New Jersey mother sets baby afire in residential street

A woman has set her newborn baby on fire in the middle of a street in the US state of New Jersey authorities say.

The woman, identified as 22-year-old Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier, was charged with murder on Saturday, according to Burlington County prosecutors.

The mother who is from Pemberton Township has been jailed on a $500,000 bail.

Late on Friday, police received a report about a fire in the middle of a residential road in the township, about 30 miles east of Philadelphia.

The baby was still alive when the cops arrived at the scene and flew it to a hospital and died around two hours later, according to Joel Bewley, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

Bewley added that the authorities believe the mother doused the baby with some kind of accelerant before setting her on fire.

An autopsy was set to be performed in order to determine the cause of death while the details of the baby’s birth were still being investigated.

A witness told The Burlington County Times he saw a young woman get out of a car to set something on fire. He added that the woman told him she was burning dog waste.

“It was just mind-boggling,” said the witness, identified as Dave Joseph. “It was a nightmare even if you have a strong heart.”

NT/NT

Houthis say they ‘detained’ Yemeni president’s aide

Yemen’s Shia Houthi movement on Saturday said it had detained the director of the office of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi earlier in the day and said it was “forced” to do so.

A group of vigilantes affiliated with the Houthis said in a statement that they had to detain Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak to “sabotage any attempts to renege on a peace and partnership agreement” reached among Yemen’s political forces and the presidency on Sept. 21 of 2014.

The deal, signed only hours before the Houthi militants controlled capital Sanaa, called on the Houthis to pull their militants out of the city.

Nevertheless, the Houthis extended their control in Sanaa and to other provinces across Yemen, pitting themselves against Sunni tribes and Al-Qaeda, which is said to be also powerful in Yemen.

The Houthi vigilantes said in their statement, which was read out on the Houthi Al-Masirah Channel that they would take special measures until what it described as Yemen’s “despotic powers” suspend their “crimes” against the Yemeni people.

It called on Hadi to stop offering cover or “corruption” and “despotism.”

Earlier on Saturday, unidentified gunmen detained Bin Mubarak on one of Sanaa streets, a security source told Anadolu Agency.

He added that Bin Mubarak was heading to the presidential palace to attend a ceremony marking the issuance of a new draft constitution when the gunmen forced him to go with them.

Houthis have turned into a significant political and military power in Yemen in September when they occupied capital Sanaa and then moved to extend their control to other Yemeni provinces.

Yemen in general has been suffering growing instability since 2011 when a popular uprising ousted longstanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh a year later

Murders, Not Suicides: What really happened at the Guantanamo

What really happened at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility on the night of June 9, 2006?

According to the US government, three detainees — all imprisoned as part of the global war on terror — hung themselves in their cells that night. But Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Hickman, who was on guard that night at Camp Delta, came to believe something very different: that the three men were murdered in a secret CIA black site at Guantanamo.

In this excerpt, Hickman lays out his case for why it would have been impossible for the three detainees to have killed themselves as the government claimed — and why they may have been targeted for death.

Watch the full interview

Watch “Guantanamo: Black Out Bay”

Read “Evil Sponge Bob and Satan: Inside a Guantanamo Bay Prison Riot”

Read “How Guantanamo Became America’s Interrogation ‘Battle Lab'”

Picture gallery: Boro fans at the Riverside for the win against Huddersfield

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Chris was appointed editor of the Gazette in January 2012. He is also a former Gazette news editor. Chris has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and has previously worked in senior positions in Newcastle, Exeter and Nottingham.

US, Britain toeing Israel’s line

The United States and Britain have been voicing more aggressive positions against what President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron have described as “Islamist extremists”.

However, many believe Obama and Cameron’s latest position has clearly revealed the hypocrisy of both countries in dealing with the issue of terrorism, specifically given that both the US and Britain face accusations of supporting terrorism.

Dr. James B. Thring, a London-based political analyst, has told Press TV that the US and Britain are toeing the line of Israel by getting themselves involved in a string of conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa.

“They don’t really understand who they are backing,” Thring said referring to the US and Britain. “I think they have been… told what to do by people who do understand what’s going on and have an agenda.”

He said Israel is pulling the strings of the US and Britain – as two “very important” Security Council members – to try to change the attitude of people towards Islam and make it look like “as if it’s a kind of mad extremist organization.”

“They (the West) say that the Muslims are attacking way of life which of course does not make sense when you think about it. Anyway, but it certainly isn’t true,” he said.

Thring said there is an inclination in the West to demonize Islam, but questioned why this is happening.

“The answer is clearly set out in a document called Rebuilding America’s Defenses by Rabbi Dov Zakheim, Paul Wolfowitz and many other neo-cons on Capitol Hill,” he said, adding that the documents mentions military actions to topple governments in several Middle Eastern countries as an ultimate goal of American leaders.

