The Business Times, 29 January 2005

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Microfilm: NL25907
Total Pages: 22
1 22 The Business Times
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  • Title Section
    Lock icon Masthead
    14 1 The Business Times Weekend SINGAPORE 85 cents MCAOTaZMBaOM online at http://business-times.asial.com.sg January 29-30, 2005
    14 words
  • Article, Illustration
    Lock icon Unsold private homes surge 26% in Q4
    747 1  -  Analysts seem unperturbed by effect of increase on market's recovery By KALPANA RASHIWALA [SINGAPORE] The private home price index edged up 0.8 per cent in Q4 last year from Q3, resulting in a fullyear increase of just 0.9 per cent, official figures released
    Source: URA HOB  -  747 words
  • Article
    Lock icon RHB founder faces RM1.4b suit
    836 1  -  By PAULINE NG, S JAYASANKARAN in Kuala Lumpur THE RHB group is suing its tycoon founder Abdul Rashid Hussain and five other people for a massive RMI.4 billion (Ss6oo million) in what could be Malaysia's biggest personal lawsuit. RHB Capital and its units RHB Equities
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  • Page 1 Advertisements
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      26 1 i i Y22QZ3Za33 Mk *?y GOLF What it takes jjf fc to get bade into jSw W the swing pg 17 I Hill 8 *****1 *****4
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      11 1 CREATING A GIANT Procter Gamble to buy Gillette for USss7b PGI6
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      112 1 SHOW ME THE MONEY Why the odds favour S'pore's top-tier investors pg 7 L.U.C TWIN Outstanding design for exceptional precision L U C TWIN- Self-winding chronometer, double spring barrel L.U.C "Twin", Jr integrated rotor. Guilloch6 dial, small centre seconds ii Bps 3 T&c/iafa/ MANUFACTURE The L.U.C collection is exclusively available
      112 words
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      82 1 •J K7lflbk/i Mm MKAftaZMBOOM STACK AND STORE needs under one roof AMERICAN HE In the first of a monthly series examining the opportunities opening up JGMB for Singapore companies abroad, BT looks at the prospects and opportunities in the US market. BACK TO SCHOOL She was once national economic adviser
      82 words
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  • TOP STORIES
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Do away with stamp fees, say real estate analysts
      612 2  -  They also suggest CPF grant for first-time private home buyers By ANDREA TAN [SINGAPORE] With the property market showing definite signs of a turnaround, what would real estate players do if they had the chance to run the country for a
      FILE PHOTO  -  612 words
    • Article
      Lock icon No MAS insurance cover for structured deposits
      369 2  -  By GENEVIEVE CUA [SINGAPORE] If you've put money into a structured deposit (SD), be warned: they won't be covered by a new proposed deposit insurance scheme should the bank fail. The Monetary Authority of Singapore yesterday sought feedback on the draft deposit insurance
      369 words
    • Article
      Lock icon US Q4 economic growth eases to 3.1%
      487 2 LATEST US INDICATORS AP. Reuters Bloomberg [WASHINGTON] Economic growth in the United States slowed a bit in the final stretch of 2004, expanding at a still respectable 3.1 per cent pace.jpor all of last year, though, the economy clocked in at its fastest
      AP.; Reuters; Bloomberg  -  487 words
    • Article
      Lock icon THREE-MINUTE DIGEST
      676 2 KepCorp set to make a splash in water sector KEPPEL Corp has signalled its arrival as a major player in the water sector here. This may give high-flying Hyflux, and half a dozen other water players on the local scene, much to think about. COMPANY NEWS, PG4 CAO
      676 words
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      106 2 I The Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property is a foundation law course for those training to be Registered patent agents in Singapore In-house IP advisors IP portfolio managers Licensing/technology transfer executives |l Information Session I DATE :19 February 2005 I VENUE Seminar Room 1, Faculty of Law, NUS I TIME
      106 words
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  • RAFFLES CONVERSATION
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Back to school
      2291 3  -  Laura Tyson, former US national economic adviser in the Clinton administration, talks to WONG WEI KONG about her passion education WONG WEI KONG NO politics please. And certainly no questions on Iraq. What Laura Tyson, the highest-ranking woman in the Clinton White House, wanted to talk about
