http://business-times.asiaone.com/alltheheadlines/0,4985,,00.html? The Business Times Online Edition - Singapore en-us Copyright 2007 Business Times Online. 3 Jul 2009 SGT 3 Jul 2009 SGT 60 http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/static/image/images/topmastheadsmall.gif http://business-times.asiaone.com http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340294,00.html? (SEOUL) North and South Korean officials held talks yesterday to salvage a joint factory park in the communist state that has become a key source of foreign cash for Pyongyang, hit by UN sanctions for its nuclear test. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340286,00.html? (SEOUL) Frustrated by poor returns and high fees, South Korean retail investors are dumping equity funds and picking stocks on their own, raising the prospect of consolidation in the domestic asset management industry. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340305,00.html? (SINGAPORE) TIGER Airways Australia yesterday launched its Melbourne-Sydney service, with members of the Wests Tigers National Rugby League team hauling the 70-tonne aircraft out of the hangar at Melbourne Airport ahead of its 713 km inaugural flight to Sydney. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340267,00.html? (NEW DELHI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been confronted by a high-profile challenge less than two months into his second term - how to fix the ailing national airline, which has asked the government for a bailout. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340275,00.html? (BEIJING) Foreign direct investment in China faces 'unprecedented difficulties' after falling for eight months, the longest stretch of declines this decade, Vice-Commerce Minister Chen Jian said. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340276,00.html? (BEIJING) Chinese authorities insisted an Internet filtering programme will go ahead despite a last-minute decision this week to postpone making it mandatory on new PCs, state media said yesterday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340278,00.html? (BEIJING) China said yesterday it opposed part of a landmark US bill to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying tariffs should not be imposed on countries that do not cut emissions. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340239,00.html? SEMBCORP Marine subsidiary Jurong Shipyard has secured a second contract to complete a semi-submersible rig for SeaDragon Offshore unit Oban B. The contract is worth US$237.3 million, excluding owner-supplied equipment. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340238,00.html? KEPPEL Corporation's shipbuilding unit, Keppel Singmarine, yesterday delivered a multi-purpose duty rescue vessel to Lukoil-Kaliningradmorneft (Lukoil) - the fifth it has delivered to the services and marketing unit of major Russian oil company Lukoil Oil Company since 2003. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340230,00.html? HANG on tight, brace for a bumpy ride - but, most importantly, hang on. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340233,00.html? THERE has been a spike in claims of mis-selling and negligence against fund managers as more investors turn to lawsuits when they see their asset values plunge. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340249,00.html? ORIENTAL Century's chief financial officer, Chan Kheng Yong Hock, has resigned with immediate effect, with the company saying yesterday that it is unable to continue to finance his service. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340231,00.html? GLOBAL Investments Limited (GIL) - the mainboard-listed mutual funds company which until recently was known as Babcock & Brown Global Investments Limited - has narrowed its search for a new manager. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340265,00.html? DESPITE the prospect of the H1N1 virus spread escalating, which may impede patient flows, Nomura Singapore is bullish about the private healthcare sector and has issued 'buy' calls on both Raffles Medical and Parkway recently. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340244,00.html? KOYO International has been awarded two contracts by Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) for the provision of maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems in two school zones for a period of three years with an option to continue for another three years. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340235,00.html? IT IS one of the uncomfortable truths about the stock market that when it comes to regulation and governance, 'blind spots' abound. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340241,00.html? (HONG KONG) Gradual stabilisation in some economies, a muted recovery in others, and a long way to go overall - that was the picture painted by a cluster of data from Asia on Wednesday after the dramatic slowdown of the past few months. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340242,00.html? (NEW YORK) Although Wall Street rebounded strongly and posted a three-month rally from March to May after touching 12-year lows on March 9, analysts expect the US equity market to be boring in the second half of 2009. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340253,00.html? (WASHINGTON) The International Monetary Fund executive board said on Wednesday that it has approved a framework for the issuance of notes to member countries and their central banks. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340251,00.html? (NEW YORK) Millionaire investors lost their spring-time cheer and turned pessimistic in June as worries over the economy and political climate soured the mood, according to an index released on Wednesday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340332,00.html? FOR a hot climate region, you would expect white wines to be far more popular than red if not for any other reason than the fact that they are drunk quite chilled. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340328,00.html? 'SO were you in the building when it flipped?' someone asked. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340318,00.html? DUPLICITY starts off smart, sharp and super sexy as two spooks from opposing sides indulge in a round of verbal foreplay poolside at the US Embassy in Dubai before adjourning to a hotel bedroom for some joint undercover work. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340319,00.html? BEING a parent is hard enough work, but being a parent-to-be is possibly more stressful - if the third instalment of the popular animated series starring a herd of sociable prehistoric creatures and voiced by various well-known members of the television and movie fraternity is anything to go by. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340310,00.html? THE Internet almost ground to a halt last weekend after pop star Michael Jackson's death on June 25, as both the fervent and curious flocked to social web tools such as Twitter and Facebook for news. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340329,00.html? NEXT weekend (July 10 and 11), the Bras Basah precinct will come alive with lights and activities thanks to the Night Festival - a two-night multi-disciplinary extravaganza combining arts, culture and nightlife which is organised by the National Museum of Singapore. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340306,00.html? THE National Museum's Night Festival could have had a less straightforward name. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340307,00.html? With Own Time, Own Target, audiences will be seeing not only one, but two interpretations of a truly Singaporean institution: National Service (NS). Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340331,00.html? TOP designers such as Prada have been doing it for a while - blurring the lines between fashion and art. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340334,00.html? LOCATED in a restored shophouse in the bustling heritage district of Chinatown, the Singapore Coins and Notes Museum (SCNM) is the country's first and only museum dedicated to currency. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340316,00.html? AFGHANISTAN, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt - the Islamic nations of the Middle East and Central Asia - continue to offer fertile fodder for literary fiction. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340313,00.html? RATHER strangely, the scenes that most stick in your mind from Meek's novel are those that are tangential to the central love story. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340314,00.html? WHEN the circumstances of a place are practically medieval - such as in Saudi Arabia, where you can get flogged for meeting with the opposite sex Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340315,00.html? SOMERVILLE'S debut novel has a marvellously funny first chapter that sets the tone for the whole book. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340312,00.html? SWIMMING pools invite you to submerge yourself, while foot baths are just for dipping your feet in then drying them off. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340330,00.html? EAGER shoppers may be on tenterhooks as they wait for Ion Orchard to fling open its doors on July 21, but they'll also be pleased to know that as the Orchard Road revamp unfolds over the coming months, there'll be enough new malls to keep them busy for a pretty long time. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340311,00.html? IF you enjoy massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) in which you explore worlds predominately populated by fellow human agents but have only dabbled with Western varieties such as World of Warcraft, you're missing out on a wider realm of gaming pleasure. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340294,00.html? (SEOUL) North and South Korean officials held talks yesterday to salvage a joint factory park in the communist state that has become a key source of foreign cash for Pyongyang, hit by UN sanctions for its nuclear test. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340286,00.html? (SEOUL) Frustrated by poor returns and high fees, South Korean retail investors are dumping equity funds and picking stocks on their own, raising the prospect of consolidation in the domestic asset management industry. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340305,00.html? (SINGAPORE) TIGER Airways Australia yesterday launched its Melbourne-Sydney service, with members of the Wests Tigers National Rugby League team hauling the 70-tonne aircraft out of the hangar at Melbourne Airport ahead of its 713 km inaugural flight to Sydney. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340267,00.html? (NEW DELHI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been confronted by a high-profile challenge less than two months into his second term - how to fix the ailing national airline, which has asked the government for a bailout. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340275,00.html? (BEIJING) Foreign direct investment in China faces 'unprecedented difficulties' after falling for eight months, the longest stretch of declines this decade, Vice-Commerce Minister Chen Jian said. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340276,00.html? (BEIJING) Chinese authorities insisted an Internet filtering programme will go ahead despite a last-minute decision this week to postpone making it mandatory on new PCs, state media said yesterday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340278,00.html? (BEIJING) China said yesterday it opposed part of a landmark US bill to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying tariffs should not be imposed on countries that do not cut emissions. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340239,00.html? SEMBCORP Marine subsidiary Jurong Shipyard has secured a second contract to complete a semi-submersible rig for SeaDragon Offshore unit Oban B. The contract is worth US$237.3 million, excluding owner-supplied equipment. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340238,00.html? KEPPEL Corporation's shipbuilding unit, Keppel Singmarine, yesterday delivered a multi-purpose duty rescue vessel to Lukoil-Kaliningradmorneft (Lukoil) - the fifth it has delivered to the services and marketing unit of major Russian oil company Lukoil Oil Company since 2003. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340230,00.html? HANG on tight, brace for a bumpy ride - but, most importantly, hang on. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340233,00.html? THERE has been a spike in claims of mis-selling and negligence against fund managers as more investors turn to lawsuits when they see their asset values plunge. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340249,00.html? ORIENTAL Century's chief financial officer, Chan Kheng Yong Hock, has resigned with immediate effect, with the company saying yesterday that it is unable to continue to finance his service. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340231,00.html? GLOBAL Investments Limited (GIL) - the mainboard-listed mutual funds company which until recently was known as Babcock & Brown Global Investments Limited - has narrowed its search for a new manager. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340265,00.html? DESPITE the prospect of the H1N1 virus spread escalating, which may impede patient flows, Nomura Singapore is bullish about the private healthcare sector and has issued 'buy' calls on both Raffles Medical and Parkway recently. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340244,00.html? KOYO International has been awarded two contracts by Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) for the provision of maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems in two school zones for a period of three years with an option to continue for another three years. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340235,00.html? IT IS one of the uncomfortable truths about the stock market that when it comes to regulation and governance, 'blind spots' abound. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340241,00.html? (HONG KONG) Gradual stabilisation in some economies, a muted recovery in others, and a long way to go overall - that was the picture painted by a cluster of data from Asia on Wednesday after the dramatic slowdown of the past few months. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340242,00.html? (NEW YORK) Although Wall Street rebounded strongly and posted a three-month rally from March to May after touching 12-year lows on March 9, analysts expect the US equity market to be boring in the second half of 2009. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340253,00.html? (WASHINGTON) The International Monetary Fund executive board said on Wednesday that it has approved a framework for the issuance of notes to member countries and their central banks. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340251,00.html? (NEW YORK) Millionaire investors lost their spring-time cheer and turned pessimistic in June as worries over the economy and political climate soured the mood, according to an index released on Wednesday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340332,00.html? FOR a hot climate region, you would expect white wines to be far more popular than red if not for any other reason than the fact that they are drunk quite chilled. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340328,00.html? 'SO were you in the building when it flipped?' someone asked. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340318,00.html? DUPLICITY starts off smart, sharp and super sexy as two spooks from opposing sides indulge in a round of verbal foreplay poolside at the US Embassy in Dubai before adjourning to a hotel bedroom for some joint undercover work. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340319,00.html? BEING a parent is hard enough work, but being a parent-to-be is possibly more stressful - if the third instalment of the popular animated series starring a herd of sociable prehistoric creatures and voiced by various well-known members of the television and movie fraternity is anything to go by. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340310,00.html? THE Internet almost ground to a halt last weekend after pop star Michael Jackson's death on June 25, as both the fervent and curious flocked to social web tools such as Twitter and Facebook for news. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340329,00.html? NEXT weekend (July 10 and 11), the Bras Basah precinct will come alive with lights and activities thanks to the Night Festival - a two-night multi-disciplinary extravaganza combining arts, culture and nightlife which is organised by the National Museum of Singapore. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340306,00.html? THE National Museum's Night Festival could have had a less straightforward name. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340307,00.html? With Own Time, Own Target, audiences will be seeing not only one, but two interpretations of a truly Singaporean institution: National Service (NS). Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340331,00.html? TOP designers such as Prada have been doing it for a while - blurring the lines between fashion and art. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340334,00.html? LOCATED in a restored shophouse in the bustling heritage district of Chinatown, the Singapore Coins and Notes Museum (SCNM) is the country's first and only museum dedicated to currency. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340316,00.html? AFGHANISTAN, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt - the Islamic nations of the Middle East and Central Asia - continue to offer fertile fodder for literary fiction. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340313,00.html? RATHER strangely, the scenes that most stick in your mind from Meek's novel are those that are tangential to the central love story. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340314,00.html? WHEN the circumstances of a place are practically medieval - such as in Saudi Arabia, where you can get flogged for meeting with the opposite sex Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340315,00.html? SOMERVILLE'S debut novel has a marvellously funny first chapter that sets the tone for the whole book. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340312,00.html? SWIMMING pools invite you to submerge yourself, while foot baths are just for dipping your feet in then drying them off. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340330,00.html? EAGER shoppers may be on tenterhooks as they wait for Ion Orchard to fling open its doors on July 21, but they'll also be pleased to know that as the Orchard Road revamp unfolds over the coming months, there'll be enough new malls to keep them busy for a pretty long time. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340311,00.html? IF you enjoy massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) in which you explore worlds predominately populated by fellow human agents but have only dabbled with Western varieties such as World of Warcraft, you're missing out on a wider realm of gaming pleasure. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340277,00.html? (NEW DELHI) Indian economic growth may accelerate to as much as 7.75 per cent this year amid signs of a 'bottoming out' in the US and harvests benefiting from monsoon rains, the Finance Ministry said yesterday before next week's Budget. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340297,00.html? Developing Asian and Central Asian nations looking to get Shariah-compliant infrastructure projects off the ground could soon find financing from a US$500 million Islamic private equity fund, jointly sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank (IDB). The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340280,00.html? (KUALA LUMPUR) Foreign investment in Malaysia has plummeted this year, Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed said yesterday after the government announced liberalisation measures aimed at luring investors. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340281,00.html? (PUTRAJAYA) IOI Corp, Malaysia's No 2 planter, said on Thursday that the worst was over for the plantation sector as palm oil prices have recovered from last year's slump although M&A activity would be muted. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340294,00.html? (SEOUL) North and South Korean officials held talks yesterday to salvage a joint factory park in the communist state that has become a key source of foreign cash for Pyongyang, hit by UN sanctions for its nuclear test. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340286,00.html? (SEOUL) Frustrated by poor returns and high fees, South Korean retail investors are dumping equity funds and picking stocks on their own, raising the prospect of consolidation in the domestic asset management industry. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340305,00.html? (SINGAPORE) TIGER Airways Australia yesterday launched its Melbourne-Sydney service, with members of the Wests Tigers National Rugby League team hauling the 70-tonne aircraft out of the hangar at Melbourne Airport ahead of its 713 km inaugural flight to Sydney. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340267,00.html? (NEW DELHI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been confronted by a high-profile challenge less than two months into his second term - how to fix the ailing national airline, which has asked the government for a bailout. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340275,00.html? (BEIJING) Foreign direct investment in China faces 'unprecedented difficulties' after falling for eight months, the longest stretch of declines this decade, Vice-Commerce Minister Chen Jian said. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340276,00.html? (BEIJING) Chinese authorities insisted an Internet filtering programme will go ahead despite a last-minute decision this week to postpone making it mandatory on new PCs, state media said yesterday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340278,00.html? (BEIJING) China said yesterday it opposed part of a landmark US bill to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying tariffs should not be imposed on countries that do not cut emissions. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340239,00.html? SEMBCORP Marine subsidiary Jurong Shipyard has secured a second contract to complete a semi-submersible rig for SeaDragon Offshore unit Oban B. The contract is worth US$237.3 million, excluding owner-supplied equipment. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340238,00.html? KEPPEL Corporation's shipbuilding unit, Keppel Singmarine, yesterday delivered a multi-purpose duty rescue vessel to Lukoil-Kaliningradmorneft (Lukoil) - the fifth it has delivered to the services and marketing unit of major Russian oil company Lukoil Oil Company since 2003. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340230,00.html? HANG on tight, brace for a bumpy ride - but, most importantly, hang on. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340233,00.html? THERE has been a spike in claims of mis-selling and negligence against fund managers as more investors turn to lawsuits when they see their asset values plunge. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340249,00.html? ORIENTAL Century's chief financial officer, Chan Kheng Yong Hock, has resigned with immediate effect, with the company saying yesterday that it is unable to continue to finance his service. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340231,00.html? GLOBAL Investments Limited (GIL) - the mainboard-listed mutual funds company which until recently was known as Babcock & Brown Global Investments Limited - has narrowed its search for a new manager. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340265,00.html? DESPITE the prospect of the H1N1 virus spread escalating, which may impede patient flows, Nomura Singapore is bullish about the private healthcare sector and has issued 'buy' calls on both Raffles Medical and Parkway recently. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340244,00.html? KOYO International has been awarded two contracts by Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) for the provision of maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems in two school zones for a period of three years with an option to continue for another three years. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340235,00.html? IT IS one of the uncomfortable truths about the stock market that when it comes to regulation and governance, 'blind spots' abound. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340241,00.html? (HONG KONG) Gradual stabilisation in some economies, a muted recovery in others, and a long way to go overall - that was the picture painted by a cluster of data from Asia on Wednesday after the dramatic slowdown of the past few months. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340242,00.html? (NEW YORK) Although Wall Street rebounded strongly and posted a three-month rally from March to May after touching 12-year lows on March 9, analysts expect the US equity market to be boring in the second half of 2009. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340253,00.html? (WASHINGTON) The International Monetary Fund executive board said on Wednesday that it has approved a framework for the issuance of notes to member countries and their central banks. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340251,00.html? (NEW YORK) Millionaire investors lost their spring-time cheer and turned pessimistic in June as worries over the economy and political climate soured the mood, according to an index released on Wednesday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340332,00.html? FOR a hot climate region, you would expect white wines to be far more popular than red if not for any other reason than the fact that they are drunk quite chilled. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340328,00.html? 'SO were you in the building when it flipped?' someone asked. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340318,00.html? DUPLICITY starts off smart, sharp and super sexy as two spooks from opposing sides indulge in a round of verbal foreplay poolside at the US Embassy in Dubai before adjourning to a hotel bedroom for some joint undercover work. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340319,00.html? BEING a parent is hard enough work, but being a parent-to-be is possibly more stressful - if the third instalment of the popular animated series starring a herd of sociable prehistoric creatures and voiced by various well-known members of the television and movie fraternity is anything to go by. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340310,00.html? THE Internet almost ground to a halt last weekend after pop star Michael Jackson's death on June 25, as both the fervent and curious flocked to social web tools such as Twitter and Facebook for news. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340329,00.html? NEXT weekend (July 10 and 11), the Bras Basah precinct will come alive with lights and activities thanks to the Night Festival - a two-night multi-disciplinary extravaganza combining arts, culture and nightlife which is organised by the National Museum of Singapore. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340306,00.html? THE National Museum's Night Festival could have had a less straightforward name. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340307,00.html? With Own Time, Own Target, audiences will be seeing not only one, but two interpretations of a truly Singaporean institution: National Service (NS). Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340331,00.html? TOP designers such as Prada have been doing it for a while - blurring the lines between fashion and art. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340334,00.html? LOCATED in a restored shophouse in the bustling heritage district of Chinatown, the Singapore Coins and Notes Museum (SCNM) is the country's first and only museum dedicated to currency. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340316,00.html? AFGHANISTAN, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt - the Islamic nations of the Middle East and Central Asia - continue to offer fertile fodder for literary fiction. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340313,00.html? RATHER strangely, the scenes that most stick in your mind from Meek's novel are those that are tangential to the central love story. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340314,00.html? WHEN the circumstances of a place are practically medieval - such as in Saudi Arabia, where you can get flogged for meeting with the opposite sex Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340315,00.html? SOMERVILLE'S debut novel has a marvellously funny first chapter that sets the tone for the whole book. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340312,00.html? SWIMMING pools invite you to submerge yourself, while foot baths are just for dipping your feet in then drying them off. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340330,00.html? EAGER shoppers may be on tenterhooks as they wait for Ion Orchard to fling open its doors on July 21, but they'll also be pleased to know that as the Orchard Road revamp unfolds over the coming months, there'll be enough new malls to keep them busy for a pretty long time. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340311,00.html? IF you enjoy massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) in which you explore worlds predominately populated by fellow human agents but have only dabbled with Western varieties such as World of Warcraft, you're missing out on a wider realm of gaming pleasure. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340294,00.html? (SEOUL) North and South Korean officials held talks yesterday to salvage a joint factory park in the communist state that has become a key source of foreign cash for Pyongyang, hit by UN sanctions for its nuclear test. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340286,00.html? (SEOUL) Frustrated by poor returns and high fees, South Korean retail investors are dumping equity funds and picking stocks on their own, raising the prospect of consolidation in the domestic asset management industry. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340305,00.html? (SINGAPORE) TIGER Airways Australia yesterday launched its Melbourne-Sydney service, with members of the Wests Tigers National Rugby League team hauling the 70-tonne aircraft out of the hangar at Melbourne Airport ahead of its 713 km inaugural flight to Sydney. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340267,00.html? (NEW DELHI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been confronted by a high-profile challenge less than two months into his second term - how to fix the ailing national airline, which has asked the government for a bailout. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340275,00.html? (BEIJING) Foreign direct investment in China faces 'unprecedented difficulties' after falling for eight months, the longest stretch of declines this decade, Vice-Commerce Minister Chen Jian said. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340276,00.html? (BEIJING) Chinese authorities insisted an Internet filtering programme will go ahead despite a last-minute decision this week to postpone making it mandatory on new PCs, state media said yesterday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340278,00.html? (BEIJING) China said yesterday it opposed part of a landmark US bill to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying tariffs should not be imposed on countries that do not cut emissions. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340239,00.html? SEMBCORP Marine subsidiary Jurong Shipyard has secured a second contract to complete a semi-submersible rig for SeaDragon Offshore unit Oban B. The contract is worth US$237.3 million, excluding owner-supplied equipment. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340238,00.html? KEPPEL Corporation's shipbuilding unit, Keppel Singmarine, yesterday delivered a multi-purpose duty rescue vessel to Lukoil-Kaliningradmorneft (Lukoil) - the fifth it has delivered to the services and marketing unit of major Russian oil company Lukoil Oil Company since 2003. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340230,00.html? HANG on tight, brace for a bumpy ride - but, most importantly, hang on. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340233,00.html? THERE has been a spike in claims of mis-selling and negligence against fund managers as more investors turn to lawsuits when they see their asset values plunge. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340249,00.html? ORIENTAL Century's chief financial officer, Chan Kheng Yong Hock, has resigned with immediate effect, with the company saying yesterday that it is unable to continue to finance his service. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340231,00.html? GLOBAL Investments Limited (GIL) - the mainboard-listed mutual funds company which until recently was known as Babcock & Brown Global Investments Limited - has narrowed its search for a new manager. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340265,00.html? DESPITE the prospect of the H1N1 virus spread escalating, which may impede patient flows, Nomura Singapore is bullish about the private healthcare sector and has issued 'buy' calls on both Raffles Medical and Parkway recently. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340244,00.html? KOYO International has been awarded two contracts by Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) for the provision of maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems in two school zones for a period of three years with an option to continue for another three years. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340235,00.html? IT IS one of the uncomfortable truths about the stock market that when it comes to regulation and governance, 'blind spots' abound. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340241,00.html? (HONG KONG) Gradual stabilisation in some economies, a muted recovery in others, and a long way to go overall - that was the picture painted by a cluster of data from Asia on Wednesday after the dramatic slowdown of the past few months. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340242,00.html? (NEW YORK) Although Wall Street rebounded strongly and posted a three-month rally from March to May after touching 12-year lows on March 9, analysts expect the US equity market to be boring in the second half of 2009. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340253,00.html? (WASHINGTON) The International Monetary Fund executive board said on Wednesday that it has approved a framework for the issuance of notes to member countries and their central banks. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340251,00.html? (NEW YORK) Millionaire investors lost their spring-time cheer and turned pessimistic in June as worries over the economy and political climate soured the mood, according to an index released on Wednesday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340332,00.html? FOR a hot climate region, you would expect white wines to be far more popular than red if not for any other reason than the fact that they are drunk quite chilled. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340328,00.html? 'SO were you in the building when it flipped?' someone asked. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340318,00.html? DUPLICITY starts off smart, sharp and super sexy as two spooks from opposing sides indulge in a round of verbal foreplay poolside at the US Embassy in Dubai before adjourning to a hotel bedroom for some joint undercover work. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340319,00.html? BEING a parent is hard enough work, but being a parent-to-be is possibly more stressful - if the third instalment of the popular animated series starring a herd of sociable prehistoric creatures and voiced by various well-known members of the television and movie fraternity is anything to go by. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340310,00.html? THE Internet almost ground to a halt last weekend after pop star Michael Jackson's death on June 25, as both the fervent and curious flocked to social web tools such as Twitter and Facebook for news. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340329,00.html? NEXT weekend (July 10 and 11), the Bras Basah precinct will come alive with lights and activities thanks to the Night Festival - a two-night multi-disciplinary extravaganza combining arts, culture and nightlife which is organised by the National Museum of Singapore. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340306,00.html? THE National Museum's Night Festival could have had a less straightforward name. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340307,00.html? With Own Time, Own Target, audiences will be seeing not only one, but two interpretations of a truly Singaporean institution: National Service (NS). Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340331,00.html? TOP designers such as Prada have been doing it for a while - blurring the lines between fashion and art. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340334,00.html? LOCATED in a restored shophouse in the bustling heritage district of Chinatown, the Singapore Coins and Notes Museum (SCNM) is the country's first and only museum dedicated to currency. Arts 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340316,00.html? AFGHANISTAN, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt - the Islamic nations of the Middle East and Central Asia - continue to offer fertile fodder for literary fiction. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340313,00.html? RATHER strangely, the scenes that most stick in your mind from Meek's novel are those that are tangential to the central love story. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340314,00.html? WHEN the circumstances of a place are practically medieval - such as in Saudi Arabia, where you can get flogged for meeting with the opposite sex Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340315,00.html? SOMERVILLE'S debut novel has a marvellously funny first chapter that sets the tone for the whole book. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340312,00.html? SWIMMING pools invite you to submerge yourself, while foot baths are just for dipping your feet in then drying them off. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340330,00.html? EAGER shoppers may be on tenterhooks as they wait for Ion Orchard to fling open its doors on July 21, but they'll also be pleased to know that as the Orchard Road revamp unfolds over the coming months, there'll be enough new malls to keep them busy for a pretty long time. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/life/story/0,4574,340311,00.html? IF you enjoy massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) in which you explore worlds predominately populated by fellow human agents but have only dabbled with Western varieties such as World of Warcraft, you're missing out on a wider realm of gaming pleasure. Executive Lifestyle 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340277,00.html? (NEW DELHI) Indian economic growth may accelerate to as much as 7.75 per cent this year amid signs of a 'bottoming out' in the US and harvests benefiting from monsoon rains, the Finance Ministry said yesterday before next week's Budget. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340297,00.html? Developing Asian and Central Asian nations looking to get Shariah-compliant infrastructure projects off the ground could soon find financing from a US$500 million Islamic private equity fund, jointly sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank (IDB). The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340280,00.html? (KUALA LUMPUR) Foreign investment in Malaysia has plummeted this year, Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed said yesterday after the government announced liberalisation measures aimed at luring investors. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340281,00.html? (PUTRAJAYA) IOI Corp, Malaysia's No 2 planter, said on Thursday that the worst was over for the plantation sector as palm oil prices have recovered from last year's slump although M&A activity would be muted. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340269,00.html? (LONDON) The Baltic Exchange said on Wednesday it had changed the way its chief sea freight index was calculated in a move aimed at boosting freight derivatives trading. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/shippingtimes/story/0,4574,340291,00.html? (FRANKFURT) AP Moller-Maersk's liner shipping business expects stagnation at best in the industry next year but will not cut freight rates to win more market share, the head of the division told a German newspaper. Shipping Times 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/companies/story/0,4574,340250,00.html? IT WAS a down day for regional markets yesterday amid weakening Wall Street market futures and caution ahead of the release of key US June unemployment data. Companies & Markets 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340263,00.html? THREE sites have been added to the government's industrial land sales programme for second-half 2009, which was launched yesterday by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340261,00.html? SINGAPORE'S manufacturing economy expanded for a second straight month in June, going by the latest Purchasing Managers' Index, released yesterday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340257,00.html? HSBC is about to launch a dedicated retirement planning service for its HSBC Premier mass affluent clients. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340264,00.html? CAN there be a rule to ensure that newcomers to the private education industry have at least $500,000 of start-up capital and provide a certain number of classrooms? The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340254,00.html? WHEN the going gets tough, the tough use rewards points to travel, it seems. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340259,00.html? NEWATER has been given the thumbs up by a panel of international and local water experts, PUB said yesterday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/specialfocus/story/0,4574,340248,00.html? SHELL-SHOCKED - that's the word to describe investors and financial market participants worldwide in the aftermath of arguably the biggest financial crisis of our generation. Things have since stabilised. Special Focus 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340225,00.html? (SINGAPORE) Now that the economy is believed to have touched bottom, data watchers are on the lookout for signs that it is headed up, and not still floundering. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340232,00.html? (SINGAPORE) YI Kai Group and Fission Group, the duo that recently paid $71 million for VTB Building in Robinson Road, are said to have joined forces to buy Aviva Building in Cecil Street and next-door Cecil House from insurer Aviva for a total of $101 million. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340228,00.html? (SACRAMENTO, California) After trying for weeks to fix a California Budget gone out of control, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers stood frozen in conflict on Wednesday with the state on the brink of a meltdown. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340237,00.html? (WASHINGTON) Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June, driving the US unemployment rate up to a 26-year high of 9.5 per cent, suggesting that the economy's road to recovery will be bumpy. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340234,00.html? (SINGAPORE) Private equity space, which may stay muted for the rest of this year, could stir to life again in 2010 when values stabilise, says Ernst & Young global leader for private equity Simon Perry. But the high noon of leveraged mega deals is probably over. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340229,00.html? (HONG KONG) Asian initial public offerings, which accounted for the lowest proportion of share sales in at least 10 years during the first half, may be poised to take off as smaller stock swings make it easier for companies to tap equity markets. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340240,00.html? (SINGAPORE) If he had a young child who was a scholar, Boustead Singapore CEO Wong Fong Fui would encourage him or her to join public service or a government linked company (GLC), instead of striking out as an entrepreneur. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340227,00.html? (FRANKFURT) The European Central Bank kept euro zone interest rates at one per cent yesterday, and markets expect it to hold them at the all-time low for much of next year to help repair the region's economy. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340226,00.html? NOW that the Singapore economy is believed to have touched bottom, data watchers are on the lookout for signs that it is headed up, and not still floundering. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340272,00.html? TRUE to the enterprising spirit of the genre, an upcoming event for entrepreneurs, The BlueSky Festival, focuses on what's positive in the current downturn. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340270,00.html? A QUESTION is cropping up more and more on the streets of Tokyo: Male or female? It's not an exaggeration to point out that many young Japanese men are looking a bit ladylike. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340279,00.html? A STABLE Indian government at the centre after a fairly long time has led to anticipation and hype over a pro-growth agenda in India's annual budget to be presented by the new Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, in Parliament on July 6. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340289,00.html? IN the aftermath of the ousting of Saddam Hussein and the 'liberation' of Iraq by US forces, Bush administration officials who had earlier compared Saddam to Adolf Hitler were extending that historical analogy and suggesting that post-war Iraq would be 'like' post-World War II Germany, Japan and Italy. America's military occupation would help replace totalitarian regimes with a thriving democratic system. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340295,00.html? HAS the Pakistani government, after years of vacillation, finally gotten serious about eliminating the Taleban threat? Maybe. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340243,00.html? CONSERVATIVE relative to peers. While the big Chinese sports shoe producers have been giving positive growth guidance of more than 20 per cent y-o-y for this year, Hongxing remains cautious and continues to guide for a decline in earnings. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340288,00.html? THE article 'Westech proposes $10m RTO deal' (BT, July 2) should not only raise eyebrows as mentioned, it should agitate the regulators and anyone who cares about good corporate governance to challenge what is happening. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/views/story/0,4574,340247,00.html? (TOKYO) The US dollar was stable against the yen in Asian trade yesterday ahead of a report that is expected to show another wave of job losses in the United States, dealers said. Views & Opinions 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340268,00.html? (DETROIT) Korean carmakers have managed to increase their share of the US market amid a painful recession thanks to a winning combination of marketing, pricing and solid products, analysts said. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340271,00.html? (NEW YORK) News Corp certainly made it worthwhile for Chase Carey to return to the company. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340304,00.html? (NEW YORK) Michael Jackson had a mountain of unreleased recordings in the vault when he died - music that is almost certain to be packaged and repackaged for his fans in the years to come. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340300,00.html? (WASHINGTON) US securities regulators moved to change how companies elect board members and govern themselves, tilting the corporate playing field towards investors who have complained of weak boards and lavish pay for top executives. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340303,00.html? (WILMINGTON, Delaware) Ernst & Young (E&Y) LLP accountants assured Superior Bank executives the institution was financially healthy until just before admitting to regulators they mistakenly signed off on inflated financial statements, an ex-bank official testified. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340273,00.html? (LOS ANGELES) Oscar winner Karl Malden, the bulbous-nosed character actor acclaimed for film roles in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront before gaining TV fame as a leading man in The Streets of San Francisco, died on Wednesday at age 97. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340296,00.html? (NEW YORK) Angelina Jolie is Hollywood's top earning actress, banking US$27 million in the past year to beat out her partner Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, who raked in US$25 million, a Forbes.com study showed on Wednesday. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/btpre/registration/redirect.jsp?dlink=/sub/news/story/0,4574,340274,00.html? (NEW YORK) Facebook is overhauling its privacy controls over the next several weeks in an attempt to simplify its users' ability to control who sees the information they share on the site. The News 03 Jul 2009 04:00 SGT