In the race to be the world's richest tech billionaire, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are closing in on frontrunner Bill Gates as their fortunes increase by $15billion each.

It comes as no surprise that Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, still holds the top spot with his fortune amassing $84.5billion, marking the Harvard dropout's 18th time as the world's richest billionaire.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 53, gave Gates a run for his money, surpassing the computer whiz for one morning, but ultimately came in second with a fortune of $81.7billion.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 33, is the third richest person, valued at $69.6billion, one of the 50 Americans dominating the list, Forbes revealed on Wednesday.

Both Zuckerberg and Bezos are the first and second biggest gainers this year, respectively, each increasing their extraordinary wealth by $15.5billion. The rest of the top 10 continues with Sergey Brin at $42.7billion, Jack Ma at $37.4billion, Ma Huateng with $36.7billion, Steve Ballmer with $32.9billion and Michael Dell amassing $22.4billion.

Eight out of the top 10 are from the United States with the other two hailing from China.

Bezos and Zuckerberg both had an eventful year.

Bezos, the owner of online retail giant Amazon.com, briefly held the top spot as the world's richest person in late July when his personal wealth surpassed $91billion.

He briefly topped Bill Gates, the 61-year-old co-founder of Microsoft Corp, who has held the top spot since May 2013.

But Bezos quickly slipped to second best when Amazon reported its second quarter earnings showing a profit of $197million on strong sales of $38billion.

The dip in profit is a 77 per cent drop from $857million this time last year, and it's mainly due to Amazon’s aggressive investments in its own business. Bezos' company announced in June a $13.7billion takeover of Whole Foods Market.

The takeover would give the e-commerce giant more than 460 Whole Foods stores and the possibility of making big changes to the supermarket industry.

Zuckerberg's wealth grew by $15.6billion this year, thanks to Facebook stock surging by 34 per cent within the past 12 months. 

The Facebook CEO is said to be rumored to be eyeing a role in politics, as his foundation has hired several heavy-weight political advisers to be on the charity's board.

Plus Zuckerberg has recently made moves to propel Facebook into the world of augmented reality with a new patent. 

Three members of the company's VR arm Oculus applied for a patent for AR glasses that would allow wearers to see virtual objects - and presumably Facebook posts and notifications - in the real world around them. The glasses will take on the Spectacle from Snap, which has dominated consumer-friendly AR with its famed filters (which Facebook is known to steal). 

Other notables on the list are Snapchat founders Evan Spiegel, 27, and Bobby Murphy, 29, the two youngest billionaires on the list, each worth $3.2billion.

The two Stanford fraternity brothers are both tied for 76th place. It is Murphy's first time on the list.

A would-be terrorist who attempted to carry a pipe bomb on to a flight at Manchester Airport has today been jailed for 18 years.

Nadeem Muhammad was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for possessing an explosive with intent to endanger life after a pipe bomb was found in his hand l

Muhammad, 43, was attempting to board a Ryanair flight to Bergamo, Italy  on January 30 when security officers found the device, made from batteries, tape, a marker pen and pins. 

When the object was swabbed there was no trace of explosive on the outside and officers did not believe it was a viable device.

It was only after further forensic examination weeks later that it was found to be dangerous and Muhammad was charged with a bomb plot.

CCTV shows Muhammad, wearing a dark parka coat and jeans, stroll between crowds of other passengers as he gets off a shuttle and walks through the airport's entrance.

Muhammad was found guilty of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life at Manchester Crown Court. Judge Field said he had been 'alarmed by some of the evidence in the case.'

He said: 'In these dangerous times it seems to me there's no room for complacency.

'I express hope that security at the airport and policing at the airport will be subject to a review at the highest level.'

The court had heard that airport staff swabbed the device, which was later found to contain nitroglycerin, but found no trace of explosive and terminal three security manager Deborah Jeffrey initially put it into her pocket.

Judge Field added: 'It occurred to me and I'm sure to others listening to that evidence that by acting that way she put herself, her fellow employees and members of the public at risk.'

He said the situation was 'compounded' by police who accepted the assurance that the device was not viable and missed an 'early opportunity' to arrest Muhammad - who was allowed to board a flight to Italy five days later and another back to the UK before he was arrested on February 12. 

Earlier this month a jury reached a majority verdict of 10 to two on the charge following 15 hours and 45 minutes of deliberations.

During the trial it was revealed Muhammad was released shortly after being questioned by counter terrorism officers when the bomb was first found.

He was then allowed to board another flight to Bergamo, near Milan, five days later.

The court also heard Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but had an Italian passport, was planning to detonate the bomb once on board the Boeing 737. 

