£40m cocaine smuggling gang convicted

 

drugs gang responsible for smuggling cocaine with a street value of up to £40m into the UK has been convicted at the High Court in Glasgow. They were involved in importing the drugs from Spain between 2007 and 2009. The ringleaders were Keith Blenkinsop, of Annan, and Lindsay Harkins from Helensburgh. Three men who acted as mules - Andrew Burns, of Helensburgh; Robert Dalrymple, of Gretna; and James Elvin, from Clydebank - were also convicted. The cocaine was concealed inside suitcases and holdalls flown by couriers into Prestwick, Glasgow and Newcastle airports. The court heard how the drugs were concealed beneath a false bottom sewn into suitcases The court heard how the operation came to an end when one of the gang's couriers, David Harbinson, 41, of Annan, was caught with some counterfeit £20 notes and blurted out details of the drugs scheme to police. A teller at a Marks and Spencer bureau de change in Carlisle noticed the currency among a bundle of sterling he wanted to convert to euros. Mr Harbinson subsequently gave evidence against his former associates and has now been placed on a witness protection programme. He told advocate depute Iain McSporran, prosecuting, that the gang had a direct connection to Colombian drug barons. He said Blenkinsop and Harkins were the brains behind the operation while the other accused were couriers paid to take euros to Spain and bring back drugs. In fact, the gang exchanged so much sterling into euros that Blenkinsop's local post office won an award for the amount of euros it sold. The jury was told they sourced their cocaine from Colombians based in Barcelona and transferred it to Harkins' house in the Spanish city. Harkins, a former upholsterer, would then put the drugs inside a suitcase and sew in a false bottom. The cocaine brought in by the gang was mostly destined for the Glasgow area, although some of it was also sold in Dumfries. Refuted claims Mr Harbinson also gave the court a detailed breakdown of how he was approached to become a courier and the payments made to transport the drugs. All of the accused claimed that he was a liar and a self-confessed cocaine addict and said that nobody would have used him as a drugs courier. After a five-week trial Blenkinsop, 43, of Winterhope Road, Annan; Harkins, 44, of West Princes Street, Helensburgh; Burns, 56, of Old Luss Road, Helensburgh; Dalrymple, 43, of Loanwath Road, Gretna; and Elvin, 35, of Garscadden View, Clydebank, were all convicted of being concerned in the supply of cocaine in Scotland, England and Spain. Blenkinsop was also convicted of being involved in the supply of cannabis and amphetamines while Harkins was found guilty of supplying amphetamines. Dalrymple and Elvin were only convicted of being involved in the drugs operation as couriers in 2009.

Crimes by EU citizens treble but few are kicked out

 

27,000 crimes were committed by EU citizens in the UK last year and more than 30,000 are expected this year. And because of EU rules and human rights laws only a fraction of the criminals are removed from the country. It will fuel concerns over the impact of immigration on towns and cities, especially following the two most recent EU expansions in to Eastern Europe. Critics last night said the restrictive EU rules that prevent removals must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Dominic Raab, the Tory MP who unearthed the figures, said: “Far from helping us tackle crime, the current straitjacket EU arrangements for securing our borders, deportation and law enforcement are imposing a massive net burden on policing and prison cells.”

Phone hacking: Police bail sports writer Raoul Simons

 

Police bail sports writer Raoul Simons A total of 16 people have now been arrested as part of the investigation into phone hacking Continue reading the main story Phone-hacking scandal Q&A: Phone-hacking scandal Key people and profiles Timeline Inquiries and legal challenges A 35-year-old man held by officers probing phone hacking at the News of the World has been bailed, police say. The BBC understands he is sports journalist Raoul Simons who used to work at London's Evening Standard before moving to the Times in 2009. The man was bailed on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept voicemails. Meanwhile, Guardian reporter Amelia Hill has been questioned under caution over alleged police leaks surrounding the hacking inquiry, the paper said. It followed the arrest of a Met Police detective constable last month who worked in the Operation Weeting team. Scotland Yard says the "investigation continues" and they are not giving a "running commentary" on events. Mr Simons was appointed deputy football editor at the Times in August 2009, having previously worked at the Evening Standard. In September 2010, he went on extended leave after material allegedly linking him to phone hacking emerged. He is still on the payroll but has not returned to work since. It is understood he has not been involved in any inappropriate behaviour while at the Times. The man has been bailed by police to a date in October pending further inquiries. A total of 16 people have now been arrested on suspicion of phone hacking - 15 of whom are still under investigation - since Operation Weeting was launched in January. Scotland Yard's fresh investigation was set up to examine the illegal interception of voicemails. Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and ex-Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson are among those who have already been arrested as part of the inquiry. The scandal has led Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and Assistant Commissioner John Yates to resign, and the News of the World to close down after 168 years.

former MP Margaret Moran, who is to face 21 charges in relation to claims she made for parliamentary expenses.

File photo of former MP Margaret Moran, who is to face 21 charges in relation to claims she made for parliamentary expenses. Photograph: Michael Stephens/PA

The former Labour MP who claimed for dry rot treatment on a home more than 100 miles from her constituency will be charged with fiddling her expenses by more than £60,000, prosecutors said today.

Margaret Moran, one of the last politicians investigated over the scandal, will appear before magistrates facing 21 charges relating to her parliamentary claims.

Moran, former MP for Luton South, will appear before City of Westminster magistrates' court on 19 September, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

police have released images of 28 suspects they want to question about serious street disorder that “wreaked havoc” across Northern Ireland

The police have released images of 28 suspects they want to question about serious street disorder that “wreaked havoc” across Northern Ireland.

Detectives from a specialist public order inquiry team are hoping the public will help them identify the men in these images as part of their investigations into rioting in east Belfast and Ballyclare during June and July.

Three people were shot during three nights of sustained sectarian violence at an interface on the Lower Newtownards Road in Belfast in June.

In Ballyclare six officers sustained whiplash when a hijacked bus rammed a police vehicle during riots that erupted after Union and paramilitary flags were removed from lampposts in July.

Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay said the response from the public appeals to date had been “positive”.

A second tranche of photographs will be released on Thursday showing suspects police want to speak to in connection with rioting in north and west Belfast during July.

Last month all of Northern Ireland’s main news organisations wrote to the PSNI Chief Constable to protest at having to hand over riot footage of trouble in east Belfast.

The letter highlighted to Matt Baggott the “genuine fear that terrorists and rioters will target the media whom they perceive to be evidence gatherers for the State” if the PSNI continues to demand the disclosure of material gathered for news purposes.

The PSNI has declined to comment on the source of these latest images.

TV cameras to be allowed into criminal trials

 

David Cameron is expected to pave the way for the historic move in a long-awaited speech on crime planned for later this month. However, the televised coverage is expected to be limited and will not allow cameras to record witnesses giving evidence as occurs in America. Television cameras are currently banned from most courts in England and Wales although the proceedings of the new Supreme Court - the top court of appeal which replaced the law lords - can be broadcast. Some Scottish court cases are also televised, including proceedings involving Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber. The decision to allow limited broadcasting in other criminal cases is set to spark debate.

