the Government to introduce cooling measures, the sector remains in favour, with the mass housing market expected to come
          BLOOMBERG  -  164 words
        • 157 23 Banks' prospects may continue to be clouded by the ongoing subprime crisis that has led to hefty writedowns for global banks. Sentiment on banks is expected to be weak in the first two quarters as they face lingering fallout from the crisis, but a healthy property market,
          157 words
        • 179 23 Climate change issues may have hogged the global agenda in 2007, but investors seeking to save the planet won't find too many choices at the Singapore Exchange. The environment theme remains very much a conceptual play, even with considerable interestfrom private equity and asset management
          179 words
        • 768 23  -  ALVIN LIEW Economist, Global Research, Standard Chartered Bank The year 2007 was a great year for Singapore. Even as electronics exports remained lacklustre, the strong performance from other sectors including financial and business services, construction activity and transport engineering coupled with healthy domestic demand
          768 words
        • 129 24  -  JEANINE TAN jeanine@mediacorp.com.sg With former champions of indie films Kelvin Tong and Royston Tan going down the commercial route, there's a significant space left to fill by budding directors. Some attempts were made this year (Wee Li Lin's Gone Shopping and Teo
          129 words
        • 148 24  -  CHRISTOPHER TOH christopher.toh@mediacorp.com.sg How about this for DIV? Although Suzanne Vega's Jan 19 concert is being officially organised by Greenhorn Productions, the fees are actually being underwritten by a group of her fans, who've put up the cash to bring her to Singapore. The
          3ETTY IMAGES I  -  148 words
        • 132 24  -  MAYO MARTIN mayo@mediacorp.com.sg If you thought that 2007's bumper crop of festivals (and pseudo-festivals) felt like a series of lightning-quick combination punches that left even the most ardent arts enthusiast reeling, the most you can do to prepare for next year is
          132 words
        • Article, Illustration
          670 24  -  PHIN WONG Deputy Plus Editor pbin@mediacorp.com.sg I have observed the stars and come to a conclusion that 2008 is going to be a good year in local entertainment. Cynics will understandably frown upon the use of frivolous methods such as stargazing to chart the unforeseeable future, preferring
          DON WONG |  -  670 words
        • 200 25  -  KARMAN TSE karman@mediacorp.com.sg If waiting for last year's breakout TV hit, Heroes, to finally appear on free-to-air television drove you up the wall and over the Causeway in support of piracy even though the first season of the show had already come to an end
          200 words
        • 185 25  -  ASIF ANSAR asif@mediacorp.com.sg It's always been about location, location, location. But while it used to be that a bar needed to be located in an easily accessible downtown venue with plenty of traffic, the opposite will be true this year. The success of quaint bars
          185 words
        • 931 26  -  LEONARD THOMAS Sports Editor leonard@mediacorp.com.sg Quite possibly 2008 will be a year like no other for China. As the spectacle of the Olympics unfolds in Beijing, the Chinese capital will open its doors wide like never before and global television audiences will be treated
          WEETECK HIAN  -  931 words
        • Article, Illustration
          92 27 Aug 8-24, Beijing This could well be the most important Games in the modern era. Desperate to pull off the best-ever Olympic Games, China hopes that sport will be the subject on everyone's lips, not smog, dope and bias refereeing. China v USA is what every fan wants
          GETT^IAGES  -  92 words
        • 127 27 Australia (March 16), Malaysia (March 23), Bahrain (April 6), Spain (April 27), Turkey (May 11), Monaco (May 25), Canada (June 8), France (June 22), Great Britain (July 6), Germany (July 20), Hungary (Aug 3), Europe (Aug 24), Belgium (Sept 7), Italy (Sept 14), Singapore (Sept 28), Japan (Oct
          127 words
        • 176 27 Masters (April 10-13, Augusta), US Open (June 12-15, Torrey Pines), The Open Championship (July 17-20, Royal Birkdale), PGA Championship (Aug 7-10, Oakland Hills) Tiger looks primed for an all-out assault on all four Majors. Master Eldrick Tiger Woods must first tame Augusta, but he knows the course
          GETTY IMAGES I  -  176 words
        • 88 27 Australian Open (Jan 14-27), French Open (May 25-]une 8), Wimbledon (June 23-July 6), US Open (Aug 25-Sept 7) The big question is if Roger Federer can win the four biggest tournaments in a single calendar year and leave no argument that he is the greatest tennis player
          88 words
        • 66 27 May 11 Manchester United and Arsenal look inseparable, Chelsea and Liverpool remain in the hunt. All the noise is about this being potentially the most exciting season in the Premiership since Blackburn's stunning final day triumph in 1994-95, despite their loss at Anfield. Could it come down
          AFP  -  66 words
        • 90 27 ]une 7-29, Austria Switzerland With the hype England generates, and the huge press scrum that follows the team around, the tournament will suffer without Rooney and Co at Europe's biggest football show. But world champions Italy, France and a resurgent Germany all look capable of lighting up the
          90 words
        • 52 27 May 21, Luzbniki Stadium, Moscow Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool complete a formidable English quartet challenging for club football's biggest prize. The two Milans are powerful, while Real Madrid and Barcelona are both equally capable of walking away with the grand prize. It could be a
          52 words
        • 74 27 Dec 5-28, Indonesia Thailand Singapore look to make it three wins on the trot in South-east Asia's biggest football tournament It will be a really tough challenge, with host nations Indonesia and Thailand both hungry to once again rule Asean. Both sides have suffered at the hands
          74 words










