Foreclosures: Agreement between 8.5 billion U.S. banks and the Fed

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It will be a little less announced by the American press. Ten U.S. banks involved in a huge scandal of bad foreclosures have agreed to pay $ 8.5 billion to compensate their customers wronged in this case, announced January 7, the Federal Reserve of the United States (Fed).

The companies concerned are Aurora, Bank of America, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, MetLife Bank, PNC, Sovereign, SunTrust, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo, said the U.S. central bank in a statement. They will pay a total of $ 3.3 billion to aggrieved customers meet the criteria to be compensated, and will spend $ 5.2 billion to “support measures” (loan modifications and repayment of debtors who had been sentenced to adjust their difference between the balance of the loan and the proceeds from the sale of their home before), said the Fed.

Depending on the case, households victims of the actions of banks and management companies mortgages will “a few hundred dollars to 125,000 dollars,” the statement added.

“FALSE DECLARATIONS”

More tt in the day, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal claimed that fourteen major U.S. banks were about to agree to pay $ 10 billion to put an end to this matter.

The decisions announced by the Fed are the result of an independent audit which these banks were forced by the authorities to determine the amount of “financial injury to borrowers by errors, misrepresentations or other deficiencies” which these institutions were guilty in 2009 and 2010.

The banks were exposed to prosecution when the peak of the housing crisis, they had carried out the evictions on the basis of a standard procedure, without an individualized review of each case.

Last year, they had agreed to review all cases of borrowers defaulting covering the period 2009-2010, entrusting to independent experts. But the procedure was found to be much longer and co? Mouth disease than expected, pushing banks to seek an alternative agreement.

3 questions to Erwin Olaf – best home sewing machine

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This enfant terrible of Dutch photography has attracted worldwide publicity. He exhibited at The Sugar Lyon a pictorial and disenchanted universe, populated by loners.

You worked for Diesel, Levi’s, Heineken … This has he influenced your own work?

Yes, leading me to improve my use of light, to be interested in very large formats for billboards. But commercial photography is not my main business for a decade. Previously, you could be creative. Today, we still see the same smiling people holding a product in hand … Lavazza has contacted me and said: “Do what you want.” I offered to take pictures without their coffee cups. Obviously, they refused!

Based on your recent series recalls Vermeer, Rembrandt evoke the clairsobscurs … Are you looking to emulate the painters?

Not consciously, but, boy, I spent so much time at the museum that Flemish painting is part of my DNA. One day, I realized that the lines of a composition of my photos so patrolled space that could evoke Mondrian! I am very jealous of emotion that can be drawn from other disciplines, he came crying in front of a painting or a film, never face a picture! In Lyon, I present videos along with my photos and I try, as in the film, offer a story to the viewer.

Why your last series show they so lonely?

I’m done with the celebration of hedonism, decadence. After the noise and provocation, I aspire to silence, to pick up the emotion in a narrow picture. This is what I try to do for example in my series “The Keyhole” [keyhole], with these characters that we only offer their necks. If I’m not necessarily talking about my loneliness, I try to capture the other.

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A Guimet, the silence is strange bronze – best air purifier 2013

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exposure. Both beautiful, so that the Guimet Museum has haloed title “Treasures of Ancient China”. And as incomplete, as the presentation is surrounded by unnecessary discretion, whether the Meiyintang collection, which come from the hundred bronze coins presented, or little to say character records that describe each object.

The Meiyintang collection – it was impossible to tell? – Was founded by two Swiss founders of a major pharmaceutical company based in Asia, China and passionate Stephen Zuellig, currently manager of the whole, and his younger brother Gilbert, who died in 2009. The name is a reference to Meiyintang beds of roses adorning the family villa, located near Zurich. But it is all we know until the end of the twentieth century this collection surrounded by secrets, and linked with the learned public based on the sinologist Regina Krahl, it can also mute (it has published nine volumes from 1994 to describe the ceramics).

