Live: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside

The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Tuesday 19th August, 2014.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.

Erdogan receives delegation from International Union of Muslim Scholars

Turkey’s President-elect and outgoing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received a delegation from the International Union of Muslim Scholars on Friday, a statement on the union’s website said.

According to the IUMS, Erdogan discussed the current issues that concern the Muslim world, especially the Palestinian cause and the Israeli assault on Gaza.

The delegation was headed by the secretary general of the union Dr Ali Mohuddin Al-Qurra Daghi.

The discussions included the tragic conditions in Syria and the political developments in Iraq as well as the repercussions of the military coup in Egypt.

Erdogan reaffirmed that his country supports all the causes that matter to the Muslim nations. He also hailed the efforts of the IUIS in “directing the Muslim world towards the centrist and moderate Islamic approach and in exposing the extremists and takfiris,” the statement added.

The scholars, in turn, praised Turkey’s stance towards the Palestinian cause and its support for Gaza and for Syrian refugees

UP ‘Rape-Conversion’ case: Girl says in court that she eloped with Muslim boyfriend

LUCKNOW — A case of alleged abduction, rape and conversion of a 28-year-old woman last month, has been closed by the police after the victim claimed that she had gone with the accused willfully.

The Investigating Officer (IO) in the case Samerjit Singh Kaur filed a report under section 169 CRPC (release of accused when evidence deficient) on Monday, on the basis of the victim’s statement recorded in court, saying that there is no evidence against the accused.

Earlier, the victim in her statement said that she had eloped and was not abducted by the accused. She had eloped with her boyfriend Mukeem Ahmad belonging to a different community at Thana Bhawan town in Shamli district on July 9. The victim’s father had lodged an FIR against her boyfriend Mukeem and three of his family members, alleging that his daughter was abducted from Thana Bhawan town.

Tension had gripped in Thana Bhawan area following the incident and several protests were held.

Meanwhile, the couple had sought police protection from the High Court. The court directed police to record her statement under section 164 CRPC (recording of confessions and statement).

Upon the direction of High Court, the woman was produced in court and she recorded her statement, saying that she is a major and had eloped.—PTI

US police clash with Ferguson protesters

Police in the US state of Missouri have fired smoke canisters into a crowd of about 400 people protesting against the killing last week of an unarmed black teenager by police in the town of Ferguson.

Barely hours ahead of a second night of curfew that was to come into effect at midnight, police drove into the protest area in armoured vehicles and shot smoke canisters at watching media representatives during the protest that had until then appeared to be peaceful.

However, the Missouri Highway Patrol said it was using the smoke canisters to disperse “aggressors” who were trying to infiltrate a law enforcement command post, and that the armoured vehicles were deployed to ensure public safety.

Michael Brown’s fatal shooting by the police on August 9 while he was walking down the street unarmed in the St Louis suburb has led to days of protests and a heavy-handed police response.

Ferguson authorities say that Brown,18, was shot after an altercation with a police officer identified as Darren Wilson. Witnesses say the teenager was non-violent and compliant at the time of the shooting, and a victim of racism.

The latest clashes came after the US attorney general ordered a federal autopsy on Brown.

The Justice Department said on Sunday that Eric Holder had requested the autopsy because of the “extraordinary circumstances” of the case and at the request of Brown’s family, who criticised a state examination as flawed

Brotherhood says not linked to armed group

On Thursday, a group of armed men, clad in black, appeared in a video and vowed to target policemen

The Muslim Brotherhood movement on Saturday said it was not linked to a recent video in which a group of masked armed men vow to target policemen.

“Organizations promoting violence are mere tricks made by security agencies,” the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement from which ousted president Mohamed Morsi hails, said.

“The Brotherhood underline the fact that it has nothing to do with the violence it is accused of,” the movement added in a statement.

On Thursday, a group of armed men, clad in black, appeared in a video and vowed to target policemen.

The masked men, who flashed the four-fingered Rabaa sign, which commemorates hundreds of supporters of the ousted president killed in a bloody eastern Cairo sit-in dispersal last year, carried machine guns and said they would target policemen in the southern part of the Egyptian capital.

“We are fed up with the peacefulness of the Muslim Brotherhood,” one of the masked armed men said in the video. “We are not Muslim Brotherhood anyway,” the man added.

Anadolu Agency could not immediately obtain comments from the authorities. The authorities accuse, however, the Muslim Brotherhood of committing violence. They also designated the movement a “terrorist” movement late last year.

Even with this, the National Alliance for the Defense of Legitimacy, the main bloc backing Morsi, said in a statement on Friday that it rejects any form of violence or militancy.

Backers of the ousted president staged protests in different areas on Friday to mark the second anniversary of the bloody dispersal of two pro-Morsi sit-ins.

Hundreds of people were killed in the sit-ins’ dispersals, while thousands of others were injured

World must ban US, Israel as criminals

The United States and the Israeli regime are the major criminal elements in the global arena and the international community must boycott them, says a political commentator writes for Press TV.

Paul Craig Roberts wrote in a recent article for the Press TV website that the world “prepares its own demise” by tolerating “endless slaughters and endless lies” of the United States and Israel.