JAS/AA

Recap: Boro v Huddersfield at the Riverside Stadium

Adam Clayton returns from a one-match ban to face former club Huddersfield Town at the Riverside.

Boro start the day in fourth place in the Championship, three points behind third-place Ipswich and four off the automatic promotion places.

Huddersfield, sitting in fifteenth place, come into the match on the back of a 3-1 win over sixth place Watford and Jacob Butterfield will be looking to make an impact against his former club.

Boro 2 Huddersfield 0: Full-time match report

CLICK STATS TAB ABOVE FOR MATCH OVERVIEW (desktop website only)

A last gasp breakaway goal sealed what was a nervous 2-0 Riverside win for Boro – but they all count.

Boro dominated the first half and created chances but could not profit then looked to have done enough when Lee Tomlin slammed home a sizzler on the hour.

But then Boro got the jitters and started to creak at the back and as Huddersfield sensed a way back Nakhi Wells twice brought excellent saves from Dimi Konstantopoulos and hit the post.

But despite a nervous finish Boro broke away from defending a stoppage time corner with even the visiting keeper up and Tomlin raced clear to slot in his second.

Boro made three changes from the side that drew 0-0 at Reading. Adam Clayton returned from a ban in place of Dean Whitehead to face his former team while up front Lee Tomlin and Kike came in for Adam Reach and Jelle Vossen.

There was a confident start for Boro as they swept the ball around neatly, retaining possession and passing and probing with intent.

They almost broke through on four minutes as a move down the left found Tomlin who turned and slotted a ball into the box towards Kike but it was cut out by a stretching leg.

And on six minutes Boro almost had an opener as Clayton pushed a lose ball into the path of Kike 25 yards out and he stepped over a Hudson challenge then drilled in a low shot that beat the diving keeper but cannoned back off the far post.

Then they won a corner but when it was half scrambled clear Adomah collected and pushed it back inside for Patrick Bamford to blaze high over.

Boro went close again on 10 minutes as a perceptive through ball from Grant Leadbitter sent Bamford down the inside left channel into the box where he held off a defender but under pressure from the advancing keeper he was forced wide and his angled shot flew behind.

Huddersfield made their first tentative probe on 13 minutes as Wells chased a ball into the box but Kalas arrived with s uperb sliding tackle to put it behind then when former Boro man Jacob Butterfield swung in the corner it was easily cleared.

On 14 minutes Ben Gibson was booked for a foul on Wells near the half-way line.

Boro had a strong shout for a penalty on 17 minutes as Adomah was brought down by Lynch as he turned in the box but the ref waved play on – then the loose ball feel to Bamford and his stinging shot was charged down by Coady leaving players and fans demanding a penalty for a second time.

And a minute later Boro went close again as they won a corner on the right and when Ayala flicked on Leadbitter's ball in Bamford header grazed the outside of the post.

There was a hold-up as Vaughan went down heavily under a high challenge from Kalas and after treatment he limped off on 24 minutes to be replaced by Gobern.

Boro went close again soon after as Kike headed over from a corner awarded after some tigerish work by Bamford.

Tomlin won a free-kick 35 yards out on the half-hour and when it sailed to the far side George Friend nodded it back across the box but it was scrambled away.

Boro had a great chance on 32 minutes as a quick break took Tomlin to the edge of the box but with Adomah over-lapping on his left a lax ball was easily cut out.

And they threatened on 36 minutes as Leadbitter slotted a subtle free-kick wide of the crowd for Kike to peel off and collect then fire a low ball across the face of goal but Bamford's attempted stab goalwards was blocked.

There was a loud round of applause on 36 minutes in memory of Craig ' Spuggy' Starling who dies recently.

Boro piled on the pressure on 41 minutes as a Leadbitter free-kick was hooked away then when it was put back into the crowd by Friend it sparked a scramble and when it was half cleared by Gobern it fell to Clayton 25 yards out but his shot screamed high over.

Then just before the break Kike wriggled into the box and slotted to Bamford who got to the byline and cut the ball back and when a defender flicked it to the edge of the box Kalas thumped over.

But Huddersfield broke out deep in stoppage time as Wells chased a long ball then tricked and turned to get into the box before Kalas came sliding in to turn his shot behind.

HALF-TIME: BORO 0 HUDDERSFIELD 0

At the break Huddersfield put Peltier on for Teessider Jonathon Hogg.

Boro almost got the opener within two minutes of the restart as Friend drilled a ball down the inside left channel and Kike deftly back-heeled into the path of Tomlin who sent a shot sizzling a fraction over from 25 yards.

