LEWIS 360 | What's happening in Singapore? Singapore News Digest http://whatshappening.lewispr.com/sg/ Copyright LEWIS Communications LEWIS 360 | What's happening in Singapore? 08/07/09 LEWIS 360 | What's happening in Singapore? 08/07/09
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BUSINESS

Focus on micro-economic reforms as world economy not recovering yet

Singapore will announce advance estimates of how the economy fared during the second quarter on July 14. Ahead of that, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has tempered expectations by saying that the global economy is not yet in a recovery mode. But he also said he believes that the worst is over.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/440980/1/.html

Singapore and HK most trade-friendly, says WEF study

Singapore and Hong Kong are the two most trade-conducive economies, the World Economic Forum said on Tuesday in a study that placed the United States in 16th place, its performance affected by fears of crime and terrorism. The WEF said in its Global Enabling Trade Report that Singapore and Hong Kong, in addition to offering a trade-friendly business environment, "are endowed with well-developed transport and telecommunications infrastructures ensuring rapid transit to final destinations".
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/441048/1/.html

S'pore firms urged to use Bahrain as starting point into Mideast market

The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is urging local firms to use Bahrain as their starting point to expand into the Middle East. At an investment seminar in Singapore on Tuesday, SBF CEO Teng Theng Dar said gateways like Bahrain will help to lower market entry cost and shorten the learning curve for companies. He said this is because the ease of doing business in Bahrain is substantially higher compared with many of its neighbours.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/441000/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Outages cost large firms US$288K

Over 90 percent of large enterprises globally have had to activate their disaster recovery measures within the last 12 months, a new report has highlighted. Released Wednesday, Symantec's Disaster Recovery Survey findings noted that 93 percent of organizations globally had fully or partially implemented their disaster recovery and business continuity plans over the past year. Within the Asia-Pacific region including Japan, the same trend occurred in 94 percent of enterprises. Conducted by Applied Research, the global study included IT professionals and decision makers in 1,650 companies with headcount of at least 5,000. Of these, 450 companies are based in the region.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62055823,00.htm

Dell eyes more indirect income in South Asia

Dell is growing its partner program as it seeks a greater share of revenues from the indirect channel, according to company executives in the region. Citing 2009 first-quarter data from market analyst IDC, Dell's general manager for South Asia Ng Tian Beng noted there were 11.8 million units of PCs and servers sold in the South Asia region last year. Indirect sales accounted for around 93 percent of the unit volume. Hardware sales, he said in a media briefing last week, are projected by IDC to nearly double to 21.8 million units by 2013. This presented opportunities for Dell, which currently holds a 9 percent market share.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62055801,00.htm

Cloud, mobile take intelligence to shop floor

The cloud and mobile devices are platforms helping QlikTech to push business intelligence (BI) to the shop floor. The BI vendor recently made its QlikView 9 product available on the cloud and for the iPhone. Henrik Been, executive director, product marketing, told ZDNet Asia on the sidelines of a QlikView event Tuesday, QlikTech chose to make its product available on more platforms to reach out to employees beyond top-level executives. Traditional BI has typically consisted of static reports and targeted toward top-level decision-makers and technical users. But the demand for BI is moving swiftly to the shop floor, said Been.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62055807,00.htm


HEALTH

106 new H1N1 cases bring total to 1,217 in Singapore

Singapore has confirmed 106 new cases of H1N1 flu, bringing the total to 1,217 so far. The Health Ministry said of the 1,140 cases investigated so far, 702 were local cases and 438 were imported. Investigations are on-going for 77 cases.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/441011/1/.html

H1N1-affected schools reopen

Presbyterian High and Westwood Secondary schools reopened on Tuesday, one week after term began for all schools. The two schools were closed as a precautionary measure after two teachers - one from each school - tested positive for the H1N1 flu virus. Though students are back, school life has yet to return to normal. The flag-raising ceremony is performed in front of an empty yard as morning assembly is cancelled.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/441027/1/.html


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BUSINESS

Singapore's furniture manufacturers gain ground in international market

Singapore's furniture manufacturers are looking to establish a strong foothold overseas. The industry aims to increase its share in the world furniture market, which is worth over US$300 billion, to two percent by 2015. While many Singapore firms have set their sights on established markets such as the US and Europe, trade promotion agency, IE Singapore, says there is room for growth in markets such as Russia and Brazil.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/440008/1/.html

