Bajrang Dal go on rampage over trivial issue

Bhopal: Communal clashes erupted Friday evening in the Raisen town of Madhya Pradesh located 45 km from capital Bhopal over small dispute of seat sharing in public transport. Bajrang Dal run riot left several properties damaged with three Muslims receiving bullet injuries in the police control firing.

According to local sources a skirmish between Babu Chautaiya a local Bajrang Dal leader and fellow traveler Naved Khan over possession of seat in local bus led to communal clashes.

Bajrang Dal activists later went on rampage ransacking several shops at Sabzi Mandi area of the town where eight shops were looted and six were put on fire. BD activist also attacked vehicles parked at Maha Maya Chowk and Bus stand; they even tried to torch a petrol bunk in the vicinity.

The Jama Masjid of the Raisen town was also damaged in the clashes.

Local police restored to Lathi charge and firing to control the clashing mob in which 3 Muslims received bullet injuries. The injured identified as Manaan Khan, Afsaan Khan and Mateen Khan have been shifted to Bhopal and is currently undergoing treatment at Hamidia Hospital.

Local police has arrested nearly 24 people from both the communities in violence related cases. Curfew has been put in place in whole town since late last night.

Britain’s biggest trade union slams Israeli apartheid, commits to BDS campaigning

Unite, Britain’s biggest trade union, has slammed Israel as “guilty of the crime of apartheid” and committed itself to BDS campaigning.

The Labour party’s biggest union backer considered three motions related to Palestine at its annual policy conference in Liverpool this week, of which two were carried.

The main ‘Israel and Palestine’ motion condemned Israeli violations of international law such as settlement construction, “crimes of persecution against the Palestinian people”, and the Israeli military’s detention and “torture” of Palestinian children. As well as the situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Unite also highlighted the “racist laws” affecting Palestinian citizens of Israel.

The motion commits Unite to taking “bolder steps like those that were taken against the South African apartheid regime” as part of the fight against “the Israeli ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people”. The union will work with others to develop a “campaigning and leverage strategy around BDS within the next 12 months”, notably “against complicit companies involved in the occupation, the apartheid wall and the illegal settlements (such as Veolia, G4S and Sainsbury’s)”.

Unite also passed a motion on the “inhuman conditions of siege” in Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria, where Palestinians have been killed in military attacks and died from malnutrition. The conference urged “all parties to withdraw and allow humanitarian aid to reach [camp residents] without further delay.” As part of the Yarmouk resolution, Unite also reaffirmed “its commitment to Resolution 194 which asserts the rights of Palestinians [expelled by Israel] to return to their land”.

A motion titled “Israeli-Palestinian Co-operation” was not carried, however. The motion expressed support for the stricken U.S.-led peace talks and encouraged engagement with both Israeli and Palestinian trade unions

Egypt sees tragic decline in human rights: Amnesty

Amnesty International has warned of a catastrophic decline in the human rights situation in Egypt on every level since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi.

In a statement released on Thursday, the London-based rights group said that Egypt has been “failing at every level in terms of human rights” in the post-Morsi era.

Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically-elected president, was toppled in July 2013 in a military coup led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt’s current president and the then commander-in-chief of the army.

The statement cited a surge in arrests, detentions and “harrowing incidents of torture and deaths in police custody.”

It noted that thousands of Morsi’s supporters have been detained or have faced trial on a variety of charges.

The group said the evidence it has gathered shows that torture is routine in police stations and unofficial places of detention, and specifically targets supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.

“Egypt’s notorious state security forces are back and operating at full capacity, employing the same methods of torture and other ill-treatment used during the darkest hours of the (former Egyptian dictator Hosni) Mubarak era,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Amnesty International.

The rights group further urged the new government of Sisi to open independent and impartial investigations into all alleged crimes.

Egypt has been the scene of anti-government protests with continuous clashes between security forces and Morsi’s supporters since his ouster.

Following the ouster, Sisi announced his candidacy for the nation’s presidency and was sworn in as president after winning an election in which less that 50 percent of eligible voters participated.

Sisi is accused of leading the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood supporters.

Rights groups say the army’s crackdown on the supporters of Morsi has left over 1,400 people dead and 22,000 arrested.

MSM/MHB/MAM

Chinese curbs on Ramadan fasting spark huge protests

Saudis and expatriates have slammed the Chinese government’s ban on Muslims in the Xinjiang region from fasting in Ramadan and praying at mosques, as a violation of human rights.

They urged Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries to take political and economic action against China for its oppressive policy. They also called for a boycott of Chinese products.

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), meanwhile, said it has contacted the Chinese government to discuss the issue.

“We are waiting for a reply from China,” an informed source told Arab News.

According to press reports, the Chinese authorities across the country’s northwest region of Xinjiang have banned Muslim students and civil servants from taking part in all “religious activities” during Ramadan.

In a region where around 45 percent of the population is Muslim, a series of notices issued by schools and government departments have “strictly forbidden” anyone from taking part in fasting, and some have even been banned from performing their daily prayers at mosques.

Mohammed Badahdah, assistant secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, said the Chinese government has been imposing anti-Islam policies for the past several years.

“China is a closed country and we have started knowing about its oppressive policies against Muslims through social media.”

