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, Thursday 28th 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.

Would It Kill You to Hire More Black Cops? (Yes)

As the story of Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson’s shooting of Michael Brown begins to look less clear-cut than we were led to believe by Brown’s friend, Dorian Johnson, the “voices of oppression” on MSNBC now say the real issue is that there aren’t enough blacks on the Ferguson police force.

As Brown may or may not have said seconds before his death: I give up.

If the Ferguson police are forced to hire more minorities and women for the sake of diversity, the one thing we can be sure of is that more black people will be murdered, raped and assaulted.

Someone’s got to say it, so it might as well be me: I’m against more black people being murdered, raped and assaulted.

In a massive, detailed 2000 study of the effect of court-ordered affirmative action plans on police departments, economist John Lott found that the more minorities on a police force, the higher the rates of murder, manslaughter, violent crime, robbery and aggravated assault will be. Violent crime increased by a minimum of 3.3 percent every year after affirmative action policies went into effect — and the spike in crime was highest in black neighborhoods.

The problem was not with black cops, Lott’s study showed, but rather with the lowering of standards across the board, resulting in less-qualified officers of every race. To get more of MSNBC’s “voices of oppression” on police forces, requirements are reduced for all recruits. (Just as quality declined at MSNBC when “voices of oppression” had to be added to their lineup.)

We end up with cops who are criminals, the Rampart scandal of the 1990s and great movies like “Training Day.”

About a decade into a federal consent decree requiring the Los Angeles Police Department to hire more minority officers, the LAPD’S Rampart division was employing gang members in uniforms.

Training officer Jim Peasha told investigative reporter Jan Golab that he left his unit because of the preposterous recruits being sent to him as a result of affirmative action. “I had some fantastic minority recruits,” Peasha said. “One black kid was the best I ever had.” But he also had “one guy who I knew was on drugs and I couldn’t get him out. He wound up getting caught working as a guard at a rock (cocaine) house. An off-duty cop!”

It was almost as if the LAPD was turning into the public school system.

By the time of the Rampart scandal, two dozen black police officers in Los Angeles were suspected of gang activity. Most were forced out. Four officers were proved to have been engaging in criminal acts — including a bank robbery and an attempted murder. All were black and Hispanic. (Let’s call them “officers of oppression.”)

As a top official with the LAPD told Golab, “This is not an LAPD problem; this is a black problem.”

It was so obvious that affirmative action had led to the Rampart scandal that a “Blue Ribbon” commission specifically denied it. Twice. Using the exact same words. It was the equivalent of calling a press conference to announce that you’re not gay.

This is the irrelevancy printed twice in the commission’s report:

“Personnel Department experts found no instance where a candidate failed to meet the LAPD’s background or psychological standards. Moreover, the experts found no meaningful difference in the application of background and psychological standards to candidates of varying race or ethnicity.”

Wait — no applicants failed? That’s precisely the point! Everyone gets an “A,” every applicant becomes a police officer.

And no one imagined that only the minority officers would be less qualified. As Lott’s study showed, once standards are lowered to ensure “diversity,” standards are lowered for all recruits, resulting in a rainbow coalition of incompetence.

This is exactly how Democrats wrecked the economy with the subprime mortgage crisis. Then-Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo, Sen. Chris Dodd and Rep. Barney Frank bragged about how they were helping minorities get mortgages by forcing banks to adopt ridiculously low lending standards.

But once traditional measures of credit-worthiness were jettisoned, they were jettisoned for everyone. You will notice that the housing market crash was concentrated not in black neighborhoods, but in house-flipping hot spots.

Lott’s study did find some preliminary evidence that increasing the number of black male cops on a police force led to a slight reduction in shootings of civilians — as did having more white male cops. But more white females on a police force increased shootings of civilians. The voices of oppression don’t get to have it both ways.

The main benefit to having black cops shooting civilians is that Al Sharpton gets less air time, which I think we’re all in favor of. Also, when a black cop shoots a civilian, the whole world doesn’t have to stop, as the media go on a bloodhound-search for racism.

In 1999, four New York City police officers shot an unarmed immigrant, Amadou Diallo, after he disregarded their commands and pulled out what looked like a gun. It turned out to be a wallet.

(Diallo didn’t obey the officers because he didn’t speak English. Police work is going to be so exciting in Marco Rubio’s America. “Freeze! Para continuar en Espanol, marque el dos.”)

Just a few months later, a cop in Chicago fatally shot an unarmed civilian, LaTanya Haggerty, a 26-year-old computer programmer, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a car. The officer thought LaTanya had a gun — but that turned out to be a cellphone.

There was no Bruce Springsteen song about LaTanya, no preening by Sen. Bill Bradley on the Senate floor, no 24/7 coverage. The FBI, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the Justice Department didn’t open investigations into LaTanya’s shooting.

You’ve probably never even heard of LaTanya Haggerty — because the officer who shot her was black.

The Diallo cops were prosecuted for murder (and acquitted). The officer in Chicago lost her job. LaTanya Haggerty’s shooting is so little known that in 2008, the Chicago Sun-Times misidentified her as the officer, not the victim, in the shooting.

The only real advantage to compelling the Ferguson police force to adopt affirmative action hiring policies is that the media will be tickled pink with themselves for striking a blow against “racism.” On the other hand, more black people will be murdered, raped and maimed as crime rates rise. I guess it’s really just a matter of priorities.

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Muslim scholar denies any love jihad in India, calls it a divisive stunt by politicos

A Muslim religious and literary scholar has denied reports of their being any ulterior motive behind the issue of ‘Love Jihad’, and brushed it off as a mere political stunt to create divisions within the society.

The discussion over ‘Love Jihad’ was taken up during the Bharatiya Janata Party council meet on Saturday in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

The decision came days after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) launched a campaign against ‘Love Jihad’, which refers to Hindu girls of the state being allegedly converted to Islam after marriage.

Indian Muslim religious and literary scholar, Mukarram Ahmad, said Muslims of this country are neither interfering into others’ religion nor are they are waging a jihad against anybody.

“There is no racket going on. Muslims are not involved in any such matter. Muslims are citizens of this country. They are not waging any jihad or love jihad. Neither they want to interfere into any religion nor do they want to trouble the women of other religions. Muslims do not want all this. There are some miscreants in the society who want to play politics behind the veil of society by indulging into social matters, whose motto is solely elections,” said Ahmad.

