The future of the EU

BY FEDERICO CARLI AND HUGO SAVOINI   Despite the ECB’s bold action provided the monetary firepower to back up EU finance ministers’ rhetoric, there have been public ...

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To all the Italian pepole

In this world pandemic, we extend our wholehearted wishes to all Italians to get through these trying times. Our deep prayers go for you to stay healthy, safe and look after your loved ones. Italy an...

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LEBITALIA Board meet with the new Italy Ambassador to Lebanon HE Nicoletta Bombardiere.

Board members of the Lebanese Italian Business Council, met on the 2nd of March 2020 with Her Excellency Ambassador Bombardiere  at the Italian Embassy in Beirut to welcome her to Lebanon and to ...

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Arab Fund to lend $165 million to Lebanon's Housing Bank

Banque de l'Habitat (The Housing Bank) has secured a 30-year soft loan of KD50 million ($165 million) from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, said Joseph Sassine, Chairman of The H...

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Italy aims to add 7 billion euros in new business with China: paper

Italy’s goal is to add 7 billion euros ($8 billion) in new business with China through 30 corporate accords due to be signed on Saturday, Il Sole 24 Ore daily reported on Thursday. Chinese ...

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A Lebanese and Cypriot business delegation at “Made Expo 2019

A Lebanese and Cypriot business delegation met in Milan on 13 to 14 March 2019 with Italian exhibitors at “Made Expo 2019”, the integrated specialized exhibition of construction materials,...

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Beirut hotel reservations show full occupancy in summer

Hotels are witnessing high traffic and some reached full occupancy over the past month. Hoteliers are optimistic and have high expectations for this summer’s bookings. There was a good pick...

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The Middle East's first zero-waste store opens in Beirut

Despite the February drizzle, opening night was abuzz with activity, welcoming a mix of vendors, interested citizens and journalists at the small store in Hamra. The EcoSouk, which Kehdy, 33, is billi...

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Italy plans to join China's Belt and Road Initiative: Financial Times

Italy has planned to sign a memorandum of understanding to become part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday (Mar 5). "The negotiation is not over ...

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Tastes of Italy: Wine workshop piques Lebanese palates

From the sensual aroma of Sicilian wine to singsongy Italian chattering, there was no escaping “la dolce vita” at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut Thursday, thanks to the Italian Embassy i...

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$50 million new water projects in Lebanon

The South Lebanon Water Establishment (SLWE) plans to launch four projects worth $50 million to enhance water production services, according to its recently-appointed Director General Wassim Daher. ...

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Luxury meets grunge at Versace Milan Fashion Week show

Versace married luxury with grunge at Milan Fashion Week, presenting an Autumn/Winter 2019 line featuring leather, faux furs and ripped jumpers, as well as plenty of the Italian luxury label’s s...

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Venice's Bibione beach is the first in Italy to ban smoking

The Venetian seaside resort of Bibione will be the first Italian beach to go completely smoke-free, in a mission to safeguard the environment from discarded cigarette ends and protect visitors from se...

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Second oil licensing bid to be launched in Lebanon soon

The Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA) will start the prequalification process once the licensing round is launched. Interested companies will be given a six-month period to submit their com...

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Deal between Eni and RenOils to boost collection of used food oil and oil used for frying

Eni and RenOils, the Italian national vegetable and animal oils and fats Consortium established in 2016 to ensure the correct management of the collection, transport, storage, processing and reuse of ...

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The new Lebanese Cabinet plans infrastructure projects with total investments of $17 billion

The new Lebanese Cabinet plans to start executing the Capital Investment Plan (CIP) which was agreed upon at the CEDRE conference, according to the government’s policy statement approved by the ...

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Three Lebanese digital platforms win World Summit Awards

The three Lebanese digital platforms Scriptr, Proximie, and Tabshoura have won at the World Summit Awards (WSA). The WSA, which was launched in 2003 in the framework of the United Nations World S...

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A.N. Boukather gets exclusive rights to Ford sales, imports in Lebanon

A.N. Boukather (ANB) has acquired the exclusive right to import and sell Ford vehicles in the country. Ford is the second automotive brand to join ANB in less than a year. The company in March 20...

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Iraq-Tripoli oil pipeline expected back in service

The oil pipeline between Iraq and Lebanon is expected to go back online. “Lebanon is in contact with officials in Iraq and Syria to discuss ways to reboot operations in the pipeline linking...

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Eight of Italy's quirkiest festivals in 2019

Italy is home to some world-famous festivals and annual events. But there are also lots of smaller festivals taking place which are not quite as well known, celebrating everything from cherry trees to...

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Lebanese expat businessmen launch $100 million investment fund

The Federation of Global Lebanese Investors has launched a $100 million investment fund to support infrastructure projects in the country. The fund will invest in the infrastructure Public-Privat...

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IFC ready to invest $1 billion per year in Lebanon

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is willing to invest $1 billion a year locally, said Saad Sabrah, Country Head of Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. “But this investment is conditioned ...

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Italy to Finance Ethiopia, Eritrea Railway Link

The Government of Italy expressed its interest to help Ethiopia and Eritrea link via railway network. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was on official visit to Italy, has discussed with his Italian ...

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Qatar to buy $500 million in Lebanese Eurobonds

Qatar will purchase Lebanese government bonds denominated in the U.S. dollar worth $500 million, said Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. ...

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Italian town puts dozens of homes on market for as little as €1

British house prices may be falling, but you would still be hard-pressed to find a cheaper property than those on sale in one Sicilian town, where homes are going for as little as €1, The Guardia...

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2 million tourists visited Lebanon in 2018; a 6 percent increase

Two million tourists visited the country last year, registering a six percent increase compared to 2017, according to the Ministry of Tourism (MoT). The largest number of tourists came from Europ...

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Fiat to invest €5 billion in Italian factories

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) said it would invest over €5 billion euros in its Italian factories between 2019 and 2021, to the relief of unions worried about their first foreign boss. Mike Manley, wh...

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Italian producers toast record prosecco sales worldwide

During Christmas and New Year there were record number of toasts made with Italian spumante, or sparkling wines, as they became an "essential” party season purchase around the world, said I...

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Italy tops Booking.com rankings ahead of Spain, France, Germany and USA

Italy has topped the Booking.com hospitality rankings for 2018, ANSA reported. With 106,513 guest review awards, Italy led ahead of Spain with 46,646, France with 45,286, Germany with 36,042 and the...

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EU grants $22 million for Lebanese health sector

The European Union (EU) has offered €19 million ($21.56 million) in grant funding to support Lebanon’s health care system. The EU Regional Trust Fund grant will secure access to chroni...

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National Geographic ranks Beirut NYE party top 10 in the world

Downtown Beirut rang in 2019 with a bang, with National Geographic ranking the Nijmeh Square celebration among the top 10 New Year's Eve parties in the world. Prime Minister-designate Saad Ha...

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Two restaurant clusters planned in the Lebanese cities of Zahle and Saida

Construction will start early next year on two restaurant clusters in Saida and Zahle. The two projects are a joint venture between Venture Group, a hospitality concept development company owned ...

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Italian sweet snacks beat foreign competition

Italian bakery products for children, a family tradition commonly served at breakfast and out of home, fear no comparison with similar snacks in the UK and the USA. According to a research by bakery a...

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Middle East Airlines signs $300 million deal with Rolls-Royce

Middle East Airlines (MEA), the national flag carrier, has signed a $300 million contract with British motor-maker Rolls-Royce, for the installation of Trent 7000 engines in four new Airbus aircraft, ...

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CDR overseeing $4.5 billion in projects in Lebanon

The Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) is supervising the implementation of $4.5 billion worth of ongoing projects, according to its annual progress report for 2018. The transport s...

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CDR overseeing $4.5 billion in projects in Lebanon

The Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) is supervising the implementation of $4.5 billion worth of ongoing projects, according to its annual progress report for 2018. The transport s...

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Lebanese bank offers $200 million for green energy projects

Bank Audi said it will offer $200 million in financing for green energy projects. Ventures to be funded include projects that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. ...

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Central Bank of Lebanon to launch digital currencies soon: Salameh

Central Bank of Lebanon Governor Riad Salameh announced Thursday that Banque du Liban will soon launch digital currencies as a recognized form of official transactions soon. In comments made at t...

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Record numbers of tourists are arriving in Italy, study shows

Tourism in Italy is booming, as the latest figures show another record year for the country with more than 420 million visitors in 2017, The Local reports. The 4.4 percent increase in tourist num...

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EU provides $114 million to support education in Lebanon

The European Union (EU) will provide €100 million ($114 million) to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) to ensure quality education for all children. Around $90 million of ...