Market watchers express less optimism over green shoots theory

There is now less optimism over the green shoots theory, with more market watchers warning it may not happen so soon. While recent global economic data has improved, experts say it could be temporary as companies are merely restocking their inventories. And some analysts are playing it safe by backing larger Asian economies like China and India, due to their large domestic economies and the growth drivers in place.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/440027/1/.html

Manufacturing economy expands for second time in June

Singapore's manufacturing economy expanded for the second time in June after having contracted over eight consecutive months. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed a reading of 51.1 in June, a slight dip of 0.1 point over the month of May. A reading above 50 indicates the manufacturing economy is expanding.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/440039/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

APAC operators need more efficient networks

The economic recession will take a toil on Asia Pacific mobile revenues over the next five years, leaving operators little choice but to step up network efficiency, according to a new report from Ovum. The region's revenue growth for 2009 currently stands at 8 percent, down from Ovum's previous estimate of 10 percent, the research firm said in a statement. Global operator service revenues will reach US$1 trillion only in 2011, instead of the original forecast of 2010, it said. Ovum analyst Nathan Burley said in a statement: "The recessionary impact on mobile in Asia will be relatively muted, and led by China and India, mobile service revenues will continue to grow."
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62055667,00.htm

Stimulus packages to boost ICT sector

Infocomm technology (ICT) companies stand to gain as governments in the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan, pump US$767 billion over the next five years on initiatives to jumpstart their economies, a new study finds. According to IDC-subsidiary Government Insights, governments in the region will start making these investments in late-2009 through 2014. These will fund initiatives ranging from economic stimulus packages and expansionary budgets, to the advancement of planned spending and projects.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62055482,00.htm

Heed tech, people issues before going mobile

Telecommuting may offer companies cost savings and improves staff productivity, but businesses must first consider important manpower and technical issues before implementing the mobile workforce model. Vu-Thanh Nguyen, Singapore-based research analyst at AMI-Partners, said companies need to identify the kinds of jobs that are suitable for telecommuting. Jobs requiring constant group interaction and frequent use of common equipment are better performed in the office, while individual or computer-based work such as research and writing, could be done more effectively away from the office, Nguyen said in an e-mail interview.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62055666,00.htm


HEALTH

Singapore confirms 95 new cases of H1N1 flu, bringing total to 878

Singapore confirmed another 95 cases of H1N1 flu on Thursday, bringing the total to 878 so far. The Health Ministry said 329 patients have been discharged and the rest are recuperating. Five new cases are from the cluster at Republic Polytechnic, where 4,500 first-year students who had been on a one-week precautionary suspension of classes went back to school on Thursday.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/440038/1/.html


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#01-58/59 Nankin Row
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Tel: +65 6534 7250
Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
Agency blog: www.lewis360.com

PRWEEK - International Consultancy of the Year finalist, 2006, 2007
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BUSINESS

90 percent of investors optimistic about market opportunities despite downturn

High net worth investors seemed unperturbed by the economic downturn and reckoned that it is still a good time to invest in the current market. A survey by financial services group Barclays Wealth found that almost 90 percent of these investors remain optimistic about investment opportunities available. It also said now is a good time to invest despite a strong rally in equity markets over the past few months.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/439787/1/.html

Keppel secures S$22m Waste-To-Energy technology contract in Tianjin

Keppel Seghers Belgium has clinched a contract worth about S$22.3 million to provide waste-to-energy (WTE) technology to a plant in Hangu in China's Tianjin province. The wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Integrated Engineering Limited was awarded the contract by Tianjin Binhai Environmental Industry Development. The plant is set to be located in Tianjin's Binhai Technical & Economic Development Area.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/439757/1/.html

Midas secures 2 contracts worth S$15.6m for downstream fabrication

Midas Holdings has made its foray into the downstream fabrication business by securing two contracts worth S$15.6 million. Under the contracts, Midas will supply specialised fabricated aluminium alloy extrusion profiles for train car bodies and curved surface profiles for driver's cabins for China's high speed train project.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/439752/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Fresh boost to mobile services

