Monolith Hindustan Petroleum yearns to be lissome
The elephant wants to learn to dance. To the manic rhythm of deregulation. It has already been an eventful 18 months of soul-searching for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, when it has gone looking for the missed steps with the help of Andersen Consulting.

Singapore launches electronic traffic toll system
Singapore will launch a unique, smart card-based toll system on Tuesday in its latest effort to prevent the traffic jams that choke other Southeast Asian cities. The use of cars is discouraged in the tiny island state, where traffic jams would rapidly overwhelm the public facilities, and Singapore uses a system of tolls and permits to control the number of cars in its streets.

Brazil aims to beat pollution with new fuel mix
Brazil's smoke-clogged cities will have to wait at least until mid-1999 to see the first urban bus fleet run on a new pollution-busting fuel mix, industry sources say. Government and industry bodies teamed up last August to find a mix which would be clean, commercially viable and have the side-benefits of stimulating flagging demand for alcohol and cutting Brazil's bill for diesel imports.