News Today

Use ATM card in 3 Asean countries
IMAGINE the convenience of being able to withdraw cash from any ATM in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia with your bank card.That will happen within five years once an electronic payment network among the four Asean countries is up and running. Such... [Read more]

Bush makes sales pitch for ethanol
WILMINGTON (DELAWARE) - PRESIDENT George W. Bush made a big deal about ethanol, the fuel derived from plants, in his State of the Union address this week. The next morning, he got up close and personal with it, poking his head... [Read more]

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

STI loses 21 points as Hang Seng plunges
AN INITIAL rally quickly fizzled out yesterday after a strong selldown in Hong Kong sent local traders scrambling yet again for the door. They were spooked so much on Monday by the United States inflation bogey that the Straits Times Index... [Read more]

The campaign begins for Hillary and Obama
IT WAS inevitable, but it came sooner than anyone predicted. After Mr Barack Obama - the one-term senator from Illinois - more or less declared his candidature for the US presidential elections, two-term New York senator Hillary Clinton threw her hat... [Read more]

Delay in CPF fund transfer explained
I REFER to the letter, '10 days later, funds still not with CPF' by Mdm Sek Lay See (ST, Feb 1). DBS received the funds from OCBC on Jan 15 and the funds were transferred to the customer's CPF Investment Account... [Read more]

Champions League
TodayBarcelona v Liverpool Live, Ch23, tomorrow, 3.30am Porto v Chelsea Live, Ch24, tomorrow, 3.30amInter Milan v ValenciaRoma v Lyon... [Read more]

City Hall will make a great art gallery
I READ with interest the article, 'Ideas sought for crafting national art gallery' (ST, Feb 14).As an individual on the arts scene, I look forward to the transformation of City Hall into a permanent art gallery. City Hall is, in fact,... [Read more]

Stop the excessive use of English on Tamil variety programmes
Vasantham Central has done it again. First it was over the beauty contest programme, Miss Vasantham, and now it's about a dance talent programme, Dhool.I am concerned over the excessive use of English on Tamil variety programmes. While there are campaigns... [Read more]

Thaksin: I want to help restore peace in Thai south
BANGKOK - DEPOSED Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he wants to help bring reconciliation to the country's deep south if he eventually returns home.His comments, which appear in the Feb 1 issue of Time magazine, are the latest salvo... [Read more]

Have a test on the history and government for those seeking to be Singaporeans
I agree with Mr Pavin Limanont, 'Pick leaders on merit, not cultural affiliation', (ST, Feb 16) that one should not be xenophobic about the influx of foreigners into Singapore and its benefits. However, there are certain issues that no amount of... [Read more]

Is Singapore ready if bird flu breaks out here?

I AM concerned about Singapore's readiness should avian flu break out here.

While we had been successful in containing the Sars outbreak, there is no certainty that we will succeed with bird flu.

From all indications, the only approved medication is Tamiflu. However, there have been various reports about death caused by taking this drug.

I hope the heath authorities will shed light on our readiness in the event of an outbreak, and its stand on Tamiflu. Has there been any death linked to the consumption of this drug here? What precautions are required for the sale and consumption of this drug? How much of this drug has been stockpiled in Singapore?

If the effectiveness of Tamiflu is uncertain and it has indeed been linked to deaths, should not a more preventive approach be taken?

During the Sars outbreak the people had to fill in forms at immigration points to allow tracing of carriers. Should we not re-introduce all the precautionary measures we implemented during the Sars outbreak now?

There is a need for more education and communication on this potential epidemic by the health authorities.



Kelvin Kwan Chee Hong

Singapore Masters

Dates: Today to Sunday.

Venue: Laguna National G&CC.

Today: Masters and Classic courses.

Tomorrow and Sunday: Masters Course only.

Total prize money: US$1.1 million (S$1.7 million).

Tee-off: 7.40am.

Selected Rd 2 tee-off times:

Classic - 9.30am: Mardan Mamat, Ian Woosnam 9.40am: Anton Haig, Darren Clarke, Nick Dougherty.

Masters course - 10.20pm: Marcus Fraser 12pm: David Howell 12.10pm: Liang Wenchong 12.20pm: Shingo Katayama, Jeev Milkha Singh 12.30pm: Lee Westwood.