“The only hope for life and truth is that the world unite against these two criminal governments, isolate them diplomatically and economically, and make it impossible for their…officials to travel abroad without being arrested and placed on trial,” he said, adding, “Why does the world need Washington and Israel? Unless the world has a death wish, the world does not need Washington and Israel.”

Elsewhere in his comments, Roberts slammed the United States and its European NATO allies for escalating pressure against Russia, which could ultimately lead to a potential world war.

“The deadly consequences of such a war would extend beyond Russia, Europe, and the US to the entire world. The Western use of lies to demonize Russia endangers life on earth and reveals the West to be both reckless and irresponsible,” Roberts wrote.

The analyst also criticized the global community for its silence over the West’s “recklessness and irresponsibility.”

NATO has held a number of war games in Eastern Europe after Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea integrated into the Russian Federation following a referendum in March.

NATO has also reinforced its air patrol over the Baltic region, with radar-equipped aircraft making regular flights over the territories of Poland and Romania.

In June, the Western military alliance held military drills near Russia’s western border. Nearly 5,000 troops and 800 military vehicles from 10 NATO member states, including the US, Britain and Canada, participated in the war games near the Latvian capital, Riga.

Russia sees the Western military alliance’s moves as a sign of aggression amid the crisis in Ukraine.

ASH/HSN/SS

BJP councillor held for attempt to murder woman corporator Jaishree Dodia

RAJKOT: BJP corporator Anil Rathod, 44, has been arrested for attempting to murder BJP woman corporator Jaishree Dodia and her husband Kiritsinh Dodia on Friday.

Police said the incident occurred when the Dodias were returning from a flag-hoisting ceremony of Independence Day at a school. “While Kiritsinh was driving a scooter, Jaishree was riding pillion. When the couple had just crossed the school’s gate they were intercepted by a car from which Rathod and three other unidentified assailants came out armed with baseball bats, swords and sticks,” said an official from the B-Division police station, where the case has been registered.

Rathod along with his accomplices attacked the Dodia couple. Jaishree was rendered unconscious after she was hit repeatedly with a revolver butt by Rathod. After the attack, Rathod and his accomplices fled from the spot, while the Dodia couple approached the police for complaint. After registering their complaint, police booked Rathod and his accomplices for attempt to murder under sections 307, 504, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and section 135 (1) of the Gujarat Police Act.

Swinging into action, police arrested Rathod and his three accomplices within hours of the crime on Friday night. Police have also seized the weapons including the revolver and car used in the attack. Police, however, are yet to ascertain the identities of Rathod’s accomplices.

Meanwhile, sources in the Rajkot police attributed the attack to old political rivalry between Rathod and Jaishree.

British MP raps police cell use for mentally ill kids

An influential British lawmaker has denounced detention of mentally ill youths in police cells, pledging an end to the “scandal.”

The under-18s undergoing a mental health crisis in England are taken into police cells, a situation that is “wholly unacceptable,” said Sarah Wollaston, the chair of the Commons health select committee, on Sunday.

“It should be unthinkable for someone who’s having an acute mental health crisis to be seen in a police cell. That’s inexcusable, but it’s happening… That’s wholly unacceptable for an adult, much less for a child,” Wollaston said.

Those detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, referring to the mentally disturbed, should be taken to a “place of safety.”

“We won’t have true parity of esteem unless we end the scandal of section 136 assessments,” said the British MP.

In the years 2012 and 2013, the number of adults or children assessed under section 136 amounts to 21,814, out of which 7,761 cases involved police cells, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), tasked with regulating and inspecting health and social care services in England.

“It’s disgraceful that so many people, especially children and young people, are being held in police cells under section 136. If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, you should be brought to a ‘place of safety’ in a health facility. A police cell should only be used as an absolute last resort,” said Victoria Bleazard, the director of communications and campaigns at the charity Rethink Mental Illness.

Many Britons suffering from a mental health crisis have to wait for many years for treatment, Bleazard noted.

NT/MAM/AS

Libyan clashes continue despite truce calls

Libyan factions have traded gunfire and shells in various parts of Tripoli, ignoring international appeals for a ceasefire to end more than a month of fighting.

Militias from the city of Misrata and fighters of Zintan have wrestled for control of the capital in the worst clashes since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Gunfire and shelling could be heard near the airport and other parts of Tripoli though the day on Sunday, but the fighting was less fierce than on Saturday when much of the city was a battlefield.

The battles have forced the United Nations and Western governments to evacuate their diplomats, fearing Libya is sliding into civil war.

The UN Mission in Libya said in a statement that it “deeply regrets that there was no response to the repeated international appeals and its own efforts for an immediate ceasefire.”

“The Mission warns that the continued fighting poses a serious threat to Libya’s political process, and to the security and stability of the country,” the UN said.

Battle over airport

Most of the fighting has raged over the international airport in Tripoli, which fighters from Zintan have controlled since sweeping into the capital during the 2011 war.

Libya’s fragile government still has no national army and often put former rebels on the state payroll as semi-official security forces as a way to co-opt them into the new state.

But the heavily armed rival brigades are allied with competing political factions and are often more loyal to their region, city or local commanders than to the central government.