Muhammad from Bury, Greater Manchester, was questioned by officers from the counter terrorism unit but released.

He returned to the airport the following day to collect his mobile phone, which had been taken by police, and then again on February 5 when he boarded another flight to Italy.

It was only on February 8 when the device was examined by forensics officers that suspicions were raised and the bomb squad was called.

Boris Johnson today announced £9million of aid for Libya as he pledged Britain's support to stop the war-torn country becoming a 'fertile ground for terrorists'.

The Foreign Secretary said the extra cash will help fund the removal of improvised explosives and landmines and pay for food and medicine for Libyans.

He said the measures will help in the battle to bring stability to the country which has been in the throws of civil war since Muammar Gadaffi's death in 2011.

It comes after the Libyan Prime Minister warned Europe is at growing risk from ISIS terrorists unless it does more to help the country stem the massive tide of immigrants.

Faiez Serraj said murderous jihadis are among the tens of thousands of migrants passing through his country's borders determined to head for Europe.

His stark warning comes after terror attacks in Barcelona and Finland last week left 17 dead. 'That's why it is so important that we work with the Libyan government and our partners to help bring stability to Libya, stopping it from becoming a fertile ground for terrorists, gun runners and people traffickers in close proximity to Europe.

'This means supporting the new UN Representative and the political process.

'But it also means practical efforts too – including the new kit we are providing to make Sirte safer for Libyans and the work we are doing to ensure that the Libyan coastguard can secure their own borders, reducing the number of illegal migrants heading for Europe.'

The money includes £3 million to remove improvised explosive devices from Sirte, following the success in pushing ISIS out of the city earlier this year.

Another £1million will fund demining training across Libya, including in Sirte and Benghazi.

While £1million to help rebuild critical infrastructure and restore basic public services and £2.75 million to support women’s participation in peacemaking and rebuilding Libya. Another £1.29 million of new UK aid funding over the next two years to provide people with desperately needed food and medicine.  

The package of aid announced by Mr Johnson following talks with the Libyan Prime Minister.

The pair talked about what more the UK could do to support Mr Al-Serraj's Government of National Accord and the UN-led peace and stabilisation process.

Ahead of Mr Johnson's visit, Mr Al-Serraj warned that would-be terrorists could be entering Europe among the tens of thousands of migrants making the perilous Mediterranean crossing, 

He told : 'When migrants reach Europe, they will move freely. 

'If, God forbid, there are terrorist elements among the migrants, a result of any incident will affect all of the EU.'  

He added: 'The EU must do more to us help face smuggling. We can't put the burden on Libya and Italy alone as it is important for all of Europe.'

Mr Johnson also met members of the Libyan Naval Coastguard to hear about their UK training in search and rescue, boarding and inspecting vessels, human rights and the treatment of migrants. 

The Royal Mail has apologised after demanding a postman's uniform back - the day after he died.

Much-loved Garth Linham - a postie for 30 years in of Somerton, Somerset - was found dead aged 57 after suffering a heart attack.

Daughter Danni Haskins said she was still trying to process the loss of her 'amazing' father when a postal boss turned up at her house and demanded his uniform back. The 24-year-old claims she was told she could be arrested for fraud if she did not return the uniform.

She says Royal Mail said they needed it back for 'safety and security reasons'.

Ms Haskins said: 'It hadn't even been 24 hours since I found him.

'I didn't even have time to process the loss of my amazing dad, let alone think to have his work clothes washed and ready to go. 'At the time, one of our senior managers visited Ms Haskins and offered our sincere condolences to the family.

'For safety and security reasons we have to ensure that all uniform is returned.

'Royal Mail appreciates that this message could have been delivered at a more appropriate time or in a different way.

'It was not the intention to cause Ms Haskins any distress and we wrote to her about this at the time to apologise. Ms Haskins says her father 'loved his job' and was 'a real people person'.

More than 200 people turned up to Mr Linham's funeral, dressed in Hawaiian shirts and Liverpool FC jerseys, and local team Somerton Town FC held a minute's silence.

Ms Haskins said: 'He would always check in on elderly people during his rounds - all the neighbours loved him. 

A neighbour who accused a married couple of being paedophiles during a seven year campaign of hate has been jailed.

Johnathon Warner-Johnson, 52, bombarded the couple, who lived in the same street in Beckenham, south London, with more than 200 hate letters.

He sent cruel letters about a family relative with Down's syndrome, damaged cars and threw rubbish in their back garden and sprayed weedkiller in the front garden.

Warner-Johnson also sent hate letters to himself in a bid to cover his tracks.

His neighbours confided in him their anguish and upset, unaware he was behind the campaign.

