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Pope Francis Raffles Off New Car, Old Hat and More
Pope Francis is cleaning out his closets and raffelling off items that range from a hat to a Fiat car he never used.
The pope’s raffle of items that were given to him will end this Thursday when the winning numbers will be announced on the Vatican website. But you can only buy tickets at the Vatican.
The pope is raising money for the poor through the raffle that was first publicized by a poster that went up at the Vatican around November.
Among the 13 items are a new four-wheel-drive Fiat Panda, a leather suitcase, a Homero Ortega Panama-style hat, an espresso coffee machine, watches and bicycles the pope has received.
Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
PHOTO: Details of a ticket of the Pope’s raffle is seen at the Vatican Post office in Vatican City
The Fiat car that the pope is raffling is not his famous white “Popemobile,” which is a 1984 Renault 4.
In addition to the 13 items listed, there are more than 30 unspecified “consolation prizes.” It’s not clear who gave the raffle items to Pope Francis.
Tickets for the raffle cost 10 euros, which is about $12 these days, thanks to the falling value of the European currency.
Aiding the homeless and the poor has been a frequent topic of conversation with the pope, who received 400 sleeping bags with the seal http://cobaltautoservices.com/auto-shipping-quotes/motorcycle/ of the Vatican sewed on as his birthday present. They were distributed to needy in Rome.
It is the pope’s initiative to make headlines. Last month he was credited with being crucial in the thaw of U.S.-Cuba relations.
Phoebe Natanson/ABC News
PHOTO: A ticket for the raffle of Pope Francis’ gifts, the winners of which will be announced Jan. 8, 2015.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/pope-francis-raffles-off-car-hat/story?id=28026887
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DAMAC Properties’ Dubai Shopping Festival Car Promotion Back with Mercedes-Benz & Aston Martin
DUBAI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Luxury real estate developer DAMAC Properties is offering new buyers of its villas or apartments the opportunity to live a James Bond lifestyle, with an exclusive offer during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
Buyers will drive home in a 2015 Mercedes-Benz or Aston Martin following a deal to include the luxury cars with purchases of units during the month-long event.
“In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Dubai Shopping Festival, we are offering the most luxurious and expensive cars ever, across the widest range of our products,” said Niall McLoughlin, Senior Vice President, DAMAC Properties. “New owners will be able to experience luxury living experiences with the added enjoyment of a Mercedes or Aston Martin sitting on the driveway – the real epitome of luxury living in Dubai.”
The company is famed for supporting Dubai’s tourism drive during DSF by giving away high-value items including cars, speed boats and private islands.
This year new owners will be presented with the 2015 models of various luxury cars, including the Aston Martin Vanquish S Coupe, the Mercedes-Benz-GL Class SUV and the Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 Roadster.
The promotion runs across the full spectrum of DAMAC Properties’ award-winning portfolio including luxury golf course-facing villas in the AKOYA by DAMAC master development, private apartments with interiors by FENDI Casa within DAMAC Residenze in Dubai Marina, luxury serviced apartments in the Burj Area and stunning Versace-styled villas on Palm Jumeirah.
DAMAC Properties has, for the first time, received special permissions to launch the promotion before the start of the festival. Due to the 20th anniversary of the event, new owners will be able to take advantage of the offer from 20th December. Dubai Shopping Festival runs from 1st January 2015 – 1st February 2015.
“As a long-standing supporter of DSF, we wanted to present an offer which will appeal to the many visitors coming to Dubai in the new year from India, Pakistan, across Africa and of course the GCC,” added McLoughlin. “We believe those coming to enjoy the festival and superb weather will also be attracted to this super offer to own a super house and a super car!”
Interested buyers will find DAMAC Properties staff within many of Dubai’s malls including the Mall of Emirates and Mirdiff City Centre as well as offices in Dubai Marina and Dubai International Financial Centre.
DAMAC Properties has collaborations with a host of international lifestyle brands including Versace, FENDI, The Trump Organisation and Paramount Hotels & Resorts to present unique branded-living concepts, in addition to some of the most luxurious villas and towers in the best locations across Dubai.