      CHRIS LOH  -  2,291 words
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      35 3 x n 'i^^l' illiK^^HllMiilßTifl^^^^^^H NEW YORK ■> I lff<TWjfff -^<^J^sls, IshanqhJJ^S%f .^^^fflG^^^^^^KufiilllKllHl^^^^H LOS CANOUAN |I^^P^-^-^SIEM island phukK—lT A 1 m MONTREUX i^^F Raffle? Raffle? Hotels Resorts Hotels Resorts a M«mb«r o< captoLMtd www. raff les.com www.swissotel.com
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      65 3 Raffle? INTERNATIONAL Hotels Resorts A Member of CapfteLend The Raffles Conversation is brought to you through a special arrangement with Raffles International Hotels and Resorts. The Traveller's Palm in the Raffles International logo is an apt symbol. Not only has water stored at the base of this palm provided sustenance,
      65 words
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  • COMPANY NEWS
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon KepCorp set to make a splash
      753 4  -  CORPORATE ANALYSIS Its new focus on water and sewage treatment may change how investors view Hyflux and other water plays, says WONG WEI KONG WONG WEI KONG STILL water, as they say, runs deep. Without much hype or fanfare, Keppel Corp has signalled its
      753 words
    • GRAPEVINE
      • Article
        Lock icon Bigger S'pore shipyard?
        86 4 SINGAPORE shipyard operators may be eyeing an equity stake in the main Malaysian shipbuilder, Malaysia Shipyard and Engineering (MSE), according to an industry executive. He said Sembawang and Keppel groups the two main shipbuilders and shipyard operators in the Republic are keen to forge closer ties with
        86 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Imitation is flattery
        75 4 OSIM founder and chief executive Ron Sim told a room of analysts and reporters on Wednesday he heard that a new rival in Taiwan initially wanted to push out products with the brand of SimRon to possibly latch onto Mr Sim and Osim's prominence in the healthcare
        75 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Fish alive
        100 4 ETERNAL optimist Kenny Yap, chief executive of Qian Hu Corp, lets on about how he remains so upbeat all the time. Despite the fall in its FY 2004 earnings. The Fish tells all present at the results briefing that "happiness is a relative thing and being alive is
        100 words
    • Article
      Lock icon SGX MAINBOARD
      6 4 Transaction date: Jan 28
      6 words
    • Article
      Lock icon China to punish CAO culprits
      554 5 TROUBLE AT CAO Beijing watchdog, hopes creditors will accept revamp plan for S'pore company Bloomberg Reuters CHINA'S state assets watchdog yesterday said it would punish those responsible for the debacle at China Aviation Oil (Singapore), and reiterated that there would be no government bailout of
      Bloomberg; Reuters  -  554 words
    • Article
      Lock icon CAP investigates Citiraya, following CPIB probe
      178 5  -  By CHEIL CmRAYA Industries yesterday said that the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) "are gwcaiTytog out an investigation into the afat company, fodudtog a few executive directors," CWraya told the Singapore Exchange yesterday. "Interviews have also been carried out by officers ofthe CPIB with employees
      178 words
    • Article
      Lock icon APB's bid to raise Kingway stake hits snag?
      270 5  -  By CHEN HUIFEN ASIA Pacific Breweries' (APB) plan to increase its stake in Hong Kong-listed Kingway Brewery may have hit a snag as news emerged yesterday that majority shareholder GDH Ltd has no wish to give up its control of the Chinese
      270 words
    • COMPANY BRIEFS
      • Article
        Lock icon PT gets conditional nod to delist
        70 5 PAKARA Technology (PT) said the Singapore Exchange has conditionally approved its application to delist from Sesdaq after the close of a voluntary unconditional cash offer by Pakara Investments Pte Ltd. There must be confirmation that Pakara Investments will exercise its rights under the Companies
        70 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Keppelt J Ray get ABB nod for purchase
        65 5 Keppel t J Ray get ABB nod for purchase KEPPEL Fels and J Ray McDermott SA have received the nod from ABB Lummus Global Inc on their offer to buy ABB's Floating Production Systems US and foreign patents. Keppel and J Ray are preparing to form a new entity to
        65 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Ho Wah appoints independent director
        36 5 SESDAQ-listed Ho Wah Genting International said it has appointed Low Beng Tin, 55, as an independent director to its board. He is uncle to Ho Wah executive director Low Shiong Jin.