Tickets (through Sistic): Today: $15. Tomorrow and Sunday: $40 a day. Season pass: $80. Under-16s: free. U-21s, seniors, women: Today free.

Transport: From S'pore Expo MRT and car park J, 7.30am to 6.30pm

Today: Every 15min. Tomorrow and Sunday: Every 10min.

Live on TV: Ch5, Ch24 (Today - 2.30-5.30pm. Tomorrow, Sunday - 2-5pm).

Fringe activities today: adidas Golf Fashion Show (12pm), wine appreciation by Winston Wine Cellar and Shiseido make-up workshop (3pm) and salsa dance by En Motion Dance School (4.30pm)

Banks should allow assignment of policies

I REFER to the letters by Mr Allen Lim Chen Jye ('How to avoid tax on insurance proceeds'; ST, March 6) and Ms Maria Loh Mun Foong ('Exempt up to full value of main residence'; ST , March 1).

I can attest to Ms Loh's experience, as quite recently I highlighted to my clients the importance of assigning their mortgage insurance reducing-term (MRTA) policies to their mortgagees. One of them told me that her bank doesn't allow assignment of such mortgage policies, despite an ongoing mortgage agreement.

This agrees with a Business Times article, 'Private home loan-holders should assign policy to banks' (Feb 3, 2003), which stated that the majority of the local banks here do not accept assignment of MRTA plans.

The issue of insurable interest which Mr Lim brought up is debatable here. Before any policy can be underwritten, an insurable interest needs to be ascertained. When the MRTA is being underwritten, the insurable interest is established via the latest loan agreement with the lender stipulating the current outstanding loan amount. The insurable interest here is not proven by way of relationship between spouses.

Hence, arranging a cross-life policy whereby one spouse owns the policy of the other on a mortgage policy is near impossible. Usually, when a spouse owns a policy on the life of the other, it is strictly for personal income-protection reasons alone.

That said, may I suggest that banks and lenders consider allowing assignment of MRTA, to encourage homeowners to transfer to or stay with them.

As our country gears up to be a premier financial hub, banks with such foresight, and which are flexible enough to allow such assignment to take place, will be one up on their competitors.

This little flexibility will go a long way to relieve the financial woes of the widowed and their families.

Pearlyn Koh Siew Lin (Ms)

Sports World

SAFFC LOSE 0-2 TO MAHINDRA

SINGAPORE Armed Forces FC lost 0-2 to India's Mahindra United in an Asian Football Confederation Cup Group E match at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium last night.

The visitors scored through Yusif Yakubu (36th-minute penalty) and Andrews Pomeyie (83rd).

Tampines Rovers drew 0-0 with India's Mohun Bagan in a Group F tie in Kolkata.

Singapore's Under-21 side also drew 0-0 with Vietnam in the Asean Youth Football Championship in Brunei yesterday.

They had lost 0-2 to Thailand in their opening game, and take on Malaysia in their final group match tomorrow.

NBA STAR ARTEST ARRESTED

SACRAMENTO: Controversial Sacramento Kings star Ron Artest was suspended indefinitely, after his arrest on Monday on domestic violence charges.

A woman complained he shoved her to the floor inside his home and prevented her from calling the police.

The police would not disclose the woman's relationship with Artest, who posted US$50,000 (S$76,500) bail and was released.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Yao back in Rockets' line-up after injury

LOS ANGELES - HOUSTON Rockets centre Yao Ming was cleared to play yesterday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Yao broke his right leg on Dec 23 in a collision with Tim Thomas and teammate Chuck Hayes during a National Basketball Association game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

In a story from Cleveland posted on their website, the Chronicle said Rockets athletic trainer Keith Jones and general manager Carroll Dawson had said that Yao would be on the active roster for yesterday's game.

Coach Jeff Van Gundy had said that the Chinese superstar would start as soon as doctors gave the green light.

Van Gundy told the paper on Friday: 'When they say he can play, I'm playing him.'

That go-ahead came on Sunday, after Yao went through a morning work-out attended by team doctor Tom Clanton and test results were examined by specialist doctor Brian Cole in Chicago.

