Search For Alice Gross: Two Men Arrested

Two men have been arrested separately in connection with the suspected murder of missing teenager Alice Gross.

Officers have stressed the disappearance of the 14-year-old schoolgirl, who was last seen on August 28, remains a missing persons inquiry.

But a search area has been expanded as specialist police divers continue examining the Grand Union Canal near her home in Hanwell, west London, where she was last seen.

On Sunday, a 51-year-old man was arrested in Hanwell on suspicion of Alice's murder.

Divers and sniffer dogs have been searching the River Brent

That followed the arrest of a 25-year-old man from Ealing on Saturday for the same offence. Officers have said the two men are independent of each other.

Both men remain in custody at a west London police station, after police were given more time to question the 25-year-old.

Alice, who suffers from anorexia, went missing 12 days ago after failing to return home.

She was last seen by her family at 1pm on August 28, and was spotted on CCTV at 4.23pm on the same day walking along the Grand Union Canal.

Police want to speak to cyclists seen near Alice before she disappeared

Officers have released new pictures of five cyclists seen riding along the canal at the same time Alice went missing.

The images show three cyclists passing the Trumpers Way Canal Bridge in Hanwell, just before Alice walked past.

They are followed by two more cyclists who pass under the bridge.

Alice is white, 5ft 2ins tall, of very slim build and with shoulder length, light brown hair.

She was last seen wearing dark blue jeans and a dark green lacy cardigan and carrying a dark rucksack. The bag was recovered last week.

The teenager has not been seen since August 28

She could have been wearing denim blue Vans shoes and tartan-framed glasses.

Officers have urged anyone who befriended Alice at a song-writing workshop at the Camden Roundhouse to contact police.

Last week, Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss said: "We'd like to say to Alice first of all that we miss her, that we love her and that she's not in any trouble, and we want to know that she's safe. We just want her to come home.

"We're also appealing to anybody who might have seen her or who may have made contact with her or who may know something about her whereabouts to contact police or Missing People, and to just get in touch because we're really concerned about her well-being."

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8358 0100, Ealing Missing Persons Unit on 020 8246 1018 or the charity Missing People on 116000.

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Rotherham Abuse: Chief Executive To Step Down

Martin Kimber is to step down as chief executive of Rotherham Council following a damning report detailing child abuse in the town.

Mr Kimber's decision to go follows the resignation of council leader Roger Stone over a report published last month which revealed more than 1,400 children had been abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

The abuse of youngsters, some just 11 years old, was described as "horrific" and "not confined to the past but continues to this day".

After the report was released Mr Kimber said no council employee would face disciplinary action because staff in senior positions during "critical periods" were now working elsewhere.

Mr Kimber insisted he would also not be leaving his post as he was "part of the solution" to improving children's services in Rotherham, not part of the problem.

Roger Stone resigned as leader of the council in August

But on Monday, he said: "The report does not make comfortable reading in its account of the horrific experiences of some young people in the past, and I would like to reiterate my sincere apology to those who were let down when they needed help.

"I believe that new leadership will enable the town to recover more quickly from the events of the last two weeks, and strongly signal a new beginning at this critical time in its recovery.

"The time is therefore now right for me to leave. I will be sorry to leave Rotherham but firmly believe that this will leave the council in a stronger position in the future. It is therefore the right thing to do in the interests of the people of the town."

The report revealed there was a series of failings including poor leadership from senior managers in child protection services and a perceived "lack of interest" in, and understanding of, grooming as a model of child abuse.

The report revealed poor leadership in Rotherham child protection services

Victims were not heard or believed and there was a perception that a "macho and bullying" culture within the council prevented child sexual exploitation from being properly discussed.

There was "denial" that such events could happen in Rotherham and issues of ethnicity were "played down" by senior managers.

Since the report's publication there have also been calls for South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner and a number of others to stand down.

PCC Shaun Wright will appear before the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday, which

will also hear evidence from South Yorkshire's chief constable David Crompton, senior Rotherham Council official Joyce Thacker and NSPCC chief executive Sir Peter Wanless.

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Duchess Of Cambridge To Have Second Baby

The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second baby, Kensington Palace has announced.

Prince William and Kate said they were "very pleased to announce" that they are expecting their second child.

It comes a year and two months after she gave birth to Prince George at St Mary's Hospital in London.

