JPMorgan Facing Record £8bn Fine: Reports

One of America's biggest banks is facing a record $13bn (£8bn) fine for mis-selling mortgage-backed securities in the run up to the 2008 financial crisis, say US reports.

A tentative deal has reportedly been reached between JPMorgan and the US Justice Department.

Last month, the bank was fined more than £600m over the "London Whale" trading scandal arising from disastrous trades by former bank employee Bruno Iksil.

If the deal is finalised, it would be the biggest settlement of its kind ever paid by a US company.

The agreement was reached by Attorney General Eric Holder, Associate Attorney General Tony West, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and the bank's general counsel Stephen Cutler in a phone call on Friday night, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It does not resolve a criminal investigation into the bank's conduct being handled by federal prosecutors in Sacramento, California, according to the reports.

On Friday night, Mr Holder told the bank that a non-prosecution agreement was a non-starter, meaning the Justice Department will continue its criminal investigation into JPMorgan.

JPMorgan executives give evidence over the 'Whale' losses to US Senate

As part of the deal, the Justice Department expects the bank to co-operate with its probe into the sale of overvalued mortgage-backed securities, which were blamed for the near-collapse of the banking system in 2007.

JPMorgan spokesman Brian Marchiony and Justice Department spokesman Brian Fallon declined to comment on the reports.

Of the $13bn, $9bn is fines and $4bn will go to consumer relief for struggling home-owners, it is claimed.

When the US housing bubble burst in 2007, bundles of mortgages sold as securities turned sour and the investors who bought them lost billions.

In the aftermath, public outrage boiled over that no high-level Wall Street executives had been sent to jail.

Some lawmakers and other critics demanded that the big bailed-out banks and senior executives be held accountable.

In response, the US government set up a task force of federal and state law enforcement officials to pursue wrongdoing with regard to mortgage securities.

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Alps Murders: Brother Denies Involvement

The brother of a British-Iraqi businessman whose family were shot dead in the French Alps has again claimed he was not involved in the massacre.

Zaid al Hilli, whose brother Saad was found dead in a bullet-riddled BMW in September last year, admitted to The Sunday Times newspaper that they were engaged in a bitter inheritance dispute, but said he had nothing to do with the murders.

"I have told the police from the beginning that I am an open book. I have nothing to hide," he said.

The 54-year-old, who was arrested in June on suspicion of masterminding the killings, accused French police of failing to carry out a proper investigation.

Saad al Hilli was shot dead with his wife and mother-in-law

He said they should look at the possibility that the real target was Sylvain Mollier, a Frenchman who was shot dead near the family's car as he cycled through the hills above Lake Annecy.

"They are covering up for someone in France in that region and they know it," Mr Hilli told the BBC.

"Mollier was involved in family disputes and was an outsider to (his) rich family. There is something more to it locally ... most crime has local roots."

The scene of the shooting in France

Saad al Hilli, 50, was shot dead in his car parked in a lay-by on a mountain road. His wife Iqbal, 47, and her mother Suhaila al Allaf, 74, were also killed. Mr Mollier's body was found nearby.

The couple's daughter Zainab, seven at the time, recovered after being shot and pistol-whipped and her sister Zeena, who was four, was found unhurt hiding beneath her mother's body.

French investigators believe Mr Mollier was an innocent bystander who was killed because he stumbled upon the murder scene.

Their lead theory is that a family inheritance dispute was the motive for the killings.

Saad al Hilli's family home in Claygate, Surrey

Mr Hilli, who is due to answer police bail on Wednesday, also denied any involvement in the shooting when he was approached by Sky News last month.

He told The Sunday Times that the last time the brothers spoke, Saad had physically attacked him as they argued over the £1m house in Claygate, Surrey, they inherited from their mother.

"I was on the bed in my bedroom and he pinned me down," he said.

Mr Hilli, who works as a payroll manager for a leisure company, said he had given 25 hours of interviews to British police but has refused to go to France for further questioning.

The killings took place near Lake Annecy

"The French, I don't trust them at all," he told The Sunday Times. "My brother was killed there in that region and I am not going to take the risk."

He revealed that he had taken a day off work on the day of the murders and gone to Worthing, in West Sussex, with a friend.