  • Business
    • 297 28 —AFP ASIAN stock markets gave investors a white-knuckle ride in 2007 but most are up sharply and analysts predict turbulent gains in 2008 despite a severe United States financial crisis. "I think Asian markets will be up over 2008 but
      —AFP; BLOOMBERG  -  297 words
    • 82 28 Last Business Day: Dec 28, 2007 SPOT GOLD OPEN (9am) US$ 825.20/OZ SPOT GOLD CLOSE (spm) US$ 826.80/OZ CHANGE+O.I9% Research houses have published 2008 forecasts of a continuation in the Gold bull market but not without the occasional retracements back to physical demand support levels. With a
      82 words
    • 217 28 DOW JONES SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) said yesterday it would not raise the price it had already agreed to pay for a stake in China Eastern Airlines and stressed that the terms of the deal were fair. "The price is fair and mutually agreed
      — DOW JONES  -  217 words
    • 458 28 DOW JONES Investing in well-diversified equity indexes could address fears of political manipulation SOVEREIGN wealth funds and their targeted investments in banks like Merrill Lynch and Citigroup have helped stabilise volatile financial markets in 2007. But concerns have emerged that these government-run funds worth a total
      — DOW JONES  -  458 words
  • Page 28 Advertisements
    • 92 28 MediaCorp PSSltf As Singapore's largest broadcaster and one of the region's most renowned J "X^T/ broadcasters, MediaCorp offers a complete range of media businesses: TV, a Radio, Entertainment Productions, Movie Productions, Newspapers, m&L fcT*^ Magazines, Electronic Media and other broadcasting services. MediaCorp's I vision is to become one of Asia's
      92 words

  • Page 29 Advertisements
    • 124 29 Recmitwit^OLl^Y &E||jlM|j^HM|l|jlLMHH||jlLl|j^HM|fl HHHnHHHHHIII r I BJBBS33JEBIII -ill .1 BMPgBI Full Page r"1 Half Page (Horizontal) Hi Half Page (Vertical) 35cmby8col 17cmby8col 35cmby4col (35cm x 26.1 cm) (17cm x 26.1 cm) (35cm x 12.9 cm) B&W- $5,000 I^M| B&W-$3,000 -Bi B&W-$3,000 H Quarter Page r "1 1/Bth Page Spot Colour 17cm
      124 words

  • plus+
    • 1280 30 Returning series DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES SEASON 4 When: Second half of 2008 The pitch: More mayhem as the housewives do what they do best deal with (and cause) more personal crises. The long take: Wisteria Lane has another new family. Uh oh. Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delaney)
      1,280 words
    • 346 31  -  Phin Wong Bloodshed and solid acting in David Cronenberg's European mob drama FILMREVIEW by I Eastern Promises THERE are several moments in this film that make Dolph Lundgren look like a fairy princess at a tea party. Eastern Promises opens with a tense scene in which a mentally
      346 words
    • ALSOSHOWING
      • 68 32 THIS is the sequel to a sequel (2004's Alien vs Predator, which was a follow-up to the Alien and Predator films). Aliens and predators battle each other to the end in a small Colorado town, after a predator spaceship bearing an alien-predator hybrid Predalien crash lands
        68 words
      • Article, Illustration
        76 32 AFTER the opulent The Banquet, Feng Xiaogang moves on to make a gritty war drama. Assembly is set during the Chinese civil war period of 1948 when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) battled the Nationalist Army. It tells the story of how one man, PLA's Captain Gu Zidi (Zhang
        76 words
    • Article, Illustration
      258 32  -  Jeanine Tan A dysfunctional family explore India in this eye-candy comedy FILMREVIEW by The Darjeeling Limited DYSFUNCTION looks good in a Wes Anderson film and in The Darjeeling Limited, the formula of a troubled family trying to bond while looking stylin' (a la The Royal Tenenbaums) is repeated.
      258 words
    • in cinemas
      • Article, Illustration
        395 33  -  Christopher Toh George Clooney plays an embattled law consultant in a performance-driven drama FILMREVIEW by I Michael Clayton IF YOU liked the George Clooney vehicles Syriana, Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind and Good Night, And Good Luck, you're going to love this one. Clooney plays Michael Clayton, a
        395 words
      • 350 33  -  Mayo Martin FILMREVIEW by I Reservation Road FOR a "suspense drama" that revolves around a hit and run accident and stars hi-octane performers such as Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo, you would half-expect Reservation Road to be full of nervewracking twist and turns. But
        350 words


