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1.RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN IS CONFIDENT ABOUT HIS CHANCES FOR RE-ELECTION IN JUNE. IN A RARE TELEVISION INTERVIEW, MR YELTSIN SAID HE WAS SURE THAT HE WOULD BE RE-ELECTED. THE RUSSIAN LEADER IS CURRENTLY TRAILING BEHIND COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER GENNADY ZYUGANOV IN OPINION POLLS. MR YELTSIN SAID HE HAD RECOVERED FULLY AFTER TWO HEART ATTACKS LAST YEAR AND WAS WORKING 12 TO 14 HOURS A DAY.

2.GENERAL YEO ALSO ANNOUNCED THE AGE LIMIT FOR MEDISHIELD, WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE RAISED TO 75, FROM THE CURRENT 70. BUT, PREMIUMS WILL HAVE TO BE HIGHER. MEDISHIELD IS AN OPT-IN GOVERNMENT HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME. THE HEALTH MINISTRY IS WORKING OUT A REBATE SYSTEM, SO THAT THOSE WHO ENROL IN MEDISHIELD EARLIER, WILL GET A REBATE WHEN THEY'RE OLDER. THIS WORKS ON THE BASIS THAT A YOUNG AND HEALTHY PERSON PAYS MORE, IN ORDER TO PAY LESS WHEN HE'S OLDER.

3.REPLYING TO DR MATTAR'S CRITICISM, MOHAMAD MAIDIN, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION AND THE ARTS, SAID PRIME-12 WAS TRYING ITS BEST TO IMPROVE MALAY PROGRAMMES. ENDS..PRODUCTION HOUSES. VT: 1.01

4.MOVING ON TO MALAY PROGRAMMES, MP FOR BRICKWORKS, DR AHMAD MATTAR, EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH SUCH PROGRAMMES ON PRIME 12. HE SAID MANY OF THESE WERE IMPORTED FROM BRUNEI, MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA, AND THEY WERE OFTEN OLD AND POOR IN QUALITY. AND HIS, THE PARTING SHOT FOR THE DAY.... OUT: WERE REALLY GOOD. DUR: 27"

5.ON HOW TO MAKE SINGAPORE A MORE GRACIOUS SOCIETY, GENERAL YEO SAID THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE ACHIEVED OVERNIGHT. BUT HE SAID THERE'S BEEN PROGRESS. OUT: LITTLE BIT EVERYDAY. DUR: 38"

6.SEVERAL MPS' ALSO VOICED CONCERN ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTION OF OBSCENE VIDEO TAPES IN HOUSING ESTATES. REPLYING GENERAL YEO SAID THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE NUMBER OF INCIDENCES. BUT HE ADDED THAT HIS MINISTRY IS REVIEWING THE NEED TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR SUCH OFFENDERS. IT'S ALSO CONSIDERING AMENDING THE LAW, TO MAKE THE PRESUMPTION THAT ANY PERSON FOUND WITH 5 OR MORE COPIES OF OBSCENE TAPES, WILL BE DEEMED AS A DISTRIBUTOR.

7.DURING DEBATE ON THE ESTIMATES FOR THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND THE ARTS BRIGADIER-GENERAL GEORGE YEO INFORMED THE HOUSE ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S STEPS TO REGULATE THE INTERNET. HE SAID THE INTERNET IS A TOOL FOR COMMUNICATION AND BROADCASTING...AND HIS MINISTRY IS MORE INTERESTED IN REGULATING THE BROADCASTING ASPECT OF THE INTERNET. OUT: REGULATING THE INTERNET. DUR: 18" GENERAL YEO SHARED MPS' CONCERNS ABOUT OVER-REGULATING THE INTERNET, BUT ADDED MITA'S AIM IS NOT TO STOP DISCUSSION BUT TO SET THE MARKERS FOR RESPONSIBLE DISCUSSION. HIS MINISTRY'S APPROACH, THE MINISTER SAID, IS TO REGULATE BY EXCEPTIONS. GENERAL YEO ADMITTED IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN OUT THE SMUT ON THE NET, BUT ADDED HAVING SOME FORM OF CONTROL ITSELF CARRIES A STRONG MESSAGE. DUR: 29" GENERAL YEO POINTED OUT ANOTHER REASON FOR REGULATING THE INTERNET. OUT: IN CYBER SPACE. DUR: 27"