He said the brothers, who were born to middle-class parents in Baghdad before the family moved to Britain in 1971, had enjoyed a close relationship but fell out over the house.

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Mexico Drugs: Clown Gunman Kills Arellano Felix

A gunman in a clown suit has shot dead the oldest brother of one of Mexico's most notorious drug trafficking families at a children's party in a beach resort town.

Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix, 63, the former head of his family's Tijuana Cartel, was killed at the gathering at a hotel in Cabo San Lucas in northwest Mexico.

The killer wore a clown costume complete with a wig and a round red nose, an official of the Baja California Sur state prosecutor's office said.

Arellano Felix's relatives confirmed his identity at the scene of the crime, the attorney general's office said.

Members of the cartel being arrested in 2009

Local media reported that the killer had two accomplices, but this was not yet clear, a spokesman for state prosecutors said.

The gunman fled the scene.

The seven Arellano Felix brothers once dominated drug trafficking between Mexico and California through their brutal Tijuana Cartel, inspiring characters in the Steven Soderbergh movie Traffic.

Francisco's younger brother Benjamin was killed in a police shootout

Known for its violent and brutal control of the drug trade in the border city of Tijuana in the 1990s, the arrests or death of most of the Arellano Felix brothers have reduced the cartel to a shadow of its former self.

But even though the power of the clan has waned in recent years, but they do control part of the border with California, experts say.

Security experts believe the cartel is now run by the brothers' sister Enedina and her son Fernando, known as The Engineer.

Another brother Eduardo is in prison in the US for money laundering

Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix served time on drug charges in the United States but was released and deported in 2008, and he was already in prison when the gang rose to its height.

Another brother, Ramon, was killed in a police shootout in 2002. Three other brothers are in US prisons, including Eduardo, who was sentenced to 15 years by a California court in August for money laundering.

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iOS 7: Apple Sued Over Unwanted Download

Apple chief executive Tim Cook is being sued by a customer irritated by unwanted downloads of iOS 7 software on his family's gadgets.

Mark Menacher filed a small claims complaint against Mr Cook in the Superior Court of California, in San Diego, asking for the removal of the iOS 7 install file.

The file automatically downloads itself to devices when they are connected to power and a Wifi connection.

Mr Menacher, from Poway, California, wants the large file removed so he can use the space for other apps and content, CNET reports.

Mr Menacher's complaint has been filed in the Superior Court of California

In his court papers, he wrote: "Apple's disregard for customer preferences in relation to iOS7 is corporate thuggery.

"Steve Jobs was reportedly rough on company employees in pursuit of happy customers, but Tim Cook apparently cultivates a culture of contempt for customer satisfaction in pursuit of corporate profits.

"It is a policy that will eventually fail."

Apple's new operating system

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Sky News.

Mr Menacher's complaint asks for a way to get rid of the downloaded file, and $50 (£33) compensation.

He told CNET he is thinking about elevating the issue to a higher court.

Apple says iOS 7 is the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone, and has seen the fastest adoption of any version of the software.

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Florida: Prisoners Freed By Mistake Caught

Police have recaptured two convicted killers who were mistakenly freed from a prison with forged documents.

Joseph Jenkins and Charles Walker, both 34, were caught on Saturday night at the Coconut Grove Motor Inn in Panama City Beach, a popular tourist area in Florida.

Hours earlier their families had held a news conference urging them to surrender.

"Now that we have them in custody, we're hoping to get something from the interviews with them," said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey.

Jenkins was jailed after being convicted of first-degree murder in 1998, while Walker was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder.

Jenkins walked out of the Franklin Correctional Facility on September 27 and Walker on October 15 without anyone realising the paperwork, complete with case numbers and a judge's forged signature, was bogus.

The documents seemingly reduced their life sentences to 15 years.

The pair met family members and registered as felons at an Orlando jail, as required by law, without raising any alarms. They then disappeared.

The error only came to light when a relative of Jenkins' victim contacted the state attorney's office to let them know he had been freed.

The family had been notified of the release by mail, as is customary in cases of violent crime.

Following the  escapes the Corrections Department has changed the way it verifies early releases.

Prison officials must now get confirmation from judges - not just court clerks - before letting prisoners out early.