Long, the two collectors are left out of the world. But the name Meiyintang became progressively implemented over the past few years London in 1994, Monte Carlo and New York, followed by Cernuschi Museum in 1999 and the Jacques Chirac Museum Sarran (Corr??ze) in 2009, and expose fragments of the collection. In 2003, a foundation is created, which allows to lodgment 1600 …

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Proglio under close government supervision

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Serein. Relaxed. Faced with his interlocutors recent days Proglio displayed his coolness. In December 2012, Paris once again abuzz with rumors about an upcoming landing EDF powerful boss, whose term expires until late 2014. Some saw already looking for a base from Dassault, Gazprom FCC or Spanish.

But the man buff. And, obviously, he re? U some assurances from the state shareholder. His replacement “is not a subject to Matignon yet,” said the Prime Minister’s entourage.

As a hypothetical parachuting Guillaume Pepy at the head of it is para electric company? Does not imminent. The mandate of the current head of the train ends in February, and some lend it intends to run the management of EDF. But Mr Pepy repeated late December, on France 2, he was “a candidate for nothing” and “tipped to nothing.”

Former Deputy Louis Gallois also preparing to apply for the renewal of his mandate at the head of the train, according to several sources. The state seems to judge the necessary time to train, given the rail reform.

“Destabilization campaign”

“Holland, and Ayrault are pleased t the idea Proglio maintain his position until the end of its mandate, provides its support. But as none has yet said fa? Formal one, it still a little worried …….

A new rape case in India plunges emotion and anger – best espresso machines for home

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New Delhi, regional correspondent.

A case of gang rape in the heart of New Delhi India plunges again in emotion and throws the protesters in the street. Four months after the revolt triggered by the rape of a student in a bus in the capital – the victim succumbed to his injuries late December 2012 – the discovery of a 5 year old girl, Wednesday, April 17, brutally abused in a room of his own building where she was kidnapped the day before, revives the wrath of the Indian public.

Since the end of last week, protesters have gathered daily in front of the hospital where the girl h is hospitalized – his days are apparently not in danger – in front of the headquarters of the police in New Delhi or near residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, President of the Congress Party (center-left) to power. Sunday, April 20 and Monday, authorities in New Delhi have shut several metro stations in the heart of the capital to try to contain the crowds.

PROTESTERS DEMAND RESIGNATION OF CHIEF OF POLICE

If the emotion is general, and the feeling of ras-le-bol widespread protests in recent days are mostly orchestrated by political activists, unlike the great movement of December where women dominated, students, middle class families and average New Delhi not necessarily affiliated organizations. This time, the Bharatiya Jana Party (BJP Hindu nationalist right), the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) and Aam Aadmi Party, a party formed recently to fight corruption are at the forefront of the demonstrations. The protesters demand the resignation of the police chief of New Delhi, whose attitude is not considered up to the gravity of the situation.

MORE THAN HALF OF INDIAN CHILDREN VICTIMS OF ABUSE

Missing on April 15, the 5 year old girl was found two days later by residents of the building, alerted by her cries and tears. Both abusers and rapists had soon as you’ve fled after strangled and left for dead. The two alleged rapists were arrested, one on Saturday and another on Monday in their home state of Bihar (is) where they had taken refuge.

The sense of outrage is even deeper in the opinion that the recurrence of rape cases do not appear to have been affected by the mobilization of December 2012, some commentators were presented with optimism as a historic turning point. Forced to react under pressure from the street, the government had passed on March 21 by Parliament a new law toughening legislative arsenal punishing sexual assault cases. A rapist faces a maximum sentence of at least twenty years in prison and up to life imprisonment and even capital in case of recurrence or death of the victim it.

Read (subscriber edition) India strengthens its laws against sexual assault

This last case highlights the continued sexual abuse suffered by children in India, a phenomenon of society than in February denounced the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its report Breaking the silence against children sexual abuse in India. Result of research fed a hundred interviews with government officials, doctors, police, lawyers, leaders of associations and children, the report revealed that “the sexual abuse of children India are common but hidden. ”

According to a government study from 2007 cited in the report, 53% of the 12,500 children surveyed said they had been abused, 20% under a “severe”. Only 3% of these cases of abuse were reported to the police.