A separate battle in the eastern city of Benghazi has complicated Libya’s security, with an alliance of Islamist fighters and ex-rebels forcing the army out of the city.

A group of Islamists in Benghazi including Ansar al-Sharia issued a statement on Sunday rejecting the idea of democracy and secular political parties in Libya.

“We don’t fight for the sake of democracy…but for God and to defend the land”, the statement said

Brave shopkeeper sent knife-wielding robber packing - By shouting at him

A brave shopkeeper sent a knife-waving robber packing by just shouting at him.

Callum Hardman, 18, from Middlesbrough, fled empty-handed not living up to his name.

He met more than his match in Peter Waller, the boss of Premier Stores in Cargo Fleet Lane, Middlesbrough, who said later that he was so worried about the future safety of his staff that he was thinking about altering the layout of the shop.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told Teesside Crown Court that Hardman was caught on in-store CCTV when he went into the shop at 6am on June 23 wearing a distinctive blue and white jacket with the hood tied and sunglasses and carrying a large kitchen knife.

He raised the knife in front of Mr Waller who heard the word “money”.

Miss Jacobs said: “The defendant appeared to be nervous and Mr Waller shouted at him and he shouted back, turned around and ran out of the shop.

“Mr Waller called the police and he was arrested shortly afterwards. The knife was not recovered.”

When he was interviewed he said he was responsible for the offence and he said he had been taking drugs for the previous four days.

Mr Waller said in a victim statement that before the raid he thought he was in a safe area, but he had even considered cancelling his holiday to safeguard his staff.

Miss Jacobs said that Hardman,who had 12 convictions for 21 offences, was on police bail that day and he had breached a 7pm to 7am curfew keeping him in his home.

Garry Wood, defending, said that Hardman was considerably intoxicated by drugs and alcohol that morning and he had pleaded guilty at an early opportunity.

He said that the raid was an escalation of his previous offending because he had nothing similar on his record.

The judge said that Mr Waller had been brave in resisting Hardman’s attempt to rob the store.

Judge Michael Taylor told him: “This offence is commonplace and very prevalent in this part of the world.

“Local shops are places where usually they are staffed by young people, and particularly they are very vulnerable, and these offences are normally carried out very late at night or in the morning.”

Hardman, of The Avenue, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to three years in a young offender’s institution after he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of a bladed article.

Teesside youngster George Young stars in front of Tim Henman at All England Club

Teesside youngster George Young insists he will never forget his outing at the All England Club after starring in front of former British No.1 Tim Henman as part of the HSBC Road to Wimbledon National 14 and Under Challenge Finals.

The 13-year-old Yarm School pupil booked himself a spot at SW19 after competing in his County Finals and won one group match before being knocked out in the second round of the Boys consolation draw.

Some 20,000 promising young tennis players from all over Britain competed in pursuit of a prestigious place at Wimbledon with Young among the top 144 boys and girls to have earned the right to play at the National Finals.

And, despite failing to follow in 2013 Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray’s footsteps by lifting silverware at SW19, Young admitted his outing at the All England Lawn Tennis Club was certainly the highlight of his summer.

“It was so exciting to be one of the only kids in the country to play at Wimbledon – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because I might not be able to do it again,” Young said.

“The courts were really nice to play on, the atmosphere was brilliant and all my friends were there – I feel like I can really improve from this experience.”

Young, who attends Tennis World in Middlesbrough, even got the chance to meet former British No.1 and HSBC Tournament Ambassador Henman during his time at Wimbledon.

Henman spent time with the players, signed autographs, and posed for photos with the finalists and insisted he was impressed with the standard on show this year at SW19.

“I’ve been involved for the 12 years of the programme, and it’s fantastic to see how the standard has improved,” said Henman, who achieved four semi-final finishes at Wimbledon before retiring in 2007.

“It’s great to see 20,000 kids playing every year, and you then whittle that down and there are really some competent players that have improved over the years.”

The HSBC Road to Wimbledon National 14 & Under Challenge is the UK’s largest national junior grass court tournament and forms part of HSBC’s investment in the stars of the future - http://ift.tt/1uNf1WV

Death toll from Israel war on Gaza exceeds 2000: Medics

The death toll from the Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip has exceeded 2,000, medical authorities in the blockaded area say.

According to the authorities on Sunday, at least 2016 Palestinian people have lost their lives and as many as 10,193 others have suffered injuries since the Israeli military unleashed merciless attacks on the densely-inhabited Gaza Strip on July 8.

The officials reported that more bodies are being recovered from the rubble and more injured Palestinians die from their wounds. Nearly 540 children are reportedly among the dead.

Local reports indicate that some of the fatalities occur due to lack of necessary medical equipment and life support machines in hospitals in the blockaded area.

Gaza medical staff say hospitals in the blockaded coastal enclave are suffering from the lack of electricity.

Palestinian officials have warned that a health crisis is imminent in the Gaza Strip unless serious measures are taken to stop it.

Years of Israeli blockade as well as frequent military campaigns by the Tel Aviv regime have already shattered Gaza’s health care system.

A panel appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council is expected to start investigating the crimes committed by Israel in its war on Gaza.

