News Today

US seeks Pakistan's help against Taleban
RAWALPINDI (PAKISTAN) - US DEFENCE Secretary Robert Gates sought Pakistan's support yesterday to prevent an expected Taleban spring offensive in neighbouring Afghanistan.The allies had the chance to deal a 'strategic setback' to the militants, said Mr Gates on his first visit... [Read more]

Ailing Castro still has fight in him
CUBAN state television has shown footage of Dr Fidel Castro for the first time in three months, and the ailing leader said he was still in the fight to recover from surgery that forced him to relinquish power last July. The... [Read more]

10 days later, funds still not with CPF
RECENTLY I had a problem with my CPF time deposit.My deposit with OCBC Bank matured on Jan 13 and the funds should have been credited into my CPF investment account with DBS Bank on Jan 15, according to OCBC staff.However, when... [Read more]

HK group calls for total ban on fa cai
HONG KONG - A GROUP of Hong Kong researchers has called for a total ban on the sale of fa cai - a hair-like sea moss that is widely consumed during Chinese New Year. The team from the Chinese University's department... [Read more]

En bloc sales: Have laws to protect minority
I REFER to the article, 'Couple lose fight on collective sale' (ST, Feb 6).I sympathise with the couple who lost the fight when the Strata Titles Board ruled that their CPF principal amount and accrued interest owed to their CPF accounts... [Read more]

Seafood during pregnancy 'may boost kid's IQ'
LONDON - WOMEN who eat seafood while pregnant may be boosting their children's IQ in the process, according to new research published yesterday in The Lancet. The study results were surprising, say the authors, and contradicted American and British recommendations that... [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]

Schools should play a bigger role in community service
As part of my secondary school's Community Involvement Programme, a group of 80 students visited the Katong School early this month to spice up the classrooms with hand-made Chinese New Year decorations. The school, falling under the umbrella of the Association... [Read more]

Upended after two-van collision
A van overturned after colliding with another in Jurong East yesterday morning, preventing traffic from turning into Jurong East Central for about two hours. Both drivers - who were alone in their vehicles - were not injured. This picture was sent... [Read more]

New taste of egg-vertising
TOKYO - WHAT came first: the chicken or the egg? In a new twist to the age-old conundrum, a Japanese firm is betting that - in shopping baskets at least - the chicken or rather chicken noodles will follow the egg... [Read more]

$30m Safra club in Jurong by 2009
THEY are already in the north, south, east and central districts. Coming next: a Safra club in the west. When completed by early 2009, the $30 million Jurong West Safra - themed a 'family playground' - will boast the largest indoor... [Read more]