NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) – Medidata Solutions Inc(MDSO.O) shares in its initial public offering priced for $14,above its original estimate range, a source with directknowledge of the deal said on Wednesday. Federal Communications Commission approved a bid by telephone company CenturyTel Inc (CTL.N) to acquire bigger operator Embarq EQ.N, a source familiar with the regulatory process said on Wednesday. DealsThe deal, which was widely expected to win regulatory approval, would create one of the biggest rural U.S phone providers. The companies said on May 29 that they had received all the necessary approvals from state regulators.In October, CenturyTel announced its plan to buy Embarq for $5.8 billion in stock and the assumption of about $5.8 billion debt. Under the deal shareholders of Embarq were expected to get 1.37 shares in CenturyTel for each Embarq share they own.In a June 22 filing with the FCC, the companies agreed to maintain certain conditions, which expire three years after the closing date of the transaction.In the filing, the companies said the merged company will maintain substantially the service levels that Embarq has provided for wholesale operations and improve the processing of wholesale orders.The companies said the merged company will also make substantial additional investments in broadband services, such as providing faster speed Internet services.(Reporting by John Poirier in Washington and Sinead Carew in New York, editing by Leslie Gevirtz) Deals.

Grandunion Signs Letter of Intent for Acquisition of Control of Aries MaritimeTransport LimitedATHENS, Greece, June 24 /PRNewswire/ — Grandunion, Inc., a company controlledby Michael Zolotas and Nicholas Fistes, today announced that it has enteredinto a letter of intent with Aries Maritime Transport Limited (“Aries”)(Nasdaq: RAMS) that contemplates, among other things, the acquisition of threeCapesize drybulk carriers with an approximate net asset value of $36.0 millionin exchange for 15,977,778 newly issued shares of Aries, and a change ofcontrol of the Company’s Board of Directors.Upon closing the transaction, Mr. Fistes would serve as the Chairman of theBoard of Directors, and Mr. Zolotas would serve as member of the Board andPresident of the Company.Grandunion would also designate the Chief FinancialOfficer of the Company and four out of seven members of the Board (includingMessrs. Fistes and Zolotas).The letter of intent is subject to a number of conditions, including (a) thereceipt of a commitment letter from a bank for a fully underwritten privateissuance of $145.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7% Senior UnsecuredConvertible Notes due 2014 (the “Notes”), the proceeds of which would be usedprimarily to fund vessel acquisitions and partially repay existingindebtedness; and (b) obtaining certain amendments to the Company’s existingsenior credit facilities.The letter of intent obligates the parties to negotiate in good faith, butdoes not obligate them to complete definitive agreements or to close thetransaction.The letter of intent provides for a binding 60-day exclusivityperiod and a $3,000,000 break-up fee payable to Grandunion in certain events. The exclusivity period will terminate if Grandunion is unable to procure asigned commitment letter to fully underwrite the $145.0 million in principalamount of the Notes and certain amendments to the Company’s existing creditfacility.The letter of intent may also be terminated if no definitiveagreement has been entered into by August 31, 2009.About Grandunion, Inc.Grandunion is a Marshall Islands corporation controlled by Michael Zolotas andNicholas Fistes.Each of Messrs. Zolotas and Fistes has over 20 yearsexperience operating shipping companies Mr. Fistes serves currently as theChairman of Grandunion, Chairman of the International Association ofIndependent Tanker Owners (IntertanKo) and a member of the Executive Committeeof Intercargo, the international association of dry cargo vessel owners.Mr.Zolotas is the CEO of Grandunion, and President of Stamford Navigation Inc.Both Mr Fistes and Mr.

Zolotas hold memberships in a number of classificationsocieties. About Aries Maritime Transport Limited Aries Maritime Transport Limited is an international shipping company thatowns and operates products tankers and container vessels. The Company’sproducts tanker fleet consists of five MR tankers and four Panamax tankers,all of which are double-hulled. The Company also owns a fleet of threecontainer vessels that range in capacity from 1,799 to 2,917 TEU. Nine of theCompany’s 12 vessels are secured on period charters.