Tempers threatened to boil over on 51 minutes as Ayala cleared a ball ahead from Wells and the Town man barged the defender sparking a melee on the pitch while coach Steve Agnew and the visiting boss Chris Powell also had a heated exchange.

Huddersfield won a corner on 55 minutes after some sloppy play by Friend then when it was only half cleared Butterfield sent a long range effort from wide on the right sailing just beyond the far post.

Boro hit back as Tomlin controlled well in the middle then skipped past a man and chipped neatly out to the right for Adomah to cut inside and into the box before firing an angled effort over.

But with the fans' frustrations starting to grow Boro took the lead with a screamer on the hour.

Kike killed a stray ball dead then threaded deftly into the path of LEE TOMLIN who smacked home an unstoppable 20 yard rocket shot.

Town almost got one back two minutes later as a quick break found Butterfield but Dimi Konstantopoulos went full length to push his 20 yard angled low effort behind for a corner.

Then on 66 minutes Huddersfield put a long throw into the Boro box and after a scrum it rolled out to Scannell in space 15 yards out but Friend arrived with a sliding tackle to block his shot.

Boro were back on the attack immediately as a defensive slip by Robinson let a Kike ball sail through to Adomah into the box on the right but his low shot was fumbled into the side netting at the near post by keeper Smithies.

And they looked to have broken through for a second on 72 minutes as Leadbitter chipped a free-kicjk in for Kike to chest down and turn six yards out but the offside flag went up and the Spaniard somehow sent his stabbed shot wide skidding wide.

On 73 minutes Boro put on Adam Reach for Bamford.

There were shouts for a penalty from the Huddersfield fans as a cross hit Ayala on the shin and bounced up to glance his arm but the ref waved play on.

Boro threatened on 77 minutes as Kike wriggled down the left and cut the ball into the path of Reach who stumbled but turned the ball goalwards and it was scrambled away.

Huddersfield almost got a leveller on 79 minutes as Wells beat Clayton to a ball on the right of the box then lashed in a low shot that beat the diving Konstantopoulos but bounced off the far post then was cleared by Kalas.

Straight up the other end Boro threatened as a neat Kike touch sent Tomlin into the box but his first touch was poor and cleared by the advancing keeper and thenAdomah cut inside and got into the box only to lash an angled shot a yard over.

On 81 minutes Peltier was booked for a foul on Tomlin.

On 82 minutes Huddersfield put on Lolley for Robinson.

On 83 minutes Boro put on Jelle Vossen for Kike.

On 85 minutes Friend was booked for a foul on Smith.

Boro were back on the attack on 87 minutes as a crisp move sent Adomah down the right to put in a cross that was headed clear then when he collected and tried to turn he was fouled.

From the free-kick Huddersfield broke as Wells out-sprinted Friend down the right then cut inside to drill in an angled low effort that sent

Konstantpoulos full length to push behind.

Then from the resulting corner Wells turned neatly to drill in a close range effort that brought a superb reflex save from the keeper.

On 90 minutes Tomlin was booked for a foul on Hudson.

Boro should have clinched it in stoppage time as Clayton cut out a stray ball as a Huddersfield attack broke down then sent Adomah streaming forward but his square ball was cut out.

Then Boro sealed it at the death in surreal circumstances as they dug in to defend a series of long balls into the box then Town won a corner and even the keeper came up.

When the ball was scrambled away Vossen pushed it forward for LEE TOMLIN to race clear with two defenders and the keeper in hot pursuit before he slotted it home from 25 yards.

BORO: Konstantontopolous, Kalas, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, Clayton, Leadbitter (c ), Adomah, Tomlin, Bamford (Reach 73), Kike (Vossen, 83). Subs: Meijas, Ledesma, Husband, Whitehead, Omeruo.

HUDDERSFIELD: Smithies, Robinson (Lolley, 82), Hudson ©, Lynch, Smith, Coady, Butterfield, Hogg (Peltier 46), Scannell, Vaughan (Gobern, 24), Wells. Subs: Allinson, Dixon, Billing, Majewski.

Ref: Peter Bankes (Merseyside)

Att: 18,576 (914 away fans)

4 people killed after Nigerien protesters attack French cultural center

At least four people have been killed during violent demonstrations in the West African country of Niger over sacrilegious cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad published by the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo.

The violence broke out on Friday as protesters set fire to the French cultural center in Niger’s second largest city, Zinder, officials say.

A local police officer told reporters that three protesters and one police man were killed.

According to reports, at least 45 people were also wounded in the violence.

The center’s director said protesters had smashed facility’s entrance and set fire to the cafeteria, library and offices.

The distribution of the controversial French magazine has been banned in Niger because of the offensive cartoons.