Taxi booking, now offered only by taxi operators via SMS and voice-call services, could soon be offered by any service provider via snazzy online applications accessible on the mobile phone. A raft of new location-aware mobile phone applications that can, for instance, point users to the best-rated teh tarik joint near their vicinity could also appear soon. Those two scenarios could spawn from a new Cal- for-Collaboration (CFC) by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) under an initiative dubbed Digital Concierge.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Spending spree by region's governments boon for IT firms

Governments across the Asia Pacific region excluding Japan (APEJ) announced, in the nine-month period ending in April this year, a massive US$767 billion worth of spending to combat recession, providing a significant opportunity for IT companies. Gerald Wang, of IDC Government Insights, which conducted a study on spending plans by governments in the region and their impact on information technology companies, noted that the initiatives range from economic stimulus packages and expansionary budgets to the advancement of planned spending and projects.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Singapore firms eyeing software-as-a-service

Singapore firms are expected to show significant interest in adopting SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) applications provided by third party vendors this year, despite the current economic downturn. Research by IDC shows that the Singapore SaaS market is expected to grow from US$6.4 million last year to US$8.2 million by the end of 2009, showing a growth of 27 percent. This is faster than the regional growth projection for the Asia Pacific, excluding Japan (APEJ) market. SaaS is a model of software deployment where applications built specifically for network delivery are hosted, provisioned, and accessed by users over the Internet.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

S'pore confirms 82 new H1N1 cases, makes transition to mitigation phase

Singapore has confirmed 82 new cases of H1N1 flu, bringing the total to 783 so far. Most are local cases. Three hundred patients have fully recovered, while the rest are in stable condition. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it is making the transition to the mitigation phase, so those with flu-like symptoms may see polyclinic or pandemic preparedness clinic doctors, who will make a preliminary assessment. They need not call 993 for the special ambulance.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/439785/1/.html


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BUSINESS

S$2.2b deals sealed at Singapore Water Week

This year's Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) has seen more deals flowing in, despite the current economic downturn. The four-day event saw S$2.2 billion worth of deals signed. This is six times what was achieved last year. The SIWW saw several industry players like Hyflux and GE inking deals to boost research and development as well as further enhance their global presence.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/439211/1/.html

Wages grew by 4.2 percent last year, down from 5.9 percent growth in 2007

Total wages in Singapore rose by 4.2 percent last year in the private sector, slowing from a growth of 5.9 percent in 2007, according to a Manpower Ministry (MOM) Report on Wages in Singapore for 2008. Total wages comprise basic salary and bonuses. According to the MOM, the decline was due to lower bonuses compared to 2007, while basic wage increase was unchanged.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/439368/1/.html

Government to take over development & ownership of LNG import terminal

Singapore's government will take over the development and ownership of Singapore’s first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal under a new company, the Singapore LNG Corporation Lte Ltd. The decision was announced on Tuesday by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry (MTI) S Iswaran at an industry conference.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/439353/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Analyst: Sony may outsource half of flat TVs

In late January, Sony's CEO Howard Stringer suggested that he was considering outsourcing flat-panel TVs. Not all, but just enough that the TV division, which accounts for 10 percent of the company's overall revenues, might staunch its losses. But how far Stringer would lf go was unclear. In May Sony said it would shut one of two TV factories in Mexico. It had already announced plans to close two others, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Ichinomiya, in Japan. Now Macquarie Securities' analyst David Gibson has done some digging and come up with an estimate: Sony could outsource up to ha of its LCD TVs, from 10 percent to 20 percent last fiscal year through March.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62055292,00.htm

5 cost-effective ways to lower enterprise risk

Enterprise risk management in an environment of budget constraints and cost-cutting can be challenging. Yet, it is essential for organizations to properly manage risks, as a wrong move could put one out of business. In separate e-mail interviews with ZDNet Asia, Irving Low, head of internal audit, risk and compliance services at KPMG in Singapore, and Benjamin Chiang, partner at Ernst & Young Solutions, offered five cost-effective tips to keep problems such as fraud or poor business ethics out of an organization's way, or at least, to manage or mitigate the impact in a satisfactory manner.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62055330,00.htm

TNT: Risk approach pays for supply chain security

Adopting a risk-based approach to tighten its security processes and procedures in Asia, has led to a "significant" payback for TNT in terms of reducing losses and winning over customers, said an executive of the logistics and courier services company. A driving force behind the risk-based approach was the ISO 28000 certification which the company received earlier this week for its Asia-Pacific operations, Tony Lugg, TNT's regional head of security for Asia, said at a media briefing. The region's supply chains currently face a variety of threats, which range from natural disasters and terrorism to theft and counterfeiting.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Okay to extend shelf-life

