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BUSINESS

SilkAir lowers capacity growth forecast to 5 percent – 7 percent

SilkAir has revised its forecast for capacity growth downwards after natural disasters affected travel demand in some parts of the Asian region. It is expecting capacity growth of between 5 and 7 per cent this year – down from its earlier forecast of between 8 and 10 per cent.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369613/1/.html

Singapore's tourism sector to stay resilient despite dip in arrivals

Tourism in Asia is feeling the heat from rising prices of oil and other goods, and the number of visitors has fallen in recent months. But the tourism industry in Singapore, which accounts for 3 to 4 percent of GDP, is expected to remain resilient, thanks to events such as the Formula One (F1) and the opening of the integrated resorts (IRs).
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369710/1/.html

StarHub launches Video-On-Demand service

StarHub has launched its own Video-On-Demand service, hot on the heels of an earlier version launched by SingTel in July. Dubbed Demand TV, the new service aims to offer a broad variety of programming to subscribers.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369703/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

APAC to spend US$523B on tech in 2008

Worldwide IT spending should top US$3.4 trillion in 2008, up 8 percent from 2007, with the Asia Pacific region accounting for US$523 billion, predicts research firm Gartner. IT spending in the Asia Pacific is projected to hit almost US$523 billion by end-2008, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3 percent between 2007 and 2012, compared to 4.5 percent in the United States and Western Europe.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044998,00.htm0

Asia's needs more open source contribution

Open source software adoption is high in Asia, but the level of contribution from the region's open source developer community leaves much to be desired, says a prominent figure in the open source industry. David Axmark, co-founder of the popular MySQL database, said during a media session here that usage of open source software continues to grow significantly across the region.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62045052,00.htm

Intel touts importance of devices that 'scream out'

Intel is working on future technology that is capable of understanding human behavior and pointing users to the appropriate course of action. Mobile devices of tomorrow will be smaller yet equipped with more powerful computing capabilities, and enjoy platform-wide power efficiency, Mary Smiley, Intel's director of emerging platforms, told the media on "Day Zero" of the Intel Developer Forum.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62045044,00.htm


HEALTH

Low level arsenic exposure in water linked to diabetes

Even low-level exposure to arsenic in drinking water appears to be associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes, researchers said in a study published. Millions of people across the world consume drinking water containing arsenic from inorganic sources, said the researchers.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/271896.asp

Some fruit juices can harm drug absorption

Grapefruit, orange and apple juices can harm the body's ability to absorb certain medications and make the drugs less effective, said a study released. The research showed that these juices can decrease the effectiveness of certain drugs used to treat heart disease, cancer, organ-transplant rejection and infection, potentially wiping out their beneficial effects.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/271885.asp

Medicine tailored to your genome, not your race

Personalised, genome-based health care could help prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths caused each year by adverse drug reactions, genetics pioneer Craig Venter said. “A new era of affordable gene sequencing will also render obsolete the practice of testing drugs on various ethnic groups,” he said.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/271875.asp


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BUSINESS

Tri-M Technologies buys Kingworld Resources for S$203m

Electronics manufacturing services provider, Tri-M Technologies, is acquiring Kingworld Resources for S$203 million to develop and produce crude oil in China. The deal will be funded by S$23 million in cash and the rest in shares. Tri-M could issue new shares, debt or undertake bank borrowings.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369302/1/.html

Apex-Pal International aims to cut costs amidst losses

Soaring food prices have put a dent on Apex-Pal International's plans to expand in the United States. The Singapore company behind the Sakae Sushi brand has been forced to consolidate to cope with rising costs due partly to the global surge in commodity prices.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369313/1/.html

Manufacturing companies may cut jobs

Singapore's manufacturing sector is facing inevitable job cuts amid the global downturn, according to Mr Renny Yeo, the new president of the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation (SMa). As such, the SMa is prepping its members for a tough ride ahead with help on cutting costs, saving energy and finding0new markets to help minimize retrenchments.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369193/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Asia investing in 'modern' mainframe

The mainframe is finding its way into emerging markets and is still holding strong not just globally, but also in Asia, says an IBM executive. Richard Pape, mainframe systems executive at IBM Asia Pacific, told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail interview that the company is witnessing a re-emergence of the mainframe. "We saw a range of all-new mainframe clients this year across the world, particularly in emerging markets [such as China and India]," he said.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044938,00.htm

Finding true innovation by surprise

Innovation can often come unexpectedly, so researchers should be given the freedom and opportunity to explore new ideas, says the head of Microsoft's research lab in Beijing. As managing director of Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), Hsiao-Wuen Hon leads a 10-year-old organization that is the software giant's flagship research arm in the region, responsible for some 350 researchers and engineers.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/insight/software/0,39044822,62044987,00.htm

Torvalds: No picnic to become major Linux coder

Linux project lead Linus Torvalds has said it is not easy to become a major contributor to the Linux kernel. In an e-mail interview with ZDNet Asia's sister site ZDNet UK, Torvalds said that, while it is relatively easy for coders and organizations to contribute small patches, the contribution of large patches, developed in isolation, could lead to both new and established contributors becoming frustrated.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62044997,00.htm


HEALTH

Coconut water therapy can work wonders

Coconut water is said to be extremely good against a host of other ailments. Natural science expert Dr Dhilip Kumar and Jagdev Singh, president of the Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association, both agreed that although coconut water could not cure diseases, it would help patients recover faster.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080818-82852.html

Organ trading model in next 1 to 3 years

Singapore may have an acceptable model of organ trading in the next one to three years. While it may not be an ideal solution to the shortage of donor organs here, it cannot be ignored either. That was how Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan characterised his dilemma in a closed-door dialogue held with 30 professionals.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080815-82524.html

Pacific Healthcare plans to develop cancer care centres in region

Mainboard-listed Pacific Healthcare Holdings is planning to provide comprehensive cancer care services in Asia. This will complement the multi-disciplinary healthcare services it is already providing in Singapore and the region.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/369446/1/.html


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BUSINESS

Weak consumer spending hits results of major retail houses

Singapore is not quite living up to its image of a shoppers' paradise, going by major retailers' recent results postings. CK Tang, Isetan, Courts and Metro Holdings have reported weaker performances on the back of weak consumer spending and higher costs.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Sales continue to sparkle for Singapore jewellers

Singapore’s jewellery industry, which is already grappling with stiff competition among various retailers, now has to contend with a slowing economy and rising costs as well. However, local jewellers seem optimistic that the stumbling blocks will do little to take the shine off business. According to some jewellers, the slowing economy has yet to hit sales.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Singapore wins bid to host RoboCup 2010

Singapore will play host to the 2010 RoboCup, a robotics soccer competition and the biggest robotics and artificial intelligence event in the world. After five months of gruelling planning, the bid by the Singapore team was recently accepted by the RoboCup Federation in Suzhou, China, the location of this year's RoboCup competition.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?