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    • Article
      Lock icon SGX
      1638 5 Transaction Date: Jan 28 STRAITS TIMES INDEX STOCKS M»«n5Uc O-a 1070 ACQ HKUndUSIOc 2.93 13SD -OMO tTtnflBc 1J1 2jBO «OrtO —.mdunot 0L4» 1.000 HmmHrCay <Mt ItOO -ftaeo yrAWO*at 0J» 0JC8 *CMJ5 <J*0aUr* 147 UI0 •CMO JMHU05i400 4.7S *0308 S»»«Coiptnd«t VH l.m -0040 Chart S—Cond3fc XW 0-9*0 «aflg gHlfl&XX) lot
      1,638 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Chip downturn looks set to hit Chartered hard
      533 6  -  FINANCIAL RESULTS It forecasts a loss of US$85m in Q1 this year its largest in six quarters By RAJU CHELLAM THE chip downturn is set to hit local icon Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing harder in the next six months than it did last
      533 words
    • Article
      Lock icon SingPost's Q3 net profit up
      487 6  -  By ANGELA TAN SINGAPORE Post's initiatives to improve productivity will impact its financial performance positively in the coming few quarters, the postal agency said yesterday after unveiling a 1.7 per cent rise in net profit for its fiscal third quarter ended Dec 31, 2004. The
      487 words
    • Article
      Lock icon SMRT Q3 profits boosted by lower taxes and costs
      315 6  -  By WONG WEI KONG HIGHER revenue and lower costs and tax gave a 25 per cent boost to SMRT Corp's third quarter profits. The transport group said yesterday that net profit in the three months ended Dec 31, 2004 rose to
      315 words
    • EARNINGS ROUND-UP
      • Article
        Lock icon Tai Sin H1 profit triples to $2.4m
        67 6 TAI Sin Electric Cables Manufacturer reported a three times increase in first-half net profit to $2.4 million. For the six months ended Dec 31, revenue jumped 33 per cent to $63.3 million, boosted by greater demand at its cable and wire division. Basic
        67 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Multi-Chem profit soars to $8.4m
        59 6 MULTI-CHEM yesterday posted an almost four times jump in its FY2004 net profit to $8.4 million. For the 12 months ended Dec 31, the PCB drilling service provider saw a 56 per cent gain in revenue to $53 million. Basic earnings per share came to
        59 words
    • Article
      Lock icon UNIT TRUSTS & FUNDS
      41 6 UNIT TRUSTS FUNDS LEGEND: All prices are indicative; Broadly Diversified; Narowly Focused; Lower Risk; Low to Medium Risk; Medium to High Risk; Higher Risk; open-ended; Before subdidivision of units; After subdivision of units; SP after stock split; N.A. Non Dealing Day
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  • PERSONAL INVESTMENT
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Why the odds favour the top-tier investors
      1288 7  -  SHOW ME THE MONEY TEN HOOI LING Senior Correspondent PAY $850,000 and get back $26.2 million in just three days. That, in essence, is what KS Tech did. Earlier this week KS Tech, a supplier and refurbisher of equipment and rigs for the
      1,288 words
    • Article
      Lock icon BT SHARE INFORMATION SERVICE
      900 7 For week beginning Jan 24 SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDER/DIRECTOR TRANSACTIONS MmM b« Hoof Mm SHAREHOLDING (J if*,, r-HBI MMraRBKNf Mi MNm rW NIWI Nip Mm* Bla Director Com *080 SkrS f968> fW) NewLakeude 27-Jan-OS GoTwan Heng Buy 317 0.10 1082 0.64 1399 0.(3 Vita HMdi 27-Jan-OS John De
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Technicals, momentum and a trading market
      484 7  -  STOCKS R SIVANITHY Senior Correspondent IN a trading-oriented market, charts and momentum tend to play major roles and this week's events provided ample evidence of this. New listings, in the meantime, posted mixed performances while a feature of note was the huge interest in
      484 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon BROKERS' TAKE
      399 7  -  Compiled by JOYCE KOH Keppel Corp Jan 28 dose: $9.25 CITIGROUP SMITH BARNEY, Jan 28 KEPPEL'S FYO4 results were to line with expectations with net income up 17.5 per cent y-o-y to $467.5 million. Revenue was down 33 per cent to $3.96 billion due to the of Singapore
      Source: Bloomberg  -  399 words
    • TRADES TO WATCH
      • Article
        Lock icon Aberdeen trims deemed stake in Courts S'pore
        78 7 FUND manager Aberdeen Asset Management's deemed stake in Courts Singapore has been trimmed to 6.81 per cent from 6.83 per cent following the sale of40,000 shares in the open market. Courts returned to the black in its September quarter with a net profit