Following a media report that boxes of Tamiflu had stickers which indicated a three-year extension of the drug's shelf-life, the Health Ministry clarified that the shelf-life of medicinal products can be extended, provided the drug retains its potency when stored at recommended levels. Tamiflu capsules, for instance, must be stored at room temperature below 25ºC and kept in a dry place.
http://www.todayonline.com/Health/EDC090626-0000106/Okay-to-extend-shelf-life

Threat has yet to pass

Five per cent of all flu cases here now involve the H1N1 virus. When the figure hits 10 to 15 percent, likely within the next one to two weeks, Singapore will shift its approach to tackling the virus into full mitigation mode. With the authorities having already begun the transition from containing the virus to concentrating on treating patients at high risk, the Scientific Committee on Influenza A shared the data from H1N1 cases seen here so far.
http://www.todayonline.com/Health/EDC090626-0000088/Threat-has-yet-to-pass

H1N1 strikes Tekong Camp

Another army camp, this time at Pulau Tekong, has been named as a new Influenza A H1N1 cluster, even as a second polytechnic has been hit by the virus. In its update, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported three new confirmed cases at the Pulau Tekong Camp, all of whom are full-time National Servicemen. Meanwhile, Maju Camp reported another four cases, bringing its tally of confirmed cases to 12.
http://www.todayonline.com/Health/EDC090627-0000058/H1N1-strikes-Tekong-Camp


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BUSINESS

SIWW expects to create over S$370m worth of deals despite downturn

Organisers of the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) are still expecting funds to flow in despite the current downturn. They are aiming to match or even exceed the S$370 million worth of deals signed at last year's event. In Southeast Asia alone, the water sector is estimated to be worth over S$14 billion and it is expected to grow at around 20 percent annually.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/437835/1/.html

2nd wave of retrenchments possible as outlook remains uncertain

There could be a second wave of retrenchments in Singapore as the global economic outlook for the rest of the year remains uncertain, said Labour chief Lim Swee Say. Mr Lim said there may be early signs of economic recovery in the United States but the world economy is not out of the woods yet as unemployment continues to climb.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/437813/1/.html

Fund managers willing to pay premium for good investor relations

Most Singapore-based fund managers are willing to pay a premium to invest in shares of companies with good investor relations, according to a survey by the Singapore Management University and the Investor Relations Professionals Association of Singapore. However, the survey also found that Singapore firms are still lagging in investor relations when compared to their counterparts in the US and UK.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/437824/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Huawei: Don't skip 3G for 4G

Operators in emerging markets on the path to LTE (long term evolution) would be better off making incremental upgrades of their GSM networks, rather than leapfrog the intermediary standards, urged a market player. Min Chung-Yen, Huawei Technologies' Asia Pacific senior director of marketing and strategy, referred to a technology migration path recommended by industry initiative, 3G Partnership Project (3GPP), which outlines a gradual upgrade from GSM to UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system), followed by HSPA, and then LTE.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62055198,00.htm

Telcos missed IPTV 'window of opportunity'

Telecommunications operators have missed their "window of opportunity" to dominate the IPTV (Internet Protocol television) space, according to an Irdeto executive. Telcos failed to exploit their chance two to three years ago to deploy IPTV most effectively, and have now been squeezed out of the content-delivery game by broadcasters, said Thierry Raymaekers, Asia Pacific managing director of business development at Irdeto, a digital content management provider. With plenty of competing content on cable channels and free-to-air satellite TV, telcos are finding it difficult to make IPTV a compelling offering for customers, Raymaekers explained in an interview at imbX 2009.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62055263,00.htm

Asia's 'bright' HPC future will take time

Despite a declining share in the Top500 supercomputer list, Asia's high-performance computing (HPC) future remains "bright", according to industry watchers in the region. To catch up with its Western counterparts however, the region will require "some time". Dennis Ang, Hewlett-Packard's Asia Pacific and Japan general manager for HPC, noted that supercomputing or HPC in the region "has made continuous progress". Adoption across the region, he said in an e-mail interview, is rather broad-based.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62055267,00.htm