  • Page 32 Advertisements
    • 19 32 w> ;A KWiP^ w^i^U* 4 -*(t .<Si War J^M wV if a BMr^LB HHR& \\m\ Ml&'i II WI mi/Mk
      19 words
    • 591 32 I" IN. /(i^l (0)**********4 4^ -V'^* N \*W' 4t£^r Q www.gv.com.sg AXS J MT>PM ALIENS VS PREDATOR 2" ALIENS VS PREDATOR 2" ALIENS VS PREDATOR 2" ALIENS VS PREDATOR 2" 10.50 am 12.35 1.05 2.50 3.20 12.00 2.20 4.40 7.00 9.20pm IJam *****240 300 520 12.35 2.50 435 5.05 6.50
      591 words

  • Page 33 Advertisements
    • 641 33 m 3>J>Vv iJJSA/JOJd- DIGITAL INTHEVALLEYOF ALIENSvsPREDATOR2 ALIENSvsPREDATOR2 ALIENSvsPREDATOR2 LUST,CAUTION(R2I) ALIENSvsPREDATOR2 ALIENSvsPREDATOR2 ft*j),o" B' M WHO)' (KI6)KS)' (NCI6)(CS)« ™(«>* 10:55 am, I:ospm, ALV NANDTHE 12:10pm, 12:55,2:05, 12:10pm, 1:05,2:05 12 10 IMS |JI|,IIJI|||IJII|I 7-gwg 3:15,5:25,7:35, CH™KS™ 3:00,4:00,4:55,5:55, 3:00,4:00,4:55, 2^"J HH |AMLEGEND (CS.• 9:45 10:15 am 12:05pm 6:50,7:50,8:45,9:45 5:55,6:50,7:50,8:45, 205 '300' 400 ZITT^
      641 words
  • Page 33 Miscellaneous

  • Page 34 Miscellaneous
    • 1128 34 DEAL OR NO DEAL II THAT'S IT DEEP OCEAN MIX MASTER KING OF CARDS Channel 5, 8.30pm Channel NewsAsia, 8.32pm, 11.32pm (Debut) Kids Central, spm Arts Central, 10pm Two lucky contestants will get a chance to walk contents are /'M W,i 'L^««»,^Rai privileged glimpse of the overwhelming odds, «^1 %iiw4i^
      1,128 words