Grilling for phone hack witnesses

 

Four former News International executives will face a fresh round of questioning from MPs over the phone-hacking scandal. The Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee will quiz the News of the World's former editor Colin Myler and ex-legal manager Tom Crone after the pair publicly challenged evidence given by James Murdoch over his knowledge of the illegal practice. News International's former director of legal affairs Jonathan Chapman and Daniel Cloke, former group HR director, will also appear before the committee as the probe into the scandal is resumed following the summer recess. Mr Myler and Mr Crone have been summoned before MPs for the second time after publicly disputing claims made by Mr Murdoch earlier in the Parliamentary inquiry. The News International chairman told the committee he was not made aware of an email in 2008 indicating that the practice of illegally intercepting voicemails was not confined to a single "rogue" reporter. But the two former Sunday tabloid executives insist that they told him about the message in June of that year. The panel of MPs could now recall Mr Murdoch "depending on their evidence under questioning". Committee chairman John Whittingdale said the latest round of questioning was an attempt to uncover the truth in the "continuing difference in the accounts of James Murdoch and Tom Crone and Colin Myler about whether or not James Murdoch was aware of the so-called 'for Neville' email". The 2005 email contained transcripts of hacked phone messages and was headed "for Neville", in an apparent reference to the News of the World's then-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck. Its existence came to light in April 2008 when Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor brought a damages claim against the paper over the interception of his voicemail.

Anger over police who made no arrests in whole year

 

2,000 police officers in a Yorkshire force made no arrests last year because they were kept in supporting roles that could be fulfilled by civilians, wasting millions, a think-tank claims today. Too many officers are working in control rooms and forensic suites when those roles could be carried out by cheaper civilian staff, saving police for frontline duties, the Policy Exchange said. Nationally one in 20 police officers is doing work that could be done by civilians, wasting almost £150m a year, it argues. This, it said, contributes to a situation where more than 14,500 officers in the UK made no arrests at all last year, including almost half of all officers in the Derbyshire force and more than 2,000 in West Yorkshire. While this includes some officers not in a position to make an arrest, such as those in management or on restricted duties, the think tank adds: “It does suggest that there remain too many officers not in frontline roles where their warranted powers are being exercised.” Claims of inefficiency have been denied by the region’s forces, however, and come as South Yorkshire Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes prepares for a meeting on Wednesday to press home to MPs how cuts are piling pressure on his officers. Mr Hughes has warned that crime will rise because of cuts to police and council services. Constabularies face a 20 per cent funding cut over the next four years, which is expected to result in the loss of 16,000 officer posts. The Government has insisted savings can be made without affecting front-line duties. The head of crime and justice at the think-tank, Blair Gibbs, said: “Too many sworn officers are hidden away in back offices. Some forces like Surrey and Suffolk became more efficient by hiring cheaper civilian staff but many did not. “As a result taxpayers have spent at least £500m since 2006 in extra employment costs for over 7,000 police officers who have a uniform, but who aren’t policing.” The Cost of the Cops analysis of official data and Freedom of Information responses from forces claims that civilian staff could be used instead of officers in areas such as forensics, control rooms, operational support and business support, saving more than £20,000 per head. But, as of March last year, the level of civilianisation in forces ranged widely from just 34 per cent in the West Midlands to 55 per cent in Surrey, with an average of 43 per cent. Between March 2010 and March 2011, only two forces, West Mercia and Humberside, were said to have “notably increased” their level of civilianisation while 33 forces reduced their proportion of civilian employees. The report calls for improved visibility, suggesting officers should wear their uniform on their way to work, more patrols, and a re-evaluation of staffing by police chiefs including measures to tackle sickness and absence. West Yorkshire deputy chief constable David Crompton dismissed the conclusions as “nonsense” and added: “We know some forces have given information based on operational staff only, whereas we have used the whole workforce. “About 1,200 of those officers are in supervisory ranks – managing and overseeing investigations rather than arresting on the streets. “A force the size of West Yorkshire has a huge specialist capability to deal with things like underwater search, child protection and covert operations which aren’t currently involved in day-to-day arrests. “Trying to compare West Yorkshire with another force that used a different starting point is like comparing apples with oranges.” Mr Crompton added the data used was already out of date: “It is common knowledge throughout the public sector that budgetary pressures have driven huge changes in the last 18 months, and to suggest that data from the period April 2009 to March 2010 accurately reflects the position in late 2011 is misleading.” He added: “In our opinion, there is more mischief-making than mature debate about this report.

NSW businesses warned of travelling conmen

 

Residents and businesses in NSW are being urged to be on the lookout for travelling conmen and itinerant domestic gangs. A nationwide crackdown aims to have scammers who visit Australia seasonally removed from the country and barred from re-entering, as well as local gangs that travel around conning people. NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts on Monday warned of conmen specialising in scams such as bitumen laying, roof painting and back-of-truck dealings on electronics. "We want to catch these crooks, hold them accountable for their crimes and keep the market fair and free of rip-offs," he said in a statement. "What we are dealing with is organised, criminal activity that creates market distortions as legitimate businesses face unfair competition." The conmen structure their operations so consumers are often unable to get remedies in courts, consumer tribunals or through dispute resolution. They are the focus of a new nationwide strategy finalised at the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs in Canberra earlier this year. "All Australian consumer protection jurisdictions are working together under the new Australian Consumer Law with concerted, nationally coordinated operations using new prosecution powers and remedies," Mr Roberts said.

Oz 'collar bomb' teen now safe

Australian police are battling to defuse a suspected bomb believed to be strapped to a teenage girl's neck at her multimillion-dollar mansion in Sydney.

A teenage girl who had a "collar bomb" strapped to her neck in a 10-hour terrifying ordeal at her multimilllion-dollar Australian home is now safe, police have said.
Madeleine Pulver, 18, told detectives a stranger wearing a balaclava broke into her family's home in the wealthy suburb of Mosman and attached her to the device.
The teen called police after the culprit left a ransom note and fled the house in Burrawong Avenue - an exclusive street home to many prominent Australians.
Bomb squad detectives rushed to the scene and a 250m exclusion zone was enforced.
Authorities believe she was the victim of an extortion attempt to get money out of her businessman father, Bill Pulver.
A police source said the unusual "collar bomb" used had never been seen before in Australia.
Bomb squad officers swarmed the property in the plush harbourside suburb of Mosman after the young woman called police.
The girl is understood to be part of one of Sydney's wealthiest families and is in her final year of high school.

