Liberty Mutual Move on Insurer

Liberty Mutual Group Inc. and Anglo Irish Bank Corp. may take over Quinn Insurance Ltd. as the lender ousted Sean Quinn and his family from a debt-laden empire that spanned real estate to financial services.

If the country’s regulator approves, Boston-based Liberty Mutual would take a majority stake and Anglo Irish a minority holding in Quinn Insurance, Ireland’s central bank said in a statement today. Anglo Irish also took control of the equity interest of the Quinn Group (ROI) Ltd., parent of a company whose interests include the Belfry golf club in the U.K.

“The bank is owed an enormous amount of money by Sean Quinn and his family, which they are not in a position to pay,” Anglo Irish Chief Executive OfficerMike Aynsley said in a statement.

The Quinns owe 2.8 billion euros ($4 billion) to Anglo Irish, the company said in a Jan. 11 statement. Once ranked by the Sunday Times as Ireland’s richest man, Sean Quinn and his family no longer have any role in the management, operations or ownership of the company, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said in a statement today.

A spokesman for the family declined to comment. Matthew Elderfield, Ireland’s head of financial regulation, installed administrators last year after Quinn Insurance posted a loss of 788 million euros for 2009.

Quinn Group Chairman Pat O’Neill said the company has reached a form of restructuring that “will permanently relieve” the company’s manufacturing unit of more than 500 million euros of debt. In a statement, he said the move was necessary for the survival of the company.

Debt Plan

Anglo Irish’s Aynsley said the lender has reached an agreement in principal on a five-year debt restructuring plan with Quinn Group (ROI) Ltd. bondholders owed 1.28 billion euros by the cement-to-insurance group. The lenders agreed to a “substantial” cut in the debt, they said in an e-mailed statement.

“The appointment of a share receiver to the Quinn family’s equity interest will have no impact on the day-to-day running of the businesses and there are absolutely no planned redundancies or expected job losses,” said Aynsley in a phone interview. “The bank will not assume any management role.”

Quinn’s problems began when he built a 25 percent interest in Anglo Irish, which was nationalized in 2009 as real estate loans soured. Quinn said last year his family lost 3 billion euros on equity investments following the collapse of shares on the Irish stock market in 2007.

Quinn began his business career in the 1970s by selling gravel from his family’s County Fermanagh farm. He went on to build Ireland’s second biggest cement maker before expanding into more than 20 businesses including insurance.

Quinn agreed to buy the Irish health insurance business of British United Provident Association Ltd. in 2007, adding almost 500,000 customers. Quinn resigned as chairman of Quinn Insurance in 2008 after the country’s financial regulator fined the company for making loans that breached regulations.

World Expensive Car Wash

A car enthusiast is offering the world’s most expensive car wash service charging up to £7,200 per vehicle.

Gurcharn Sahota, 30, takes up to 250 hours to clean each vehicle with an array of 100 cleaning fluids and wax that costs £8,200 per tub.

His premier wash includes polishing and buffing every inch of the car inside and out five times.

He even uses a computerised microscope normally used by forensic scientists to examine the bodywork for the minutest scratch not even visible to the naked eye.

Mr Sahota, who drives a clapped-out VW Golf himself, started the business five years ago by washing his neighbour’s cars with a bucket and sponge.

But he has since cleaned hundreds of supercars and now boasts a string of celebrity clients.

He said: ”When I was younger I washed neighbours’ cars and my dad’s car whenever I could.

”They never paid me, I loved it so much I did it for free.

”Things have built up from there and now I’m cleaning some of the fastest, most powerful sports cars in the world.

”People come to me and they want the best treatment going for their car.

”If you’ve got a £500,000 car then a few grand for cleaning is worth it.

”Sometimes I’ll work through the night to get a car looking absolutely pristine.

”They’re world class motors that deserve a world class wash.”

Mr Sahota, who lives with his parents in Derbyshire, has converted their double garage into a hi-tech workshop.

He built a Formula 1-style pit for scrubbing the underneath of cars and layered the entire workshop floor and walls with specialist tiles imported from Italy which help reflect flecks of dirt on the cars.

He begins every clean in the same way – washing it with a lambwool mitten and soapy water.

He said: ”I treat every car like an individual project, I want them to leave my workshop looking better than they have ever done.

”I have my processes which I go through and I am meticulous about each one.

”If you’re paying £150,000 for a car then you’re going to want it to be perfect.

”The first time I cleaned a Ferrari Enzo it took a week and when I tried to sleep all I could see was Ferrari red.

”The car has to be free from all contaminants like dust and dirt before you start otherwise it’s going to get scratched.