TECHNOLOGY

Singapore enterprise telephony market surges 39 percent

The Singapore enterprise telephony market, although relatively mature when compared with other markets in the Asean region, grew by as much as 38.5 percent last year, according to a new study by Frost & Sullivan. Sharing the details of the study with BizIT, Moaiyad Hoosenally, an industry principal at Frost, noted that Singapore's role as both a financial services hub and a popular business and tourism destination has resulted in a high penetration of IP (Internet Protocol) telephony within the enterprise telephony market.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Secure Computing shifts Asia-Pac HQ here

A growing list of local government customers, coupled with sizzling growth rates in other Asean markets, have prompted Secure Computing to relocate its Asia Pacific headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore. With the move, the company - which specialises in making enterprise security products - is set to expand its local employee base by nearly 30 percent to cope with new business functions such as regional marketing, technical support and logistics, that will be taken on here.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Diet control for data centres

As companies try to ensure that their data centres become always available, efficient and cost-efficient, increasing focus is being given to the infrastructure that supports these centres as well as the power distribution strategy, says an industry veteran. Power consumption over the life of a data centre remains the single biggest item of expenditure and hence efforts are on to minimise cost while improving efficiency.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Scientists develop potential "blockbuster" diabetes drug

Researchers said they had developed a drug which could potentially spell an end to a life-threatening condition caused by diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. Scientists said the drug had been shown in animal trials to prevent fibrosis, the build-up of irreversible scarring on internal organs.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/271532.asp

SGH offers free colorectal cancer test

To raise awareness on the importance of screening and early detection of colorectal cancer, Singapore General Hospital (SGH) will be distributing 1,200 faecal occult blood-test kits. Those who test positive will be offered a free colonoscopy.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080815-82444.html

More Singapore couples turn to IVF

According to Health Ministry figures, 717 babies were born through assisted reproductive treatment - IVF being the most common - in 2006, the most recent year for which figures are available. This is more than five times the 141 babies born in 1993, a decade after the first IVF birth here.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080815-82550.html


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BUSINESS

CAI reaches second round in bid to develop Russian airport

Changi Airports International (CAI) – a unit of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore – has reached the second round of the bidding process to develop and operate an airport in St Petersburg, Russia. The Singapore company and its Russian partner, Basic Element, were among the shortlisted bidders announced by the government of St Petersburg.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/367367/1/.html

Experts say growth opportunities available despite economic uncertainty

The US sub-prime crisis has caused a global slowdown in consumer demand, and this has made companies cautious about expansion. But industry experts said there are still opportunities for growth, despite the current challenging environment.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/367320/1/.html

Malaysia assures Singapore SMEs that politics will not affect business

Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said his country's political problems won't get in the way of business investments, and he urged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore to explore opportunities in Malaysia's manufacturing, electronics, pharmaceuticals and engineering sectors. The Iskandar Malaysia project in southern Johor state is one area that Malaysia has been trying to attract Singaporean investments.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/367310/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Sun adds benefits to Partner Growth Fund in APAC

Sun Microsystems has announced enhancements to the Sun Partner Advantage (SPA) Program's Partner Growth Fund (PGF) that will provide additional resources to stimulate growth for Sun's highly aligned partners in Asia Pacific (excluding China and India). The new PGF will include a Demand Generation programme, which will enable partners to reach out to new customers and drive volume business.
http://www.convergenceasia.com/tech/sys91.asp

HP acquires Colubris Networks

HP has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Colubris Networks, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based, privately-held global provider of intelligent wireless networks for enterprises and service providers. HP plans to integrate Colubris’ extensive product line into its ProCurve Networking product portfolio. This will expand HP ProCurve’s reach into vertical markets such as hospitality, transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, service provider and education.
http://www.convergenceasia.com/tech/comm121.asp

SingTel Group’s mobile customer base reached 198 million

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) has announced that the Group’s combined mobile customer base in the region has reached 197.71 million as at 30 June 2008. Compared to a year ago, the Group’s mobile customer base in the eight markets – Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – grew 45 percent from 136.35 million customers. On a quarterly basis, the increase was 6.7 percent.
http://www.convergenceasia.com/tech/comm120.asp


HEALTH

New heart disease drug with lesser side effects available in Singapore

A new drug that promises to lower the heartbeat rate of heart disease patients without much side effects is now available in Singapore. Angina, a classic symptom of coronary artery disease and sometimes a sign that a heart attack is near, is a condition that affects about 100,000 people in Singapore.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/367286/1/.html

Study points to new test for Alzheimer's

A method of medical imaging known as PET scans may allow doctors to develop a non-invasive test for Alzheimer's by spotting abnormal brain "plaques" associated with the disease, researchers report in a new study.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/270563.asp


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BUSINESS

SingTel's regional mobile customer base jumps 45 percent on-year

SingTel said its combined mobile subscriber base in the region jumped 45 percent on-year to nearly 198 million as at June. Southeast Asia's largest telco has eight regional markets, including Australia, India, the Philippines and Thailand.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/366786/1/.html

STX Shipbuilding awarded tender to build 2 vessels

STX Shipbuilding has been awarded a tender to build two cape bulker vessels for its STX Pan Ocean unit. STX Shipbuilding had submitted the lowest bidding price for the tender to build the two vessels at a price of around US$107 million per vessel.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/366828/1/.html

Singapore economic growth slows as US woes take toll

Singapore said that its economic growth slowed to an annual rate of 2.1 percent in the second quarter and forecast a decline in key exports, with experts saying the US slowdown had begun to hit Asia. The 2008 economic growth target had also been cut to four to five percent from four to six percent previously, the city-state's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/366819/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

A nation's road to 'digital abundance'

Singapore continues to set its sights on a high-tech future, and this year has been one marked by big-ticket infocomm technology purchases for the country. One of the latest buzzwords the government has used to describe this IT landscape is "digital abundance". Singapore's Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) has highlighted the pieces to make this "abundance" a reality--high-performance computing, unlimited bandwidth and on-demand services riding on this architecture.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62044699,00.htm

Brocade gears up for Fiber Channel over Ethernet

Storage networking vendor Brocade plans to release Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)-enabled switches by year-end, for customers to test the emerging technology that is not expected to become mainstream before 2011. Deb Dutta, Brocade's vice president for Asia Pacific and Japan, said at a media briefing that its customers will be able "to play with" the technology by the end of the year, even though FCoE is expected to become relevant only around 2010, with real storage infrastructure built in 2011 or 2012.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044720,00.htm