 

Cleveland chief constable and deputy arrested

The Chief Constable of Cleveland and his deputy were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of corruption and fraud, a source with knowledge of the investigation said.
Sean Price, his deputy Derek Bonnard and an unnamed woman were detained by detectives from two other forces which have been drafted in to investigate the allegations.
Officers arrested "three people on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, fraud by abuse of position and corrupt practice," said a statement from Warwickshire Police, a force in central England which is leading the probe.
"Two men and a woman were arrested and have been taken to a police station in North Yorkshire (in northern England) where they will be interviewed later today.
"A number of premises are being searched in connection with these arrests."
Police would not confirm the identity of those arrested, although a source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the men were Price and Bonnard.
Warwickshire Police were asked in May to launch a wide-ranging investigation into people with links to the Cleveland force. They are being assisted by North Yorkshire Police.
Earlier this year, the police watchdog announced a separate inquiry into claims that Price had used "undue influence" to appoint a junior member of staff to Cleveland Police.
Price denied the accusation and threatened legal action against the watchdog.
The arrests are a fresh blow to the reputation of the British police, after two of the country's top officers based in London resigned last month over the phone-hacking scandal at the now defunct News of the World.

 

A nurse has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the deaths of three patients at a hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Rebecca Leighton, 27, of Heaviley, Stockport, was arrested at home and is being questioned after two men and a woman died at Stepping Hill Hospital.Police believe insulin was deliberately injected into saline containers.Sixty detectives have been involved in the inquiry and officers have questioned more than 50 people so far.Tracey Arden, 44, 71-year-old Arnold Lancaster, and George Keep, 84, have all died at the hospital in the past month.A fourth patient, a man in his 40s, remains critically ill.Greater Manchester Police believe the sabotaged saline containers were used by at least two wards, A1 and A3.Deaths 'unexplained'The force said they were working on the assumption the contamination had taken place on the site.The four patients are among a total of 14 whose treatment since 7 July is being examined by police.Dr Chris Burke, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are aware that Greater Manchester Police have made an arrest this morning of a 26-year-old female.Security has been increased at the hospital"As the police are continuing with their enquiries, we are unable to provide any further details, but it is important to stress that no charges have been made at this stage."A hospital spokesperson said it hoped to return to full business by 0900 BST on Thursday, although security measures would remain in place.The Nursing and Midwifery Council, which regulates nurses in the UK, said: "We are aware that an individual is being questioned who may be a nurse. Fitness to practice proceedings will be commenced immediately, if appropriate."Detectives were called to the hospital after an experienced nurse reported a higher-than-normal number of patients on her ward with "unexplained" low blood sugar levels.Officers found insulin had contaminated a batch of 36 ampoules in a storeroom close to ward A1.Security has been increased on the hospital site and staff have been told to work in pairs when they check or administer drugs.Senior NHS bosses at the hospital are having daily meetings with police.Insulin is always stored in a fridge in a locked treatment room but saline has also been locked away as a result of the incidents.Contaminated bagSouth Manchester coroner John Pollard has opened and adjourned inquests into Ms Arden, Mr Lancaster and Mr Keep.Police have said a damaged bag containing saline solution was found in the maternity ward but it had not been contaminated.Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, leading the inquiry for Greater Manchester Police, said: "It is important to stress that this product has not been contaminated and, in fact, the damage could very well be accidental, as can happen quite easily in a busy hospital environment."Extra security measures are in place across the hospital and staff continue to be vigilant, which of course is to be expected."Due to heightened awareness, staff are alerting police to anything they feel might be suspicious or relevant to the investigation and to date there has been no further contamination of any product since the control measures were introduced."n arrested on suspicion of murder after the deaths of three patients at a hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Rebecca Leighton, 27, of Heaviley, Stockport, was arrested at home and is being questioned after two men and a woman died at Stepping Hill Hospital.

Police believe insulin was deliberately injected into saline containers.

Sixty detectives have been involved in the inquiry and officers have questioned more than 50 people so far.

Tracey Arden, 44, 71-year-old Arnold Lancaster, and George Keep, 84, have all died at the hospital in the past month.

A fourth patient, a man in his 40s, remains critically ill.

Greater Manchester Police believe the sabotaged saline containers were used by at least two wards, A1 and A3.

Deaths 'unexplained'
The force said they were working on the assumption the contamination had taken place on the site.

The four patients are among a total of 14 whose treatment since 7 July is being examined by police.

Dr Chris Burke, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are aware that Greater Manchester Police have made an arrest this morning of a 26-year-old female.


Security has been increased at the hospital
"As the police are continuing with their enquiries, we are unable to provide any further details, but it is important to stress that no charges have been made at this stage."

A hospital spokesperson said it hoped to return to full business by 0900 BST on Thursday, although security measures would remain in place.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council, which regulates nurses in the UK, said: "We are aware that an individual is being questioned who may be a nurse. Fitness to practice proceedings will be commenced immediately, if appropriate."

Detectives were called to the hospital after an experienced nurse reported a higher-than-normal number of patients on her ward with "unexplained" low blood sugar levels.

Officers found insulin had contaminated a batch of 36 ampoules in a storeroom close to ward A1.

Security has been increased on the hospital site and staff have been told to work in pairs when they check or administer drugs.

Senior NHS bosses at the hospital are having daily meetings with police.

Insulin is always stored in a fridge in a locked treatment room but saline has also been locked away as a result of the incidents.

Contaminated bag
South Manchester coroner John Pollard has opened and adjourned inquests into Ms Arden, Mr Lancaster and Mr Keep.

Police have said a damaged bag containing saline solution was found in the maternity ward but it had not been contaminated.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, leading the inquiry for Greater Manchester Police, said: "It is important to stress that this product has not been contaminated and, in fact, the damage could very well be accidental, as can happen quite easily in a busy hospital environment.

"Extra security measures are in place across the hospital and staff continue to be vigilant, which of course is to be expected.

"Due to heightened awareness, staff are alerting police to anything they feel might be suspicious or relevant to the investigation and to date there has been no further contamination of any product since the control measures were introduced."

Corrupt police officers must face full weight of law

Police officers found guilty of taking money from News International should face the full weight of the law, Cambridge’s MP insists.
Julian Huppert was among 11 MPs listening to the evidence of senior Met officers Sir Paul Stephenson and John Yates when they appeared before the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee yesterday.
Answering questions at the committee, Sir Paul, who resigned as Commissioner of the force on Sunday, revealed that nearly a quarter of the Met’s communications team previously worked for the News International.
And Mr Yates, who quit as assistant commissioner on Monday, said it was time for the newspaper company to face up to its responsibilities – “confidently” predicting officers would be jailed.
Dr Huppert, the only Liberal Democrat on the committee, said: “Their evidence raised a whole series of concerns for me about what has being going on in the Met.
“The general attitude seemed to be that officers did not know who was in charge of what, and there seem to have been constant links with News International.
“If officers have broken the law, then there must be action. Corruption in the police must lead to prosecutions.”
The committee hearing took place in a room close to where Rupert Murdoch and his son James were facing their intensely-awaited grilling by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee about the News of the World phone hacking scandal.
Rupert Murdoch told MPs he could not be held responsible for hacking, saying he was let down by “people I trusted”, but adding he was “humbled” by what had happened.
There was drama when a man threw a paper plate covered in shaving foam over him as he gave evidence. The media tycoon’s wife Wendi leapt to his defence, first pushing him away and then smacking the plate over the demonstrator as he was led away by police.
Dr Huppert said: “I heard the noise next door when the incident happened.”
The MP said he was doubtful about the Murdochs’ claims that they were unaware of the extent of the wrongdoing at News International.
Dr Huppert said: “Senior executives should know what is going on in the organisations they’re in charge of.”

