Lock your doors alert as Whitby double murder suspect spotted on run

Detectives hunting double murder suspect James Allen have urged Yorkshire residents to lock their doors and windows after reported sightings of him on the East Coast raised fears the killer could strike again. Allen, a 35-year-old drug user with previous convictions for violence, is believed to have killed his former next-door neighbour in Middlesbrough and murdered a Whitby housewife while on bail for other offences. Police called on him to hand himself in yesterday as they revealed sightings of the suspect had been reported in Whitby, Scarborough...

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Gas canister man storms office

One of the country's busiest shopping streets has been closed as a man wearing gas canisters stormed into an office and threatened to blow himself up, it was reported. Tottenham Court Road in central London was closed after police received emergency calls at midday. Scotland Yard sent a hostage negotiator to the scene amid reports the man had held people hostage inside the building several floors up. Pictures emerged of computer and office equipment being thrown through one of the office windows. A police spokesman said it was "too early to say...

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Credit card fraud websites shut down on three continents

Three men have been arrested and 36 criminal websites selling credit card information and other personal data shut down as part of a two-year international anti-fraud operation, police have confirmed. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), working with the FBI and US Department of Justice, as well as authorities in Germany; the Netherlands; Ukraine; Australia and Romania, swooped after identifying the sites as specialising in selling card and bank details in bulk. The move comes as a blow to what is a growing black market for stolen financial...

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Reopen Madeleine case, police urge

Scotland Yard has urged Portuguese authorities to reopen the search for Madeleine McCann as detectives said there are 195 potential leads to finding her alive. The detective leading the Metropolitan Police review said the case can still be solved before officers released a picture of what she might now look like as a nine-year-old. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said he believes her disappearance was a stranger abduction, as he said there are 195 "investigative opportunities". Police refused to say what evidence they had uncovered to suggest...

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Insecure websites to be named and shamed after checks

Companies that do not do enough to keep their websites secure are to be named and shamed to help improve security. The list of good and bad sites will be published regularly by the non-profit Trustworthy Internet Movement (TIM). A survey carried out to launch the group found that more than 52% of sites tested were using versions of security protocols known to be compromised. The group will test websites to see how well they have implemented basic security software. Security fundamentals The group has been set up by security experts and entrepreneurs...

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Anti-depressants likely do more harm than good, study suggests

Commonly prescribed anti-depressants appear to be doing patients more harm than good, say researchers who have published a paper examining the impact of the medications on the entire body. See Also: Health & Medicine Pharmacology Birth Defects Mental Health Research Mind & Brain Depression Disorders and Syndromes Psychiatry Reference COX-2 inhibitor Psychoactive drug Seasonal affective disorder Anti-obesity drug "We need to be much more cautious about the widespread use of these drugs," says Paul Andrews, an evolutionary biologist at McMaster...

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Madeleine McCann, the British girl who went missing while on holiday in Portugal half a decade ago, could still be alive, Scotland Yard said on Wednesday.

Madeleine McCann as she might look aged 9  Photo: Teri BlytheDetectives released a new “age progression” image of the toddler, which they said showed what she would look like today at the age of nine.On Wednesday, Britain’s biggest police force said that as a result of evidence uncovered during a review “they now believe there is a possibility Madeleine is still alive”.Officers have so far identified nearly 200 new items for investigation...

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Dengue Fever Asian Mosquito Could Invade UK

The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses A mosquito that spreads tropical diseases including dengue fever may be poised to invade the UK because of climate change.The Asian tiger mosquito has already been reported in France and Belgium and could be migrating north as winters become warmer and wetter.Scientists have urged "wide surveillance" for the biting insect across countries of central and northern Europe, including the UK.The...

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police hunt for Michael Brown's missing millions

British police are still trying to trace £18m allegedly stolen by the Liberal Democrats' fugitive donor Michael Brown, who is expected to be extradited to Britain within the next 10 days. Brown, 46, was in a holding cell near Madrid airport on Sunday, having been deported from the Dominican Republic, where he had been on the run from UK authorities for three years. Brown, who gave £2.4m to the Liberal Democrats before the 2005 general election, is not expected to challenge a formal move to extradite him to London which has already been set in...