The Duchess pictured during one of her most recent engagements in August

Sky's Royal Correspondent Paul Harris says he has been told by Kensington Palace that the Duchess is not yet 12 weeks into her pregnancy.

The palace said the Queen and members of both William and Kate's families are "delighted" with the news.

Kate is apparently suffering from severe morning sickness, as she did with her first pregnancy.

Doctors are understood to be treating her at Kensington Palace, where she has an apartment with Prince William.

The palace said she will not be joining her husband on a planned engagement in Oxford on Monday.

A statement from the palace said: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child.

"The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"As with her first pregnancy, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum."

When Kate suffered from the condition during her last pregnancy, she had to be admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

Kate attends a WWI event in Belgium in August with the country's Royals

Her admission to hospital at the time brought forward the announcement that she was pregnant.

Although she had not reached the 12-week mark - when it is most typical to make a pregnancy public - palace officials are understood to have realised they would be unable to conceal her condition.

The couple's second child will become fourth in line to the throne, moving Prince Harry to fifth in the line of succession.

Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement moments after the announcement saying: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby."

Prince Harry was the last 'second heir' born to Charles and Diana in 1984

Labour leader Ed Miliband said on Twitter: "Fantastic to hear that Prince George will soon be a big brother! Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their happy news."

Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond also tweeted his congratulations, referring to the royal couple by their Scottish titles.

He said: "Congratulations & best wishes to the Earl & Countess of Strathearn. Wonderful to hear they're expecting their second baby - very happy news!"

Kensington Palace said the attendance by the Duchess of at future engagements, including a forthcoming solo trip to Malta, would be decided on a "case by case" basis.

She had been due to appear on Monday night at the Invictus Games, which are supported by her brother-in-law Prince Harry.

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Family's Delight As Ashya Begins Treatment

Ashya King's family have told of their delight after he arrived in the Czech Republic for specialist proton treatment on his brain tumour.

The five-year-old and his parents Brett, 51, and Naghmeh, 45, travelled from Materno Infantil hospital in Malaga, where he was treated for nine days, to Malaga airport.

They then flew by air ambulance for the three-hour flight to Prague "with all the guarantees regarding the care this youngster needs," said a spokesman for Materno Infantil hospital.

On arrival in Prague, Mr King told Sky News: "We're just so happy to be here, it's taken us a month but Ashya can finally have his proton treatment."

Ashya's father Brett takes a taxi to Malaga airport

The Proton Therapy Centre, where he will receive the specialist treatment, gave the go-ahead for him to travel after reviewing documentation from the Spanish hospital.

Ashya was driven by ambulance to Prague's Motol University Hospital, five miles from the private clinic, and taken into intensive care.

He will be taken to the clinic for tests on Tuesday, and all being well, should begin his proton treatment on Monday, said Sky's David Bowden, in Prague.

Bowden spotted the little boy being carried on a stretcher from the airport and said he "seemed quite happy and alert".

Ashya and his brother Naveed

Earlier, Sky's Lisa Holland saw the family leave hospital in Malaga, and said: "He (Mr King) clearly looked very, very relieved.

"This is a man who told us in a press conference a few days ago how pained he was by this whole situation.

"How he heard his wife crying in a police cell while they spent three days in custody, and they overnighted in a Madrid prison cell awaiting extradition.

"So things have really turned round now for the King family after their separation from Ashya. They've got what they wanted."

Ashya's parents were arrested for removing him from hospital

Professor Jan Stary, head of children's oncology at Motol University Hospital, told a news conference that Ashya's proton treatment will take place almost daily for the next month.

"It should be benefit for such a small child with such a kind of tumour," he said.

It is unclear who will pay for the treatment, which is expected to cost between £40,000 and £60,000.

Mr and Mrs King were arrested in Spain after they took Ashya from Southampton General Hospital on August 28 without medical permission.

They were released when prosecutors withdrew a European arrest warrant.

Portsmouth City Council, which has responsibility for Ashya's welfare, launched family court action against his parents.

Mr Justice Baker, at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court on Friday, ruled Ashya could be taken to the Czech Republic.

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Girl, 11, 'Sexually Assaulted' At Picnic Site

Police have increased patrols near Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight after an 11-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted during a family visit to a picnic site.

The girl was at Fort Victoria on Saturday morning when she was approached by a man who assaulted her before walking away, Hampshire Police said.