Human rights groups say Israeli forces are systematically killing Palestinian children and youths.

IA/MAM/AS

Bank robber 'took leave of his senses' and escaped with £5k after pretending coathanger was a gun

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HSBC in Stockton high street taped off

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A bank robber who turned himself to police saying “here’s the money” has been jailed.

Debt-ridden Anthony Turner said he had come to his senses after robbing the HSBC branch on the High Street, in Stockton, of £5,000.

The 30-year-old had been carrying a wooden coathanger wrapped in a scarf to look like a gun.

When the desk officer asked him what he had done with the cash he said “It’s here in the bag”, and he handed it over.

The judge at Teesside Crown Court told jobless Turner that he would treat him as a person of previous good character because his previous offending led to just two police cautions for an offensive weapon and theft by employee.

And now the bank robber has now even landed a job for himself in prison advising other lags on banking matters.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs said that Turner entered the bank at 2.25pm on July 17 in possession of what appeared to be some form of weapon, possibly a gun, and threatened the bank teller.

She handed over a quantity of money believed to be £5,000 and he left as she activated the alarm.

Miss Jacobs said: “A short time later he attended Stockton police station and said that he had just robbed a bank.

“Asked where the money was he said it was ‘in the bag’, indicating a bag.”

Miss Jacobs said that Ms Hind found the incident so traumatic that she had received counselling.

Peter Kilgour, defending, said that there were a number of stress factors in Turner’s life that led him for some reason to take leave of his senses.

But he came to his senses, handed himself in to the police telling them what he had done and he handed over all of the money.

The unusual circumstances which led to his offending were unlikely to be repeated, and when he was released from prison he could return to a loving family.

As a remand prisoner he had been appointed as a peer mentor helping other prisoners with paperwork - including banking problems.

Mr Kilgour added: “He is a relatively young man who will co-operate with the prison services and use his time beneficially for himself and others.

“He understands he is going to prison and it is going to be a sentence of some length.

"I ask that the sentence should be at the bottom end of the range of sentencing.”

Judge Michael Taylor told Turner: “You had what appeared to be to the young lady behind the counter a gun, and she was very frightened and she handed over five thousand pounds in cash.

“You escaped with the cash and later you had the good sense to hand yourself in to the police with the money.

"The reason you say you committed this offence was because you were in debt, and you say it was a spur of the moment offence.

“But you caused terror to that young woman behind the counter, and not surprisingly she has had to undergo counselling because she feared for her safety.”

The judge said that Turner was entitled to maximum credit for his guilty plea and for handing himself in, so he reduced what would have been a three-year sentence.

Turner, of Rimswell Road, Stockton, was jailed for two years after he pleaded guilty to robbery.

Aitor Karanka: 'I've told Patrick Bamford he can be an important player at Boro'

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Action Images / Lee Mills

Gallery: Patrick Bamford

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Read three facts about Patrick Bamford and watch video of him in action

Aitor Karanka has told Patrick Bamford he can play a crucial part in Boro's promotion bid.

The head coach has been in discussions with the Chelsea youngster this morning as the clubs look to tie up a loan deal.

Speaking at Rockliffe Park this afternoon, the Boro head coach said: "I hope [it's close] because I know him.

"I've tried to convince him today and he knows how important he could be for us.

"He can score a lot of goals and we need to have players who can score."

Karanka also confirmed talks were ongoing to bring in Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker .

Boro will look to bounce back from Saturday's defeat at Leeds when they travel to Bolton in the Championship tomorrow.

Karanka said: "Without the ball [against Leeds] we didn't play badly and until the last minute we were good, but [against Bolton] I want us to have more of the ball, win the 50-50 fights and when we are doing this we can beat everyone."

US bombs ISIS in northern Iraq in a bid to retake Mosul Dam

American fighter jets launched nine airstrikes on Saturday against ISIS fighters near Erbil in northern Iraq in a joint operation with Iraqi and Kurdish forces aimed at retaking the critical Mosul Dam from the militant group, U.S. Central Command said.

According to a statement published by the Pentagon on Saturday, the airstrikes were carried out by American fighter planes and drones, and have successfully achieved their goals by destroying four armoured personnel carriers, eight military vehicles and two humvee vehicles.

The statement pointed out that all planes left the site safely.

The advances by ISIS in northern Iraq since June have triggered international concern, and U.S. fighter planes have started targeted airstrikes since August 8 against the militant group, deemed threatening to stability, US interests and to minorities in Iraq.

The Mosul Dam, the largest in Iraq, was seized by ISIS earlier this month. Peshmerga forces are currently attempting to retake it with an American air cover.

By seizing control of this dam, located on the Tigris river, ISIS is now capable of flooding cities and cutting vital electricity and water supplies

Training records of police dog which attacked elderly woman being reviewed

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is reviewing the training records of the police dog which attacked a woman who later died.

The IPCC is carrying out an investigation into the attack on Irene Collins last month.

And - as well as the Cleveland Police dog’s records - investigators are analysing police logs, radio communication, aerial footage and written statements from the officers who were present at the time of the attack.

Ms Collins died in hospital days after she was bitten by the German Shepherd dog.

