Israeli airstrikes wound 2 Palestinians in Gaza

Israeli regime has launched new airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip, as the wave of aggression on the blockaded Palestinian enclave continues unabated.

Israeli drones on Monday carried out airstrikes on the central and southern parts of Gaza, leaving at least two Palestinians wounded.

On March 11, three Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on southern city of Khan Yunis. This came after one Palestinian was killed and three others were injured in another Israeli airstrike on the northern Gaza Strip on March 3.

Monday strikes come amid rising tensions between Israeli forces and Palestinians. On Sunday, Israeli troops attacked Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).

Witnesses said the Israeli forces used tear gas and sound bombs to disperse the worshippers in the compound. Sixteen people were reportedly arrested.

The Israeli forces often target Palestinians along the border with the Gaza Strip, which remains literally cut off from the outside world by a crippling Israeli blockade.

The siege has turned the densely-populated coastal sliver, home to some 1.7 million Palestinians, into the largest open-air prison in the world.

According to the Palestinian rights groups, over a dozen Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the first half of 2013 and nearly 1,800 Palestinians, including women and children, were seized during the same period.

Gaza has been under the crippling blockade imposed by the Tel Aviv regime since 2007.

MR/AB/SS

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, Wednesday 23 April, 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.

Good morning Teesside! Reporter Lindsey Sampson here on the Gazettelive blog, bringing you all today's news, travel and weather updates.

As always, if you're out and about and see something, get in touch and let me know. You can comment on the live blog, tweet @eveninggazette or @Gazettelin or call us on 01642 234255.

Thanks for joining us. Have a great day.

ICC confirms Egypt complaint still under consideration

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that the complaint filed by the Freedom & Justice Party last year on behalf of the constitutional Government of Egypt is still under consideration by the Chief Prosecutor Mrs Fatou Bensouda despite untrue press reports to the contrary.

Following the coup d’état in July 2013 the Freedom & Justice Party submitted a formal complaint to the ICC along with an Article 12 (3) declaration bringing Egypt within the Court’s jurisdiction. The complaint asks the ICC Prosecutor to investigate allegations of international crimes alleged to have been committed in Egypt since the coup.

The complaint submitted to the ICC contained evidence that showed that the post coup military regime had presided over widespread and systematic crimes which amounted to crimes against humanity. Since submitting the complaint a number of news organisations have incorrectly announced that the complaint had been rejected.

Lawyers acting for the constitutional Government, who are in contact with the ICC Prosecutor’s office, have confirmed that the Prosecutor is still considering the complaint and supporting documentation and had not rejected it or come to a final decision about the status of the complaint.

Tayab Ali, partner of leading London law firm ITN solicitors, said ‘The Interim Authority in Egypt is not able to hide from principles of international law. President Morsi’s constitutional Government has the legal power to bind Egypt to international treaties and agreements. Accordingly, the ICC has no option but to act under the rule of law and hold perpetrators of International Crimes committed in Egypt accountable for what they have done to enforce their coup’.

Source: MEMO

Rebels killed hundreds of civilians in S Sudan: UN

The United Nations has accused rebels in South Sudan of killing hundreds of civilians in the oil-rich state of Unity last week.

The UN mission in South Sudan said on Monday that more than 200 civilians were killed in a mosque alone, when the rebel forces captured the oil-town of Bentiu.

According to the UN, many civilians were also killed at a church, a hospital and an abandoned UN compound in Bentiu.

In a statement released on Monday, the UNMISS stated that it “strongly condemns the targeted killings of civilians based on their ethnic origins and nationality in Bentiu.”

This is the second time the rebels have taken control of the oil-rich state. Back in December 2013, they seized Bentiu, but were chased out a month later.

Fighting in South Sudan has intensified recently as rebels loyal to sacked vice president, Riek Machar, have launched a renewed offensive targeting key oil fields in the country.

On Thursday, rebels also attacked a United Nations base in the town of Bor, killing at least 58 people and wounding more than 100 others.

The UN Security Council condemned the attack on the camp as an “outrage” that may “constitute a war crime.”

The fighting between troops of South Sudan President Salva Kiir, who is from the Dinka ethnic group, and Machar, a Nuer, erupted around the capital Juba on December 15 last year.

The armed conflict has claimed thousands of lives and forced over a million to flee their homes over the past months.

The fighting comes despite a ceasefire signed on January 23 to end weeks of violence in South Sudan which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people in the world’s youngest nation.

JR/AB/SS

Tension over Al-Aqsa Mosque could usher in a new Intifada

Tension over Al-Aqsa Mosque is of great importance as the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks founder, Israeli analysts have claimed in Ha’aretz. As far as Hamas is concerned, the situation at Al-Aqsa, the third most important site for the world’s one billion Muslims, is the litmus test for a new Intifada, even as it maintains a ceasefire with Israel on the Gaza border.

As all eyes are turned on the US efforts to extend the talks beyond the original April 29 deadline, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is threatening to dissolve itself and lay the responsibility for the Palestinians on the shoulders of Israel as the occupying power. The greatest danger though, said Ha’aretz, lies in what is going on in Al-Aqsa Mosque and the friction between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians.