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Syria: Suicide Truck Bombing 'Kills 30'

A suicide bomber driving a truck packed with 1.5 tons of explosives has killed at least 30 people in Hama, Syrian state media reported.

The attacker blew himself up inside the vehicle at a government checkpoint on the edge of the city, the Sana agency said.

The explosion appeared to have set a nearby fuel truck on fire, increasing the damage and casualties, it added.

Sana blamed the assault on "terrorists", the term it uses to describe rebel forces trying to topple President Bashar al Assad.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al Nusra, or al Nusra Front, carried out the attack.

Several vehicles were wrecked in the attack

Meanwhile, a key international conference aimed at ending the civil war will be held in Geneva on November 23 and 24, according to Arab League chief Nabil el Araby.

The announcement came after talks with the Arab League-UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi.

The proposed conference will attempt to get Syria's rival sides to agree on a transitional government based on a plan adopted in the Swiss city in June 2012.

Syria's conflict has left over 100,000 people dead and forced two million to seek refuge abroad.

Debris and a destroyed vehicle at the scene

The fractured and squabbling opposition movement has criticised the conference plan, saying they were not consulted.

They said they could not accept any negotiations that allowed Mr Assad to remain as head of state in any transitional period.

The main Western-backed opposition umbrella group, the Syrian National Coalition, is scheduled to hold a meeting on November 1 to decide whether or not to attend the conference.

One of the most prominent factions within the coalition, the Syrian National Council, has publicly opposed taking part in peace talks with the regime.

Medical teams pictured carrying out their work

In the early months of the uprising that started in March 2011, Hama saw some of the largest demonstrations against his rule.

But in the summer of that year, security forces stormed the city, killing scores of people.

They have held a tight grip on the city ever since.

While several other Syrian cities have been engulfed by fighting, Hama has seen only sporadic violence in recent months.

However, the surrounding province has seen some major clashes between troops and rebels.

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Australia Fires: State Of Emergency Amid Fears

A state of emergency has been declared in New South Wales as Australian firefighters try to contain the area's worst bushfires in more than a decade.

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed or damaged and fire crews are braced for conditions to get worse in the coming days.

Higher temperatures and strong winds are expected to make the situation more dangerous this week after recent milder weather.

The bushfires are some of the most destructive ever to hit New South Wales - the country's most populous state.

Around 1,500 firefighters have been working to contain the blazes, which have been very intense.

They have happened earlier than usual in an annual fire season that normally peaks in the Australian summer, starting in December.

The country's dry winter and hotter than average spring are believed to have resulted in perfect fire conditions.

A total of 208 homes have been destroyed, another 122 have been damaged, and there has been at least one death.

Many homes have been destroyed in the blazes

Among the worst-affected areas is the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, where 193 homes have been razed and 109 damaged.

On Sunday firefighters were focusing on a major blaze near the town of Lithgow that stretched along a 190-mile front.

The military is investigating whether it was responsible for starting the blaze, northwest of Sydney.

The Australian Defence Force said its personnel were carrying out explosive ordnance training in the area on Wednesday, the day the blaze started.

With 61 fires still burning and dangerous weather conditions forecast until Thursday, authorities were expecting the worst.

New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell said: "The state is in for challenging days ahead not just with the three fires in and around the Blue Mountains, but also on the other two fire grounds where work is still continuing."

Shane Fitzsimmons, fire service commissioner, said: "There will be a significant impact on populated areas should all these forecasts materialise as is being suggested and indeed should the fire behaviour get to the point that we are contemplating."

On Thursday, a 63-year-old man died of a heart attack while protecting his home from fire at Lake Munmorah, north of Sydney.

At least five people including three firefighters have been treated in hospitals for burns and smoke inhalation, officials said.

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San Francisco Bay: Two Killed On Train Track

A computer-controlled commuter train returning from routine maintenance struck and killed two workers who were inspecting the tracks.

One system employee and one contractor were hit by a four-car train that was being run in automatic mode.

Saturday's accident took place in the San Francisco Bay area that has shut the transit system down to commuters for the past few days.

The victims, who were both highly experienced, were responding to a reported dip in the track.

Paul Oversier, assistant general manager for Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), said there were several people aboard the train and that the train operator was experienced.

But ahead of the strike there had been warnings of the danger of allowing managers to operate trains during the shutdown, which started on Friday.