Gunning for iN2015: Locked and loaded

Two years into Singapore's 10-year masterplan for a high-tech nation, the country is already exceeding targets, according to an update from the government. Officially launched in 2006, Intelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015) is Singapore's master blueprint to connect the nation and inject its key economic sectors with information and communications technology (ICT) enhancements.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044702,00.htm


HEALTH

Number of breast cancer cases increasing rapidly in Singapore

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) said the incidence of breast cancer among Singapore women in their 50s is fast increasing, driven strongly by a low fertility rate. But the good news is, survival rates are also on the rise.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/366978/1/.html

Lack of vitamin D linked to higher death risk

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to 26 percent greater risk of death in men and women, according to a study published that appears to confirm the importance of this essential nutrient.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/270312.asp

Running slows aging process

Running can slow the aging process, according to a study conducted over two decades by researchers and published recently. The study found that people over 50 who ran regularly over several years suffered fewer disabilities, had a longer span of active life and reduced their risk of dying early by 50 percent compared to those who were inactive.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/270248.asp


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BUSINESS

Small firms warn of weaker results

Several small companies in Singapore have sounded warning bells over their upcoming financial results as the impacts of rising raw material costs, the falling US dollar and the slowing American economy hit home. At least 20 small companies have in the past three months issued profit warnings for the financial period ended June 30, 2008.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

SIA lets offer for stake in China Eastern expire

Singapore Airlines has closed the chapter on acquiring a possible stake in China Eastern Airlines. In a statement issued, the Singapore carrier noted that the agreement signed by itself and Temasek Holdings to purchase a strategic stake of 24 percent in the Shanghai-based carrier expired on Aug 9.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Temasek comes full circle with BII stake

Temasek Holdings' trouble-plagued bid to sell a stake in Indonesia's PT Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) to Malaysia's Maybank holds a significance beyond the deal itself. More than just a transaction gone awry, it also reflects the changing realities facing the Singapore investment company.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?


TECHNOLOGY

High-end gadget sales sizzle in H1

The economic storm clouds gathering in other parts of the world have not dampened Singaporeans' appetite for buying tech gizmos, with sales of big-ticket gadgets climbing to new heights in the first six months of this year. According to the latest reports from research firm GfK Asia, mid-year retail sales of most high-end IT and electronics goods showed a marked improvement from 2007. GfK's study covered PCs, monitors and printers, as well as audio-visual products like TVs and video cameras.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Software firm SAP posts 31 percent regional growth in Q2

German software major SAP's Asia Pacific-Japan (APJ) unit exceeded growth expectations in the second quarter of this year with total revenue up 31 percent to 399 million euros (S$844.3 million). SAP APJ's president and CEO, Geraldine McBride, told BizIT that the company exceeded revenue growth expectations in the region during the quarter and half year which ended on June 30.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

More hackers may take aim at Apple

Security specialists said that hackers are taking increasing aim at iPhones and Macintosh computers as the hot-selling Apple devices gain popularity worldwide. Hackers have historically focused devious efforts on computers using Windows operating systems because the Microsoft software has more than 90 percent of the global market, promising evil-doers a wealth of targets.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Scientists stop mice livers from ageing

Researchers have blocked the ageing process in mice livers by halting the accumulation of harmful proteins inside the organ's cells, according to a groundbreaking study released. This is the first time that age-related decline due to protein build-up has been arrested in an entire organ or in a live animal.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/270022.asp

Scientists create stem cells of 10 incurable diseases

Scientists have cultivated a new line of stem cells that reproduce the genetic defects responsible for 10 incurable diseases, a study said. The team managed to convert ordinary skin and bone tissue cells from patients with these diseases into stem cells which contain the same genetic fault, a move which could help step up research into finding an eventual cure.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/269775.asp


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BUSINESS

Businesses must continue to invest in human capital, say experts

It has been a year since the US sub-prime crisis broke and the fallout does not look like it is clearing up any time soon. The business climate has turned cautious, and many companies around the world are holding back expansion plans and hiring of staff.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/365325/1/.html

Outbound travel in Asia Pacific to maintain steady growth

Travellers from China and Malaysia are expected to lead tourist industry growth in the Asia Pacific region during the second half of 2008, a MasterCard survey showed. Outbound trips from Singapore, South Korea and Thailand are also expected to see double-digit growth as travel demand remains robust despite rising inflation and higher fuel prices.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/365318/1/.html

StarHub reports 4 percent fall in H1 profit to S$144m

StarHub has reported a 4 percent dip in first-half earnings to S$144 million. This was largely due to an increase in customer acquisition and retention costs amid keen competition in the market. But it saw strong numbers from its pay-TV business.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/365308/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

LEGO makes robotics engineering child's play

A new robotics programme has been developed to aid young children in learning how to think creatively. And it could be introduced to Singapore schools this year. Developed as a joint project by LEGO Education and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, LEGO Education WeDo aims to nurture creativity in primary school and kindergarten pupils. The product was demonstrated live for the first time in Asia at the Inaugural International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology (iCTLT).
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

MOE unveils 3rd Masterplan for ICT

By 2014, pervasive and innovative infocomm technology (ICT) practices will transform teaching and learning in Singapore schools. This is the big picture promised by the Ministry of Education's (MOE) Third Masterplan for ICT in Education, unveiled by Minister for Education Ng Eng Hen. At the International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology, Dr Ng said: 'Masterplan Three represents a continuum of the vision of Masterplans One and Two - to transform the learning environment for our students.'
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

CA completes Singapore restructuring

CA has more than halved its workforce after the dust clouds settle on a massive restructuring of its Singapore office. The firm's local reorganisation, which took nearly six months to complete, is sparked by a decision to move to a fully indirect model for selling its products here. It has left CA's Singapore subsidiary with a current team of 35 workers covering areas such as technical support, administrative and legal functions, according to Nick Ellis, CA's vice-president of regional channel sales for Asia Pacific and Japan.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

17 more workers in Kranji Way struck with chikungunya

The biggest outbreak so far, the latest cluster at Kranji Way brings the number of people infected in the area to 20. Previously, the largest chikungunya outbreak here was also Singapore's first outbreak, when 13 people living or working in Little India came down with the dengue-like disease in January this year.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080806-81005.html

Big bucks in aesthetic quick fix

The business of express aesthetic makeovers is booming more than ever. Seven aesthetic doctors and plastic surgeons my paper spoke to reported growth figures of between 20 and 50 percent in the past year for express aesthetic treatments. These are fast and convenient procedures that can be done under an hour.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080806-80838.html

Drop in number of suicide cases, but...