He said the UN and the Security Council have failed to protect Muslims.

“We Muslims have to unite and return to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. That is the only solution for our problems,” he told Arab News.

He said tyrants and tyrannical regimes in the world would disappear one day. “They have to learn lessons from history.”

Badahdah said the Chinese action was a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that protects freedom of religion and opinion.

“It’s the highest degree of injustice. People should be allowed to practice their religion,” he said and rejected the Chinese claim that fasting in Ramadan would make Xinjiang Muslims radicals.

“This shows their anti-Islam attitude as they consider those who practice Islam as terrorists. If this is allowed to continue, they will ban Muslims from Haj and Umrah. So Muslims all over the world should unite against such unjust and inhuman practices to put an end to them. We are a big force with a population of 1.5 billion and should defeat the enemy’s machinations to divide us. We have to become real Muslims to receive the help of Allah.”

Fuad Tawfik, a Saudi engineer, urged Saudi Arabia and other OIC countries to support Muslim minorities in China and elsewhere.

“Our government took strong action against the Netherlands when a rightwing politician in the country abused Islam and the Saudi flag. We should take similar action against China if they do not review their anti-Muslim stance,” he told Arab News.

He decried the worsening condition of Muslims all over the world.

“They are even tested by some Muslim governments. This is very unfortunate. At the same time, it gives us the glad tidings that the support of the Almighty is very near for Muslims to overcome this period of troubles and tribulations. But we should exercise patience,” he said.

Blogger Hashmet Hussain said Muslim countries should stop importing Chinese products.

“Banning the basic right of following the religion of Islam is a kind of terrorism,” he said.

Another blogger said: “For their own benefit China should immediately withdraw their decision and apologize to Muslims.”

17 EU countries warn against doing business with Israeli settlements

Twelve European Union countries warned their citizens yesterday against engagement in business deals or investing in the illegal Israeli settlements or with bodies connected to them in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported.

The European warnings described the settlements as “illegal under international law”, warning that “individuals or companies who engage in any economic deals with them could face legal and financial risks and harm their image”.

The 12 EU countries bring the number of European countries which warned their citizens against dealing with settlements to 17.

Last week, Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy warned their citizens against dealing with the settlements while Portugal, Austria, Malta, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Greece, Slovakia, Belgium and Croatia issued similar warnings yesterday.

Reports said that Lithuania is expected to issue a similar warning for its citizens tomorrow.

Haaretz quoted sources in the Israeli Foreign Ministry as saying that the Netherlands has decided not to warn its citizens because it has previously done so.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry expects Sweden and Poland to issue similar warnings. Meanwhile, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary informed Israel that they do not intend to issue similar warnings to their citizens at this stage.

The European warnings said: “The Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and represent an obstacle to peace and threaten the two-state solution. The European Union and its Member States will not recognise any change to the 1967 borders, including Jerusalem, unless the two sides have agreed to do so.”

Some European countries, including Ireland, pointed out that the warning does not mean that it plans to boycott Israel, saying “we oppose any form of boycott against Israel”.

View: Pictures from the 1980s at Hustler School in Acklam

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Gallery: Hustler School

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School days are the happiest of your life - or so the saying goes.

But whether you loved your time in the classroom or hated it, one thing is for certain.

Everyone has memories from the time when their days were governed by the sound of the school bell, that unmistakable smell of school disinfectant mixed with chalk dust from the blackboard rubber pervading the corridors and lunch hours spent queueing for a steel or plastic tray filled with favourites like cheese pie and sloppy mash and traffic light shortbread with custard.

Were you a behind the bike shed smoker - or a head prefect with the shiny badge to prove it?

Did you look for a shortcut in the obligatory mud fest that was the school cross country race or perhaps etch your name into your wooden desk lid as a lasting reminder that you were, indeed, there?

Today Remember When is starting a whole new regular feature dedicated to school days bringing you pictures from schools around Teesside direct from The Gazette archives.

Kicking things off is Hustler School in Acklam which was officially opened by the then Secretary of State for Education, Margaret Thatcher on Wednesday, November 25 1970.

It was part of a two school base that also included Boynton School, between them the buildings were designed to accommodate 2,400 pupils.

When it opened, the base had state of the art facilities including two gymnasiums, a swimming pool and a drama theatre.

Later the school base housed Kings Manor and Hall Garth schools, becoming Oakfields Community College in 2011 and now Outwood Academy Acklam after converting to academy status in 2013.

Hustler ex-pupils take a look - do you recognise yourself in any of our pictures?

Egyptian police nab 157 Morsi supporters

Egypt has arrested over 150 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in nine cities across the country, one year after former president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted in a military coup.

The arrests were made on Thursday during protest rallies dubbed “the day of rage” that marked the first anniversary of Morsi’s ouster.

According to a security official, 157 people were arrested in the capital Cairo and eight other cities. The police also fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Meanwhile, at least five people were killed in Cairo during the demonstration.

Three supporters of the former president were also killed in the Haram neighborhood of Giza, south of Cairo, where security forces attacked protesters and injured dozens of them.

Two other people were killed in a bomb blast in Kerdasa, a village in Giza.

Egypt has been the scene of anti-government protests with continuous clashes between security forces and Morsi’s supporters since his ouster.