        78 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Morgan Stanley Entities sells Jurong Tech shares
        90 7 MORGAN Stanley Entities' deemed interest in Jurong Tech Ind Corp fell to 4.76 per cent from 5.02 per cent after 609,000 shares were sold in the open market on Jan 26. Morgan Stanley Entities include Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Morgan Stanley International Holdings
        90 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Jardine C&C ups stake in Astra
        97 7  -  Compiled by JEAN CHUA JARDINE Cycle Carriage bought a million shares of PT Astra International on the open market at 10,000 rupiah each on Jan 27. The US$1.1 million investment raised its stake in Astra from 47.38 per cent to 47.41 per cent. Jardine
        97 words
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  • BT INVESTMENT ROUNDTABLE
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Singapore property watch
      2830 8 OVERVIEW WHILE some property markets in the region like Hongkong's have been racing away with double-digit growth, Singapore's has been limping along. Private home prices here edged up 0.9 per cent in 2004, after a 2 per cent decline in 2003. This is the first full-year gain
      2,830 words
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  • SINGAPORE NEWS
    • Article
      Lock icon Japanese firm forms team for LNG study here
      456 9  -  Tokyo Gas Engineering picks 5 specialists for year-long project worth $4.88m By RONNIE LIM JAPAN'S Tokyo Gas Engineering (TGE), which is conducting the feasibility study for Singapore on imports of LNG or liquefied natural gas, has put together a consortium of five
      456 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Less CPF funds invested in stocks
      492 9  -  S'poreans prefer to invest in insurance, unit trusts instead By DANIEL BUENAS SINGAPOREANS continue to favour investing their CPF funds in insurance and unit trusts rather than stocks, despite a rebound in the Singapore stock market. figures released by the CPF Board yesterday showed.
      492 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Education Cluster officially launched by NTUC
      291 9 THE National Trades Union Congress yesterday officially launched its latest cluster to help members better understand and respond to changes in the education sphere. The Education Cluster, which groups 28,000 members from 10 education sector unions, aims to be a platform whereby its members
      291 words
    • Article
      Lock icon NTU scores a first in fingerprint technology
      213 9 NANYANG Technological University (NTU) has developed a fingerprint detection and irtiaging device that can identify and capture the image of fingerprints where current methods fail to do so. Using a patented optical and signal processing technique, the device is sensitive enough to pick
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Keeping the hospital fit as a fiddle
      786 9 A sporting inspirational feature brought to you by the Singapore Sports Council IN a setting that strives to make people well, it's best to also have staff in a state of optimal health and fitness. That's the reason why Changi General Hospital (CGH)
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Honouring sports volunteers
      76 9 THE Sporting Singapore Inspiration Awards aims to give national recognition to inspiring sports volunteers or organisations that have been actively promoting sports in the community on a voluntary basis. Organised by the Singapore Sports Council, the annual awards comprise two categories, Individual and Organisation, where nominations are
      76 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon HDB resale price-valuation puzzle
      729 10  -  Analysts cite cash-back deals for growing gap between prices, valuations By ANDREA TAN THE freeing of the housing loan market for Housing and Development Board (HDB) resale flats has thrown up an unexpected problem. While the resale flat price index continued edging up in the fourth
      729 words
    • Article
      Lock icon KUALA LUMPUR STOCK EXCHANGE
      4 10
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    • Article
      Lock icon Developers of Thai homes tap Singapore market