But the couple set up a CCTV camera which caught him pouring weed killer over plants and the lawn last July.

And police who were first alerted to the letters in 2009 became suspicious last June when a letter was received purporting to be from another neighbour.

The writing matched the previous letters and information in the letter had only been shared with Warner-Johnson. He was charged in April with one count of criminal damage and two counts of stalking and he was jailed for 28 months after pleading guilty at Croydon Crown Court last week.

He was also handed a 20-year restraining order and ordered to pay £1,959 compensation £2,800 for each year of the harassment.

Scotland Yard do not know what drove Warner-Johnson to carry out the crime.

Detective Constable Liz Truan, Bromley CID said: 'Over a seven-year period, Warner-Johnson launched a calculated malicious campaign against his neighbours.

'His hate campaign brought significant alarm and distress to them over a prolonged period and it is right he has been jailed and handed such a long restraining order. 

Prince George about to start ‘big’ school in just a fortnight, his new private prep has been described as ‘competitive, oversubscribed’ and for ‘cosmopolitan parents who want their children to have the best English education money can buy’.

The third in line to the throne, who turned four in July, will be one of the youngest pupils in his class at Thomas’s, a private £19,884-a-year school in Battersea, an affluent middle class area of south west London dubbed Nappy Valley by locals.

According to the newly updated review by the Good Schools Guide, Thomas’s, a family-owned school, is so popular that parents are encouraged to register their child at birth, although that is something that clearly didn’t happen in the little prince’s case. There are at least three applicants for each place offered and the school even has a criteria of what they look for in a child, namely ones with: ‘a measure of confidence, are responsive, sociable, with a light in their eyes’.

The popular guide, which is based on parent reviews, describes it as a ‘big, busy, slightly chaotic school for cosmopolitan parents who want their children to have the best English education money can buy.’ 

‘That is what they want,’ it continues, ‘and, to a large extent that is what they get.’

It does, however warn that ‘withdrawn types’ might find it a bit overwhelming. The school has its own fleet of buses to ferry them for sports – which includes sculling - and boasts its own science labs, computer suites, music centre teaching everything from the cornet to the piano, and two pottery rooms.

Latin is compulsory from Year 5 and younger children, like George in reception, have access to a ‘fantastic’ rooftop playground.

In choosing Thomas’s, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have shunned ‘traditional’ royal feeder schools, such as Whetherby, attended by both William and Harry.

It is situated across the River Thames from Kensington Palace, up to half an hours’ drive away in rush hour, but the Duke and Duchess are insisting that they will do the school run as much as possible themselves.

Thomas’s prides itself on a ‘rounded education’, with as much emphasis on its motto Be Kind, as on academic results – although many of its 540 boys and girls, aged four to 13, go onto good public schools such as Eton.

The family-run school encourages children not to have one particular best friend – preferring children to mix with a wide variety of fellow pupils - and there is great emphasis on ‘kindness, courtesy, confidence and humility’.

One parent has told the Mail that the school has even just bought a lodge in Austria where they take children on ski holidays. In a letter to parents earlier this year, the school’s principles, Ben Thomas and Tobyn Thomas (sons of the school’s founders), said they were ‘delighted’ at William and Kate’s decision.

The letter said: ‘This is clearly a significant moment for their family and most certainly for Thomas's.

‘Like so many parents, the Duke and Duchess have put a great deal of thought into the choice of their eldest child's first 'big school'. 

We are honoured that the aims and values of Thomas's reflect those that Their Royal Highnesses would like for Prince George's education.

The Home Office has mistakenly informed around 100 EU nationals that they are to be deported from the UK.

The letter told the recipients that a decision had been taken to remove them from the UK under immigration laws

And it warned them that they would be  'liable to be detained' for failing to provide evidence that they are entitled to be in the UK.

The Home Office said the letter has been sent 'in error' they are 'urgently' looking into the issue.

The letter, which was signed by UK Visas and Immigration, states:  'A decision has been taken to remove you from the United Kingdom in accordance with section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.'

It says the person is entitled to appeal the decision, but adds: 'Your are therefore a person who is liable to be detained under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 of the Immigration Act 1971.'

Finnish academic Dr Eva Johanna Holmberg, who is based at Queen Mary University in London, received the letter telling her she had just one month to lave the UK. 

She told the : 'It makes you feel like you are being treated like a common criminal. 'Even if I were a criminal there are certain requirements that should be met before you are deported.

'How can an EU National be deported from the UK? There is free movement of people.

'I am a historian - I believe in the strength of paperwork and I like security and thought this of paper would be a way to show that.

'It turns out it has spiralled into some Kafkaesque nightmare.