Following the ouster, the then head of Egypt’s army, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced his candidacy for the nation’s presidency and was sworn in as president after winning an election in which less that 50 percent of eligible voters participated.

Sisi is accused of leading the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood supporters as hundreds of them have been killed in clashes with the Egyptian security forces over the past few months.

Rights groups say the army’s crackdown on the supporters of Morsi has left over 1,400 people dead and 22,000 others arrested.

HRM/MHB/SS

Umrah visas to exceed six million this year

The Ministry of Haj expects the number of visas for Umrah visitors to exceed 6 million this year, with over 400,000 likely to arrive this month alone.

Bander Al-Hajjar, minister of Haj, said the ministry issued more than 6 million visas, adding that more than 5.6 million pilgrims arrived for Umrah, of whom 5.3 million had already left Saudi Arabia.

“The Saudi government has completed all preparations. We have been implementing several projects aimed at facilitating the Umrah season and to accommodate the large number of visitors,” said Al-Hajjar.

These projects are unique and unprecedented in the history in terms of diversity, speed and efficiency, he added.

The government’s measures seek to cover all aspects of development to meet the future needs of pilgrims and visitors of Madinah in order to provide them with the best services from the day they arrive in the Kingdom until they leave.

The Kingdom has given top priority to the development of the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

According to sources, the government has spent more than SR 250 billion on Haram and Haj expansion projects, which include the expansion of mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba) in order to increase its capacity from 48,000 to 130,000 per hour.

The ongoing work has reduced the mataf’s capacity to 22,000 per hour, a reason that prompted the government to reduce the number of foreign Haj pilgrims by 20 percent and domestic pilgrims by 50 percent, in order to prevent stampedes and ensure the security and safety of the guests of God.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered that work on the expansion project of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah should start immediately in order for it to be completed in less than two years.

The mosque building will sprawl over an area of 614,800 square meters or 1060 X 580 meters while the combined space of the mosque and plazas will be 1,020,500 square meters or 1300 X 785 meters, which can accommodate one million worshippers inside the mosque and 800,000 others in the plaza

Israel prevents hundreds of Palestinians from entering Jerusalem during Ramadan

The Israeli authorities prevented hundreds of Palestinians from entering Jerusalem to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of Ramadan, Anadolu news agency reported.

Witnesses said the Israeli authorities have imposed strict security measures at checkpoints erected between the West Bank and Jerusalem, inspecting Palestinians’ identity cards and preventing men under the age of 50 and women under 40 from entering Jerusalem.

Hundreds of Palestinians were left waiting outside the checkpoints while trying to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their prayers.

43-year-old Abdul Rahman Al-Hajjar told Anadolu that: “I have been waiting outside the Qalandiya checkpoint separating Ramallah and Jerusalem for several hours because the Israeli soldiers prevented me from crossing in order to perform Friday prayers.” He added that, “Hundreds of soldiers are present at the checkpoint to inspect Palestinians’ identity cards and prevent the entry of hundreds of [Palestinian] residents.”

Ibrahim Shamali from the city of Nablus is one of dozens of Palestinians who are trying to access Jerusalem through the side streets or by trying to climb the security wall separating Jerusalem and the West Bank. Shamali told Anadolu: “Israel prevents us from reaching Jerusalem and separates the holy city from the West Bank, but we challenge the security measures and we will come to Jerusalem by climbing the wall or taking other roads.”

Israeli radio quoted the occupation authorities as saying that the police had “decided to impose restrictions on the entry of Palestinian residents of the [occupied] West Bank coming to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the first Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramadan. The Israeli police will only allow men over the age of 50 and women over the age of 40 to enter the mosque,” adding that, “Residents of the city of Hebron and its surroundings are entirely banned from entering Jerusalem.”

Each year during the month of Ramadan, Israel usually only allows Palestinians over the age of 40 to enter occupied east Jerusalem.

Israel has intensified its security measures in the occupied West Bank after the disappearance and killing of three Israeli settlers near Hebron. Israel accuses the Islamic resistance movement Hamas of the incident, but Hamas has denied the accusations.

The Israeli army has been engaged in a military operation in the occupied West Bank for three weeks now searching for the kidnappers, during which time hundreds of Hamas leaders and MPs were arrested and a number of Palestinians killed

Crowds gather as the Tour de France gets off to a flying start in Yorkshire

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Crowds gather as the Tour de France starts in Yorkshire

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Cycling fans turned out en masse as the world’s most famous bike race got off to a flying start in the North.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed the Tour de France to Britain with a spectacular display by the Red Arrows as the cyclists gathered outside the 18th Century stately home Harewood House in Yorkshire.

Hundreds of thousands of fans lined the streets of Leeds to watch the start of the race.

Riders pedaled 190.5km from Leeds to Harrogate, weaving through the Yorkshire Dales and Moors and taking in three ferocious climbs.

One fan had to be airlifted to hospital with head injuries after falling through a roof at the Corn Mill on Chapel Street in Skipton while watching the race. The woman, believed to be in her 40s, is understood to have been trying to get a better view of the race.

North Yorkshire Police said the route of the Tour de France was not affected by the incident.