8.CHINA SAYS ITS WEEK-LONG MISSILE TESTS OFF TAIWAN HAVE ENDED....AT THE SAME TIME, BEIJING ANNOUNCED A NEW ROUND OF MILITARY EXERCISES STARTING ON MONDAY. THE EXERCISES WILL CONTINUE INTO TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON THE 23RD OF MARCH, ENDING 2 DAYS LATER. BUT FEARS OF A WAR BREAKING OUT BETWEEN CHINA AND TAIWAN HAVE RECEEDED. IN A MOVE SEEN AS A SIGNAL THAT CONFLICT WAS UNLIKELY, CHINESE PRIME MINISTER LI PENG CALLED FOR FASTER DEVELOPMENT OF FUJIAN PROVINCE, OPPOSITE TAIWAN. THE UNITED STATES ALSO SAID IT HAD RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM CHINA THAT IT DIDN'T INTEND TO ATTACK THE ISLAND. END:...INDEPENDENCE FOR TAIWAN. DUR: 1.22. TAIWAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SIGNALLED THAT THE ISLAND MIGHT SOFTEN THE VERY FOREIGN POLICY WHICH HAS ANGERED CHINA. MR FREDRICK CHIEN SAID FUTURE TRIPS BY PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI MIGHT ONLY BE TO RECIPROCATE VISITS BY FOREIGN LEADERS TO TAIWAN. OUT: COUNTRY X. DUR: 24" BUT MR CHIEN MADE IT CLEAR THAT TAIPEI HAD NO INTENTION OF GIVING UP ITS BID FOR A SEAT AT THE UNITED NATIONS.

9.M-P FOR AYER RAJAH, TAN CHENG BOCK RAISED THE ISSUE OF PATIENTS BEING UPGRADED TO B-2 WARDS BECAUSE THE C WARDS ARE OVERCROWDED. HE ARGUED THAT THEY SHOULD PAY C CLASS WARD FEES INSTEAD OF THE HIGHER B2 FEES. TAKE VT: TAN CHENG BOCK. DUR: 0.20. IN WORDS: HOW SHOULD HE.... OUT WORDS: ...WARDS TO B2. REPLYING, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE ALINE WONG STRESSED, PATIENTS HAVE A CHOICE WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE UPGRADED. THEY CAN AGREE TO BE MOVED UP TO THE NEXT CLASS WARD, GO ELSEWHERE OR RESCHEDULE THEIR OPERATION. DR WONG ALSO SAID THAT PATIENTS ARE GIVEN HELP TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THE COST OF THEIR MEDICAL EXPENSES. TAKE VT: ALINE 1. DUR: 0.34. IN WORDS: A PATIENT WILL.... OUT WORDS:...AS VERBAL COUNSELLING.

10.AN OPERATION ON THE SENIOR MINISTER TO IMPLANT AN INTRA-CORONARY STENT, WAS CARRIED OUT SUCCESSFULLY TODAY, WITH NO COMPLICATIONS. A STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE SAYS MR LEE KUAN YEW WILL BE IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OF THE SGH FOR THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. MR LEE WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL AT 11.30 THIS MORNING. THE STATEMENT SAYS AN ANGIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION OF THE CORONARY ARTERIES REVEALED THAT THE LEFT CIRCUMFLEX  ARTERY WHICH HAD BEEN DILATED, HAD RE-NARROWED. TODAY, THE ARTERY WAS RE-DILATED AND THE STENT IMPLANTED. THE PROCEDURE WAS CARRIED OUT BY DR RICHARD SCHATZ, WHO WAS ASSISTED BY DRS ARTHUR TAN, KOH TIAN HAI AND CHARLES CHAN. WHEN ASKED BY TCS ABOUT MR LEE'S CONDITION, HIS PRESS SECRETARY SAID SHE HAD RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SENIOR MINISTER IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, AT ABOUT 6 THIS EVENING. SHE SAID MR LEE SOUNDED ALERT AND LIKE HIS USUAL SELF.

11.DR S VASOO, MP FOR TANJONG PAGAR GRC AND OTHER MPS, FELT THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF CHEAPER WARDS IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS. DR VASOO SAID THIS WOULD POSE A PROBLEM FOR THE LESS WELL OFF. FW: BOTH THE MIDDLE.... LW: ...RESTRUCTURED HOSPITALS. DUR: 0.49. REPLYING, THE HEALTH MINISTER ASSURED THE HOUSE THAT THERE WERE ENOUGH C AND B2 CLASS BEDS, WHICH MAKE UP TWO THIRDS OF HOSPITAL BEDS IN SINGAPORE. GENERAL YEO SAID IF MORE WERE NEEDED, THEY WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE, STRESSING THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S UNDERTAKING TO THE PEOPLE OF SINGAPORE.