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Donaldson enjoyed a lavish lifestyle in Marbella and Tenerife, trafficking accused found hiding in loft with £70k in cash

 A SUSPECTED drug trafficker was found by police hiding in a farmhouse loft in Scotland with a bag stuffed with £70,000, a Spanish court was told last week. Ian Donaldson, 32, is accused of helping fund an international drugs ring smuggling cocaine and speed from Spain to Scotland The former amateur racing driver – who drove a Lamborghini with the distinctive Lambo 88 plate – was tracked down to the farm by officers from the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency. Donaldson – who enjoyed a lavish lifestyle in Marbella and Tenerife– is...

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Wayne Rooney launches phone-hacking claim

Wayne Rooney and England rugby union World Cup winner Matt Dawson are among the new wave of high-profile figures suing Rupert Murdoch's News International over alleged News of the World phone hacking. The England and Manchester United football star, his agent Paul Stretford, Dawson, now a BBC rugby commentator and Question of Sport team captain, actor James Nesbitt and Sir John Major's former daughter-in-law, Emma Noble, are among 46 new phone-hacking cases filed at the high court in London. Times Newspapers, the News International subsidiary...

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Mike Tyson has for the first time revealed his lowest point ever in a searingly candid interview.

Once known as the ‘baddest man on the planet’, his life has taken more than a few dark twists and turns.But now Mike Tyson has for the first time revealed his lowest point ever in a searingly candid interview.The former heavyweight champion said that back in 2009 he was in a hotel room with seven prostitutes, a morphine drip in his arm, a pile of cocaine and a bottle of cognac when he began to feel paranoid.Candid: The former world champion gave...

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EU condemns Repsol state seizure

 The European Parliament has passed a resolution condemning a nationalisation that has strained relations between Spain and Argentina. Argentina has nationalised YPF, wiping out the Spanish firm Repsol's controlling-stake in the oil firm. The resolution asks the European Commission to consider a "partial suspension" of tariffs that benefit Argentine exports into the EU. Shares in Repsol has another decline, falling 2.3% on Friday. Over the week, Repsol stock has lost almost a fifth of its value. MEPs in the European Parliament said the...

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British police arrested three people, including the royal editor of Rupert Murdoch's Sun tabloid

British police arrested three people, including the royal editor of Rupert Murdoch's Sun tabloid, a source familiar with the situation said, in an escalation of a long-running phone hacking scandal which reaches into Britain's political establishment.Thursday's arrests and the fact they stemmed from information given to the police by Murdoch's company itself is likely to reignite tensions within the media group, just days before parliament gives its verdict on how the culture of illegality came about.Next week Rupert Murdoch and son James...

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The strip club industry is surviving the downturn, but only by targeting the most vulnerable, as women are paid less to perform

Lap dancing in numbers300 Estimated number of lap-dancing clubs operating in Britain.10,000 Number of lap dancers working in the industry at any one time.£230 Amount of money a stripper earns in an average shift, down from around £280 a year ago.74 per cent of 197 lap dancers interviewed said they were satisfied with their job. Popular perks included flexible hours and the ability to earn cash quickly.Amy stopped working in lap- dancing clubs six months ago. For a while she enjoyed the work: it brought in much- needed cash at...

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Vinnie Jones heads to Marbella

Vinnie Jones is heading to Marbella for a role as a twisted garrotte killer. The British actor and ex-footballer – who was once given a yellow card after just three seconds on the pitch – will play a lead in gangster movie Shill, to be filmed entirely on the ‘Costa del Crime’. “Jones plays Branch, a guitar-playing nutter who chokes his victims with his strings,” said Shill writer and producer Paul Grimshaw, who based the film on his own experiences. The Shill actors will meet investors at Marbella Film Festival in October this year, with filming...