Muslims across the Middle East and Africa also protested at the publication of satirical sketches of the Prophet Mohammad by Charlie Hebdo.

The French weekly has repeatedly provoked Muslim anger by publishing such offensive cartoons.

Millions of copies of the new edition of the satirical magazine were sold this week in the wake of a January 7 attack on its office in Paris, in which 12 people were killed.

An al-Qaeda branch in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack on Charlie Hebdo, saying that it chose and supported Said and Cherif Kouachi, the two brothers who allegedly carried out the deadly assault.

SRK/SS

Supermodel Agyness Deyn stars in film shot in locations across the North East

A girl who has graced the cover of Vogue and catwalked some of fashion’s biggest labels might not be the kind of person you would expect to see on a North beach.

But there is more to Agyness Deyn than a supermodel’s CV and a name which would cause fewer problems if it was spelled plain Agnes Dean (in fact, before she changed it to further a modelling career, she was Laura Hollins).

This much is clear from her foray into acting and a first leading film role which brought the willowy 31-year-old to the region.

She stars in Electricity which was shot during 2013 at locations including Newcastle city centre and the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea – and to director Bryn Higgins, she was ‘Aggy’.

He had no qualms at all about handing her the very demanding role of epilepsy sufferer Lily O’Connor in Electricity, an adaptation of a novel by Ray Robinson who lives in North Yorkshire.

“It is her first lead role but she had a supporting part in a film called Pusher (a 2012 British crime thriller) and she’s in a new Terence Davies film coming up soon (that will be Sunset Song, based on a 1930s novel set in Scotland before the First World War) – so I think we got her signed at the right time.

“And to be honest, she’s fantastic. Aggy is a seriously good actor – and I have worked with quite a few actors.

“I thought she was exceptional. To my mind, she could have made it as an actor from the beginning but, well, she has had quite a good career as a supermodel.”

There is a note of humour in Bryn’s voice as he says this.

Agyness Deyn has had a seriously good career, appearing in ads for Giorgio Armani, Vivienne Westwood, Burberry and many more while also gracing magazine covers around the world and being declared one of the top 30 models of the 2000s by Paris Vogue, which knows a thing or two about glamour.

But Deyn was brought up near Rochdale, where they don’t hold much with airs and graces, and as a young teenager worked in a fish and chip shop.

Given the critical reception to Electricity, which has been largely positive, a gruelling role in an independent British movie with a tight budget and a gritty plot held no fears at all.

Agyness Deyn as Lily and Tom Georgeson as Al at Saltburn beach

Lily is a tough girl who has had an equally tough upbringing on the North coast. Subject to epileptic seizures since being hurled down the stairs by her mother, she has a matter-of-fact approach to her condition: “Thrash, get up, get on with it.”

Bryn was keen to make the film true to the story which really gets going when Lily’s mother dies and she heads to London to find the younger brother she once doted on.

“One thing we’ve done in the film is not show her (Lily) from the outside, lying on the floor and having a seizure.

“Instead we jump inside her head to see what she sees. For the audience, this is a very immersive experience and, I think, quite powerful.”

Medical charity the Wellcome Trust invested in Electricity, seeing it as a good way of countering negative perceptions of epilepsy.

“One in 20 people have experience of epilepsy,” says Bryn. “It really is very common. Agyness has a really close friend in America who has it and did a lot of research of her own after taking on the role.”

Electricity was shot in the region largely because Bryn had made another film in here a few years ago.

“It’s a brilliant place to work if you’re making films,” he says. “There are lovely locations and from the city centre to the seaside takes 20 minutes. For a film-maker, being able to move quickly between locations is brilliant.”

While audiences seem to have enjoyed the performances of Agyness Deyn and fellow actors including Christian Cooke, Paul Anderson, Alice Lowe, Leonora Crichlow and Tom Georgeson, the locations haven’t gone unnoticed.

Bryn says: “While three quarters of this story is set in London, we shot there for only three of the 34 days of filming. We shot some footage on Grey Street, although that got edited out, and we shot on Carlton Terrace (near Newcastle University) for the posh bits.

“We had a great question at the London Film Festival from someone who said, ‘How did you get permission to film on the Underground?’ Actually, we didn’t. We shot the Underground scenes on the Tyne & Wear Metro.”

Despite good responses from critics and audiences to Electricity, Bryn and his colleagues at Stone City Films are up against the American studio blockbusters in the competition for cinema showings.

“Unfortunately, in the current film market, with sometimes up to 20 films being released a week, it is getting increasingly hard to get smaller independent films out there,” he says.

But he adds that he and the team are “incredibly proud of the film” and are optimistic of securing screenings in Durham and York - and also more in Newcastle where it has been screened three times recently at the Tyneside Cinema.