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$200 million plan to expand Lebanon's mobile network

The Lebanese Ministry of Telecommunication (MoT) is expanding the country’s mobile network to improve 3G and 4G coverage. There will be an additional 900 3G/4G sites such as rooftop towers ...

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Industrial permits in Lebanon up by 45%

The Lebanese Ministry of Industry (MoI) issued 476 industrial permits in the first six months of the year, a 45 percent increase compared to the same period last year. These include new establishment ...

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Lebanese offshore company law to allow single shareholders

Lebanese parliament has reduced the minimum requirement to establish an offshore company to a single shareholder. The law used to require at least three shareholders. Karim Daher, founding partne...

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Italian wine exports to China up 21%

Italian wine exports to China over the last year have surged 14.2% in quantity and 21.76% in value for a turnover totaling 140 million dollars, according to the newly released report China Vinitrac of...

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Italy fines Apple and Samsung millions for deliberately slowing down phones

Apple and Samsung are being fined €10m and €5m respectively in Italy for the “planned obsolescence” of their smartphones. An investigation launched in January by the nation&...

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Beirut's Mövenpick Hotel sold for $125 million to local and Saudi investors

Saudi-based Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), a publicly listed company directed by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, has sold 95 percent of the 5-star Mövenpick Hotel Beirut property in Raouche. The ...

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Medical innovation for diabetes by Lebanon's Benta

Benta Pharma Industries (BPI), a local manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, has achieved promising results of an innovation it’s working on with Vanderbilt and Harvard universities. The innovat...

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Italian brewery launches first ever beer made of air

The Birra Flea microbrewery in Gualdo Tadino, central Italy, has brought a new recipe to beer: air. It's what every beer drinker in the world wants, a beer that you can muster out of thin air...

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Italy's Ferrari to switch to hybrid cars by 2022

Most of the cars made by Ferrari will be hybrid petrol-electric by 2022, the Italian sports car manufacturer said on Tuesday, including its first SUV. "By 2022, nearly 60 percent of the mode...

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Lebanese delegation visited Marmomacc, Verona 23-28 September 2018

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA Beirut) organized the visit of a Lebanese Delegation to Marmomacc the leading exhibition for the natural stone industry. Marmomacc represents the entire supply chain, fro...

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Beirut River Solar Snake tenders second phase

Electricité du Liban (EDL) has launched the tender to implement the second phase of the Beirut River Solar Snake (BRSS) project, which is expected to generate seven megawatts (MW) of electricit...

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Italy supports Lebanese energy projects

Lebanese companies looking to finance renewable energy or energy efficiency projects can apply for a loan product through Banque du Liban’s NEEREA financing mechanism that is funded by a 5 milli...

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$66.3 million interest subsidy for housing loans in Lebanon

The Lebanese parliament has approved the allocation of LL100 billion ($66.3 million) to subsidize the interest rates of housing loans for one year. The loans eligible for the subsidies are those ...

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Lebanese parliament approves $330 million infrastructure loans

The Lebanese parliament has approved three loans, with a total value of $330 million, to finance and execute infrastructure projects, as requested by the Cabinet. Loans will have varying but low inter...

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Celebrities gather on Milan's 'Green Carpet' to promote sustainability

Italy’s fashion elite and celebrities such as film stars Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Colin Firth gathered at a “green-carpet” event at Milan’s fashion week to urge great...

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A $200 million project in Lebanon to include a golf course and a hotel

Intra Investment, a company owned by the Central Bank and other shareholders, is planning to develop an 18-hole golf course on a 600,000 square meter plot in Roumieh, Mayor Adel Abi Habib said. In...

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Can the city of pizza reinvent itself as a tech capital?

BBC News: As tech giants Apple and Cisco set up academies in Naples, the city's tech entrepreneurs are hoping new investment will revitalise southern Italy's failing economy. Naples is a ...

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Entrepreneur brings blueberries to Lebanon

Lebanon’s ecosystem is a regional anomaly. Unlike most of the Arab world, there is no desert, and cedar trees grow along dewy mountaintops. Talal Nassereddine, an agro-businessman who hails from...

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Morgan Stanley recommends buying Italian assets ahead of budget

Investment bank Morgan Stanley recommends tactically buying Italian bonds and stocks ahead of the country’s budget announcement, which it reckons will aim for a deficit well below the EU thresho...

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Italy's Budget will foster growth, maintain stability, says Premier Giuseppe Conte

Premier Giuseppe Conte said Wednesday that the government's upcoming budget law will foster growth while maintaining the stability of the public finances after a meeting on Wednesday with his two ...

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ISTAT ups Italy's GDP estimate for year to 1.2%

(ANSA) - Rome, August 31 - ISTAT on Friday upped its annual growth forecast for the Italian economy to 1.2% in the second quarter.     This was higher than the 1.1% forecast on July 3...

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Italy hoping for Chinese investment in Alitalia

In an interview with Il Sole 24, Italian economic undersecretary Michele Geraci shed some more light on Italy’s efforts to attract Chinese money. While mentioning that he will be talking to Ch...

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Housing Bank resumes mortgage loan subsidies

The Central Bank (BDL) will subsidize the interest rates of housing loans that Banque de l'Habitat (The Housing Bank) provides. The subsidy will continue until the end of 2018, according to a...

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25 consortiums interested in Lebanese hydropower production

The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) has received 25 Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from local and international companies to participate in public-private partnerships for the development of hydro...

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Italian wins 'Maths Nobel' -Fields Medal

Italy's Alessio Figalli has been awarded the Fields Medal, which is the world's top award for mathematics and is considered a sort of Nobel Prize for the discipline. "This prize gives me ...

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One third of Lebanese food & beverage production is exported

The Food and Beverages (F&B) sector comprises the largest number of industrial establishments, with 1,219 producers, accounting for 18.2 percent of the total industrial enterprises, according to &...

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‘Sights’ a new outlet mall in Dbayeh - Lebanon

Developers & Co, a real estate company, has begun excavation to build ‘Sights’, an outlet mall in Dbayeh. The project will be completed in summer 2019. The outlet mall will be bui...

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Glennmont gets tentative bids in Italy solar sale: sources

More than ten bidders have made indicative offers for Italian solar plants being sold by Glennmont Partners, three sources said, in a further sign of growing appetite for green energy assets in Italy,...

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High oil prices to boost Lebanon GDP but widen deficits

Rising oil prices will indirectly boost economic growth said the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in a report released recently. It will also lead to a widening of the fiscal and current accou...

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Beirut Municipality spends $182 million in 60 projects

The Municipality of Beirut worked on 60 projects that have a value of $182 million in 2017, according to its annual progress report. These projects are expected to create 3,000 jobs. “...

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Automobili Lamborghini continues growth with new half-year sales record

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. reports another increase in worldwide deliveries. In the first six months (January 1 to June 30) of the current Fiscal Year 2018 the Italian super sports car maker delive...

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Italy's Mediaset launches takeover bid for masts group EI Towers

Italy’s biggest commercial broadcaster, Mediaset (MS.MI), has joined forces with infrastructure fund F2i to launch a takeover bid for EI Towers (EIT.MI), the companies said on Monday. Toget...

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Tripoli Port becomes transshipment hub for East Asia

CMA CGM has launched a direct route between China and Southeast Asia to North Europe, passing through Port of Tripoli (PoT), as a transshipment port. The route will become operational as of Augus...

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China looks to invest in north Lebanon

The long-mooted revival of the railway between Tripoli and the Lebanese-Syrian border may have finally found an investor, with profound implications not only for the economy of north Lebanon but for t...

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$20 million restaurant cluster by Venture Group in Beit Mery

Construction of a food and beverages (F&B) cluster has begun in Beit Mery. The project is a joint venture between Venture Group, a hospitality concept development company owned by Marwan Ayoub and...

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National Geographic includes Lebanon in best summer list

National Geographic has included Lebanon on its list of the best summer trips in 2018, particularly due to its food and beverages. “Often overlooked as a culinary destination, Lebanon craft...

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Italy's Eni aims for oil industry first with carbon neutral goal

Italian oil major Eni will make a binding commitment to becoming carbon neutral, its chief executive Claudio Descalzi said on Monday. Descalzi said Eni’s “epochal” announcement on ...

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Italy's Osteria Francescana wins world's best restaurant

And the award for best restaurant in the world goes to....Osteria Francescana. Tuesday (June 19) marked the second time chef Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana took the top spot at the Wor...

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$400 million from the World Bank to create 64,000 jobs in Lebanon

The World Bank has approved a new $400 million project to support the expansion of employment opportunities in Lebanon. The financial package is expected to create 52,000 permanent jobs and up to...