Lower rates of unemployment and a booming economy could well be reasons for a drop in suicide cases here. The total number of suicides dropped from 419 in 2006 to 374 last year - Singapore's first decrease in four years. But what remains disturbing is the rising number of suicides for one group: the elderly
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080805-80631.html


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BUSINESS

Broadband prices expected to remain steady despite M1 joining the fray

Consumers in Singapore hoping for a sharp decline in subscription rates for fixed broadband service may be disappointed. Even though MobileOne (M1) is joining the fray, industry players say they expect prices to hold steady. However, they say broadband service providers may have to offer more premiums to keep their customers onboard.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/365098/1/.html

Economic slowdown hits Asia's leasing markets

Rising inflation, shrinking exports and flagging economic growth have dampened business confidence across Asia and slowed prime office rent growth. CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) said in its second quarter office market report for the Asia Pacific region, that top financial and professional services firms have begun to slow their expansion in the region.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/365092/1/.html

Firms should include accountants in decision-making processes

How well companies are managed is often reflected in their financial statements, and to ensure that bottomlines remain strong, company boards have begun to turn to accountants for their financial expertise and discipline in managing organisations.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/365097/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Semiconductor sales defy energy price rises

Healthy PC and handset sales led to 5.4 percent year-on-year growth in worldwide semiconductor sales in the first half of this year, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Sales in the first half of this year amounted to US$127.5 billion, up from US$121 billion in the same half of 2007. According to a statement from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), the growth indicates there has been "little impact" from increasing energy costs on demand for electronic products.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044581,00.htm

Intel reveals Larrabee's cores and effects

Intel has revealed further details of its Larrabee many-core processor family, saying that the first product will be configured as a graphics processor. In a paper to be published at the Siggraph conference, the company reveals that the chip will use x86 cores based on an existing Pentium, but with in-order processing instead of the complex out-of-order designs of later chips.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044578,00.htm

Cisco invests in the future

There is no doubt the battered economy is affecting technology bellwether Cisco Systems, but the company is looking to the future with plans for big investments across its portfolio in "adjacent markets". Cisco recently reported that earnings for its fourth fiscal quarter 2008 were up 4.4 percent to US$2.0 billion on revenue that climbed 9.9 percent to US$10.36 billion. The results were in line with analyst expectations, but were a far cry from the company's results during some of its best quarters when the economy was strong and healthy.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62044582,00.htm


HEALTH

HIV: High infection tally sparks search for new strategies

With new infections of HIV running at an average of 7,500 a day, the mission to brake the spread of the lethal virus is exploring new, even controversial paths, the world AIDS conference has heard.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/269022.asp

British researchers develop new drug - with maggots

Researchers have developed a new antibiotic using maggots which can be used to treat bugs including some strains of the drug-resistant bacteria MRSA, they announced. The research team has created Seraticin, a drug made from the secretions of green bottle fly larvae.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/269021.asp


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Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

M1 enters fixed broadband market

Mobile phone operator MobileOne (M1) is venturing into the fixed broadband market in a move industry watchers say is inevitable amid growing competition in Singapore. M1 will be the third fixed broadband provider, the other two being SingTel and StarHub.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364872/1/.html

Temasek Holdings may join bid for Hong Kong's PCCW, says report

Singapore investment firm Temasek Holdings is planning to join a bid for the core telecom assets of Hong Kong's PCCW, a report said. According to the South China Morning Post, Temasek may join South Korean equity firm MBK Partners for the tender.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364797/1/.html

Singapore's PMI up for second straight month in July

Singapore's manufacturing economy expanded in July for a second straight month. The Purchasing Managers' Index showed a reading of 51.6, which was one point higher than in the previous month. A reading over 50 indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364860/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Singapore banks rush to heed e-commerce call

With more Singaporeans shopping on U.S. Web sites, banks are scrambling to partner logistics providers to take care of an existing hole in service--many sites do not ship to Singapore. These banks are offering a packaged service where shoppers can pay by credit card and have the item processed by the banks' delivery service provider partners, regardless of whether the sites offer international delivery.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62044449,00.htm

Demand for virtualization experts grows

While recruiters have yet to see a significant spike in demand, the need for technology professionals with virtualization skills is growing in Asia. Jessie Chan, account manager at IT recruitment specialist Sapphire Technologies Singapore, noted that large companies across the region are starting to see the benefits of virtualization as the technology has now matured and stabilized.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044513,00.htm

Streetdirectory.com gets new owner

Asia Pacific online recruitment network owner, JobsDB, has acquired local mapping portal Streetdirectory.com to offer job applicants data that is tied to their location. Samuel Sung, chairman of JobsDB, told ZDNet Asia that the acquisition has enabled the company to integrate location-based information useful for job hunters. Companies with recruitment advertisements can also use the site to provide potential candidates with location details, he added.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044448,00.htm


HEALTH

Vitamin C injections slow cancer in mice: study

High doses of vitamin C injections reduced the size of tumors and slowed cancerous growths by about 50 percent in laboratory mice, according to research. Researchers noted the phenomenon in brain, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, according to findings published recently.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/268900.asp

Back to basics in search for HIV vaccine, conference told

Leaders in the quest for a vaccine against HIV acknowledged that their mission was dogged by many problems and cautioned that any breakthrough lay years in the future. In a workshop at the International AIDS Conference, they said the AIDS pandemic would only be defeated by a preventative vaccine, rather than treating people who are already infected.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/268893.asp


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Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

Pharma sector needs new business model

A recent study of the pharmaceutical sector by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) paints a daunting future for the industry: with the patents on many medicines launched in the 1990s expiring over the next few years, companies face not only soaring operating costs but also thinning product pipelines.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

55 percent of companies posting H1 results show profit gain

To date, 85 SGX-listed companies have released financial results for the six months ended June 30, recording a combined $9.11 billion in profits. Of the companies that reported profits for the period, 29 or about 36 percent saw profits shrink.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Directors pull back on buying amid market uncertainty

The market failed to build momentum from the previous week's 2.6 percent rise, with the Straits Times Index shedding 16.8 points to close at 2,906 points on Friday. Overall, the market is still down by nearly 9 per cent since June.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?