Alice Corfield's family and friends turn out for sponsored walk to thank hospital

Family and friends of a North teenager flighting for her life after a car crash which killed her dad came together for a pilgrimage to support her.

Alice Corfield, 18, and her father Andrew Corfield were involved in a crash with a speeding driver at the junction of Fordyce Road and Cass House Road in Hemlington, Middlesbrough, on October 28, just seconds after leaving their home.

Andrew, also dad to Amy, 21, and Owen, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene, while apprentice hairdresser Alice remains in a coma at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

On Saturday, family and friends gathered at the site of the crash. They walked to Teesside Crematorium on Acklam Road in Middlesbrough - where mourners turned out to say their final farewell to Andrew - and past the hospital, before returning to Hemlington.

Many of those taking part wore pyjamas or fancy dress costumes - with Postman Pat themed costumes a popular choice.

This was in dedication to Andrew who was known to many as the creator of spoof cartoon Boro Pat - a Teesside version of Postman Pat.

Alice’s sister Amy said: “We are just hoping to raise awareness and to say a big thank you to the staff who are helping not just Alice, but the whole family.

“I’ve come dressed as Postman Pat in memory of my dad who would be laughing at me right now.”

Andrew Corfield and Alice Corfield

The idea for the walk was a joint decision by the Corfield family, with cousin Abbey Keogh playing a big part in the organisation of the event.

The 18-year-old, from Coulby Newham, said: “We are raising money for James Cook, particularly the intensive care unit and the high dependency unit, as they are where Alice has been and where the staff who have been helping her work.

“We asked people to wear something red, as this is Alice’s favourite colour.

“Our target is £800 and so far we have raised more then £630, then everyone else here has raised their own money as well.”

One of Alice’s best friends, 16-year-old Chloe Watson-Rutherford, from Hemlington, added: “We just want to raise money to show how grateful we are to the hospital.

“Even though Alice is still critical, she has made a lot of improvement with their help.

“She is getting round-the-clock help from the staff. Me and her other best friend, who go up about three times a week to talk to her, have noticed an improvement.”

Mum-of-four Dawn Keogh is Alice’s boss and she turned up to complete the walk with her four children.

The 38-year-old, from Eaglescliffe, said: “I have come today to raise awareness for Alice and money for the care she is getting.

“We just want her back at work, where she should be.”

To make a donation or get involved visit http://bit.ly/1IU6JPG .

US, UK agree strong sanctions to remain on Russia: Obama

US President Barack Obama says Washington and London have agreed to maintain tough sanctions on Russia over its alleged role in Ukraine’s crisis.

At a joint press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron in the White House in Washington on Friday, Obama said the strong sanctions against Russia will remain in place until Moscow ends its “aggression” in Ukraine.

“We agree on the need to maintain strong sanctions against Russia until it ends its aggression in Ukraine,” Obama said after holding talks with Cameron.

He also added that Washington and London will continue their support for Ukraine as Kiev “implements important economic and democratic reforms.”

The US and the EU have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow over what they call Russia’s involvement in Ukraine’s conflict.

Washington accuses Moscow of arming and supporting pro-Russian forces fighting in the predominantly Russian-speaking areas in eastern Ukraine. Moscow calls the accusations “groundless”.

Former Republican congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul says US sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis are an act of war, adding that the American people are tired of US-imposed wars.

When you block the trade of goods and services with a particular country, it may not be quite as bad as dropping bombs, but it is a “symbol of a war,” Paul told Britain’s Channel 4 News in April last year.

GJH/GJH

Live: Boro v Huddersfield at the Riverside Stadium

Adam Clayton returns from a one-match ban to face former club Huddersfield Town at the Riverside.

Boro start the day in fourth place in the Championship, three points behind third-place Ipswich and four off the automatic promotion places.

Huddersfield, sitting in fifteenth place, come into the match on the back of a 3-1 win over sixth place Watford and Jacob Butterfield will be looking to make an impact against his former club.

Marton Blues Under 14s hope to kick start this year's game with your Wish support

A team of young footballers is hoping to kick start its game with this year’s Wish campaign.

Marton Blues Under-14s is a football team which is constantly looking for ways to raise funds to allow the boys to play to their full potential.

The Middlesbrough team, which plays in the Teesside Junior Football Alliance, is aiming to give the youngsters the opportunity to play in festivals this year.

Bosses are also hoping to get new essentials such as training kits.

Last year the team used the Wish support it received to help the boys become part of a tournament in Cleethorpes.

With regards to this year’s campaign, team secretary Sharon Lance said: “We hope to raise funds to obtain new waterproof raincoats for the boys and also to fund a festival away this year.”