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Contractors in Lebanon veering toward environmental, renewables

Solid waste management challenges and the launch of tenders in the renewable sector constitute new opportunities for contractors. Companies like Mouawad-Edde and MAN Enterprise are participating ...

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A $18 million Hotel and natural park on 130,000 m2 in Ain Saadeh

Forest Resort, a mixed-use touristic project in Ain Saade, has been launched by William Zard Group, a real estate company. Excavation for the project will begin in August. The project is scheduled to ...

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Italy has 150,000 bars that make 18bn euros

Italy's 149,154 bars have an overall turnover of approximately 18 billion euros a year, according to the latest figures presented by the Italian federation of bars and catering (FIPE) on Monday. H...

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Kering's Gucci aims for 10 billion euros revenue threshold

Italy’s Gucci, the biggest earnings driver at French group Kering (PRTP.PA), said on Thursday it expected sales to grow at twice the pace of the luxury market in the coming years and for revenue...

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$85 million Kaslik resort under construction

A mixed-use resort in Kaslik is being planned by Sam Elias, a Lebanese-Australian developer. Excavation for ‘Soul Beach Resort’ will start in July. The project is scheduled to be completed...

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Italian Prime Minister-Designate Conte Announces New Cabinet Ministers

Italy's prime minister-designate, Giuseppe Conte, presented his list of ministers to President Sergio Mattarella. The leader of Lega party Matteo Salvini becomes the interior minister, while the...

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$53 million for 58 tech upstarts

Last year, 58 tech startups were established, with a total funding value reaching $53 million. This is a more than six-fold increase, from $7 million and 11 startups in 2013. According to Azza Ye...

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13 consortiums prequalified for regasification units including Italy’s ENI

The Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water launched a Request for Proposals for the purchase of Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRUs), after 13 international and local consortiums prequalif...

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Italian ambassador reaffirms $2.4 million pledge to Lebanese Army, ISF

President Michel Aoun Tuesday met with Italian Ambassador to Lebanon Massimo Marotti, who reaffirmed the $2.4 million pledge his country made to the Lebanese Army and security forces during the Rome I...

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Second oil licensing round in Lebanon by year end

The Ministry of Energy and Water is preparing to launch the prequalification period as part of the second oil and gas licensing round by the end of 2018 or early 2019. “Oil companies should...

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42 bidders for wind generation tender

A total of 42 Expressions of Interests (EoIs) were received by the Ministry of Energy and Water for the generation of 300 megawatts (MW) of wind power. This is the second round of the tender to d...

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Tourists spent nearly €40 billion in Italy last year

Overseas tourists spent a record amount in Italy in 2017, according to new figures, splashing out nearly €40 billion during their visits. Incoming visitors spent €39.1 billion in Italy las...

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Italian researchers develop lighter, cheaper robotic hand

Italian researchers unveiled a new robotic hand they say allows users to grip objects more naturally and features a design that will lower the price significantly. The Hennes robotic hand has a simp...

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Restaurant cluster opens in Hazmieh

AHAS Group, a real estate and contracting company, has inaugurated ‘Citywalk’, a restaurant cluster in Hazmieh. The project is a partnership between AHAS Group, owned by Hussein Sbeit...

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Remittance inflows to Lebanon rise to $8 billion

Remittance inflows are estimated to have risen 4.6 percent in 2017 to $7.95 billion, according to the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief released in April. Remittances account for...

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Italy food tourism doubles in a year - study

Food and wine tourism in Italy has doubled in the last year, the Isnart-Unioncamere group said Friday. It said that last year there were 110 million stays in food-and-wine-related accommodation, doubl...

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$50 million allocated for road development

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport is executing 27 roads, mainly in Mount Lebanon and Akkar after it received a budget allocation of $50 million, according to Tanios Boulos, Director of the Ge...

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Lebanese startup heads to global meet

A Lebanese startup that trains young people in job skills to compete in an increasingly automated workforce has been selected to go to Madrid to compete among 100 different teams at the South Summit i...

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Eni investing 7 billion euros in Italy over 4 years

Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi says that the oil giant will invest 7 billion euros ($8.6 billion) in activities in its home country of Italy over the next four years. Descalzi told investors that the inve...

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Ecommerce in Italy has doubled in four years

Ecommerce in Italy has experience a sustained period of growth and is increasingly an important part of the Italian economy. And that could be a spur for merchants to rexamine whether it’s a pot...

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$150 million headquarters and 15 more planes for Middle East Airlines

Middle East Airlines (MEA) plans to purchase 15 new airplanes between 2019 and 2021, 11 Airbus A321s and four other ‘wide-body’ variants. The new planes will be equipped with Wi-Fi. M...

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Selected Trade Fairs in Italy, May 2018

Proposte Trade Fair for Furnishing Fabrics and Curtains Manufacturers 02.May - 04.May, 2018, Cernobbio       Oroarezzo Int'l Exhibition for Gold, Silverware and Je...

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Biggest Italian household income rise in 6 years

The disposable income of Italian households increased by 1.7% in 2017, the biggest rise since 2011, ISTAT said. The national statistics agency said that families' purchasing power increase too, by...

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$11.8 billion promised at the Paris CEDRE conference

The CEDRE donor conference has resulted in $11.8 billion in pledges of financial assistance, out of which $11 billion are in soft loans. There were 51 countries represented at the conference in additi...

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Lebanese Pavilion at La Biennale Architettura in Venice

A number of local institutions and individuals, architects, artists and researchers will participate in the 16th Biennale of Architecture exhibition, to be held in Venice, Italy in May. This is the fi...

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Milan and Turin to bid for 2026 Winter Olympics

Milan and Turin are to present a joint bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said. CONI sent a letter of intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thurs...

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Italy doubles its support to UNRWA

The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Angelino Alfano on Saturday announced the doubling of his country’s support to UNRWA, as part of the Extraordinary Ministeri...

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$295 million to create rapid transport system in Beirut

The World Bank has approved a $295 million package to overhaul the transport sector. The Greater Beirut Public Transport Project (GBPTP) is expected to ease congestions on roads and unlock privat...

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Italy is the first sparkling wine producer in the world

Italy has become the first sparkling wine producer in the world, overcoming Germany after 20 years of its supremacy and bypassing French competition. Ovse (Economic Observatory of Italian Sparkling ...

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IFC will invest $100 million in the Lebanese financial sector

This year, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are preparing to launch investments in the financial sector. Saad Sabra, IFC Cou...

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Tender launched in Lebanon for three solar and hydro farms

The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) for three solar farms that will generate 70 to 100 megawatts (MW) each. Each solar farm should have battery storag...

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Fitch ups Italy 2018 GDP forecast

Fitch uFitch said that it has revised upwards its growth forecasts for Italy, with GDP expected to rise 1.5% this year and 1.2% in 2019. The agency had previously predicted growth of 1.3% in 2018 and ...

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Lebanese fruit juice industry: A promising sector

The size of the fruit juice industry ranges between $130 and $150 million, according to a recent study by BLOMInvest, “Can fruit juices keep the doctor away?” One liter of juice costs...

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Private sector to tap $6 billion in Lebanese public projects

The High Council for Privatization (HCP) has proposed a list of projects subject to Public Private Partnership (PPP) deals, which will be part of a $22 billion Infrastructure Investment Program (IIP)....

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Italian wine is on the up in Lebanon

The first floor of the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut was transformed into a Little Italy thanks to the Italian Embassy and the country’s Trade Agency. Wines, cheeses, pasta, Aperol spritzes and...

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Demand for properties in Lebanon surged by 13.7%

Demand for properties in Lebanon in 2017 surged by 13.7 percent to 47.6 points compared to 2016, but this score is still far lower than the peak achieved in 2010, according to the Byblos Bank Real Est...

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Online platform to market Lebanese industrial goods abroad

Orient Swiss Lebanon, a recently established company owned by Bachir Abi Khalil, recently launched an online trading gateway that helps manufacturers market their products in the Silk Road countries. ...

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Cèdre (Paris IV) donor conference set for April 6

The Lebanese government will seek funding for an infrastructure investment program worth between $16 and $17 billion at the Cèdre donor conference that will be held on April 6 in Paris, said Na...

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Italian wine showcase in Lebanon, March 7, Four Seasons

The widest presentation of Italian wines in Lebanon will take place March 7th at the Four Seasons. 90 Italian wine, liquors and water producers will showcase more than 200 types of wine. A unique ...

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Ministry launches ICT fund in Lebanon

The Ministry of Telecommunication (MoT) launched MIC Ventures, a $48 million fund, to invest in and empower the ICT sector and related services startups. Jamal El Jarrah, Minister of Telecommunic...

