SYDNEY, Dec. 14 --AsiaNet/InfoQuest SINGTEL DEAL... SINGAPORE: Singapore Telecommunications Limited and SamsungNetworks, an IP communications service provider in Korea, todayannounce that they have signed an IP-VPN (Internet Protocol --Virtual Private Network) distribution agreement. http://www.singtel.com PIDX INDUCTEE... HOUSTON, Texas: Quadrem, the Global eMarketplace, has joinedthe American Petroleum Institute's (API) committee onElectronic Business (PIDX) to support the development ofeffective standards and processes for electronic businesscommunications within the petroleum industry. www.quadrem.com INPHARMATICA LIMITED... LONDON: Inpharmatica Ltd has announced a discoverycollaboration with Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research,the pharmaceuticals research organization of Novartis AG. http://www.inpharmatica.com WACHOVIA SERVICE... CHARLOTTE, N.C: Wachovia announced the introduction of a newreceivables service, Remote Desktop Capture, which enablesWachovia clients to capture and transmit images of paper checksfor deposit. http://www.wachovia.com FS2 LOGIC... PORTLAND, Ore. and SAN JOSE, Calif: First Silicon Solutions,and Atmel Corporation announced the availability of the FS2Logic Navigator System for embedded debug, trace, and logicanalysis for Atmel FPSLIC and FPGA products. http://www.fs2.com DEMANDTEC DEAL... SAN CARLOS, Calif: DemandTec announced that FoodlandAssociated Limited has entered into a long-term contract forthe use of DemandTec's CDM software. www.demandtec.com USEFUL DIVIDEND... FRANKFURT: At next year's annual general meeting (AGM) ofshareholders on June 1, Fraport AG's supervisory and executiveboards are planning to recommend a noticeable increase in thecompany's dividend for the 2004 business year. http://www.fraport.com SOMA NETWORKS... SAN FRANCISCO: SOMA Networks, Inc announced commercialavailability of the SOMAport 300 wireless broadband gatewaydevice in the Asia Pacific region. DIVESTMENT DEAL... SAN DIEGO: GE Commercial Finance, Global ElectronicsSolutions (GES) and Colliers International's AdvancedTechnology Real Estate Group (ATREG) have signed an agreementthat will enable semiconductor and electronics manufacturers toevaluate, acquire, or divest manufacturing facilities, realestate and equipment together for the first time. http://www.colliersmn.com/atreg http://www.GEelectronicsweb.com HAYES LEMMERZ... NORTHVILLE, Mich: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.announced the move of Marc Hendrickx to the position of VicePresident of the Aluminum Operations for the Company'sInternational Wheel Group, effective January 1, 2005. http://www.hayes-lemmerz.com RABOBANK APPOINTMENT... SYDNEY: Rabobank Australia & New Zealand has announced theappointment of leading New Zealand businessman John Palmer toits board of directors. BIG SHIP... HAMBURG, Germany and KURE, Japan: The largest container shipever to have been built in Japan was taken into service todayas the "P&O Nedlloyd Mondriaan". At the shipyard IHI MarineUnited Inc. in Kure, the "P&O Nedlloyd Mondriaan" was builtaccording to the Rules and under the supervision ofGermanischer Lloyd. http://www.gl-group.com (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agenciesdistributing unedited, translated news releases for worldwideclients. Visit www.asianetnews.net for full-text versions.)