Dubai was recently confirmed as the ‘hottest’ property market in the world in the ‘Global Property Guide’. The average price of property has grown 23.7% during 2014 up to the end of the third quarter. The UAE’s economy is also growing – with the increase in GDP expected at around 4.3% by the end of the year.
Established in 2002, DAMAC Properties has delivered almost 12,000 units to date and currently has a development portfolio of over 39,000 units at various stages of progress and planning http://cobaltautoservices.com/auto-shipping-quotes/car-transport-quote/ as of September 30th 2014. The company became the first real estate developer from Dubai to be traded on the London Stock Exchange when it listed at the end of last year.
Further information is available at http://www.damacproperties.com
Auto Industry Remembers Patrick Hespen With A 2,100 Horsepower Salute
Patrick Hespen, fellow car enthusiast and PR rep for multiple car companies, passed away last week and at his funeral three Hellcats showed up for a “2,100 horsepower salute” to recognize a person beloved by many. Fellow gearheads at a wide range of car companies showed up with performance cars to rev as his casket went by, as you can see in the video above.
You should read this article for a http://cobaltautoservices.com/auto-shipping-quotes/car-transport-quote/ full story of Patrick and funeral, but I’ll just add that he was involved with more fun cars than I can even remember, somehow managing to always snag the best products because, I’m guessing, automakers realized how genuinely excited he would get about them.
I found out a little later than most that Hespen was undergoing chemo for bile duct cancer and, at the time, he played it off fairly casually considering he’d been given two years to live. He was looking forward to a track day with his Miata and excited about some road trips.
He was a great guy and he’ll be missed by all of us in the industry.
http://jalopnik.com/auto-industry-remembers-patrick-hespen-with-a-2-100-hor-1674687363
Afghan army halts transport for soldiers after wave of bus bombs
By Mirwais Harooni
KABUL Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:57am EST
Afghan security forces inspect at the site of a suicide attack in Kabul December 13, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Omar Sobhani
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s army has stopped taking soldiers to and from work in the capital, deeming it too dangerous after a string of bomb attacks on buses carrying soldiers killed more than a dozen of them, an official said on Tuesday.
The decision was another sign of deteriorating security and heightened fear in Kabul two weeks before the U.S.-led combat mission ends after 13 years, and most foreign troops withdraw, leaving the fight against Taliban insurgents to Afghan forces.
Four buses carrying Afghan soldiers have been hit by suicide bombers in Kabul in the past two months, with the latest killing seven soldiers on Saturday. Six were killed in an attack two days earlier.
The Taliban are fighting to expel foreign forces and bring down the U.S.-backed government.
With soldiers increasingly a target, the Ministry of Defence canceled its long-time practice of shuttling soldiers to and from work.
“For now, it is stopped,” said ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri. He would not elaborate on what else might be done to get soldiers to work.
“Some measures have been taken to avoid further casualties after recent attacks and incidents. … We cannot share them right now.”
On Monday, employees were seen streaming out of the Ministry of Defence on foot, leaving work early to find their own way home.
Among the options being discussed was having soldiers wear civilian clothes on their way to their posts and changing into uniforms there, according to one army officer.
The defense ministry is also discussing giving soldiers a monthly allowance of 3,000 afghanis ($51) to take buses or taxis, said the officer, who declined to be identified.
That the army is having trouble protecting soldiers highlights the bleak reality of the war, even as the international force draws down to about 12,500 troops and shifts to a support role.
Fighting is still fierce more than a dozen years after the Taliban government was toppled to punish it for sheltering al Qaeda leaders accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on U.S. cities.
Deaths among Afghan security forces are set to reach a new high this year, with more than 4,600 police and soldiers killed as of November.
Civilian deaths, also, were near record levels, with more auto transport quote than 1,500 people killed in the first six months of 2014, 17 percent higher than the same period last year, according to the United Nations.
Nearly 3,500 foreign soldiers have died in the Afghan war, including about 2,200 Americans.
(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/16/us-afghanistan-security-idUSKBN0JU1AR20141216
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