However, veteran RSS leader M. G. Vaidya, asked Muslims if they were really secular.

“If a Hindu girl marries a Muslim boy, they rejoice it. But if a Muslim girl marries a Hindu boy, then they react differently. They should think about it when they call themselves secular. If the number of Hindus goes down, it will weaken the nation. There is a majority of Hindus in this country. That is why there is democracy,” said Vaidya.

BJP lawmaker and India’s minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla described it as a social issue, and blamed other political parties for giving it a communal colour.

During Raksha Bandhan, the RSS had started a weeklong campaign in which it appealed to Hindus to support the curbing of ‘Love Jihad’.

They warned Hindu girls to be guarded against such boys who lure them to get converted. It is believed this is done so that the Muslims can spread their religion. (ANI)

Boro face a tough trip to Anfield after being drawn away to Liverpool in the Capital One Cup third round

Boro will travel to last season's Premier League runners-up Liverpool in the third round of the Capital One Cup.

Aitor Karanka's men were drawn against the Premier League giants in tonight's draw.

Due to their European commitments, Liverpool come into the competition in the third round while Boro have already seen off the challenge of Oldham Athletic and Preston to advance.

Liverpool fell at this stage last year, losing 1-0 at Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Boro's neighbours Newcastle United face a tricky trip to Crystal Palace while last year's finalists Sunderland are also involved in an all Premier League third round clash after being drawn at home to Stoke City.

Israeli air strikes kill four in Gaza: Medics

Israel’s massive air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip Tuesday killed four Palestinians, including two electricity workers, medics said.

Gaza health ministry’s spokesperson Ashraf al-Qedra told reporters that an Israeli war jet bombed a car in Gaza city’s neighbourhood of al-Tuffah, killing two people in the vehicle, Xinhua reported.

He also said two Palestinian workers, who worked for the Gaza electricity corporation, were killed when an Israeli war jet missile struck their car in northern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Jabalia.

Earlier Tuesday, 10 Palestinians were injured in separate Israeli air strikes that targeted three houses in southern and eastern Gaza city, and three of them are in critical condition, he added.

Overnight and early Tuesday, the Israeli war jets carried out a series of intensive air strikes all over the Gaza Strip, including another residential tower having 13 storeys in Gaza city’s downtown.

The high-rise, called al-Basha high-rise, which includes offices of dentists, lawyers, media production and journalists was struck early Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the health ministry said the death toll since the beginning of the offensive on the Gaza Strip in July 8 has reached 2,137, while a total of 11,100 were wounded.

(IANS)

Man arrested as part of national child abuse investigation is jailed for more than four years

A man arrested as part of a national investigation into online child abuse has been locked up more than four years.

John Jukes was jailed at Teesside Crown Court today after admitting three counts of voyeurism and 15 counts of making indecent images and videos of four underage girls - some in the most serious category.

The 49-year-old was one of 12 people arrested by Cleveland Police after the force joined 44 others as part of the national Operation Notarise.

The court heard that Jukes, of Bruce Crescent, Hartlepool, had gathered more than 1,000 illegal images and videos - some he made himself through spying, and others he trawled the internet for.

More than 400 of those files were of the most serious Category A, and more than 300 each were at Category B and Category C.

Prosecuting, David Crook had told the court that Jukes had targeted vulnerable girls to make some of the most depraved images.

Ian Hudson, mitigating for his client, said that Jukes had acknowledged his behaviour had been inappropriate - but told probation officers the images and videos were not for his sexual gratification.

But sentencing Jukes, the Recorder of Middlesbrough Simon Bourne-Arton QC said that Jukes’ accounts were “lies” and handed him a 40 month prison sentence for producing one of the Category A images, and two six month sentences for making images of other girls while spying, to run consecutively.

He was given a range of sentences to run concurrently for the other 15 counts.

Jukes was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register, and given an indefinite sexual offences order to keep him away from children.

Operation Notarise was co-ordinated by the National Crime Agency and led Cleveland’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection team officers to people suspected of accessing child abuse images.

Using the codename Operation Excalibur, Cleveland’s officers executed 11 warrants resulting in 12 arrests.

Ninety-three hard drives and 41 mobile phones were recovered.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said the other 11 people arrested in the force’s area are still on bail pending further police inquiries.

Detective Superintendent Rob Donaghy, of Cleveland Police said: “I am pleased with the sentence passed today and hope it acts as a deterrent to anyone considering carrying out similar acts.

We take any report about the sexual abuse of children extremely seriously and any act of online offending or distribution of images will be dealt with robustly.

“I would encourage anyone who is a victim or believes that offences are being committed to contact us.

“Cleveland Police are continuing to proactively investigate those responsible for carrying out these crimes to keep children and those vulnerable in our society safe.”

Theresa May heaps pressure on South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner Shaun Wright over Rotherham child sex abuse report

Theresa May has heaped further pressure on embattled police and crime commissioner Shaun Wright by appearing to join calls for him to quit after a shocking report into child abuse in Rotherham.

Mr Wright was the council cabinet member responsible for children's services in the South Yorkshire town from 2005 to 2010, in the middle of a 16-year period when, according to the report, 1,400 youngsters suffered widescale sexual exploitation including gang rapes, grooming and trafficking.

So far he has resisted pressure for him to leave the post, insisting he had no knowledge of the "industrial scale" of child abuse when he was a Labour councillor in the South Yorkshire town.

Speaking today in Dumfries, Mrs May said it was not her job to select or dismiss police and crime commissioners but appeared to suggest he should heed calls from his own party to go.

She said: "Shaun Wright obviously has had involvement in this, both as his role as a councillor and obviously he's now the police and crime commissioner.

"It's not my job as Home Secretary to hire and fire police and crime commissioners. The whole point of them is that they are elected by the people, so ultimately it is a choice for the electorate.

"But I believe his own party have called for him to resign. I believe he has real questions to answer and I think in the circumstances he should heed those calls."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper added to the pressure on Mr Wright.

She told Sky News: "We have said we think the police and crime commissioner should stand down, just as the leader of the council has done, because 1,400 children were abused and they were let down badly by the authorities.

