SYDNEY--19 Apr--AsiaNet/InfoQuestDEVELOPMENT OF... MUSCAT, Oman - The Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Oil and Gas (MOG) and theDubai Mercantile Exchange Limited announced the successful completion of theirjoint working group's efforts to develop a new Middle East sour crude futurescontract. CENDANT APPOINTS... NEW YORK - NEW YORK - Cendant Corporation announced that leading technologyexecutive, Jeff Clarke, has been appointed CEO and president of its TravelDistribution Services (TDS) Division, effective May 1, 2006. http://www.cendant.com NEC ELECTRONICS... KAWASAKI, Japan - NEC Electronics introduced a LCD driver IC and interfacetechnology designed to reduce the overall system cost for large, thin filmtransistor (TFT) flat-panel televisions. www.am.necel.com www.eu.necel.com www.necel.com OTIS WINS... FARMINGTON, Conn. - Otis Elevator Company, a unit of United TechnologiesCorp., will supply and install 85 elevators and escalators for an extension ofMadrid's underground metro. http://www.otis.com VENETIAN MACAU... ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- First Advantage Corporation, a global risk mitigationand business solutions provider, announced that its applicant tracking andtalent management software solution, First Advantage Hiring Management System(HMS), has been selected by the Venetian Macau Ltd. to automate its recruitingprocess for the Sands Macao, a one-million-square-foot casino and entertainmentcomplex, as well as its integrated resort The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel underconstruction at the Cotai Strip, located in Macao, Special AdministrativeRegion of the People's Republic of China. www.FADV.com www.firstam.com FANNIE MAE... WASHINGTON - Fannie Mae will redeem the principal amount of xxx securitiesissues amounting to a total of US$50 million on April 28, 2006 at a redemptionprice equal to 100 per cent of the principal amount redeemed plus accruedinterest. http://www.fanniemae.com NEW ERA CAP... DERBY, N.Y. - New Era Cap Co., Inc., the premier, global headwear designer,developer and manufacturer, announced that it will open a Flagship store in NewYork City. http://neweracap.com MICRONAS SELECTS... MILPITAS, Calif. - California Micro Devices, a leading supplier ofapplication specific analog semiconductor products for the digital consumer,mobile and personal computing markets, announced that Micronas, a leadingsupplier of innovative application specific IC system solutions for consumerelectronics, incorporated the single chip MediaGuard CM2021 port protector forhigh speed High-Definition Multimedia Interface into their newest HDTVreference design. www.micronas.com http://www.calmicro.com TAIYO FUND... TOKYO - The Taiyo Fund announced it now owns more than 5 per cent of OSGCorporation, becoming the company's largest shareholder. BENITEC IMPLEMENTS... MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.- Benitec Ltd., a leading developer of RNA interference(RNAi)-based therapeutics, announced that it has implemented a cost reductionplan within its US subsidiary in order to preserve capital while continuing toprogress its drug development programs. www.benitec.com DHS COMPLETES... WASHINGTON - Department of Homeland Security (DHS)Deputy Secretary MichaelJackson announced important progress in the development ofbiometrically-enabled technologies to prevent the use of fraudulent or stoleninternational travel documents. DHS is testing e-Passports and e-Passportreaders in anticipation of an upcoming deadline Requiring all Visa Waivertravelers issued a passport after October 26, 2006 to present an e-Passport toenter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agenciesdistributing unedited, translated news releases for worldwideclients. Visit www.asianetnews.net for full-text versions.)