      361 10  -  3-day exhibition of mid-to-high-end offerings launched By ALEXANDRA HO WITH Thailand being a perennial holiday favourite among Singaporeans an estimated 400,000 visited it last year some could well consider owning property there. That's the hope of some 30 property developers, both Thai and
      361 words
    • Article
      Lock icon STOCKS ASIA
      6 10 Transaction date: Jan 28
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  • SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon America beckons
      1649 11  -  The world's largest economy and phenomenal consumer purchasing power await those who brave the journey, as CHUANG PECK MING finds out CHUANG PECK MING WITH the spotlight on China's red hot economy these days, it's easy to forget the fact that America is still the biggest market on
      PHOTO OF SAM GOI by ARTHUR LEE, DAVID WALKER SMITH by CHRIS LOH  -  1,649 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Good becomes better
      773 11  -  US Ambassador FRANK LEVIN celebrates the coming of age of the US-Singapore FTA, and looks forward to even closer ties FRANK LEVIN THE United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA), which celebrated its first birthday on Jan 1, 2005, was ground-breaking. For the US, it was our first
      773 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Making it in the US
      829 12  -  CHUANG PECK MING gathers pointers for Singapore companies looking to place their bets in the world's biggest economy CHUANG PECK MING SINGAPORE companies sniffing for business opportunities in America may want to start by studying the local firms who are already there. What businesses are
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Been there
      424 12 How some Singapore names are faring in the US OSIM Business: Lifestyle products Reason for US presence: Part of go-global drive Time in US: 6 years Presence: 8 shops and in some chain stores Competitive edge: Proven strategy and good product line that delivers high value Progress: Growing
      424 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon AMERICAN PIE
      271 13 Singapore businesses in the US Source: IE Singapore, US Bureau of Economic Analysis Snapshot of US market The US in figures: Total area: 9,158,960 sq km Population: 294.6 million GDP: USS11.4 trillion (estimate, 2004) (iDP growth rate: 4.4% (estimate, 2004) Top S exports: Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances
      Source: IE Singapore, US Bureau of Economic Analysis; Source: IE Singapore; Graphics Ben Cruz  -  271 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon USSFTA: The year in review
      1474 14  -  Singapore's chief negotiator TOMMY KOH looks at what the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement has achieved in its first year TOMMY KOH WITH the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) in force since Jan 1, 2004, and the joint ministerial committee meeting on Feb 2 to review
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  • Page 11 Advertisements
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      33 11 This monthly series on Singapore companies overseas is jointly brought to you by The Business Times and IE Singapore The Business Times Singapore The next series on Indonesia will appear on Feb 26
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  • Page 14 Advertisements
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      49 14 Get the lowdown on the latest internationalisation strategies and market opportunities by taking part in the International Enterprise Forum (lEF) on Feb 2-3. Organised by IE Singapore. lEFOS will feature more than 30 distinguished local and foreign speakers and panelists. More information and registration details are available at www.iesingapore.com/iefos
      49 words
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  • REGION
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon No change to yuan peg any time soon, say China
      450 15 Central bank says academic's view does not reflect official policy AP Bloomberg [SHANGHAI] China's central. bulk yesterday denied that Beijing plans to soon loosen the link between its currency and the US dollar, though remarks by economists suggesting a change
      AP; Bloomberg; REUTERS  -  450 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Plans for Tiger Airways to fly to Subang?
