Vincent Tchenguiz bought his 40-metre 12-berth yacht, his choice of name for the vessel was fitting

Vincent Tchenguiz bought his 40-metre 12-berth yacht, his choice of name for the vessel was fitting for a flamboyant property baron who, along with his younger brother, had bedazzled the City during the Noughties with fleet-footed acquisitions that acquired them the status and lifestyle of billionaires: Veni, Vidi, Vici.

Yesterday morning, Mr Tchenguiz was given the opportunity to contemplate the wisdom of borrowing Julius Caesar's supposed catchphrase – "I came, I saw, I conquered" – for his playboy accessory when he and his brother, Robert, found themselves answering questions from fraud investigators about their involvement with Iceland's Kaupthing Bank.
For two men who until the financial crisis had grown used to plotting ever-rising curves on their personal wealth graphs, the 6.30am wake-up call at their central London homes from City police officers was the latest stage in a two-and-a-half-year reversal of fortunes which has wiped £1bn off the value of Robert's business empire, and cost Vincent many millions.

The brothers built mighty portfolios with stakes in companies and properties valued at up to £4bn at the height of their success, pursuing cheap credit and an innovative approach to structuring deals (using rising rental rates to offset the cost of servicing loans before selling properties at a profit). Their investments covered an array of well-known names, including Odeon cinemas, Yates's wine bars, Slug & Lettuce and Hogs Head pubs, the tapas chain La Tasca and Somerfield supermarkets. They also had shareholdings in the supermarket giant Sainsbury's and the pub chain Mitchells & Butlers.

It would be foolhardy to write them off just yet. Both men issued a strongly worded denial of any wrongdoing while teams of police officers were still combing their offices close to the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair.

Despite their reversals, the brothers, who were raised in Tehran as the sons of an Iraqi Jew before emigrating to Britain after the fall of the Shah, remain firmly within the auspices of the Establishment. R20, one of Robert's investment vehicles, has donated £53,620 to the Tories.

Veni Vidi Vici, the venue for the signing of many of Vincent's property deals, remained moored in Cannes ahead of a planned party tonight to coincide with "MIPIM" – the annual gathering on the Riviera for real-estate plutocrats and hangers-on.

There was no immediate word from the Tchenguiz camp as to whether either would still attend, but the presence of the yacht was meant to convey a clear message – that the brothers are still open for business, albeit with fewer zeroes on the end of their bank balances.

Noting Vincent's statement prior to the crash that business is "a game we want to win", one insider said: "Yes, times have been tough but what defines people is how they respond to a crisis. Do you disappear or do you stand up and start over again?"

Certainly, the brothers are not known for their dislike of the limelight. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, they were fixtures on the upper end of London's party circuit. Such was their place among the glitterati, the story persists that Robert – better known as Robbie – was responsible for introducing Princess Diana to Dodi Fayed while staying on Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson's Caribbean hideaway. Friends have dismissed the matchmaking incident as apocryphal but both men have revelled in playboy reputations. Robert, junior to his brother by two years, dated the American model Caprice Bourret and celebrated his 40th birthday by converting his £30m mansion close to the Royal Albert Hall into a version of Louis XIV's Versailles, complete with liveried staff in pompadour wigs and a troupe of acrobats.

While Tchenguiz Jnr has stepped back from the public gaze, marrying the American anti-ageing entrepreneur Heather Bird in 2005, his brother shows little sign of abandoning his bachelor status.

Vincent, who spends his working day in front of 12 trading screens in the Mayfair office block raided by the Serious Fraud Office yesterday, reputedly owns 15 cars, including five Rolls-Royces, as well as houses in South Africa and the Cote d'Azur. He also reportedly won £1m by backing Greece to win the 2004 European football championship. When asked to compare his lifestyle with that of his younger brother, Vincent once said: "Slowing down, yes; settling down, never."