Detective Sergeant John Stirling said: "This was a rare but very serious incident against a child, during the day in a busy picnic site.

"We would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in the area or who recognises the man from the description."

The man was said to be white with pale skin, aged in his 50s, with grey hair and was clean shaven. He was around six feet tall, of average build and with a deep voice.

He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt with dark blue and light blue stripes and blue jeans.

The force said a man arrested on Saturday was released and no further action is to be taken against him.

It said patrols had been stepped up in the area over the weekend to reassure the local community.

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Madeleine: Book Sheds Light On Mystery Predator

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 8:10pm UK, Monday 30 June 2014

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: February 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: February 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: February 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

2014

:: January 3 - A family source says Kate and Gerry McCann have been denied permission to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book about the case by former local police chief Goncalo Amaral.

:: January 13 - British police investigate three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine disappeared, and whose phones were apparently "red hot" after she went missing. A letter is sent to Portuguese police asking for help to track them down.

:: January 29 - Scotland Yard officers, including the detective leading the case, fly to Portugal to meet police there and discuss the latest developments.

:: March 19 - Officers from Operation Grange launch a search for a man who sexually assaulted five British girls in the Algarve between 2004 and 2006.

:: April 23 - Detectives identify five new cases where a lone intruder abused young British girls in holiday apartments in the Algarve.

:: May 1 - Kate and Gerry McCann give an interview to Sky News where they are desperate to find out what happened to Madeleine, even if it is the "worst case scenario" as they back calls for a Child Rescue Alert service similar to the Amber Alert system in the US.

:: May 6 - Scotland Yard plans to dig for evidence in three locations in Praia da Luz are approved, with officers set to use ground penetrating radar.

:: May 8 - British Officers reportedly use a military helicopter to photograph potential excavation sites and hold a four-hour meeting with Portuguese colleagues to agree a timetable for new searches.

:: May 22 - Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley says the investigation will enter a "substantial phase of operational activity" in Portugal in the coming weeks. 

:: June 2 - Portuguese police seal off an area of scrubland to the west of Praia da Luz as they prepare to examine the potential excavation site.

:: June 11 - Police begin to search an area between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant. The search of the scrubland site was later wound down.

:: June 30 - The British team return to Portugal and plan to speak to a key witness and several suspects the following day.

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Phone Snatchers' Favourite Handsets Revealed

Apple's latest iPhones have topped the list of handsets most likely to be targeted by thieves.

The iPhone 5 was named the phone most likely to be stolen in a new Government consumer study.

In fact, Apple products filled the top four places of the Home Office's Mobile Phone Theft Ratio.

The Blackberry 9790 sneaked in at number five.

Samsung and HTC phones also won a spot in the Top 10.

The list, published by Home Secretary Theresa May, analysed theft data from August 2012 to January 2014.

According to a crime survey for England and Wales, some 742,000 phones were stolen in the 2012/2013 period.

The Metropolitan Police reported almost 100,000 mobile phone thefts in London alone during 2013. 

The paper found that 14 to 24-year-olds are most at risk of phone theft

Ms May said: "Crime has fallen by more than 10% under this government.

"However, the level of mobile phone theft remains a concern and people are increasingly carrying their lives in their pockets, with bank details, emails and other sensitive personal information easily accessible through mobile phones.

"This is why it is vital that government, police and industry work together to tackle this crime."

Mrs May said the Government was working closely with industry leaders to find a way to prevent mobile phones being reactivated overseas. 

That, in turn, could cut demand for stolen products.

She said "vital action" was also being taken to introduce near features to allow phones to be tracked and wiped when they are reported missing.

The paper found that 14 to 24-year-olds are most at risk of theft, with women being particularly vulnerable.

It includes a list of steps people can take to protect themselves from theft, warning that people are most likely to have phones taken directly from their person.

It also urges people not to leave their phones unattended, for example at a table in a bar.

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Missing Teenager Alice Gross: Man Arrested

Police are using divers to search for the body of missing 14-year-old Alice Gross after launching a murder inquiry.

A 25-year-old suspect was arrested in the Ealing area at around 5pm on Saturday and is currently in custody at a west London police station.

His arrest follows information detectives received earlier in the day.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "All lines of enquiry are still open at this time and this remains a missing person investigation at this stage."

Alice was spotted on CCTV before she vanished

Police divers were seen carrying out a search of a section of the Grand Union Canal in Brentford on Sunday morning.