'His work-outs have been tremendous,' Dawson told the Chronicle.

'They were kind of blown away. Clanton was really impressed.

'So we're going ahead as scheduled. He will be on the active list.'

Yao returns to a Houston team who have lost five of their past eight games, including a 74-97 defeat by San Antonio on Saturday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

News Today

Slew of measures aimed at creating SME haven
THE Government aims to make Singapore the best place in the world for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to start, grow and globalise. A slew of new measures was outlined in the Budget aimed specifically at this sector of the economy.... [Read more]

Dealing with China's rise a key challenge
Will there be a global trade deal? What are the consequences if it fails? Most countries would feel that this is in deep freeze if there are no results in the next three months. The WTO system will still operate and... [Read more]

US seeks Pakistan's help against Taleban
RAWALPINDI (PAKISTAN) - US DEFENCE Secretary Robert Gates sought Pakistan's support yesterday to prevent an expected Taleban spring offensive in neighbouring Afghanistan.The allies had the chance to deal a 'strategic setback' to the militants, said Mr Gates on his first visit... [Read more]

Banking in money for charity
UNITED Overseas Bank (UOB) held a Chinese New Year gala dinner last night for its small and medium enterprise clients, and money was raised for charity.Mr Sim Kok Hwee, 29, a corporate development manager at industrial equipment maker Zicom Group was... [Read more]

Shaking with only one hand uncultured? Not true
I refer to the letter, 'Follow suit and shake hands with both arms, Team Singapore' (Online forum, Feb 6), by Mr Jimmy Teo Nai Heok.I am happy that he is able to partake in the pride and joy of seeing the... [Read more]

Accused teen trio out on bail
THREE teenagers accused of breaking into the Isetan store in Shaw Towers last Thursday were each released on $8,000 bail yesterday. Marcus Wang Yuanhang, 18, and Ethan Khoo Ee Ren and Yuan Wei Jie, both 16, will appear in the Community... [Read more]

11 killed in car bomb attack on Iran elite force
TEHERAN - ELEVEN people were killed yesterday when a booby-trapped car exploded next to a bus carrying members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. An attack of this size and nature - a bomb strike on an elite Iranian force in broad... [Read more]

Lucky bloom for 80-year-old
PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN The Year of the Pig got off to an auspicious start for Mr Tey Buang Chai, 80. The lucky bamboo plant he bought four to five years ago bloomed for the first time on Chinese New Year's... [Read more]

Catch fine arts on last day of Nafa open house
TODAY is the last day of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) three-day open house. The highlight is a fashion show to be staged by Nafa students who won two major design contests held in conjunction with Singapore Fashion Week... [Read more]

I'm the target of witch-hunt: Israeli President
JERUSALEM - IN A speech tinged with rage, Israeli President Moshe Katsav attacked the police, the state prosecution and the media as he declared his innocence on charges of rape and sexual harassment levelled against him. 'Citizens of Israel, don't believe... [Read more]

Smaller property projects sell fast even with little marketing
SMALL residential developments in suburban areas are selling strongly despite putting out almost no publicity - in some cases, not even a show-flat. Property consultants say this is a sign that upbeat home buying sentiment is trickling down from the luxury... [Read more]

Pakistani border sees re-emergence of Taleban-style justice

ISLAMABAD - BARBERS are afraid to shave customers' chins, alleged thieves with blackened faces are paraded through the streets in shame and suspected spies for the United States are found beheaded in a ditch.

Tales of Taleban-style justice in Pakistani border regions are proliferating - a sign that an area already serving as a base for militants fighting in neighbouring Afghanistan is slipping further out of government control.

This week, the United States voiced growing concern that Al-Qaeda was re-grouping in the area. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's recent strategy of seeking peace with pro-Taleban tribesmen appears to have backfired.

'The pro-Taleban militants are making their presence felt in some very ugly ways,' said Ms Samina Ahmed, South Asia director for the Brussels-based International Crisis Group think-tank. 'They seem to be dictating the agenda.'

Residents of Miran Shah, the main town in Pakistan's North Waziristan area and a militant stronghold, say the Taleban runs an office where inhabitants can file complaints and receive a quick ruling based on Islamic law from a 10-member committee.