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Forbes 2011 ranking of the top 10:

Here is the Forbes 2011 ranking of the top 10:

1. Carlos Slim (Mexico) – $74bn, telecommunications

Slim, 71, first showed business talent as a 10-year-old selling drinks and snacks to his family. After studying engineering, he founded a real estate company and worked as a trader on the Mexican stock exchange. A cigar-smoker, Slim is said to have a "Midas touch" for his ability to acquire struggling firms and turn them into cash-cows.

His enormous wealth contrasts starkly with his frugal lifestyle. He has lived in the same house for 40 years and drives an aging Mercedes Benz, although it is armored and trailed by bodyguards.

He is involved in combating poverty, illiteracy and poor healthcare in Latin America and promotes sports projects for the poor, but has never hinted at plans to donate large chunks of his wealth to charity.

2. Bill Gates (USA) – $56bn, Microsoft

Sensing the start of the personal computer revolution, Gates, 55, dropped out of Harvard University in 1975 to found Microsoft and pursue the vision of a computer in every home. Microsoft went public in 1986 and by the next year the soaring stock made Gates, at 31, the youngest self-made billionaire.

In 2008 he stepped down from from what is now the world's largest software firm to work on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to which he has given $28 billion of his personal fortune.

Together with his wife Melinda, and Warren Buffett, he has convinced 57 US billionaires to sign up to the Giving Pledge and publicly vow to give away at least 50% of their fortune during their life or upon their death.

3. Warren Buffett (USA) – $50bn, Berkshire Hathaway

The interests of the Nebraska-based conglomerate that Buffett, 80, has run since 1965 run from railroads to ice cream.

In 2006 he pledged to give away 99% of his wealth to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and family charities over his life. So far he has given $8 billion.

4. Bernard Arnault (France) – $41bn, LVMH

Arnault, 62, a friend of French president Nicolas Sarkozy, was educated at the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique and joined his father's construction company at 25.

He earned the reputation of a ruthless corporate operator after he pushed out shareholder rivals in the early days of building the LVMH group in the 1990s with the Louis Vuitton, Moet and Hennessy brands. It is now the world's biggest luxury goods group. However, it was clear his image as a predator had stuck to him when he fought in vain to acquire Gucci in 1999 and 2000.

Just this week, however, he snapped up Roman jeweler Bulgari for $5.18bn.

5. Larry Ellison (USA) - $39.5bn, Oracle Corp

Ellison, the flamboyant Oracle founder and CEO, is considered one of the old guard of Silicon Valley, as well as for his public outbursts against rivals such as German software maker SAP AG. Late last year he attacked Hewlett Packard and its board for the abrupt and – he said – unfair sacking of his friend Mark Hurd, whom Ellison swiftly hired.

He also won the America's Cup yachting race last year, and is supposedly a model for the character Tony Stark in the Iron Man films.

6. Lakshmi Mittal (India) – $31.1bn, steel

London-based steel tycoon Mittal, 60, runs ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel manufacturer.

His firm is largely funding a $29 million spiraling red edifice, designed by Turner prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor and taller than New York's Statue of Liberty, that will tower over London's Olympic Park for the 2012 games.

In 2005 he spent $10m to promote sporting talent and encourage potential Olympians in his homeland after being disappointed by India's lone medal at the Athens Games.

7. Amancio Ortega (Spain) – $31bn, retail

Amancio Ortega, 74, started his clothing business in the 1960s making dressing gowns in his garage in La Coruna. His company Inditex owns the Zara fashion house and is now the world's biggest clothing retailer. Ortega closely guards his privacy and does not give media interviews.

He announced in January that he plans to step down as chairman of the company.

8. Eike Batista (Brazil) – $30bn, mining, oil

A half-German college dropout who for years struggled to emerge from the shadow of his well-known father, Batista has long said he wants nothing less than to be Brazil's – and the world's – richest person.

Everything about the 53-year-old, from the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren sports car he keeps as decoration in his parlor to the "X" in the name of all his companies that represents wealth multiplication, speaks volumes about his unashamed ambition.

A speedboat racer who was married to a famous Rio de Janeiro Carnival queen, Batista dined with pop star Madonna in Rio last year and, according to local reports, handed her a check over dinner for $7m as a donation for her social projects.