Every year, The Gazette’s Wish campaign gives away thousands of pounds to not-for-profit groups and organisations benefiting the Teesside community. Each registered group will be guaranteed a share of our £40,000 fund.

The more tokens a group collects, the bigger its share of the prize pot. Tokens are now appearing daily in The Gazette. The last token will appear on January 21.

Submissions for tokens will close at 5pm on Monday, February 23.

To help Marton Blues Under-14s, send your tokens to: 11 Tees Road, Redcar, Cleveland, TS10 1QD.

Have your say on future development of land at Middlesbrough's Tennis World

Have your say on the proposed redevelopment of surplus land at Middlesbrough’s Tennis World for housing.

Tennis World will remain at its current location off Marton Road but land - within the site boundary - not required to meet its future needs, is proposed for development.

Members of the public are now being asked for their views on the development guidance produced for the site, which emphasises Middlesbrough Council’s desire to see “good quality, high value family housing” developed.

As the guidance establishes the forms of development that would be deemed appropriate and outlines broad development principles, it will play an important role in the future marketing of the site.

The consultation will run until Monday, February 16, and once all responses have been taken into consideration the site will be marketed alongside the finalised guidance.

Copies of the development guidance and representation form are now available at Easterside and Marton Libraries, Tennis World, and on the council’s website http://bit.ly/1ITF7dr

A drop-in session with an officer of the council in attendance will also take place at Tennis World on Monday, February 2 from noon to 2pm.

For more information, call the Planning Policy team on 01642 729067 or email planningpolicy@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

Billingham Stars warned not to take struggling visitors Manchester lightly

Billingham Stars can’t afford to take their foot off the gas when they entertain bottom-of-the-table Manchester Minotaurs in the National League (North) Moralee Division One tomorrow (6.30pm face-off).

It’s been a season to forget so far for Manchester - no points and a minus 89 goal difference tells its own story, with a heavy defeat to local rivals Blackburn last Sunday the latest blow.

The reintroduction of promotion and relegation this season means that barring a miracle they will be playing Division Two hockey next September.

Manchester have not travelled well this season, typically with fewer than three lines, and a home game against Blackburn tonight will further eat into their stamina ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Billingham Forum.

The Stars, meanwhile, are buoyant after thrashing North East neighbours Whitley Warriors 8-1 last Sunday, which catapulted them up to third in the table and went a long way to restoring confidence after a series of Challenge Cup defeats

They’ll be at virtual full strength for Manchester’s visit, with only long-term absentees Jack Davies, Garry Dowd and Jamie Pattison missing.

Director of coaching Terry Ward wants to see a continuation of the intensity shown by his side last Sunday.

“It’s always good to put one over the Warriors but to do it in that manner has really set us up for the rest of the campaign,” he said.

“All the guys put a great shift in and that’s what we need again this weekend.

“Manchester have had a torrid time of it this season, but we do not expect them to just roll over.

“We have a full squad and we will not be letting up.

“We have some massive games over the next few weeks, starting with this one, and we need to bring that intensity to every single match, regardless of the opponent.

“We need to be on our guard on Sunday, but I fully expect us to win and win well.

“If we play like we did against Whitley then I believe we can beat any team in our league.

“We knew that we were capable of that sort of performance, and it was great to see it finally come together.

“Now we just need to keep up the momentum.”

Middlesbrough woman carried knife because a man had threatened to rape her, court heard

A woman told police she carried a knife because she feared a rape attack.

Tanya Thorpe, 33, from Middlesbrough, said she carried the small kitchen knife because a man had threatened to rape her.

The knife fell out of her clothing when she was involved in a scuffle with a group of youths in Redcar, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh said Thorpe was walking along a public footpath in Redcar at 9.45pm on Friday, October 17, when she chased a group of youths into the front garden of a house in Rushpool Close.

There was an exchange of words and she chased one youth into a paved garage area, and she was subsequently arrested.

Thorpe told police: “They called me a smackhead and a scruffy cow.”

One of the lads chased her and she dropped the knife.

She said that they attacked her, and she carried the knife because a man had threatened to rape her.

Miss Haigh said that Thorpe had previous convictions for violence.

Amy Dixon, defending, said Thorpe had received threats from two groups of young men for a considerable period of time.

Thorpe accepted that when she left home she had a small kitchen knife.

She was subjected to abuse by the young men who attacked her, and she was punched and kicked.

The knife fell out of her pocket and she ran off, and one of the men chased her with the knife, the court heard.

Miss Dixon told the judge: “The pre-sentence report says that she is a vulnerable lady with some mental health difficulties, which contributed to her having the knife.

“She is now addressing her problems and working closely with the Probation service. I would ask that you suspend any period of imprisonment and allow her to continue the work with the Probation service.”