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Eni reports 3.43 billion 2017 earnings

Italian energy giant Eni said Friday that it was back in the black in 2017, making earnings of 3.43 billion euros compared to a 1.4-billion-euro loss in 2016. It said its net adjusted profit for 2017 ...

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Three local companies win tender to lay fiber optic network in Lebanon

OGERO announced the winning companies set to deploy the national public fiber optic project. Three local companies will partner with international vendors to implement the project. Power Tech affiliat...

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Lebanon signs exploratory deal with 3 oil firms

Lebanon signed a deal with an international consortium to start exploratory offshore drilling for oil and gas amid tensions with Israel. Beirut hopes that oil and gas will help boost its struggling ec...

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Selected Trade Fairs in Italy - March 2018

Buonvivere 1 March - 4 March, Piacenza Show on typical food and wines Seminat 1 March - 4 March, Piacenza Exhibition of seeds, agricultural and ornamental plants, equipment Expo Casa...

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Palermo Italian culture capital

Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Culture Minister Dario Franceschini kicked off Palermo's year as Italian Culture Capital. Speaking to local dignitaries including Mayor Leoluca Orlando and Sicily Gover...

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Foreigners buy $524 million in properties in Lebanon

Foreigners from 58 nationalities bought 1,364 real estate properties, worth $524 million in 2017, according to figures from the Real Estate Registry. The figures are of similar value to 2016. They rep...

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Italian Ambassador launches Italian Cultural Institute Activities for 2018

The Italian Ambassador to Lebanon has launched the program of 2018's cultural activities. This year's focus is on the Mediterranean under the title: "Italia, Culture e Mediterraneo"....

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2018 declared the year of Italian food

The cultural, social and aesthetic value of food are at the center of a campaign launched by Italy's cultural and agricultural ministries that have declared 2018 the year of Italian food in the wo...

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$1 billion to subsidize loans for housing and other productive sectors

Next week the Central Bank (BDL) is scheduled to launch a new stimulus package of around $1 billion to subsidize housing loans and loans provided to the productive sectors, according to Wael Hamdan, H...

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Eurozone and Italy have better years ahead, says Italy’s PM

Italy has doubled the IMF's growth forecasts with government reforms, Premier Paolo Gentiloni told the World Economic Forum in Davos. "A year ago the International Monetary Fund gave Italian ...

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IMF raises Italy growth forecasts

The International Monetary Fund on Monday raised Italian growth forecasts but pointed to the potential risks to structural reforms of Italy's March 4 general election. The IMF raised its growth ...

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Property sales in Lebanon top $9 billion

The value of real estate transactions went up 24 percent compared to the year before, according to the Real Estate Registry. Sales totaled $9.4 billion in 2017. The number of real estate transact...

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Lebanon gears up for three international conferences

Lebanon is gearing up to take part in three international conferences scheduled for early 2018, as the government seeks to rally international support for its security institutions and attract foreign...

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Italy’s biggest bank to invest €5 billion in tourism

Italy’s largest bank by assets, Intesa Sanpaolo, has announced a deal with the country’s culture ministry to inject €5 billion into the Italian tourism sector. A big chunk of that m...

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Italy's Ferrero set to buy Nestle's US candy business

Nestle USA registered sales of some 900 million Swiss francs (€828 million, $900 million) in 2016, in a market worth an overall $8 billion, according to Ibis World – equivalent to around a ...

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$20 billion in 250 projects planned in Lebanon during 2018

The Lebanese government will launch a construction and restoration program including 250 infrastructure projects this year. Investment in the projects will reach $16 billion. Around 25 perce...

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Selected Trade Fairs in Italy During February 2018

1 - 3 February, 2018 Pordenone, Italy Samuplast Plastic and Rubber Exhibition       1 - 3 February, 2018 Pordenone, Italy Samumetal Exhibition of technologies...

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PM Hariri discusses sports initiatives with UIM president Raffaele Chiulli

Prime Minister Saad Hariri held meetings during which he discussed a new academy for watersports training and a Formula 2 World Championships planned for 2018 in Lebanon. A statement from Hariri&rsq...

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$22 billion in projects were covered in Lebanon during 2017

The value of the projects covered in BusinessNews by Lebanon Opportunities for the year 2017 amount to more than $22 billion in investments, announced projects, and business transactions. There was mo...

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$240 million investment in Lebanese oil and gas sector in first 5 years

The oil and gas consortium, formed of Total, ENI, and Novatek, will invest an estimated amount of $40 million for the construction of each exploratory well. The consortium will construct a total of fo...

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Italian parliament passes 2018 budget

Italy’s upper house Senate gave parliament’s final approval to the government’s 2018 budget, clearing the way for national elections expected to be held in March. The financial law...

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Ten ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2018 in Italy

However your 2017 was, Italy is a great place to see it out. You can expect everything from fireworks to feasts, music until dawn and more than one midnight kiss. The only thing you shouldn’t ...

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Italy donates to Lebanon's industrial zone development

Italy has donated nearly $600,000 to the United Nations Industrial Development Program to fund the development of industrial zones in Lebanon, a statement from UNIDO said Tuesday. “The industr...

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Property demand in Lebanon up while supply of units shrinks

The gap between supply and demand in the property market is beginning to shrink, according to a study undertaken by InfoPro Research and published in the December edition of Lebanon Opportunities. ...

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Marotti, UNESCO Lebanon Director sign Wadi Qadisha rehabilitation project's funding agreement

Ambassador of Italy to Lebanon Massimo Marotti and UNESCO Director for Lebanon Mr. Hamad AL-HAMMAMI signed the agreement for funding the project "Rehabilitation and Valorization of Wadi Qadisha&q...

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It’s official! Lebanon an oil producing country

The Lebanese government awarded a consortium led by Total (France), and including ENI (Italy) and Novatek (Russia) the exploration and production contracts of two maritime blocks (4 and 9). &ldqu...

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World's largest 'Christmas tree' in central Italy lit up from space

Central Italy's set of lights shaped like a Christmas tree on Monte Ingino is the largest in the world. Astronaut Paolo Nespoli lit the tree this year by sending a signal from the space station ...

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Foster + Partners’ High-rise Project ‘3Beirut’ Revives the Lebanese Capital

Foster + Partners just wrapped up its new high-rise project ‘3 Beirut’ which is meant to develop the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The towers augment the Mediterranean city’s importanc...

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Selected Trade Fairs in Italy - January 2018

Pitti Immagine Uomo 9 January - 12 January, 2018, Florence, Italy Men's Fashion Fair       www.pittimmagine.com Expo Elettronica Modena 13 Jan - 14 Jan, 2018, Mo...

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Five star hotel slated for Ramlet Al-Baida and a $50 million entertainment center for Saloumeh

BLUR, a five-star boutique hotel, is set to launch in Ramlet El Baida. Construction work will start next year, and will be completed in 2020. The hotel is owned by Hojeij Group Holding, which own...

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Naples pizza-twirling gets Unesco world heritage status

Pizza has conquered the world, but the art of "pizzaiuolo" - twirling the dough and baking it in a wood-fired brick oven - is less well known outside the Italian city of Naples. That could...

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Italy backs the construction of Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline to Europe

Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Israel agreed to back the construction of a gas pipeline from newly discovered fields in the eastern Mediterranean to Europe. The project, known as East Med, involves a 2,0...

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$300 million national scale fiber optic project launched in Lebanon

The Ministry of Telecommunications (MoT) launched a tender for the deployment of a fiber optic network on a national scale, estimated to be valued at $300 million. The Ministry expects the projec...

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Made in Sicily, Europe's first protected chocolate?

Dark, bitter and gritty: it might not be everyone's cup of cocoa, but Sicilian chocolate is certainly unique. Now Italian artisans are seeking European protection for the distinctive chocolate m...

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Black Friday sales to reach $200 million in Lebanon

Last weekend retailers engaged in ‘Black Friday’, an American-inspired occasion that comes a day after Thanksgiving on which special discounts are offered. Nicolas Chammas, Chairman o...

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Pacini E Cappellini at Farra Design in Beirut

Mr. Roberto Cappellini, Mrs Gloria Cappellini and Ms. Sonia Abbondi recently visited FARRA Design to attend the opening Pacini E Cappellini shop in shop. During their stay, they conducted an extensive...

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Italy prepares to introduce ‘web tax’ worth €114 million a year

Italy’s senate budget committee has approved a proposal to introduce a 6 percent levy on digital sales. The so-called “web tax” is expected to bring an extra €114 million per ...

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$32 million investment to reopen glass containers factory in Lebanon

Soliver, a manufacturer of glass containers, will reopen its factory in Bchamoun in mid-2018. The company took the decision to shut down its factory last February, and dismissed 250 employees aft...