'It is just unbelievable. All for a piece of paper I don't even need. It would be funny if it were not so draining and stressful.' 

Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Home Affairs Select Committee said: 'This is disgraceful - and will have caused huge anxiety and distress for families who suddenly fear being split up even though they are fully entitled to be here.

'We cannot afford for the Home Office to make mistakes like this.

'Ministers will need to set out how many other errors have been made, and what is being done to remedy them. I am very concerned about the Home Office's capacity and capability to deal with changing arrangements for EU citizens.

'The Home Affairs Select Committee will be taking evidence on this when Parliament returns.

Students are being urged to get themselves vaccinated to protect against meningitis before starting university amid 'rapid increases' of cases of the deadly bug on campuses.

Meningitis or meningococcal is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. 

Health leaders in the UK are encouraging soon-to-be university students to get vaccinated to protect against a deadlier strain of meningitis known as group W meningococcal disease (Men W). This strain can cause meningitis and septicaemia. 

Several adults with Men W have had mainly gastrointestinal symptoms but without the typical rash that most people associate with meningitis.

As as a result, they have progressed rapidly to death.  

Cases of meningitis and blood poisoning caused by the highly virulent strain of Men W bacteria increased from 22 cases in England in 2009/10 to 210 in 2015/16. 

Meningococcal in general has spread across the world - with five cases reported in just one week in New South Wales, Australia, in 2016.

The alarm was raised by NSW Health after 39 cases of the invasive disease and four deaths were recorded last year – compared to 27 cases and zero deaths in 2015.   

Between March 2013 and February 2016 there were outbreaks on five US campuses. Older teenagers and university students are encouraged to get the vaccine to protect themselves against the deadly bacteria.

This group is thought to be at a higher risk of infection because they mix closely with lots of new people - some of whom may unknowingly carry the meningococcal bacteria at the back of their noses and throats. 

Public Health England (PHE) said cases of meningitis and septicaemia caused by the aggressive meningococcal W strain are still rising.

While more than two million eligible young people have received the MenACWY vaccine, some remain unvaccinated, PHE added.

It warned Men W is one of the most aggressive and life-threatening forms of meningococcal disease and can be fatal.

Many survivors are left with life-changing disabilities, including brain damage and loss of limbs.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE said: 'The MenACWY vaccination programme will save lives and prevent lifelong and devastating disability. 'We urge anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

'Remain vigilant and seek urgent medical help if you or someone you know may be showing signs of infection.'

Earlier this month, a student who left one of her lectures early with a sore throat ended up fighting for her life after being diagnosed with meningitis.

Charlotte Hannibal, 21, from Nottingham, had both of her legs amputated as her body was ravaged by the deadly infection.

The business student at Nottingham Trent University also lost most of her left hand and the finger tips on her right from the Men W strain.

She said: 'I left one of my lectures early with a sore throat, headache and tiredness; similar to having a bad hangover. 

'But 48 hours after my first symptoms, I was in hospital and doctors realised my body was shutting down. I spent three months in hospital. 

Two infamous city gangs have been banned from making You tube rap videos about shooting each other in a landmark ruling made today.

Britain's biggest ever gang injunction will hit 18 members of bitter rivals the 'Burger Bar Boys' and the 'Johnson Crew' - 12 of whom are already in jail for violence and drugs offences.

The men, all aged between 19 and 29, are banned from YouTube and have been barred from large areas of Birmingham and must also stay apart in prison.

It includes Reial Phillips, Ashai Gray and Ishmail Lee who are all in jail for their part in a gangland turf war which saw eight people shot in just over a year.

Phillips was sentenced to 27 years last year for shooting Johnson Crew rivals and dealing Class A drugs while he 'gloried in the shootings' by posting his own rap videos online to 'ramp up tension between the two gangs. Both groups took their names after their regular meeting spots, the Burger Bar on Soho Road and Johnson's café on Heathfield Road in Lozells.

But in the 1990s they fell into a turf war as they started dealing drugs and brought extreme gang violence to the city for the first time since the now world-famous Peaky Blinders battled with the Sloggers in late 19th and early 20th century.

The rivalry between the 'Burger Bar Boys' and the 'Johnson Crew' culminated in the shooting dead of innocent friends Letisha Shakespeare, 17 and 18-year-old Charlene Ellis during crossfire at a New Year's Eve party in 2003 in a crime that shocked Britain.

Both gangs took their names after their regular meeting spots, the Burger Bar on Soho Road and Johnson's café on Heathfield Road in Lozells and brought severe gang violence to the city for the first time since the now world-famous Peaky Blinders from the later 19th and early 20th century. 