      379 15 {KUALA LUMPURI The radical idea of Singapore's budget airline Tiger Airways flying into Subang airport and leasing aircraft from Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd (PMB), and PMB eventually ending up with a stake in Tiger, are possibilities that The Star broached in a front-page
      379 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon HK tycoon Nina Wang charged with forgery
      322 15 AFP [HONG KONG] Tycoon Nina Wang, reputed to be the richest woman in Asia, has been charged with forging documents. police said yesterday. A police spokesman said its Commercial Crime Bureau had charged Wang with forgery, using false documents and perverting the course
      AFP  -  322 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Purchase of an Asian bank unlikely now, says JPMorgan
      279 15 Bloomberg [NEW YORK] JPMorgan Chase Co president James Dimon said it is unlikely the company will buy an Asian bank until it is further along in extracting costs from its July merger with Bank One Corp. "If you ask me if
      Bloomberg  -  279 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Deal set to boost Singapore telecoms trade with Malaysia
      350 15  -  By LIZA LIN [SINGAPORE) The $3.5 billion trade in telecommunications equipment between Singapore and Malaysia is set to receive a boost with the signing of a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) yesterday. The accord will see both countries removing duplicate testing procedures
      350 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Bollywood takes cue on doing business from Hollywood
      400 15 Reuters [BOMBAY] Armed with an MBA degree from Melbourne and an understanding of modern financing, Shravan Shroff is at the vanguard of dragging India's prolific yet ponderous film industry into the 21st century. The 34-year-old is one of a breed of young
      Reuters; AFP FILE PHOTO  -  400 words
    • NOTE BOOK
      • Article
        Lock icon Lenovo going ahead with IBM deal
        86 15 AP Bloomberg [BEUlNGl—Chinas Lenovo Group is going ahead with its purchase of IBM's personal computer business despite possible US moves to block the deal on security grounds, a newspaper reported yesterday. ABN Amro Holding NV, BNP Paribas SA, Standard Chartered Pic and Industrial and
        AP; Bloomberg  -  86 words
      • Article
        Lock icon China quashes talk of Unicom break-up
        89 15 Reuters [jHONG KONG] Ghina's state asset regulator quashed rumours of an impending break-up of the country's second-largest mobile carrier, China Unicom, as the nation weighed its options for reform of its telecoms sector. Despite the denial, sources said breaking up Unicom was one of
        Reuters  -  89 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Boeing gets US$7b China order for 7E7s
        51 15 Bloomberg [CHICAGO] Boeing Co, the world's second-biggest maker of commercial aircraft, won a US$7.2 billion agreement from Chinese airlines to buy 60 7E7s, the biggest order for its new model and the first from the country, according to a person familiar with the
        Bloomberg  -  51 words
      • Article
        Lock icon State Bank of India's Q3 profit up 20%
        106 15 Reuters [BOMBAY] State Bank of India (SBI) yesterday reported a 20 per cent rise in quarterly profits, above expectations as the nation's largest commercial bank rode a boom in lending amid rapid economic growth. The statecontrolled bank, which has about one fifth
        Reuters  -  106 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Thailand trims 2005 growth forecast
        64 15 Reuters [BANGKOK] Thailand's central bank trimmed its economic growth forecast for 2005 to between 5.25 per cent and 6.25 per cent yesterday from an October projection of between 5.5 and 6.5 per cent, reflecting the impact of the tsumani disaster. A moderation in oil prices
        Reuters  -  64 words
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  • WORLD
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon P&G to acquire Gillette in US$57b deal
      833 16 P&G expects to cut about 4% of the 140,000-strong workforce AP Bloomberg [CINCINNATI] Procter Gamble Co (P&G) is buying razor and battery maker Gillette Co for about US$57 billion in a stock deal that would create the world's largest stable of consumer products,
      AP; Bloomberg  -  833 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Strong holiday sales boost Microsoft
      522 16 Company's server and tools business is star performer NYT Bloomberg [NEW YORK] Microsoft posted solid growth in quarterly sales and profits on Thursday, buoyed by strong holiday sales of PCs and video games. It said sales for the second quarter rose 7 per cent to
      NYT; Bloomberg  -  522 words
    • WORLD WATCH
      • Article
        Lock icon Japan jobless rate down 4.4%
        54 16 AP [TOKYO] Japan's jobless rate fell a tenth of a percentage point to a better-than-expected 4.4 per cent in December, the government said yesterday. The December jobless rate was the lowest for the world's second-largest economy since six years ago in December 1998, the government's
        AP  -  54 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Britain to allow teen MPs
        64 16 AP [LONDON] Teenagers may soon be allowed to run for a seat in Parliament, Britain's constitutional affairs minister said on Thursday. "The government intends to legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to lower the age at which a candidate may stand for election from 21 to
        AP  -  64 words
      • Article
        Lock icon LSE rejects Deutsche Boerse offer
