Shipping industry emits more CO2 than many states

WASHINGTON - OCEAN-GOING vessels now belch out more of the major air pollutant sulphur dioxide than all of the world's cars, trucks and buses combined, says a study released yesterday.

The group behind the report, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), also said the shipping industry emits more of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than many industrialised nations.

The ICCT, comprising transport and air quality experts from around the world, called on the industry to voluntarily clean up its act and also submit to tough standards as part of efforts to combat global warming.

'International ships are one of the world's largest, virtually uncontrolled source of air pollution,' said Dr Alan Lloyd, the ICCT's president and former secretary of California's Environmental Protection Agency.

'Air pollution from diesel trucks and buses in Europe, Japan, and the United States has declined steadily for over a decade. At the same time, air pollution from international ships is rising virtually unchecked,' he said.

The study said the sulphur dioxide (SO2) content of marine diesel fuel is an average of 27,000 parts per million (ppm), compared to just 10-15 ppm for road fuel in Europe, Japan and the US.

SO2 is blamed for causing respiratory illnesses and acid rain, as well as for forming atmospheric particles that choke off air visibility.

The ICCT cited recent estimates as saying at least 17 per cent of emissions of nitrogen oxide come from ships, which can contribute more than 25 per cent of the pollutant in some port cities and coastal nations.

The group said the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) had been 'slow to take advantage of the best available technologies and fuel', with its only action on ship emissions adopted in 1997 and implemented two years ago.

However, the IMO is debating whether to adopt a new round of emission standards for international ships leading up to meetings in April and June, the ICCT noted.

It also called on the IMO to mandate a 90 per cent reduction in marine diesel's sulphur content, use up-to-date technologies to govern emission standards, and set new regulations to address the impact of climate change.

Dr Axel Friedrich, co-author of the report and a senior official in Germany's Federal Environment Agency, said all that was required was an industry will to make changes.

'We've found that the public health and environmental consequences are clear and compelling and the technology is available now to dramatically lower air pollution from international shipping,' he said.

'It's time for the IMO to make overdue changes that will save lives, help millions of people breathe easier, and reduce global warming.'

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

News Today

Sirens to be sounded today
SIRENS will sound islandwide today at 12.05pm, as part of Total Defence Day.The exercise also serves to familiarise people with the Public Warning System (PWS) and the three emergency signals.When the sound is heard, people can tune in immediately to any... [Read more]

Aussies pick Newater as best-tasting in test
ADELAIDE - SINGAPORE'S reclaimed water Newater trumped spring water, bottled water and desalinated water in a taste test in Australia, conducted as the country faces a chronic water shortage. It came out tops in a test among 56 participants, as politicians... [Read more]

Nets facing competition from debit card schemes
I REFER to the article, 'Dialogue to discuss higher Nets charges' (ST, Feb 9). Nets was founded 22 years ago by the nation's leading financial institutions to give Singaporeans a convenient and reliable mode of electronic payment. Beyond its mission to... [Read more]

S'pore are truly Asean champs at last
BANGKOK - FOOTBALL'S perfect storm blew over Bangkok for exactly 90 minutes last night and nobody got hurt; only 35,000 Thais were drowned in a sea of sorrow. But where was the crowd violence, where was the hostility that was supposed... [Read more]

Directors' Trades
CAPITALAND CEO CUTS STAKE IN FIRM'S REITA DIRECTOR of CapitaRetail China Trust (CRCT) Management has reduced his direct interest in the real estate investment trust (Reit).Mr Liew Mun Leong, who is also CapitaLand's president and chief executive, sold 200,000 units in... [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]

Driving to Malaysia? Make sure car windows not 'too dark'
APART from checking that their passports have been stamped, motorists driving across the border to Malaysia now have another thing to worry about. Last week, 47-year-old Lawrence Lee and his wife were stopped by Malaysian traffic police on the North-South Highway... [Read more]

An Asian triangle to watch out for
THE foreign ministers of Russia, India and China have met this week in Delhi. Their talks did not last long and nothing much transpired. But other governments watched the meeting with great care. For, if Russia, China and India - representing... [Read more]