12.ON PROVIDING A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR SINGAPOREANS, THE HEALTH MINISTER HIGHLIGHTED THREE IMPORTANT CHALLENGES. ONE IS TO CONFRONT A REVOLUTION IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY NOTING THAT THE HEALTH SCENE WILL BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WITHIN TEN YEARS. SECONDLY, THAT MIDDLE CLASS ASPIRATIONS WILL BE DOMINATING SINGAPORE'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THE OTHER FACTOR HE POINTED OUT - THAT SINGAPORE'S SOCIETY IS AGING VERY RAPIDLY. FW: TODAY 6% ARE... LW: ...JAPAN AND EUROPE STANDARDS. DUR: 0.48

13.WHEN DEBATE RESUMED ON THE ESTIMATES FOR THE HEALTH MINISTRY, THE OPPOSITION MP LING HOW DOONG WAS TAKEN TO TASK FOR HIS PARTY'S ARTICLE IN THE THE NEW DEMOCRAT. IN IT THE SDP HAD CLAIMED THAT FEES CHARGED AT GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND POLYCLINICS ARE NOT LOWER THAN PRIVATE HOSPITALS. THE HEALTH MINISTER SAID THIS IS ABSURD AND NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED. FW: I'VE ASKED FOR.... LW: ..THE NEW DEMOCRATIC. VT: 1.34"

14.THE LATEST SYMBOL OF US-RUSSIAN COOPERATION WILL ROLL OUT OF ITS HANGAR THIS WEEKEND. RESEARCHERS FROM NASA AND RUSSIA'S SPACE AGENCY ARE PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES TO THIS OLD AIRCRAFT THAT MIGHT LEAD THE WAY TO A WHOLE NEW FUTURE FOR AVIATION. THE RUSSIAN TU-144 PASSENGER-JET IS BEING RETROFITTED AS PART OF RESEARCH TO DEVELOP A NEW SUPERSONIC HIGH SPEED CIVIL TRANSPORT. AND SOME DAY PERHAPS, IT'LL TAKE PASSENGERS HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD IN A MATTER OF HOURS.

15.TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE, OR TCM, RECEIVED ANOTHER BOOST. DR WONG ANNOUNCED THAT THE HEALTH MINISTRY IS LOOKING INTO SETTING UP A SECOND ACUPUNCTURE RESEARCH CLINIC IN ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL. THE FIRST SUCH CLINIC IS IN ANG MO KIO COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. DR WONG SAID IT'S PART OF THE MOVE TO INTRODUCE TCM TO THE ELDERLY. DR WONG ALSO REVEALED THAT THE MINISTRY HAS FORMED A TCM COORDINATING COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO AREAS LIKE DISCIPLINE AND PRICING. SHE ALSO URGED MPS WHO WANTED A FASTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TCM REPORT, TO BE PATIENT. THE REPORT, RELEASED LAST YEAR, AIMS TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF TCM. TAPE NO: ALINE 2. DUR: 0.48. IN WORDS: I DON'T THINK.... OUT WORDS: ..SUIT SINGAPORE'S CONTEXT.

16.AT FIRST GLANCE, ORCHIDS AND BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON. BUT NANYANG GIRLS' HIGH MANAGED TO MARRY THE TWO, TO RAISE FUNDS FOR ITS NEW 5.5 HECTARE BOARDING SCHOOL. NEW ORCHID HYBRIDS WERE ALSO PRESENTED TO THE DONORS AT A CHARITY EVENT THIS EVENING. OUTWORDS: SOME 1600 STUDENTS

17.THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND 5 PHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS HAVE ACCEPTED AN OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT IN A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SUIT. IT WAS FILED BY HAEMOPHILIACS WHO CONTRACTED THE AIDS VIRUS THROUGH BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. OUT: ZOKI PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY. DUR: 58"

