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Showing posts from May 20, 2013

BofA fires back at New York over modification violations

Bank of America Corp ( id="symbol_BAC.N_0"> BAC.N ) has fired back at New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman after he threatened to sue the bank for violating the terms of a $25 billion settlement designed to end mortgage servicing abuses. In a letter to Schneiderman, lawyers for Bank of America said they were "surprised and disappointed" the attorney general thought the bank engaged in "flagrant violations" of the timeline to process mortgage modifications.   The lawyers also said Schneiderman cannot sue until the bank has an opportunity to cure any alleged violations. "Bank of America has not committed any potential violations ... let alone failed to cure those potential violations," attorneys Meyer Koplow and Theodore Mirvis, of Wachtell, Lipton Rosen & Katz, wrote in the May 7 letter. Reuters obtained a copy of the letter on Friday. Schneiderman announced on Monday that he planned to sue Bank of America and Wells Fargo &

Illegal immigrant, 19, smuggled into UK after father and brother were murdered by militants in Afghanistan loses fight to stay in Britain

An illegal immigrant who fled war-torn Afghanistan after his father and brother were murdered by militants has lost his his fight to remain in the UK. Najibullah Hashimi, 19, has been living in England ever since fleeing his war-torn homeland as a youngster, and has settled in well, achieving 13 GCSEs, settling down with a foster family and becoming a valued member of Rodmersham Cricket Club in Kent. Mr Hashimi and crowds of supporters - including his foster father’s two young sons, who refer to the Afghan national as 'brother' - put forward a case for a right to remain in the UK last month, but today his foster father said Mr Hashimi had failed in his appeal to stay. Najibullah Hashimi will be deported back to Afghanistan, despite achieving 13 GCSEs and settling in the UK Mr Hashimi has settled happily in life in the UK with his foster family and is devastated that he has to go to Kabul However, a letter from the Home Office has since confirmed Mr Hashimi

One killed and 24 injured after two hot air balloons crash mid-air above Turkish volcanoes

Two hot air balloons collided mid-air during a sightseeing tour of volcanic rock formations in Turkey on Monday, causing one of them to crash to the ground, officials said. One Brazilian tourist was killed while 24 other people on board were injured. The ascending balloon struck another balloon’s wicker basket above it, causing a tear that sent it plunging to the ground, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Scroll down for video. Tragic: The ascending balloon struck another balloon¿s wicker basket above it, causing a tear that sent it plunging to the ground Injured but alive: Medics tend to a female survivor of the crash in hospital The passengers on board the balloon that crashed were mostly tourists from Asia, Spain and Brazil, according to Abdurrahman Savas, the governor of Nevsehir province. Many had fractured bones and one of them, an elderly passenger, was in serious condition.   More... Unseen video shows the chaos and carnage in aftermath of rush hour train

Student arrested for posing by Russian World War Two memorial with an inflatable sex doll

A university student has been jailed in Russia for posing for a photograph in front of a Second World War memorial - arm in arm with a blow-up sex doll. Anastasia Polnikova, 23, was charged with hooliganism after she and three friends took the inflatable sex aid to the memorial near the Federal University in Stavropol, Russia. Wearing WWII head gear and waving a Russian flag, the drunk students borrowed the doll from a friend and walked through the park to take the pictures before posting them on the internet. Detectives are hunting Miss Polnikova's three unnamed friends who went on the run after police issued arrest warrants for them all. Hooliganism? Police posted this image of Anastasia Polnikova, 23, far left, locked up after she was arrested to warn others against the consequences of copying their stunt. Arrest warrants for the other three have since been issued Stavropol's Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesman Eugene Nuykin said: 'The identities of all the p

Incredible vertical gardens attached to the OUTSIDE of luxury apartments in Central Park, Sydney

Residents living in a luxury apartment block will not have to go too far to enjoy a little greenery - after a garden was attached to the outside of the building. The block, in Central Park, Sydney, is home to the world's tallest 'vertical garden' - a living tapestry of plants, flowers and vines stretching 500ft high. The two dozen green wall panels that cover the building, some as high as 16-storeys, have been filled with over 100,000 plants. Scroll down for video Garden in the sky: This building in central Sydney is home to the world's tallest 'vertical garden' - a living tapestry of plants, flowers and vines stretching 500ft high Unusual: The two dozen green wall panels that cover the building are as high as 16-storeys and hold over 100,000 plants The eye-catching installation was designed by French botanist Patrick Blanc in collaboration with Paris-based architects Ateliers Jean Nouvel.   More... Happy 100th birthday to Chelsea! Show promis