Iraq seeks to recover over $40 billion from US

Iraq is trying to recover nearly $41 billion after the US has refused to deliver the F16 aircrafts the Iraqi government had paid for, Anadolu news agency quoted an Iraqi official as saying.

A member of the Security and Defence Committee in the Iraqi parliament, Hakim Al-Zamli, said: “The US has not complied with the agreement concluded with the Iraqi government to prepare and deliver the F16 aircrafts and Apache helicopters, as well as other weapons and materiel to combat terrorism, despite receiving more than $41 billion from the Iraqi government.”

He added, “The US is not serious and is deliberately delaying the arming of the Iraqi army to combat terrorism in the country.”

Al-Zamli denied US intelligence reports claiming that ISIS militants in the Islamic State impose a significant threat to Baghdad and described the claims as “exaggerated”. “The US security chiefs know that ISIS elements have tried to enter Baghdad, but their attempts have been foiled,” he said.

The Iraqi government had contracted Washington to purchase 18 F16 aircrafts and 24 Apache helicopters on its behalf within a strategic framework agreement concluded between the two sides in 2008.

The US justifies the delay citing fears that the weapons might fall into the hands of ISIS militants.

Iraq bought Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia last month; ten of them already arrived in Baghdad and have begun implementing sorties in preparation to participate in supporting the Iraqi security forces in their battles against the Islamic State.

Sunni groups led by the Islamic State have seized large areas in northern and western Iraq since 10 June, in addition to the areas they control in the north and east of Syria.

While Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki describes these groups as extremist terrorists, Sunni figures marginalised by Iraqi politics describe what is happening as “a Sunni revolt against Al-Maliki’s unfair and sectarian Shiite government”.

Dedicated Elsie Potts celebrates 100 years of love and hard work

A tireless charity volunteer is spending her weekend celebrating as she marks a momentous birthday.

Elsie Potts, of Lumley Terrace, Guisborough, will be surrounded by friends and family from across the world today as she turns 100 years old.

But, the great-grandmother-of-11 said it hasn’t been an easy journey to get to the milestone.

“I think it’s all about willpower,” Elsie said, as she received another beautiful delivery of roses.

“I have had to work hard my whole life; we didn’t have a choice back then, but I suppose it hasn’t done me any harm.”

Elsie was one of eight children growing up in South Bank and was a pupil at Princess Street School.

“Those were the best days, I have marvellous memories of us growing up together,” Elsie said.

After school Elsie started working as a waitress at John Sparks dining rooms on Cargo Fleet Lane, and after leaving briefly for a job at the Bedford Hotel in Redcar, Elsie returned to her roots where she served for 40 years, earning manageress status.

Elsie married first husband Jack Monroe at St John’s Church, South Bank, in 1937. They set-up home on Redcar Road and went on to have two children, John and Donald.

The family was soon hit with heartache when Jack passed away from stomach cancer leaving Elsie to bring up the children.

Elsie said: “Jack was a wonderful husband, he just got on with his illness and coped very well with it.

“It was hard bringing two children up on my own, but I managed somehow - I didn’t have a choice.”

Elsie Potts pictured in her younger days with sons Donald and John, left

Fifteen years passed, when Elsie met second husband Dick Potts, who clocked up half a century of service with the Evening Gazette as an overseer. Dick retired in 1979, and after a short illness, passed away aged 79.

“I was very lucky enough to have two lovely husbands and I will always remember that,” Elsie added.

Over the years Elsie has enjoyed travelling the world, and said she would always remember celebrating her 60th birthday at her brother’s home in South Africa.

Once retired, Elsie gave her time to the Women’s Voluntary Service and often spent time organising dinners and charity events in Middlesbrough.

“I didn’t stop volunteering until I was 85,” Elsie said.

“I’ve always wanted to help people, that’s just how I am.”

Sister Anna Gunn, from Normanby, catches the bus twice a week to visit Elsie, who she described as “someone who can’t do enough for others.”

“Hardwork and determination is how she’s made it today, and a little bit of stubbornness to go with it,” said Anna, 88.

“She would very much like to thank her friends and family for being so kind to her, and she is looking forward to her party.”

Burglar locked up after he invaded home two months after his release from prison

A burglar has been jailed again after he invaded a woman’s home wearing a high-visibility jacket.

Leslie Sedgwick, 33, burgled a terraced house on Costa Street, Middlesbrough two months after he got out of jail.

The landlord of the home called the police and officers found Sedgwick “detained by the occupants” when they arrived.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh said the female tenant was moving in and carrying out painting and decorating at the time.

She came in at about 1.30pm on June 4 to find Sedgwick in the kitchen wearing a high-visibilty workman’s jacket.

First he said his girlfriend lived there then said he was looking to rent out, Teesside Crown Court heard today.

He had stolen belongings in his pocket - a webcam, charger and curtain rings.

He told officers his girlfriend lived on the same road and he was “mooching about” looking for copper.

Sedgwick, of Broughton Avenue, Easterside, Middlesbrough, admitted the burglary - the 71st offence on his record and his fourth conviction for burglary.

As a “third strike” burglar, he faced a minimum sentence of three years.

The prolific offender was on licence at the time from a 42-month sentence for handling stolen goods.

He’d been jailed for six years in 2006 for a Middlesbrough burglary where he was disturbed by a man awaiting a liver transplant and a woman in her 90s.