"But it is not just about people taking responsibility that is important, but it is also about the wider reforms that are needed.

"I don't think you can ever use ethnicity as a reason not to pursue a crime. Any crime has to be vigorously pursued, particularly when it's about the abuse of children. It does appear in some areas that was a factor in Rotherham but we know there are other areas where it hasn't been a factor.

"We know there is child abuse taking place across the country in a terrible way and not enough is being done, not just in Rotherham, but Oxfordshire, in Rochdale, the Jimmy Savile case - too many cases where more needs to be done."

Ms Cooper said the report was "really damning" and showed how young people were betrayed by the system, and called for further reforms to protect children.

Remember When - Stockton International Riverside Festival

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Gallery: Remember When - Stockton International Riverside Festival

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Welcome to our Remember When archive gallery, which looks back at the more recent past the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

This week we take a look back 20 years to the Stockton International Riverside Festival in 1994

Parking charges for disabled at James Cook University Hospital still not in force

Plans to charge disabled people to park at Teesside’s biggest hospital have still not been implemented.

The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough announced in March it was to charge blue badge holders to park for the first time.

But the controversial parking fees have still not come into force at the Marton Road hospital - despite South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirming at the time they would come in on May 1.

“The board agreed in March 2014 to changes to the car parking tariffs at The James Cook University Hospital and Friarage in Northallerton,” said a spokesman for the trust.

“The changes also mentioned about charging disabled drivers, however the ruling on blue badge holders has not yet been implemented.”

Increases of up to 17% in public parking fees were also announced in March. These have come into force.

As reported on Monday, hospital bosses on Teesside are under pressure to axe parking charges for the disabled.

The Department of Health has issued new guidelines to hospitals calling for free or reduced parking for groups including the disabled and frequent hospital visitors.

Relatives of chronically ill patients must also be given free or cheap hospital parking under rules announced by the Government at the weekend.

Those with frequent appointments as well as staff working shifts will also benefit from the shake-up, according to Jeremy Hunt.

The Health Secretary said new guidelines for English hospitals had been drawn up to put an end to the stress of “unfair” charges.

But a spokeswoman for South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said they already offer discounted rates.

“For a number of years, the trust has offered special permits to patients and visitors who regularly attend our hospitals and these offer significantly reduced rates for car parking (current charges are £9.70 for one month and £21.20 for three months). Permits are usually arranged through the ward sister and further details are available on the trust’s website.

“Car parking charges are reviewed every year and we always welcome comments about ways we can improve car parking and take all feedback into consideration.”

Woman admits biting off part of another woman's nose at wake of Guisborough teenager

A woman is in prison awaiting sentence today after she admitted biting part of another woman’s nose off at a wake.

Jodie Marie Rutley admitted the gruesome assault on Wednesday - her 21st birthday - and will be sentenced in October for her “moment of madness”.

She was arrested at the Quoit club on Northgate, Guisborough at the wake of Jordan Dowson, who died aged 19 in a car accident on the Brotton bypass.

Now Rutley has admitted two serious assaults on the same 23-year-old woman.

In the first attack, Rutley bit part of her nose off. In the second, she came back after arming herself with a knife.

The victim suffered serious injuries to her nose and hand in the violence at about 8pm on February 25.

She was rushed away for treatment at Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital.

In May, Rutley pleaded guilty to three of the four charges she faced.

She admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two counts of having an offensive weapon, a knife in each case.

Rutley, of Charltons, Saltburn, still denied one charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent - the nose bite.

She was visibly distressed in the dock as she faced trial on the remaining count today.

After discussions behind the scenes, she pleaded guilty to the assault.

Rutley said the victim of her attacks had bitten her face first - a claim disputed by the prosecution.

She said the other woman grabbed her hair, tried to pull her over a barrier and bit her left cheek after they went to the floor.

Her version of events was set out in a basis of plea, a document partly read to the court.

It stated: “The defendant responded by biting the complainant so hard part of her nose became detached.

“The defendant accepts this was far in excess of what was required to defend herself.”

Sean Grainger, defending, said: “She accepts what she did was far beyond any self-defence.

“She says she was bitten and went too far.”

The judge was shown photographs showing an injury to Rutley “consistent with a bite”.

Prosecutor Sarah Mallett said: “I have spoken to the complainant in this case and she has no recollection whatsoever of biting the defendant.

“She doesn’t think she did.

“She is firmly of the view that she wouldn’t do something like that.

“She is firmly of the view that would remember something like that.”

She said the two women were “at very close quarters” at the time, the victim on her back on the ground with Rutley on top of her.

The only other person who could have been close enough saw the nose being bitten but made no reference to Rutley being bitten by the victim, added Miss Mallett.

She said: “The defendant has pleaded guilty to two counts of Section 18 (assault), the second involving her arming herself with a knife and returning to the scene.”

Rutley had other offences on her record and was previously given a suspended prison sentence by the crown court.

Judge John Walford decided the issue in the biting case made no difference to sentence.

He said: “It couldn’t be that merely because she was bitten she was entitled to bite back.

“It couldn’t justify what the defendant then did.

“It was just a moment of madness, I suppose.”

He adjourned sentencing for pre-sentence and possibly psychiatric reports to be prepared on Rutley.

He told the defendant: “You had the good sense to plead guilty to this charge and that will go in your favour when sentence comes to be passed.

“But you know obviously how serious this is and how seriously the courts will view this offence.”

He remanded Rutley in custody until she learns her fate on October 2.

As she left the dock, Rutley said “love you” to people in the public gallery, to whom she had earlier smiled and waved.

Middlesbrough-born Korean war veteran welcomes dancers to Teesside

A war veteran welcomed Korean dancers to Teesside to thank their nation for its kind hospitality.

Brian Park, 80, read in The Gazette about how the Jung Yoo Yeong dance company, from South Korea, were illuminating Billingham Folklore Festival with their traditional costumes and elegant dance styles.

Having been involved in the Battle of the Hook in 1953, one of the Korean War’s bloodiest battles, Brian, of the Duke of Wellington Regiment, was invited back by the Korean government in 2010.

Through the Korean Veterans’ Association, Brian and a group of other comrades returned to the Far East as guests.

