News Today

Drug-eluting stents - benefits outweigh the risks
THE first stent, a tiny metal scaffold used to hold the artery walls in position, was used in 1986 to prevent arteries from collapsing after they have been unblocked. But one in four patients with these bare-metal stents found their arteries... [Read more]

Terror alert in Manila on Valentine's
POLICE have stepped up security at train stations and an oil depot and set up road checkpoints in the Philippine capital to prevent a repeat of the deadly 2005 Valentine's Day terror bombings, officials said yesterday.The authorities have not monitored any... [Read more]

Business leaders back fast track for Bush
WASHINGTON - THE Bush administration and American business have begun a campaign to convince a sceptical Democratic-controlled Congress to renew the President's trade negotiating authority when it expires this year.In an event to kick off their efforts on Monday, top US... [Read more]

Concerns over Workfare Bonus eligibility
LAST week, Madam Chan Wai Har paid homage to the gods with a smoking joss stick.She had just landed a job as a temporary assistant to a fishmonger who expects to reel in more business with the Chinese New Year crowds.This... [Read more]

Actor Fiennes in mile-high scandal
BRITISH movie star Ralph Fiennes (right) is at the centre of a mile-high sex scandal involving an Australian flight attendant, a report said yesterday.A 38-year-old Qantas stewardess has been suspended and could lose her job after fellow crew members allegedly spotted... [Read more]

Manchester United fans complain that police reaction was over the top
MANCHESTER United supporters were caught in a crush scare during Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League win over Lille. Riot police fired tear gas into the overcrowded away section of the Stade Felix-Bollaert early in the game. Some visiting fans appeared to be... [Read more]

Multi-pronged approach to ease CTE traffic jams
I REFER to Mrs Cindy Brown's letter, 'ERP isn't working, rein in number of cars instead?' (ST, Feb 3) and Mr Chia Yong Soong's letter, 'Evening ERP on CTE ineffective after gantry' (ST, Feb 10). Mrs Brown commented that Electronic Road... [Read more]

How the road tax on Lexus RX400h is derived
I REFER to Mr Steve Tan's letter, 'Anomalies on the road to 'greener' vehicles' (ST, Jan 24). Mr Tan commented that there is an anomaly in the pegging of road tax for environmentally friendly vehicles and mentioned the Lexus RX400h, a... [Read more]

China trade surplus hit $24.4b in January
HONG KONG - CHINA posted a US$15.9 billion (S$24.4 billion) trade surplus last month, pumping more cash into the world's fourth-biggest economy and adding pressure on Beijing to let the yuan rise faster. Imports jumped 27.5 per cent from a year... [Read more]

Fighting in the streets of Beirut
BEIRUT once again descended into chaos this week as Hizbollah supporters littered the roads with burning tyres in a bid to topple the US-backed government. The country was paralysed as the militants set up a vast network of roadblocks, sparking violent... [Read more]

Consensus builder for Asean Charter
KUALA LUMPUR - TUN Musa Hitam was looking somewhat flustered as he sieved through the litter of letters spread out on his desk. All were invitations to address prestigious events in places as far-flung as the Maldives, and he was busy... [Read more]