Francesco SteidlAll those wishing to purchase property in Italy will need a notary for their transactions. Francesco Steidl and his team have over 20 years experience helping English speaking clients through the process. For wills, and establishment of limited companies Find out more... AA ArchitectsItalian and Irish architecture team provide complete advice and a professional service on purchase, reconstruction and new build projects. UK and Italy registered, based in the historical town of Lucca. Find out more... Fonbliu Spa and Wellness CentreConsidered one of the best Thalasso and Wellness centres in Italy. Located just outside the historical centre of Florence, the atmosphere ensures harmony between mind and body. Cave enclosed pool, Hammam, hot tub as well as Pilates courses and full gym. Find out more... |
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Top Stories: Citigroup and Wells Fargo banks have announced 45 billion dollars has been repaid to the US government from the massive TARP program that was used to bail out the banking system. Big News Network.com Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:45:23 -0500Cambodia’s Angkor Air has begun to turn a profit. Big News Network.com Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:42:15 -0500The Ford Motor Company Volvo unit is likely to be sold to China’s Geely. Big News Network.com Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:39:26 -0500Nestle has suspended operations at its dairy plant in Zimbabwe saying the closure is due to pressure from the Mugabe government. Big News Network.com Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:23:54 -0500Pay for the chief executives of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be increased to between $4 and $6 million. Big News Network.com Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:20:36 -0500Sweeping power cuts have been felt by Venezuelan industry after the government said it needed to save its limited energy resources to avoid mass blackouts. Big News Network.com Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:17:55 -0500UK entertainment group HMV is hoping to takeover live music venues run by the MAMA Group. Big News Network.com Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:14:33 -0500New research has found that thousands of eco-tourists visiting Antarctica each year are adding to the warming that results in melting of the polar ice caps. Big News Network.com Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:10:57 -0500WASHINGTON CROSSING, N.J. - George Washington brought along a tourist for his Christmas Day ride across the Delaware River this year, and technology manufacturer Lockheed Martin brought its checkbook... Star Tribune Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:13:39 -0500WASHINGTON - Republican senators attacking the cost of a Democratic health care bill showed far different concerns six years ago, when they approved a major Medicare expansion that has added tens of ... Star Tribune Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:54:32 -0500China raised its 2008 growth estimate to 9.6% from 9% and said this year's quarterly figures will increase, narrowing the gap with Japan, the world's second-biggest economy. Gross domestic produ... Times Of India Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:03:21 -0500BEIJING: China has managed to extract greater concessions from the military rulers of Myanmar about a crude oil pipeline connecting the two countries. Myanmar has agreed to give the state-owned Chi... Times Of India Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:03:19 -0500NEW YORK: The government has handed its ATM card to beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Treasury Department said on Thursday that it has removed the $400 billion financia... Times Of India Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:03:17 -0500PHILADELPHIA - The chief executive of organic supermarket chain Whole Foods Market Inc. is giving up his title of chairman, following years of petitioning by an activist shareholder to separate the t... Star Tribune Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:35:55 -0500In this image released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez waves to supporters in Acarigua, Venezuela, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. CBS News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:05:39 -0500A US court has banned Microsoft from selling certain versions of its programme Word after ruling it had infringed a patent held by a small software company. Unless Microsoft makes alterations to Wor... Ananova Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:45:02 -0500NEW YORK (AFP) - Wall Street prepares to close out 2009 on an upbeat note with the market holding hefty gains from a stunning comeback following a disastrous start to the year.The stock market enters ... West Australian Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:16:40 -0500“At this point, we are still unsure as to what happened,” said Lt. Tony Crisp of the Alcoa Fire Department. “The homeowner was not at home, and we have still not made contact with he... Knox News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:07:05 -0500In this image released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez waves to supporters in Acarigua, Venezuela, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. CBS News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:40:56 -0500Fannie, Freddie CEOs Could Get $6M in Pay (AP) The government has handed its ATM card to beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Treasury Department said Thursday it removed the... CBS News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:40:54 -0500Stocks gained around the world, with China's benchmark index posting its biggest advance this month, on expectations the global economic recovery will strengthen. Copper rose, heading for the best yea... eTaiwan News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:39:38 -0500Shrink Twitter Inc will make about US$25 million ($35 million) from internet search deals with Google Inc and Microsoft Corp, announced in October, enough to push the site into profitability, people f... New Zealand Herald Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:32:40 -0500SAN MATEO, Calif. -- Four years ago, Omar Hamoui was just another ineffectual entrepreneur trying to spruce up his resume in graduate school. Now, he's poised to become Google Inc.'s newest weapon as... Seattle Post-Intelligencer Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:31:33 -0500Tourists often visit Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, then leave town. Local merchants are trying to encourage tourists to stay longer and spend more, and new hotels are being opened to ensure ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:16:47 -0500In 2009, the worst market correction since the Great Depression ground to a halt. Almost immediately the markets rebounded with one of the strongest rallies in history, during a dynamic year that unde... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:16:46 -0500Local officials in many areas have gotten creative with public Christmas trees and decorations in these tough economic times. Ben Tracy reports from Concord, Calif. CBS News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:15:14 -0500The U.S. Senate has passed health care reform legislation without any support from Republican lawmakers. Wyatt Andrews reports from Washington and Jeff Greenfield provides analysis. CBS News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:15:13 -0500As politicians in Washington continue to debate health care reform, John Blackstone reports on the financial impact new legislation will have on small business owners and their employees. CBS News Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:15:12 -0500NEW YORK: Wall Street is likely to make a strong showing in the final week of 2009 as the bulls gear up to toast the first annual advance for U.S. stocks in two years on hopes of more economic stab... Times of India Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:14:14 -0500NEW YORK: With a huge Christmas-eve surge in its stock Thursday, Apple Inc. has almost reached market parity with Google and Wal-Mart. Times of India Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:14:12 -0500"),"") stng.sitelife.integration.initArticle("1958652,alsip-coke-factory-machine-death-122509", contenthead, document.location, "news", ["pubdate_ December 25, 2009"]); }//if true } BlogBurst_P... Chicago Sun-Times Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:08:46 -0500In Algeria, youth unemployment is high, with an estimated 30% of young people jobless. Ben Thompson investigates why in a country awash with oil and gas revenues, little of that money is being used to... BBC Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:50:40 -0500Many young Moroccans have moved abroad in the hopes of making money for themselves and their families back home. But the European recession has lead to a reversal in the flow of money, and of the youn... BBC Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:50:39 -0500INDIANAPOLIS - Health insurers get some big presents in the Senate's health overhaul bill — about 20 million new customers and no competition from a new government plan.Taking advantage of tho... Star Tribune Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:24:50 -0500Shrink Twitter Inc will make about US$25 million ($35 million) from internet search deals with Google Inc and Microsoft Corp, announced in October, enough to push the site into profitability, people ... New Zealand Herald Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:09:34 -0500China's state news channel has blamed hugely popular online games for problems including drug addiction, teen pregnancy and even murder this month as regulators crack down on allegedly harmful conten... Fox Business Fri, 25 Dec 2009 10:53:46 -0500TOKYO, Dec. 25 (AP) - (Kyodo)?---------- Hatoyama Cabinet OKs record 92 trillion yen budget for FY 2010 TOKYO - Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Cabinet approved on Friday the largest-ever budget ... Breitbart Fri, 25 Dec 2009 10:31:56 -0500More than 4 million people are expected to go online to start their sale shopping today, with many major retailers already cutting prices.IMRG, which represents the e-... Guardian Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:51:56 -0500U.S. retailers used extra promotions and extended hours to draw procrastinators and shoppers delayed by the East Coast snowstorm in the final stretch before Christmas. Target Corp. extended its h... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:31:13 -0500John Bitove, executive chairman of Priszm Income Fund, which owns the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains in Canada. The company said on Thursday that it has sold a salad-making factory in Toronto for... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:31:10 -0500TORONTO -- The Toronto Stock Exchange finished a strong week on a positive note Thursday, as energy and financials advanced during an abbreviated trading session ahead of the Christmas holiday. The b... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:31:08 -0500Canplats Resources Corp. is accepting a sweetened bid from Goldcorp Inc. that matches the rival offer tabled by Minera Penmont, a joint venture between Fresnillo PLC and U.S. gold giant Newmont Mining... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:31:02 -0500Glencore International AG, the world's largest commodity trader, is considering an initial public offering after the credit crisis and tumbling commodity prices threatened to curb its funding. Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:31:00 -0500WASHINGTON -- New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods excluding transportation surged in November, and applications for jobless benefits fell last week, pointing to a firmly entrenched eco... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:57 -0500When Eric Agius paid his first visit to Seoul, Korea, six weeks ago, the first thing he saw upon clearing customs was a giant display screen built by LG Electronics Inc. It was like a giant welcome m... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:55 -0500The Canadian economy strung together back-to-back months of growth for the first time in almost two years, but economists warn that consumers and government stimulus have been "carrying the ball" by f... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:52 -0500PARIS -- World stocks extended gains to their highest level in almost three weeks on Thursday while oil also gained as investors confident of a strong global economic recovery into 2010 chased risky a... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:47 -0500The oil sands, site of billions of dollars of energy development in northeast Alberta, found itself in the crosshairs of environmentalists — and took heat from Ontario and Quebec officials — durin... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:46 -0500BlackBerry service resumed as phone maker Research In Motion Ltd. released new software to fix program flaws, which caused a second disruption in less than a week. The interruption was resolved l... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:44 -0500Intrawest ULC, a Vancouver-based ski-resort operator owned by private-equity firm Fortress Investment Group LLC, is in talks with lenders about a debt payment due Wednesday on a US$1.4- billion loan, ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:43 -0500WASHINGTON -- Convicted swindler Bernard Madoff was moved last week to the medical center within a federal prison for undisclosed reasons, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons said on Wedne... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:40 -0500LONDON -- White sugar futures on Liffe rose on Wednesday to a record high for the benchmark front month, boosted by reduced crop prospects in top exporter Brazil following heavy and persistent rains. ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:39 -0500NEW YORK -- Oil rose above US$76 a barrel on Wednesday after key inventory data out of the United States showed crude oil inventories in the world's energy consumer fell more than expected. Commercia... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:37 -0500NEW YORK -- Wells Fargo also paid dividends of US$131.9-million to the government as part of the repayment, it said in a statement. The bank has paid US$1.44-billion in dividends on the government's ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:34 -0500WASHINGTON/TORONTO -- Canadian fertilizer maker Agrium, which is attempting a hostile takeover of U.S. rival CF Industries CF.N, has won U.S. antitrust approval of the proposed deal after agreeing to ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:33 -0500NEW YORK -- Sales of newly built U.S. single-family homes fell to their lowest level in seven months in November, a blow to the housing market's recovery. The Commerce Department said sales dropped 1... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:32 -0500Nortel Networks Corp., the bankrupt Canadian maker of phone equipment, agreed to sell its unit that provides Internet-calling gear to Genband Inc. for US$282-million. Genband, a closely held comp... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:30 -0500Ford Motor Co. agreed with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. on most terms about a sale of its Volvo Car Corp. unit and the automakers aim to complete the transaction in the second quarter. ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:28 -0500Canada's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said China, with the world's largest currency reserves of US$2.3-trillion, may be poised to buy Canadian dollars as it seeks to shield its reserves against the U... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:25 -0500We must wait a decade to find out the true harm these financial institutions inflicted on investors. That’s when the restructured ABCP notes mature and the real price tag will be known. Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:21 -0500Billionaire Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., told employees of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. that he's buying the railroad because of its position in the U.S. West. "I think ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:19 -0500One of the strangest and sorriest episodes in the history of Canadian capital markets is back on the radar. Today, a group of people will try to reactivate an Ontario company that many investors woul... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:18 -0500Canadian stocks climbed for the second straight day yesterday, after U.S. existing home sales topped expectations and hit their highest level since February 2007. The S&P/TSX composite index adva... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:16 -0500NEW YORK -- Sales of previously owned U.S. homes surged to their highest level in almost three years, but the unexpectedly strong gain came mainly from a big tax-break for first-time homebuyers. Abse... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:15 -0500LONDON -- Gold slid to its lowest since early November at US$1,074.10 per ounce on Tuesday, as the dollar gained ground against the euro and a basket of currencies - a trend analysts see pressuring bu... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:13 -0500VANCOUVER -- Shares in Ballard Power Systems rose more than 7% on Tuesday morning after the fuel cell maker agreed to offload its stake in a fuel cell research group for about $44.5-million. Ballard ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:12 -0500TORONTO -- Canadian merchant bank C.A. Bancorp Inc. urged shareholders on Tuesday to reject a $1.22 per share bid from private equity firm Maxam, saying the offer was too low and that it was talking t... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:09 -0500OTTAWA -- Canada's auto industry will return to profitability in 2010 after enduring a year that shook the sector to its core, the Conference Board of Canada said in a report Tuesday. The board forec... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:08 -0500OTTAWA - The number of people receiving employment insurance benefits declined in October, continuing a downward trend that began in July, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday. Regular EI beneficiaries... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:07 -0500National Bank Financial Inc. has agreed to pay $75-million, while Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and its capital markets arm will hand over $22-million in settlements with regulators related to th... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:04 -0500Scotiabank said Tuesday it will be the first Canadian bank to open its own branch in Dubai's financial district. The bank's ScotiaMocatta precious metals trading division has secured a licence fr... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:03 -0500ATHENS -- Moody's Investors Service cut Greece's debt rating on Tuesday but partially reassured financial markets by saying the country remained far from a crisis, igniting a rally in Greek bonds and ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:02 -0500LUANDA -- OPEC oil producers agreed on Tuesday to keep their supply curbs unchanged but may face an uphill battle to improve compliance with those restrictions if they want to drain bulging global fue... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:30:00 -0500Only allowing Chinese viewers to access sites registered on a whitelist would give Chinese authorities much greater control, but would also block millions of completely innocuous sites. Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:57 -0500EDMONTON -- Canadians who have profited from how our financial institutions weathered the global economic crisis wonder whether the punch bowl has been removed and the investment party is over. Since... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:56 -0500Think of Canada's housing market as a ticking time bomb. Think of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty as the unlucky bomb disposal expert called in to deal with the problem. Flaherty is moving slowly - oh,... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:54 -0500DETROIT/SEATTLE -- General Motors Co has hired Chris Liddell, the chief financial officer of Microsoft Corp, as its new finance chief, filling a key position with the automaker's highest-profile hire ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:53 -0500NEW YORK -- Santa came early for Wall Street this year by giving the S&P 500 a 22% gain for 2009, and with just eight trading days left in the year, stock investors are not expecting to find much ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:51 -0500Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, right, and co-defendant Danielle Chiesi asserted their innocence Monday to charges of securities fraud, in what U.S. prosecutors describe as the biggest ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:50 -0500OTTAWA -- Consumer confidence rose in December following two months of declines, the Conference Board of Canada said Monday. The results of the board's monthly survey showed the greatest gains in exp... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:43 -0500Dubai World, which met its creditors on Monday, said it would work with lenders to seek a debt standstill in "an orderly way" and will get government financial support if an agreement is reached. Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:41 -0500Merck & Co.'s Schering-Plough unit sued Canadian generic drugmaker Apotex Inc. in an effort to stop a copy of the Nasonex allergy inhaler from being marketed. Closely-held Apotex is seeking U.S. ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:39 -0500TLC Vision Corp. has agreed to sell its six laser eye centres in Canada as part of a pre-arranged creditor protection filing on Monday that will see the eye-care company emerge as a private entity. ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:35 -0500SAO PAULO -- Wal-Mart Stores, the world's largest retailer, will invest up to 2.2 billion reais (US$1.2-billion) in Brazil next year, the largest-ever expansion plan by the company in Latin America's ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:34 -0500Avaya Inc. plans to keep about 500 more employees than anticipated in the corporate-phone equipment unit bought from Nortel Networks Corp. last week, adding staff as the business improves. "We'll... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:31 -0500Hammerson PLC, the part-owner of London's Brent Cross shopping centre, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought Scotland's second-largest shopping mall for 297 million pounds (US$479-million.) ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:29 -0500BOSTON -- Healthcare shares rose on Monday as a bill to reform healthcare passed the first critical test in the Senate, putting it on track to be passed by Christmas and easing uncertainty over the im... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:27 -0500Michael Nobrega, president and chief executive of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), wants the Ontario government to enact legislative changes immediately to make it easier for ... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:24 -0500Competition will be the watchword for Canada's wireless industry next year, as established players face off against a cast of new entrants poised to steal market share. While the current operators ar... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:20 -0500OTTAWA - As we head into the Christmas week, there will be a few more nuggets of economic data to chew on alongside your turkey and stuffing. Just as stores throughout the country are dealing with th... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:18 -0500NEW YORK -- U.S. stock index futures were higher Monday on expectations that rising commodity prices and a downtick in the U.S. dollar would boost stocks in the energy and materials sectors. The heal... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:17 -0500CHICAGO -- Walgreen Co WAG.N, the largest U.S. drugstore chain, reported a nearly 20% jump in quarterly profit as growth in sales of prescription drugs and flu shots offset the hit from consumers cutt... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:16 -0500You still have a few more days to buy two toys for each child on your Christmas list. Make a gift of one, and hide away the other toy unopened in its original box for 20 years. In 2029, give the now-g... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:13 -0500Former British prime minister Harold Wilson once observed that a week is a long time in politics. When Barack Obama comes home to Hawaii next Wednesday for his Christmas vacation, likely staying in th... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:12 -0500It's the busiest time of the year for Moya Greene, chief executive of Canada Post Corp. As Christmas draws near, her employees are sorting through more than 60 million pieces of mail, parcels and mes... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:11 -0500Holiday spending is rising again thanks to the end of the recession, but are we really getting our money's worth? A new study by the Bank of Nova Scotia says Canadians will spend $891 this holida... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:08 -0500There's a simple way to give, then there's the 'leveraged' donation tax shelter -- a scheme that can get you in trouble with the tax man, Jamie Golombek writes. Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:06 -0500Another subdued week for Canadian stocks ended on a slight sour note Friday, despite big gains from Research in Motion Ltd. After early gains vanished in late day trading, the S&P/TSX composite i... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:01 -0500Doug Silver felt he had to do something. In the mining royalty business, his company International Royalty Corp. (IRC) is much smaller than competitors Royal Gold Inc. and Franco-Nevada Corp., and th... Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:29:00 -0500General Motors will wind down operations at its loss-making Swedish unit Saab after an attempt to sell it to small Dutch luxury carmaker Spyker Cars failed. Financial Post Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:28:58 -0500 |
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