Deals of the Hour

Trying to find out what's the deal with the world, tracking what's on sale and who's talking about it on Twitter. Update hourly.

Deals of the Hour / October 21, 2010, 11:40 pm

Venezuela's Chavez Visits Syria

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met with his Syrian counterpart Thursday, continuing a Mideast tour of allies to counter what he calls U.S. "imperialism." Chavez flew in Wednesday from Tehran where he and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed to ... (Source: Voice of America 2010-10-21T17:25:47Z)

US to sell $60 billion in advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia in massive arms sale

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration has notified Congress that it plans to sell up to $60 billion in advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia, in one of the largest-ever single U.S. arms deals. The State Department and Pentagon informed lawmakers on Wednesday ... (Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune 2010-10-20T18:24:14Z)

AIA's IPO Is Priced, May Top $20 Billion

Hong Kong—American International Group Inc. priced the initial public offering of its pan-Asian life-insurance business AIA Group Ltd. at 19.68 Hong Kong dollars (US$2.53) a share and boosted the deal size by 20%, keeping AIG on track to raise as much as ... (Source: Wall Street Journal 2010-10-22T05:21:37Z)

AIA raises $17.7 billion in HK IPO: source

HONG KONG (Reuters) - AIA, the Asian life insurance arm of American International Group Inc. <AIG.N>, raised $17.7 billion when it priced its Hong Kong initial public offering at the top end of an indicated range, a source familiar with the deal told ... (Source: msnbc.com 2010-10-22T02:29:49Z)

Afghan Aid Groups Plan to Leave Over Karzai Decree

KABUL — Companies and aid organizations implementing hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S.-funded projects here say they are preparing to leave Afghanistan unless President Hamid Karzai amends a decree that outlaws their private security protection. Mr ... (Source: Wall Street Journal 2010-10-22T03:05:36Z)

Settlement reached on contaminated former GM Sites in Clark and Ewing

DEP Commissioner Bob Martin has announced that $24.7 million in financing for the environmental cleanups of two contaminated former General Motors auto plant sites in Clark and Ewing has been approved as part of a $773 million legal settlement filed today ... (Source: NJ.com 2010-10-20T21:58:59Z)

T-Mobile outlines prepaid data plans for smartphones

T-Mobile USA said it will launch prepaid mobile data plans for its feature phones and smartphones. The carrier also unveiled prepaid mobile data offerings for its webConnect plans. The nation's No. 4 carrier said that starting Oct. 18 it will offer a ... (Source: FierceWireless 2010-10-13T17:06:38Z)

AIG Raises $17.8 Billion in AIA Hong Kong Initial Public Offer

Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc. raised about HK$138.3 billion ($17.8 billion) selling shares in its main Asian unit, AIA Group Ltd., according to a statement, making it the largest initial public offering in Hong Kong. AIG sold 7 ... (Source: BusinessWeek 2010-10-22T03:41:24Z)

Verizon To Offer Tiered Data Plan

US mobile service giant Verizon Wireless will begin offering a cheaper mobile data service package with limited downloads starting October 28, source familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. The plan follows a move made by smaller rival AT&T ... (Source: Redorbit.com 2010-10-20T11:36:13Z)

Russian spy Anna Chapman strips to lingerie in magazine photoshoot

MOSCOW - Russian spy Anna Chapman was revealed by others in June as a sleeper agent in the United States. Now she's decided to reveal more of herself. She's stripped down to black lingerie for a photospread in the Russian edition of Maxim, appearing on the ... (Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune 2010-10-21T20:10:26Z)

FIFA executive Adamu denies bribery claims

LONDON (AP) -- FIFA executive committee member Amos Adamu denied any wrongdoing in a World Cup vote-selling scandal on Thursday, despite being provisionally suspended from duty. The Nigerian official issued a statement to "wholly refute all allegations ... (Source: CNN Sports Illustrated 2010-10-21T17:54:25Z)

Saskatchewan Premier Wall: Canada Must Say 'No' To BHP Potash Deal

CALGARY -(Dow Jones)- Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall confirmed Thursday that his government is opposed to BHP Billiton Ltd.]s (BHP) $38.6 billion hostile takeover of Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT), saying it puts jobs, tax revenue and Canada's ... (Source: Smart Money 2010-10-21T20:31:54Z)

General Motors' trust fund to provide $24.7 million to clean up old polluted plant sites in Ewing ...