During the stay, Brian, a retired contract pipe fitter, toured Seoul and Incheon, dined with the British Ambassador and posed for a photograph with former Prime Minister John Major.

In return for his treatment, Brian wanted to repay the gesture.

After contacting Billingham festival director Joe Maloney, Brian, from Middlesbrough, along with two fellow war veteran colleagues John Unthank, 80, from Norton, and Malcolm Prince, 80, from Nunthorpe, went to meet the dancers.

Brian said: “I just thought it would be an honourable gesture to officially welcome the South Korean dancers to our part of the world and return the hospitality especially after their nation so humbly greeted us back in 2010.

“The festival has been excellent. There are very few events in the region that attract so many international performers who can entertain local people.

“I was just so grateful to the festival organisers for the opportunity for myself, John and Malcolm to do our little bit in welcoming the dancers to the region.”

During the meeting, one of the dancers told Brian: “I now speak from my heart. Thank you for what you did for our country and I’m sorry for your boys who did not return.”

Supported by Arts Council England, Stockton Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund, this year’s Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance enjoyed 33 world dance events, 20 workshops, three new commissions, two street parades and a fireworks display attended by thousands.

Mr Maloney said: “I was so pleased the festival was able to help Brian and his fellow comrades in their quest to welcome to the South Korean dancers.

“For the past 50 years the folklore festival has always been about creating wonderful memories for people and this year has been no different.

“A combination of the amazing performers who gathered here from all over the world and our ever loyal audiences that ventured out in all weathers, made for a quite superb programme of events. Let us hope we can build on this enthusiasm for next year’s festival.”

Teenager missing for over four days found safe and well in the London area

A teenager who has been missing for over four days has been found.

Nelly Muhigirwa has been found safe and well in the London area, police have confirmed.

The 14-year-old was last seen at around 7am on Saturday morning in the Middlesbrough area.

Officers said it was out-of-character for her to go missing.

Darlington picked as 2015 Rugby World Cup base for holders New Zealand

World champions New Zealand are to be based in Darlington during next year’s Rugby World Cup.

Darlington Mowden Park has been named as an official team base for the All Blacks at rugby’s showpiece event, to be held across England and Wales in September and October 2015.

More than 90 rugby clubs, schools, universities and other centres applied to be named a team base - and Mowden Park was among the 41 successful bids.

That means rugby superstars such as Dan Carter - the highest points scorer in Test match rugby history - will be put through their paces at The Northern Echo Arena during the tournament.

Lee Rust, commercial director at Darlington Mowden Park, said: “We are truly delighted to have been chosen as a team base for the Rugby World Cup.

“This will give not just Mowden Park, but Darlington and the entire North-east, an opportunity to become an integral part of one of the largest sporting events in the world.

“There was an exceptionally detailed and well-organised tender process lasting over a year. To come out with an end result of having New Zealand, the current world champions and arguably the most famous team in rugby history, based in Darlington is something quite special.

“It’s perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The search for team bases was launched in May 2013 and dozens of bids from across the country and Wales were received.

And having Darlington as one of its official team bases is great news for the All Blacks, according to manager Darren Shand.

He said: “The All Blacks are looking forward to coming to England and Wales next year for the World Cup.

“We will be based in London, Cardiff and County Durham at the tournament and, while preparing for our Test matches will be key, we are also looking forward to experiencing the local culture in each of the areas.”

Darlington Mowden Park moved into the former Darlington FC stadium 18 months ago after the football club left following a fans’ takeover.

It has since been transformed into a it has turned into a community venue with two gyms, a children’s creche and several rugby training pitches among its facilities.

The stadium has already held international fixtures and the Premiership 7s competition.

Darlington Mowden Park has produced more than 50 internationals including Toby Flood, Mathew Tait, Craig Newby and England Women’s World Cup-winning captain Katy Mclean.

More US citizens censoring their views on Facebook, Twitter

Washington, August 27:

More and more US residents are censoring their views on Facebook and Twitter especially after the case of National Security Agency (NSA) whistle-blower Edward Snowden and its repercussions, says Pew Research Centre here.

In a survey of 1,801 people, the Pew report found that although nearly 86 percent were “somewhat” willing to discuss the findings with family, friends or work colleagues, only 43 percent said they would discuss the issues on social networking site Facebook.

Only 41 percent of the people were willing to discuss surveillance on the micro-blogging website Twitter.

“It has been well documented that even before the internet a “spiral of silence” descends when people think their opinions are in the minority when compared to those around them and they do not want to speak out if they think they hold unpopular views,” said report’s co-author professor Keith Hampton.

According to the report, 14 percent of Americans who were unwilling to discuss the Snowden revelations offline, just 0.3 percent said they would be willing to join conversations on the topic on social networks instead.

“This kind of self-censoring can mean that important information is never shared. Some had hoped that social media might provide new outlets that encourage more discussion and the exchange of a wider range of opinions. But we see the opposite – a spiral of silence exists online, too,” Hampton noted.

The social media users were less likely to join offline conversations if they felt that their views were out of step with their online friends and followers, the survey added.

“This suggests a spiral of silence might spill over from online contexts to in-person contexts,” it added

Yogi Adityanath asks supporters to convert 100 Muslims for 1 Hindu girl

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is alleging that a particular community is indulging in ‘Love Jihad’ but its MP Yogi Adityanath was caught on camera asking his supports to marry girls of other community to set the records straight.

“Last time, the order of an Uttar Pradesh High Court really worried me. The high court had issued an order wherein it was asked why Hindu girls are opting for Muslim men. The court requested for this to be investigated.

The UP government could not take a decision on this. A youth from Gorakhpur challenged the court order. In his appeal, he mentioned that in Gorakhpur, Muslim girls marry into Hindu families. We have accepted this custom. If someone is ready to become a Hindu, we will accept this and we will cleanse the person. This will lead to the formation of a new caste.

“We have decided that if they convert one Hindu girl, we will convert 100 Muslim girls,” the lawmaker from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh can be seen stating in the undated video.

As the video was aired by an English news channel, the opposition started accusing the saffron brigade of creating communal atmosphere in the country.

Picture gallery: Boro fans at the Riverside for the cup win over Preston

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Gallery: Boro fans at the Preston North End game

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Boro fans were all smiles as they left the Riverside on Tuesday night following a convincing second half display which saw their side advance in the Capital One Cup.