Graham Brown, defending, said the latest burglar was not as serious.

He said: “It was committed on impulse. The house was unoccupied. She hadn’t yet moved in.”

He said the selection of low-value stolen goods was “irrational” and the home was not “desecrated”.

He told how Sedgwick, regarded as a “high-profile offender”, was on the heroin treatment drug Subutex in prison.

When he came out, he was not provided with any benefits or medication.

“It’s a major failing. It’s a breakdown in the system for an individual that is vulnerable,” added Mr Brown.

“He was dependent on the charity of his mother then mooching around back alleys in the hope that he can find himself something that he can sell.”

He said this left Sedgwick “exposed” after previous sentences which might have left him institutionalised.

He said Sedgwick put his family, including a mother with health problems, through “agony”, they were in court and they despaired at his predicament.

Mr Brown said his family wanted to find a solution other than prison as it hadn’t stopped his offending.

The judge, Recorder David Dobbin, said it wasn’t the worst case of burglary in the courts.

He gave Sedgwick a discount to his sentence in the hope he would “sort yourself out” on release.

Sedgwick was jailed for two years and eight months.

Prime Minister praises 'inspirational' Skelton teenager Harry Tinkler

A teenager from Skelton who dedicates his time to helping families affected by autism has been called “an inspiration” by the Prime Minster.

Harry Tinkler, 15, has won a Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.

As the brother of a severely autistic child, Harry saw a need for greater support for the siblings of children with autism.

So he set up his own group to help other young people in the same position.

Alongside his mother Ginny, Harry is the driving force behind the charity Action for Autism Families (AFAF), which supports families in rural East Cleveland.

The charity provides information, support and assistance, through parents’ groups, family days and other resources.

Thanks to Harry, there is now a unique sibling support group for other young people in his position.

Harry devotes much of his spare time to helping children of the same age, and younger, to understand autism.

He advises them on techniques for coping with the problems they might face, and provides hope and understanding.

He runs a local group for siblings of all ages and has developed a Facebook page which now helps the siblings of autism sufferers around the world.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Harry is a real inspiration.

“After learning to cope with autism in his own family he has set out to help others in the same position as him, pioneering new support for the siblings of children with autism. I am delighted to be recognising Harry as a Point of Light.”

On being told he had received the award Harry said he was “totally shocked”.

“I am just a normal teenager helping others like myself,” he said.

“Sometimes our lives can be really tough, I am just trying to help others understand and not feel alone.”

The new Point of Light award has been developed in partnership with the hugely successful Points of Light programme in the USA, which has recognised over 5,000 individuals.

The US programme was established by President George H. W. Bush, and both he and President Barack Obama have publicly supported the partnership with Points of Light UK.

Each day, someone somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.

Tom Blenkinsop MP said: “It’s great to see Harry being recognised for the fantastic and admirable work he has been doing, not just for this brother but also in his support for other families. I congratulate Harry and would simply just like to urge him to keep up the good work! Well done.”

£400 worth of Panini World Cup stickers stolen in raid by three men

Police are investigating the theft of £400 worth of Panini World Cup stickers- by three MEN.

The trio are suspected of snatching a “large quantity” of stickers and albums from a supermarket.

Police have released CCTV of the wanted men, who are all in their 30s.

The first is around 6ft 3in tall and slim with dark hair. He was wearing a dark brown t-shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses.

The second man is 6ft 1in tall with medium build and short swept back hair.

He was wearing sunglasses, blue denim jeans and a big chunky watch on his left arm.

The third is 5ft 11in, of big build and short brown hair. He was wearing a brown t-shirt, dark shorts, black and white trainers at the time.

A police spokesman said: “Officers would like to hear from anyone who may recognise the men in the images or has any information relating to the incident.”

The theft occurred at around 4.30pm on June 25 at a Co-operative store in Norwich, Norfolk.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Norfolk police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Councils call for extra funding to fix potholes

An extra £1 billion a year could be spent on fixing potholes and other road maintenance if the Government invested two pence per litre of existing fuel duty, the body that represents councils has suggested.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said investing fuel duty back into road maintenance would allow councils to bring the country’s crumbling highways up to scratch within a decade.

The LGA, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said that although the Government recently responded to calls for extra funding to repair roads with a multimillion-pound pledge it was “simply not enough”, with local authorities only being able to “patch up” problems rather than carry out longer-term preventative work.

It said the damage done to roads by recent harsh winters and decades of underfunding has seen the national backlog of road repairs rise to £12 billion - up £1.5 billion in the past year alone.

Last month the Government announced it had set aside £168 million to mend the nation’s broken roads, spread across 148 councils.

The Department for Transport said more than three million potholes will be filled in by March next year as part of the biggest investment in roads since the 1970s.

Councillor Peter Box, chairman of the LGA’s Economy and Transport Board, said councils were “trapped in an endless cycle of patching up our deteriorating network”.

“Our roads are in such disrepair that it will now take more than a decade and £12 billion to bring them up to scratch,” he added.

“Tackling this ever-growing national repair bill must be a priority and the Government can do this by injecting an extra £1 billion a year into roads maintenance - funded by investing two pence a litre from existing fuel duty.