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Beirut Chamber sees stable exports

The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon reported a small growth in ‘real exports’ in the first six months of the year compared to 2016. The tonnage o...

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Made in Italy, the first electric Vespa

More than 70 years after Italy’s iconic scooter was born, the Vespa is getting its most radical update yet. Piaggio, the Pisa-based maker of Italy’s most famous two-wheeler, has unveiled...

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The $106 million Disneyland of Food opens in Italy

The world’s newest Eataly is also its largest, complete with farm animals, artisans, and interactive rides. In ancient times, food was just for sustenance; now it’s entertainment. Fast-f...

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Régie Libanaise invests $8 million to double production

Régie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs (Régie), the State-owned tobacco monopoly, will expand its Hadath factory’s production capacity by 50 percent in 2018. Investment in the expan...

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10 surprising pasta facts in honor of Italy’s favorite food

Why do Italians love pasta? There are too many reasons to count. So instead, we'll share with you a few things you might not know about Italy's best-loved export. Italians used to eat past...

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WORLD WEEK OF ITALIAN CUISINE - 20-26 NOVEMBER 2017

The second edition of the World Week of Italian Cuisine will take place from 20 to 26 November 2017. The World Week of the Italian Cuisine is the worldwide event held under the patronage of the Ital...

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Lebanese olive oil exports double in three years

Exports of olive oil have been growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30 percent since 2014, according to the Olive Oil Factsheet published by IDAL. Exports of olive oil reached 10,00...

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Lebanon: The greatest food and wine country you've never visited (part 2)

For an overview of the country’s history, please read Part 1. As light from a rain-rinsed morning beamed through the kitchen’s floor-to-ceiling windows, I watched Jamal Shalhoub unfurl d...

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Trade Fairs in Italy during December 2017

Natale è Gift Fair December 02-03, 2017, Bastia Umbra, Italy Industry sectors: Gifts, Watches & Clocks, Jewellery, Crafts www.natale-e.it Motor Show Int'l Automobile Exhi...

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Lebanon: The greatest food and wine country you've never visited (Part 1)

As the plane lifted into the sky above Beirut, the last vestiges of the city’s inky hills, flickering with the headlights of crepuscular movement, disappeared. The Lufthansa Airbus banked west o...

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Lebanese products exported to more than 90 countries

Local industrialists and farmers have been successful at exporting their goods to various destinations. Products that find the greatest success are often those that have the highest added value, accor...

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Lebanon to expand airport capacity for 5 million more passengers yearly

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Wednesday a project to increase the capacity of Beirut Rafic Hariri International airport to accommodate 5 million additional annual passengers. &q...

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India and Italy sign six agreements; to boost cooperation in railways, energy sectors

India and Italy on Monday inked six pacts to boost cooperation in key sectors, including energy and trade, after detailed talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Paolo G...

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Central bank of Lebanon to launch digital currency

The Central Bank (BDL) is considering issuing a digital currency in the coming years that will be under its own supervision, said Governor Riad Salameh. The digital currency will play a key role ...

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Italian president approves Visco second term as Bank of Italy governor

Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s president, has given the final seal of approval to Ignazio Visco’s nomination to a second term as governor of the Bank of Italy, according to a statement release...

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Wine as tourist attraction in Italy

Eating lunch in Italy's Bolgheri wine country, it is not hard to understand why the number of international visitors to this bucolic corner of Tuscany has doubled in five years. "People hav...

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ICT market in Lebanon grows to $436 million

The size of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) market reached $436 million last year after growing at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of seven percent over the period 2014-2016,...

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Italy’s trade surplus up to 2.8 billion euros in August

Italy's trade surplus rose to 2.8 billion euros in August, ISTAT said. Exports were 4.2% up in August on July, the statistics agency said, and 8.4% up over the year. (ANSA)  

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China reverses ban on Italian Gorgonzola and other cheese

China has reopened its borders to Italian Gorgonzola and other smelly European cheeses after a two-month ban on imports. Chinese customs officials started allowing marbled and soft-rind cheeses back...

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Central Bank injects additional $500 million to the stimulus package

The Central Bank (BDL) has decided to inject an additional $500 million to the stimulus package for 2017 which aims to finance productive projects and home purchases at subsidized rates, according to ...

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Selected trade fairs in Italy during November 2017

2 Nov – 5 Nov, 2017, Turin, Italy Artissima The Int'l Fair of Contemporary Art in Turin       www.artissima.it 7 Nov – 12 Nov, 2017, Milan, Italy Eicma M...

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Oil wealth fund a top priority: ministers, MPs

Lebanese ministers and lawmakers pledged Thursday to speed up the creation of a sovereign wealth fund for future proceeds from oil and gas exploration. The announcement came after a workshop to disc...

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Italian mayor offers €2,000 to anyone willing to live in small idyllic village in Puglia

An Italian town is offering to pay people up to €2,000 (£1,800) to move there. Nicola Gatta, mayor of Candela, a small town in Puglia, has made the offer in the hope of reversing the town...

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Central Bank (BDL) will extend stimulus package

The $1 billion stimulus package of the Central Bank (BDL) for 2017, which allows banks to provide subsidized loans to the private sector, has been completely used up, said Governor Riad Salameh. ...

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Prime Minister Saad Hariri holds talks with Italian PM

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri met Monday with his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni, in the presence of Lebanon’s Ambassador to Italy Karim al-Khalil and Mr. Nader Hariri as well ...

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Italy’s ENI, France’s Total and Russia’s Novatek make bid for Lebanon’s offshore exploration phase

Three companies, Eni, Total and Novatek, acting as a consortium have made the only bids in Lebanon's first offshore licensing. The three companies together bid on Blocks 4 and 9, says the Lebane...

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First Italian Arab Business Forum kicks off in Milan

The first Italian Arab Business Forum kicked-off on Thursday at Turati Palace in Milan, with aims to boost the strong economic cooperation between both sides. The forum, which organized by the Joint...

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Remittance inflows to Lebanon for 2017 will account for 14.6% of the GDP by $7.87 billion

Remittance inflows are expected to reach $7.87 billion this year, up 3.3 percent compared with 2016, according to the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief. The remittance inflows fo...

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$100 million to develop fiber optic network in Lebanon

The Council of Ministers has approved an advance of LL150 billion ($100 million) from the Treasury to Ogero. The funding will be used to finance part of the fiber optic project, whose overall cos...

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Italy recovery looks more certain as industry picks up a gear

Italian industry increased output for a fourth month in August, setting the economy up for another solid quarter of growth. Production rose 1.2 percent from July, far more than economists had for...

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Italy’s deposit return scheme for bottles gets underway

Restaurants, bars, hotels and shops across Italy will from Tuesday participate in a deposit return scheme for glass bottles as part of the government’s aim to promote a culture of recycling. C...

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Two major hotels to open in Beirut early 2018

Hilton Beirut Downtown, a five star A hotel, will open in Beirut Central District early next year. The hotel is owned by Al-Iqarat Wal Abnia Co, which is owned by Nadhmi Auchi, the owner of Le Ro...

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The Italian economy is experiencing strong recovery

THE Italian economy is experiencing an unexpectedly strong recovery. The latest good news came on September 12th with the release of figures showing that the national unemployment rate had fallen 0.4 ...

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Italy's high-rise forests take root around the world

As balconies bristle with tree branches and sunshine dapples the leaves of thousands of plants, two apartment buildings in the heart of Milan have almost disappeared under lush forest. The brainchil...

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Beirut National Library to open soon

A public library will open in a historic building now named Saraya el Hamra, which is located in the old Faculty of Law and Political Sciences at the Lebanese University in Sanayeh, in December. ...

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Subsidized housing loans cap in Lebanon upped to $800,000

The Central Bank (BDL) of Lebanon has raised the upper limit of subsidized housing loans provided by commercial banks by 50 percent to 1.2 billion liras (approximately $800,000), according to BDL&rsqu...

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Qatar Airways expands airline investments with Italy's Meridiana

Qatar Airways said it had acquired a 49 percent stake in AQA Holding, the new parent company of Italy’s Meridiana, adding to its growing portfolio of investments in foreign airlines. Previous ...

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€80 million BDL-subsidized energy loans at zero interest

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Agence Française de Developpement (AFD) will provide a financing facility of €80 million ($95.8 million) through local banks to finance energy projec...

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Record numbers of people visited Italy this summer

Tourism in Italy boomed in summer 2017, with an increase in visitor numbers expected to continue throughout the colder months. In total, almost 50 million people spent the night at an Italian hotel ...

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Beirut developers look toward peace in the region

A walk through central Beirut reveals a great paradox: despite the six years of war in neighboring Syria that has battered Lebanon’s economy, apartments, offices and shopping centers continue to...