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Six held in Antrim after Real IRA rally

 Six men remain in custody after being arrested following a Real IRA rally in Derry. All six were taken to the serious crimes suite of Antrim police station, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The arrests took place after a PSNI helicopter had monitored a dissident republican commemoration in the city on Monday evening to mark the 1916 Easter Rising. During the event a masked man read a statement from the Real IRA vowing that terror attacks on the security forces would continue. These would include the targeting of police officers,...

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These are the first few images of London's ski-resort-style cable car, designed to alleviate pressure on London's road networks during the Olympics.

The project, which is estimated to have cost in the region of £60m, will offer its customers panoramic views of the capital during the ride.The gondola will carry visitors from the 02 Arena on the south bank of the Thames... Credit: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire...to the ExCel exhibition centre on the river's north eastern side. Credit: Lewis Whyld/PA WireSponsored by airline Emirates, the project is now called... the Emirates Air Line.Transport...

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A man died on Sunday after being stabbed in the neck with a broken bottle at a London party hosted by BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd last week, the company and police said on Sunday.

"We are deeply saddened to hear our colleague has died as a result of the attack on Tuesday 3rd April," RIM said on its UK Twitter page. "Our thoughts are with his family and those close to him and we ask for the respect of their privacy at this difficult time."Police said the man, identified as Phillip Sherriff, 37, was fatally wounded at Pulse nightclub in central London and died Sunday morning in hospital. Ashley Charles, 25, was remanded in custody on Saturday and charged with attempted murder.A murder investigation has been launch...

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Man in court on murder bid charge

 A man will appear in court charged with attempted murder following a bottle attack at a celebrity-packed party thrown by smartphone company BlackBerry. A 37-year-old man remains in a critical condition in hospital following the incident at Pulse nightclub in Southwark, central London. Ashley Charles, 25, of Nevanthon Road, Leicester, will appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court in connection with the incident. The party on Tuesday night was attended by journalists, celebrities including rapper Wretch 32 and stars of The Only Way Is...

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Emails sent to the Big Pictures agency in 2010 and 2011 contained the flight details of dozens of celebrities, including Madonna, Princess Beatrice and Sienna Miller.

Richard Branson's airline Virgin Atlantic is under mounting pressure to explain how an insider was apparently able to pass the confidential flight details of as many as 70 celebrities to a major paparazzi agency. Emails sent to the Big Pictures agency in 2010 and 2011 contained the flight details of dozens of celebrities, including Madonna, Princess Beatrice and Sienna Miller. Some of the figures alleged to be affected are friends of Sir Richard and his family and the allegations could prove hugely embarrassing for the tycoon, who is known for...

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Virgin Atlantic employee has resigned following allegations she routinely fed information about the airline's celebrity clientele

 Virgin Atlantic employee has resigned following allegations she routinely fed information about the airline's celebrity clientele — from Madonna to Sienna Miller — to a paparazzi agency. The employee was a junior member of the team that looks after high-profile clients, Virgin said Friday. She quit Thursday before reports published in the Guardian and the Press Gazette alleged that she had passed the booking information of more than 60 celebrities on to the Big Pictures photo agency. Among those allegedly targeted: Britain's Princess Beatrice;...

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'Beast of Bulgaria' who stabbed rival gangster claims

A convicted Bulgarian murderer, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for stabbing a rival gangster, today claimed that sending him back to his homeland would breach his human rights. Tihomir Georgiev, who is notorious for slicing off victims’ fingers and ears, was on Interpol’s ‘most wanted’ list until he was tracked down and arrested at a boxing gym in South London in January. The 43-year-old mobster is facing 17 years in prison in Bulgaria for stabbing a mafia rival in 2007 before fleeing to the UK. He is also wanted for a catalogue of...

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Government retreats on digital 'Big Brother' plan

 Plans to allow the authorities to monitor the online activity of every person in Britain were pushed back last night after being condemned by MPs of all parties. The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, announced that the contentious measures would be published only in draft form and would be subject to widespread consultation – concessions that could delay the proposals for at least a year. In a letter to Mr Clegg published in The Independent today, 17 Liberal Democrat MPs welcomed his intervention but warned him their support could not be...