TECHNOLOGY

Singapore online content market to hit US$24m

The online content services market in Singapore is expected to see a robust 77 percent growth this year to reach US$23.82 million, and hit US$120 million by 2013, according to the latest numbers released by Frost and Sullivan. Kamlesh Kalwar, an industry analyst with Frost, said that the online content market here, which is dominated by online gaming, was worth US$13.4 million last year.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Mobile TV pilot takes off in Singapore

Singtel, StarHub, MobileOne (M1) and MediaCorp rolled out their first joint mobile TV trial, but they remain coy on its commercial launch plans. The three-month mobile TV trial is different from the current crop of 3G-based mobile TV services offered by SingTel and StarHub. The trial uses a mobile broadcast TV format called Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H), which circumvents the scalability and bandwidth constraints of 3G while offering better video quality.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

IBM invests US$400m in more cloud computing centres

IBM will spend about US$400 million on computing centres in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Tokyo that deliver programs to customers over the Internet. “IBM now has eight 'cloud' computing centres globally and plans to open five more this year,” Willy Chiu, IBM's cloud computing strategist, said in a phone interview. With cloud computing, third-party networks deliver services such as e-mail and business applications from remote servers, offering customers flexibility and saving them the cost of maintaining their own systems.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Australian doctors warn against 'designer vagina' craze

Australian doctors have raised concerns about clinics offering vaginal cosmetic surgery, warning the trend towards so-called 'designer vaginas' may be exploiting vulnerable women. Procedures offered include vaginal rejuvenation, revirgination, designer vaginoplasty and G-spot amplification.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080801-80120.html

A cure for depression?

An annual meeting of psychiatrists found that electrical currents sent by electrodes implanted in the brain and controlled by a pacemaker in the chest led to at least a 40 percent decrease in depressive symptoms in 56 percent of patients six months after the operation.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080801-80027.html


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Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

NRF invests S$60m into venture funds to boost IT start-ups

Six venture funds have become the first to receive funding under the Early Stage Venture Funding scheme. They were awarded S$10 million each from the National Research Foundation (NRF). The scheme was launched earlier in the year, with the aim of helping start-ups within the IT sector.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364093/1/.html

EDB says Singapore can be more than an investment destination

Singapore will focus not just on being a good investment destination, but also a good business partner, said the incoming managing director of the Economic Development Board (EDB). Dr Beh Swan Gin takes up his new position on August 1, replacing Ko Kheng Hwa who has left to join the private sector.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364092/1/.html

Accountants say sub-prime crisis not a result of fair value accounting

As banks around the world continue to declare more losses from mortgage-backed securities, many in the industry are pointing the finger at international accounting standards. They said the increased use of fair value accounting has made corporate profits become more volatile.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364074/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Singapore SOE contenders await tender results

Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) is still evaluating bids for the pre-qualification tender phase of the Standard ICT Operating Environment (SOE) for schools and educational institutions. The results were originally slated to be revealed this month. The MOE said in May it received four bids, at the close of a pre-qualification tender to shortlist potential service providers.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044407,00.htm

Third-generation Classmate PC on its way

Intel is working on the next version of its low-cost laptop, which could be ready in the next month or so, according to a report in PC World. Intel would only say it will have a "new look and feel", and will get both hardware and software upgrades. There is a clue as to what tweaks the software might be getting. Last month, Sugar Labs, a spin-off of rival low-cost laptop maker One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), said it would develop a version of its Sugar interface for the Classmate PC.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044426,00.htm

Motorola surprises Wall Street with profit

Motorola surprised Wall Street by reporting a small profit and steady market share in its beleaguered handset business for the second quarter of 2008. The key to Motorola's success for the quarter was cost-cutting and strong performance from businesses other than its handset division. As a result, the company was able to squeak out a US$4 million profit, or less than 1 cent a share, which helped turn the tide on a year-long trend of losses. Motorola had actually forecast that it would lose about 2 cents a share.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62044423,00.htm


HEALTH

Avoid swimming at Pasir Ris beach for a year as water is unclean: NEA

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has advised the public not to swim at Pasir Ris beach for a year as the water is not clean. The water there carries a high level of Enterococcus - a bacteria found in faeces. NEA has put up signposts to warn beach-goers to avoid swimming in the area.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080730-79725.html

Dialysis on the go

A jacket keeps one warm but for patients with end-stage renal failure on dialysis, it's the Awak jacket they will want. Awak is a new portable dialysis technology which imitates the function of natural kidneys. The device works continuously and is 'bloodless', which means that blood does not have to be pumped out of the body to be cleansed.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/363882/1/.html


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BUSINESS

Singapore's unemployment rate rises to 2.3 percent in Q2

Singapore's unemployment rate rose to 2.3 percent in the second quarter after seasonal adjustments amid economic uncertainties, according to estimates from the Ministry of Manpower. For the second consecutive quarter, the overall jobless rate climbed from a seasonally adjusted 1.7 percent in December to 2.0 percent in March and further to 2.3 percent in June.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/364006/1/.html

Temasek, Kookmin review options as Maybank's BII deal fails

Maybank, Temasek Holdings and Kookmin Bank are going back to the drawing board after Malaysia's central bank revoked its go-ahead for Maybank to buy into Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII). Reports are now saying that Maybank may lose a deposit of about US$150 million if the deal is not completed by September.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363605/1/.html

MDA launches iMATCH to bridge funding gap for IDM startups

Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA) has launched a programme called iMATCH to help interactive digital media (IDM) startups raise capital. iMATCH is designed to seek out the best of local IDM companies and to introduce them to local venture capitalists and other equity investors.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363860/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Contact centres in region offer greater human touch

Singapore and Asia Pacific-based contact centres provide higher human agent interaction to their customers than the global average, and they also score higher on customer satisfaction than the rest of the world. This is one of the findings of this year's Datacraft/Dimension Data Global Contact Centre Benchmarking Report, which includes survey responses from 300 contact centres in 36 countries across five continents.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

IDA joins forces with tech firms and institutions for research

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has joined hands with three tech giants and three other prominent institutions to set up a research initiative to study one of today's hottest technologies: cloud computing. The deal, which was announced yesterday, will see IDA work with Hewlett-Packard (HP), Intel, Yahoo, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany and the US government agency National Science Foundation.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Reuters loses right to use crucial IM software

Thomson Reuters Corp must remove a crucial layer of software from its instant messaging service on Friday under a federal court order that threatens to disrupt communications within dozens of stock brokerages and banks. The decision issued by US District Judge Colleen McMahon penalised Thomson Reuters for being two weeks late with its final licensing payment to Silicon Valley software maker FaceTime Communications Inc.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Pick your own illness

It has long been reported that people with so called Type A personalities - hostile, highly competitive and impatient - are more prone to heart problems. But now researchers are increasingly finding that a wider range of personalities and traits are linked to a host of medical problems, from stomach ulcers and viral infections to Parkinson's disease.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Wellness2B25402BWork/Story/A1Story20080730-79602.html