The 73-year-old had allowed police into the garden of her home in Penrith Road, Park End, to search for a suspect as part of a drugs operation.

Ms Collins suffered injuries to her arm and leg and was taken to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital.

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Gallery: Dog bite incident in Penrith Road, Park End

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The incident happened at 9am on Wednesday, July 16 and Ms Collins died on Sunday, July 20.

A spokeswoman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said: “The investigation is progressing.

“We have conducted door-to-door inquiries and taken statements from independent witnesses.

“We are analysing police logs, radio communication, aerial footage and written statements from the officers who attended Ms Collins’ house on 16 July.

“We are also reviewing the training and deployment records for the police dog.

“Inquiries are ongoing, and we are keeping Ms Collins’ family updated on the progress of our investigation.”

Following the incident, the dog was withdrawn from duty.

Cleveland Police has previously told the Gazette that it is unable to confirm whether the dog will be destroyed.

Support was provided to the handler of the dog after the incident.

Park End residents described their shock following Ms Collins’s death.

Flowers were left on her doorstep and a resident set up a collection for a floral tribute.

Saudi envoy backs UN push against IS militants

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait agreed to comply with a UN resolution aimed at stopping financing for Islamic State (IS) militant groups in Syria and Iraq after four of their nationals were named among a group blacklisted by the international body.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UN, Abdullah Al-Muallami, said Riyadh was “committed to implementation” of the resolution.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday intended to weaken the Islamic State.

Gulf media said that two of the blacklisted men were Saudis wanted by Riyadh for links to IS militants, while two others were Kuwaitis, including Sheikh Hajaj bin Fahd Al Ajmi, accused of links to Syria’s Al Qaeda branch, the Nusra Front.

Asharq Al-Awsat said the two Saudi nationals, Abdul Mohsen Abdallah Ibrahim Al-Charekh and Abdelrahman Mouhamad Zafir Al-Jahani, were on two lists of wanted militants issued in 2009 and in 2011.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors casualties in fighting in Syria, has said that Charekh was killed near the Syrian coastal city of Latakia in March. Jahani was believed to be at large somewhere outside Saudi Arabia

Watch: Video of goalscorer Patrick Bamford in action for Chelsea

Read three facts about Patrick Bamford

The Gazette has previously reported how Boro were looking to bring in a number of Chelsea players on loan this summer.

Among them was striker Patrick Bamford, has impressed during loan spells for MK Dons and Derby County.

A number of clubs were in the hunt for the 20-year-old for the forthcoming season.

The Lincolnshire-born striker began his career at Nottingham Forest before moving to Chelsea in 2012 for a £1.5m fee.

The player has yet to make a league appearance for Chelsea's first team.

Pictures: Teesside teddy bears have their day in the sun at trio of events

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Teesside teddy bear events

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It was the day the teddy bears had their picnic...and their parachute drop!

Much-loved Teesside teds had a fantastic day out yesterday when several events organised with them in mind took place.

At Gisborough Priory, the woodland gardens hosted their first teddy bears’ picnic, with tasty refreshments on offer and a teddy bear treasure trail. Teddy bear-themed stories were told, while eagle-eyed visitors could spot woolly bears dotted throughout the woods, courtesy of the Guisborough Knit Wits knitting group.

But teddies with a taste for adventure were catered for too, with the chance to zoom along on a zipwire hung between the trees.

Daring teddies were also up to some hair-raising stunts in Marske, with several abseiling off the tower at St Mark’s Church.

The abseil and parachute drop was to raise money for a specially commissioned stained glass window to commemorate all the early aviators who trained with the Royal Flying Corps at Marske during World War One.

Captain W E Johns, author of the Biggles books, did his early training at Marske. And even he might have been impressed at all the sponsored teddies who bravely flew through the air as they made their way down the church tower.

But it wasn’t all high octane stuff, with Eaglescliffe’s Preston Park hosting its own, more sedate sedate teddy bears’ picnic, with a range of arts and craft activities on offer and the chance to sample some delicious teddy bear-shaped treats.

Stockton Rugby Club set to try for plenty of Wish Sport tokens

A Teesside rugby club is trying to fund new equipment with the help of this year’s Wish Sport campaign.

Formed back in 1873, Stockton Rugby Club is a friendly and active community club which welcomes and encourages new people to join.

The club currently runs senior and junior teams and last season formed a new girls’ team. All meet weekly to train at the club’s base in Station Road, Norton.

Having entered the campaign last year, the club successfully gaimed tokens which helped to buy new training balls.

Jane King, of the club, said: “Any money we receive from this year’s Wish Sport campaign will be used to help fund new training equipment as well as helping to purchase new kits.”

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

Tokens are being printed in the Gazette every day for groups to collect. 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 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 http://ift.tt/1md60Qe will get the cash.

Catherine Devereux of the Foundation’s Teesside-based patrons, business law firm The Endeavour Partnership said: “The level of applications for The Gazette’s Wish Sport campaign so far has been amazing and all of them are from great local sports groups.

“I’ve been amazed at the wide variety of sports club we have on Teesside. Endeavour Partnership is really proud to support this project via the Philanthropic Foundation.

