Sponsorship renewed 7:01 PM

WHILE sponsors around the world have been pulling out of sporting events, Standard Chartered Bank has showed that it is in it for the long run.

On Thursday, it renewed its title sponsorship of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon for a further four years to the tune of $10 million.

Upbeat on growth 7:01 PM

JAKARTA - INDONESIAN President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised stronger economic growth on Thursday a day after apparently being re-elected in a landslide on the back of pledges to fight graft and poverty.

Unofficial results gave the liberal ex-general a huge lead over opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri and outgoing Vice-President Jusuf Kalla following Wednesday's vote, despite Mdm Megawati's complaints of irregularities.

Severe punishment vowed 6:55 PM

BEIJING - CHINESE President Hu Jintao and other top leaders from the ruling Communist Party vowed 'severe punishment' for those involved in unrest in Xinjiang, state media reported on Thursday.

Mr Hu convened a meeting of the top leadership on Wednesday evening, where stability in Xinjiang - the scene of deadly unrest - was identified as 'the most important and pressing task,' the official Xinhua news agency reported.

We have proof of spying 6:00 PM

SHANGHAI - CHINA said on Thursday it had evidence proving detained Rio Tinto staff stole state secrets, as the affair threatened to boil over into a diplomatic row with Australia summoning the Chinese ambassador.

Stern Hu, the Australian national in charge of the Anglo-Australian mining giant's Shanghai office, faces criminal charges for stealing state secrets for foreign countries, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.