He has a burning ambition to transform Rio into a modern, thriving city. Just before it was awarded the 2016 Olympic Games, he bought up a nearby marina that will be a hub of the games – an example of his eye for a well timed deal.

9. Mukesh Ambani (India) – $27bn, petrochemicals, oil and gas

A chemical engineer by training, Mukesh, 53, dropped out of an MBA from Stanford University and joined Reliance in 1981.

While he said in 2009 he would take a two-thirds pay cut after the Indian prime minister made comments on "vulgar salaries," he gave his wife a private jet on her birthday and splashed out $1 billion on a 27-story home. He has a volatile relationship with his younger brother Anil, and they have fought over interests from oil and gas, retail, telecoms, entertainment, financial services to infrastructure.

10. Christy Walton & family (USA) – $26.5bn , Wal-Mart

Christy Walton is the widow of John Walton, the son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Sam Walton built the global Wal-Mart empire from a single dime store in Arkansas into the world's largest retailer.

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Vincent is understood to be pressing ahead with the social event of the festival on board his Veni, Vidi, Vici luxury yacht moored in Cannes.

Tchenguiz brothers were today in defiant mood and said Vincent's party this evening at the Mipim property jamboree in Cannes would go ahead, just 24 hours after their shock arrest by the Serious Fraud Office.

Vincent and Robbie were questioned by the SF0 yesterday in its investigation into failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing. Vincent is understood to be pressing ahead with the social event of the festival on board his Veni, Vidi, Vici luxury yacht moored in Cannes.

Doubts over the party grew yesterday after the pair were among seven men arrested by the SFO and City of London police. Alongside the Tchenguiz brothers, one of the men is believed to be a former Financial Services Authority employee and treasurer at Kaupthing, Gudni Adalsteinsson.

Vincent was due to fly out to Mipim last night before the arrests but is heading out after travel documents seized in the raid were returned.

Scions of the property world will be on the guest list at tonight's bash on the Jetée Albert Edouard. One delegate at the festival said: "Everybody is still talking about it, although not many were particularly surprised. They're showing that life goes on." Robbie Tchenguiz was one of Kaupthing's biggest clients, racking up £1.4 billion in loans to fund a host of acquisitions including stakes in Sainsbury's and pubs group Mitchells and Butlers, but lost £1 billion in the crash.

He was said to be readying a challenge to the Barclay brothers' bid to buy the Claridge's, Berkeley and Connaught London hotels although the arrests could scupper this. Administrators of Kaupthing are suing the Tchenguiz brothers in the high court,

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Spring is traditionally the busiest season in the property market calendar with activity often shaping the year ahead

Spring is traditionally the busiest season in the property market calendar with activity often shaping the year ahead, say fabricproperty.com
Luxury London lifestyle and property portal fabricproperty.com is owned and populated by more than 30 estate agents who specialise in the finest apartments and houses north of the river and believe that the spring market is extremely important for monitoring the trends for the year ahead.

Marc Schneiderman, Managing Director of Arlington Residential, member of fabricproperty.com, says:

“The spring market is seasonally a far more active time than the preceding months and we expect a greater volume of transactions, as indeed we have seen historically over the last few years.

"Last year in the spring quarter we saw over 15% more transactions concluded than the previous quarter. It is a period when buyers and sellers can see which direction their year is heading and make financial decisions accordingly.”

So what does the spring season 2011 have in store? Here are our top five predictions:

1. The ‘safe’ market of London is a magnet for overseas buyers

Mark Pollack, Director, Aston Chase, member of fabricproperty.com, says:

“London continues to be a mandatory location for the 'super rich' partly due to its reputation as a global financial hub.

"The city also boasts a plethora of outstanding schools and universities, which act as a magnet to wealthy oversees investors, many of whom purchase apartments/investments in London for offspring to reside in whilst studying in the capital.