The Israeli newspaper pointed out that there is no need to recall historical proofs that the conflict linked to Al-Aqsa Mosque has been the central reason for tension erupting between Palestinian Arabs and Jews. It cited the incidents of 1929, 1990 and 2000 as examples. The wounding of two Israeli policemen inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and the arrest of 24 Palestinians on Sunday reflect the degree of tension, which has been increasing in recent weeks.

Ha’aretz stressed the sensitivity of the Al-Aqsa sanctuary, saying that it has been attracting extremists from the Israeli side whose actions provoke strong reactions from the Palestinians. This depletes the resources of the Israeli security forces, it added.

In its analysis, the newspaper said that religious Jewish organisations have included right-wing members of the Knesset in their activities. The PA, meanwhile, has accepted the apparent presence of Hamas members inside Al-Aqsa Mosque

Reading v Boro: Match report from the Madejski Stadium

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BORO slumped to a second successive defeat after a defensive horror show at Reading.

A chaotic backline gifted the Royals an early opener as a mix-up let in Adam Le Fondre to bundle home after just nine minutes then soon after George Friend headed a second into his own net.

Then in a disorganised display lacking cohesion or spirit Aitor Karanka's side unravlled and they were lucky to escape severe punishment after a string of blunders at the back

Boro reverted to a back four after the defeat at Millwall with Ben Gibson returning from a ban, George Friend from injury and Jozsef Varga from the bench.

Luke Williams was promoted to start in the centre of midfield with Lee Tomlin and Jacob Butterfield dropped along with Grant Leadbitter.

Reading showed first in the third minute as Williams cut inside Dean Whitehead then unleashed a stinging 22 yard drive that sent Konstantopoulos full length to block then George Friend tidied up.

Boro made some tentative early probes as first a long range Luke Williams effort was deflected wide then Albert Adomah burst into the box onto a chip by Emmanuel Ledesma but the Reading keeper was quickly off his line to hoof clear.

But Reading took advantage of a mix-up in the Boro box to take the lead after only nine minutes.

Left-back Obita over-lapped to the corner flag and whipped what looked a routine cross to the near post and as Konstantopoulos came to collect, Kenneth Omeruo popped up to head the ball high and when it dropped to the back stick McCleary knocked it down for ADAM LE FONDRE to bundle home past the keeper.

Boro had a chance to pull one back quickly on 11 minutes as Williams skipped over a challenge and slotted to the edge of the box where Danny Graham sent a shot flashing wide.

But Reading grabbed a crucial second to an own goal on 14 minutes.

Obita curled a free-kick in from wide on the right into a crowded box and GEORGE FRIEND climbed highest but he never got a clean contact and his header squirted in past Konstantopoulos.

Boro tried to regroup and had a chance on 18 minutes as a goalbound snapshot from Adomah was deflected over then they won a series of corners that were easily cleared.

There was a long hold up as Robson-Kanu needed treatment for a smashed nose picked up in an accidental collision with Gibson before going off in the 29 minute with Pogrebnyak coming on.

Boro's shaky defence was almost breeched again on 31 minutes as a harmless diagonal ball was played forward and botk Omeruo and Friend left it and as they dithered McCleary nipped in to collect and weave to the edge of the box then lay it back for Le Fondre to crack in a shot that sent Konstantopoulos diving to block.

On 33 minutes Whitehead was booked for pulling back Pogrebnyak.

Then from a Obita corner on 34 minutes the defence stood rooted as Pearce nodded it back across from the far post for Morrison to head just over unchallenged from close range.

Boro almost clawed one back on 37 minutes as Ledesma cut in from the right to drill in a low shot that the keeper did well to block then when the rebound was scrambled away Adomah darted down the left but his low ball into the box was easily cleared.

Then on 40 minutes Boro threatened again as Ledesma danced around his marker on the edge of the box then lashed in a shot that the keeper fumbled away.

Varga was booked on 41 minutes for a foul on McAnuff.

There was a scrappy spell of poor passing and poor control from both sides that continued through seven minutes of stoppage time.

HALF-TIME: READING 2 BORO 0

Boro brought on Grant Leadbitter for Chalobah at the break.

They showed some early urgency but long balls forward were easily collected by unflustered Reading.

Five minutes after play resumed Reading Guthrie limped off with Akpan coming off the bench.

Boro probed on 52 minutes as Varga played a good one-two with Ledesma to get down the right but his final ball in towards Graham was poor and easily hooked away at the near post.

Then a slotted Whitehead ball out to the right found Ledesma who curled to the far post but keeper McCarthy back-pedalled to collect before Williams could connect.

Reading were back on the attack on the hour as they won a free-kick and when Obita's ball in was headed clear it fell to McCleary 22 yards out and his thundering drive was bravely blocked by Leadbitter.

And on 63 minutes Gunter over-lapped down the right unchallenged and when he whipped in a cross for Le Fondre to power in a close range header that clipped the bar and flew over.

On 65 minutes Boro put on Lee Tomlin for Ledesma.

On 67 minutes McAnuff was booked for a foul on Tomlin.

Then on 70 minutes Akpan won a tackle on Friend and McAnuff whipped the loose ball in to the near post where Pogrebnyak put a looping header onto the roof of the net.

On 72 minutes Friend was booked for a foul on Gunter.

Reading should have wrapped it up on 77 minutes as Pogrebnyak seized onto a weak header by Omeruo 20 yards out then skipped past Gibson then hammered a low shot towards the far post but Konstantopoulos went full length to push it behind.

