NEW YORK - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tag, a leading global marketing production agency, won the "Creative” Award (aka Sparky) at Intel’s 2013 Marketing Innovation Awards. The Creative Award recognizes the campaign that best represents breakthrough design and effective brand expression. This marks Tag’s third consecutive win at Intel’s annual ceremony.

Tag won the award for their work on Intel’s Ultrabook campaigns, in collaboration with OMD (media agency), VB (creative agency) and Interlude (interactive video experience). Tag's role was in the cultural consultation, transcreation, localizing, producing and delivering of Intel's Ultrabook and Ultrabook Convertible campaigns across seven key, global markets in 2012.

"This is our third consecutive win in the three years since the Marketing Innovation Awards were launched, and we thank Intel for this high honor and recognition,” says Peter Kuhn, Managing Director of Tag Americas. "Our scale ... Read more »

Forecast-beating 2012 smartphone shipments lay foundations for high-value growth in 2013


SHENZHEN, China - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ZTE Corporation ("ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, exceeded the company’s target by more than doubling shipments of smartphones in 2012, delivering improved profitability for the terminals division.

The growth in smartphone sales helped ZTE post a gross profit margin of 16.8% in its terminals division in 2012, an improvement of 1.6 percentage points compared to a year earlier.

In the United States, ZTE’s smartphone shipments greatly increased, a reward for the company’s strategy to focus on high-end markets. In emerging markets including India, Indonesia, Mexico, Argentina and Russia, ZTE also achieved fast growth. In 2012, the distributors channel contrib ... Read more »

TOKYO - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Toshiba's analog IC business is distinguished for its technology and ability to propose optimum solutions. We concentrate on three fields: analog, automotive and communications. In 2013 we aim to strengthen the provision of integrated solutions by enhancing products and entire line-ups in each of these fields.

Analog field: power management, motor drivers and other analog power ICs, microcontrollers for medical and industrial applications

System applications increasingly require a high withstand voltage, large current drive and wireless communication, along with high performance and high speed. By selecting the best choice for the customer's application from our extensive lines of microcontrollers and analog ICs, we are able to swiftly propose the optimum solution that cuts both the development lead time and total cost. Example applications of our analog ICs include power control ICs for wireless power ... Read more »

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

Al Fardan Exchange has seen continuous growth in its business in general for the first quarter of 2013 and for the Travelez prepaid cards in particular. Travelez prepaid cards provide travelers and consumers with the same freedom as the normal debit card holders, yet with additional control capabilities, less risk, and more facilities. Customers can use this card at any location worldwide where Visa cards are accepted such as points of sale, online shopping, and in ATMs to withdraw money.

Mr. Osama Al Rahma, General Manager of Al Fardan Exchange, said: "Since its launch last year, sales of this card have been greatly successful especially during the winter holidays and new year celebrations, which have led to an increased demand for this type of cards. The Travelez card offers many advantages to frequent travelers. This card also saves customers the trouble of carrying and losing cash during their vacation ... Read more »

BEIJING - Lundi 8 Avril 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Le Mali devient le premier pays africain à annoncer l'offre gratuite de ses domaines. Aujourd'hui, le registre Dot ML a publié le calendrier de lancement de l'espace de domaines de premier niveau (DPN) .ML. Dot ML – le nom de domaine du Mali – sera géré par l'Agence des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (AGETIC) sous forme de DPN générique, non restreint, propre et mondial, centré sur les personnes et les entreprises au Mali et à l'étranger.

Des noms de domaine gratuits seront proposés à tous les internautes au Mali et dans d'autres pays à partir du 15 juillet. Cette disponibilité générale sera précédée par des périodes Sunrise et Landrush, pour protéger les détenteurs de marques commerciales dans le monde entier. Aucune restriction ne sera imposée aux enregistrements d ... Read more »

INGELHEIM, Germany - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For media outside of the U.S.A., UK and Canada only

Results from Boehringer Ingelheim's pivotal STARTVerso™1 Phase III hepatitis C clinical trial have been accepted for oral presentation at the International Liver Congress™ (ILC*) 2013, 24-28 April, Amsterdam. The data have also been selected for inclusion in the official ILC Press Conference on 24 April at 11:00 CEST. The abstract will be published online on 23 April at 12:00 CEST when the embargo is lifted.

The STARTVerso™1 trial assessed faldaprevir+ (BI 201335), an investigational NS3/4A protease inhibitor that is taken orally once-daily in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV) versus placebo with PegIFN/RBV. The study was conducted in treatment-naïve genotype-1 patients, the most common and one of the most challenging HCV patient populations to cure.1 Faldaprevir was tested at two doses, 120mg and 240mg once ... Read more »

As Chief Executive Officer of Astrium Satellites Béranger brings a wealth of satellite industry experience and business acumen to Thuraya

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates- April 8, 2013 - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

 Thuraya Telecommunications Company, a leading Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) operator, announced today the appointment of Eric Béranger to its Board of Directors. Béranger will be ... Read more »

Doha, Qatar - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

Al Khalij Commercial Bank (al khaliji) QSC earned two accolades from the Banker Middle East in recognition of the ‘Best Premium Banking Service’ Award and the ‘Best Structured Product’ Award for 2013.

For the second consecutive year, al khaliji was awarded the ‘Best Premium Banking Service’ for its innovative service targeted at Affluent and High Net Worth customers. In addition, the bank also received the "Best Structured Product Award”.

The winners are selected by registered users of the publisher CPI Financial in a 4-week online voting process. The awards have been judged by more than 14,600 unique voters with over 500,000 votes being casted across different categories making the voting one of the most credible in the banking sector.

Banker Middle East presented the awards yesterday to al khaliji’s Group Chief Executive Officer at the Bank’s headquarters in the presence of Senior Management.

"We ar ... Read more »

COLUMBUS, Ga. & DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TSYS (NYSE: TSS) today announced the publication of a white paper titled "Branchless Banking,” which focuses on the challenges, findings and recommended direction that branchless banking should take in order to build on the financial inclusion opportunities arising in the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan regions.

The paper presents in-depth research and conclusions from two key markets that have implemented branchless banking models. It discusses the benefits for its major stakeholders and the emerging branchless banking relationship models, primarily between telecommunication companies and financial institutions.

Although each regional market is evolving differently, the paper summarizes the underlying issues at interest for the industry. It draws from the most successful elements of existing models to outline best strategies going forward.

"Branchless b ... Read more »

BEIJING - Monday, April 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mali became the first African nation to announce it will give its domains for free. Today the Dot ML Registry published the launch schedule for the .ML top level domain space. Dot ML – the Mali domain name – will be operated by the Agence des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (AGETIC) as a generic, unrestricted, clean and global TLD focusing on individuals and businesses in- and outside Mali.

Free domain names will be offered to all internet users in both Mali and other countries from July 15th onwards. This General Availability will be preceded by a Sunrise and Landrush period, to protect trademark holders worldwide. There will be no restrictions to registrations of free domains and anyone can claim its own .ML domain. Free .ML domains work exactly like any other extension and can be renewed each registration period at no charge.

"Providing free domain names to our own community an ... Read more »