18.HEALTH MINISTER GEORGE YEO SAYS 3 CHALLENGES FACING HEALTHCARE IN SINGAPORE MUST ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED WHEN TALKING ABOUT INCREASE IN SPENDING. AND BE BLASTED THE SDP FOR MISLEADING THE PUBLIC WITH ITS ASSERTIONS THAT PUBLIC HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE AS HIGH, IF NOT HIGHER THAN THOSE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. GENERAL YEO WAS SPEAKING IN PARLIAMENT DURING THE DEBATE ON HIS MINISTRY'S BUDGET. OUT: SEE PRIVATE PATIENTS. ON REGULATING THE INTERNET, THE INFORMATION AND ARTS MINISTER SAID HE WOULD CONSIDER SUGGESTIONS TO SET-UP A NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE INTERNET. GENERAL YEO EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD ONLY ACTIVELY MONITOR A FEW DOZEN SITES. ITS APPROACH IS TO REGULATE ACCESS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS...NOT INDIVIDUALS, AS THERE ARE TOO MANY. HE ALSO SAID CD ROMS AND VIDEO GAMES WILL BE BROUGHT UNDER THE FILMS AND UNDESIRABLE PUBLICATIONS ACTS.

19.U-S COMPUTER GIANT MICROSOFT HAS LAUNCHED THE CHINESE VERSION OF ITS WINDOWS '95 SYSTEM IN CHINA'S FORBIDDEN CITY. THE COMPANY HAS ALREADY SOLD 20 MILLION UNITS OF WINDOWS 95 WORLDWIDE, IN 26 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. IT'S NOW EYEING THE FAST GROWING CHINESE MARKET. MICROSOFT SAYS IT'S CO-OPERATING WITH THE LOCAL COMPUTER INDUSTRY TO BEEF UP CHINESE SOFTWARE PRODUCTION. IT'S AIM IS TO SELL 100 THOUSAND WINDOWS 95 PACKAGES IN CHINA THIS YEAR ALONE.

20.5 OF SOUTH EAST ASIA'S RICHEST INVESTORS, INCLUDING THREE FROM SINGAPORE, HAVE BOUGHT A TWENTY PERCENT STAKE IN NEW ZEALAND'S BRIERLEY. IT'S AN INVESTMENT HOLDING COMPANY. PEK SIOK LIAN WITH THE DETAILS. OUT:...IN NEW ZEALAND.

21.AN ESTIMATED 1,800 PATENT APPLICATIONS WERE GRANTED A REPRIEVE BY THE MINISTRY OF LAW. A REPRIEVE THEY BADLY NEEDED AS THEY LODGED LATE WITH THE PATENT REGISTRY. THE MINISTRY ANNOUNCED IT WOULD EXTEND THE FILING-DEADLINE FOR PENDING UK PATENT APPLICATIONS, TILL APRIL THE 13TH. OUT:..THESE NUMBERS. DUR: 53"

22.THE NATURE OF POLITICS IN SINGAPORE WAS ON THE MIND OF UNDERGRADUATES WHOM THE SENIOR MINISTER SPOKE TO LAST NIGHT. BUT MONEY POLITICS - MR LEE KUAN YEW MADE CLEAR - IS NOT AN ISSUE. HE ADDRESSED THIS AND ALSO OTHER CONCERNS ON SINGAPORE'S IMAGE, DURING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTER HIS TALK AT THE NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY. OUT: FINE SOCIAL GRACES. VT DUR: 3.31. THERE WILL BE A NEWS 5 SPECIAL ON THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, AND MR LEE'S SPEECH AT 9.30 TOMORROW NIGHT, ON THIS CHANNEL.

23.REACTING TO MR LEE'S SPEECH, SOME STUDENTS HERE SAY THAT HAVING HIGH EXPECTIONS AFTER GRADUATON, IS JUSTIFIED. AND THAT IT'S THE NORM AMONG YOUNGER SINGAPOREANS. OUT: YOUNGER SINGAPOREANS ALIVE. DUR: 1.38

24.A SURVEY IS TO BE DONE TO GET FEEDBACK ON THE START-UP OF CABLE PROJECTS IN TAMPINES AND PASIR RIS. INITIATING IT - THE SINGAPORE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY. THE SURVEY'S THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF INITIATIVES BY THE WORKING GROUP. THE GROUP'S HEADED BY PARLIAMENT SECRETARY, MOHAMAD MAIDIN PACKER MOHAMAD, WHO'LL OVERSEE THE TASK OF WIRING-UP THE ISLAND. OUT:..AND HOME FINANCING. DUR: 1.15"