A crowd of 10,727 watched on as Boro beat League One Preston 3-1, with all the goals coming in the second period.

It was exactly what the home supporters were hoping for following a disappointing afternoon at the Riverside on Saturday.

Were you at the cup game last night? Have a look through our picture gallery of fans and keep an eye out for yourself or your mates in the stands.

Matt Damon performs Ice Bucket Challenge with toilet water

Matt Damon has performed the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by pouring a bucket of toilet water over himself.

In the video, the ‘Good Will Hunting’ star, who is the co-founder of a water charity called Water.org, revealed that he used toilet water for the task as there are about 800 million people in the world who don’t have access to clean water, so the idea of it “seemed a little crazy”, Contactmusic reported.

The ‘Bourne Identity’ star, who was challenged by Ben Affleck, said that he decided to use toilet water to highlight the importance of sanitation and the scarcity of safe drinking water across the globe.

Damon has nominated George Clooney, Bono and American footballer Tom Brady, to take the challenge.

Inquest into death of grandmother bitten by police dog is opened and adjourned

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Gallery: Dog bite incident in Penrith Road, Park End

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The inquest into the death of a grandmother who was bitten by a police dog in Middlesbrough has been opened.

Irene Collins died in hospital in July days after the 73-year-old was bitten by a German Shepherd.

The dog, which is now due to be put down, was in her Park End home while police were searching for a suspect during a drugs operation.

Ms Collins suffered injuries to her arm and leg in the incident after she allowed police into the garden of her Penrith Road home.

Following her death, Cleveland Police said it was “deeply saddened”.

A family spokesman also issued a statement in which they thanked people “for their kind messages.”

“We are devastated,” they added.

The teenager at the centre of the hunt during which Ms Collins was bitten was later arrested and charged.

Mohammed Zakwan Rashid, 18, of Syke Lane, Scarcroft, Leeds, appeared at Teesside Crown Court earlier this month where he admitted three charges - being concerned in the supply of 1.5kg of heroin, dangerous driving and a charge of concealment of criminal property in his motor vehicle - more than £14,000 in cash.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on September 3.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission’s investigation into the incident is continuing and the dog will not be put down until this has concluded.

A force spokeswoman said: “A decision has been made by Cleveland Police that the police dog involved in the incident at Penrith Road on July 16 should be put down.

“As the IPCC investigation is continuing, it is appropriate to wait until all enquiries relating to the dog have been concluded prior to this action being taken.”

The inquest into Ms Collins’ death was opened an adjourned at Teesside Coroners Court on August 7.

Remember When - The British Steel Gala

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Gallery: Remember When - The British Steel Gala

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Welcome to our Remember When archive gallery, which looks back at the more recent past the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

This week we take a look back at the British Steel Gala, one of the highlights of the summer in the Redcar area

No hesitation in saying that idea of pluralism under attack with new government in Delhi: Prof Mushirul Hassan

Prof Mushirul Hassan was delivering a lecture on “Partner in Freedom: The Story of Jamia Millia Islamia” which can be termed as his “home coming” after he left the University unceremoniously.

By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: Renowned Historian Professor Mushirul Hassan believes that the very idea of India and its pluralism is under attack with the coming of the Narendra Modi led BJP Government at the Center, but added that instead of losing heart, we should defend the plural, secular fabric of the country.

Prof Hassan was delivering a lecture at Jamia Millia Islamia on “Partners in Freedom: The Story of Jamia Millia Islamia” on Tuesday. He minced no words as he said, “I have no hesitation in saying that the ideas of pluralism are under attack with the new government in Delhi,” and continued that there is “serious trouble” and it needs to be recognized that there is an “attack on the very idea of India, its plurality, tolerance.” He added that we must defend the country not as Muslim or Hindu, but united as an Indian.

Prof Mushirul Hassan speaking at Jamia

Professor Hassan had taken voluntary retirement last year, after his differences with the administration when he alleged harassment and humiliation. His arrival to the campus after almost 10 months was thus a sort of “home coming” and he acknowledged that he was happy to be back.

He spoke on the role of Jamia Millia Islamia in the freedom struggle which began in the wake of the Non-Cooperation – Khilafat Movement in 1920. The lecture was based on a Coffee Table book that he had co-authored with Rakshanda Jaleel in 2006.

Pointing that in 1920s two contradicting ideologies had become popular in the country – on one hand Mahatama Gandhi and his ideas of inclusive, harmonious society had become very popular as it had found support both among the educated elites and rural populace; but around same time there was also a rise of Muslim nationalism led by Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League (and Hindu nationalism led by Hindu Maha Sabha).

Prof Hassan pointed out that as a student of History we should not always judge an event but study and assesses it rather than out rightly rejecting it. He said that the Muslims of the period were faced with “enormous intellectual challenge between two contradicting ideologies,” and Jamia Millia Islamia, which would literally mean “National Muslim University”, was born in such a context.

Detailing the role of founders and patrons of Jamia, including Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Hamid Ansari, Mohammad Mujeeb, Dr Zakir Hussain, among others and also the support extended by Mahatama Gandhi, he said, “Jamia has always stood for quintessentially nationalistic ideas” and they promoted the concept of “composite nationalism.”

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Hopeless state of Syrian refugees: Henriette Johansen

The steps you have to climb to reach the Syrian women’s workshop are narrow and crammed with people politely edging their way around each other. Women and children flock around the first floor’s Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) facilities, desperate to see a doctor or continue upstairs for other NGOs in search of social workers, distressed by their precarious limbo. Shatila, a refuge meant to resemble a “longer-term” humanitarian shelter for Lebanese Palestinian refugees, is in many ways a place where Palestinians and Syrians have come to merely “exist”, rather than live.

In the school next door, waiting for the translator, I see a child, quickly moving past me, smiling, with only one leg to support himself. Many Syrians in the camp suffer from war injuries or accidents. Minutes later, the door to the school office opens and a woman appears. She has come for assistance, terrified for the fate of her children as her husband beat them brutally. I was later told that these are daily sights for schools in Shatila.

