http://www.thestandard.com.hk Latest headlines from The Standard Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 RSS newsfeed by The Standard The Standard, Sing Tao News Corp. editor@thestandard.com.hk todd.john@singtaonewscorp.com http://www.thestandard.com.hk/url_to_some_image.gif http://www.thestandard.com.hk http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=95590&sid=27343160&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Lifestyle International (1212) - the operator of high- end department stores - said net profit last year surged 23.2 percent from a year earlier to HK$1.14 billion, as business in both Hong Kong and the mainland got back on the growth track, especially in the second half. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=95589&sid=27343494&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 ATV controlling shareholder Payson Cha Mou-sing sought to mend fences yesterday, a day after coming under attack from Taiwanese arch rival Tsai Eng-meng and Sing Tao News Corp (1105) chairman Charles Ho Tsu- kwok. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=95588&sid=27346364&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 MTR Corp (0066) plans to put two residential projects up for tender by the end of September and sell up to 5,000 flats this year. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=95585&sid=27346831&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Hong Kong's biggest phone company PCCW (0008) posted an 18 percent rise in earnings - meeting market expectations - on stringent cost controls. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=95584&sid=27348422&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Chinachem Group may consider going public, its chairman Kung Yan-sum has told the Financial Times. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=5&art_id=95568&sid=27345110&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 China has tried to allay concerns about a reduction in its massive investment in US treasuries. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=5&art_id=95567&sid=27345320&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 The Hong Kong dollar has strengthened again, indicating that money is flowing in. This suggests the Hang Seng Index is likely to edge higher but it needs to clear 21,500 points first. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=5&art_id=95569&sid=27350005&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has urged the United States to crack down on currency speculators amid reports that some US funds have placed big bearish bets against the euro. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=10&art_id=95546&sid=27345609&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Beijing warned Washington against any future arms sales to Taiwan, including F-16 fighter jets the island has been pushing for in hopes of upgrading its air defense capabilities. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=10&art_id=95548&sid=27345764&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Beijing denied accusations it is spying on exiled dissident groups, after a man was jailed in Sweden for collecting information about Uygur expatriates on China's behalf. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=10&art_id=95547&sid=27346479&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Beijing yesterday accused the Dalai Lama of trying to "create chaos" in Tibet, on the eve of today's sensitive anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule that drove the Buddhist monk into exile. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=10&art_id=95545&sid=27347176&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 The National People's Congress top lawmaker said legislative priorities this year will be to improve social security and promote more equitable economic development, but he rejected calls to open up the political system. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95554&sid=27345433&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Employers are set to hire more people in the coming few months, a survey has revealed. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95552&sid=27346900&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Friends of the Earth has urged the government to set stricter energy-saving codes to encourage people to switch to more efficient technology. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95540&sid=27347003&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Hundreds of elderly people sought help yesterday - with 51 admitted to hospital - as the cold snap sent temperatures tumbling below 10 degrees Celsius in most areas of the New Territories and Hong Kong Island. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95553&sid=27347562&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 A copy of the first ever Superman comic book, dating from 1938, was recently sold at an online auction for US$1 million (HK$7.8 million). Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95541&sid=27347603&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Firefighters say red tape delays the purchase of new gear that could help save lives. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95566&sid=27348215&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 The exclusive Harrow International School, which opens here in 2012, is being tight-lipped about how much it will charge in tuition fees. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=95565&sid=27348394&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Former Legislative Council president Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai has denied Anson Chan Fang On-sang's claim that "middlemen" who relay messages from Beijing officials only do so to push their personal agendas. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=15&art_id=95537&sid=27322812&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 A man was gambling with friends and lost all his money. He placed one last bet - his wife. He lost again, and the winner demanded the woman. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=15&art_id=95538&sid=27333778&con_type=3&d_str=20100310 The rapid growth of the Hong Kong stock market has bloated the Securities and Futures Commission's reserve fund to the point where it has been required to "relieve the flood" by the introduction of imminent fee reductions. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=15&art_id=95536&sid=27342662&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Tertiary institutions are taking full advantage of the internet, even using it for online advertising. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95573&sid=27343020&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 The massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the west coast of Chile last month moved the entire city of Concepcion more than three meters to the west, scientists said. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95543&sid=27343051&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 A French resistance heroine who saved scores of Allied lives in World War II and survived a Nazi firing squad has died at the age of 105 in a British care home. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95542&sid=27345506&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Sony will start selling 3D televisions in Japan in June, aiming to ride a new wave of interest in the technology thanks to recent movies such as sci-fi blockbuster Avatar. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95544&sid=27346461&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Welsh singing legend Tom Jones - who is due to perform at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 24 - was branded workshy by job center officials who recommended him for work "which wouldn't dirty his fingernails." Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95574&sid=27346723&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Britain has announced a new clampdown on dangerous dogs, which includes forcing owners to insure themselves against the risk of their pet attacking someone. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95571&sid=27346728&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Toyota sought to dispel fears about the safety of its electronics, but was put on the defensive when a Prius went speeding out of control on a California highway. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95570&sid=27347154&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Indonesian counter-terrorism forces killed a man believed to have been one of the masterminds of the 2002 Bali bombings - in which several Hong Kong tourists were among the 202 dead - during a raid in Jakarta. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=95572&sid=27348707&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Europe cried foul over Pentagon contract rules it said favored US planemakers, after European consortium EADS threw in the towel on a mammoth US defense tender. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=95533&sid=27342523&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 While hosting Saturday Night Live, Zach Galifianakis covertly shaved his trademark beard. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=95532&sid=27342557&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Television ratings for the 82nd Academy Awards surged to their highest level in five years, likely boosted by the inclusion of box office giant Avatar in the best picture race. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=95534&sid=27342581&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Opera legend Placido Domingo has had surgery to remove a malignant cancer tumor in his colon, but expects to perform again as early as next month. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=18&art_id=95535&sid=27342632&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz has done a deal with a private equity firm to sort out her debts. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95555&sid=27342536&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke has quit the tour of New Zealand and flown home for personal reasons, as a report linked the move to a nude photo scandal involving his model fiancee. He left with Australia leading the five- match ODI series 2-1. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95558&sid=27342538&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 New Zealand sailor Russell Coutts is undecided on whether he will attempt a fifth America's Cup victory. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95560&sid=27342545&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Georgia police are to interview Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, pictured, regarding a sexual assault accusation. The two-time Super Bowl winner has not been charged. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95564&sid=27342556&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 China's world and Olympic champion Lin Dan makes a belated season bow at the 100th All England Championships in Birmingham today. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95562&sid=27342584&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 The most competitive Formula 1 season in two decades begins in Bahrain on Sunday. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95559&sid=27342606&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Chile secured a spot in the Davis Cup quarter-finals when Fernando Gonzalez defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 to give the South Americans an unassailable 3-1 first-round lead. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95557&sid=27342693&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador lost time on the leaders and suffered a painful knock to his leg when he crashed toward the end of the first stage of the Paris-Nice race. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95563&sid=27342706&con_type=3&d_str=20100310 The Celtic League are to admit Italian "super clubs" next season. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95556&sid=27342707&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 British Lawn Tennis Association president Roger Draper has condemned a fifth successive Davis Cup defeat as unacceptable and called for an inquiry into the humiliating loss to Lithuania. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95561&sid=27342767&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Dallas netminder Marty Turco turned back 49 shots, and Loui Eriksson, pictured, scored the winner in the shootout, as the Stars beat Washington 4-3, ending the Capitals' 13-game home winning streak. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95550&sid=27342878&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Malaysian golf chiefs are threatening to withdraw their endorsement of the US PGA's first event in Southeast Asia over a clash of dates with an existing Asian Tour event. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95549&sid=27343095&con_type=3&d_str=20100310 Furious Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insisted his side must improve their attitude if they are to stand a chance of reaching next season's Champions League after their 1-0 defeat at Wigan. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=19&art_id=95551&sid=27346115&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou, pictured, is confident the club will receive their cash reward for reaching the FA Cup semi-finals. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=20&art_id=95539&sid=27344961&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Everywhere you look, there's a CEO apologizing for something. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=95575&sid=27348452&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 There were rampant calls on the sidelines of the political conferences in Beijing for reinstatement of the subsidized Home Ownership Scheme in Hong Kong. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=95576&sid=27348453&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Senior government officials should take evasive-action training to escape injury if shoe throwing at speeches becomes a trend - or so lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee joked. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=95577&sid=27348454&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Those who want to hear the award- winning Nigerian author Onyeka Nwelue may still get a chance to do so. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=95578&sid=27348455&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 We'd better start cleaning house unless we want our business integrity to erode. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=95579&sid=27348456&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 To usher in the 133rd Hong Kong Derby to be run on Sunday, a group of up-and- coming footballers took on a team of apprentice jockeys in a friendly competition yesterday at Sha Tin racetrack. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=95580&sid=27343666&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Two Cathay Pacific executives are being investigated for allegedly lying during a trial over the airline's unfair dismissal of 49 pilots in 2001. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=95582&sid=27346740&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Commuters may have to fork out more to ride on the MTR after the corporation refused to rule out a fares rise yesterday. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=95583&sid=27347202&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 The Public Security Ministry has promised to study alternative ways to enable the authentication of renewed home return permits in light of problems with the new cards. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=95581&sid=27347604&con_type=3&d_str=20100310 A young technician has been sentenced to a second term of life imprisonment after being convicted of murdering a Thai tourist in 2005 and placing her body in a machine room of Revenue Tower. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=95586&sid=27348463&con_type=1&d_str=20100310 Starting salaries for university graduates joining the civil service are likely to be cut by about HK$2,000 a month. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800 http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=95587&sid=27348464&con_type=3&d_str=20100310 A Jekyll and Hyde top accountant who mingled freely with Hong Kong's rich and famous preyed secretly on underaged girls on the internet, luring them into sex sessions for cash, which he recorded using a hidden camera. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0800