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New ‘super luxury’ hotel for the City

 A new “super luxury” hotel and residences in the Square Mile will join a wave of upmarket hotels and homes being built in the capital after the City of London granted planning permission for the conversion of the former Port of London Authority headquarters at 10 Trinity Square. The grade II* listed building next to the Tower of London will be redeveloped into a 120-bedroom hotel with 41 serviced apartments as well as a private members’ club, spa, two bars and a restaurant. Speculation Timing is crucial for skyscraper success Ronson reveals...

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Salou, the northern Spanish town where thousands of British students flock every spring for four nights of drunken debauchery.

It was a case of deja vu last night for the long-suffering residents of Salou, the northern Spanish town where thousands of British students flock every spring for four nights of drunken debauchery.For the twelfth time, the Costa Dorada resort has been overrun by Saloufest, the notorious annual sports tour returning for another round of hard drinking, half-naked partying - and the odd day of volleyball or hockey.The first pictures released from this...

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Amy Winehouse 'spent £1 million on drugs in three years`

Amy Winehouse had reportedly squandered £10 million during her lifetime, which included £1 million on drugs in three years, a £500,000-hotel bill and £1,000-a-month on her kittens. The tragic singer who was 27 when she died, left an estate worth £4,257,580, which was reduced to £2,944,554 after debts and taxes were paid. Since the Rehab hitmaker did not leave a will, that money will, by default, be divided between her divorced parents Mitch and Janis. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, she was worth £10 million but a friend of her manager...

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George Galloway tells critics: 'eat your treacherous hearts out'

In a triumphant Twitter update yesterday, Galloway confronted two journalists who had written critical comment pieces about him over the weekend, adding: “I WON”. With the shock waves of Galloway’s surprise win in the Bradford West on Thursday still reverberating, the MP was showing little sign of settling quietly into his new job. On Saturday, Galloway wrote: “Welcome to the 6000 new followers. I will try to live up to your expectations. Shattered but happy after the Blackburn triumph.” Facing ridicule, he backtracked quickly, claiming on Twitter...

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Destructive Chinese beetle found breeding in Kent

 The Asian Longhorn Beetle, which can grow to nearly 2in long and might bite if handled, could cause the death of tens of thousands of trees and cost the country millions of pounds if it becomes established. Seven of its larvae have been found in a poplar tree close to the village of Paddock Wood, near Maidstone, Kent. The tree is about 100 yards from where Bob Dylan is due to play to a 50,000-strong crowd at the Hop Farm Music Festival in June. The beetle threatens broadleaved trees including sycamore, ash, birch, willow, poplar, and some...

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Appeal for witnesses after fatal stabbing outside Croydon pub

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was murdered and another injured in a double stabbing in south London. Officers were called to Croydon High Street at about 02:00 BST on Saturday to reports of an assault outside a pub. A 25-year-old man died at the scene and another was taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition. A 30-year-old man who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder remains in police custo...

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Funerals halted as police probe deaths of five nursing home residents

POLICE are probing the deaths of five residents who died at the same care home within two days of each other. Three of the pensioners’ funerals were postponed and new admissions to the Orchar Nursing Home in Dundee have been suspended after a doctor alerted police. All five residents – a 74-year-old man and four women aged 81, 88, 90 and 91 – died from an identical respiratory illness on Sunday and Monday. But no link was suspected between the deaths at the 40-bed home in Broughty Ferry until after their bodies had been released to undertakers....

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London Mayoral Election: Seven Candidates Announced

Seven candidates are in the running to be Mayor of London, it has been announced. The incumbent Tory Boris Johnson is hoping to retain the role which he snatched from Labour's Ken Livingstone, who is fighting to win it back again. Mr Livingstone lost the post to Mr Johnson in 2008 after eight years in office. The battle also sees the return of the Liberal Democrats' Brian Paddick, former Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner, while London Assembly group leader Jenny Jones is standing for the Green Party. Lib Dem candidate Brian Paddick...

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