        83 16 [LONDON] The London Stock Exchange on Thursday rejected as insufficient a conditional two billion euro (554.3 billion) takeover offer by Deutsche Boerse, operator of the Frankfurt stock exchange. The LSE board added, however, that it would be willing to continue discussions with Deutsche Boerse and
        83 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Greatest Briton 2004
        130 16 Reuters [LONDON] Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented and then gave away the World Wide Web, was picked on Thursday as epitomising the Greatest of Britishness, a quality finance minister Gordon Brown said was unique. His selfless act added to modesty and ingenuity were deemed by a
        Reuters  -  130 words
      • Article
        Lock icon EARNINGS Honda reports flat Q3 profit
        104 16 Bloomberg [TOKYO] Honda Motor Co, Japan's third-largest carmaker, said its third-quarter profit was little changed, as a stronger yen and increased discounts crimped the margin of its increased sales. Net income fell to 150.8 billion yen (552.4 billion) or 161.78 yen a share, in
        Bloomberg  -  104 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Canon Q4 net income up 7.8%
        91 16 Bloomberg [TOKYO] Canon Inc, the world's biggest maker of copiers, said fourth-quarter net income rose 7.8 per cent because of increasing sales of cameras, printers and other office equipment. The company predicted a sixth consecutive year of record net income in 2005. Net income
        Bloomberg  -  91 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Reebok stocks gain as profits up
        84 16 Bloomberg [NEW YORK] Reebok International, the second-biggest US maker of athletic shoes, said fourth-quarter earnings surged 70 per cent, helped by higher sales and a tax benefit. Profit beat analysts' estimates by 7 cents a share, sending the stock to its biggest gain in
        Bloomberg  -  84 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Patrick Corp bids A$1.1b for rest of Virgin Blue stake
      427 16 Bloomberg Bernama (SYDNEY] Patrick Corp. Australia's biggest port handler, offered Asl.l billion (S$ 1.4 billion) for the rest of Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd, betting the discount airline will fend off competition from Qantas Airways Ltd and revive earnings growth. There
      Bloomberg; Bernama  -  427 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Dream Factory that feeds on lies and exaggerations
      813 16  -  LIGHT REED Maybe it's time Hollywood spoke the truth as the show is mostly run by big listed firms CHRISTOPHER REED HOLLYWOOD Oscars, whose nominations were made this week, have never suffered from a dishonesty scandal. Probably this is because the voting
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  • GOLF
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon For love of the game
      1520 17  -  Whether you're a wildly successful world-class player with over three dozen victories to your name or a touring pro simply making a better-than-decent living doing something you love, golf can be a notoriously fickle mistress. Getting to the top of your game and staying there
      PHOTOS BY CHRIS LOH  -  1,520 words
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  • MOTORING
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon A man and his machines
      1209 18  -  GEOFFREY EU meets vintage car buff Brian Woodford GEOFFREY EU FOR 20 days next month, longtime Singapore resident and vintage car enthusiast Brian Woodford will be deep in the heart of Borneo, reliving the Golden Age of motoring on dirt tracks and bumpy secondary roads
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon SUV shopping
      895 18  -  Want to buy a kumquat tree or a sheaf of pussy willows for Chinese New Year but can't quite fit them into your traditional three-box saloon? SAMUEL EE goes festive shopping in two recently facelifted lifestyle vehicles SAMUEL EE Changes under the metal IT may not look it
      895 words
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  • WELLNESS
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Yoga strikes rooted posture in S'pore
      1228 19  -  A proliferation of schools is testament to its growing popularity here, as PARVATHI NAYAR and PEPPER LEE find out PARVATHI NAYAR, PEPPER LEE Hollywood stars have gushed over It, with Madonna going so far as to do it on a music video; seekers of
      1,228 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon LA guru combines yoga with sales
      407 19  -  By PAKVATHI NAYAR HOLDING forth from Los «4llgeles, GuruGanesha Singh said: "People do business with people they like and trust, who are emotionally less reactive, lets needy and that*s what yoga does for you. It promotes peace and wellbeing through a union of mind
      407 words
    • Article
      Lock icon S'pore to host top yoga masters in 3-day event
      243 19  -  By PEPPER LEE THE Yoga in Asia Conference 2005 has local yoga enthusiasts cheering, for it's an event that offers visibility to a growing trend. The Singaporean organisers. Yoga in Asia, have engaged renowned yoga instructors for this three-day event, like
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  • Page 19 Advertisements
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      30 19 S^^a^w. «Mia«g wh^^^su^fcrt^d. II rn iWI flßif al budgets. I* \figne has been dtedmafwtwnes over for Top of the W Revolving Restaurant- Revel in the Tormwawe range or teas! J
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  • SHOPPING
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon For keeps
      1537 20  -  CORINNE KERK finds everything she always wanted but didn't know where to look, in one place Howards Storage CORINNE KERK SPACE SAVERS WITH the arrival of Howards Storage World, it's time to take a look at what the market is offering in terms of storage and organisational products.