"With the bonus season upon us, St John's Wood represents a perfect location for Canary Wharf-based buyers due to the fast Jubilee line underground link not to mention the ASL (American School in London) and the presence of the American Ambassadors residence in Regent's Park surrounded by the largest outdoor sports area in London.

"This is likely to be further compounded by recent events in the Middle East, which will inevitably result in an increased demand for homes in cosmopolitan 'safe and stable' locations such as London.

"This is particularly applicable to the areas in which we specialise namely St John's Wood and Regent's Park as sectors of the Middle Eastern and South East Asian communities have, for many years, been attracted to the area by the presence of the Regent's Park Mosque which is also known as the Islamic Cultural Centre in London.”

2. Marylebone emerges as a prime contender in the central London market

Graham Harris, Director at Harris Latner, member of fabricproperty.com, says:

“It has taken a long time for Marylebone to be talked about in the same hallowed tones as Kensington, Holland Park, Notting Hill and Chelsea but this is changing with the passing of every day.

"More and more buyers and renters are finding their way to the area and the result is a fast depleting stock availability of all shapes and sizes. If this continues at the same pace, we predict a rise in Marylebone property values during this spring alone, i.e. March-May 2011 of between 3-5% and possibly much more for certain types of property.

"Demand is being generated from the UK and abroad, in particular we are recording an unusually high number of overseas enquiries specifically from investors looking to secure a central London base for use in the future by themselves or their children that can be let in the meanwhile.

"Typical Marylebone residential rental yields are currently running at between 4% to 5% gross. The rental market in Marylebone is very strong at all levels and in many respects it could be argued that the demand from renters is even higher than from buyers.”

3. Investors will return to the market

Trevor Abrahmsohn, Managing Director, Glentree International, member of fabricproperty.com, says:

“Despite the gloomy economic outlook due to the shortage of stock most agents are crying about, it is my prediction that residential property – the old favourite – is going to be one of the most cherished investments of the year in London, with prices rising by about 5%.

"It looks like interest rates will remain within half a percent of present levels until the end of the year. New developments are few and far between as obtaining funding for them is still very difficult and the planning process is still as strangulated as ever.

"Buy-to-let investors are choosing residential investment over pensions and, at the same time, rents are rising by at least 10% in London. There are fewer and fewer properties available in any price range and that is having an upward effect on prices.

"There is still time to lock in a long-term fixed rate mortgage and although interest rates will undoubtedly rise over the next few years, if you are in secured employment, there is no better time to invest in your own property and build up a tax free asset that one day could be your pension.”

4. Access to communal gardens is a must

Tony Gambrill, Area Director at Chesterton Humberts, part of fabricproperty.com, says:

“Spring is a natural time for change in preparation for what we hope will be a good summer, and direct access to communal gardens will be on top of many house hunter’s wish lists.

"Many of the most desirable properties in Little Venice and Maida Vale are period conversions and mansion blocks often with communal gardens. Although many conversions will have their own gardens, buyers are attracted to properties that also have communal gardens, which offer green views and tend not to be overlooked, so offer more privacy.

"In a typical mansion block, where there are five or six flats per property, it is the property with the direct access to the garden that is the most desired. With lending still at low levels, I predict that the spring season will see property prices creeping back up as demand outstrips supply.”

5. Parking is a major focus for buyers

Vivienne Harris, Managing Director of Heathgate, member of fabricproperty.com, says:

“It is our opinion that the spring market will see a resurgence of buyers wanting security and parking as part of their main focus.

"Hampstead in particular affords little in the way of parking facilities and many of our buyers own luxury cars. The general thought that prevails seems to be that if you have an expensive car then you don’t really want to park it on the street.

"The other trend for spring is outside space, whether it’s a garden, balcony or terrace most people would like the opportunity of at least putting a chair or two in the open air, this is understandable especially once the weather improves.”:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

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Bulgari launches its luxury in London. ~ Tuesday, 8th March 2011 from 4Hoteliers

Bulgari launches its luxury in London. ~ Tuesday, 8th March 2011 from 4Hoteliers: "Bulgari is set to open a new luxury boutique hotel in London‟s upmarket Knightsbridge area in spring 2012 in time for the London Olympics.