Fleeing the once-beautiful country of Syria, most people have faced displacement for years before ending up in Shatila. Challenged by the appalling living conditions here, where the Lebanese winter drought is felt the hardest and electricity is sparse. Their life completely transforms to being loosely held together by an intricate but fragile web of informal social and economic systems. Housing many newcomers, people grow increasingly desperate as the facilities of Shatila are now under more pressurise than ever

Zadia, a Syrian mother of four, left the anti-government town of Akra as the missiles were getting too close. “I fled without my husband, who had to leave me a month earlier because the government came to the area to recruit men for the army,” she says. “My sisters, brothers and cousins are now stuck in Syria because they worked for the government and quit, so they can’t cross the border. I don’t know where they are!”

Rana, a Sunni woman from a Shia-dominated suburb of Damascus, explained to me how the constant displacement has disrupted her life and made her miserable. Three years ago, she started her move from relative to relative, through Syria, in areas thought to be able to secure her safety for a few days at a time. “I used to think it would be safer, but now looking back; for five months my situation just went from bad to worse. It was difficult for me to get gas, water and fuel,” she says.

“My situation was ugly, every time I had to start over again; re-enrolling my four kids in schools every three weeks.” Finally, she decided to move to Lebanon; unaware of what the road ahead held in store for her. When Rana fled Syria, she faced a lot of problems at the checkpoints. “Being from Daraa [where the revolution started] the passport gave us problems; at the checkpoints they would look down at us; as if we were the cause of this trouble.” The army took her IDs at the checkpoints to “review them” as the government needed to make sure they were not ‘associated’ with rebels.

“Now we all live in one room with a joining one we name a ‘kitchen’, but it is nothing like a kitchen.” All the money she has is spent on paying the rent; none is left to buy clothes or any extra support for her children.

Nadia, a Syrian mother of six was stopped for hours at every checkpoint on her journey here. Her son was 16 years old at that time and as such, was supposed to do his military service. The family is also from Daraa, which caused additional suspicion and brought about more questions about their “associations”. Nadia could never tell the army she was going leaving Syria, because they would never let her flee. “Even at the border checkpoint; the Lebanese army made us wait for at least five hours before crossing,” she says.

Many people experience discrimination, especially from informal and formal authorities such as landlords. This normally manifests itself in acts of asking for rent in advance; or pushing or threatening them out of their accommodation. “Discrimination is normalised,” Rana explains. The other day the man responsible for running water came to her house and asked for money in advance, when she refused to pay, he replied: “You Syrians are always unreliable.”

“I’m angry,” Nadia, another Syrian woman says. I met Nadia in the workshop; she looked at me with an intense stare. “There is no protection for us – no rights!” She continues: “I live in Nabatieh [town in Southern Lebanon] we are not safe and want to leave, but [there is] nowhere to go and claim this right of protection,” she explains.

On Sunday, Nadia went to Ramlet Al-Baida, a public beach in Beirut’s poor southern suburbs, so her children could play and was approached by about 15 young Lebanese men. “They looked at us and asked in a degrading way whether we were Syrian, because – as they said – we don’t like Syrians here.” As she left the site she saw a Syrian man being brutally beaten up by the same group. “I took out my phone to film it, but they took the phone. Today I heard that he died from the beatings; I saw this in front of my eyes!”

Nadia recounts how a Lebanese woman driving her car through the camp stopped suddenly as a crowd of people were walking behind her. “When I asked her why; she said to ‘let the cows pass first’,” Nadia says, looking at me with disbelief. “Every day we experience this! We get it [discrimination] from both from Lebanese and Palestinian-Lebanese.”

Nadia’s husband recently lost his job and, with six children, she says: “There is no future, we have no money.”

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Kingston Road residents 'being set up for entertainment purposes', warns their MP

The residents of Kingston Road in Stockton “are being set up for entertainment purposes only”, warned their MP today.

Alex Cunningham claims he has been misled by the producers of Benefits Street and fears the show’s participants will be also.

“I want to make them aware that they are being set up,” the Labour MP for Stockton North told the Gazette.

Mr Cunningham is due to meet with Love Productions, filming the series for Channel 4, next week in Westminster.

But the meeting could be a frosty one.

The MP claims the production company said months ago they would contact him once a location had been decided on, after he got wind they were scouting in Stockton.

“They broke that promise,” he said.

Even last week, after filming had already begun on Kingston Road, the MP said Love Productions still “refused to tell me or confirm where it was going to be”.

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Gallery: Benefit Street continues to be recorded in Kingston Road in Stockton

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“I phoned them back and said ‘I know where it is’ and they haven’t returned any of my calls,” he said.

“How can the people of Tilery trust their word and promises when they can’t even keep their promise to an MP?

“I want to make sure residents understand exactly what they have got themselves into. They are being set up for entertainment purposes only.

“Love Productions should get out of the town.”

Love Productions spoke to The Gazette at length last week ahead of us revealing that the second series was being filmed in Kingston Road on the Tilery estate.

Kieran Smith, creative director for factual at Love Productions, said the show was not exploitative but was rather about giving a voice to a community without one.

Youngsters show enthusiasm in spades for sandcastle building at Skinningrove

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Sandcastle building on Cattersty Sands beach in Skinningrove.

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When it came to enthusiasm for making a massive sandcastle, these youngsters had it in spades.

Cattersty Sands at Skinningrove is a beautiful, sandy beach with various sites of archaeological interest dotted around and about.

And as part of a programme of summer holiday events drawn up by the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum, creative youngsters converged on the beach to show off their sandcastle-making skills.

The idea was to make the biggest sandcastle ever seen on Cattersty Sands.

Whether they succeeded or not is open to question - but they certainly had fun trying!

The sandcastle build was the penultimate event in the museum’s biggest ever summer activities programme.

After enrolling as members of the Skinningrove Iron Valley Club, the intrepid youngsters could take part in a selection of events throughout the summer holidays, including family rockpooling, mini-beasting and a fossil roadshow.

Week-long playschemes were also arranged.

Redcar woman celebrates 90th birthday at Redcar Beacon Bingo club

Four games a week, for more than 35 years - who knows how much bingo mad Vera Laird has spent, or won, indulging her passion.

But as she has been going to the Redcar Beacon Bingo club since it opened in 1979, Vera has became part of the furniture - so much so that the Redcar woman celebrated her milestone 90th birthday with family, friends and staff there on Monday.