After today's court orders mean the 18 men will be barred from mixing with each other inside and outside prison after West Midlands Police and council chiefs secured the biggest gang injunction ever issued in the UK.

The gang members face up to two years behind bars if they are caught flouting the restrictions secured by police and the city council. 

The orders, aimed at disrupting gun and drug crime, will include restrictions on the cars the men can drive and even the mobile phones they can use.

They are also banned from making music videos that 'have the effect of promoting gang-related violence or drug dealing'.

Twelve of the gang members are currently in prison. 

The gang injunctions were first applied in response to dozens of shootings that first gripped the city in 2015 and continued into 2016.

The court action was launched by West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council in a joint attempt to crackdown on gang members.

The men, all aged between 19 and 29, are now banned from associating with each other and entering certain areas of Birmingham, including the city centre, Handsworth, Newtown, Winson Green, Lozells and the Jewellery Quarter. Tesfa Bernard Wheeler, 21, was hit with a civil injunction, which includes the same terms as the gang injunction.

Today police officers were out in force this morning to serve the orders on some of the men.

Others were issued on men who are already in prison, serving lengthy sentences for other criminal offences.

The orders include a power of arrest, meaning the gang members face up to two years behind bars if they are caught flouting the restrictions.

The order means they can no longer make music videos promoting violence or crime - as carried out by rapper Reial Phillips before he was jailed.

Detective Sergeant Ian Comfort, from the Force CID Prevent Team, said: 'We set out to disrupt and curtail gang activity following around 20 firearm offences involving Birmingham gangs during the summer of 2015 and into the start of 2016.

'We secured interim injunctions to reduce the violence and ensure the community had on-going respite from the incidents. We also dealt swiftly with a number of subsequent breaches.

'This is relatively new legislation and we believe that securing final full injunctions on such a large number of gang members is a UK first.

'The injunctions are applied for in the civil court in addition to sentences handed out by the criminal court for offences. They are an additional measure to help control the offenders and keep the community safe.

'We have been working closely with Birmingham City Council and other agencies to secure these injunctions and we will continue to work with these men if they wish to turn their back on a gang lifestyle.

A gang is accused of raping and sexually abusing vulnerable girls as young as 13 after plying them with alcohol and drugs.  

Six 'naive' victims were lured to parties at houses and flats, where they were expected to carry out sexual favours and services in return, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Soran Azizi, Palla Pour, Ribas Asad, Saman Obaid and Heiman Mohammed, all from Newcastle, are alleged to have committed a string of sex crimes including rape, paying for the sexual services of a child and trafficking. The men, who spoke through interpreters, denied all 31 of the charges against them at a hearing today.

Some of the sexual acts were carried out by the victims consensually, because they were 'in thrall' to their abusers, in return for 'rewards' of drink and drugs, the jury was told.

But prosecutor Anne Richardson said the victims were 'forced' at other times or were so intoxicated they were unable to consent to what happened to them.

Miss Richardson claimed the women and girls were treated as 'commodities', passed around various men and sometimes believed they were in relationships with their abusers. She told jurors: 'The case involves allegations of sexual exploitation and trafficking of young women and girls in the Newcastle Upon Tyne area of the North East of England.

'The alleged offences occurred over a number of years, namely between 2007 and 2014 and those who makes these allegations are, for the most part, immature and vulnerable people.

'It is the Crown's case that these personality traits were exploited by the defendants and that each of the young women were lured to various houses and flats where drugs and/or alcohol were made freely available to them.

'It is perhaps easy to make assumptions about the complainants based on their relative youth and their somewhat unusual lifestyles.

'But in due course, when you have heard all the evidence, you may consider that they were young, naive women, who were in the thrall to and under the control of these, for the most part, older and more worldly wise defendants.

'It is not always apparent to someone that what they are engaged in is in fact abusive and the law exists to protect those who cannot or do not want to protect themselves. 'In return, the Crown would say, these complainants were expected and encouraged to provide sexual favours and services, not because they wanted to do so, or through their own free and unencumbered will, but because they were beholden and in thrall to these men.' 

Azizi, 28, from Newcastle, denies charges of rape, sexual activity with a child and trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation. Pour, 25, from Newcastle, denies offences of sexual activity with a child, paying for the sexual services of a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, supplying controlled drug to another and permitting his premises to be used for the supply of drugs.

Asad, 29, from Newcastle, denies sexual assault, paying for the sexual services of a child, conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the prostitution of a child, supplying a controlled drug, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual activity with a child.

Mohammed, 26, from Newcastle, denies charges of sexual activity with a child, paying for the sexual services of a child and supplying a controlled drug.