Old General Motors has agreed to establish a trust that will provide $24,708,069 to clean up New Jersey sites it left behind when the company went into bankruptcy. The White House announced Wednesday that after months of negotiation with the federal ... (Source: newjerseynewsroom.com 2010-10-22T01:11:04Z)

FIFA executive Adamu denies WCup bribery claims

FIFA executive committee member Amos Adamu has denied any wrongdoing after being provisionally suspended while his alleged role in a World Cup vote-selling scandal is investigated. FIFA launched a probe after British newspaper The Sunday Times alleged ... (Source: FOXSports.com 2010-10-21T16:21:22Z)

FIFA boss distressed by bribery claims

Sepp Blatter, president of world football's governing body FIFA, admitted on Thursday he was "extremely distressed" by the bribery allegations which have rocked the World Cup organisers. FIFA has provisionally suspended two members of the executive ... (Source: ESPN Soccernet 2010-10-21T20:53:23Z)

Obama Seeks Congressional OK For Weapons Sale

The Obama administration has notified Congress that it plans to sell $60 billion in fighter jets, helicopters and other advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia. The deal is part of the U.S. effort to build up allies in the Persian Gulf to counter Iran. Copyright ... (Source: NPR News 2010-10-21T19:34:38Z)

Analysis: Venezuela's Chavez baits foes with nuclear deal

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's plans for a Russian-built nuclear power plant are unsettling his foes, but look more like geopolitical grandstanding than anything concrete at this stage. On an international tour encompassing several of the world's ... (Source: msnbc.com 2010-10-19T16:16:35Z)

Canada's Saskatchewan Said to Reject BHP Infrastructure Offer

Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Saskatchewan rejected an offer of C$370 million ($360 million) of infrastructure investment from BHP Billiton Ltd., which is trying to win support for its $40 billion bid for Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., according to an e-mail ... (Source: BusinessWeek 2010-10-20T11:50:32Z)

Verizon to Offer $15/Month Data Promotion

Reuters is reporting that Verizon will begin moving into tiered data with a $15/150 MB per month promotion being offered that will last through at least the end of December. Verizon isn't the first company to introduce such data packages, with AT&T ... (Source: Phandroid 2010-10-20T11:00:26Z)

UPDATE 2-Old GM in deal for cleanup of former plants

The "new GM" -- renamed General Motors Co [GM.UL] -- emerged from bankruptcy protection last year after completing a sale of GM's best assets such as Chevrolet and Cadillac to a new company funded by the U.S. Treasury. The settlement agreement comes as the ... (Source: Reuters UK 2010-10-20T20:33:05Z)

Russian spy Anna Chapman strips to lingerie in Maxim

MOSCOW -- Russian spy Anna Chapman was revealed by others in June as a sleeper agent in the United States. Now she's decided to reveal more of herself. She's stripped down to black lingerie for a photospread in the Russian edition of Maxim, appearing on ... (Source: AZCentral.com 2010-10-21T22:40:45Z)

Iran signs 11 energy deals with Venezuela

TEHRAN, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Eleven memorandums of understanding in the energy sector were signed with the Venezuelan government, Tehran announced Thursday. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in the Iranian capital early this week to meet with his ... (Source: United Press International 2010-10-21T12:10:49Z)

Afghan peace council wants Saudi Arabia to help broker resolution with the Taliban

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan government's newly formed peace council wants Saudi Arabia to play a key role in efforts to reconcile with the Taliban and find a political resolution to the war. Qiyamuddin Kashaaf, spokesman for the 70-member High Peace ... (Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune 2010-10-21T11:35:02Z)

Commission Rules Italy Can Raise Wholesale Telecom Charges

IDG News Service — The European Commission on Thursday backed plans by the Italian telecommunications regulator to increase wholesale access prices by 24 percent over two years for telecom providers. The news comes as the Commission prepares to issue ... (Source: CIO 2010-10-21T16:50:00Z)

Saskatchewan's Premier Still Doesn't See Net Benefit of BHP Bid

Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said today he still doesn't see a net benefit to his province or to Canada in BHP Billiton Ltd.'s $40 billion hostile offer for Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. The Saskatchewan cabinet will meet ... (Source: BusinessWeek 2010-10-20T16:15:23Z)

UPDATE 1-Italy to press Swiss on gas pipeline repair

MILAN, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Italy's Economic Development Ministry said on Thursday it will meet Swiss authorities in the coming days to urge them to start work to reopen the Transitgas pipeline as soon as possible. The ministry said in a statement various ... (Source: Reuters UK 2010-10-21T15:31:15Z)

Afghan Peace Council to Offer Concessions to Taliban

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's new peace council said on Thursday it would be willing to make concessions to bring insurgents to the negotiating table, and called for Saudi Arabia's help in mediating peace talks. Qiyamuddin Kashaf, the spokesman for the ... (Source: ABC News 2010-10-21T23:09:23Z)

Italy Seeks to Conduct Antitrust Probe of Agricole-Intesa Deal

Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Credit Agricole SA's purchase of 172 bank branches from Intesa Sanpaolo SpA should be reviewed locally, rather than by the European Commission, because it will only affect the local market, Italy's antitrust regulator said. The ... (Source: BusinessWeek 2010-10-11T16:18:54Z)

Putin set to approve $59 billion Russian asset sale

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is likely to approve $59 billion of asset sales on Thursday as the Kremlin seeks to plug a hole in the budget with the most ambitious privatization plan in over a decade. Russia's leaders need money ... (Source: Reuters 2010-10-21T10:44:55Z)

AP sources: US to tell Congress of Saudi arms deal

The Obama administration is expected to notify Congress on Wednesday of a multibillion-dollar sale of fighter jets and military helicopters to Saudi Arabia. Officials said the State Department scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to announce the deal ... (Source: AP - msnbc.com 2010-10-19T22:00:10Z)

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