A leading terrorism suspect has been allowed to return home to London from “internal exile” in the Midlands despite secret evidence that he could take part in terrorist attacks or abscond.

For security reasons, the Home Office refused to disclose the secret evidence to the suspect, who is under a control order and can only be called BM.

As a result, a High Court judge said the defendant was unable to challenge the terms of the order and should be allowed to return home from Leicester to East London.

By: telegraph.co.uk      Read more >>

Madonna will perform a special tribute to Michael Jackson during her London show on Saturday, at the venue where he was due to stage his farewell shows, she said in a newspaper interview.

Madonna — known as the Queen of Pop, while Jackson was the King of Pop — told the Sun newspaper she was “terribly sad” about Jackson’s death and revealed she “used to love picking his brains about musical stuff”.

She is playing London’s O2 Arena Saturday and will feature extracts from Jackson’s songs “Billie Jean” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” plus pictures of the star, who died last week, the paper said.

Madonna and her dancers will also wear single white gloves — one of Jackson’s most famous wardrobe accessories — during a finale of her hit “Give It 2 Me”.

Jackson had been due to play some 50 sellout shows entitled “This Is It” at the O2 venue starting this month.

“I am so terribly sad about Michael Jackson’s death,” Madonna said in the interview. “I don’t know what artist wasn’t inspired by him.

By: afp       Read more >>

The ‘Battle of the Andys’ is under way.

On past form, Murray should win today. He has won the last three of his clashes with Roddick, 26, and their overall tally is 6-2 in his favour.

But the pair have never played each other on grass before, and Roddick has a massive serve in his game - holding the current Wimbledon record of 146mph.

The Duke of York, Princess Alexandra, Princess Michael of Kent and the Duchess of Gloucester will all be watching from the Royal Box this afternoon.

Joining them will be tennis legends Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase, Rod Laver and Guillermo Vilas as well as stars Sir David Frost, Sir Michael Parkinson and Dame Maggie Smith.

By: dailymail.co.uk      Read more >>

The halcyon days where a copper could clip a trouble-maker round the ear without it being filmed on a passerby’s mobile phone are to be celebrated in a museum that opened today in west London.

Ancient truncheons, handcuffs and the uniform worn by the first TV cop, Dixon of Dock Green, are all on display at the Met Collection, which will also act as a recruiting centre for the police.

The uniforms worn by peelers when police numbers on the shoulder were not a major issue and methods of communication before radio will be on display in the Met’s first big venture into the heritage industry.

With some artefacts dating back to 1829, and archive photographs of the early days at Scotland Yard, the aim is to present a positive face at a time when the Met might be feeling beleaguered over criticism of its handling of the G20 demonstrations and allegations of credit card fraud and unconventional interrogation methods.

By: guardian.co.uk      Read more >>

First pictures of Madonna’s adopted daughter Mercy James appeared today as the tot was introduced to the chaotic world of London’s streets.

The bewildered four year-old was pictured in the arms of a nanny outside the star’s £15million Marylebone after arriving less than 48 hours before.

The tot reportedly met her new siblings before Madonna sent son Rocco, eight and adopted son David Banda, three for a weekend with their dad Guy Ritchie.

Madonna was said to be reduced to tears after young Mercy greeted her as ‘Moni, moni, Mummy’ in her native Chichewa tongue, The Sun reports.

By: metro.co.uk       Read more >>

London may have a tube strike, crap weather, extortionate taxis and Peckham, but at least it also has something to boast about: Michelle Obama prefers it to Paris, thus allowing us a delicious moment of cross-channel one-upmanship.

The American first lady and clothes horse extraordinaire took her two daughters to see the Lion King musical last night, the latest excursion in a two day private tour which also included a guided tour of Westminster Abbey, Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament (Look children, that’s the historical building where they lock up all the bad people! Oh no, wrong bit of the map…), and a good old English pub for some fish and chips. This compares to a cursory dip into the snobby St Germain des Pres area in Paris on Sunday. Who needs steak frites?

By: blogs.telegraph.co.uk     Read more >>

Metropolitan Police officers subjected suspects to waterboarding, according to allegations at the centre of a major anti-corruption inquiry, The Times has learnt.

The torture claims are part of a wide-ranging investigation which also includes accusations that officers fabricated evidence and stole suspects’ property. It has already led to the abandonment of a drug trial and the suspension of several police officers.

However, senior policing officials are most alarmed by the claim that officers in Enfield, North London, used the controversial CIA interrogation technique to simulate drowning. Scotland Yard is appointing a new borough commander in Enfield in a move that is being seen as an attempt by Sir Paul Stephenson, the Met Commissioner, to enforce a regime of “intrusive supervision”.

By: timesonline.co.uk     Read more >>

A strike by London Underground workers has caused disruption for millions of people in the capital who usually travel by Tube.

Some train stations were inundated with extra passengers, with hundreds of people queuing on to the street at Clapham Junction in south west London.

Increased levels of traffic on London’s roads also led to gridlock in some parts, with buses struggling to stick to normal timetables. However, Transport for London claimed that Tube services were operating on more than half of lines.

Peter Hendy, Transport Commissioner, described services as “good” on the Northern line and “decent” across the Jubilee line, adding: “Clearly, support for the RMT leadership’s actions is far from the level they were expecting.

By: telegraph.co.uk     Read more >>

One of the world’s biggest development banks will begin operations in London, the first such move by a foreign bank since the beginning of the credit crunch.

BNDES, the Brazilian Development Bank, will use London as its base for expansion into Europe and elsewhere. It is looking at sites in the City and Mayfair and will sign a lease within a month, once the necessary budgetary approval is forthcoming from Brazil.

The office will be the headquarters of a subsidiary formed this year to funnel investment from the country — which has been less affected by the economic downturn than many of its peers — to the world outside.

By: business.timesonline.co.uk     Read more >>

Amy Winehouse has pulled out of her UK comeback gig on May 31, and may be heading back to rehab.

She was due to sing at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire for Island Records’ 50th birthday celebrations.

By: mirror.co.uk    Read more >>