HEALTH

Chubby people live longest: Japan study

Health experts have long warned of the risk of obesity, but a new study warns that being very skinny is even more dangerous, and that slightly chubby people live longest. People who are a little overweight at age 40 live six to seven years longer than very thin people, whose average life expectancy was shorter by some five years than that of obese people, the study found.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090619-149643.html

Tonics for the heart

Vital as the heart is, many of us do not shower it with enough care. One out of every three deaths in Singapore is caused by heart disease or stroke, says the Health Ministry. While some people are genetically predisposed to heart disease, many risk factors can be reduced with some effort, said Dr VP Nair, a cardiologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Eat2BRight/Story/A1Story20090618-149361.html

16 new H1N1 cases confirmed

Singapore has confirmed another 16 new cases of Influenza A (H1N1-2009), comprising seven local cases and nine cases with travel history. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 142. Among the seven new local cases include two additional cases from the Riverlife Church cluster and one new cluster linked to Butter Factory at One Fullerton.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090622-150006.html


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Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
Agency blog: www.lewis360.com

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BUSINESS

Corporate restructuring keeps audit, law firms busy

Corporate restructuring experts are busy for good reasons in bad times, as more distressed companies restructure to preserve their business, protect suppliers and keep creditors at bay. Increasingly plagued by going concern issues, many companies are scurrying for help from these experts, driving up the volume of work and, in some cases, the professional fees as well.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Foreign law firms pose challenge for locals

The six foreign law firms granted licences to practise Singapore law - the biggest liberalisation so far of the traditionally protected industry - have quietly started operations here ahead of the July deadline. But their entry couldn't have come at a worst time for local law firms which, like many of their clients, are reeling from the global recession.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

PetroChina completes SPC stake deal

PetroChina yesterday said that it has completed its $1.47 billion cash purchase of Keppel Corp's 45.51 per cent stake in Singapore Petroleum Company (SPC) and will make a mandatory general offer for the rest of the shares. It will offer $6.25 per share, which will value SPC at $3.2 billion. The announcement came more than a month earlier than the July 24 date by which PetroChina had been expected to complete the purchase.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?


TECHNOLOGY

ST Elect makes push for services

The desire for more sustainable and recurring income has fuelled a significant services business push by Singapore Technologies Electronics (ST Electronics). It wants to grow this business, whose offerings range from providing consultancy services for firms to helping companies manage their business systems, to contribute about 40 percent of its overall revenue, from the current 25 percent. And ST Electronics, the electronics business arm of ST Engineering, will be hiring more staff to help it do so.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Gemalto aims to bridge mobile payments

If things go its way, smartcard giant Gemalto could well become the crucial missing link behind Singapore's mobile payment vision. The company has been in discussions with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) over its plans to proliferate the mobile wallet concept here, admitted Winston Yeo, Gemalto's director of new business and solutions. Specifically, the telecommunications regulator is currently looking to resolve the interoperability hurdle which has dragged past projects under the water.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Multimedia distribution made easy

As Singapore embarks on its new initiative to forge future multimedia content and applications, a home- grown technology could add to the push - by making it easy to distribute movies and other multimedia content to the growing multitudes of viewing devices, ranging from mobile phones to Web-connected laptops to TVs. Called Scalable Multimedia Platform (SMP), this novel technology made its public debut at the CommunicAsia tradeshow last week. Developed by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, it solves a growing bugbear of content developers, broadcasters and service providers.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Singapore confirms two H1N1 clusters

Singapore has confirmed another 23 new cases of Influenza A (H1N1-2009), comprising eight local cases and 15 with travel history, including an Asian Youth Games (AYG) athlete from the Philippines. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 126. The eight local cases came from two clusters, including two unlinked cases. They have no travel history or known contact with confirmed cases.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090621-149861.html

This can reduce heavy periods

For women with heavy menstrual bleeding, there is a non-surgical alternative to having a hysterectomy (removal of the womb). This alternative is a hormone-releasing intrauterine contraceptive whose brand name is Mirena. In a 10-year study of 200 women with heavy menstrual bleeding, Mirena users - compared to those who had hysterectomies - had higher work productivity and health-care costs which were nearly 40 percent lower.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Women2527s2BMatters/Sexual2BHealth/Story/A1Story20090618-149363.html