The Bulgari Hotel in London will be the 3rd property launched by the fashion brand, which also has properties in Milan and Bali.

Situated in the heart of Central London in close proximity to Hyde Park, the Bulgari Hotel in London will epitomise the best of the Italian fashion brand, while maintaining a distinctive British feel. The hotel will be fitted out in marbles and fine woods featuring sleek lines and refined colour combinations, with silver as the dominant colour throughout.

The architectural style of the London hotel will reflect the rigour of the Bulgari Hotel in Milan: its classic, solid, contemporary style will consolidate the urban landscape in an area of London that is undergoing a profound transformation.

The 85-room hotel will be the 1st new-build luxury hotel in London for some 40 years. The hotel will feature 7 Bulgari suites measuring 200sq.m or more, with exclusive amenities and services. Bulgari says the restaurant and bar will become the „destination of choice‟ in Knightsbridge.

The hotel will also feature a large ballroom, a private cinema and a 2,000sqm spa and fitness centre with a 25m indoor swimming pool."

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50 luxury London home-owners are inviting people to use their property as an alternative to a hotel.

With a twist on the increasingly popular trend of home-swapping, more than 50 luxury London home-owners are inviting people to use their property as an alternative to a hotel.

Under a new business venture called ‘onefinestay’, visitors can gain exclusive use of homes – which have an average value of £1.1 million – with payment based on the pro-rata rental value of the property.

Prices range from £150 a night for a one bedroom apartment to more than £1,000 a night for luxury properties in some of London's most prestigious districts.

As part of the service, the property is cleaned, guests are greeted on behalf of the home owners, and 'room service' is provided from local restaurants. Guests are also given the use of iPhones loaded with information about the local area.

The concept is the brainchild of Greg Marsh, formerly of venture capital firm Index Venture. A trial version of the service has been running for the past 8 months.

Initially self-funded, the business has now been boosted by £2.3m of investment, led by venture capital firm Index Ventures.

Greg Marsh says the service combines the convenience of a hotel with the chance to "live like a local".

The company aims to have at least 250 properties signed-up by the end of the year. Homes already available include a pied-a-terre in Mayfair, a family home in Holland Park, a bachelor pad in Primrose Hill, a houseboat on the River Thames and a converted Victorian church in Islington.


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Spain has blocked plans by Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi to build nearly 2,000 luxury flats on complex in Benahavis, in the Malaga province, would also have included a golf course and a congress centre.

Spain has blocked plans by Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi to build nearly 2,000 luxury flats on a property he owns in the country's southern Costa del Sol region, Foreign Ministry sources said Wednesday.
The complex in

, in the Malaga province, would also have included a golf course and a congress centre.
The project was blocked in order to prevent Gaddafi from profiting from it economically, the sources said. The measure was based on sanctions approved by the United Nations Security Council and by the European Union against the Libyan regime.
Spain is investigating whether Gaddafi has other properties or financial assets in the country, the sources said.
Gaddafi made a private visit to Malaga in December 2007.:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

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Gibraltar Bank’s Rothstein defenses

Gibraltar Bank’s Rothstein defenses | South Florida Business Journal: "Gibraltar is being sued for $60 million in the bankruptcy of Rothstein’s now-defunct law firm, Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler. The bank filed a motion Monday, asking that the case be moved out of bankruptcy court and into federal district court.
The motion, written by attorneys for Gibraltar at Tew Cardenas LLP in Miami, is a real gem. Basically, the bank says that a district judge would be better to decide the kind of issues at stake in the suit, including: “Whether the banking laws and regulations at issue provide a private right of action to banking customers when a federal banking regulation – such as provisions of the Patriot Act designed to safeguard the United States from terrorists and criminals – is not strictly complied with by a banking institution. Gibraltar submits that there is no such private right of action.”
It almost sounds as if Gibraltar admitted that it doesn’t follow federal regulations about money laundering controls."