Boro made a rare raid forward on 81 minutes as Williams carried the ball to the edge of the box but then with no support he flicked a weak angled shot into the arms of the keeper

Then soon after Tomlin barged through a tackle 25 yards out and lashed an ambitious shot over.

On 88 minutes Tomlin was booked for dissent after tangling with McAnuff.

IN stoppage time Reading almost broke through as a high ball into the box was only half-cleared and McCleary hit a low shot that Konstantopoulos pushed wide then Friend tidied up.

BORO (4231) Konstantopoulos, Varga, Gibson, Omerou, Friend; Chalobah (Leadbitter, 46), Whitehead (C); Ledesma (Tomlin 65), Adomah, L Williams; Graham. Subs: Steele; Woody, Ayala; Butts, Leadbitter, Main.

READING (4411): McCarthy; Gunter, Obita, Morrison, Pearce; Williams, Guthrie (Akpan 49), McAnuff (C), McCleary; Robson-Kanu (Pogrebnyak 29), Le Fondre. Subs: Federici, Cummings, Hector, Leigertwood, Drenthe.

Ref: James Adcock (Lancs)

Att: 17,228 (659 Boro).

Boycott campaign accuses PA of ‘breaking the isolation’ of Israel

A senior representative of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel has accused the Palestinian Authority of working to break the isolation of Israel internationally by arresting activists in the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Omar Al-Barghouthi told a press conference on Sunday that the campaign has achieved international successes in boycotting, isolating and showing hostility towards Israel. “In return,” he said, “the Palestinian security forces are arresting campaign activists in Ramallah and bringing them before the courts.”

Al-Barghouthi pointed out that Palestinian security officials had arrested four activists on April 12 and, he claimed, beat them during their protest against a show that was performed by Indian band Kathak. The band had performed in Tel Aviv, he said, and this is considered to be a violation of the boycott approved by Palestinian civil society.

“When a Palestinian official says we do not want to show hostility towards Israel,” he explained, “then the security services arrest four activists, we say that this does not represent the Palestinian people who show open hostility towards Israel and want to isolate it.” Despite what is being practiced by Israel, including the fighting and the hostility against the campaign in all the countries of the world, the Palestinian Authority was the first to arrest a BDS activist, he pointed out. He accused the PA of cutting the boycott chain around Israel.

The Palestinian security services released the four activists on bail several days after their arrest; their trial has been set for May 28.

Activist Fadi Qar’an told the assembled journalists that the BDS campaign has made great progress in creating international hostility towards Israel and caused it to suffer many international losses. He noted the losses of Israeli companies as a result of the international boycott. Israel, he added, has allocated 100 million shekels (about $28.7 million) to fight the campaign internationally; the struggle has already begun in several countries.

“The Israeli prime minister told a meeting of pro-Israel lobbyists in the United States several months ago that the boycott campaign is the second most prominent threat to Israel after the Iranian nuclear programme,” claimed Qar’an.

He pointed out that Israel is making use of the criminalisation of the BDS activists by the Palestinian Authority for propaganda-related purposes around the world, as it seeks to receive international bands and artists to perform in Israel and the Palestinian territories to break its isolation. The PA is collaborating with Israel in this effort.

At the end of the press conference, the activists called for complaints filed against the campaigners to be dropped and demanded an official apology from the PA Ministry of Culture. Those who beat-up the activists, it was argued, should be prosecuted.

The protest against the performance by Kathak took place at Cinema Casbah in Ramallah. Activists tried to shout down the band but were prevented from doing so by Palestinian security officials. The Ministry of Culture said in a statement that the activists “insulted and beat the audience”. This was denied by the BDS campaigners, who presented a video recording of the incident, in which the security men were seen attacking the activists as they boycotted the show.

The BDS movement was established in 2005 in the Palestinian territories, with a membership of about 170 Palestinian institutions. Activities take place in member states of the European Union and several other countries around the world

Teesside charities to lose vital source of funding

Charities on Teesside are to lose a vital source of funding after the Northern Rock Foundation announced its closure

Charities on Teesside are to lose a vital source of funding after the Northern Rock Foundation announced its closure.

The Foundation, the charitable arm of failed bank Northern Rock, said its closure was now “inevitable” after Virgin Money confirmed it could not continue to fund it.

Virgin was its only funding source and the Foundation had hoped to agree a viable long term with Virgin solution to secure its future.

The Foundation’s mission was “to tackle disadvantage and improve quality of life” in the North-east and Cumbria.

Over the past 16 years its cash has helped numerous charities and good causes on Teesside, including children’s charity Barnardos.

Only last week Barnardos launched a new project to prevent child sex exploitation following a Northern Rock Foundation report which revealed most prostitutes on Teesside start selling sex before the age of 16.

The Northern Rock Foundation was also among the numerous funders behind the giant £2.7m Temenos sculpture which now stands proudly at Middlesbrough’s Middlehaven site.

For the last decade the Foundation has also supported domestic violence charity My Sister’s Place, based in Middlesbrough.

Earlier this month My Sister’s Place chief officer Becky Rogerson announced that the Foundation had pledged £50,000 towards a £180,000 needed to expand the charity’s premises.

The Foundation’s current grant programmes were due to close at the end of this year. Announcements on what any remaining funds will be used for will be made in the future.