The committee has reputedly dealt with family feuds and seized suspected thieves.

Shopkeepers say three men accused of stealing cars were driven through jeering crowds in the nearby town of Mir Ali last week, their faces blackened and heads shaved.

Further north, several barbers in the Bajur district recently said they would no longer shave customers' beards after receiving a warning that it was 'un-Islamic' and being threatened with unspecified punishment.

More ominous were the cases of scores of people who were accused of being aligned with Pakistan's government or being foreign agents, and were later found shot or beheaded, their bodies dumped beside country roads.

In the latest such incident, a teacher's body was found on Tuesday in a sack on a roadside in South Waziristan.

A note found with the corpse identified the slain man as 'Akhtar Usman, the one who spied for America'. The word 'hypocrite' was scrawled on the temple of his severed head in Urdu, Pakistan's main language.

There is little indication that the authorities are willing or able to confront such developments in an area steeped in Islamic radicalism since it was a base for the mujahideen war against Soviet troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Taleban fighters and Al-Qaeda militants - including Arabs and Central Asians - poured into Pakistan's rugged border zone in 2001 and 2002 as US-led forces drove them from Afghanistan. They found refuge in the fortress-like houses of sympathetic tribes and Afghan refugee communities.

Under US pressure, General Musharraf sent his army into the semi-autonomous tribal areas for the first time in Pakistan's 60-year history to pursue the militants.

Hundreds were killed on both sides in scores of operations in the tribal belt, mostly since 2004.

Gen Musharraf then changed tack.

A peace deal struck with North Waziristan last September demanded that the militants stop attacks in Afghanistan and halt 'Talebanisation' in return for Pakistani troops moving out of towns such as Miran Shah while retaining a presence at the border.

A peace agreement was also signed with South Waziristan in 2005.

But tribal elders who acted as guarantors for the North Waziristan deal appeared powerless to enforce it. Even Gen Musharraf has acknowledged that some of his security forces have been turning a blind eye to militant infiltration.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Results

BASKETBALL

NBA: Philadelphia 99 Phoenix 94, Miami 92 Washington 83, Boston 102 New York 94, Toronto 106 Houston 90, Utah 104 Memphis 88, Chicago 113 Golden State 83, New Orleans 107 Atlanta 100, Denver 111 Orlando 101, Sacramento 135 Charlotte 120, LA Clippers 96 Seattle 91.

ICE HOCKEY

NHL: Ottawa 2 Carolina 0, Calgary 2 Minnesota 1 (o.p.), Nashville 4 San Jose 3 (o.p.).

SOCCER

Dutch Cup, q-finals: Utrecht 1 AZ Alkmaar 2, RKC Waalwijk 1 Roda JC Kerkrade 0, NAC Breda 3 PSV Eindhoven 0, Willem II Tilburg 0 Ajax Amsterdam 2.

English FA, 5th rd replay: Blackburn 1 Arsenal 0.

French Cup, q-finals: Sochaux 2 Paris St Germain 1, FC Montceau Bourgogne 1 Racing Lens 0.

German Cup, q-finals: Nuremberg 0 Hannover 0 (Nuremberg win 4-2 on penalties), Wolfsburg 2 Alemannia Aachen 0, Kickers Offenbach 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 3, Stuttgart 2 Hertha Berlin 0.

Scottish Cup, 5th rd: Motherwell 1 St Johnstone 2.

Spanish King's Cup q-finals, 2nd leg: Real Zaragoza 1 Barcelona 2 (2-2 on aggregate. Barcelona win on away goal rule), Osasuna 1 Getafe 0 (Getafe win 3-1 on aggregate), Real Valladolid (II) 1 Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Deportivo win 5-2), Real Betis 0 Sevilla 1 (match abandoned after 56 minutes).