“Helping our local sporting clubs to thrive in these difficult economic times and to become even more active in helping our communities to be fitter has to be great news for Teesside.

“All at Endeavour Partnership are proud to play their part in encouraging Teessiders to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.”

To help Stockton Rugby Club send your tokens to: Jane King, Stockton Rugby Club, Norton Sports Village, Station Road, Norton, TS20 1PE.

Patrick Bamford at Rockliffe ahead of signing Boro loan deal

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Gallery: Patrick Bamford

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Read three facts about Patrick Bamford and watch video of him action

Patrick Bamford is expected to sign for Boro after arriving at Rockliffe Park to finalise a season long loan move today.

The Chelsea striker has been in talks with the club for several weeks and the deal was agreed in principle last week.

He visited and trained at Boro last week but then returned briefly to Chelsea last Friday to play alongside fellow target Lewis Baker for the Blues Under-21 side in their season opening 2-1 win over Manchester City.

But he returned to Teesside today to complete the formalities.

He is not expected to be in the squad for tomorrow’s trip to Bolton but could make his debut on Saturday at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Anti-coup Egyptians protest on first anniversary of Fath Mosque massacre

Opponents of the July 3 military coup in Egypt staged nationwide protests Saturday evening marking the first anniversary of the so-called “Fath Mosque Massacre” in which 210 unarmed protesters were killed by police and army, according to official figures.

The protests came as part of a week-long series of events organised by the anti-coup alliance on the first anniversary of the Rabaa massacre and other incidents where thousands of unarmed protesters were killed in the aftermath of the military coup of July last year.

One protester, Khaled al-Saeed, 14, was killed during a protest in Menyet al-Nasr town in Dakahliya province in the Nile Delta on Saturday,Anadolu reported.

Protesters called for “retribution for the martyrs” of Fath mosque massacre and chanted against the current president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, holding him responsible for the killings in his capacity as minister of defence and de facto ruler at that time.

On August 16 last year, thousands of angry protesters marched to Fath mosque in Ramsis in central Cairo after security forces blocked roads leading to Rabaa square in the aftermath of the August 14 massacre. According to the ministry of health, at least 210 have lost their lives in the violent dispersal of the Ramsis protest

Anthony Vickers: 'If you thought this season was going to be a procession, think again'

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Gallery: Leeds United v Boro fans pictures

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POP! There goes that bubble of August optimism.

To lose at Leeds always hurts. To be left feeling robbed after a game changing decision has got to smart a bit too.

And to fall flat in front of the cameras with an armchair audience back in Teesside just waiting to drink in the cava football they have heard rapturous reports about. That was a given.

It’s a classic “Typical Boro” moment.

So those premature plans for sawing the top off the 263 ready for the promotion parade can be put on hold.

This season won’t be a procession.

Leeds was a timely reality check and a stark reminder of the nature of the Championship landscape and if the lesson is taken on board may yet serve Boro well.

No matter what the recent form, the league position or the emotional state of the fans, if you are below par on the day you lose.

And Boro certainly were below par. A couple of big players were off key, notably the front pairing of Lee Tomlin and Kike, while the team as a whole did not click with the assertive swagger of the previous two games.

The early fluidity and intensity dropped off after the controversial disallowed goal, Boro were dragged into a scrap by long ball Leeds and they couldn’t change the shape of the game.

But despite some post-match knee-jerk ‘told you so’ sniping it wasn’t a disaster.

It doesn’t mean Boro are suddenly locked in a relegation scrap.

Everything that was said after the first two games still stands: Aitor Karanka has put in place and effective and efficient shape and is building a solid squad fit for purpose in this league.

Yes, the players make mistakes and lack consistency. But then, that’s why they’re in the Championship.

And yes, the team still has weak links and lacks option to change things and there is a lack of cover for the front two. But it is still a work in progress.

If that was the finished product you may worry about a long mid-table grind but remember, there were two debutants. Kike and Meijas have played just three league games each and there are still players to come in and increase options, especially up front.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a deep disappointment to lose at Leeds. It was. It always is.

But Boro weren’t battered, weren’t out-played, out-fought or tactically caught napping.

On balance they were probably the better team but they lost a close-fought game because of one mistake by the referee and one by the goalkeeper.

Albert Adomah’s acrobatic ‘goal’ should have stood.

Or Wayne Rooney’s identical one an hour later should have been ruled out. One of the two.

The ball was there to play, there was no reckless intent and no defender near. Warnock stooped to head after Albert’s trajectory began.

When it went in, everyone in the ground believed he had scored - bar infamous “ghost goal” blunder ref Stuart Attwell.

Boro players and fans were celebrating and the linesman was almost back at the halfway line for kick-off when five seconds later Attwell blew.

Had Albert’s goal stood, with Boro in the ascendency they would probably have won comfortably and gone top of the table leaving Leeds in disarray and in deeper crisis. On such moments do games turn.

Instead that decision took some fizz out of Boro for a spell as they lost their crisps patient passing for a spell and Leeds poured direct, long ball football and scrappy streetfighting into the vacuum.

Boro matched that - there were some thundering tackles flying in all over - but couldn’t get past it to regain the initiative.