Trustees will begin to implement a plan for an orderly wind down.

Alastair Balls, chairman of the Foundation; said: “It is very disappointing after such extensive discussions to have to accept that Virgin Money will not commit to fund the Foundation in future.

“Trustees are keen to ensure that our remaining funds are used to achieve significant benefit in the North-east and Cumbria and we will announce our plans later this year.”

Muslims continue to flee Bangui

Muslims continue to flee violence in the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui.

Foreign forces escorted a convoy of more than 100 Muslims from the violence-stricken capital and reached the city of Bambari on Monday, some 300 kilometers (190 miles) northeast of the capital.

The group of Muslims was transported in two trucks, accompanied by a convoy of vehicles from the French peacekeeping forces, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration.

Tammi Sharpe, deputy head of the UNHCR in the Central African Republic, said the evacuation was “a measure to save lives” as the displaced Muslims had been “constantly attacked” in the northern Bangui neighborhood of PK 12.

The convoy was pelted with stones as it passed through the town of Sibut, a member of the African-le International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) peacekeeping force said.

Thousands of Muslims are still trapped in other cities across the country as Christian armed groups have launched attacks on Muslims trying to flee the country.

Deadly sectarian violence erupted in the Central African Republic in December 2013, when Christian armed groups started a campaign of violence against the mostly Muslim Seleka group, who had ousted the Western-backed government in the country, and the general Muslim population across the nation.

Last week, the UNHCR said since violence began four months ago, nearly 200,000 people have fled the country. Some 160,000 more people are expected to flee by the end of this year.

French and African peacekeeping forces deployed to the country have been unable to end the carnage and even in some occasions they have been accused of killing Muslims.

CAH/HSN/HRB

Palestinians protest against Israelis vandalism

Palestinians have held a protest in the city of Umm al-Fahm after Israeli assailants vandalized a mosque in the city and set its front door on fire.

On Monday, more than one thousand Palestinian citizens in the city condemned the attack and the recent rise of the so-called “price-tag” violence by the Israelis.

The term “price-tag” is used to describe acts of vandalism and violence associated with Israeli settlers.

On numerous occasions, Israeli settlers have carried out “price-tag” attacks, targeting Palestinian properties, cars, mosques and olive trees.

On March 23, Israeli settlers launched an attack against Palestinians, puncturing the tires of 45 cars belonging to Palestinian residents in the Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Hanina in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).

In January, Israeli settlers slashed the tires of some 30 cars belonging to Palestinians in the East al-Quds neighborhood of Sharafat.

Israelis also damaged 19 vehicles in the Ein Aluza neighborhood in East al-Quds last month.

According to the UN, there were nearly 400 incidents of settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2013.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank including East al-Quds.

IA/AS/MAM

Crackdown on journalists: State security vs human rights

The trial of three Al Jazeera reporters continues in Cairo, amid heightened international scrutiny and criticism of the interim government’s crackdown on journalists ahead of next month’s presidential elections. The foreign correspondents – charged as terrorists for aiding the banned Muslim Brotherhood – are among scores of domestic journalists jailed by the military-backed government since ousting President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

These measures have dashed hopes for a democratic resolution to the tumult of Egypt’s political change – and put Egypt on par with the world’s most press-hostile regimes.

Yet, it also spotlights the alarming upsurge in the use of national security and counter-terrorism laws to silence journalists, by both undemocratic and democratic governments alike. Human rights groups in recent years have warned of the growing misuse of anti-terrorism laws by authorities to stifle and punish journalists on grounds of national security. This trend is driving steady declines in press freedom at both state and global levels. Of the 232 imprisoned journalists worldwide in 2012, more than half were incarcerated on anti-terrorism charges, according to data monitored by the Committee to Protect Journalists

This trend is linked to the spate of national security legislation introduced by states around the world over the past decade. According to a 2012 report by Human Rights Watch, 144 of the world’s 195 countries have passed new counter-terrorism laws since 9/11 – and a majority of these are “overbroad”, often including provisions against disrupting “public order”, along with broad powers for warrantless searches, surveillance and detentions. Collectively, these laws represent a “dangerous expansion of powers to detain and prosecute people, including peaceful political opponents”, according to the organisation.

National security vs civil liberties

On this front, Western governments face growing criticism for their leading role in putting national security concerns ahead of civil liberties – a legacy of former US President George W Bush-era “war on terror” policies amplified into the present day. The US and European governments increasingly rely on post-2001 anti-terrorism laws to shield government secrets and constrain journalists from publishing classified information.

These measures have been hastened in the post-WikiLeaks, post-Edward Snowden era. Although no US journalist has been successfully prosecuted under the country’s anti-terrorism laws, US President Barack Obama’s administration has aggressively utilised the Espionage Act of 1917 to crackdown on government whistleblowers who leak classified information to journalists – a measure decried by reporters and human rights groups for undercutting basic democratic tenants and the media’s watchdog role.

Along with exposing the US government’s massive domestic surveillance programme, the Snowden case also reveals an increasing willingness among democratic governments – as well as among prosecutors and courts – to opt for national security over journalists’ rights, especially in cases involving state secrets.