Judge Howard Crowson told Thorpe: “You know, because you have been to prison, that courts regard people who carry knives as a serious matter.

“The danger is that when you carry a knife you use it.”

Thorpe, of Crescent Road, Middlesbrough, was given a 20 weeks jail sentence suspended for 12 months with supervision after she pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.

The judge added: “I am very much encouraged by the things I read from the probation report. Keep it up, or will meet again.”

Middlesbrough to star in BBC Two's Great British Railway Journey

Middlesbrough is to star in BBC Two’s Great British Railway Journeys presented by Michael Portillo this month.

The former politician’s visit to Middlesbrough begins with the fourth leg of his journey from Derby to Lindisfarne, which forms the basis of the flagship programme’s sixth series.

The show follows the presenter’s travels around the country by train using a copy of George Bradshaw’s Guidebook to compare and contrast modern Britain with that documented by the Victorian cartographer.

During his stop-off in the town, Portillo visits historic William Lane Foundry as he explores the area’s rapid 19th Century rise from a hamlet to a centre of Victorian Britain’s iron and steel industries.

As part of his tour of the Forty Foot Road-based foundry, Portillo helps cast a carrot valve for a vintage steam engine alongside the foundry’s Stuart Duffy.

A visit to Middlesbrough Dock in the heart of 21st Century regeneration area Middlehaven sees the presenter revisit the town’s industrial heyday with Tees Transporter Bridge education officer and urban historian Tosh Warwick.

There he explores Middlesbrough’s history as the first major settlement to emerge as a result of the development of the railways in the 1820s and the expansion of Middlesbrough following the extension of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

The presenter also took the opportunity to enjoy refreshments at Brasserie Hudson Quay, one of the new arrivals in the area and a symbol of its transformation into a modern leisure and business destination.

Tosh Warwick said: “It is fantastic to showcase the area’s rich industrial heritage on such a popular programme that is broadcast across the globe and viewed by millions.

“Middlesbrough has a unique place in the history of Britain as the leading example of the vast expansion of towns and cities during the Victorian period centred upon improved railway links and the manufacture of iron and steel.

“This is a key element of the area’s heritage and forms a major part of the Heritage Lottery Fund-supported Tees Transporter Bridge Visitor Experience Project works.”

Edward Bilcliffe, MD of William Lane Foundry, added: “We were delighted to welcome Michael and his team to our Foundry, which relocated to the heart of Middlesbrough’s Ironmasters District in 1890, after setting up in Stockton in 1862. We have stood the test of time as a poignant reminder of the industries which the Victorian town was all about.”

Mark Proctor: Having Muzzy Carayol back can be massive for Boro

Having Muzzy Carayol back could make the difference between Boro finishing in an automatic promotion spot and a play-off place.

It’s fantastic to see that the speedy winger will be playing his first game since doing his anterior cruciate ligament at Bournemouth last April for the reserves against Scunthorpe on Tuesday.

It’s a well-worn cliche, but it will be like having a new signing in the Boro squad.

Muzzy has electric pace, he is very, very fast.

He’s a bums-off-seats player, the kind that fans want to see.

He creates a sense of anticipation when he picks the ball up that something is going to happen. And his goals to games played record is very good.

So I don’t see any reason why he can’t be a difference-maker in Boro’s promotion push when he is back up to full fitness.

When games are tight towards the end of the season, he has got all of the attributes to turn them into wins, either by scoring a goal himself or creating something.

There will be nobody more hungry for Muzzy to come back and make an impact than the Gambia winger himself.

As I’ve mentioned before in this column, I was out for a year back in 1985 when I played for Sunderland and it’s a really hard slog.

My glass is always half full, but when you’re out so long it can be depressing.

Psychologically, it’s a test.

But, on the other hand, it’s a chance to reflect and it makes you realise how lucky you are to be getting well paid to play a game that you love.

It’s also character building and it makes you want to come back stronger.

Muzzy will be no different.

I was part of his recruitment process when I was at Middlesbrough with Mogga.

We drove down to Dagenham and Redbridge to see him in action and we bumped into David Mills, another former Boro player who was scouting Muzzy for Leicester City.

He ticked all the boxes and the wheels were set in motion for us to sign him.

I think he took a while to adapt to the change in levels but he showed he could do it in the Championship before he suffered his injury.

He was showing some real glimpses of scintillating form.

As a lad, I think Muzzy can be high and I think he can be more sombre.

I think he’s a bit of a deep thinker. He’ll have gone through the full range of emotions while he has been out, just like I did.

But he will have done everything behind the scenes now to get ready for a game scenario, and will be itching to get back out on the pitch.

Some players hit the ground running when they return from long-term injury, while others might be concerned about taking the handbrake off too much for fear of breaking down.