”I just want perfection. Finishing is the best part because you know what it was like when you started. That gives me great satisfaction.”

After spending hundreds of hours cleaning by hand he uses a £5,000 computerised microscope which examines the car for blotches and scratches.

A buffer is linked to a highly sensitive paint gauge which scans the car to prevent patching on the bodywork.

Finally, he uses a specialist clay which he rubs over the bodywork to remove any imperfections.

Mr Sahota, who works alone, started cleaning cars while he studied for a degree in accountancy at Birmingham University.

After graduating, he begged a local Aston Martin dealer to let him clean a DB9 for free.

The dealer, who reluctantly agreed, was so impressed with the results he passed on his details to clients and began using him on a regular basis.

He then established his own firm – Elite Detailing – and has opened a second workshop in Worcester.

He said: ”The work just started flying in. My reputation was great and word just spread.”

His parents Gurbinder, 55, and Amarjit, 53, were so impressed with their son’s work they converted their double garage into a hi-tech workshop for his business.

Since then he has washed hundreds of supercars including Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches.

His proudest moment cleaning the world’s most expensive car – the McLaren F1 GTR worth up to £3 million.

He said: ”The McLaren F1 GTR is without doubt my favourite car. It is so exclusive you hardly see any of them on the roads.

”They are a very attractive car and every inch of them is perfect – they are a work of art.”

He does not disclose the identities of his celebrity clients identities but one of his customers is the lawyer Nick Freeman – known as Mr Loophole – who regularly sends his Aston Martin DBS Volante to him for a clean.

His other customers include Premiership footballers, rock stars, actors and stockbrokers.

Protests are Banned in Saudi Arabia

Several Saudi people gathered outside the interior ministry in Riyadh on Sunday contempt heavy police presence, to demand the release of jailed relatives.

“We have seen at least three or four police vehicles taking people away, there who declined to be named. Security have arrested around 15 people. They tried to go into the ministry to go and ask for the freedom of their loved ones.

Protests are banned in Saudi Arabia:

The heavily guarded ministry but saw several people in traditional white robes standing there while dozens of police and security forces stood by next to police cars. There were at least 50 police cars surrounding the ministry.

Hot Hot Haiti News

The former priest who rose to become the nation’s first democratically elected president before being forced into expatriate twice, returned home to an uncertain political climate on Friday, only days before a presidential runoff intended to settle months of discord in this flustered nation.

A big cheer rose up from the Haitian journalists and supporters lined up behind a rope 200 yards from his plane when Mr. Aristide, who left Haiti in 2004 under strong American pressure as rebels closed in on the capital, landed at about 9:05 am local time and stepped back onto Haitian soil.

Some held posters of Mr. Aristide and others clutched small Haitian flags. Throughout the Port-au-Prince, the streets were quiet early Friday morning, but by late morning a throng of several hundred supporters had gathered outside the airport as word spread that he had arrived.

Standing at a lectern in the shade of a veranda, Mr. Aristide spoke for 20 minutes, mostly in Creole. He did not comment directly on the candidates in the presidential runoff on Sunday, but he criticized the electoral process, denouncing the exclusion of political parties, including his own, Fanmi Lavalas, which officials barred from the first round of voting last year on what was described as paperwork problems.

“The exclusion of Fanmi Lavalas is the exclusion of the Haitian people," he said in Creole. In English, he also said "In 1804, the Haitian revolution marked the end of slavery. Today may the Haitian people end exiles and coup d’états, while peacefully moving from social exclusion to inclusion.”

As he left in a dark SUV along with a caravan or cars, marchers followed him into the streets, chanting "We don’t have a candidate, so we are not going to the election." As more people converged at the airport, the roads became blocked with supporters, some grabbing tree branches to wave a custom here in lieu of flags and placards .

With Haitian elections tense, fragile affairs in normal times, it remained unclear what effect Mr. Aristide, a polarizing figure beloved by the poor but dismissed by others as corrupt and autocratic, might yield on the country. He has said he is coming back just to work on his educational foundation, but Western diplomats working to keep him out of the country were skeptical given the timing of his return.

“Aristide represents the voice of the poor people here,” said Wadson Pierre, 19, an Aristide supporter waiting outside the airport. “We feel comfortable when he is here."

Mr. Pierre said he still planned to vote in the runoff on Sunday, even though Mr. Aristide is not on the ballot. The election is the product of months of political wrangling and international intervention after the fraud and violent protests that accompanied the first round last year. But as the marchers’ chant indicated, some Aristide supporters said they would take no part in it.