In the UK, a high court this February ruled that authorities had acted in accordance with the Terrorism Act 2000, and “in the

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Police probe cause of 'deliberate' fire at terraced house in East Cleveland

Neighbours report seeing flames in wheelie bin to the rear of property in Brotton

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Gallery: Fire at Jackson Street in Brotton

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Neighbours have described how they attempted to put out a fire which damaged a terraced house in East Cleveland.

Police officers were today investigating the cause of a blaze left the house in Brotton with smoke and fire damage.

They believe that it was started deliberately in a wheelie bin to the rear of the house.

Fire engines from Loftus and Skelton attended Jackson Street after receiving a call at 10.15pm last night.

Firefighters were forced to use breathing apparatus and a hose-reel jet to extinguish the blaze.

The house was left with minimal fire damage, but there was heat and smoke damage to almost half of kitchen.

And more than half of the rear lobby and staircase sustained fire and smoke damage.

Paul Marshall lives next door to the house and was the first person to alert the emergency services.

“I was watching TV when I saw this bright light through the curtains," the 41-year-old said.

“I ran down stairs and I could see through the door that the back yard was totally ablaze.

“All the wires running up the wall of the house were on fire so I ran straight upstairs and rang 999."

Another Jackson Street resident, Phil Webster, 31, said: “My mate came up and told me there was a fire so I came down the road and ran round to the back alley.

“When I had a look I could see that there was a heap of something at the back door.

“It looked like a wheelie bin full of wood so I jumped the fence to my back yard and got a bucket of water to try to put it out."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Police were called to an address in Jackson Street in Brotton just after 10.20pm on Monday.

“No one was inside the address and colleagues from the fire service will attend today in a bid to establish the cause of the fire.”

A Cleveland Fire Brigade spokeswoman said that the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

US claims toxic chemical used in Syria this month

The United States claims it has indications that a “toxic industrial chemical” was used in Syria earlier this month by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The US State Department said on Monday that the toxic chemical used in the village of Kfar Zeita on April 11 might have been chlorine.

“We have indications of the use of a toxic industrial chemical,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

“We are examining allegations that the government was responsible,” she added.

“We take all allegations of the use of chemicals in combat use very seriously,” she said. “We’ll work with the OPCW, who is obviously overseeing the implementation, and determine if any violation occurred.”

The village of Kfar Zeita is located in Hama province, about 125 miles north of Damascus.

Russian and American military dolphins might face off this year: Report

The tense East-West standoff in Ukraine could reach a new level of escalation: underwater. According to a report from the Russian newspaper Izvestia, the United States Navy’s marine mammal unit will be deployed to the Black Sea this summer, where American dolphins and sea lions could find themselves nose-to-nose with their Russian counterparts.

The paper reports that according to a statement by Tom LaPuzza, spokesman for the US Navy’s marine mammals program, twenty dolphins and ten sea lions will be in the Black Sea for one-to-two weeks this summer, conducting NATO exercises in a body of water that is traditionally been dominated by the Russian navy.

The dolphins will be testing a new anti-radar system, created to “disorientate enemy sonars”, said LaPuzza. While the dolphins are doing that, the sea lions will be trained to “look for mines and naval divers.” According to the paper, they also allegedly plan to test out new dolphin armor developed at the University of Hawaii. This will be NATO’s first use of militarized sea creatures.

This trip could also mark the first meeting of Russian and American sea creatures. Russia and the United States are the only countries known to have militarized dolphins at this time. Crimean dolphins, which were owned by Ukraine before Russia recently acquired them, have trained in the Black Sea previously. Since Russia is revamping the Sevastopol dolphin training center, it is extremely likely the Black Sea will be home to both sea creature units at the same time this summer.

The United States Navy does not seem particularly concerned with the rival dolphins hanging out, even though the Russian program has been rather secretive about its plans: “We have no official data on the Russian center, and I cannot say how we assess the capabilities of your dolphins,” says LaPuzza.

The United States dolphins and sea lions might be at a disadvantage, though. The American critters will be traveling several thousand miles from their home base in San Diego, to the naval ship in the Black Sea. The creatures will travel in special baths so they are as comfortable as possible. Dolphins (probably) don’t get jet lag, but a several thousand mile trip will certainly be an adjustment. LaPuzza does note that “there is no cause for concern” in regards to the sea creatures travels, “as they are protected by the law on the protection of marine mammals.”

The US creatures will also have to adjust to the new waters. The Black Sea has a salinity of about 17 percent, whereas the Pacific Ocean, regular home to the US dolphins, has a salinity of 35 percent. Additionally, the water temperature will be an adjustment. The Navy did not address whether the salinity or temperature will affect the sea lions and dolphins abilities to perform exercises. If the Russian and American dolphins do meet, at least NATO will be there to keep the peace. Unless, of course, the mammals decide to join forces and form their own navy instead. Wired

AHT/AGB

Teesside has largest proportion of 'hardcore' crooks of anywhere in England and Wales

Almost 8% of those sentenced in the Cleveland Police area last year had 50 or more previous convictions

Teesside has the highest proportion of hardcore criminals in the country, new figures show.

The figures relate to those offenders sentenced with 50 or more previous convictions.

Last year, in the Cleveland Police force area, there were 660 people sentenced who had 50 or more previous convictions on their record - 7.7% of all the people sentenced in the Teesside area.

This proportion was the worst in the country - the next being the Northumbria Police region.