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Beirut main touristic hub in the MENA region

The tourism industry is a major source of revenue for Lebanon. Summer 2017 was a great season for the hospitality industry and the tourism sector since the number of tourists increased since last year...

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Lebanon extends first Oil & Gas exploration licensing round deadline

The deadline to place bids in Lebanon’s first Oil & Gas exploration licensing round was extended from September 15 until October 12, 2017, Minister of Energy and Water Cesar Abi Khalil annou...

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Italy’s economy is growing

AT THE end of each summer Italian business leaders, politicians and journalists mingle with foreign guests at the Ambrosetti Forum in the Villa d’Este by the shores of the lovely Lake Como. This...

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A massive Italian food theme park is on the verge of opening, and it looks insane

Forget Disney World — the upcoming "Eataly World" is a massive Italian food-themed park, and it looks just as amazing as it sounds. The park is scheduled to open this November in ...

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Italy introduces country of origin labels for pasta and rice

Rice and pasta products on sale in Italy will be required to carry country of origin labels from February. The measures were passed earlier this week by the Minister for Agriculture, Maurizio Mar...

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New find means Italians made wine 5,000 years ago

While it is believed to have originated elsewhere long before, it is thought that Italian wine got its start in the Middle Bronze Age, sometime around 1,300-1,100 B.C. But new evidence found in a piec...

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What you need to know about Italy's biggest-selling grape?

Sangiovese is Italy's numero uno grape. Forget about across-the-board quality, or mystique, or any other subjective, debatable factor you can think of, and just focus on volume. No other grap...

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Italy, France, Germany ask EU to boost powers to block foreign acquisitions

Italy, France and Germany have asked the European Commission to reinforce existing regulations that allow EU states to block foreign acquisitions of European companies, two Italian dailies reported. T...

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Italy's economy experiencing best growth rates in six years

Italy's economy is experiencing the best growth rates in six years, according to official data released Wednesday. On a quarterly basis, gross domestic product (GDP) has expanded by 0.4% in A...

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How an Italian startup is bringing magic to children's hospital appointments

An Italian startup has come up with a way to help children fight their fears of dentists, injections, and other medical procedures - through magic.   "We want to help children see magic ...

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Italian curators launch first contemporary art space in Cuba

The first ever international contemporary art space in Cuba has been opened by Italians. For decades, Cubans have been used to the revolutionary slogan "La lucha continua," or "the...

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‘Most relaxed’ hot air balloons lay back over Italy’s wine valley

Around 30 hot air balloons took to the skies in Italy as part of the “most relaxed” event on the international ballooning calendar. The balloons lifted off at sunrise and rose above the Sa...

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Preserving Lebanon’s Roman history

Italian and Lebanese archaeological restoration experts pooled their abilities this week to preserve Lebanon’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. The four day workshop, organized by the Italian Trade ...

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EU and UNESCO organize workshop on Iraq's Groundwater Management in Treviso, Italy

The European Union and the UNESCO organized a high level meeting on “Building a Roadmap for Effective Groundwater Management in Iraq”, in the context of the EU-funded project entitled &ldq...

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The Majestic Marble Quarries of Northern Italy

The story of Italian marble is the story of difficult motion: violent, geological, haunted by failure and ruin and lost fortunes, marred by severed fingers, crushed dreams, crushed men. Rarely has a m...

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Center devoted to director Zeffirelli takes shape in Italy

A center dedicated to Italian director Franco Zeffirelli is taking shape in Florence. The Franco Zeffirelli International Center for the Performing Arts hosted a preview Tuesday of its exhibits, ...

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Ryanair makes 'non-binding' offer for Alitalia

Ryanair has made a "non-binding offer" for its Italian rival Alitalia, the Irish no-frills carrier said. "We have made a non-binding offer for Alitalia. As the largest airline in I...

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Italy launches nationwide free wifi app

The Italian government has launched an app which will allow residents and tourists to connect to wifi across the country using a single log-in.   Users will be able to connect instantly to a ...

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Mira Daher appointed as Lebanon's new ambassador in Rome

The Lebanese government Thursday (20 July) made a wide range of diplomatic appointments and transfers, the biggest in seven years, to fill some vacant posts in key countries in a move underlining Leba...

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Lebanese delegation visits Milan for setting up and fostering the Italian chapter of Lebitalia, the Lebanese Italian Business Council

On July 6, a delegation of the Lebanese Italian Business Council, LEBITALIA, accompanied by Dr. Nabil Fahed, vice- chairman and treasurer at the Chamber of Beirut & Mount Lebanon, and the Italian ...

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An Italian musician gave the world's highest piano concert at the top of a mountain

An Italian pianist and mountaineer performed the 'world's highest piano concert in the Alps at an altitude of 4,460 meters. Musician Elisa Tomellini climbed the Monte Rosa mountain massif...

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Italy just got two new Unesco World Heritage sites

Two new Italian treasures were awarded Unesco World Heritage status at the weekend, and the country continues to boast more sites with the honour than anywhere else in the world. The Venetian wor...

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Lebanon – Italy business opportunities discussed in Milan, Italy

On Thursday, 6 July, organized by Promos, in collaboration with Assolombarda Confindustria Milan Monza and Brianza, Ice Agency and the Lebanese Italian Business Council (Lebitalia), a special business...

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1st Arab Italian Business Forum at Palazzo Turati in Milan

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Optimism about the future of Lebanon’s real estate sector

A sense of optimism about the future of Lebanon’s real estate sector prevailed last week when the Daily Star met with major developers during a local exhibition, dispelling the uncertainty that ...

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Italian study finds cocoa helps brain power

A new review study suggests consumption of cocoa flavanols has a beneficial effect on cognition. Moreover, some researchers go as far as to recommend cocoa as a dietary supplement to protect human cog...

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Subway digging uncovers 1,800-year-old 'Pompeii-like scene' in Rome

Digging for Rome's new subway has unearthed the charred ruins of an early 3rd-century building and the 1,800-year-old skeleton of a crouching dog that apparently perished in the same blaze that co...

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A Lebanese and Middle Eastern entrepreneurial success story: Abdul Razzak Itani & Sons - Arison s.a.r.l

For the past 60 years, Abdul Razzak Itani & Sons - Arison s.a.r.l has been one of the major innovators in pumps, water and sewage projects, and in power generation fields in the market. With seven...

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Italy – a safe bet for hotel developers

Italy has a timeless charm – the food, the passion, the beaches and incredibly historic cities, the architecture and of course, the landscapes. For centuries, Italy has attracted holidaymakers, ...

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Should vaccines be legally required? Italy thinks so

Amid a measles epidemic spreading throughout Europe, the Italian government approved a measure to fine parents who don’t seek medical help on vaccinating their children. The measure even puts pa...

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Lebanon defies odds to keep its finances afloat

Lebanon’s government is laboring under a debt pile equivalent to 147 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, rendering it the third most indebted public sector in the world, afte...

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Young designers take spotlight during Milan Fashion Week

A fresh breeze buffeted Italy's fashion capital during the second day of Milan Fashion Week on Sunday, both literally, bringing relief from the June heat, and figuratively, as young designers took...

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Why Lebanon makes for a good holiday

'It's like drinking Champagne at the top of a volcano': Discovering why Lebanon makes for a superb holiday (even though there is chaos all around, as the tour guides admit) Lebanon is bord...

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FDI inflows to Lebanon increase by 9%

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows are estimated at $2.56 billion in 2016, up nine percent compared with the previous year, according to the ‘World Investment Report 2017’ released by...

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Rome bans eating, sitting and bathing at historic fountains

Enough with frolicking at Rome’s historic fountains. Rome mayor Virgina Raggi has issued an ordinance which forbids people from eating, bathing, climbing over or sitting on the marble pedestals ...

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An attempt to create the world’s longest pizza at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana

Pizzaovens.com and other sponsors attempted to break the world record for longest pizza on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Ca. The pizza measured 7200 feet and wrapped around...

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IMF increases its growth forecast for Italy

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday increased its 2017 growth forecast for Italy to 1.3 percent from the previously more modest 0.8 percent. The Italian government itself has cautious...

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G7 countries reaffirm climate commitment in Italy

US allies in the G7 said on Monday that action to contain devastating climate change was irreversible and could even be accelerated, despite Donald Trump's decision to pull the United States out o...

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Kurdistan Region PM, Italian military chief discuss military cooperation, Mosul Dam

Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani discussed strong coordination between the Peshmerga forces and Italian military personnel in Iraq in a meeting with the Italy's General Chief of Defence St...