EU firms lose $40b to China's barriers, says study
BRUSSELS - EUROPEAN Union firms are denied business opportunities in China worth at least 20 billion euros (S$40.3 billion) a year because of non-tariff trade barriers, a study published by the European Commission says.The survey, conducted by consultants for the EU... [Read more]

New SAF facility for bio-chem training
A SINGAPORE Armed Forces (SAF) training facility that can simulate threats presented by deadly chemical, biological, radioactive and explosive agents was unveiled yesterday. Housed in a drab, four-storey building at Seletar Camp, the facility is part of the SAF's Chemical, Biological,... [Read more]

Pyongyang nuke deal 'template for Teheran'
WASHINGTON - THE US reached a deal with North Korea with its sights set on a bigger problem: Iran. It held up as a model for Teheran the six-party agreement where Pyongyang will take steps towards giving up nuclear weapons. White... [Read more]

The last of Real's Galacticos leaves

THE pain in Spain is hard to take.

After a week in which Barcelona and Real Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League, they meet at Camp Nou tonight.

It is a cathedral of sport, 98,000 seats guaranteed to be full.

In fact, as Barca's slogan goes, they are more than a club. This is the sporting equivalent of war by any other means.

Barcelona represent Catalonia, which thinks, acts and banks as a separate identity to Spanish rule from the capital Madrid.

The driving force is political and, with only the Spanish league title to play for, the pressure to win tonight is almost beyond reason.

In such a cauldron, you need experienced minds. But not all the bodies can take the strain.

Yesterday, Roberto Carlos announced not only that he will quit Real Madrid after 11 seasons, but also that he cannot be there, fighting in the enemy camp.

He is 33, his body is giving way. He has struggled for fitness, and aggravated a calf injury so badly against Bayern Munich on Wednesday that the only cure is three weeks' rest.

Poor, brilliant, rich Carlos. He is among the last of the faded Galacticos, and among the most fulfilled.

He has played 571 times for Real, and scored 70 goals as a left-back.

He has taken Spanish citizenship, although he might finish his playing days closer to his family in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

He said: 'My time at Real has ended. After three years without winning anything, I had to take a decision.'

Perhaps the decision was made when he was blamed for losing possession and allowing Bayern to score within 10 seconds of their last-16 second-leg clash.

He said: 'I've been at this club 11 years which, in 71/2 of those years, we won many things. But we lose one game and all the fault has landed on me. I don't accept this.'

It is hard to blame the pride of this Brazilian.

He was signed by current coach Fabio Capello, during the Italian's first spell in the hottest seat in world football, at the Bernabeu.

As coach and player, they won the first of three Spanish titles that Carlos has figured in for Real.

The player went on to also win three Champions League crowns, though not with Capello.

The coach was re-hired this season with the task of stripping down the galacticos era, and starting the rebuilding process.

Two left-backs have emerged to challenge Carlos - Spaniard Miguel Torres and Brazilian Marcelo.

Gifted as they are, they do not remotely replicate the know-how, the galvanic determination, the breathtaking speed, and the winners' mentality that characterised Carlos through the turmoil of a decade in Real Madrid white.

They will be lucky to taste the nectar of a domestic title, let alone win three European Cups and two World Cups as he has done.

In 125 games for Brazil, he scored 11 times - among them the most astonishing free kick seen on film or video, against France during La Tournoi de France in the summer of 1997.

It was bent from 40 metres out by his mercurial left foot, and seemed to be going at least a metre wide of the goal before curling in and deceiving Fabien Barthez.

I imagine the goalkeeper is still wide eyed, still looking for that ball to safely pass his post.

It is amazing what you can pack into a body of just 1.68m.

Carlos has thighs like a boxer, and a volatile nature that sometimes erupts like Vesuvius.

How many times have we seen him kick an opponent, and then sweet-smile a referee into excusing his temper?

By coincidence, a player far less temperamental, Henrik Larsson, also plays his last match for Manchester United tonight.

He will play in the FA Cup at Middlesbrough, and then return as planned to see out his career as a Swede playing in Sweden.

