Dec. 21--PRnewspaper/AsiaNetMINING BID... SYDNEY: Normandy Mining Corporation announced today it has "lodged its Bidder's Statement in Australia in connection with its offer to acquire the shares of Normandy Mining Limited". The offer has "a value of A$1.85 per share based on Newmont's closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on 19 December 200", while competitor AngloGold's offer has a value of A$1.74, a media release said.NEWS AGREEMENT... HONG KONG: Internet service provider SpeedCast Ltd today announced it has renewed its partnership agreement with Bloomberg Television. Bloomberg's financial information and business news will be "available on SpeedCast Multimedia's satellite-enabled services, NetTV and BizTV throughout Asia and the Middle East" while business video content will be "delivered directly to end-users' PCs 24 hours a day on a subscription basis" according to a company press statement.AVIATION SECURITY... FRANKFURT: On January 1, 2002, Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide is to take full ownership of ICTS Europe, making it "a market leader for aviation security services in Europe", a media release said. As a result of the acquisition, Fraport AG "will be represented at 33 of the largest airports in the European Union (EU)".WEB TESTING... SINGAPORE: Empirix Inc, a solutions provider for business-critical Internet applications, revealed today that China Netcom Corporation Ltd is "deploying Empirix technology to test and demonstrate their data and Voice over Packet (VoP) network solutions for their subscribers ...", according to a press release. Empirix's technology will enable China Netcom Corporation to test a variety of network conditions and effects for its Web-based applications useful for businesses.KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT... SYDNEY: The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has selected IBM as the "preferred supplier of knowledge management software for four years" it was revealed today. Under the terms of the agreement, the ABS "will gain access to IBM's entire Lotus knowledge management and collaboration software suite including IBM Lotus Knowledge Discovery System (KDS) ..." .SERVICE AWARD... PRINCETON: Exide Australia Pty Ltd has received a Supplier Excellence Award for 2001 from Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL). Exide had "shown the highest standards of quality, on-time delivery, packaging, customer service and support" and "participated in value analysis and provided ongoing cost reductions during the year", a press release said.CHINESE INSURANCE... TORONTO: Sun Life Financial Services of Canada Inc today announced "it expects to launch its life insurance operations in China early next year with its joint venture partner, China Everbright Group Limited", a press release said. The joint venture will operate in Tianjin, a major port city north of Beijing.FINANCIAL RESULTS... NEW YORK: PricewaterhouseCoopers today reported global revenues of $22.3 billion for the fiscal year-ended June 30, 2001, a "7.6 percent increase over the previous year's revenues of $20.7 billion", a company release said. PricewaterhouseCoopers CEO Samuel A. DiPiazza Jr, commented: " ... we are especially encouraged by the nearly 10 percent growth registered by our assurance, tax and corporate finance and recovery practices, the core businesses that will remain with PricewaterhouseCoopers ...". BEAVERTON: NIKE today reported its second quarter earnings are up nine per cent per share to US$0.48. Second quarter revenues "increased six percent to $2.3 billion, versus $2.2 billion for the same period last year" and "second quarter net income totaled $129 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to $119 million, or $0.44 per diluted share in the prior year" according to a company press release. DURHAM: Aprisma Management Technologies today reported a record level of profitability, with "third quarter revenue of $18.4 million and pro forma earnings before taxes of approximately $1.0 million" said a company statement. Also, Henry Fiallo, CEO of Enterasys Networks, said: "With respect to Aprisma, we are taking the steps necessary to establish it as an independent public company ...(and) currently expect to proceed with a direct spin of Aprisma to Enterasys shareholders". (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agencies distributing unedited, translated press releases for worldwide clients. Contact: www.asianet.com.au for full-text versions).