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Zaha Hadid Architects completes first phase of Italy’s solar-powered high-speed rail hub

Italy is moving full steam ahead on the expansion of high-speed rail. The country recently celebrated inauguration for the first phase of the Napoli Afragola station, a solar-powered high-speed rail h...

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UN Humanitarian coordinator sees 'sustained solidarity' with Lebanon

International funding for Lebanon's 2017 refugee response plan demonstrates “sustained solidarity by the international partners but the level of disbursements needs to increase,” U.N. ...

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Inside the Lamborghini lab that’s reinventing carbon fiber

Lamborghini handles every step of the production process in-house; its engineers call this a building block approach. To find out how it’s done, we flew to the company’s headquarters in Sa...

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Joint China-Italy police patrols launched in Rome

A joint policing project between China and Italy was presented Monday in Rome's historic Piazza di Spagna. A group of 10 uniformed Chinese officers, both men and women, will be patrolling bus...

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ARCOM Ceramics: Lebitalia can strengthen Lebanon-Italy trade relations by organizing exhibitions and business meetings for all its members

ARCOM was established in the early 1990’s and since then has proven itself as a leader in the market. ARCOM started first at Rayak – Bekaa and expanded to many branches: Airport Blvd, Verd...

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Italy’s government wins confidence vote on 2017 deficit cuts

Italy's government won a confidence vote on a deficit-cutting package on Wednesday, smoothing the way for measures aimed at curbing tax evasion, boosting revenue from internet companies and reinst...

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Lebanese startups attract 37 investments totaling $56 million in 2016, second highest in Arab world

Figures released by ArabNet, a hub for Arab digital professionals and entrepreneurs, show that investment funds based in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region made 37 investments in technol...

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Italy delivers aid to Lebanese Army

The Lebanese Army Wednesday received donations from Italy and will continue to train with the Italian Army in combating terrorism. They received riot control gear, explosive protection equipment ...

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G7 leaders divided on climate change, closer on trade issues, Taormina, Italy

Under pressure from Group of Seven allies, U.S. President Donald Trump backed a pledge to fight protectionism on Saturday, but refused to endorse a global climate change accord, saying he needed more ...

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$1 billion investment vehicle in Lebanon for infrastructure projects

FFA Private Bank (FFA) is preparing to launch a structured investment vehicle (SIV) to channel investments to power generation and other infrastructure projects. The initial objective is to reach $1 b...

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Italy-KRG relations very strong, diversified: Italian officials

The Italian consulate recently celebrated Italy’s liberation day in the capital of the Kurdistan Region, praising the developing ties between both nations. “The relations between Ital...

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Italian court overturns Uber ban

A Rome court annulled a short-lived ban on ride-hailing app Uber on Friday in the latest twist to a battle between the San Francisco-based multinational and Italy's traditional taxi cabs. A l...

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ArcelorMittal wins bid to buy Italy's Ilva steel plant

ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steelmaker, and Italian industrial group Marcegaglia have won a bid to buy the Ilva steel plant in southern Italy, a source with knowledge of the matter said on ...

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Iranian bank opens a branch in Italy

An Iranian private bank has opened its first branch in Italy, Iranian state media reported.   The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Saman Bank has opened a branch in Rome followi...

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Parwood represents best Italian brands for wooden floors, wallpaper, kitchens and more

Parwood is a Lebanese company specialized in wood flooring, kitchens, wooden doors, wallpaper and carpets. Parwood also represents many Italian brands like Berti Pavimenti Legno for wood flooring and ...

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Gazzaoui & Co.’s trade volume with Italy exceeds 7,000,000 €

Gazzaoui & Co. is specialized in high quality solutions for the construction industry since 1936. A large, fully-fledged shareholding organization, Gazzaoui & Co. answers the specific needs of...

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A.W. Salah Nsouli: Fostering Lebanese - Italian relations since 1977

A.W. Salah Nsouli is a general trader, contractor, manufacturer of facilities in different fields of industry, supplier and contractor of complete production line for industrial projects, commercial v...

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Italy funds masterplans of 3 industrial zones in Lebanon

The Ministry of Industry (MoI) has chosen five locations in different regions in which to build industrial zones. Dany Gedeon, Director General of MoI, said: “The ministry is cooperating wi...

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Italy supports Lebanon says Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano vowed that his country would continue supporting Lebanon's economy and army. "Lebanon is a module for democracy and pluralism in the Middle East,...

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The Italian Cooperation Office funds religious and cultural tourism plan in Lebanon

A program to promote cultural and religious tourism was launched by the recently established Cultural Religious Tourism (CRT) unit, which is affiliated to the Office of the Prime Minister. The program...

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"I suggest Lebitalia organizes one exhibition every year for all its members," says Hassan Samir Attar, the General Manager of Attar Steel

Attar Steel is the only manufacturer of perforated coils and sheets in the Middle East and Gulf. Many steel innovative items are part of Attar’s exclusive trade mark in the industry like light c...

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China pledges $124 billion for new Silk Road as champion of globalization

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $124 billion on Sunday for his new Silk Road plan to forge a path of peace, inclusiveness and free trade, and called for the abandonment of old models based on riv...

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Italy "enormously interested" in Belt & Road Initiative, says PM

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Wednesday that Italy is "enormously interested" in China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which envisions a trade and infrastructure network con...

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Recent amendments to Italian legislation on project financing, concessions and public private partnerships

On 5 May 2017, the long awaited Legislative Decree 19 April 2017 n. 56 was finally published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic (S.O. n. 103). Background The 19 April Decree is aim...

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G7 finance chiefs also talk cyber security in Bari after attacks

G7 finance ministers turned their focus Saturday to combating cybercrime in what Italy's Pier Carlo Padoan described as an "unfortunately very timely" discussion. The ministers were...

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LEBITALIA participates in Project Lebanon 2017 with a special stand

LEBITALIA, the Lebanese Italian Business Council, aims at expanding economic and trade relations, as well as fostering business relationships and investments between Lebanon and Italy. The Council was...

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On the grapevine: Italy's other sparkle

Top of our A-list bubbles, ask most wine lovers to name an Italian fizz and the answer will be prosecco. But ask them to name a high-end Italian sparkling wine and they may not be able to come up...

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Act now to ensure food security in the face of climate change, Obama tells in Milan

The 44th  President of United States (POTUS) Barack Obama says he's "confident that the United States will continue to move in the right direction" on climate change despite his suc...

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Italy approves bridge loan to keep Alitalia operating until November

The Italian council of ministers has approved a €600 million ($655 million) emergency bridge loan for Alitalia, which should secure operations until November. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni ...

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Italy and UNIDO launch new agrifood project in Lebanon

Italy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation UNIDO have launched a project with funding to the tune of 500,000 euros for the development of the agrifood sector in Lebanon and creat...

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Italy one of the largest European participants at Project Qatar, 8 May

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) will showcase major companies at the Italian Pavilion during Project Qatar 2017, slated for May 8 to 11 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, it was announced. ...

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Italian firm wins patent for Dubai rotating tower

The design of the shape-changing Dynamic Tower has been patented in the region, which is amongst its top target locations for the project, stated Reuters, citing the building’s architect. A...

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Italy has a bank that stores cheese

When it comes to innovation, you have to give credit to Credito Emiliano, a bank in northern Italy that accepts cheese as collateral for a loan. It has done so since 1953. Whey cool, right? Based...

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Interview with Raphael G Debbane, the President of the Lebanese Italian Business Council, LEBITALIA

The Lebanese Italian Business Council LEBITALIA was established in July 2013 based on an agreement signed between the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon and the ...

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Discussing opportunities and enhancing cooperation between Lebanese and Italian businesses

On Tuesday 25 April, held at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut & Mount Lebanon (CCIAB) and organized by the Lebanese Italian Business Council (LEBITALIA), Dott. Federico ...

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Italy introduces a ‘New Resident’ regime to attract high net worth individuals

The Italian Budget Law 2017 introduced a new special tax regime for individuals who transfer their tax residence to Italy from January 1st, 2017. This special tax regime is particularly attractive for...

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Italian contractor wins $435m Meydan One Mall contract

The Italian contractor Salini Impregilo said yesterday it won the US$435million contract to build the Meydan One Mall in Dubai, for which a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday evening. The...

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A sweet slice of Italian life comes to Lebanon

BEIRUT: A slice of Italian life came to Casino du Liban this week as the Italian Cultural Institute brought a music, food a drink to Jounieh. “I was glad to see so many friends joining us,&rdquo...

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‘Taking part in Project Lebanon has always been important and favorable to Italian companies’ says Francesca Zadro, Director of ICE in Lebanon

This year, Project Lebanon will feature hundreds of companies from around the world, including countries officially involved under the supervision of official associations and missions plus their comm...