Vera has seen a few changes in her time visiting the bingo hall, on Esplanade but she still likes to use a traditional felt pin and paper bingo strip, as opposed to the electronic boards.

Amazingly, she is estimated to have played a remarkable 140,000 games over the decades.

Vera, who has lived in Redcar for 43 years after moving with her late husband Richard from North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, said: “I love it here. I am used to coming and it’s the only place I really get out to.

“I have carers at home, and I don’t get around without a chair, so I look forward to my four nights a week here.

“The staff are brilliant with me and I enjoy coming, I have a lot of friends here. I play for fun, definitely not for the winnings!”

Staff bought Vera a cake, flowers and cards to celebrate her 90th birthday.

After the party, Vera said: “It has been a wonderful evening and I am over the moon to have had my family and friends at Beacon Bingo with me to help celebrate.”

Her impressive bingo record prompted Beacon Bingo’s assistant manager Dot Wood, who has worked at the venue for as long as Vera has visited, to throw a well-deserved party in her honour.

Dot said: “As soon as we knew it was Vera’s 90th birthday we didn’t hesitate to get something planned for her. It was a great night and I know Vera enjoyed every bit of it.

“She received flowers, cards, and a handmade cake from our customers. It really was a special night for a special lady.

“The nature of the bingo means that people are able to come along for the social aspect as well as the game, and that’s why our customers are such good friends. It is so important that we celebrate people like Vera and it was great to see everyone there to help us do it.”

Kingston Road residents warned featuring in Benefits Street could reduce value of their homes

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Houses for sale on James Turner Street aka Benefit Street

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Families set to “star” in the second series of Benefits Street have been warned the show could hit them in the pocket.

The alert came from a resident of Winson Green’s James Turner Street - the Birmingham location for the programme’s first series.

The Gazette revealed yesterday that camera crews were filming the second series of the controversial show in Kingston Road in Stockton's Tilery estate.

You can read more about the street itself here.

The retired school cook, who has lived in James Turner Street since she was just ten days old, said the show had wiped thousands from the value of her home.

And the woman, who would not be named, urged families in Kingston Road in Stockton, to be wary of the Benefits Street cameras.

“I would urge them not to be fools,” she said.

“It (the Birmingham series) wasn’t originally anything to do with benefits.

“We lost £20,000 in a couple of days off this property.”

Country Valley Foods: Funding success could lead to a sizzling summer

A North East catering butcher and wholesale food company is counting on a sizzling summer after securing business support funding for a marketing push.

Darlington based Country Valley Foods, is hoping that door-to-door deliveries of their fresh, locally sourced meat will rise following a major overhaul to their website.

The company, which employs 114 across the group, has financed the project with some help from the North East Business Support Fund (NEBSF), a service administered by Government-approved North East enterprise agency NBSL.

The service provides funding of up to 40% on a project worth as much as £3,500.

It’s allowed Country Valley Foods to invest in better web functionality including search engine optimisation, blog, email marketing and a popular competitions section.

The family-run business, which has been providing high quality fresh meat to the catering industry for more than 40 years, has seen sales across the UK increase following the launch of its fresh meat delivery website last year.

But the business is keen to ensure people in the North-east get the best deals and is offering incentives designed to boost local sales.

Joint managing director, James Munro, whose father Stewart founded the company in 1971, said the website had added a new dimension to the company’s offer, opening up new national markets - but growing the North-east customer base is the real priority.

Country Valley operates a network of refrigerated vehicles delivering to its catering and retail customers up to six days a week, and claims local website deliveries are a good fit.

James said: “We’ve grown significantly over the years, and this is down to the strong reputation we have established with restaurants, hotels, retail butchers and caterers right across the region.

“We’re extremely proud of that, and we now want to make sure that everyone – not just catering & retail customers – can get access to locally sourced, restaurant-quality meat – particularly here in the North-east.

“Our e-commerce website has been hugely beneficial, making it really easy for consumers to place their orders online. “There’s huge demand for high quality, locally sourced meat, and the site has allowed us to really tap into that.”

“The process of accessing support from the NEBSF was simple and straightforward. Many people are put off by the arduous paperwork normally associated with funding, but it was really easy to get the support.”

Jonathan Barnes, North East business support adviser, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to help [Country Valley Foods] with funding from the NEBSF.

“We’ve helped hundreds of businesses to undertake projects that have unlocked growth and there is still plenty of funding available for companies that – like Country Valley Foods – would like to realise their potential and grow.”

The company has two facilities in the region, with its head office, cutting plant and website operation in Darlington.

The company’s other site in Billingham serves retail butchers, education and healthcare providers, and other caterers with dry, chilled, frozen, and tinned goods.

The Country Valley Foods Group also acquired retail butcher, Newboulds in 2007. Newboulds was established in 1856 and has seven branches around the Tees Valley, and a home delivery website.

CPI's innovation centre to look at 'wonder material' products

Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has invested £30m in its NETPark asset base so far - and will spend almost the same again in the next two years.

New facilities in the pipeline include a £14m Graphene Applications Innovation Centre, which will allow companies to test the commercial viability of products and processes based on ‘wonder material’ graphene.

Teesside is also set to house a £14.4m Formulation Innovation Centre, to help firms exploit the commercial potential of complex formulated products used in household goods.

CPI has secured £7.4m from the Government-backed Local Growth Fund to get the venture off the ground. An additional £7m will be raised through match funding from industry.

CPI, which celebrated its tenth birthday this year, employs around 250 staff at bases including its Wilton headquarters, Darlington and Sedgefield’s NETPark.

It’s a key part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult - the Government’s answer to the recently developed financial and technical ‘risk-aversion’ in bringing innovation to market in the UK, according to its chief executive Dick Elsy.

The HVMC is designed to reduce the risks for companies, enabling them to add value to the UK’s economy through high-end manufacturing capability.

The Formulation Innovation Centre will also be based at NETPark. It will provide facilities and expertise to help companies to develop, prototype and scale up new formulated products, which are used in paints, detergent powders, adhesives, lubricants, cosmetic creams and gels.

It is part of the National Formulation Centre currently being developed by the Knowledge Transfer Network and CPI.

The investment will enable companies to tap into the high-growth global formulated products market, estimated to be worth around £1,000 billion.