United plucked him from Helsingborgs, his home town, for a superbly-timed three-month loan during the Swedish winter break.

But he promised his club and family that it was temporary, and he would be back on March 12.

True to his word, he will be. True to his skill and his nature, he has given United a great chance of recapturing the Premiership title.

His signing bought time for others at United, notably Alan Smith, to gain fitness.

It brought rest for Louis Saha and Ole Gunner Solskjaer, although injury has prevented both from being fit and fresh when Larsson goes home.

But the acquisition of Carlos for the long run, and of Larsson for the short sprint, were based on two things - they have class, and they know what to do with it.

But, by the time Carlos is free from injury, Real could be out of contention for everything for the fourth straight year.

Capello may be out of a job, president Ramon Calderon will feel the fans' heat, and the sponsors will be up in arms.

Raul Gonzalez, their captain, said: 'We will fight to win La Liga. After that, the decisions are down to the people in charge.'

He added that, at Real, winning is all that counts.

On that count, he was speaking from memory. Real have not had the better of Barcelona for three seasons, let alone won in Europe.

Carlos will not be alone in departing the Bernabeu.

stsports@sph.com.sg



Barcelona v Real Madrid
Live, Ch22, tomorrow, 4.55am

News Today

Heart pill: Pay $1,000 less the NUH way
FOR subsidised heart patients in need of potentially life-saving medication, where they get treated could mean a difference of more than $1,000 when footing the bill. At the National University Hospital (NUH), a patient gets a year's supply of medicine when... [Read more]

SPCA took in fewer animals last year
THE number of animals taken in by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) last year fell 6 per cent compared to the year before. Last year, it gave shelter to 9,706 animals, more than half of which... [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]

Beijing slams Taipei over changes to textbooks
BEIJING - CHINA lashed out at Taiwan yesterday for dropping phrases from high-school history textbooks that link the two as one country, and said the move was another step towards promoting the island's independence.The changes included replacing terms such as 'the... [Read more]

Yong, Loo drop claims against two ex-board members
FORMER National Kidney Foundation chairman Richard Yong and ex-treasurer Loo Say San have withdrawn their third-party claims against former board members Kweh Soon Han and Lawrence Chia. Mr Yong and Mr Loo, who, along with former board member Matilda Chua, were... [Read more]

Micro-Mechanics profit soars a fifth at half-time
PRECISION tools maker Micro-Mechanics has reported a 20.9 per cent rise in half-time net profit to $4.4 million. Revenue for the six months ended Dec 31 was up 15.2 per cent at $17.7 million. To reward shareholders, the Sesdaq company is... [Read more]

Pet shops pass off rodents as mini-pigs
HONG KONG - ANIMAL carers in Hong Kong said yesterday pet lovers who had bought piglets for Year of the Pig luck may have been conned by shopowners who sold them rodents. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals... [Read more]

Quick-thinking pilot, passengers foil hijack
LAS PALMAS (SPAIN) - PLUCKY passengers of a Mauritanian plane overpowered a suspected armed hijacker with help from a quick-thinking pilot. The Air Mauritania Boeing 737 was on an internal flight in the north-western African country on Thursday when the hijacker,... [Read more]

Protests against name changes
TAIPEI - HUNDREDS of employees at Taiwan's state-run Chunghwa Post Co protested angrily yesterday against the company's plan to change its name from 'Chunghwa' - which means Chinese - to 'Taiwan'. The protesters held placards and shouted slogans outside Chunghwa's headquarters... [Read more]

Boosting defence ties
An American defence official received the Singapore Defence Technology Distinguished Fellowship yesterday, for boosting defence cooperation between Singapore and the United States. Mr Craig Hunter, the former deputy assistant secretary of the army for defence export and cooperation, received the award... [Read more]

Another two banks tie new home loans to public rates
TWO more banks have jumped on the bandwagon of offering new home loans pegged to external rates, in a bid to make their rates more transparent.Late last week, OCBC Bank and United Overseas Bank (UOB) launched new mortgage packages that are... [Read more]