 

The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner John Yates has become the second high-profile Scotland Yard officer to resign over the phone-hacking scandal.

The resignation of Yates – the country's top counter-terrorism officer – comes a day after his boss, the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, stepped down.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: "Assistant commissioner John Yates has this afternoon indicated his intention to resign to the chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). This has been accepted. AC Yates will make a statement later this afternoon."

His decision to quit came as the Metropolitan Police Authority's professional standards cases subcommittee held a meeting to consider a slew of complaints against him.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said the resignations of Yates and Stephenson were "regrettable but right". He said: "Whatever mistakes have been made at any level in the police service, now is the time to clear them up."

The MPA disciplinary committee, which met on Monday morning, announced that it had decided to suspend Yates pending an inquiry into allegations following the phone-hacking scandal.

Cressida Dick would replace Yates in the interim, Johnson said.

Green party MPA member Jenny Jones said the resignation should have happened earlier and left Johnson with a lot to explain.

"I think it's a real pity Yates did not go before his boss," she said. "It just shows who the most honourable person is. Boris has mishandled this from the start and he obviously has lots of questions to answer."

Earlier on Monday it emerged that Yates had been recalled to give evidence before the Commons home affairs select committee on Tuesday.

Keith Vaz, the Labour chairman of the committee, said: "The committee has recalled Mr Yates to give evidence tomorrow to clarify aspects of his evidence that he gave to the committee last week and following the statement of Sir Paul Stephenson."

When he appeared before the select committee last Tuesday, Yates expressed regret at his 2009 decision not to reopen the phone-hacking investigation. He insisted he had always told the truth to MPs investigating the issue and suggested that the News of the World "failed to co-operate" with police until the start of this year.

He told the committee: "I can assure you all that I have never lied and all the information that I've provided to this committee has been given in good faith.

"It is a matter of great concern that, for whatever reason, the News of the World appears to have failed to co-operate in the way that we now know they should have with the relevant police inquiries up until January of this year.

"They have only recently supplied information and evidence that would clearly have had a significant impact on the decisions that I took in 2009 had it been provided to us."

Vaz told Yates that his evidence was unconvincing and warned him it was "not the end of the matter".

Under-fire police chief John Yates said he had done "nothing wrong" today

Under-fire police chief John Yates said he had done "nothing wrong" today amid speculation he will be suspended over the phone hacking scandal.

The assistant commissioner said "give me a break" to reporters after a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority claimed his position had become untenable in the wake of Sir Paul Stephenson's resignation as commissioner.

John Yates to be suspended, say reports

One top figure at the Metropolitan police has already been sacrificed to the phone hacking scandal, with commisioner Sir Paul Stephenson's resignation. Now, it looks like the future of assistant commissioner John Yates is hanging in the balance, too.

The Metropolitan Police Authority's (MPA) professional standards is currently meeting to discuss Yates's handling of the phone hacking crisis. Also under discussion will be his links with Neil Wallis, the former News of the World executive whose employment with the Metropolitan Police ledStephenson to resign yesterday.

The committee does not have the power to dismiss Yates, but it can call for further investigation.

Boris Johnson has called an emergency press conference for 2pm. According to the Daily Telegraph, the mayor will announce that Yates is to be suspended, pending an investigation over his role in phone hacking and his relationship with Wallis. The newspaper quotes a source as saying: "If an investigation is ongoing he cannot stay in his job."

This follows increasing pressure on Yates to step down. Several people have now called for his resignation, including John Prescott, an independent member of the MPA, and a London Assembly member. However, the signs are that Yates, who twice decided not to reopen the inquiry into telephone hacking, will not resign of his own accord. Last week, when Keith Vaz asked if he was considering his position, he said:

No, I haven't. And if you're suggesting that I should resign for what News of the World has done and my very small part in it, I think that's probably unfair.

The last week has not shaken this, clearly, as he told Sky News this morning: "I've done nothing wrong". Sources say that he does not plan to step down unless the judge-led inquiry finds him guilty of wrong-doing.

 

China arrests 36 for fraud on Alibaba

Chinese police have arrested 36 people connected with operating an online fraud on Alibaba.com and other websites, the company has said.

Those arrested stand accused of duping overseas buyers of more than $6bn (£3.7bn) by posing as suppliers on the Chinese e-commerce websites.

The fraud resulted in the chief executive and chief operating officer of Alibaba quitting earlier this year.

Alibaba is China's largest e-commerce group.

"The arrest of the suspects hits online scammers hard," said Alibaba.com boss Jonathan Lu.

The company said the arrests were made following a 40-day investigation earlier this year.

Reduced complaints
Alibaba said it had introduced strict procedures in an attempt to prevent a repeat of such cases.

As a result, the number of fraud complaints received monthly by the website declined by 70% between February and June, Alibaba officials said.

The company said it would keep up its efforts to ensure the safety of its consumers.

"We will continue to co-operate with defrauded buyers and police to pursue the investigation, arrest and sentencing of those who commit crimes using our platform," said Linda Kozlowski of Alibaba.com.

"If scammers think they can hide on the internet and that no-one will go after them, they are wrong," she added.

 

Despite warrants, arrests not likely in Lebanese prime minister’s death

Warrants issued for the arrest of four men wanted for the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri have the potential to tear Lebanon apart – but don’t expect the men to stand trial or even be arrested any time soon.

Mr. Hariri and 22 others were killed on Valentine’s Day 2005 from the blast of a massive truck bomb on the corniche in downtown Beirut. More than six years later, the warrants were given to Lebanon’s Prosecutor-General, with the demand his officials arrest the four Lebanese citizens.


The names of the four people have not officially been revealed, but Lebanese media report that all four are members of Hezbollah, the militant Shia political movement that now controls the government of Lebanon.

The men reportedly include Mustafa Badreddine, said to have been Hezbollah’s deputy military commander, and brother-in-law of the late Hezbollah military commander Imad Mughniyeh. The others – Salim Ayyash, also known as Abu Salim; Assad Sabra and Hassan Anise, who changed his name to Hassan Issa – are relative unknowns.