Expressing the general feeling of helplessness that scourge of sexual violence, The Hindu deplored in its editorial Monday, April 22 that India remained “a non s? R for women and children.”

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Twenty years after his death, a few hours with Audrey Hepburn

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Twenty years after the death of Audrey Hepburn, January 20, 1993, one could almost believe that she has left behind a wake of black silk. Consultation recent archives of the World is appear? Very impressive series of articles on fashion section. The reissue of two of the most famous songs of his films, Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, is conveniently close for a while the fashion magazines, the time to lock in the dark for a few delightful hours.

In 1953, the output of Roman Holiday, William Wyler, Audrey Hepburn is no longer an unknown. Dubbed by Colette herself to hold the r? Gigi on the scene, she made ??a strong impression on Broadway. But this is the first time that Hollywood is interested in her, entrusting her r? Of the Princess Ann.

Roman Holiday is a dr? The film, both conventional and revolutionary. The scenario may well be the work of a dangerous leftist, Dalton Trumbo (who will SOON? T widely advertise the prison for his opinions), it celebrates the virtues of chastity and hereditary monarchy, the princess protects against …

Why the plunge in gold prices will continue

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April 2, Societe Generale came out a study entitled “The end of the golden age”, opening the show with a series of notes research with very bearish outlook for the yellow metal. At the time of this publication, an ounce of gold still worth 1599 dollars. Since then, the “barbarous relic” as Keynes called it, has lost 15% of its value.

We largely agree with the idea that most of the factors that supported the gold price since the beginning of the crisis will gradually deplete: negative real interest rates, liquidity injections by the Fed, the budget deficit , depreciation of the dollar … All except one, and for us the only factor that justifies the existence of gold as a financial asset: trust in other exchange means wealth.

LOSS OF CONFIDENCE

Rising gold prices since the beginning of the crisis boils down to this principle alone. It is the loss of confidence in all forms of loans to States, their debt as their currency. It is this loss of confidence, which justifies the accumulation of gold by both institutional investors as individuals, and by the central banks themselves!

Logically, falling gold prices should reflect a renewed confidence of the same magnitude. But this is not the case! Instead, it is the fear that the Central Bank of Cyprus may have to sell ten tons of gold on 13.9 tons it has in reserve which would explain the reflux.

But the amount for such sale (? 327 million) is insignificant compared to the size of the gold market and an even greater amount insignificant compared with the 10 billion euros in liquidity needs of the sector Cypriot bank.

SPREAD OF RISK

The fear comes from the risk of spreading the idea of ??selling gold reserves to other countries of the European Union better equipped as Greece (112 tonnes), Portugal (382 tonnes), Spain ( 282 tonnes), or Italy (2452 tonnes) and, why not, France (2435 tons). On the evidence, then we change dimension.

If the countries most severely affected by the crisis were to sell their gold reserves, we would be faced with such a shock that he would lose confidence in the future of the eurozone. Precisely what has fueled the rise in so far.

In the end, those who think that everything is back to normal have reason to sell their gold. In the short term, it can only go lower. Those who think that the road is still long before the states have restored confidence in their solvency and currency will quietly wait for the gold slips below 1,250 dollars an ounce to buy. Because at the end of this long road, there is inflation that awaits them.

See also: Gold, a unique case in the world of commodities

In China, the censorship of an article causes ire Users – what is the best juicer

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Chinese blogosphere had not experienced such a long agitation. The brutal censorship of editorial most prestigious weekly of the country causes since Wednesday, January 2, mobilizing users, some denunciation? Same ant the “rape” of this renowned for its investigations, revelations and also his reformist positions newspaper.