Then, predictably Leeds scored. And almost inevitably, it was Billy Sharp.

Old Nemesis Sharp has netted against Boro for Southampton, Doncaster and Sheffield United too so it was scripted he would add Leeds to the list.

But his late goal wasn’t conjured up out of the blue. It was gifted with a costly keeper clanger as Meijas got down but failed to hold - or push aside - a routine Michael Tonge shot and it rebounded nicely to unmarked Sharp.

That was a real kick in the teeth,

Boro may not have done enough to win the game but they didn’t deserve to lose it.

It will have been a learning experience for a lot of the players, not least Kike who got roughed up and denied space.

There will be a lot of that in the long campaign to come.

Debutant Damia Abella started well before fading and will get better.

Boro completed the move on Friday but kept it under wraps as Karanka wanted to keep Leeds guessing tactically. Sneakio!

Adam Clayton laughed off Leeds boos and introduced himself with some crunching tackles and a few searching balls and getting into the rhythm of chasing and scrapping.

He will get better too.

Hamas: Egyptian proposals failed to meet Palestinian demands

The proposals put forward to the Palestinian delegation in Cairo do not meet Palestinian demands, a senior Hamas member said on Saturday.

The foreign affairs spokesman of Hamas, Osama Hamdan, said in a Facebook statement yesterday that Israel has to accept Palestinian conditions “or face a long-term war of attrition.”

A further five-day ceasefire took effect last Thursday, 14 August, following the end of a previous truce that followed the killing of some 2,000 Palestinian civilians and over 64 Israeli soldiers.

On Saturday, Hamas called on Israel to lift its siege on Gaza so as to move closer to reaching a lasting ceasefire. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zhuri said that fulfilling the demands of Palestinians would facilitate a truce between the two sides. Otherwise, “it would be difficult.”

Abu Zuhri stressed that the demands of the Palestinian people are “legitimate and humanitarian.”

The Palestinian delegation in Cairo’s conditions include, among others, a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, reactivating the 2012 agreement, ending the siege, and building a seaport and airport in Gaza. On the other hand, Israel insists on demilitarising the Gaza Strip as a pre-condition, which Palestinian resistance factions firmly reject

Major crackdown on drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and motorbike nuisance in Grove Hill

A major crackdown has been launched on a Middlesbrough estate to tackle drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and motorbike nuisance.

The Safer Streets campaign was launched today in Grove Hill after concerns were raised by residents in the Valley Road area.

The campaign is being led by Cleveland Police and Middlesbrough Council.

Extra patrols will be carried out and specialist extra resources are being brought in to help tackle the crimes.

There will also be CCTV surveillance in the area.

Alison Riley, neighbourhood safety officer for the Clairville ward, is co-ordinating the Safer Streets Project.

She said: “Campaigns such as the Safer Streets Initiative show we are serious and will take action where necessary.

“We do also carry out diversionary work with young people to help turn their behaviour around, but for those who choose to ignore the warnings and the help on offer from ourselves and our partner agencies, the consequences can be very serious.”

Agencies including Street-scene, Thirteen Group and Cleveland Fire Brigade will also be involved.

Inspector Tina Notman, from the area’s neighbourhood policing team, said: “We will be working closely with our partners to tackle the issues that local residents have raised, one of which is nuisance motorbikes.

“We will also be carrying out high-visibility patrols in order to reassure the community that we are listening to their concerns and tackling them head on.”

Councillor Brenda Thompson, Middlesbrough Council's executive member for supporting communities, said: “Everyone has the right to live peacefully and free from crime and anti-social behaviour in their own communities.

“There are, however, those who choose to cause alarm, harassment and distress to those around them, and this initiative sends out a clear message that their activities will not be tolerated.

“Local residents can be assured that we and our partners will do all we can to deal with the issues they raise with us to improve quality of life for everyone.”

Player ratings: Have your say and rate the Boro players on their performance against Leeds United

Northern League: Second chance for Priorymen in the FA Cup Guisborough and Marske have to do it all again in Doncaster in the extra preliminary round after a 1-1 draw

Morning news headlines: UK takes larger role in Iraq, family focus for Government, boat ordeal for Brits

The UK's engagement in Iraq has moved beyond a solely humanitarian one, the Defence Secretary said, as RAF aircraft continued to fly reconnaissance missions to aid the fight against Islamic State extremists.

Michael Fallon told personnel taking part that it was likely to last "weeks and months" as David Cameron declared that British "military prowess" would have to play a part in pushing back the jihadist threat.

The Prime Minister said IS posed a "clear danger" to the UK's domestic security as he made clear the push would involve military and diplomatic efforts alongside ongoing work to help refugees fleeing massacres.

PM accused on class sizes increase

Labour will blame money being diverted to David Cameron's "pet project" free schools for a rise in class sizes that has seen the number of primary pupils being taught in groups of 40 or more treble since 2010.

Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt will highlight the issue in the latest of a string of speeches by shadow cabinet ministers over the summer break seeking to draw attention to key election issues.

He will cite official figures showing 93,665 youngsters in classes of 30-plus - up 200% since the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition took power - with 5,817 of those sharing lessons with at least 49 others and 446 in groups of 70 or more.