Hezbollah has denounced the tribunal as a U.S.-Israeli front and says it will never allow its people to be tried. It toppled the previous government of Saad Hariri over the pending tribunal actions, and the whole country lives in fear of a return to the kind of civil war that plagued the country from 1975-90.

Saad Hariri, son of the late Rafik Hariri, hailed the tribunal’s act as “historic.”


Maybe so, but “nothing’s going to happen,” said Karim Makdisi, deputy director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, “and Hariri knows it.”

“If they try to serve the warrants they’ll be blocked,” Mr. Makdisi said. And if they ever should actually arrest someone, all hell will break loose.

Officials in the newly formed government of Najid Mikati have 30 days to report to the tribunal “on the measures they have taken to arrest the accused.” It doesn’t mean they have to serve the warrants within that first month.

“Lawyers will spin things out,” Mr. Makdisi said, suggesting they’ll comply with the technical reporting requirements but make absolutely no real move to arrest anyone.

“It’ll be a case of ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you,’ ” he said.

Of course, it helps in protecting Hezbollah that Lebanon’s new Justice Minister, Shakib Qortbawi, is a member of the Free Patriotic Movement, a Maronite Christian party led by General Michel Aoun, a close ally of Hezbollah. The Justice Ministry was the one post Gen. Aoun insisted his party be given during deliberations to form the coalition. His allegiance to Hezbollah won him their support, and gave him the largest number of seats in cabinet.

For his part, Mr. Mikati said his government “will act responsibly” in dealing with the tribunal’s request.

A statement from his office read: “The government confirms that it will follow the progress of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was set up in principle to see justice served in a manner that is neither politicized nor vengeful, and as long as it does not negatively affect Lebanon’s stability and civil peace.”

In other words, the government will put stability and civil peace ahead of the arrest warrants, and the situation will remain as it is for a long time to come.

“Lebanon may be the safest place for the four wanted guys to be,” Mr. Makdisi said. “They don’t even have to hide out.”

Saad Hariri understands this, and if the Mikati government does nothing, as expected, Mr. Hariri figures to use that as leverage against the prime minister in the lead up to elections less than two years away.

In much the same way Mr. Hariri’s March 14 political movement came to power in the wake of his father’s assassination, Mr. Hariri hopes that a backlash against the Mikati government will make the people see that Mr. Hariri is the better Sunni leader to run the country.

The only complication in all of this is if Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad should fall from power. Indeed, the warrants may not be the last ones the tribunal issues.

Detlev Mehlis, the first head of the international inquiry, stated publicly that Hezbollah acted as the sub-contractor of the Syrians. Ominously, General Ghazi Kanaan, Syria’s Interior Minister, was reported to have “committed suicide” in October 2005, after allegations surfaced in Lebanon that he was behind the Hariri assassination.

With all the uproar currently in Syria, an indictment against Syria’s leaders could help propel Mr. al-Assad from office.

In that event, Hezbollah will become very concerned. The Assad regime is a close ally and the principal conduit to Hezbollah’s main benefactor, Iran.

“The worse things get for Assad, the more nervous Hezbollah becomes,” Mr. Makdisi said.

The question is, says Joseph Bahout, a lecturer in Syria-Lebanese studies at Sciences Po in Paris, “If the Syrian regime gets weaker, will Hezbollah gradually become more flexible … or, on the contrary, will it increasingly pursue a radical position and bitterly defend its share [of power]?”

 

Lawyers in China are increasingly being attacked, harassed and ‘disappeared’

In the past year, the Communist party has tightened its grip on China’s legal system and reminded lawyers that the party controls the country’s courts.
The tiny number of Chinese lawyers who try to use the legal system to highlight abuses of power or defend activists and religious groups have found themselves increasingly targeted in the past year, according to Amnesty International.
“Intimidation, harassment, violence, arbitrary detention were all increasingly used against lawyers and their families in 2010. Such acts are carried out in more and more blatant ways, with officials abandoning even the pretence of obeying the law,” said the Amnesty report.
The report came on the eve of the 90th anniversary of the Communist party, ahead of which cadres have tightly censored any dissent.
Amnesty also said the government had suspended or revoked lawyers’ licences to stop them from taking on sensitive cases. Amnesty has counted 30 lawyers who have had their right to practice stripped from them since 2008.

The pressure intensified in February with one of the broadest campaigns of repression in years. Dozens of lawyers were rounded up and questioned as the Communist party worried whether the so-called Arab Spring democracy movement would spread to China.
Among them were Teng Biao, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, who disappeared halfway through February and did not surface for more than two months. Jiang Tianyong, a lawyer who represented victims who had been infected with AIDS by botched blood transfusions, also disappeared for two months.
All the lawyers who were “disappeared” have kept a low profile since their re-emergence, suggesting they had been intimidated. Meanwhile, one of China’s most famous lawyers, Gao Zhisheng, has now been missing for over a year, despite a brief re-emergence during which he left behind an interview accusing the authorities of torturing him.
The Communist party’s determination to exert total control over China’s courts contradicts a pledge this week in London by Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier that the “future China” would be one that “fully achieves democracy, the rule of law, fairness and justice”.

 

A man has plunged to his death after "planking" on a seventh-storey balcony in Brisbane's inner-south this morning

A man has plunged to his death after "planking" on a seventh-storey balcony in Brisbane's inner-south this morning, police have confirmed.

Acton Beale, aged 20, fell from the balcony of a unit block on Main Street in Kangaroo Point shortly before 4.30am.

He was trying to lay face down on the balcony railing of his apartment when he suddenly fell.

Paramedics spent 20 minutes trying to revive Mr Beale at the scene, however, he died a short time later.

Planking, which involves somebody lying flat on their stomach in unusual or different environments, is a burgeoning internet craze that has attracted thousands of fans right across Australia.

Photographs of their exploits are usually shared through social media sites such as Facebook.

Deputy Police Commissioner Ross Barnett today said his worst fears about planking had been realised.

“This morning we have seen a young man take this activity a step further and attempt to plank on a balcony. Unfortunately he has tragically fallen to his death,” he said.

Mr Barnett said the 20-year-old and another person had been out during the night and had been planking in various spots on their way home.

"He has tragically lost his footing and fallen to the ground below," he said.

"It is what we've been fearing."

Mr Barnett warned people against taking unnecessary risks in a bid to out-do each other for the ultimate photograph.

“Accepting a risk of injury for yourself is one thing, but the potential is there for others to be injured as a result of your behaviour,’’ he said.

Earlier this week, a man was charged in Gladstone for trespassing on police property when he "planked" across the back of a police car.

"If other people break the law during this activity they will be charged as well," Mr Barnett said.

“But no penalty will ever return this young man to his family and friends.

‘‘This is a tragedy and our condolences go to the family.”

People have already condemned the internet craze on Facebook following the man’s death.

‘‘One life has been lost because of this! Think of what could happen if it went wrong. Don't be stupid ... think before you do this!’’ one person wrote.