Flu-stricken man denies socialising

A minor storm has broken out over a Singapore-based German researcher who caught the H1N1 virus after a trip to Philadelphia. The Ministry of Health said that for a week after returning to Singapore, he continued going to work, went shopping, attended a concert and went to a reception at the French Ambassador's residence.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090618-149207.html


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BUSINESS

Sembcorp's Newater plant to provide 15 percent of Singapore's water needs by 2010

Sembcorp is aiming to ramp up its water treatment facilities globally by 50 percent over the next five years. It revealed this at a tour of Singapore's largest Newater plant, which opens for commercial operations next month. When the facility reaches full capacity next year, it will be able to supply 15 per cent of Singapore's current water needs.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/436888/1/.html

Yongnam Holdings secures 2 contracts in Marina area worth S$40.7m

Mainboard-listed Yongnam Holdings has secured two new contracts worth a total of S$40.7 million for the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort and the Marina Coastal Expressway. In the Marina Bay Sands contract, the engineering firm will construct a segment of the integrated resort's Lion Garden Bridge and a cooling tower structure.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/436859/1/.html

Orchard Central to woo shoppers by integrating with other malls

Singapore's prime shopping belt Orchard Road will see its first new mall in more than a decade in about two weeks. The 12-storey Orchard Central is scheduled for a soft launch on July 2. Developer Far East Organisation said tenants have taken up about 80 percent of the space launched for leasing so far, a total of 213,000 square feet.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/437012/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Next-gen networks need tiered, converged rules

Government policy, which will play an important role in the deployment of next-generation networks (NGNs), needs to be a blend of differentiated and converged regulations, according to an industry consultant. NGNs essentially carry market models--both monopolistic and competitive--previously demonstrated in the telecommunications industry, Jonathan Dharmapalan, managing partner at Ernst & Young's Global Telecommunications Center, said at the Next-Generation Broadband Forum, held as part of imbX 2009. Passive monopoly, Dharmapalan explained, is evident in how the infrastructure layer of NGNs operates, while a free, competitive market drives the services layer.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62055160,00.htm

Most Asian firms don't have green strategy

There may be widespread awareness that green IT can help improve returns on investment (ROI), but most businesses in the Asia Pacific region have yet to implement a green IT strategy. According to a Springboard Research survey released Wednesday, only 10 percent of companies in the region have formally established a green IT strategy. This finding emerged despite high awareness that green IT can help enhance a company's ROI and reduce its carbon footprint, the industry analyst said.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62055157,00.htm

Small businesses in Singapore prone to data loss

Small businesses in Singapore are particularly prone to data loss, with such incidents having occurred at more than half of these companies in the past two years, according to a new survey. Conducted early this year by StollzNow Research on behalf of data recovery provider Kroll Ontrack, the study asked IT managers from 945 companies in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia about their views and experiences regarding data management. Kroll Ontrack said in a press statement that 62 percent of Singapore companies with fewer than 50 employees said they suffered data loss in the last couple of years.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62055155,00.htm


HEALTH

NUH hits the club

It’s a medical forum with an unusual venue. To educate more young women about cervical cancer, a hospital is holding a free medical forum at a venue it hopes will resonate with them - Velvet Underground at Zouk. The National University Hospital (NUH) will even be offering on-site vaccinations against the human papilloma virus (HPV) - one of the primary causes of cervical cancer - at the nightspot.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Women2527s2BMatters/Cancer2BCentre/Story/A1Story20090617-149086.html

Keeping blood clots away

Total hip and knee replacement patients often face the risk of blood clots which could lead to death. Also known as venous blood clots or venous thromboembolism (VTE), it's a condition where the flow of blood in a vein is partially or completely blocked. In some cases, the blood clot may travel through the bloodstream to the heart and lungs, resulting in a heart attack.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Men2527s2BMatters/Story/A1Story20090616-148863.html

17 new confirmed cases of influenza A H1N1

17 new patients were diagnosed with influenza A H1N1 yesterday, making it the largest number of new cases in a day. All involved travellers returning from countries with known community transmission of H1N1. According to a statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH), some were individuals who proceeded with their travel and social activities despite having developed symptoms.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090618-149208.html


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Wai Yi Yik
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations

3 Pickering Street
#01-58/59 Nankin Row
Singapore 048660

Tel: +65 6534 7250
Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
Agency blog: www.lewis360.com