The two centres are set to fuel expansion at CPI, which intends to grow turnover from £17m to £25m and staff numbers from almost 250 to 300.

But the impact of both schemes will be felt across Teesside and beyond, with the potential to create hundreds of jobs and generate millions of pounds for the local economy.

Nigel Perry, chief executive officer at CPI, said: “On the graphene project the funds will provide equipment and resources that will allow us to explore the electronic properties of the material.

“That will be important in determining which applications of the material will be commercially successful and over what timescale.

“The Formulation Innovation Centre will support the development of new innovative process technologies and manufacturing routes. It will help SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) as well as large companies.

“Both schemes will allow companies to test the commercial benefits of applications of their products. This will reduce risk and potentially save companies time and money in the long run.”

The graphene and formulated products centres are among many schemes pioneered by CPI, which is already pressing ahead with a £20m biologics factory at Central Park in Darlington.

Expected to be open in 2017, the new facility will be based on the same site as CPI’s £38m National Biologics Manufacturing Centre and is designed to strengthen the UK’s position in the global life sciences market.

CPI is one of seven technology and innovation centres under the HVMC, established and overseen by the Technology Strategy Board, with more than £200m of government investment.

Morning news headlines: Shock as report into Rotherham sex abuse in revealed, downsized Nato 'can't fight Russia'

SHOCK AS TOWN SEX ABUSE REVEALED

Britain's approach to tackling child abuse is under fresh scrutiny after a shocking report found 1,400 youngsters in a town suffered sexual exploitation in a 16-year period.

Rotherham Council leader Roger Stone resigned yesterday following the publication of a shocking report which detailed gang rapes, grooming, trafficking and other sexual exploitation on a wide scale in the South Yorkshire town.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The failings of local agencies exposed by this inquiry are appalling."

DOWNSIZED NATO 'CAN'T FIGHT RUSSIA'

Western Europe would not be able to defend itself against Russian intervention because of the progressive dismantling of military capability, one of Britain's most senior generals has warned.

General Sir Richard Shirreff, who stepped down from his post as Nato deputy supreme commander earlier this year, also insisted nothing should be ruled out in the fight against Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.

In a wide-ranging interview with BBC's Newsnight, he called on Nato to rearm if it was serious about defending itself in the future.

EBOLA BRITON GETS EXPERIMENTAL DRUG

Doctors will continue to monitor the effects of an experimental drug on Britain's first confirmed Ebola patient, with the next few days described as "crucial".

Doctors caring for William Pooley at the Royal Free Hospital in north London said he had been given ZMapp, which has been dubbed by some as the "cure" after two aid US workers were successfully treated for Ebola after taking it

Describing him as a "resilient and remarkable young man", medics said he was sitting up, reading and chatting to staff.

KATE HITS SPOT - BUT NOT HEIGHTS

Kate Bush has made a sensational return to the concert stage - 35 years after her last, and only, tour.

At 56, she may no longer be able to hit the high notes of her teenage years and she might have cut back on the dancing, but she still has the trademark long dark hair, and she still knows how to put on a show.

Bush was kicking off her Before The Dawn "tour" - 22 shows at the Hammersmith Apollo in west London, the venue where she effectively retired from live performances after six weeks on the road in 1979.

CASH DIVERTED TO FUND SCHOOL PLACES

Councils have been forced to cut back on school repairs, building projects and to borrow money to plug a £1 billion black hole in funding for school places, it has been claimed.

More than three quarters of authorities in England say they have not received enough money from the Government to create the extra school places needed in their area in a five-year period to 2016/17, according to a poll by the Local Government Association (LGA).

It warned that local councils are facing a challenge in creating places on time and in the right areas at a time when they are also short of cash to do so.

DARLING AND BROWN REUNITE TO SAY NO

Alistair Darling will be reunited with former prime minister Gordon Brown today as the two men join forces to campaign to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom.

Mr Darling, leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign, served as chancellor when Mr Brown was in charge at 10 Downing Street.

With ballots already being sent out to the hundreds of thousands of Scots who have asked to vote by post in the September 18 referendum, the two will speak out at a special rally aimed at this section of the electorate.

COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS CLERK FURORE

An influential committee of MPs will meet next week to discuss whether to call in the Speaker's recommended candidate for the post of Commons clerk to answer questions.

Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the public administration select committee, has confirmed a meeting will be held on Monday at which members will decide whether to hold a pre-appointment hearing.

The Tory MP for Harwich and North Essex said: "The committee has decided nothing formally until we meet.

GREEN DEAL ADVERT 'MISLEADING'

An advert for the Government's Green Deal misled householders by implying that energy savings were guaranteed under the scheme, the advertising watchdog has ruled.

The television ad and an advertorial in the national press also failed to make it clear that consumers could be charged an assessment fee, and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) did not provide sufficient evidence to prove that average property prices increased by 14% - and 38% in some areas - under the initiative, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said.

The TV ad featured presenter Oliver Heath knocking on a man's door and looking around his house while a voice-over said: "We'd all like to keep our homes warm and save money on energy bills this winter, but how can you find out if your insulation is thick enough to keep the heat in, or whether a new boiler could save you hundreds of pounds a year?"

ASSESSMENTS FOR OVERSEAS NURSES

Nurses and midwives who completed their training outside Europe are to face new assessments of their eligibility to work in the UK, it was announced today.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said the new registration system, to be introduced this autumn, will ensure that the hundreds of nurses and midwives who trained overseas and wish to practise in the UK are assessed in a robust and objective way, in order to protect the public.

Nearly 5,000 people who trained outside the European Economic Area have registered with the NMC over the last five years. The majority of nurses and midwives who trained overseas come from India, the Philippines or Australia.

CIVIL PARTNERSHIP CONVERSION PLEA

A couple campaigning for a change to the rules governing the conversion of civil partnerships into full marriages are presenting a petition to the minister responsible for equal marriage today.

Jakki and Sheila Livesey-van Dorst will present the 38,000-strong petition to Nick Boles today in the hope it will help influence changes to the regulations that apply to those wishing to convert their civil partnerships into marriages.

After laws enabling same-sex marriage in England and Wales were passed last year, couples are to be allowed to convert their partnership into a marriage from December this year.