One of the unions on strike, Amalgamated Transit Union 1555, announced that its 900 workers would not be picketing on Sunday out of respect for the victims and their families.

The deaths were the first of a BART employee in five years.

Before the accident, union leaders spent much of the day attempting to convince commuters who make 400,000 daily trips on the system that workers' demands are not unreasonable amid increasing hostility in social media and other outlets.

The two sides came to an impasse over work rules, including the length of the work day and when overtime pay kicks in.

The system carries its ridership through tunnels under the bay and into the region's urban core of San Francisco from four surrounding counties, relieving what would otherwise be congested bridges.

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Mata Hari: Famous Spy's Home Destroyed In Fire

One person has been killed in a fire that destroyed the birthplace of famous World War One spy and exotic dancer Mata Hari, say reports.

Dozens of people were evacuated as the blaze destroyed 15 buildings in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden, about 90 miles north of Amsterdam.

One of the shops was where Hari was born as Margaretha Geertruida Zelle on August 7 1876, the daughter of a local shopkeeper, NOS public television said.

Hari became famous across Europe for her exotic dances

She travelled to Paris in 1903 where she became famous across Europe for her exotic eastern dances and liaisons with men while moving in high society.

Her stage name Mata Hari became synonymous with the archetypical femme fatale.

She was arrested and executed by firing squad in October 1917, aged 41, after being accused of being a German spy during World War One.

Several movies were made about her life and her character was played by various famous actresses including Greta Garbo, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Emmanuelle star Sylvia Kristel.

TV footage showed firefighters battling the flames and a huge plume of smoke billowing across the city.

Hari's first school report and many of her possessions were lost in the flames, local councillor Wyb Feddema told reporters.

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Mystery Blonde Girl: Eight 'Promising' Leads

A charity looking after a young girl who was found living with a Roma family in Greece say they have eight "promising" leads in relation to her case.

Authorities have put out a worldwide appeal to help identify the four-year-old-child - known as 'Maria' - and find her real family.

The youngster was discovered living in squalid conditions in a Roma camp near the town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police looking for drugs and weapons.

The girl is being looked after by The Smile of the Child charity

It is thought she may have been trafficked or abducted.

The Smile Of The Child charity told Sky News it had received more than 5,000 calls from Greece and abroad, and thousands of emails from the United States, Europe and Australia.

It said of the eight "promising" calls, four were from the US, and one each from Sweden, France, Canada and Poland, and the organisation was passing the information to police.

A Roma woman walks next to the house where the girl lived

Charity spokesman Panos Pardalis Dresios said the girl, who is in hospital, was playing with her toys and "feeling much better".

He added: "What we're trying to do is for the kid to be calmed down and to play, and the experts will be the ones who will decide how they're going to deal with this."

Maria was found with people who were pretending to be her parents, but DNA tests later proved they were not.

The couple, a 39-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, were arrested and charged with abducting a minor.

Kostas said the child was very loved

But a man calling himself Kostas, the brother of the 39-year-old male, said Maria was very loved and cared for.

"We got this girl in a very nice way. We raised her. We got her. She was given to us and we raised her," he said.

"She had problems with her eyes. We took her to the doctor, we took her everywhere. We didn't take her to sell her. We loved her so much, with so much passion."

Members of the Roma community where the girl was found living

Giorgos Tsakiris, the general secretary of the Roma association in Farsala, said the girl had a good life with the people who were raising her.

He said: "I can tell you better than her other siblings, the biological ones. She spent her days very well and that is why the little girl loves them and what they say about abductions is not true."

After police raided the camp, an officer became suspicious when he noticed Maria bore no likeness to her supposed family.

A poster released in the search for Maria's real parents

Further investigations into the couple raised even more suspicions.

Authorities allege the mother claimed to have given birth to six children in less than 10 months, while 10 of the 14 children the couple registered as their own are unaccounted for.

Maria's discovery has given hope to the family of Ben Needham, a British boy who disappeared from outside his grandparent's farmhouse on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

Ben Needham disappeared in Greece

The news of Maria being found has also buoyed the hopes of missing Madeleine McCann's parents.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, said: "They have always maintained that until there is evidence to prove otherwise missing children can still be out there waiting to be found."

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