| Economic stimulus a big break for home buyers
You could get a big break on your mortgage from the economic stimulus package announced Thursday. Besides its core purpose of providing tax refunds, the tentative package - which still has several hurdles to clear - essentially rewrites the definition of "jumbo" loan, raising the cap from its current $417,000 to as high as $729,750 in high-cost areas for one year. That would mean home buyers who need the high-ticket mortgages this area requires could qualify for the benefits now limited to non-jumbo, or conforming, loans: an interest rate that's roughly a full percentage point lower. On a $650,000, 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the savings could be $417 a month, according to California Sen. Barbara Boxer's office. "This is exactly what we need for California," said David Crane, Gov.
Holland relief allowed to proceed without paying duty
Some of the children had donated their pocket money and even their toys. The Dutch humanitarian team started their journey on January 14 from a small village of Holland, Andjik and passed through countries like Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan to reach here. They did not have to pay any duty in any country. The 14-year-old NGO has been in the forefront of extending a helping hand to the people living in trouble- torn regions of the world, including Bosnia, Slovenia, Croatia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Iraq, Sudan, Albania, Chechnya and Israel. .
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
A reflation rally ignites Wall Street and global bourses late, but first we do penance for leveraged excess. Predictions 2008: Doom, gloom and silver liningsThe bears take all in early 2008 as the insolvency crunch tightens on the real economy. The Baltic and Balkan bubbles pop. The Swiss franc rockets as Europe's carry trade unwinds. A version of the East Asia 1998 crisis hits half the ex-Communist bloc. .
Inqlings | Arnaz on board for stage gala
Lucie Arnaz will add to the star power at Monday's black-tie opening gala for the Philadelphia Theatre Company's new Suzanne Roberts Theater, Broad and Lombard Streets. It's billed as "An Evening With Terrence McNally and Friends," and playwright McNally will be joined by playwright Edward Albee and director Jack O'Brien; Sheryl Kaller will direct a full bill of performances, based on McNally's works. Besides Arnaz doing a monologue from Master Class and John Glover reprising his Tony-winning role from Love! Valor! Compassion!, the following actors and pieces are scheduled: Marian Seldes (A Perfect Ganesh); Edie Falco (Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune); Wayne Wilcox and Don Amendolia ("The Streets of Dublin"); Nathan Lane and Richard Thomas (The Lisbon Traviata); Doris Roberts (Bad Habits); and Jenny Powers, taking a one-time break from Grease on Broadway (for Back to Before).
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