      1,537 words
    • IN STORE at the malls
      • Article, Illustration
        Lock icon Untitled
        61 20 Renown master polisher John Ceulemans took a painstaking year to create this gem of a design. The result is a resplendent diamond ring with 88 proportioned and symmetrical facets that interact to optimise its scintillation. It comes fully certified by Europe's Diamond High Council and costs from $3,068 (0.3 carat)
        61 words
      • Article, Illustration
        Lock icon I'm a little teapot
        49 20 A Bauhaus design classic entitled The Wagenfeld Edition, the handcrafted, glassblown tea pot is only one of three available in Singapore. Produced only upon request, it is designed with an inbuilt strainer that is both functional and aesthetic. Price: $325. Where: Studio Haus, Millenia Walk.
        49 words
      • Article, Illustration
        Lock icon Untitled
        66 20  - Compiled by MIKE CHUA Every season, Beetlebug features updated versions of their previous hits with all shoes available in genuine leather. The bowling-inspired shoes are light-weight, well cushioned and made of cowhide. From olive finely embossed leather/beige suede sneakers to brown multi-toned brushed-effect leather footwear, they're lined up like an
        66 words
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  • TRAVEL
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Niche travel catching on
      1661 21  -  CHEAH UI-HOON and PEPPER LEE check out some of the latest offerings in customised holidays CHEAH UI-HOON, PEPPER LEE CUSTOMISED travel is the way to go, it seems, for the frequent Singapore traveller who has been there and done As more Singaporeans are developing a taste
      AFP  -  1,661 words
  • Page 21 Advertisements
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      177 21 ■■HI Cal toll-free 1800 289 8822 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, CAP. 50 AND IN THE MATTER OF BECKMANN JORGENSEN (S) PTE LTD (Co. Reg. No. I*****938M) (IN MEMBERS' VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 308 of the Companies Act
      177 words
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      520 21 3i LOVE YOURSELF his Year, Health is (Ex WealtHC Years of tender loving care! AIWO cuisine has undergone 6 years of research and development to bring you perhaps the most stringent dishes to land on your table. Our Unlimited Conveyor Feast features 14 different dishes everyday; with each dish containing
      520 words
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  • FOOD
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Tantalising tastes
      868 22  -  GEOFFREY EU checks out whether the provocatively named Desire at The Scarlet Hotel has the potential to sizzle GEOFFREY EU IF it's true that we are what we eat, then diners at Desire the in-house restaurant at the six-week-old The Scarlet hotel in Chinatown are urged to approach
      CHRIS LOH  -  868 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Ceneri cheeses at the Ritz
      570 22  -  By CHEN JINGWEN IF you're dining with the bourgeousie in the film capital of Cannes, you might find more Oscar-wor-thy talent in your restaurant's cheese platter than on the red carpet. Especially if the cheese you're eating comes from Ceneri. The family-run legend churns out
      570 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Light-as-air gastronomic delight
      468 22  -  By PARVATHI NAYAR AIRLINE food is considered an oxymoron by many and Air France is out to prove them wrong with the newly conceived menu for their privileged l'Espace Premiere passengers. The menu is also a celebration of Air France's partnership with famed French chef Guy Martin
      468 words
  • Page 22 Miscellaneous
    • Miscellaneous
      Lock icon Page 22 Miscellaneous Column 1
      405 22 CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 1 French author ends with mon- JHI strous woman making cheese I 9 Post spoken of for this chap (4) 1 I HH BH 10 Go, food is cooked (well 11 Get the better of employer (6) 2 Sebastian can fly 15 The gold mace, for example, may
      405 words