New drug to stop progression of Alzheimer's disease

A drug that can stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease may be made available in Singapore in about four years' time. Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative disease that damages brain cells, causes forgetfulness and in severe cases, hallucinations and behavioural changes.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/363882/1/.html


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BUSINESS

US-based BigFix entering Asian market

The US-based security and system management company, BigFix, is entering the Asian market. It is partnering NCS Singapore, Techlab Malaysia and PT Harrisma Indonesia to develop and deliver BigFix-based solutions throughout Southeast Asia.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363606/1/.html

Singapore's telcos show resilience despite rising competition

Singapore's three big telco players MobileOne (M1), StarHub, and SingTel are showing some resilience despite increasing competition. Although some analysts said there will be pressure on the margins, others argued that there will be demand to sustain growth.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363605/1/.html

SingPost achieves 2.9 percent rise in net profit for Q1

Singapore Post has achieved net profit of S$39.5 million for the first quarter ended June 30, an increase of 2.9 percent on year. Revenue rose by 4.6 percent to S$120.9 million. Mail business recorded a 2.4 percent growth in revenue to S$93.6 million on higher mail traffic, while logistics revenue increased 11.8 percent to S$18.0 million as a result of growth in Speedpost traffic, vPOST shopping and shipping transactions, warehousing, fulfilment and distribution services.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363611/1/.html

TECHNOLOGY

OpenNet to win Singapore broadband tender?

Reports have surfaced online stating that the OpenNet consortium has won its bid to operate Singapore's next-generation National Broadband Network (NBN), but other players involved say a decision has not been made by the authorities. According to a Commsday report, legal industry Web site, Asia Legal Business, earlier reported that OpenNet - led by Axia NetMedia - had secured its bid to be the appointed "Network Company" (NetCo) for Singapore's planned next-generation NBN.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62044282,00.htm

Financial techies bank on jobs in Asia

As banks in the West downsize, a tide of IT talent is steadily making its way into Asia's financial centers in search of new jobs, say recruitment experts. According to a recent newsletter from recruitment agency Hudson, more qualified IT candidates who specialize in the financial services industry are moving from New York and London to Asian markets, than in the previous three years.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044285,00.htm

Winning with the right chips

A push by Intel in graphics, and likewise for AMD in low-cost notebooks, may win market shares for the respective vendors in the second half of 2008, according to research analyst Gartner. Christian Heidarson, principal research analyst for semiconductors at Gartner, said that low-cost mobile PCs are currently a dominant growth market globally, and an opportunity in which AMD is well-positioned to benefit from with the release of its Puma platform.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044286,00.htm


HEALTH

Soy-based foods linked to low sperm count

Eating half a serving a day of soy-based foods could be enough to significantly lower a man's sperm count, researchers said. Their study is the largest to look at the relationship between human semen quality and a plant form of the female sex hormone oestrogen known as phytoestrogen, which is plentiful in soy-rich foods.
http://www.straitstimes.com/

Internet use linked to girls' weight gain

Girls and young women who use the Internet a lot, get too little sleep or drink alcohol regularly, are more likely to put on excess weight, said a new study. The researchers, who tracked more than 5,000 girls between 14 and 21 years old for one year, found that the more spare time girls spent on the Internet, the more their body mass index (BMI) increased.
http://www.straitstimes.com/

Botox used to treat rare neck disorder

Cervical dystonia is a rare disease affecting the neck muscles, resulting in it twisting sideways or the head slumping downwards. It may be incurable unless treatment is effective in getting the patient back to his normal posture. Now, a company is looking for people here with the condition for its clinical trial using the botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox.
http://www.straitstimes.com/


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BUSINESS

Temasek Holdings confirms S$1.2b investment in Merrill Lynch

Temasek Holdings has pumped in an additional US$900 million (S$1.2 billion) in Merrill Lynch as part of the United States broker's latest capital-raising effort. Temasek Holdings said it has committed US$3.4 billion in the public offering by Merrill Lynch in a statement.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363469/1/.html

Singapore stocks down after heavy losses on Wall Street

Singapore stocks fell on Tuesday after Wall Street took an overnight hammering by renewed finance jitters. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) declined 47.10 points to 2,863.26 at 9.11am, dropping 1.4 per cent from Monday’s close at 2,910.36 points.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363465/1/.html

Raffles Medical Group's Q2 net profit down 51 percent

Raffles Medical Group has reported a 51 percent drop in second-quarter net profit. Net income for the three months ended June 30 came in at S$7.7 million, compared with S$15.8 million a year ago.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/363300/1/.html

TECHNOLOGY

Asia among world's highest broadband penetration

South Korea and Hong Kong are two of the top three markets in the world with the highest household broadband penetration. Korea topped the Gartner study with 93 percent penetration in 2007, with this figure expected to hit 97 percent in 2012. Next on the list are the Netherlands and Hong Kong, trailing Korea with rates of 74 and 76 percent, respectively last year.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62044184,00.htm

Malware chooses blogs over e-mail

More malware is hopping onto the Web 2.0 boat as the choice transportation, overtaking e-mail. According to IT security company Sophos, the number one malware Web host is Blogspot.com, a site which provides a template and hosting space for users to create their own blogs for free.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62044240,00.htm

Oracle amends SAP TomorrowNow suit

Oracle upped the ante in its lawsuit against rival SAP, claiming in an amended complaint that SAP's CEO and other top executives were aware of alleged illegal downloading of proprietary software and documents before, during, and after its acquisition of third-party support and maintenance company TomorrowNow.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62044264,00.htm


HEALTH

Ritalin may help elderly avoid falls

The medication Ritalin (methylphenidate), often prescribed to treat hyperactive children, may also be used to prevent elderly people from falling, according to a study. After only one dose of Ritalin, seniors walked with a steadier gait and performed better on a standard screening test for fall risk," according to findings.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/267626.asp


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BUSINESS

Wikipedia founder wins global brand award

Wikipedia is probably familiar to Internet users around the world. In many ways, this online encyclopedia has become the icon of free and open knowledge. For that reason, its founder, Jimmy Wales, won the Global Brand Icon of the Year award from the Global Brands Forum (GBF) 2008.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Good set of results by firms for Q2, H1

The earnings scorecard for the first batch of companies which reported their half-year and second-quarter results this month shows a generally good set of numbers. For the second quarter which ended in June, out of the 25 companies, 22 reported quarterly results. Out of these, only two reported losses.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?

Keppel subsidiary wins $181m shipbuilding order

Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd has secured a $181 million contract to build a multi- purpose heavylift/pipelay vessel for Romanian drilling contractor, Grup Servicii Petroliere SA. Keppel Singmarine is a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html?