Officers with sniffer dogs were also operating on the canal towpath, close to where she was last seen 10 days ago.

Alice, who suffers from anorexia, disappeared from her home in Hanwell, west London, on Thursday, August 28.

She left her home at around 1pm and was captured on CCTV an hour later on the canal towpath near Brentford Lock, walking towards the River Thames.

Newly released CCTV images of cyclists spotted in the area

She was later filmed again at 3.45pm along the towpath heading back to her home.

The footage showed her wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and denim blue Vans shoes. She may also have had tartan-framed glasses.

Earlier, the Met Police released new pictures of cyclists riding past the spot where Alice was last spotted, shortly before her disappearance.

The grainy footage show three cyclists riding along the towpath by the Trumpers Way Canal Bridge in Hanwell, moments before Alice walks past at 4.23pm.

They are followed by two more cyclists who pass under the bridge on the Grand Union Canal.

A social media campaign was launched after the 14-year-old went missing

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "I would urge everyone to take a good look at the pictures ... to see if it jogs any memories of the day Alice went missing."

A large social media campaign has been under way since the teenager went missing and hundreds of posters have been distributed around the area.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss appealed to her daughter directly on the Facebook page Find Alice Gross, saying: "Alice if you can see this, please know sweetheart that all of us love you and miss you desperately.

"My love please get in touch and let someone know you are safe. Alice please come home. Mum."

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8358 0100, Ealing Missing Persons Unit on 020 8246 1018 or the charity Missing People on 116 000.

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Three People Arrested Over New Forest Murder

Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a mother-of-five in the New Forest.

Pennie Davis, 47, was tending her two horses in a paddock off Hatchet Lane, near Beaulieu, when she was killed.

She suffered multiple stab wounds and her husband Pete found her body on Tuesday afternoon.

Police have said they have arrested one person on suspicion of murder, one for perverting the course of justice, and another for assisting an offender.

Mrs Davis, from Blackfield, worked in a supermarket and was recently married.

More follows...

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Scottish Tech Firms Fear Impact Of 'Yes' Vote

How Scottish 'Yes' May Impact Invisible Border

Updated: 10:34am UK, Tuesday 02 September 2014

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

For those that live along the invisible border that divides Scotland and England, daily life could change dramatically with a Yes vote in the September 18 referendum.

These communities, from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Coldstream to Gretna, will certainly feel the effect of any changes first.

While business and families could suddenly find themselves exporting and travelling abroad, currency is the top concern for most people.

Harry Frew, owner of Cheviot Trees - a farm based in Scotland, but so near the border it has an English postcode - says the uncertainty is damaging.

"Currency is our biggest issue," Mr Frew said.

"It would be a major impact on the business, a lot of extra admin and costs. If Scotland was to end up with euros, we would have to become used to invoicing in euros. Personally I think it is something we'd rather avoid."

Whether Scotland keeps the pound, adopts the euro or produces its own tender will determine the ease and cost of doing business on both sides if the Yes campaign bridges the six point gap with Better Together.

Cross-border workers may find themselves subject to two different tax regimes.

Eventually there could be two entirely different systems for borrowing, saving, buying and selling, working and retiring between the two countries.

Stephen Hay, head of tax at Baker Tilly in Edinburgh, said: "Of course people are going to be concerned about the pound in their pocket.

"A pensioner in Scotland will receive a pension, but the tax he pays on that pension could be higher or lower than a pensioner in England under independence.

"If the tax rate is higher in Scotland then clearly the less they'll have and equally if the tax rate is lower in Scotland the more they'll have, so I would imagine that will be a particular issue for a lot of people."

The Scottish Government plans to set the state pension at £160 per week, while the UK will set the new single tier rate next year, it's likely to be slightly lower around £148.

The current Scottish Government's White Paper also suggests that in the event of independence, it would review (and possibly withdraw) the UK Government's decision to raise the retirement age to 67 - keeping it at 65.

Home Secretary Theresa May has threatened checkpoints along the boundary should an independent Scotland pursue an immigration policy more lenient than that of the UK.

That could mean commuters would require passports.

The Scottish Government proposes one major simplification though.

An independent Scotland would replace the 95 ombudsmen that deal with a range of consumer issues within the UK: from roofing, to renewable energy, to financial services, with a single Scottish Consumer and Competition authority.

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