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Minister Alfano in the UAE for institutional meetings

the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, travelled on 29  to the UAE for a series of institutional meetings. "The mission in the UAE, which will t...

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23rd European Film Festival, January 26th – February 7th

Participation of the Italian Cultural Institute with the following films: • Perfetti sconosciuti (Perfect Strangers) by Paolo Genovese (26/01/2017 - 7:30 pm and 1/02/2017 - 10:15 pm) Seven...

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Italian firm to build transport museum in Qatar

Qatar Rail has picked an Italy-based architecture firm to design an upcoming Transportation Education Center (TEC) in the country. The center will include exhibition space and also serve as a recrea...

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Lebanon – Italy takes part in new edition of Photomed Beirut

‎The Photomed Beirut photographic show makes a comeback with the participation of the Italian Cultural Institute. The fourth edition of the famous show that started at Sanary-sur-Mer will feature ...

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Italy grant loans for renewable energy

The Ambassador of Italy Massimo Marotti has announced a €5 million ($5.5 million) soft loan to be granted for the implementation of renewable energies in residential buildings. The loan will...

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LEBITALIA’s Reception welcomes HE Italian Ambassador and the new ICE Director in Lebanon

Under the patronage and presence of HE the Italian Ambassador in Lebanon Mr. Massimo Marotti, LEBITALIA held a reception on Wednesday, December 7, 2016at the Beirut & Mount Lebanon Chamber of Comm...

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“Green economy in Lebanon - Italian initiatives and opportunities”, 13 December 2016, Italian Embassy, Baabda

Italy works with Lebanon for a better environment and investment opportunities is the theme of a seminar organized by the Italian Embassy in Lebanon. The seminar, “Green economy in Lebanon - I...

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Italian Embassy announces new funding for Lebanon educational programs.

The Italian Embassy  announced a 2.4 million euro grant to support a rehabilitation program for public schools in Lebanon to be implemented by UNICEF. The funding, roughly equivalent to $2.5...

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Lebanon gets €75 million from Italy for financing projects

The Government of the Lebanese Republic, represented by the President of the Council for Development and Reconstruction, Eng. Nabil El-Jisr, and the Government of the Italian Republic represented by t...

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Italy FM inaugurates Beirut museum floor

 Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni inaugurated the lower floor of Beirut's National Museum and met with top officials during an official one-day visit to Lebanon. At the opening ce...

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Italy to build the 3.6 billion euros north-south highway in Iran

The Iranian government has signed a deal with Italy's highway agency ANAS for the construction and management of a 1,200 km (745 miles) road project that will cost 3.6 billion euros ($4 billion), ...

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Nabil Farhat wins Boating Pioneer Award 2016

Nabil Farhat, the Editor of Alam Al Youkhout "The World of Yachts & Boats” - Arabic Yachting magazine was awarded “The Boating Pioneer 2016 Award” - in the category of Forei...

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Italy maintains its high level presence at Project Lebanon 2016

For the 10th consecutive year, the Italian Trade Commission-ICE/ITA is organizing the Italian participation at Project Lebanon, the 21st International Trade Exhibition for Construction Materials and E...

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Promoting LEBITALIA’s objectives at Project Lebanon 2016

The Lebanese Italian Business Council, LEBITALIA is a non-governmental and non-profit organization that aims at developing business and trade relations between Lebanon and Italy. A member of the Chamb...

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Italian companies to build 1GW of solar farms in Iran

Reports have surfaced that Italian companies Genesis and Dynkun have signed a memorandum of understanding with officials from Iran’s northwestern Qazvin province, for 100 PV plants of 10 MW each...

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Lebanese Batal Design partners with Italian furniture maker

Lebanese furniture group Batal Design Holding has partnered with Milano Home Concept (MHC), an Italian furniture maker, to introduce its items to the Middle East. “We are now the exclusive agent...

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Italy to make 4 billion euros of investment in Iran railway sector

An Italian official said his country is to make four billion euros of investment in the Iranian railway sector. Advisor for the ITINERA S.P.A company for international affairs Pino Arlacchi told ...

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8% of the energy produced in Italy comes from the sun

The International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy Organization of the European Organization for Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that 8% of the energy produced in Italy in 2015 came from solar ...

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Italy's Renzi signs potentially huge business deals in Iran

Italy and Iran signed deals potentially worth billions when Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited Tehran seeking a strong Italian foothold in a nation hungry for infrastructure investment as it emerges ...

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Italy's Campari to buy maker of Grand Marnier cognac

Bob Kuntze-Concewitz, CEO of Campari Group announced that the Italian Group (owned by the Garavoglia Family) has launched a Public Offer (OPA) for the acquisition of the French Brand Grand Marnier for...

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Italy’s Trevi signs the contract for the maintenance works of Mosul Dam

TREVI, the TREVI Group division specialized in special foundations and ground engineering, signed (2 March) the contract for the maintenance and safety of Mosul Dam in Iraq. The preparation and signin...

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Italian firm ANAS carrying out Iranian road study

An Italian-Iranian road study agreement has now been signed. The Italian state-controlled road concession firm ANAS has a cooperation agreement with Iran's Construction and Development of Transpor...

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Italian Prime Minister Renzi opens Milano Fashion Week: “Fashion? Passion and Courage”

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi opened (25 February) the Milano Fashion Week with a happening in Milano Royal Palace where he stressed on the importance for Italian Economy of the Fashion/Textile/...

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Food Africa represents a great synergy for Mac Fruit Attraction, says Renzo Piraccini, President of MacFrut Italy

CESENA FIERA the organizer of MACFRUT - Fruit & Veg Professional Show in Italy and IFEMA, the organizer of FRUIT ATTRACTION, the International Trade Show for the Fruit and Vegetable Industry in Sp...

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Exports from Italy grows by 3.7% in 2015

According to the Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT), the exports from Italy in 2015 has grown by 3.7% compared to 2014. This increase was equally divided between EU markets (3.8%) and other internatio...

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Innovation Alliance: Five Italian Trade Fairs for Food Industry packaging and machinery to converge to one big event

Starting 2018, five Italian Trade Fairs devoted to Food Industry packaging and machinery will join forces and become one big event in Rho (near Milan).  Until today, the different Italian industr...

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Resilience, reform, confidence: the rise of a recovering Italy

Italy has weathered a severe economic storm over the past few years but, with the help of foreign investment, the country is now on track to regain its strength and competitiveness, writes Fabio Galli...

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Milan Fashion Week 2016 - Women's Fashion

From 24th to 29th February 2016 Milan will host Milano Fashion Week Women's Fashion. Organized by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (Association of Fashion designers), in cooperation with C...

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Italian firm Trevi wins a $200 million contract to maintain and restore Mosul dam

The Iraqi Government announced that the Italian company Trevi won the international bid for restoring and maintaining the country's largest dam in Mosul, Northern Iraq, which is in danger of a cat...

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Substantial growth in Italy’s both inward and outward FDI in 2015

The Zephir database by Bureau Van Dijk recently published encouraging figures about the Italian FDI in 2015. According to the data, last year Foreign Direct Investments in Italy have increased 45...

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La Stampa: Li-Fi, the future of wi-fi travels with light

Data will travel...through light. This is the condition of Li-Fi, the technology that will, in a near future, substitute wi-fi. As published by the daily La Stampa, Li-Fi is still at an experimental s...

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Lebanon's Baalbaki buys 70% of Italy's Polysystem

Baalbaki Chemical Industries, the chemicals subsidiary of Lebanese group, Unimetco Holding, announced it has acquired the 'going concern' of Italian polyurethane systems manufacturer, Polysyst...

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Italian firms seal Iran deals worth up to €17 billion

Iran's return to the international fold accelerated as President Hassan Rouhani sealed multi-billion dollar deals with Italian companies keen to capitalize on the lifting of sanctions on the Islam...

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Over 1 billion euro investment in gas storage infrastructure near Milan

Whysol investment, an Italian independent company, and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Fund will develop a infrastructure project for gas storage in Lodi, Italy.   The project, that should be i...

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Milan-based construction firm signs agreement for five hospitals in Iran

Italian group Pessina Costruzioni has signed an initial agreement to build five hospitals in Iran as companies scramble to steal a lead on rivals amid renewed trade heating up.   Guido Stefan...

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Apple’s first iOS app development center in Europe will be located in Italy

Apple announced in a statement the creation in Naples, South of Italy, of the first iOS App Development Centre in Europe “to provide students with practical skills and training on developing app...

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Interview with Raphael G. Debbane, the President of the Lebanese Italian Business Council, LEBITALIA

The Lebanese Italian Business Council LEBITALIA was established in July 2013 based on an agreement signed between the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon and the ...

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