“Motorists pay billions to the Treasury each year in fuel duty when they fill up their car at the pumps only to then have to drive on roads that are decaying after decades of underfunding. They deserve roads fit for the 21st century.”

Bryn Morris aims to motor into first team picture at Riverside

Young gun Bryn Morris is aiming to play his way into the Boro first team.

The Hartlepool-born England youth international has impressed on the Rockliffe Park training ground since returning from his summer break.

Like a lot of young players, he’s had a growth spurt and the 18-year-old now looks physically more imposing than he did earlier this year.

“I’ve worked hard in the off season and kept things ticking over,” he said.

“I had time off and went on holiday. I think it’s important to take your mind off football mentally, to recharge your batteries.

“I got back in the swing of things a few weeks back in order to be as fit as I could for the start of training.”

Wisely, Morris is not setting himself unobtainable targets and is initially focusing on working hard, playing well and catching Aitor Karanka’s eye.

“I want to get close to the first-team but I haven’t got any targets,” he told the Hartlepool Mail.

“I’m not going to say that I want to play X amount of games or anything like that but I will try my hardest in training, keep working hard and hopefully it pays off.”

In other news, the Boro’s former goalkeeping coach Stephen Pears has joined Hartlepool where he will work as manager Colin Cooper’s assistant at Victoria Park.

Pools have been searching for an assistant manager since former incumbent Craig Hignett left his post to join Boro in March.

Defeat doesn’t make us a bad side, says Redcar Bears boss

Redcar Bears are still a decent side despite their home defeat against runaway Premier League leaders Edinburgh, says team manager Jitendra Duffill.

And Duffill says they must now put the disappointment of their Edinburgh experience behind them and look forward to bouncing back next week.

The Ecco Finishing Bears - who also visited the Monarchs last night - were beaten 51-41 by the league’s top dogs at South Tees Motorsports Park on Thursday.

They took a first heat lead and kept it tight early on before the visitors flexed their muscles and extended their incredible unbeaten run to 22 matches.

The Monarchs had scoring power right through their order, with former Bear Steve Worrall giving one of their stand-out performances.

Axed by Newcastle last year, he had a less that memorable spell on Teesside but is one of several Edinburgh riders who have raised their game this term and is in the form of his life.

“It’s disappointing to lose at home,” admitted Duffill, “but we lost to the better side. There’s not really much more you can say about it.

“The one consolation is that we’re not the first team to suffer that fate against them and we certainly won’t be the last.

“Edinburgh haven’t been beaten this season and they showed us why.

“I still believe we’re a decent team though.

“What’s important now is that we put this behind us, regroup and concentrate on picking up points from our next match at home to Berwick next Thursday evening.

“We’ve still got half the season to go, so we mustn’t dwell on this - we’ve got to look ahead.”

Duffill also expects to see the arrival of Mark Lemon and subsequent switch to reserve of Jan Graversen have its effect in the coming weeks.

Lemon scored seven points on his home debut, including four from his tactical double ride in heat 12 in which his impressive young Australian compatriot Max Fricke managed to find a way past him

“Mark got better as the night went on,” he said, “and he’s shown he can score points in the middle order.

“Jan had bike problems all night, which is a shame, but we know he can pick up more points than that from reserve.”

Northside Stars’ Paul Bowen was due to be released from hospital yesterday afternoon following his frightening crash on the first bend in the first race of the Northern Junior League match with Redcar Cubs which followed the main event.

The crash forced the remainder of the fixture to be abandoned and it was feared Bowen had suffered kidney damage.

But the Stars No 1, who works for the family pie business, took to Facebook to apologise to his team-mates for causing them to have a fruitless journey and vowed to make it up to them by bringing them pies!

Stockton father-of two died after routine hernia op went wrong

A father-of-two who went in hospital for a routine hernia operation died after his bowel was damaged during surgery, an inquest heard.

Andrew Pyrah, 62, of Woodmere Road, Stockton, had the procedure carried out at the University Hospital of Hartlepool on April 15, 2013, and was discharged a few hours later.

Teesside Coroner’s Court heard how Mr Pyrah was re-admitted to Stockton’s University Hospital of North Tees the following day with severe stomach pain and a scan revealed a blockage in his lower abdomen.

He was taken to theatre where a perforation was discovered.

The court heard how during Mr Pyrah’s hernia surgery performed by Dr Dharmendra Garg, a consultant colorectal surgeon, the bowel had been perforated.

His family are now calling for people to be made more aware of the dangers of operations.

His wife of 38 years Vera, said: “We hope this highlights the potential complications of this type of operation, even for someone as fit and healthy as my husband, who played tennis twice a week, and walked and cycled regularly.”

Mr Pyrah was fitted with a stoma and was discharged from hospital, but after weeks of re-admissions he was diagnosed with septicaemia, phenomena and a lung abscess.

And despite two subsequent surgeries, followed by weeks in intensive care, Mr Pyrah, who had formerly worked as a careers officer at Teesside University, died in hospital on October 9.

The court heard how Mr Pyrah showed no symptoms of a perforated bowl prior to his operation the day before.

Pathologist Dr Yan Lowe said the cause of death was multi-organ failure associated with sepsis and pneumonia.

He went on to link Mr Pyrah’s hernia surgery, the bowel perforation and ileostomy to his deterioration in health and death.