“Since he left, things are difficult for us; I hope his return can change the poor situation here,” said James Fenelon, 25, who is unemployed. “I am not going to vote. I have one leader. It’s Aristide and he is coming today.”

Mr. Aristide is the second major figure in Haitian history to return in recent months: Jean-Claude Duvalier, the former dictator known as Baby Doc, suddenly returned from exile in January and is living quietly here while courts iron out pending human rights and corruption charges related to his government.

With the former archrivals on Haitian soil and the country still reeling from the political crisis it hoped to dispel with a peaceful election, the prospect of Mr. Aristide’s return generated furious diplomatic negotiation, with the United States pressing for a delay in his arrival until after the election.

President Obama had telephoned President Jacob Zuma to prevent Mr. Aristide from leaving his adopted home in South Africa, but to no avail. On Thursday night, South Africa’s minster of international relations and cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, joined Mr. Aristide at the airport and wished him “a safe and happy landing” before his plane took off for Haiti.

President Obama had reiterated his concerns through a spokesman on Thursday before Mr. Aristide began his journey home.

“The United States, along with others in the international community, has deep concerns that President Aristide’s return to Haiti in the closing days of the election could be destabilizing,” Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the United States National Security Council, said Thursday.

South African officials, who oversaw his residence and security, said they ultimately had no cause to hold him. But the South African government remained close-mouthed about the details of Mr. Aristide’s departure right up to the last minute; some members of the Aristide delegation, which includes the actor Danny Glover, said they were uncertain about when or if the flight would leave.

The Haitian government issued Mr. Aristide a diplomatic passport weeks ago and said there was no reason he could not come back. Mr. Aristide’s supporters have spruced up his former residence and banners declaring “Welcome Back President Titide,” using his nickname, have sprung up around here. Mildred Aristide, his wife, said she did not even know if the home was still furnished. “I hope there is a bed,” she said before leaving.

Both candidates in the runoff, Mirlande Manigat, a former first lady, and Michel Martelly, one of the country’s most popular singers, have derided Mr. Aristide in the past.

But, in a sign of his continuing support here, particularly among the poor, they have both sought to neutralize their past opposition.

Ms. Manigat has said he could play a role in her government as an education adviser. A banner, evidently put up by Ms. Manigat’s backers, hangs near the airport, declaring, “You have your mother, now your father is coming.”

Mr. Martelly, who has vulgarly dismissed Mr. Aristide in song, now says he has the right to return.

Kenneth H. Merten, the American ambassador here, said of Mr. Aristide’s return, “He gets to choose whether he will play a positive role here, and I hope that’s his choice.”

Mr. Aristide helped lead a popular revolt that ended the Duvalier family’s nearly 30-year dictatorship. He became president in Haiti’s first democratic elections in 1990, was soon ousted in a coup in 1991 but then returned to power in 1994 after the United States military forced out the military regime.

Mr. Aristide was re-elected in 2000 in an election boycotted by the major opposition parties, and while he inspired great loyalty among the poor he was criticized by many for corruption, an autocratic style of leadership and the violent suppression of political opponents.

Amid an armed uprising, led in part by former members of the Haitian Army that Mr. Aristide had disbanded, he left Haiti on Feb. 29, 2004. He has said American diplomats kidnapped him, but the United States has long denied the accusation.

Secret Of Celerities: Dukan Diet

What's the real reason French women stay so thin? We actually have no idea, but if you believe the smooth words of the diet industry's latest pitch man, it's a diet he stumbled upon by accident four decades ago. The man in question is Dr. Pierre Dukan, a 69 year-old neurologist whose books have already sold millions of copies and been translated into 14 languages. Now Dukan is set to bring his gospel to America.

"My dear friends, today I am reaching out to you with the certainty that I can help you put an end to the inevitability of weight problems in North America," he wrote in the preface of the American edition.

We sure hope so. With up to one third of Americans overweight or obese and type 2 diabetes on the rise, helping us drop a few pounds would be a welcome piece of cross Atlantic good will. But critics call Dukan's plan either an Atkins retread or an unhealthy fad.

"This is just another one of those diets invented by a charismatic individual who makes a lot of promises and has loads of testimonials but is not based on any scientific data whatsoever," Frank Sacks, professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at Harvard.

The basics are a high-protein, low-fat approach, lots of water, all the oat-bran you can eat, lots of veggies, no fruit, and a few wine and desert days to make it all livable. The exercise requirement sounds light enough for most Americans 20 minutes of walking and no elevators.