Investigations are continuing.

Citibank (C.N) said a former employee had committed fraud in Indonesia and sought to reassure card clients on Saturday, a day after the central bank slapped lengthy bans on its credit card and wealth management businesses.

Citibank (C.N) said a former employee had committed fraud in Indonesia and sought to reassure card clients on Saturday, a day after the central bank slapped lengthy bans on its credit card and wealth management businesses.

The sanctions came as Indonesian police investigate both the death of a Citi credit card client following questioning by debt collectors and a case of alleged embezzlement of around $2 million in its wealth management business.

Citi, which has previously only said it uncovered suspicious transactions, sent a letter to credit card holders on Saturday aimed at keeping them onboard, saying it had taken corrective action and the suspensions would not impact clients.

"We regret the two recent incidents involving the tragic passing of a credit card customer and the unacceptable fraudulent actions of a former employee," said Citi country officer Shariq Mukhtar in the letter.

"We are committed to restoring public trust in our franchise."

Police have detained a former wealth manager at the U.S. bank and said the case involves around $2 million.

An Indonesian woman has filed a civil suit against Citi seeking $347 million in damages, after her husband died on March 29 following questioning over bills on a Citi credit card.

Indonesia's central bank barred Citigroup's local unit from adding new credit card clients for two years and new customers for its premium wealth service for a year starting May 6. It said if the police found crimes were committed, it would revoke the bank's operating license.

The penalties will hit the expansion of Citi's business in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, where global banks are seeking to tap rising middle class wealth and millionaire tycoons.

YOUNG man who was chased and stabbed to death last weekend was murdered because of a drugs debt of about €2,000,

Gardai are now satisfied David Byrne owed money to a local gang in payment for drugs.

And the 19-year-old paid for his delay in handing over the cash with his life.

Officers also think there had been a minor personal dispute between Mr Byrne and the prime suspect.

The revelation emerged as gardai last night continued to question four male and two female teenagers about the murder at an apartment complex in south Dublin at the weekend.

Two of the seven detained in a garda round-up on Tuesday were released without charge.

But a second girl was detained on suspicion of withholding information about the stabbing and was being held last night under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows the gardai to hold her without charge for up to three days.

Two of those being questioned are suspected of playing a major role in the stabbing, which took place in the Emmet Court apartment complex in Inchicore at around 10.30pm on Saturday after Mr Byrne had been chased by at least four attackers.

Gardai have established that the prime suspect had a deep personal dislike of Mr Byrne for some time.

After Mr Byrne had failed to settle his debt for drugs, his attackers decided to ambush him as he left his home at Davitt House, where he lived with his mother.

At least four men, wearing hooded tops, were waiting for him shortly after 10pm but he managed to escape from them and ran across a footbridge over the Grand Canal.

Europol said overnight police in several countries have arrested 184 alleged members of the pedophile ring and rescued 230 children since the operation began in 2007.

Europol said overnight police in several countries have arrested 184 alleged members of the pedophile ring and rescued 230 children since the operation began in 2007.

"Six-hundred-and-seventy suspects have been identified, 184 arrests have already been made and 230 children, the victims of these terrible crimes, have been identified and rescued from further harm,'' the policing agency's director, Rob Wainwright, said during a press conference in The Hague.

"We expect these numbers to rise further,'' he said, adding: "This is already the biggest case of its kind we have ever seen."

Dubbed Operation Rescue, Europol said the probe started three years ago, and targeted an online network, its server based in The Netherlands, with almost 70,000 members worldwide at its height. It has since been taken down.

The suspects were members of an online forum, boylover.net, that promoted sex between adults and young boys.

Europol said the website operated as a forum where members connected without committing an offence. Having made contact on the site, they would then use other channels, such as email, to exchange images and films of children being abused.

"I can confirm that this is one of the most successful police operations in recent years in what is probably the largest online paedophile network in the world,'' Wainwright said.

In the course of the investigation, the agency sent more than  4000 intelligence reports to police authorities in more than 30 countries.

Fifteen Victorians are among the Australians arrested by Australian Federal Police officers since investigations began in 2007.

The AFP started investigating in August 2007 and discovered several of the internet addresses came from Australian internet service providers.

AFP high tech crime operations investigation manager Grant Edwards said four children had been removed from harmful situations and arrested 31 suspected offenders.

"The Australian suspects in this operation are aged between 19 years and 84 years, including four suspects we will allege were senior members of this syndicate,’’ Commander Edwards said.

"These suspects are from all walks of life, from scout leaders, to lifesavers and teachers."

Two of the Victorians arrested since the operation began, George Iliakis and Philip Alan Reid, have already been jailed.

Brighton Grammar teacher Iliakis, of Edithvale, was jailed last year after handcuffing and gagging children to fuel his twisted fantasies.

Iliakis, who was jailed last year for four years with a minimum of two years, had a decade-long obsession with young boys and kept more than 16,000 child pornography images at his marital home.

For four years the grade 6 teacher used the name "Mr Teacherman'' to trade sick requests with other online child porn users, sending them videos and photos he had taken himself.  He did not molest any students at the exclusive bayside school.

Reid, of Malvern, was jailed over child pornography in 2008 for three years with a minimum of 15 months.

The former music teacher admitted writing a note about how to "seduce and develop relationships with young males", sentencing judge Lance Pilgrim said.

The AFP worked along side the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, Europol and other international agencies as part of the bust, dubbed Operation Rescue.

Commander Edwards said the total number of children safeguarded around the world would never be known because child porn was ``such a limitless crime”.

The website, which portrayed itself as a discussion only forum where people could share their sexual interest in young boys without committing any specific offences, has been taken down.

Members made contact on the site and moved into more private channels like email to exchange and share illegal images and films of children being abused.
Internet investigators also tracked offenders who had migrated to other sites.

Commander Edwards said further investigations and risk assessments then continued against multiple suspects who did not realise they were being probed.

"At the end of the day, our goal is simple: child safety," he said.

Nightclub bouncer Carl Whant was last night charged with the murder of teenager Nikitta Grender

Nightclub bouncer Carl Whant was last night charged with the murder of teenager Nikitta Grender and the “child destruct­ion” of her unborn baby.
Whant, 26 – a cousin of Nikitta’s boyfriend Ryan Mayes – will ­appear before magistrates tomorrow.
Nikitta, 19, of Newport, Gwent, had been due to give birth this coming Thursday, Ryan’s 18th birthday.
Use of the child destruction charge, which dates from 1929, is rare.
District Crown Prosecutor Stacey Turner said: “Offences relating to unborn children fall outside the scope of murder legislation.
“Therefore in respect of Nikitta Grender’s unborn child, we have advised Gwent Police to charge Carl Whant with the offence of child destruction under the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929.”
Nikitta was stabbed twice in the bedroom she shared with Ryan early last Saturday. The flat was set on fire.


Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/02/13/man-charged-over-nikitta-murder-and-unborn-child-115875-22919489/#ixzz1Dq1qudVT
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Mondevergine back in the slammer, this time with his bail set at a cool $1 million by a Common Pleas Court judge.

Steven "Gorilla" Mondevergine, the former outlaw biker boss, figured he'd be out on bail in a snap when he waived extradition from Gloucester County and agreed to be taken to Philadelphia last month to face attempted-murder and assault charges.

At first, that is how it played out for the 55-year-old ex-leader of the Pagans Motorcycle Club.

But then, at a bail-modification hearing, an assistant district attorney started talking about a box of shotgun shells, a medieval jousting weapon, and a 7-inch knife found in the hulking ex-cop's South Jersey apartment.

Assistant District Attorney Brian Grady coupled that with the biker's alleged history of violence. And two days after he was released on $75,000 bail, Mondevergine was back in the slammer, this time with his bail set at a cool $1 million by a Common Pleas Court judge.

"There's just not a legitimate purpose to have any of this," Assistant District Attorney Brian Grady said last week in explaining the motion he filed two weeks ago that got Mondevergine's bail increased.

"This" was the contraband that Grady said authorities had confiscated Dec. 15 when they arrested Mondevergine at his apartment in Turnersville.

The box of shotgun shells presents an additional problem for Mondevergine because of his racketeering conviction. Convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. That offense alone could carry a five-year prison sentence.

Grady also pointed to the other items found in the apartment as he argued that Mondevergine was a danger to society and that his original bail was exceedingly low.

Laying the items before Common Pleas Court Judge Frank Palumbo during the Dec. 21 hearing, Grady pointed to what authorities described as a "boot knife," a weapon with a 7-inch blade and a leather sheaf. The sheaf had two straps that, Grady said, could be wrapped around an individual's calf to hide the knife under a pant leg.

He also showed the judge a three-foot ax handle and a medieval weapon known as a flail found in the apartment. A flail is a spiked steel ball attached to a chain that is attached to a short steel pole.

Grady said there was no indication that Mondevergine was either a collector of medieval weaponry or a participant in Renaissance fairs.

It also could not be determined if the flail was from Mondevergine's days as a Pagan leader and underworld enforcer.

"There's just no legitimate reason to have any of this," Grady said for a second time.

Arnold Silverstein, Mondevergine's attorney, declined to comment after a preliminary hearing scheduled for Tuesday was postponed until Jan. 31.

Mondevergine, unable to post the higher bail, remains in the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.

He is charged with the shooting and stabbing of Timothy "Casual" Flood in a Pagans clubhouse in January 2008.

Flood, who took over the top spot in the biker gang after Mondevergine was sentenced to 27 months in prison in 2001, was shot once in a knee and stabbed in the back.

Authorities say they believe Mondevergine and several associates burst into the clubhouse, near Torresdale Avenue and Disston Street in Northeast Philadelphia. Mondevergine, they say, targeted Flood because Flood was part of a group within the biker gang that was trying to force Mondevergine to "give up his colors" and leave the club.

Flood, 47, who was recently convicted of a minor gambling charge linked to a broader investigation into Pagans operations up and down the East Coast, at first declined to provide information about the assault.

But sources say he may now be cooperating and helping the district attorney build the case against Mondevergine.

Besides the weapons and ammunition seized from Mondevergine's residence at the Country Place Apartments on Fries Mill Road, Grady introduced evidence about the Pagans' history of violence and Mondevergine's leadership in the group.

The allegations were similar to charges in a federal sentencing memo at the time of Mondevergine's 2001 conviction. These included references to the Pagans' involvement in drug dealing, extortion, and violence.

Mondevergine was described in the mid-1990s as a close associate and enforcer for then-mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino.

Mondevergine had been fired from the Philadelphia police force in 1982 after being accused of accepting a bribe to protect a gambling operation. He denied those charges, which were dropped.

In 1999, he was shot nine times while walking home from a South Philadelphia bar. Authorities attributed the shooting to a dispute between the Pagans and a street-corner gang.



Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20110110_Seized_weaponry_keeps_ex-Pagans_leader_jailed_on__1_million_bail.html#ixzz1Adp9x1av
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The Geezer Bandit, allegedly robbing a U.S. Bank in Poway, has captured the public's imagination.

Geezer Bandit bank heist spree continued ,The Geezer Bandit, allegedly robbing a U.S. Bank in Poway, has captured the public's imagination.

Move over, John Dillinger, here comes ---- a geezer?
Certainly, modern-day bank robbers are not the Tommy-gun-toting bandits of the Depression era, but come on. A Poway mom, a former biker and a transient were among those identified or charged as bank robbers in North County last year.
That list doesn't even include the most infamous robber to hit the region in recent years, the Geezer Bandit, who may or may not be an actual geezer, according to the FBI.
The apparently geriatric bandit began his spree in 2009, when he held up six banks in San Diego County, including one in Carmel Valley and one in Rancho Santa Fe. But his legend grew in 2010 as he robbed six more banks, including one in Temecula and one in Bakersfield.
Late last year, authorities bumped up the reward for information leading to his capture from $16,000 to $20,000.
"The Geezer Bandit captured America's interest from his very first robbery," said San Diego FBI spokeswoman April Langwell.
Gaining notoriety
TV comedians, including Jay Leno, and T-shirt makers also took notice.
In one of his monologues, Leno joked about the Geezer Bandit.
"The last time he walked into a bank in San Diego, he pointed a gun at the clerk and said, 'What did I come in here for?'" Leno said.
Entrepreneurs have started selling T-shirts that say, "I (heart) Geezer bandit."
Leno and T-shirt makers were not the only ones capitalizing on the Geezer Bandit's fame. One other alleged bank robber claimed he was the infamous robber.
On Nov. 1, Edward Bernard Power, 58, a former Mongol outlaw biker, was overheard saying that he was the Geezer Bandit during his attempt to rob a Carlsbad bank. He was arrested later the same day and pleaded not guilty to the bank robbery charges later that week.
Authorities said Power was not the Geezer Bandit. To date, the real Geezer remains elusive as ever.
The FBI named the Geezer Bandit for his elderly appearance. In photos released from bank surveillance videos, the robber appears to have a wrinkled face and wears eyeglasses.
The bandit typically wears a hat, usually a dark baseball cap or newsboy cap, gray slacks, dress shoes and a blue blazer. He was known to tote an oxygen tank during his earlier heists. He appears to be a white man between 60 and 70 years old, about 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, according to the FBI.
Despite his elderly appearance, FBI agents have warned that he is armed and could be dangerous.
He has used a revolver in some of his heists.
Based on witness reports, authorities also have raised the question of whether the Geezer may actually be a younger man wearing Hollywood-type makeup or a Halloween "old man" mask.
In 2010, the Geezer Bandit accounted for six of the county's more than 160 bank robberies, as of Dec. 23, FBI Special Agent Darrell Foxworth said. Although that total number may appear large, it was not an unusually high number for the region in recent years, Foxworth said.
Odd characters
Over the past five years, 2007 had the most heists, with 171; 2009 had the lowest number, with 101 robberies. There were 165 bank robberies in 2008 and 142 in 2006.
According to FBI statistics, most bank robberies are committed by young men. About 95 percent are committed by men, about one-third of the offenders are between ages 18 and 29, roughly half of the suspects are black and about 40 percent are whites, according to the FBI.
About half of all bank robbers are caught, according to the FBI.
However, not everyone fits those demographics. The Geezer Bandit was just one of the many unusual characters who graced bank surveillance cameras countywide.
In March, Roxanne Pennock, 37, a married mother of five kids, was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison for robbing two Poway banks. She also pleaded guilty to robbing two Temecula banks.
She told authorities that she lied about making sales at work and earning an extra $4,000 in commissions. When her boss caught her and threatened legal action, the Poway woman promised to repay him.
And to get that money, Pennock said she secretly turned to what she felt was her only option: bank robbery.
One of the banks she robbed was so close to her residence that she was able to run home and put her clothes in the washer as she listened to the police sirens approach the bank, according to a probation report included in court documents.
Power, the man who allegedly claimed to be the Geezer Bandit, was featured in a 2005 North County Times story. Power told the newspaper at the time that he was a former Mongol outlaw biker who left the gang after a stint in prison in 1991 on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.
He told a reporter at the time that he hoped to overcome his racist and criminal past to become a role model for kids.
In January, a 63-year-old transient was arrested on suspicion of bank robbery. Stephen Hill allegedly entered the First Republic Bank in Del Mar and handed the teller a note demanding money.
A deputy later spotted him in a vehicle on South Coast Highway 101. Agents allegedly found the money and the demand note in Hill's car, authorities said.