Assistant Coroner for Teesside, Jo Wharton, returned a finding of misadventure.

She said: “It is very likely that the bowl perforation occurred as a non-intended and very unfortunate result of the hernia operation.

“It is likely that his subsequent conditions, chest problems, sepsis, pneumonia and lung abscess can be related back to the bowl perforation.

Speaking after yesterday’s inquest, Mrs Pyrah added: “Andy was a wonderful man and a true gentleman who devoted his life to his family and public service. Clever, funny, well-liked and respected, with a genuine interest in people, he was one of the kindest and warmest people I have ever known.

“My husband had so much to look forward to, but will sadly now never have the chance to become a grandfather or do many of the things we had planned together.

“His death has left a huge, irrevocable void in our lives and we miss him incredibly.”

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust were unavailable to comment at this time.

Pupils are hoping to look their best with the help of Wish Sport

Youngsters at a Middlesbrough school are hoping for some help to buy new team kits.

The Avenue Primary School in Nunthorpe has joined the Gazette Wish Sport campaign for the first time this year.

They currently compete in inter-school competitions in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

Priding themselves on being smart when representing their school and Middlesbrough in school sporting events, they are hoping to be able to buy hoodies with the school logo on as well as new team kits for various sports.

The school has ten teams which work closely with their sports coach, Sarah McDonald.

Extra kit is always needed, especially at this time of year when the school is competing at various events in different sports.

The Gazette has teamed up with Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, which is providing £30,000 to share between groups across Teesside.

Tokens will be printed in the Gazette every day from Monday. The more collected, the greater the share of the prize pot.

This year the tokens collected will be worth a share of £25,000, with the remaining £5,000 up for grabs during two special online bonus days.

All groups will be in with a chance during the bonus days to win a share of the additional money pot – the four that receive the most votes on gazettelive.co.uk will get the cash.

Mark Ellis, chief operating officer of Middlesbrough Football Club, corporate patrons of the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, said: “Sport brings individuals and communities together.

“At Middlesbrough FC, we do all we can to be right at the heart of the local community right across Teesside.

“Encouraging healthier lifestyles through participation in sporting activities is something we’ve always given great resource to, so we’re really pleased to back this great effort from the Philanthropic Foundation and the Evening Gazette. I’m sure it will be a big help to some of our great local sports clubs.”

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  To help The Avenue Primary School send your tokens to The Avenue Primary School, The Avenue, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, TS7 0AG.

  
  

Knife used in drunken bullying episode to take toy bike, a court hears

A drunken bully who pulled a knife to take a toy motorbike has been given back his freedom by the courts.

Lewis “Chesney” Wilkinson, 21, walked up to the young owner of the small motorbike the day after his mum bought it for him.

The victim and his friend were pushing the bike when Wilkinson crossed the road to meet them on Berwick Hills Avenue, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough.

He angrily grabbed the handlebars was heard to say: “You’ve just nicked a bike out of my garden. You’ve pinched it. It’s my bike.”

He pulled a knife and held it inches away from the bike owner’s neck, Teesside Crown Court heard today.

Prosecutor Peter Sabiston said: “This is clearly a case of serious bullying.”

He said Wilkinson grabbed the bike and the scared victim let him take it.

The two friends then bravely followed Wilkinson, he added.

The victim’s mother later went to Wilkinson’s home and the bike was recovered.

When he was arrested he told police he thought it was a friend’s bike and later realised he’d made a mistake.

He said he’d been drinking all night and taking cannabis but denied having a knife.

Wilkinson, of Berwick Hills Avenue, was originally accused of blackmail and threatening with a knife.

Those charges were left to lie on the court file as he admitted affray and having a bladed article.

He had previous convictions for possession of a machete and assault.

Jonathan Walker, defending, said the crimes had the hallmarks of a “drink-fuelled act of mild stupidity” from someone who was “rudderless and bored”.

He said: “He would wish at this court, before his family, to offer a whole-hearted apology.

“That is not intended as a self-serving sop before your Honour.

“That is something the defendant feels very strongly about and would like it relayed to the complainant.

“The defendant accepts it was unprovoked. He understands how unpleasant and how menacing this incident must have been.

“It must have been obvious to these two young men that he was heavily intoxicated and staggering around making an inebriated mistake.

“This is not an individual who is hard-wired to violence.

“Alcohol is clearly a catalyst for difficulties for this young man.”

This could only be tackled while he was at large, not in prison, argued Mr Walker who described Wilkinson as bright, articulate, calm and easy to deal with.

Judge Guy Whitburn QC said Wilkinson had been taking cannabis for seven years and drifted from friend to friend.

He said Wilkinson was under a court order over a previous relationship, with instances of domestic violence.

The defendant had already served the equivalent of a 10-month sentence remanded in custody.

The judge added: “You know what it’s like to be in prison, to which you’ll return if you breach the order which I make.”

He passed a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years with supervision and programme requirements.

Boro goalkeeper's shirt is there to be won, says Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka does not know who his first choice keeper will be next season.

The Boro head coach insists it is currently a three-way battle between Jason Steele, Dimi Konstantopoulos and Tomas Mejias.

Karanka has consistently maintained that the player who works hardest and performs the best on the training ground will get the nod on a matchday.