The Southern Weekend (Southern Weekly) is in the crosshairs of conservatives since May 2012 and the arrival of a new propaganda chief in the southern province of Guangdong, where it is based. The text was censored para? Be in issue on Thursday. Under the title “Chinese Dream, dream of a constitutional government,” Dai Zhiyong resumed hopes of political change expressed by a number of intellectuals on the occasion of the renewal of Communist leaders and the arrival at the head of the Communist Party China (CPC) Xi Jinping in November 2012.

For them, more than ninety years after its establishment, the CCP has to survive, achieve its aggiornamento, draw a line under its revolutionary practice, based on the mobilization and authoritarianism, and assume that it is a party of government under the rule of law. “The Chinese must be free men The Chinese dream must be the dream of a constitutional government.” Said Dai, adding: “It is only under a constitutional government that the country …

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The French who revolutionized the history of Mexico

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Massacre? Cristeros? in 1929 (anonymous photo).

| DRC’est a French historian ais, aged 70 years, unknown to us, but celebrated in Mexico?. Jean Meyer fought for three decades to reveal a tragic episode in this country and that the latter recognizes the existence of the assassination 250,000 Catholic peasants between 1926 and 1929. After the revolution of 1910, the soldiers of the State Ultralight? Massacred that these farmers who intended to celebrate Mass and shouting their faith in Christ the King. Hence the name of “cristeros” and that their movement, Christiade.

Strange destiny than John Meyer, Alsatian born in Nice in 1942, which led him to uncover what he calls “this huge Mexican Vendee.” Everything begins with a runaway youth. Student of history, he is 20 and wants to go to Cuba, attracted by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara: “The filmmaker Chris Marker was even loaned me a camera,” he says, in his home in Mexico, where it is installed in forty years – he even got naturalization in 1979.

He forgets quickly Cuba, as it is discovering that Mexico is the land of election. Returning to Paris, he took advantage of his fifth year of aggregation swallow all the books the Museum of Man has on this country and bring it can glean the diplomatic archives of the Quai d’Orsay. It follows the seminar Chaunu the great Americanist at the time, and considering devoting his thesis to the revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, defender of farmers in the South.

France enters the difficult phase of the operation in Mali – table saw reviews

The French military makes “the most difficult phase” of the operation “Serval” launched in mid-January to Mali to repel Islamist armed groups, said, Wednesday, February 20, on France 2, the defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, after the death of a second French soldier? ais.

Staff Sergeant Harold Vormezeele was killed Tuesday in the massive Ifoghas in northern Mali, during a collision, which helped neutralize more than twenty jihadists, according to French authorities? Ease. Nearly one hundred and fifty French soldiers? Ais and Malian Monday launched an operation in the mountains of the Adrar des Ifoghas, which has to destroy Paris in two lodgment ts ammunition.

“We must continue, because there is the end of the operation,” said Jean-Yves Le Drian. “This is the final phase of the liberation of Mali, until the French forces? Ease are relayed by African forces.” “We are in the final phase, but it is the most difficult phase because it reduces the jihadists and all the bands who traffic in this sector,” he added.

The rebels are in the massif of the Adrar des Ifoghas are among the most “fundamentalist toughest, most organized, so it is a rather complex phase.” “We expected some resistance, there was, there is fierce fighting yesterday and perhaps today,” said Le Drian.

? Asked about the duration of the final phase of the French Mission comfortable in Mali, Mr. Le Drian said: “It’ll take some time, this is an area that is as large as half of France, it is not resume in three days, “he said.

The defense minister has conditioned the beginning of the return to an effective deployment of African forces Misma (International Support Mission in Mali), but they “are not in a position” for the moment take over French forces? ease, he noted. The Minister was keen to finally meet, without quoting, the newspaper Lib??ration, which called Monday “where’s war” in Mali. “This is certainly a discreet war, but a real war with real enemies.” Jihadists are still “in the conquered part” of Mali and the Malian forces, fran? Ease and Africa are working to secure the areas around the liberated cities, said Mr Le Drian.

About four thousand French soldiers? Ais involved in securing the Malian territory until the Misma takes over.

To understand the situation in Mali before the comfortable French Intervention?:

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