PRWEEK - International Consultancy of the Year finalist, 2006, 2007
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence finalists, 2006
Best Companies - Michelin-rated one star accreditation, 2006
The Holmes Report - Top Ten international consultancies, 2005

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Visit the LEWIS 360 blog at: http://www.lewis360.com


BUSINESS

SingTel offers 'music buffet' to customers

Singapore Telecommunications is going all out to strike the right chord with customers. The operator launched a new buffet-style music store yesterday with the Universal Music Group in an effort to swing subscriber votes and boost its flagging voice revenues.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Barclays Wealth on expansion path in Asia

Barclays Wealth plans 'aggressive' expansion in Singapore and the rest of Asia, its chief executive said. Tom Kalaris, global CEO of the private banking arm of British bank Barclays, told BT that a major thrust of the bank's strategy to gain market share is to offer services and products that are normally available only to large corporate clients of investment banks or wealthy individuals.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Nestle eyes targets in Asia

The world's largest food & beverage company Nestle SA is eyeing M&A targets to pursue in Asia, a senior executive told BT. This comes as the Swiss-based company expects to invest another 260 million Swiss francs (S$349.5 million) in South- east Asia, including 3 million Swiss francs to be pumped into Singapore's R&D centre.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?


TECHNOLOGY

A cloud of opportunity for telecom carriers

Cloud services could be the next big thing in the Infocomm Technology (ICT) landscape in Singapore, with telecom carriers the biggest beneficiaries, according to market watchers. Cloud computing is a type of service offered over the Internet. These services usually provide common business applications online, and customers who use these services do not own the physical infrastructure which serves as a host to a wide range of software platforms. Instead, they rent usage from third-party providers, thus avoiding capital expenditure.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,1244750340,00.html?

Global 360 ups the ante when chips are down

Instead of taking a hit as regional companies go into cost-saving mode, the economic downturn has instead given business process management (BPM) software maker Global 360 an unintended sales boon. 'In Asia Pacific, we grew 20 percent (for the year ended March 31). All things considered, we had a pretty good year,' said Lloyd Parata, vice-president of the Asia-Pacific region for Global 360. 'In January and February, we closed a couple of deals with very short sales cycles,' he added.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,1244750340,00.html?

Dell uses Twitter to ring up US$3m in PC sales

Dell is making friends on Twitter. The computer maker has generated more than US$2 million in sales from the social-networking service by directing users to Dell's online outlet store. An additional US$1 million in orders came from Twitter users who purchased products elsewhere on Dell's site, the company said. More than 600,000 of Twitter Inc's users have signed up to receive notices about returned, reconditioned and slightly damaged computers sold through the outlet store, said Stefanie Nelson, a marketing manager for Dell's US outlet site. That's up from 11,000 subscribers in March.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,1244750340,00.html?


HEALTH

Spike in malaria the biggest in years

Singapore is fighting the biggest outbreak of locally transmitted malaria it has seen in possibly more than a decade. Over the past five weeks, at least 15 people have been infected with malaria locally, with the latest case only known yesterday. The last time there was an outbreak was in 2006, when 13 people caught the disease locally.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090610-147446.html

WHO declares first 21st century flu pandemic

The World Health Organization declared the first flu pandemic of the 21st century. The United Nations agency was raising its pandemic flu alert to the top phase 6 on a six-point scale, indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968 is under way.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090611-147914.html

7 new confirmed cases of H1N1

Singapore has confirmed seven more cases of Influenza A (H1N1-2009), bringing the total number of confirmed cases here to 34. All of the 34 cases, except one who was a close contact of a confirmed case, are imported cases with a travel history. So far, 17 patients have been discharged. The remaining 17 patients are still in the hospital and their conditions remain stable.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090614-148362.html


Subscribe to LEWIS What’s happening in Singapore? via RSS at:
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Any queries on ‘LEWIS What’s happening?’, please contact:


Wai Yi Yik
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations

3 Pickering Street
#01-58/59 Nankin Row
Singapore 048660

Tel: +65 6534 7250
Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
Agency blog: www.lewis360.com

PRWEEK - International Consultancy of the Year finalist, 2006, 2007
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence finalists, 2006
Best Companies - Michelin-rated one star accreditation, 2006
The Holmes Report - Top Ten international consultancies, 2005

