Mindware, a leading IT distributor in the Middle East and North Africa, announced that it recorded revenues of USD 190 mln in 2006 as a result of increased focus on reseller education and new vendor appointment. Putting a premium aim to understanding the complex needs of its clients and business partners, Mindware will leverage a

Ericsson is set to achieve data speeds of up to 1Mbps in current GSM networks, enabling mobile broadband services for the world’s 2 bln existing GSM subscribers. Following the recent 3GPP industry standardization of EDGE Evolution, Ericsson has restated its commitment to launch EDGE Evolution, as software upgrade of existing infrastructure, by 2009. EDGE Evolution

The European Commission has adopted measures supplementing the EU legal framework established by the Directive on transparency obligations of listed companies (2004/109/EC). This follows a positive vote of the European Securities Committee and a strong endorsement from the European Parliament on 24 October 2006. The Transparency Directive and its implementing measures will improve the quality

Cyprus Airways, the national airline which received a timely approval from the European Commission for government backed loans released its preliminary 2006 results, showing reduced losses. The loss for 2006 from continuing operations fell to CYP 14 mln or EUR 24.2 mln from a loss of CYP 17.25 mln or EUR 29.85 mln in 2005.

Vassiliko Cement Works (VCW)  and Cyprus Cement Company Pcl (CCC) announced that they have signed a preliminary agreement according to which VCW will acquire the cement related operations of CCC as well as CCC’s investments in Latouros Quarries, CCC Aggregates Ltd, Athinodorou Beton-Transport Ltd, Athinodorou Beton-Estates Ltd, Athinodorou Beton Ltd and ELMENI (Quarries) Ltd. The

Ermes Department Stores Pcl announced that the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission has granted it permission to publish its prospectus ahead of the listing of its shares on the Cyprus Stock Exchange. The prospectus refers to the listing of 175 mln shares of nominal value 20 cent and 35 mln warrants 2007/2011, which will be

Parrot and Ford announced that the new Ford Bluetooth Music Fiesta model, available in Spain, will carry Parrot’s music streaming technology developed in partnership with Sony-Ericsson. This solution originates from Parrot’s MK6000, a Bluetooth car-kit which integrates audio streaming functionality and allows drivers to listen to tracks stored on mobile phones, PDAs or MP3 players

10 branches in 2 years, 15-20 branches in Russia   Bank of Cyprus has provided loans of about EUR 100 mln in the few months of its initial operations in Romania with plans to launch a full-branch network in April. BOCY is inaugurating its Kyprou Leasing unit on Wednesday as a precursor to the ten

Cyprus-based EMED Mining Public Ltd. has announced a number of initiatives flowing from the recent gold discovery at the Biely Vrch Prospect within the Detva Licence in central Slovakia. Drilling at Biely Vrch has recommenced with a program designed to define the extent and grade of the near-surface mineralisation, as well as testing a deeper