In that area, 7.3% of the people sentenced had 50 or more previous convictions.

The figures were released by the Ministry of Justice.

They were based on counting the number of sentencing occasions for offences committed by offenders who were prosecuted by Cleveland Police.

The figures also showed that a third, or 33%, of all criminals sentenced in the Cleveland Police force area had 20 or more previous convictions.

A Tees Valley Probation Trust spokesman said challenging economic and social issues on Teesside are reflected in the figures.

He said: “The facts are that in terms of the overall re-offending figures in the trust area, we are achieving better than predicted results.

“Of course the re-offending predictions reflect the fact we are operating in an area with some of the most challenging economic and social issues in the country.

“We are constantly working to reduce re-offending across the board - including those with large numbers of convictions - and have in place a range of different schemes, such as the integrated offenders management programme which provides a framework for bringing together agencies to prioritise dealing with offenders who cause crime in their locality.”

In total across England and Wales there were 14,646 hardcore criminals recorded last year.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: “The force is committed to reducing crime on the streets, identifying offenders and putting them before the courts where the magistrate or judge will make a decision on how to reprimand an offender.

“We do work closely with the probation service and other agencies to reduce reoffending rates of people who have integrated back into communities.”

Sentences for persistent criminals vary greatly.

In March, Craig Edward Wood pleaded for leniency after being convicted of burglary, telling Judge John Walford at Teesside Crown Court “I just don’t want to waste my life any more.”

The 34-year-old from Queen’s Walk, Stockton, was sentenced to one year’s prison, suspended for two years with a year’s supervision, which included his first drug rehabilitation requirement, and 100 hours’ unpaid work, despite it being his 94th offence.

Persistent thief James Fraser, 33, of Letitia Street, Middlesbrough, was jailed for 22 months in February after pulling a screwdriver on a dance studio worker.

He used the tool to break into cars outside the Tower dance studio in Newport Road, Middlesbrough, but then brandished it at workers who approached him.

After he admitted threatening behaviour with an offensive weapon, theft from two vehicles and criminal damage to the cuffs, Teesside Crown Court heard he already had 88 previous offences and had been released from jail just six days before the latest thefts.

Last year, Martin Peter Chambers, 32, was locked up after he was convicted of his 97th offence .

The drug addict from Turner Street, Redcar, was being sentenced for shoplifting, the latest in a line of crimes to fund his addiction.

David Moyes sacked by Manchester United: Fans angry at 'PR shambles'

Scot's nine-month reign as Alex Ferguson's successor confirmed following season of woe

Manchester United have been accused of turning themselves into a laughing stock with their handling of David Moyes’ departure.

Moyes’ nine-month reign at Old Trafford came to an end on Tuesday when he was sacked following a meeting at 8am with vice-chairman Ed Woodward at Carrington.

The dismissal did not come as a surprise as many national media outlets reported on Monday afternoon that Moyes was to be dismissed.

Although many fans wanted Moyes out after such a woeful season, the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) believes it was wrong for the story to leak nearly 24 hours before an official announcement was made.

“It’s a PR shambles,” said MUST vice-chair Sean Bones.

“Manchester United’s history shows they deal with things with class and dignity but that has not been the case here.

“The story leaked before David Moyes has been spoken to, and that’s not the Manchester United way. There was no dignity or class in the way they went about it.”

Although United fans never called for Moyes’ head during games, it was clear that support for the manager was eroding with each of the 11 league defeats suffered by the club this term.

It was therefore no surprise that many chose to hail the news of his sacking when it was announced on the club’s official Twitter feed.

Bones feels appointing Moyes was always going to be a gamble considering that the Scot’s only previous experience came managing Everton and Preston.

“The appointment of David Moyes was seen by a lot of supporters as a risk,” he said.

“Moyes wasn’t proven at the very highest level, and Manchester United should be attracting the best and most proven managers in the world.”

Ryan Giggs will take charge of the first team on a temporary basis but speculation has already begun about who United want as a long-term successor to Moyes.

Most fans appear to want Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp, although he is not thought to be high on United’s wanted list.

Whoever succeeds Moyes, Bones fears for the future of the club while the Glazer family are in charge.

“The problems lie a lot deeper than David Moyes,” he said.

“They lie with the Glazers and how they run the club.”

UN reports 7-day Israeli atrocities

A new UN report says Israeli forces killed one Palestinian and injured more than 100 others from April 8 to 14 alone.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said at least 20 children were among the victims.

The report said Israeli forces also razed down 15 Palestinian homes, which led to the displacement of dozens of Palestinians within the period.

The UN office says since the beginning of 2014 Israeli forces have killed over 20 Palestinians and wounded more than 700 in the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

In 2013, Israeli troops killed nearly 30 Palestinians in the West Bank and nine in the Gaza Strip, according to a report compiled by B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories.

Israeli regime forces killed eight Palestinians in the West Bank and over 240 in the Gaza Strip in 2012.

The Israeli regime also holds a significant number of Palestinians in prison.

The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-detainees Affairs said on April 16 that 5,000 Palestinian inmates remain in Israeli prisons.

Out of the 5,000 inmates 476 are sentenced to life imprisonment, according to the Palestinian ministry report.

The report, released by Palestine Information Center, also pointed to other scandalous facts regarding the fate of Palestinian inmates in Israeli prisons, including the incarceration of 19 Palestinian women and 200 children.