Up to 100 British jihadists have joined fighting in Syria: William Hague says there is a 'compelling' case for arming rebels

Foreign Secretary William Hague told MPs said he wanted to increase support to 'moderates' fighting to bring down President Assad Up to 100 Britons have joined fighting in Syria, Foreign Secretary William Hague revealed today as he warned the bloody conflict has become a honey pot for jihadists. Mr Hague told MPs that the battle to overthrow President Bashar Assad's government forces risked fuelling extremism. He said the UK was open to 'every way of strengthening moderates and saving lives rather than the current trajectory of extremism and murder'. By providing more support to mainstream elements of the opposition forces, the British government hopes to undermine the radical jihadist elements who threaten to seize control of the country.   Thousands have died and millions of people have been displaced by the two-year war, he said. And he said the case for lifting the embargo on arming the rebels was now 'compelling'. The European Union is due to re

Two in three families plan a summer staycation boosting UK tourism to £12billion

Two-thirds of British families will holiday in the UK this summer amid a cost of living squeeze that means a foreign holiday is a luxury that will have to be sacrificed. The number of people choosing to holiday at home rose from 35 per cent to 41 per cent between 2011 and 2012, while the figure is put at 65 per cent for this year. Historically, Cornwall has always topped the staycation popularity list, but the survey claims it has been overtaken by London, Edinburgh and the Lake District. 'Staycationers' are snubbing Cornwall, left, in favour of destinations including Edinburgh, new research shows London, with sights including St Paul's Cathedral, tops a new poll of where those holidaying at home want to go The popularity of London was helped by the Olympics and pageantry around the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, however it is also a particularly expensive destination. A separate study published by the package holiday Thomas Cook suggests Britain is not the c

UK weather: Sunshine and thunderstorms to hit Britain as forecasters predict temperatures as high as 19C and warn of huge hailstones

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for south east Scotland and higher ground through central parts of England, where heavy rain is expected to fall today It might have been reasonable to believe spring was finally here with some of the temperatures the country has been enjoying recently. But parts of the country have had to brace themselves today after forecasters predicted heavy showers, flash flooding and huge hailstones. Heavy rainfall started in parts of Scotland this afternoon, according to the Meteogroup, at times reaching a rate of 50mm of rainfall an hour in areas around Dundee. The showers were moving in a south easterly direction. Forecasters have said the unstable weather was because of the warm humid air in Scotland - Glasgow has so far seen the highest temperature in Britain after the mercury hit 22C earlier today. Meteogroup forecaster Claire Austin said: 'It only really kicked off in the last couple of hours. 'At 2pm we started seeing some o

Darren Lock: Diabetic driver impaled William Dawkins on railings after losing control when his blood sugar plummeted

A diabetic driver has been jailed after he lost control of his car and impaled a pedestrian on railings when his blood sugar level plummeted while he was at the wheel. Darren Lock, 41, from Rushden, had already struck a lamppost and was driving with his front bumper dragging along the road when he hit William Dawkins, 46, in Bedford last June. Lock gave false information to a nurse about his blood sugar levels on the morning of the collision, which left Mr Dawkins in intensive care suffering a punctured lung, broken limbs and broken vertebrae in his neck, a court heard today. Jailed: Diabetic Darren Lock had drifted into a state of automatism when he hit pedestrian William Dawkins in Bromham Road, Bedford (pictured), last June A judge said the pedestrian was 'very lucky to be alive' after the incident. Mr Dawkins spent a week in intensive care where he was treated for two broken vertebrae in his neck, a punctured lung, a burst artery in his left arm, a broken left arm

Chelsea Flower Show 2013: Zara Phillips is the first of the royals to arrive

Zara Phillips was the first of the royals to arrive today for a sneak preview of the Chelsea Flower Show today ahead of tomorrow's grand opening. The young royal had a look at the world famous show which other members of the royal family - including the Queen - are expected to view this week. As the event celebrates its centenary this year, Zara, wearing white jeans, a black jacket and heeled ankle boots, was happy to cut a cake to mark the occasion. Scroll down for video Getting the party started: Zara Phillips cuts the cake as the Chelsea Flower show celebrates its 100th birthday More birthdays: Zara Philips sits on a lawnmower to celebrate 50 years of John Deere, and right, beauty: A Papaver commutatum Ladybird plant Right at home: The outdoorsy Royal looked at ease atop the mower Pampas yourself: A women wearing a dress of fresh flowers designed by Zita Elze poses for photographers in the M&A Centenary Garden Gnome fever takes