TECHNOLOGY

NetApp to open innovation centre here

Storage and data management solutions provider NetApp will open its first regional innovation centre in Singapore. Speaking to BizIT, Suresh Nair, NetApp's Asean MD, said that this centre is part of a larger strategic growth plan first rolled out in December last year. “This innovation centre is estimated to be worth US$1.5 million and with its launch we will have our technical lead to oversee the management and operations of the centre to ensure that the business objectives are met,” he noted.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

3Com eyes $2m sales from IDA's SME drive

US network equipment vendor 3Com Corp says that its new equipment deal under the SME Infocomm Package (SIP) could be a $2 million revenue stream. The SIP was launched by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) on June 17 as part of the government's Infocomm@SME initiative. This scheme provides small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore with a one-stop shop for infocomm solutions.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Survey gives high marks to Singapore CIOs

According to a new study, Singapore-based CIOs (Chief Information Officers) have a remarkably high degree of confidence in their ability to handle technology-related dimensions of their function. The study, done by business school Insead and IBM, shows that 94 percent of CIOs in the Asean region think their importance in their company has gone up. The 2008 Asean CIO Leadership Study was conducted with more than 165 CIOs from local and multinational companies in six Asean countries between January and May this year.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Link between asthma and birth defects

Asthma flare-ups early in pregnancy may raise the risk of birth defects, a new study has suggested. In a study of 3,477 asthmatic women who gave birth at least once between 1990 and 2000, researchers found that those who had symptom flare-ups in the first trimester were 48 per cent more likely to have a baby with a congenital malformation.
http://www.asiaone.com/Health/Women2527s2BMatters/Story/A1Story20080725-78743.html

Now women can give birth with less pain

The KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) has found a way to further lessen the pain of childbirth. It has developed a new way of releasing anaesthetic through the spine to numb the lower body - called an epidural - in amounts and at intervals controlled by the woman in labour.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Women2527s2BMatters/Story/A1Story20080726-78918.html


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Fax: +65 6534 7251
Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

Survey shows nearly one in four companies in Singapore hit by fraud

Despite calls for greater corporate governance, nearly a quarter of the top 1,000 companies in Singapore - including publicly-listed ones - have been hit by financial fraud. This is the finding of a survey by accounting giant KPMG, which also found that fraud was more likely to occur internally.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362449/1/.html

Assets under management by Singapore-based fund managers up 32 percent

Assets under management by Singapore-based fund managers reached S$1.2 trillion (US$814 billion) at the end of 2007, up 32 per cent from a year ago. It was also the seventh consecutive year of double-digit growth recorded by asset managers based in Singapore.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362532/1/.html

SIA Engineering's Q1 net profit falls 17 percent to S$58.7m

SIA Engineering saw its first quarter profit dropping nearly 17 percent on year to S$58.7 million, due to lower revenues from its airframe and component overhaul business. Overall, revenues for the group fell 7.4 percent to S$250 million.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362511/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Asia powers home with fiber deployment

Asian countries continue to surpass Europe and North America in the adoption of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, according to a new global ranking study by the FTTH Councils of Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, now occupy the top four positions in the FTTH Council Global Ranking, with Asia accounting for more than 27 million of the world's estimated 32 million FTTH connections.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,62044133,00.htm

Computer fraud, damages triple for Singapore companies

Computer-related fraud is on the rise for businesses in Singapore, a new study has found. The KPMG Singapore Fraud Survey Report 2008 revealed that fraud involving the use of IT plagued 59 percent of companies last year, compared to 19 percent in 2004, when the survey was last conducted. Bob Yap, KPMG's head of forensic in Singapore, noted in a company statement that the effectiveness of controls implemented appeared to be "falling behind" the rapid usage growth of complex IT systems.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62044143,00.htm

Singapore wants 'digital abundance' to be reality

The country envisions a future of unlimited bandwidth and "supercomputing-on-demand", and companies are hoping to tap into this "digital abundance" to ramp up their services, according to Singapore's industry regulator. Speaking at a seminar, Ronnie Tay, CEO of Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), urged delegates to look to future technology and find ways to support the realization of the country's "digital abundance".
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62044142,00.htm


HEALTH

Staying alive: Drug cocktail boosts HIV survival by 13 years

Anti-HIV drugs have slashed death rates among people with the AIDS virus by nearly 40 percent since combination therapy was introduced in 1996, boosting their life expectancy by some 13 years, a study says.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/267019.asp

Soy may not bring men joy

Eating a half serving a day of soy-based foods could be enough to significantly lower a man's sperm count, researchers said. The study is the largest in humans to look at the relationship between semen quality and a plant form of the female sex hormone estrogen known as phytoestrogen, which is plentiful in soy-rich foods.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080724-78485.html

Inhaled sugar helps clear lungs in cystic fibrosis

Inhalation of a sugar called mannitol improves lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis, a serious genetic disorder characterized by abnormally thick mucus secretions in the lungs and other organs, according to a report by researchers.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080723-78340.html


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Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

SingTel's mio TV gets boost from tie-up with 3 major studios

SingTel is tying up with three major Hollywood studios to offer more than 50 top US television series on mio TV, its pay-television service. Under the agreement with Disney-ABC International Television, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros International Television Distribution, among the offerings, SingTel will bring in the latest American TV series within 24 hours of their telecast in the US.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362313/1/.html

Shipping sector sees push towards alternative energy

The shipping sector is seeing a push toward biofuels and other alternative sources of energy. This is in line with further regulations to reduce carbon emissions across the globe. More regulations are expected to come onboard in post Kyoto-2012 discussions to combat and control carbon emissions. Some fear that this will lead to higher costs and new levies.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362277/1/.html

Stratech wins S$2.3m contract to manage websites for MDA

Stratech Systems has won a S$2.3 million contract from the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA). Under the deal, Stratech will revamp and provide an integrated platform to manage the various websites for MDA.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362278/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Numonyx sets up distribution hub here

Numonyx announced that it has made Singapore its global finished goods distribution hub. It has signed a deal with logistics giant DHL International GmbH to use the latter's 18,000 square feet facilities at Bedok North to conduct all of its inbound and outbound goods distribution tasks. 'The new centre of logistics excellence will provide Numonyx significant supply chain efficiencies that will enhance our business competitiveness,' said Mathieu Clerkx, Numonyx senior VP and general manager for global infrastructure.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Singapore client PC market up 24 percent in Q2

Singapore’s client PC market grew 24 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2008, preliminary results from research agency IDC show. According to Reuben Tan, IDC'S Asia Pacific senior manager for personal systems research, the growth was very close to forecasts and represents 'good growth' for the market. 'Government spending started to ramp up (during the quarter) through the long-awaited SOE, while several telco affinity deals, as well as polytechnic student purchasing programmes, continued into the quarter,' Mr Tan said.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?