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Farmland costs soar to record high

 Farmland costs soar to record high: "The cost of farmland soared to a record high during the second half of 2010 as commercial farmers looked to cash in on rising commodity prices, research has suggested.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said 55% more surveyors reported a rise in demand for commercial farmland during the period than those who saw a fall, as farmers were keen to expand their production, while a balance of 6% more reported an increase in demand for residential farmland.
But the supply of both types of land has been falling steadily for the past two-and-a-half years, pushing prices up to a new high."

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Graffiti Artist Banksy Banned From Oscars | Neon Tommy

Graffiti Artist Banksy Banned From Oscars | Neon Tommy: "Banksy, star and director of the Oscar nominated documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” was banned from attending the Academy Awards Sunday after he insisted on being in disguise.

The Academy’s executive director Bruce Davis barred Banksy, a notorious British graffiti artist, from attending the ceremony in disguise because of potential issues with imposters and party crashers, according to Yahoo.com contributor Susan Montag.

In “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” which is nominated for best documentary, Banksy’s face is shadowed and he is wearing a hoodie to mask his identity, and the Academy does not want someone wearing a monkey suit accepting an award on stage.

'The fun but disquieting scenario is that if the film wins and five guys in monkey masks come to the stage all saying, 'I'm Banksy,' who the hell do we give it to?' said Davis.

If the film, which follows guerilla artists and collectors, wins, its producer Jaimie D’Cruz will accept the award for he and Banksy, according to Elle.com writer Brooke Bobb.

Other people have been banned from the Oscars, including “The Hurt Locker” producer Nicolas Chartier who broke the Academy’s rule against “creating a negative impression of a rival nominee,” according to Montag. "

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A round the world sailing rally, due to set off from Gibraltar this October has been cancelled due, in part, to the threat from pirates.

The 2011-2013 Blue Water Rally would have been the company's ninth global cruise via the Trade Winds route. This route takes in the northern sector of the Indian Ocean into the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden.

BWR's decision was taken before the killing of the four kidnapped American yachtsmen at the hands of pirates.

The yachtsmen, skipper Scott Adam, 68, and his wife Jean, from California and their crew Phyllis Mackay, 59, and Bob Riggle, 67, of Seattle were sailing Quest, a 58ft Davidson a pilot house double-headsail cutter, as part of the current BWR round -the-world rally.

But they dropped out of the rally at the crucial moment: just as it was about to cross the Indian Ocean. Adam, described as ‘very independent' may have become frustrated travelling in convoy, but whatever the reason it was a fateful decision.

The first alert that the Quest might not be alone came from a helicopter flying from a Danish warship which spotted the yacht towing a skiff. This meant only one thing: that pirates had boarded.

Three US warships - the guided missile cruiser USS Sterett, guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley and a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise deployed in the area - then steamed towards the yacht.

Negotiations were taking place between the military and the pirates when gunshots were heard. It seems a row had broken out between the pirates: one theory being examined is that the gunmen were from different warlord clans - there were an incredible 19 pirates on the yacht - and that a ‘surf war' - as opposed to a turf war - had broken out and two pirates were killed in a rival shoot-out.

Whatever the truth, the stand-off then escalated into a boarding by US Navy Seals who shot one and stabbed another pirate to death. They then made the grim discovery that all four yachtsmen had been attacked. Two were already dead and two more died later.
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Jennifer Aniston Debuts New Haircut in Spain

Jennifer Aniston Debuts New Haircut in Spain: "Jennifer Aniston welcomed her 42nd year with a new hair style. The actress, who celebrated her birthday on February 11, has shown off her new lock when attending a photo call for her film 'Just Go with It' in Madrid, Spain on Tuesday, February 22.

She chopped her signature long-layered hair into a shorter, chin-length bob. Debuting the new look, the ex-wife of Brad Pitt donned an outfit consisting of a clingy black Theory tank top, Celine pants, Fred Leighton jewels and Pierre Hardy shoes which made her look more energetic."