Human rights organizations say the detentions executed by Israeli authorities have been explicit breaches of the international humanitarian law.

DB/HSN

CAR violence leaves unarmed people dead

A witness has said fighting between a Christian militia and French soldiers in Central African Republic has left several people dead, including some who appeared unarmed.

Dimanche Ngodi, an official in Grimari in the country’s centre, told AP news agency the fighting began on Sunday between Christian fighters and former members of a Muslim rebel group. Ngodi said French forces intervened.

Captain Sebastien Isern, spokesman for the French forces, said they were conducting regular patrols in the town, which had seen significant fighting.

Isern said they were fired on by an armed group and returned fire. He did not have a death toll, only saying the group was “neutralised”.

Ngodi, who witnessed the fighting, said French forces killed several fighters. He said most were armed, but three did not appear to be.

Last week, fighters from the Muslim Seleka rebels shot dead the priest of the northern town of Paoua, a church official in Bangui told Reuters news agency.

Chaos

The killing came two days after Seleka gunmen briefly kidnapped the bishop of the nearby town of Bossangoa.

Virtually all Muslims have fled Bangui since Seleka, which seized power in March 2013, was forced to step aside in January.

The United Nations has since reported a “cleansing” of Muslims from the country’s west.

French troops have taken the lead in trying to quell the chaos in its former colony.

The United Nations Security Council this month authorised a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission to be deployed in

September, recognition that 6,000 peacekeepers from the African peacekeeping force (MISCA) and France’s 2,000 strong Sangaris force had failed to stamp their authority on the country

Source: Al Jazeera

New bank's founder Anthony Thomson to star at Entrepreneurs' Forum

The founder of Britain’s first new high street bank for150 years will be in the region to share his story of breaking into banking

The founder of Britain’s first new high street bank for150 years will be in the region to share his story of breaking into banking.

Anthony Thomson will speak at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum annual business conference, Together We Can Take on the World, on May 15.

As well as being the founder of Metro Bank, Mr Thomson is also chairman of the National Skills Academy for Financial Services and chairman of the Financial Services Forum, which he founded in 1998.

In 1987 he founded City Financial Marketing which, by the time he sold it to Publicis in 1997, was Europe’s largest financial services marketing and communications group.

Executive director of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum Nicola Short: “Bringing Anthony Thomson to the North East is a great coup for the Forum and completes an outstanding line-up of speakers.”

Details at http://ift.tt/1k2XnXL

Hamsterley Rally attracts quality field and TV coverage

A quality entry heads for the forest of North Yorkshire this weekend for Stockton DMC’s Tour of Hamsterley Rally

A quality entry heads for the forest of North Yorkshire this weekend for Stockton DMC’s Tour of Hamsterley Rally.

Shildon Railway Museum hosts the start/finish ramp for the popular rally this Sunday which, for the second year running is a round of the RAC Rally Championship which has attracted some fabulous historic cars.

It’s also a round of several other championships too, so there will also be a host of impressive modern machinery on show.

Billingham’s Able UK are sponsoring the trophies and the company’s boss, Peter Stephenson, will be among the favourites to take one back with him.

With regular co-driver Ian Windress beside him in their Ford Forcus WRC, they’ll be looking to repeat their win on the Riponian Rally and improve upon last year’s third overall in the Tour of Hamsterley.

Chris Roe from Redcar and Bob McKenzie from Skelton (Vauxhall Nova) head into the event leading the ANCC Championship and hoping for another good result to strengthen their advantage.

“We’re still running a standard gearbox so again we will struggle with ratios,” said Roe, “but we’re hoping to have that sorted soon.”

Also looking tro make a mark in class A1 is Guisborough navigator Mike Scrimgour who partners Dan Thompson in a Perugeot 305 GTi.

Another familiar face in the line-up is that of Middlesbrough’s Alun Pearson.

He ended a 10-year retirement to post a top 30 finish with co-driver Simon Brook in the Jack Frost Stages at Croft in January.

And the pair are back for more in their Peugeot 205 GTi

Like Roe and McKenzie, they are looking for ANCC Championship points.

Another experienced Teesside crew is made up of Keith Davison and Henry Richardson in their Chrysler Avenger.

Motors TV will film the modern event.

Chris Chilvers makes a flying start to defence of autograss crown

Acklam autograss driver Chris Chilvers has made a flying start after narrowly missing out on the top spot in the first race of the season

Teesside's Chris Chilvers made a flying start to the new autograss season.

The Acklam driver enjoyed a highly successful 2013 campaignn, storming to both the Formula 600 Yorkshire Dales Club Championship and the Formula 600 Dales League Championship titles.

He and dad Malcolm are intending that 2014 should be a more relaxing season, with the emphasis on the fun side of racing rather than points scoring.

But you wouldn’t have thought that when the Team Autocare drivers took to ther track for the opening Yorkshire Dales meeting of the year at Thornborough.

Chris Chilvers was running fourth in his first heat with a slight misfire when a spin by the third-placed car at the final corner promoted him to third at the finish.

A second place in his next race secured a place in the final.

The final proved to be a tough battle and he missed out on the win by half a car’s length after scrapping all the way.

Chilvers Snr also brought some silverware to the family mantelpiece last year after taking third place in both the Stock Hatch Yorkshire Dales Club Championship and the Stock Hatch Dales League Championship.