Local IT service providers ride on smart building wave

The current real estate boom in the Gulf States and the Asia Pacific has fuelled a bullish intelligent building market, and two of Singapore's biggest IT service providers - NCS and ST Electronics - are reaping the rewards. Lim Eng, chief executive of NCS Group, said the company has secured substantial intelligent building contracts in the Middle East and China. And he is bullish about continued demand for intelligent buildings, noting a keen correlation between the growth of this sector with the real estate industry growth.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/bizit/0,4536,,00.html?


HEALTH

Liposuction costs may rise when removing more than one litre of fat

Patients may have to pay more for liposuction if they plan to remove more than one litre of fat. Under new Health Ministry regulations, to take effect in November, surgery must be done at a hospital operating theatre if more than one litre of fat is to be removed.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/362279/1/.html


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Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

Asiatic Group invests US$6.3m for 51 percent stake in Vietnam JV

Asiatic Group is investing US$6.3 million for a 51 percent stake in a joint venture in Vietnam. It will launch its single largest power supply project in Vietnam, together with its partners Bao Long Construction, Trading Joint Stock Company and Bao Linh Joint Stock Company.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362043/1/.html

NOL confirms interest in German shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd

Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) has submitted a non-binding bid to acquire German container shipping firm, Hapag-Lloyd, ending months of speculation. NOL did not give any financial details of its bid, but said the offer was in its early stages. It has urged shareholders to act with caution.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/361995/1/.html

Singapore, New Zealand sign agreement to facilitate trade flows

A Statement of Intent has been signed between Singapore Customs and New Zealand Customs Service to further facilitate trade flows. Total trade between the two sides amounted to S$3 billion last year. The mutual recognition agreement will see closer cooperation to enhance security of the supply chain.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/362067/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Asia's hosted services to reach US$15.5B

Asian organizations will spend some US$15.5 billion on hosted and managed services by the end of 2008, with more opting for a multi-vendor approach when carving out contracts, notes research house IDC. Adrian Ho, IDC's Asia Pacific research manager of managed services and WLAN research, said market growth will be largely driven by demand for managed converged communication services. This segment, he said, is projected to see the highest growth rate at 25 percent to reach US$1.4 billion by year-end.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62044021,00.htm

A clean approach to BI

Companies that view business intelligence (BI) as a back office function are trailing behind their competitors that make this function a part of their everyday business practice. Tan Bee Kee, practice principal, information management, HP services, consulting and integration, HP Asia Pacific and Japan, said unlike the BI scene some years ago, business analytics is now seen by many companies as a critical element of business strategy.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62044025,00.htm

Hard drive industry shows resilience

Despite industry leader Seagate's poor showing earlier this year, analysts say there is still plenty of demand for hard disk drives. In the first quarter of 2008, HDD vendors shipped 137 million drives, which is 21 percent higher than the same quarter the year before, according to iSuppli, a market research company which keeps track of the industry. Those drives are primarily being snapped inside notebook PCs, other portable devices, desktops, and external drives.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62044071,00.htm


HEALTH

Livers from older donors work well in transplants

Liver transplant patients who receive an organ from a donor age 60 or older do just as well as patients getting a liver from a younger donor, researchers said. They said they hoped this finding would help convince transplant centres to be more willing to use livers from older donors.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080722-78179.html

Special fabric for pain relief

A common cause of shoulder pain is soreness of the tendon of the rotator cuff The rotator cuff, which keeps the shoulder steady as the arm moves, is made up of four muscles that surround the arm bone. This cuff keeps the shoulder steady as the arm moves.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080722-78139.html

Irresponsible parents to blame for return of HFMD

It seems that HFMD has made a quiet return, according to friends who have pre-schoolers as well as a quick check of postings on online forums.What is more worrying is that parents seem to have forgotten about the seriousness of HFMD when it peaked just a couple of months ago.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080722-78044.html


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Web: www.lewispr.com
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BUSINESS

Singapore's international financial centre plans unaffected by UBS probe

Singapore's plans to be an international financial centre are not affected by tax evasion investigations into UBS, said Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. He was responding to a question on whether ongoing investigations in the US into allegations that the UBS private bank helped clients evade taxes had any implications for Singapore's aspirations.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/361801/1/.html

Jade sells precision engineering business for S$3.8m

Jade Technologies is selling off its loss making precision engineering business for S$3.8 million. The company said it will now focus on its budding coal mining venture in Indonesia and turn that into its new core business.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/361732/1/.html

iCapital expects recovery in markets over next 6-12 months

Global markets may not have hit bottom yet, but they are not too far off, according to investment group iCapital, at an investment outlook briefing. iCapital expects to see a relatively sharp recovery in the markets over the next six to 12 months.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/361747/1/.html


TECHNOLOGY

Healthy PC market in Asia continues

In spite of pressures from the global economy, the PC market in the Asia Pacific region (excluding Japan) is healthy and growing, says IDC. In its latest statement, the analyst firm said the region's PC market grew 8 percent from the last quarter and 15 percent year-on-year (YOY) to hit nearly 19 million units in the second quarter of 2008. IDC added this showing, however, fell 4 percent short of its previous forecasts, because of softer performances from countries such as India, Korea and Taiwan.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,39042972,62043977,00.htm

Asia is going green, like it or not

Businesses in Asia are not as constrained by legislation to keep an eye on carbon emissions, but they are under pressure to go green, all the same. “it's a simple matter of economics,” according to ILOG's chief science officer. Speaking to ZDNet Asia, David Simchi-Levi said enterprises in the region are not as pressured as their counterparts in the United States or Europe to go green because there is a greater focus in the West on green initiatives, such as with legislative penalties on carbon emissions.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62043987,00.htm

Opera Mobile 9.5 beta released

Opera has released a beta version of its latest mobile browser, Opera Mobile 9.5. Available for Windows Mobile phones and some Series 60 handsets, the beta browser was released last week. The lower-end version of Opera's mobile browser is Opera Mini which, unlike Opera Mobile, is free. Opera Mobile 9.5 uses the same zoom technology as Opera Mini, but also allows the user to save pages and images. It also has a revamped user interface and is, according to Opera, "among the fastest browsers, if not the fastest".
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62044002,00.htm


HEALTH

Viagra helps depressed women

The erectile dysfunction drug Viagra has proven effective at combating sexual dysfunction in depressed women, according to a study published. Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect of antidepressants and a major reason why people stop taking medication for their depression.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/266321.asp


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Web: www.lewispr.com
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