News Today

Pakistan makes a pitch for more S'pore investments
A TOP Pakistani government minister has urged Singapore investors from all sectors to invest in his country which, he says, has flung its doors wide open to foreign investors.Privatisation and Investment Minister Zahid Hamid also said yesterday that PSA International's recent... [Read more]

Foreign influx: Mind and check the social divide
SOME years back, I was mistaken for a prostitute from China.I was sitting at a Geylang coffee shop frequented by the working ladies with their lilting charm, when someone asked me for my fee.While the episode makes for a good yarn... [Read more]

What it should have been
In our report, 'Non-Indonesian sand arrives as prices start to rise' on Tuesday, we reported that we spoke to ready-mix concrete supplier Supermix Concrete. This is wrong. It was Alliance Concrete and not Supermix Concrete. We are sorry for the error.... [Read more]

Floods over, drought looms in Malaysia
PETALING JAYA - ALTHOUGH parts of Malaysia are still mopping up after last month's devastating floods, the weatherman is warning that the country may soon be wishing for rain.The Meteorological Department has forecast weather so dry in the weeks after the... [Read more]

Bush hits the road to push for free trade
IN WASHINGTON - US PRESIDENT George W. Bush has hit the road to garner support for his free trade agenda. This comes against a backdrop of brewing opposition in the Democrat-controlled Congress, which is trying to clip his powers to negotiate... [Read more]

Zero-rate tax on goods and services to charities
I REFER to previous letters on the zero-rating of essential items for the needy ('Zero-rate GST on essential food items', ST, Feb 17; and 'Limit GST zero rating to 8 essential food items', ST, Feb 20).Budget 2007 seems to have overlooked... [Read more]

Scaly guest pays a visit
Mr Chan Kok Seng, 49, showing an uninvited guest he found curled up under a banana tree at his Upper Thomson home on Wednesday.His guest turned out to be a pangolin, a nocturnal mammal normally found in forested areas of South-east... [Read more]

Iranian bombs smuggled into Iraq, says coalition
BAGHDAD - UNITED States-led coalition forces in Iraq presented yesterday what officials said was 'a growing body' of evidence of Iranian weapons being used to kill coalition soldiers.A senior defence official from the Multi-National Force told a briefing that 170 coalition... [Read more]

Rotary's earnings surge to $35.2m
THE red-hot oil and gas sector has been a bonanza for Rotary Engineering, which yesterday reported record earnings of $35.2 million, up a staggering 320 per cent.Rotary helps build and maintain oil storage terminals and other infrastructure for the petrochemical industry.... [Read more]

Lawyer wants witness' testimony thrown out
THE trial of Chee Soon Juan, accused of trying to leave Singapore while a bankrupt, took an unexpected turn yesterday when his lawyer asked the court to throw out the testimony of a key prosecution witness.The reason: Ms Kalaselvi Rengasamy, a... [Read more]

Jol worried about Spurs' form, not job
LONDON - TOTTENHAM manager Martin Jol is adamant he is under no pressure after their defeat by Sheffield United on Saturday.But he is concerned about his side's lack of form.Spurs threw away an early lead against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane,... [Read more]