PM: Policies must pass families test

All government policies will have to pass a "family friendly" test under plans being set out by David Cameron.

The Prime Minister will use a speech to admit that parents and children are too often overlooked and sometimes left worse off by reforms.

Their interests will from October become one of the formal elements of Whitehall impact assessments - alongside issues such as cost-effectiveness, equality and the environment.

Boat Britons' six-hour swim ordeal

Two Britons were said to be among a group of 10 tourists who had to swim more than six hours to safety after their boat sank in rough seas while travelling between islands in Indonesia, it was reported.

Two people, thought to be Indonesian, remain unaccounted for after the boat carrying 25 people went down as it was sailing between Lombok and the Komodo Islands in eastern Indonesia.

Some survivors managed to get into a lifeboat, while others had to swim three miles to a nearby island, only to find an erupting volcano, the Daily Mail said.

Borneo student death inquest opens

An inquest into the deaths of two medical students stabbed in Borneo is due to be held today.

Neil Dalton, from Ambergate, Derbyshire, and Aidan Brunger, of Kent, were killed after a row in a bar while working at a hospital in Kuching on August 6.

Four local men have admitted the killings, according to Malaysian Police.

Failing hospitals 'are in denial'

Some failing NHS hospitals are "in denial" about the inadequate care and services offered for patients, a top medical watchdog has said.

Chief Inspector of Hospitals Professor Sir Mike Richards, who was installed last year in the wake of the mid-Staffordshire crisis, also said some "have not realised the world has moved on" and that there are "unacceptable" discrepancies in care across the country.

Since May, 10 NHS Foundation Trusts have been rated inadequate overall under a new regime of inspections by the Care Quality Commission, which involves rating a service for safety, effectiveness, responsiveness, care and leadership.

Referendum push into final month

One month today voters in Scotland will go to the polls to say Yes or No to independence from the United Kingdom.

On Thursday September 18 the electorate will be asked to answer the single question "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

It marks almost two years since First Minister Alex Salmond and Prime Minister David Cameron signed the Edinburgh Agreement, confirming the Scottish Parliament's power to hold the historic vote.

Record drop in house asking prices

House-sellers' asking prices fell steeply by 2.9% month on month to £262,401 typically in August as the mood of the market grows calmer in London in particular, website Rightmove has reported.

The dip as sellers adopt a "summer sales" attitude is the largest for the month of August that Rightmove has on its records, which go back more than a decade.

Asking prices in London saw the largest monthly drop across England and Wales, with average prices in the capital standing at £552,783, which is 5.9% lower than in July.

High streets hit as footfall down

Retailers suffered a fourth month in a row of declining footfall in July, with high streets the hardest hit, figures showed today.

The numbers of shoppers who went to stores across the country last month was 0.6% lower than a year ago, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

This figure is an improvement on the 0.7% decline in June but means that retail footfall has not increased since March, when it rose year on year by 1.8%.

Millions wasted on jail remands

Up to £230 million has been spent "needlessly" holding people on remand in custody who eventually avoided jail, a penal reform charity has said.

More than 35,000 people kept on remand in 2013 went on to be either acquitted or be given non-custodial sentences, according to new figures obtained by the Howard League for Penal Reform from the Ministry of Justice through a Freedom of Information request.

Data from both Crown and Magistrates' Courts in England and Wales suggests the total number of people held on remand in 2013 reached 72,877, while in the 12 months to June this year there have been about 11,594 people in prison on remand at any one time.

Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team called to Roseberry Topping twice in under 24 hours

The Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team was called out to Roseberry Topping twice in less than 24 hours.

The team rescued a 65-year-old woman and a seven-year-old schoolboy after they got into difficulties in separate incidents.

The first call, on Friday afternoon, was to the woman, who fell ill near the summit and needed to be airlifted to hospital.

Fortunately a Sea King helicopter was on a practice mission nearby so the woman, from Guisborough, was winched baoard and taken to James Cook University Hospital.

The incident lasted just under an hour and 14 members of the rescue team responded.

Then on Saturday afternoon, Cleveland Police called the mountain rescue team to a seven-year-old boy who had been walking with his father but became “crag-fast” on a steep, shale slope, just a few hundred metres from Friday’s call-out.

The boy’s father felt that attempting self-rescue might make matters worse, so he raised the alarm.

On arrival, the team used appropriate equipment to secure the boy and rope him to safety. Father and son were uninjured and able to make their way back to their car.

A spokesperson for the rescue team said “ We were glad to be of assistance in circumstances which must have been an anxious period for father and son. Clearly the boy’s father made the right call in getting help as quickly as possible.”

Israeli troops target Palestinian suspects

Israeli troops are reported to have raided the homes of three Palestinians suspected to have been involved in the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli settlers, triggering clashes with locals in Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

Sources told Al Jazeera that the homes of two of the suspects were demolished during the raid while the house of the thrid one was sealed with concrete.

The three Israeli settlers, Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel, all teenagers, were found dead in June near Hebron following their abduction.

The suspects whose houses were raided were named by local sources as Amer Abu Aysha, Hossum Qawasmi and Marwan Kawasme

Source: Al Jazeera