News Today

S'poreans in NY to get a taste of hawker fare
LAKSA, chicken rice and char kway teow will find their way to the heart of New York City when a slice of Singapore hits the Big Apple in April. That is when the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) holds its first 'Singapore... [Read more]

All's fair game in the blogosphere - or is it?
KUALA LUMPUR - WHEN a manager of an Islamic insurance company sent an e-mail asking Muslim staff not to offer Deepavali greetings to Hindus last October, it quickly became the talk in this city.The diktat, a show of religious insensitivity, resulted... [Read more]

Increase speed of trains, which carry more people
AFTER the recent announcement of the implementation of full-day bus lanes on certain roads within the city area, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has now decided to do away with bus bays on a trial basis so as to further increase... [Read more]

Major Qantas investor opposes $13b takeover bid
SYDNEY - THE attempt by a consortium to take over Australia's flagship carrier Qantas Airways has hit another snag.A major shareholder of Qantas has raised objections to an agreed US$8.7 billion (S$13.35 billion) takeover offer, say sources close to the board,... [Read more]

US economy gaining ground: Bernanke
WASHINGTON - THE United States economy is gaining momentum after a soft patch induced by a housing slump, but inflation remains the predominant concern, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress yesterday. Mr Bernanke, presenting the central bank's semi-annual monetary policy... [Read more]

Putin offers Saudis help with atomic energy
RIYADH - PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin of Russia has offered to help Saudi Arabia develop atomic energy and pledged to develop ties with the Islamic world during his first visit to Saudi Arabia, a key US ally. Mr Putin yesterday listed the... [Read more]

Fined even when overnight parking coupon was displayed
My husband was away for a week and as I was five weeks pregnant, so I went over to stay with my mum in Bukit Panjang. Hence, I had to park our car at the car park at my mum's place... [Read more]

Cigarette smugglers using illegals as 'mules'
CIGARETTE smugglers have found new 'mules' for their contraband - individuals who sneak into Singapore illegally to find work. Such individuals, who swim across the sea or arrive in boats at night, under cover of darkness, are already on the wrong... [Read more]

Hu puts gloss on Africa policy
INITIALLY, Chinese President Hu Jintao's 12-day whirlwind tour of African states - which concludes this weekend - looked like many others: the usual courtship of countries rich in raw materials, and the usual protests from the West about Beijing's support for... [Read more]

Oilfield gear supplier wins $68m in deals
OILFIELD equipment supplier Aqua-Terra Supply has won $68 million worth of contracts from Chinese state-owned oil giant China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC).The mainboard-listed company will be involved in providing services such as project management for the building of oil tankers,... [Read more]

Pelosi gets flak for plane request
UNITED States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has come under fire from Republicans for her desire to have access to an Air Force transport plane, a prerequisite her Republican predecessor enjoyed.Mrs Pelosi and the Defence Department are in talks to let her... [Read more]

News Today

Bush's duty to get US out of Iraq, says Hillary
WASHINGTON - ON HER first presidential campaign tour, Mrs Hillary Clinton said President George W. Bush has made a mess of Iraq, and it is his responsibility to 'extricate' the United States from the situation.It would be 'the height of irresponsibility'... [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]

US housing starts hit 10-year low
WASHINGTON - HOME builders in the United States started work on the fewest number of new houses since August 1997 as a glut of unsold homes discouraged new projects.Housing starts slumped 14.3 per cent to an annual pace of 1.408 million,... [Read more]

Why Somkid was picked to be economic adviser
DR SOMKID Jatusripitak's brief tenure as an economic adviser to the Thai government put the spotlight again on why he was appointed in the first place. Five possible reasons were offered by The Nation newspaper yesterday: He was brought in so... [Read more]

More caution will be exercised when dealing with editing of CPR video demo
I refer to the letter, 'Danger in speeding up TV life-saving demo' (Online Forum, Jan 22).We thank Mr Ang Chee Beng for his feedback on MediaCorp TV Channel 8's production Fact Or Fiction?We would like to assure him that it is... [Read more]