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Carlos Slim: At home with the world's richest man

Carlos Slim: At home with the world's richest man You have to be brave to take on the traffic in Mexico City. But the world’s richest man, at the wheel of his car, certainly relishes a challenge. With a convoy of bodyguards following closely behind in blacked-out 4x4s, his navy Mercedes darts across the lanes.
“Would you like me to scare you?” he says with a twinkle in his eye, accelerating suddenly and laughing at my braced position as we jostle through the congested streets.
This is not what I had expected when I was granted a rare interview with Carlos Slim Helú.
But Mr Slim is no ordinary multi-billionaire. His 42-year-old son Marco Antonio – “Tony” – sitting in the back of the car, laughs when I ask if his father normally drives himself around. “Always,” he replies.
Despite his $53.5 billion (£32.9 billion) fortune, the 71-year-old lives in a modest six-bedroom house a mile from his office, and has no interest in flashy super-yachts or palatial houses around the world."

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NEW gangster film about the Costa del Crime is being recorded.

 NEW gangster film about the Costa del Crime is being recorded. In May, starts filming Shill in Marbella. The screenplay was written by Paul Grimshaw who for 20 years worked as an estate agent in Marbella and Estepona.

For many British citizens, the Costa del Sol is synonymous with gangsters and a refuge for fugitives Britons. Very often we read about how the police managed to arrest wanted persons from Great Britain. Recently, it was about Christopher Karnihan, a criminal Irishman who was arrested in Estepona.

Now the film industry reflect the Costa del Crime. Previously, the movie Sexy Beast with Ben Kingsley in the game. Although it was recorded in Cadiz would show life in Marbella.

Paul Grimshaw is behind the script for next film says that the film is based on his own experience of having worked on the Costa del Sol for 20 years.

Over the years it has shot several films about the criminal Costa del Sol. In the 1980s, was the movie The Business, which was filmed in Málaga, directed by Nick Love. The comedy 'Oh Marbella' and 'La de la costa history más caliente' are other films that have had the Costa del Sol and the Costa del Crime by themes."

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Marilyn Monroe's dresses on show in Granada

Marilyn Monroe's dresses on show in Granada: "Marilyn Monroe is more alive than ever in Granada thanks to the Retroback International Classic Film Festival which opened on Friday and which continues until April 3.

Along with all the films being shown, two parallel exhibitions show 30 dresses, photographs and 83 other personal objects from Marilyn the legend. The dresses on show were used from the films ‘Gentlemen prefer blonds’, ‘The Seven Year Itch’, ‘How to Marry a Millionaire’ and ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’ and
Retroback poster

include the famous billowing white dress from the street scene with the up-draught.

The exhibitions can be found in the Caja Granada Centro Cultural and the Sala Zaida in the Caja Rural."

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Suspect linked to East End gangster

The Press Association: Suspect linked to East End gangster: "Police want to trace the grandson of one of Britain's most notorious East End gangsters over a drug-smuggling conspiracy.
Anthony Fraser, grandson of former gangland enforcer 'mad' Frankie Fraser, is believed to be hiding on the Costa del Sol in Spain.
The 39-year-old Londoner is wanted over the importation of two tonnes of cannabis, hidden in a lorryload of frozen chicken, from Holland in 2009.
He is one of 10 suspected villains whose faces will be unveiled by Crimestoppers on Monday in Alicante, Spain.
Investigators want the public to help them trace fugitives thought to be on the run in the Costa del Sol region of the country.
Among those on the latest 'most wanted' list are men suspected of murder, child sex offences, kidnapping, robbery and drug smuggling.
Anthony Fraser went on the run after several people were arrested at a storage unit in Grays, Essex, as cannabis worth £5 million was uncovered in March 2009.
Five people were subsequently convicted of drugs offences and jailed for between six and seven years at Southwark Crown Court. A second suspect, Neil Mulligan, 39, is awaiting trial in Britain after he was arrested in Spain last December."

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Morocco Holidays Thrown into Doubt by Protests

Morocco Holidays Thrown into Doubt by Protests: "The unease has thrown holidays to the whole region in doubt with some of the world’s most popular tourism spots affected. First it was the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia, then Cairo, Egypt’s capital and gateway to the Pyramids of Giza.