  • sports
    • 247 35 DPA LOS ANGELES The Utah Jazz rang in 2008 by closing out the Portland Trail Blazers' impressive run. Carlos Boozer (picture) scored 19 points and Deron Williams added 18 as the Jazz ended the Blazers' league-high 13-game winning streak with a 111-101 victory
      — DPA; 1 IHRH AFP  -  247 words
    • 573 35 —AFP Ponting urges team to focus on India, not Tour in crisis-hit Pakistan CRICKET Australia v India, 2nd Test SYDNEY Australian captain Ricky Ponting has urged his players to focus on the home Test series against India and not on any security fears they may have for
      —AFP; AFF  -  573 words
    • 325 35  -  LOWUNFHOONG SAILORS Justin Liv and Sherman Cheng ended their 2007 season on a high note after winning the open and under-19 youth trophies at the 29er Australian National Championships in Melbourne on Monday. After five days of competition at the city's
      TODAY FILE PHOTO  -  325 words
    • 547 36 —THE GUARDIAN Newcastle boss shrugs off Shearer talk and pins hopes on Owen fitness NEWCASTLE Sam Allardyce remained cool in the face of hostile fire on New Year's Eve, choosing to shrug off speculation that Alan Shearer will replace him. Reassured by backing from his chairman
      —THE GUARDIAN; 3ETTY IMAGES  -  547 words
    • 342 36  - What's Newcastle's problem? It's not Allardyce RICHARD WILLIAMS THE GUARDIAN sports@newstoday.com.sg LONDON In his way, Sam Allardyce is an English Jose Mourinho. His abrasive personality automatically limits his appeal to the public, and his brand of football requires fine players to subjugate themselves to his tactical demands. Allardyce's method, which
      — THE GUARDIAN; ■H  -  342 words
    • 403 36 —THE DAILY TELEGRAPH LONDON The sales are on but managers in the English Premiership are showing a growing disenchantment with the transfer window and are calling for an end to the system, now in its sixth season, that gives clubs only two periods a
      —THE DAILY TELEGRAPH; GETTY IMAGES _ j. *__  -  403 words
    • Article, Illustration
      588 37 —AGENCIES Berbatov's in search of a big challenge, but suitors may not come calling LONDON The January transfer window has few devotees within the game and those on the inside at Tottenham Hotspur, who describe it as a fiendishly difficult time, are no exceptions. The club will attempt
      —AGENCIES  -  588 words
    • 293 37  -  JEREMY WILSON THE DAILY TELEGRAPH sports@newstoday.com.sg LONDON Tottenham Hotspur's Bulgraian striker Dimitar Berbatov suffered a relatively disappointing start to the season, blaming the speculation that surrounded his future for affecting his concentration. Yet it is a measure of the Bulgarian's quality that Tottenham,
      — THE DAILY TELEGRAPH  -  293 words
    • 299 37 —AFP GLASGOW The three remaining Scottish Premier League games today will hold a minute's applause as a mark of respect following the death of Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell with the other fixtures already postponed. The 35-year-old married father of four fell to the ground as he
      —AFP  -  299 words
    • 568 38 —AGENCIES Gunners show class in London derby to keep perch at the top of Premiership ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP Arsenal 2 West Ham 0 LONDON Arsenal started 2008 in much the same fashion as they finished last year, with an impressive victory against West Ham at the Emirates
      —AGENCIES; AFP  -  568 words
    • 492 38 —AFP LONDON Chelsea have opened talks with Bolton over the possible transfer of Nicolas Anelka and are hopeful of concluding a deal for the French striker by the end of next week, The Times reported yesterday. The London side are eager to bring in
      —AFP; GETTY IMAGES  -  492 words
    • 614 39 —AFP Liverpool star desperate to repay Benitez'faith in him ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP Liverpool vWigan LIVERPOOL Harry Kewell is so glad just to be playing for Liverpool this season after four injury-plagued years that he insists he has yet to think about a new contract at
      —AFP; GETTY IMAGES  -  614 words
    • 388 39 —THE GUARDIAN LONDON Real Madrid have renewed their long-standing interest in Cristiano Ronaldo in light of his announcement that he has ambitions to play in Spain. The Primera Liga champions have been encouraged by the remarks and in a move that will be
      —THE GUARDIAN; GETTY IMAGES  -  388 words
  • Page 35 Advertisements
    • 47 35 S&J,* 0 LEGAL BOOKMAKER l^jT; Spanish Cup Murcia Valladolid Thu, 03/01/08 3.45 am Spanish Cup Racing Malaga Thu, 03/01/08 4.00 am Spanish Cup Deportivo Espanyol Thu, 03/01/08 4.00 am \i Spanish Cup Mallorca Osasuna Thu, 03/01/08 4.30 am I Spanish Cup Almeria Levante Fri, 04/01/08 3.30 am
      47 words




  • Page 39 Miscellaneous
    • 48 39 7.30 am Cricket Australia v India, CM 10 Bam Basketball Rutgers v South Florida, Ch23 7am Golf Mercedes Benz C'ship, Ch26 7.30 am Cricket Australia v India, Chi 10 Bam Basketball Virginia v Notre Dame, Ch23 6.35 a- Sports Zone Minutes 11.35pm Weekdays: hourly sports updates on SSSlive
      48 words

  • Page 40 Advertisements
    • 848 40 Pfflßffl I I Ig II Centrinoii mmm^ma^^^^^^^ m jell vostro 1200 notebook BUY ONLINE! Ss3oo CASH OFF H ONLINE PRICE AFTER SAVINGS (DELIVERY INCLUDED) M H E-ValueCode:Rs2ols3V-9T14 Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology y Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7250 H Genuine Windows Vista® Business 2GB DDR-2 SDRAM. 120GB* Hard Drive 12.1"
      848 words