Counsellors on hand
VOLUNTEER counsellors will be on hand to help parents and students make informed choices after the O-level results are released today.One of the agencies providing such a service is the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda).Students can call or e-mail the counsellors... [Read more]

Hosts Inter's poor defence allows Valencia to draw 2-2
MILAN - INTER Milan may be 14 points clear at the top of the Italian Serie A after 16 consecutive wins, but their Champions League hopes hang in the balance after a 2-2 home draw against Valencia. Inter's domestic domination counted... [Read more]

Re-opening of airport may be costly: Airlines
BANGKOK - AIRLINES warned yesterday that re-opening Bangkok's old Don Muang airport could prove costly and confusing for the millions of tourists who are vital to Thailand's economy. Thailand's military-installed government opted on Tuesday to re-open the nearly century-old air hub... [Read more]

Directors' Trades
INNOVALUES CHIEF RAISES DIRECT HOLDING THE chairman and chief executive of Innovalues Precision yesterday bought 80,000 shares in his own company at $1.11 apiece. Mr Goh Leng Tse paid $88,800 for the shares, raising his direct stake to 15.11 per cent... [Read more]

North Korean leader's son 'living quiet life in Macau'
HONG KONG - THE eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has been living a low-key but well-off life in Macau for the past three years, a Hong Kong paper reported yesterday. Mr Kim Jong Nam, 35, and his... [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]

News Today

Britain hit by third letter bomb in 3 days
LONDON - SIX people were hurt yesterday by a third letter bomb in three days aimed at British motoring-related organisations and police are investigating if the attacks are part of a coordinated campaign. The blast at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing... [Read more]

S'pore 'can draw on Philippines' experience in the arts'
MANILA - SINGAPORE can draw on the Philippines' experience in the arts sector, given the country's wealth of talented artists and institutions, visiting Singapore leaders said yesterday. This could be useful with the expansion of the arts scene in Singapore and... [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]

Sports World
JOCKEY MURPHY DIES AFTER FALLWELLINGTON: Irish jockey Damien Murphy died yesterday from injuries suffered in a race fall.The 23-year-old never regained consciousness after crashing to the turf when his mount, Ajay's Luck, clipped the heels of another runner nearing the finish... [Read more]

Asia-Pacific water meet to zoom in on key challenges
SOME of the biggest water-related challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region will come under scrutiny today and tomorrow, when the Asia Pacific Water Forum's Governing Council has its inaugural meeting here.Chaired by Singapore's Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh, the independent not-for-profit body aims to... [Read more]

Baby food could lead to fatal poisoning
RETAILERS here have been asked to recall an organic baby food that may be contaminated by bacteria that causes botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.In a statement yesterday, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) advised consumers who have bought... [Read more]

Japan's new HIV cases hit record high
TOKYO - JAPAN'S government-backed Aids agency yesterday called for better awareness about the disease after new HIV infections hit a record high, even though the number remains low by global standards.A total of 914 people tested positive for HIV last year,... [Read more]

Wi-Fi thief's sentence lauded as 'practical'
BY SENTENCING a teenager to 18 months' probation and an accompanying Internet ban for piggybacking on his neighbour's wireless connection, the Community Court sent a clear signal that the teen's actions were wrong but not serious enough to warrant jail time,... [Read more]

T-bird lands here Top US business school sets up office
T-BIRD may be a name Singaporeans are familiar with only from the Grease movies of the 1970s and 1980s. But those in business academia and human resource circles here welcome the presence of the American business school, Thunderbird, in Singapore.Thunderbird -... [Read more]

Cup of cocoa may hold much promise for an ageing world
SAN FRANCISCO - A NICE cup of the right kind of cocoa could hold the promise of promoting brain function as people age.In an increasingly ageing world, medical researchers are seeing more cases of dementia and are looking for ways to... [Read more]

Parliament Shorts
TAX BOOST FOR AVIATIONSINGAPORE'S booming industry for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services will soon get even more firepower from new tax incentives for local businesses.The incentives will encourage the 100 or more such local companies to provide airlines with cutting-edge... [Read more]