Over the weekend a number of largely peaceful protests took place but similar protests in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya quickly turned violent.

While the Tunisians and the Egyptians were successful in forcing out their leaders, the Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi shows no signs of giving up just yet and has been willing to massacre his own people.

Most of the protestors are confined to the Moroccan capital of Rabat although there are also a number of protests in Casablanca, that romantic North African city made famous by the movie of the same name. Around ten thousand Rabat protestors marched through the streets chanting ‘down with autocracy’.

There are also thought to be smaller protests taking place in popular tourist destinations such as Tangiers, Fez and Marrakech with a few violent clashes with police having been reported. Tour operators are currently monitoring the situation, as should car hire Morocco customers.

But commentators do not believe that Morocco will witness a major uprising on the scale of what happened in Egypt."

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Unspoilt Spanish beauty in Tarifa

Unspoilt Spanish beauty in Tarifa - The National: "Tarifa dangles like a tiny pendant from the southernmost tip of the Spanish coast. It's almost an island, hanging on to Spain by a thin thread of land. Crossing the Gibraltar Strait from Morocco, the final tip of Europe emerges, leaving African territory behind as the ferry ploughs between two continents. Tarifa holds Europe above her head while North Africa is so close that from Tarifa's port, I can still see Morocco's Rif mountains drawing a jagged skyline only 14 kilometres away.

Tarifa is Spanish territory, yet the town bears traces of Arab civilisations that left indelible footprints on Iberia, centuries ago. The Muslim victory over Andalusia, which continued for centuries, began in 710 CE in this tiny town, 100 kilometres from Cadiz and 200 from Seville.

Tarif Ibn Malik gave the town its name. This powerful Berber warrior led the initial invasion under the notorious Muslim conqueror of North Africa, Musa Ibn Noussair, taking much the same route as I am now, across the Gibraltar Strait, the circumstances being admittedly rather different. Many towns still bear names of Arabic origin in Andalusia. Yet it was this pinhead-sized town of Tarifa, welcoming travellers into Southern Spain, that first saw some 400 men and 100 horses embark from Maghreb before pushing through the region to take Cordoba, Granada and Seville."

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To celebrate the firm's 125th anniversary, Triumph International will break new ground

"To celebrate the firm's 125th anniversary, Triumph International will break new ground on Tuesday by becoming the first lingerie brand to hold a catwalk show at one of the most prestigious events in the fashion calendar.

Shape-seekers will be captivated by the four new ranges from the highly innovative AW11 Shape Sensation collection.

Conceived and designed as a new lingerie concept for everyday wear, Shape Sensation is the sensational solution for flawless, fashionable shaping — a real curve creator.

Hero pieces from the range, uniquely customised by Felder + Felder, will also be hitting the runway.

Triumph has dedicated its 125 years of expertise in understanding women's curves to create new levels of everyday shapewear sophistication by combining innovative fabric technology with contemporary fashion styling."

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Elle News | London Fashion Week Starts | Elleuk.com

Elle News | London Fashion Week Starts Tomorrow! | Elleuk.com: "The New York shows wrap up today which can mean only one thing - London Fashion Week begins tomorrow.

Over the next five days we will be hitting all the shows and presentations, writing reviews, uploading pictures, going to as many parties as we can manage and surviving on no sleep, lots of adrenaline and even more coffee. We can't wait. In the midst of all the last minute preparations and wardrobe anxiety we thought we'd share with you the things that we're looking forward to the most:

Carrie Gorman, Editor:

I can’t wait to see Anna Della Russo’s fashion week outfits. She’s filming a documentary this season which surely means stepping up the already Kerazee looks.

There’s always a frisson of excitement before the Kane show. If last season was neon Princess Margaret and the one before was embroidered leather, I think maybe Miami Tramp this time? Whatever, we’ll all be wearing it come September.

And I always look forward to catching up with my bi-annual show friends."

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