World's Most Expensive Dog

Man's best friend is costlier than ever. A red Tibetan mastiff named Big Splash, or Hong Dong in Chinese, was bought by a coal baron from the north of China for 10 million yuan (just over $1.5 million). The Tibetan Mastiff, also known as DoKhyi, is an ancient breed and a type of domestic dog originating with nomadic cultures in Central Asia. "When I started in this business, ten years ago, I never thought we would see such a price," Mr. Lu of the Tibetan Mastiff Garden in Laoshan, told The Telegraph.

Today’s Lowest FHA Mortgage Rates

Over the last several years many Americans have looked to save money by locking into today’s lowest FHA mortgage rates. It is very important to understand that FHA mortgage rates are very close to all-time lows but it is the case that an FHA mortgage comes with insurance obligations. Some of the largest mortgage lenders in the country that are offering low FHA rates include Bank of America and Countrywide as well as Wachovia and Wells Fargo.

It is important to note that Wells Fargo gobbled up Wachovia during the credit crisis and Bank of America did the same thing with Countrywide. With that being said two of the largest financial institutions in the nation are now Bank of America and Wells Fargo but remember they are not the only options when it comes to locking in low rates.

As we get deeper into 2011 many analysts have predicted that interest rates are likely to move up due to the fact that the 10 year treasury rate yield will increase with an improved economy. The 10 year treasury rate yield and 30 year fixed mortgage have had a very strong correlation since 1971 and this is not likely to change in the near future as the 10 year yield often dictates interest rates.

With this in mind it may be a very wise decision to take advantage of the low interest rates while they are available. But doing research online most will find that there are local, regional and national mortgage lenders that can help when it comes to refinancing home loan.

By accessing the HUD website Americans will better understand what options are available when it comes to reducing costs and fees on a home loan. Remember that these costs and fees can often be negotiated much lower so it is always advisable to understand each and every step of the mortgage refinance process.

Bad Japan Jokes On Twitter

A comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who has been doing commercials for insurance company Aflac for over a decade has been fired after making a bunch of jokes on Twitter about the Japanese earthquake.

• "I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, 'There'll be another one floating by any minute now.' "
• "Japan called me. They said 'maybe those jokes are a hit in the US, but over here, they're all sinking.' "
• "What do the Japanese have in common with howardstern? They're both radio active."
• "Japan is really advanced. They don't go to the beach. The beach comes to them."
• One can laugh about anything, but Gottfried shouldn't be surprised that a corporate sponsor would fire him for publicly joking about an unfolding tragedy. This is particularly true here because, as the AP notes, Aflac does 75% of its business in Japan.
• But what's really shocking about those jokes isn't just how offensive they are, but how bad they are.

Swift Car Insurance

Many people refer to the internet when finding swift car insurance. They are looking to get insurance for their car in a hurry because of different reasons, but turning to the internet can really help people tremendously.

For one, the convenience of shopping for anything online is always favorable. Some people do not want to shop around with different insurance providers and they don’t want to spend the time to get on the phone with insurance provider after insurance provider. This is why the internet has become the number one place where people who are looking for swift car insurance will go for information as well as insurance quotes.

The fact that you are online right now means that you are already ahead of most people when it comes to attaining swift car insurance. You will be able to immediately go to different websites and get a number of quotes within minutes. This will allow you to look at all of the proposals and it will help you choose the best swift car insurance that is the most favorable to you.

Depending on what your driver’s license record looks like, your results may vary from others. A lot of people that want swift car insurance are unaware of how quotes are calculated; therefore you should try to understand that before you are expecting a ridiculously low quote.

For example, if you have accidents in your driving history that were due to your driving negligence, or whatever the case may be, but if it was determined by your police report and your insurance provider that you were at fault, it means that your insurance will be going up. The reason for this is because now you are considered a liability to the insurance company and in order for them to be on the safe side with your driving record, they will need to charge you a higher premium, just in case.

Another thing that affects the premium of your swift car insurance is the amount of points that you have on your driving record. The more points you have means that you received tickets and they were not settled in court. This lets them know that you are more vulnerable to get more speeding tickets or even have an accident because your history shows that you have several points on your license. If you received those points from speeding tickets, they will be able to see that because once they pull up all of your information for your swift car insurance quote it will show them why you received those points. If you are a speed demon in the streets then you are more apt to getting another ticket and even hitting someone in the street, so your insurance will reflect that.

Whether or not your driving record is clean, you should definitely check online for swift car insurance quotes and shop the best deal possible for yourself and for your family. There are so many companies online that are fighting for the next customer that they are willing to offer better deals online than they would to a regular person who would walk into their office.