Ernst & Young LLP, raised no red flags.

As time ticked down for Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., the embattled investment bank expanded its use of an accounting trick to mask the extent of its borrowing. Its auditor, Ernst & Young LLP, raised no red flags.

Now, the giant accounting firm could face civil fraud charges as early as this week, alleging that it helped Lehman hide the truth from investors ahead of the bank’s catastrophic downfall in September, 2008.

UK High Speed Fibre Optic Broadband Could Trigger Internet Crime Surge − ISPreview UK

UK High Speed Fibre Optic Broadband Could Trigger Internet Crime Surge − ISPreview UK: "Next year, the UK economy will benefit from new high-speed fibre optic internet connections, which could boost online trade by nearly £20 billion. This is a huge opportunity for legitimate commerce – and for online fraudsters.

Of the 385 police officers in England and Wales dedicated to online work of all kinds, around 85% are tackling child exploitation and the internet trade in child abuse images.

The shows how little of our specialist cyber capacity is dedicated to the kind of online crime I’ve discussed. We do not have the equivalent of the US’s federal Cyber Command to combat this kind of crime.'"

grenade thrown into a square in Mexico's northern business city of Monterrey on Saturday, injuring 12 people in an attack

grenade thrown into a square in Mexico's northern business city of Monterrey on Saturday, injuring 12 people in an attack the government blamed on drug gangs.

Unidentified men on foot threw the grenade from the edge of a square where people had gathered on a warm autumn night in the municipality of Guadalupe, which is part of Monterrey, police said. Four children were among the injured.

"There was a loud explosion and people started screaming and running," a witness, who declined to give her name, told local radio.

The explosion was the fourth from a grenade during the weekend in Monterrey, one of Latin America's premier business cities. No one was injured in the earlier attacks.

Television images from Saturday's scene showed crying children rushed to the hospital, their heads wrapped with white bandages, but no one was seriously injured, Guadalupe Mayor Ivonne Alvarez told local newspaper El Norte.

Mexico's Interior Ministry condemned the incident and promised a crackdown. It blamed organized crime for the grenade attack in a reference to drug cartels vying for smuggling routes into the United States and Mexico's lucrative home-grown drug markets.

"These actions underline the need for the three levels of government ... to face head on the threat from organized crime," the ministry said in a statement.

Monterrey, which has close U.S. business ties, had been an oasis of calm but has been sucked into Mexico's drug war since the start of this year. One of the three grenade attacks on Friday across Monterrey came in the center of the city near the U.S. consulate, which had been targeted at least twice with grenades in 2009.

The government blames a split between the powerful Gulf cartel and its former armed wing, the Zetas, for much of the violence, which also has surged in neighboring Tamaulipas since the start of the year.

In September 2008, a drug gang killed eight revelers in a grenade attack on Independence Day celebrations in the city of Morelia in western Mexico, raising the specter of what the Mexican media called "narco-terrorism."

But fears of a surge in attacks on civilians have not materialized across Mexico and most of the dead in the drug war are hitmen, corrupt police and soldiers, although civilians have been caught in the cross-fire of deadly shootouts.

More than 29,000 people have died in drug violence since President Felipe Calderon launched his army-led offensive on drug cartels in late 2006.

The explosion in Guadalupe is likely part of a wider intimidation campaign by drug gangs across northern Mexico. Drug gangs detonated several bombs in cars in Tamaulipas state earlier this year but no one was injured in the blasts.

While the drug war has become notorious for grisly murders, Mexico has yet to reach the level of violence of Colombia in the 1980s and early '90s, when drug smugglers set off powerful car bombs and also bombed a commercial airliner, killing 107 people, in protest at extraditions to the United States.

Nashville may be ground zero.

Nashville may be ground zero.

Area police have been making bigger heroin busts over the past three years than in the past decade as a fresh influx of cheap, widely available heroin hits the streets. Mexican drug cartels have pumped out more than 400 percent more heroin than just six years ago, and one of the main trafficking routes runs straight through Nashville, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"Yes, we have seen a rise in heroin in the state of Tennessee," said Kristin Helm, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. "It's up more in Middle Tennessee than in the rest of the state."

Heroin busts in and around Nashville are increasing, with larger quantities being seized.

Dickson County detectives made the biggest heroin bust in county history in June, seizing $90,000 worth of black tar found hidden in a potato chip bag in a car. In September, Metro police nabbed three alleged drug mules carrying more than $50,000 worth of heroin from Ohio to be distributed in and around Nashville.

"I've been doing drug work for about 10 years," said Sgt. Buddy Rhett, in Metro police's narcotics unit. "When I first started drug work, you didn't really see heroin. It's been increasing over the last three years."

In 2007, Nashville officers seized 99 grams of heroin, and in 2009 that number had risen to 991 grams.

Though law enforcement isn't calling the resurgence an epidemic, some treatment centers are seeing more patients with heroin addictions than in the past.

"People are snorting it and injecting it, adolescents all the way to people into their 30s," said Chuck Rapp, admissions coordinator at the Cumberland Heights drug treatment center.