I was a bit tentative the first few weeks when I got playing myself. Whatever the case is with Muzzy, having him back can only be good for the Boro as we try and get back into the Premier League.

Middlesbrough darts ace Glen Durrant may keep his Duzza nickname after all

There were some cracking suggestions in our online poll - everything ranging from The Transporter to Oche Balboa after he put Martin Adams on the ropes.

But Teesside darts sensation Glen Durrant might ditch his plan to adopt a new nickname after all.

Boro boy Glen captured the area’s imagination with his epic run to his first Lakeside semi-final last week and was three match darts away from making the final.

The 44-year-old Ormesby thrower went on Boro fans’ forum Fly Me To The Moon to thank everyone for their support following his narrow 6-5 defeat to three-time world champion Adams.

And the Gazette published an online poll after he invited suggestions for a new nickname to replace his current Duzza moniker.

Ideas ranged from Lionheart to Iron Man, and there were plenty of Teesside-themed submissions like the aforementioned Transporter and Parmo Man.

But while he is currently getting to grips with life as a new household name, Durrant - who will be introduced to Boro fans on the pitch at half-time during tomorrow’s home game against Huddersfield following his Lakeside heroics - could keep his Duzza handle after all.

“I’m flattered once again that there’s been so much interest in it all and with the response,” he said.

“There’s been some great suggestions. I liked Lionheart, Iron Man, Iron Ore, Oche Balboa.

“But for every new one I’ve heard, there’s been someone saying they like Duzza.

“I would like to call myself something like The Transporter, but it wouldn’t mean anything to anyone from outside the area.

“I used Smoggy on the back of my shirt for my first year on the circuit, but so many Dutch people asked me what it meant that I got sick of explaining and dropped it.

“Maybe I will just keep my current nickname.”

Durrant is revelling in his new-found celebrity status regardless of his nickname poser and says he is already moving on from the Adams defeat.

“I’ve been on the radio every morning and I was in the Gazette three times one day, which was quite something,” he said.

“And I’ve had cheers from everyone at Coast and Country Housing where I work, from the chief executive to the cleaner.

“The adrenaline of it all is brilliant and I can’t wait for the Boro match tomorrow.

“I’m so excited I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.”

Davutoglu compares Netanyahu to ‘Paris terrorists’

ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday accused his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu of committing “crimes against humanity” comparable to those of the gunmen behind the Paris attacks that left 17 dead.

Davutoglu’s comments risk inflaming a new row in the increasingly tense bilateral ties after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blasted Netanyahu for “daring” to attend the weekend’s anti-terror solidarity march in Paris after the attacks.

Davutoglu sniped that Netanyahu had looked “alone” at the Paris march against terrorism, where the Turkish and Israeli prime ministers had joined other world leaders in a show of solidarity. A statement by the Turkish presidency Thursday said Netanyahu had staged “a miserable political show” by attending the Paris rally and had sought to exploit the event for “his own political purposes.”

“The Israeli government should abandon its aggressive and racist policies, instead of attacking others under the pretext of anti-Semitism,” presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in the statement.

Davutoglu condemned the publication of blasphemous cartoons as an “open provocation,” warning that Turkey would not tolerate insults against the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Davutoglu said Netanyahu’s “crimes against humanity” included the deadly 2010 Israeli assault on a Turkish aid vessel and last year’s onslaught on Hamas-controlled Gaza. In 2010, Israeli commandos stormed the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, the largest ship in an aid flotilla for the besieged Gaza Strip.

Davutoglu said Netanyahu was “the head of a government which massacred children playing in the beaches in Gaza and destroyed thousands of houses.”

He said the Israeli premier’s government “made almost natural the killing of Palestinians at every opportunity.”

It had also “massacred our citizens by launching an operation against an aid ship in international waters.”

Dozens arrested in Europe ‘anti-terror’ raids

Belgium has ordered its army into the streets and “anti-terror” raids across Western Europe have netted dozens of suspects as authorities rushed to thwart more attacks by people with links to armed groups.

French, German, Belgian and Irish police had at least 30 suspects behind bars on Friday and in Brussels, authorities said a dozen searches led to the seizure of four Kalashnikov assault rifles, hand guns and explosives.

Several police uniforms were also found, which Belgian authorities said suggested the plotters had intended to masquerade as police officers.

Belgian police arrested 13 people during a dozen raids overnight, foiling a plot to kill police officers “in public roads and in police stations”, prosecutors have said.

The arrests camafter two suspects were shot dead in a gun battle during one of the police raids in the eastern town of Verviers on Thursday night.

Five of those arrested were later charged with “participating in the activities of a terrorist group”, federal prosecutors’ spokesman Eric Van der Sijpt told AFP

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