Last season, Konstantopoulos played 12 of the final 13 fixtures and performed to an extremely high standard.

His form meant former No 1 Steele was unable to regain his regular place in the team and, when Mejias recovered from a dislocated finger, he was unable to win a place on the bench.

However, as far as Karanka is concerned, all three started pre-season training with a clean slate.

“I have a very bad memory,” he said, “I have forgotten last season, I need to think about next season.

“Now, if you ask me who is going to be the player (keeper) on August 9, I can’t say who is going to be the keeper.

“It the same as last season, we have six weeks to work and after that I will speak to my goalkeeper coach and my staff and we will get the right decision for my team.”

There’s no guarantee that all three keepers will be still on the books on August 9, with Steele strongly tipped to move on if Boro receive a tempting offer.

Karanka wants the former England Under-21 international to show him that he deserves a place in his starting XI.

“The message is if he works hard and he is better than Tomas and Dimi he is going to play,” said the Spaniard.

“This is the best message to Jason and to all of the players.”

Meanwhile, Mejias has now signed his two-year contract.

Although it was announced last month that the Spaniard would be moving to Boro from Real Madrid, a few formalities needed to be sorted once the transfer window opened up.

“It is great to have everything sorted out,” he told Boro’s website.

“I know it is a big move from Real Madrid, but it is one I had to make and I’m very happy to have made it. I enjoyed myself here last season.”

Echoing his compatriot Karanka, Mejias knows he has a battle on his hands to win the right to play in the first team.

“It was the same last season, before I was injured,” he added. “I am competing with two very good goalkeepers in Dimi and Steeley. Nothing has changed and we are all in a fight for the spot, we all know that.

“All I know is I am delighted to be here and to be given a chance.”

Security forces step up crackdown in Egypt

Egyptian security forces have stepped up their crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in cities across the country, with at least 6 people killed since Thursday.

Security forces attacked supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in the capital Cairo on Friday, leaving one person dead during demonstrations in Matariya neighborhood.

Meanwhile another protester died of injuries sustained during the Thursday rallies marking the one-year anniversary of the military’s ouster of former president, Mohamed Morsi,

According to a security official, 157 people were arrested in the capital Cairo and eight other cities.

Egyptians have been staging massive demonstrations across the country to denounce the presidency of former army chief, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who ousted the democratically-elected president, Morsi, last year.

The violence comes after security forces killed four protesters in Alexandria and Giza on Wednesday.

Also in the city of Fayoum, clashes between police and demonstrators left at least three people dead.

Egypt has been the scene of anti-government protests with continuous clashes between security forces and Morsi’s supporters since his ouster.

Sisi is accused of leading the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood supporters as hundreds of them have been killed in clashes with the Egyptian security forces over the past few months.

Rights groups say the army’s crackdown on the supporters of Morsi has left over 1,400 people dead and 22,000 others arrested.

GMA/AB/SS

Improve your chances of getting your child into their preferred school

Make sure you're in the know when it comes to getting the school of choice for your child

It’s one of those hold-your-breath moments of parenting...did they get in?

School admissions are a major concern across the UK - and in Teesside we’re no exception. We all want our children to go to their school of choice, whichever the reason its topped your list.

Middlesbrough Council has just released its schools admissions policy for primary and secondary school for 2015/16.

They say knowledge is power - and so we have summarised key points in our guide below.

1. Be Aware of Admission Numbers

Schools can only take in a certain amount of children due to the physical capacity. Each year each school has an admission number which is how many children it can have in the year group. This stays the same throughout the progression of the group through the school.

2. Know the Over-subscription Criteria

If the school is oversubscribed - where more parents/carers have expressed a preference for a particular school than the admission number - the local authority then applies this criteria. e.g. A child living outside of the school’s admission zone who has a sibling already attending the school has a higher chance of attending an over-subscribed school than a child living out of the admission zone without a sibling attending. Ask you local authority for this.

3. Admission Zone Awareness

Contact your local authority and find out what school you are in the admission zone for. This is the school your child has the best chance of getting into if they don’t meet the other, higher, over-subscription criteria such as having a statement of special educational needs or are a ‘looked after’ child (in public care).

4. Nursery Places

Know that a place in a primary school’s nursery does NOT guarantee a reception place. All parents must apply for a school place regardless of what nursery their child has attended, which holds no sway in a case of over-subscription, in Middlesbrough at least.

5. Don’t Miss Deadlines

Parents will be provided with application forms in November 2014 for primary schools and September 2014 for secondary schools in Middlesbrough with a national closing date of January 15 for preferences for primary schools and October for secondary schools. Middlesbrough Council says that applications received after the closing date for oversubscribed schools will only be considered if there is a good reason for lateness - for example having just moved to an area.

6. My Favourite Schools

Parents must express preferences for primary schools so by have your top three ready in advance.

7. Consider a school with its own admission policy

Roman Catholic schools, academies and foundation schools are responsible for their own admission policies. Ask the school to send you its policy.

8. Waiting lists

Hope is not lost if your child doesn’t get within a school of their choice. Waiting lists will be maintained for those unsuccessful at gaining a place at their preferred school for admission to reception year (primary) and year 7 (secondary. The waiting lists are maintained until the end of the autumn term 2015.