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]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 BST LEWIS 360 | What's happening in Singapore? 11/06/09 LEWIS 360 | What's happening in Singapore? 11/06/09
Visit the LEWIS 360 blog at: http://www.lewis360.com


BUSINESS

Analysts say residential property prices will take W-shaped recovery

Brokerage Nomura said prices of residential assets in Singapore will take a W-shaped recovery, instead of its previous forecast for a U-shaped upturn. In a research report, Nomura predicts that there will be a positive quarter-on-quarter rise in property prices in the third quarter of this year. This could occur because developers have seized on the recent positive market sentiment to clear their inventory.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/435063/1/.html

Continued shortage of finance and accounting professionals despite downturn

The global financial crisis has not hurt demand for finance and accounting professionals in Singapore. A recent survey by financial recruitment firm Robert Half showed that 70 percent of Singapore firms face difficulties in hiring such professionals, even during the current downturn. Market watchers said this is leading to a shortage of such professionals in Singapore.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/435092/1/.html

Most Singapore firms planning radical business model changes: survey

A vast majority of Singapore companies are planning radical changes to their business models in the next decade. A survey conducted by KPMG found that 84 percent of respondents here intend to restructure themselves. It is the second highest figure, just behind Japan's 87 percent, in a survey of 850 senior decision makers from 29 countries.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/435057/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Governments urged to help SMEs through downturn

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) governments have been urged to reserve a percentage of government procurement in ICT for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to enable them to ride out the effects of the global economic crisis. Ira Kasoff, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of commerce for Asia, said some 200 participants of the APEC SME Technology Entrepreneur Seminar also recommended that APEC economies increase capital investment and lending to ICT SMEs, adopt technology-neutral standards and strengthen protection of intellectual property rights.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62054771,00.htm

Websense: Hijackers target Singapore site

The Web site of local book and stationery company Popular Holdings was hijacked, according to a security vendor. In an alert released Saturday, Websense said the Singapore site was compromised and infected site visitors with malicious code. The obfuscated Javascript code redirected visitors to an exploit site using an Iframe tag--in the same style as the recent Gumblar attacks. Websense identified the exploit site as karlast.com, and subsequently suptullog.com. At the time of updating the post, the exploit site had been taken down, the company said. Websense added in its blog post that Popular had been notified about the incident.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62054780,00.htm

OSS popularity spurs training demand

The shift among local organizations toward open source software (OSS) is driving more IT professionals to undergo additional training to equip themselves with the right skills. For example, Yuma Tejima, telecom manager for Asia at Genesys Conferencing, was keen on the Certificate of Performance in Enterprise Linux Administration (Copela) because his employer was preparing to move from SCO to the Red Hat Linux platform. Offered by Singapore Polytechnic (SP), Copela, the course is designed for IT system administrators who need to manage Linux servers and is based on the Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT).
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62054843,00.htm


HEALTH

Singapore confirms 18th case of H1N1

Singapore has confirmed one more case of Influenza A (H1N1-2009), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18, according to the country's Ministry of Health. The latest case is a 36-year-old Filipino female who works in Singapore. She returned to Singapore from Manila on June 8 at 1835 hours, onboard Philippine Airlines PR501, where she was seated at row 6.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090609-147379.html

HIV up among gays and bisexuals

The number of homosexuals and bisexuals here who tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) last year climbed to a new high. The increase comes as overall figures rose 7.8 percent, with activist groups and counsellors calling for more education across all genders and lifestyles.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090605-146448.html

New surgery technique: No scar, less pain

Undergoing operations in the past used to leave patients with zipper-like scars. Then minimally invasive surgery came along, during which surgeons made a few small incisions, through which various surgical instruments - including a tiny camera - were inserted. Now, doctors at National University Hospital (NUH) are offering a new surgical technique - one that leaves no scars at all and reduces pain.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090605-146451.html


Subscribe to LEWIS What’s happening in Singapore? via RSS at:
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Any queries on ‘LEWIS What’s happening?’, please contact:


Wai Yi Yik
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations

3 Pickering Street
#01-58/59 Nankin Row
Singapore 048660

Tel: +65 6534 7250
Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
Agency blog: www.lewis360.com

PRWEEK - International Consultancy of the Year finalist, 2006, 2007
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence finalists, 2006
Best Companies - Michelin-rated one star accreditation, 2006
The Holmes Report - Top Ten international consultancies, 2005

Technorati Tag:

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