TOKYO - A FORMER star fund manager convicted of insider trading involving the scandal-hit Livedoor Internet company avoided jail time on Tuesday when a Japanese court suspended his two-year prison sentence.

The Tokyo High Court upheld a fine of 1.15 billion yen (S$19.4 million) imposed on Yoshiaki Murakami by a district court in July 2007, but overturned its sentence of two years in jail without suspension, a court official said.

NEW DELHI - INDIA has unveiled plans to produce a laptop computer costing just US$10 (S$15) in a bid to improve the skills of millions of students across the country.

The laptops will be mass-produced as part of a government-sponsored education scheme launched on Tuesday in the southern city of Tirupati.

SEOUL - CHILDREN in the North Korean capital will receive peanut candies as a new gift to mark the birthday of leader Kim Jong-Il this month, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said on Tuesday.