TENNIS

Acapulco International - Men, 1st rd: Gaston Gaudio (Arg) bt Juan Pablo Guzman (Arg) 1-6 6-3 6-2, Nicolas Almagro (Esp) bt Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Esp) 6-1 4-6 7-6 (7-2), Jose Acasuso (Arg) bt Jiri Vanek (Cze) 6-1 6-2, Juan Carlos Ferrero (Esp) bt Lukas Dlouhy (Cze) 6-3 7-6(2). Women, 1st rd: Tathiana Garbin (Ita) bt Zsofia Gubacsi (Hun) 6-4 3-0 (ret), Gisela Dulko (Arg) bt Laura Pous (Esp) 7-6(2) 7-6(7), Julia Schruff (Ger) bt Marion Bartoli (Fra) 6-0 6-4, Melissa Torres (Mex) bt Eva Birnerova (Cze) 6-4 6-2, Alize Cornet (Fra) bt Severine Bremond (Fra) 7-6(3) 6-2, Sara Errani (Ita) bt Kaia Kanepi (Est) 1-6 6-3 6-4, Emilie Loit (Fra) bt Martina Mueller (Ger) 6-2 6-2, Flavia Pennetta (Ita) bt Roberta Vinci (Ita) 6-0 6-2.

ATP Dubai Open, 2nd rd: Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Igor Andreev (Rus) 6-2 3-6 7-6(2), Roger Federer (Sui) bt Daniele Bracciali (Ita) 7-5 6-3, Olivier Rochus (Bel) bt Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) 4-6 6-4 6-2, Novak Djokovic (Scg) bt Rainer Schuettler (Ger) 7-6(5) 6-3, Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) bt Tomas Berdych (Cze) 7-6 (6) 6-3, Tommy Haas (Ger) bt Florent Serra (Fra) 7-6 (5) 6-3, Robin Soederling (Swe) bt Dominik Hrbaty (Svk) 6-3 7-5, Fabrice Santoro (Fra) bt Gilles Simon (Fra) 6-4 6-2.

ATP Las Vegas Open - Group 2: Sam Querrey (USA) bt Julien Benneteau (Fra) 6-2 7-6(3). Gp 3: Juergen Melzer (Aut) bt Michael Llodra (Fra) 6-4 2-6 7-5. Gp 4: Benjamin Becker (Ger) bt Gustavo Kuerten (Bra) 6-4 6-3. Gp 5: Fernando Verdasco (Esp) bt Danai Udomchoke (Tha) 6-1 5-7 6-2. Gp 6: Igor Kunitsyn (Rus) bt Stefan Koubek (Aut) 6-2 6-2. Gp 7: Feliciano Lopez (Esp) bt Nicolas Mahut (Fra) 3-6 6-3 7-6(3).

WTA Qatar Open, 2nd rd: Daniela Hantuchova (Svk) bt Eleni Daniilidou (Gre) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3, Jelena Jankovic (Ser) bt Maria Elena Camerin (Ita) 6-0 6-1, Martina Hingis (Sui) bt Maria Kirilenko (Rus) 6-2 6-2, Katerina Bondarenko (Ukr) w/o Sania Mirza (Ind), Justine Henin (Bel) bt Alicia Molik (Aus) 6-2 7-6(9), Francesca Schiavone (Ita) bt Mara Santangelo (Ita) 4-6 7-6(6) 1-0 (ret), Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt Julia Goerges (Ger) 7-5 6-1, Patty Schnyder (Sui) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues (Esp) 6-3 6-4.

James' shooting wins it for Cavs

ONE big, back-breaking shot was not going to bail out the Cavaliers.

So LeBron James made another.

He dropped two crucial three-pointers in the last minute to help Cleveland beat New Orleans 97-89 in a National Basketball Association game on Tuesday.

James, who finished with 35 points, knocked down a 25-footer from the top of the key with 49.9 seconds left, and then nailed another three-pointer from nearly the same spot with 24.2 seconds remaining.

The Hornets' defensive strategy down the stretch was to force James to take the toughest shots possible.

They were able to do that, but what they did not bank on was James making them anyway.

'We got what we wanted,' Hornets forward David West said.

'He took a three-pointer with a hand in his face. He just knocked it down. We know he's going to take the shot.

'You've got to live with him hitting a 27-footer or whatever it was he hit.'

Cleveland improved to 14-8 against Western Conference teams - the top mark among Eastern squads.

The Hornets have lost six straight in Cleveland.

ASSOCIATED PRESS