In his first heat at Thornborough this season he was thwarted at the start by a crossover incident which left him running in fifth place, although he was placed fourth after the offending car was disqualified.

The second heat brought him another fourth place and, with an excellent turnout of three stock hatch grids, that left him as a reserve for the finals.

Darlington’s Graham Blackburn took victory in the class seven final.

The next meeting at Thornborough is the Stu Nicholls Memorial meeting on Bank Holiday Monday, May 5, tarting at 10.30am.

Two candidates to run for president: Egypt

Egypt’s election commission says only two candidates, one of them former army chief and Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, will run in next month’s presidential election.

Sisi will face leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi as they were the only candidates to submit their papers to run in the polls, the commission said on Sunday.

On Saturday, Sabahi formally submitted the required documents to the electoral commission after he managed to gather 31,555 signatures from Egyptian citizens endorsing his candidacy.

The politician finished third in the 2012 presidential election, which was won by ousted President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood party.

Sisi, who led the military deposal of Morsi in July 2013, is widely expected to win the presidential vote scheduled to be held on May 26-27.

Egypt’s ex-army chief submitted his documents on April 12 after gathering 188,930 signatures of support, well above the required 25,000, the election commission said.

Political parties and figures in Egypt have repeatedly called on the country’s army to stay out of politics.

The Muslim Brotherhood holds Sisi responsible for masterminding Morsi’s removal. Sisi is also accused of leading a severe crackdown against supporters of Morsi and the Brotherhood movement.

Anti-government demonstrators in Egypt have been holding rallies almost on a daily basis since the army toppled Morsi, calling for the former president’s reinstatement.

Egypt’s military-backed government has launched a bloody crackdown on Morsi’s supporters and arrested thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members, including the party’s senior leaders.

Human rights groups say as many as 1,400 people have been killed in the political violence that erupted following Morsi’s ouster.

MN/MAM/AS

US drones kill more than 40 Yemenis over Easter weekend

US drones killed more than 40 Yemenis over the Easter weekend. The Obama administration claimed that it had targeted Al-Qaeda members, Yemeni and other mass media reported. Several news platforms affirmed that a large number of the dead were members of Al-Qaeda, although civilians were also among the victims.

The Yemeni news agency said that Al-Qaeda in Yemen was the target of a deadly attack on Sunday as more than 40 operatives were hit by American drones. It also said that the leader of the group has issued a video threatening to continue his war against the West.

The agency reported a tribal source saying that ten were killed on Saturday in the governorate of Al-Baydaa in the middle of the country, and about 30 were killed on Sunday in Abyan in the south of Yemen. He added that a large number were wounded when the rockets hit a training camp for the organisation in an area beyond Yemeni government control.

Source: MEMO

Police launch investigation after top floor of family home gutted by fire

Two fire engines were required as crews spent 30 minutes tackling blaze in Redcar property

The top level of a family home was left gutted by fire yesterday.

Two fire engines were needed to tackle the blaze at the terraced property in Charlotte Street, Redcar, at around 2pm.

It took around 30 minutes and specialist thermal imaging technology to put out the fire that left the upstairs of the property completely fire and smoke damaged.

There were no people in the property when firefighters arrived.

Police are now investigating the cause of the blaze.

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Gallery: House fire in Charlotte Street, Redcar

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Reading game 'will not be treated as a friendly' by Boro, Aitor Karanka pledges

After poor defeat against Millwall, Boro's head coach says he expects his side to do all they can to win tonight's game

Aitor Karanka insists tonight’s Championship fixture at Reading will not be a “friendly”.

The hosts are hoping to finish in the top six but Boro’s season is over bar the shouting following Saturday’s home loss to Millwall.

Karanka, however, is demanding total commitment from his players at the Madejski Stadium and wants to end the season with three wins out of three.

“If someone is thinking we are going to Reading to play a friendly game they are wrong,” he said.

“The best way to forget Saturday’s game is to win at Reading.

"To make that happen I am going to work hard every day because we will be playing a team who are trying to get into the play-off positions.

“It is a very important game.

"Reading are playing for the play-off positions and the first thing we must do is respect the competition so we must do everything we can to win the game.

“That’s why I am going to prepare for that game the same way I have prepared for all of the games."

View gallery

Boro fans at the Riverside for Millwall match

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Karanka is expected to revert back to a 4-2-3-1 formation for tonight’s game and that means full-backs Jozsef Varga and George Friend will return to the starting XI.

It’s not clear, however, who’ll play in the centre-back positions.

Boro defended poorly against Millwall and the head coach could well ring the changes, especially as Ben Gibson and Dani Ayala will be back from suspension.

Gibson was playing consistently well before picking up his second red card of the season against Birmingham City a fortnight ago.

He had forged a useful partnership with Kenneth Omeruo, who was also received his marching orders against the Blues.

Pairing the young stoppers tonight, however, would mean Jonathan Woodgate missing out.

Given that the skipper had been sidelined for more than a month with a groin problem prior to the Burnley match, Karanka may opt to rest Woodgate ahead of the final two games of the season.

After Saturday’s game, the Boro boss wouldn’t be drawn on whether he would be making a significant number of changes other than saying: “One thing is clear, the team I put on the pitch will be the best one possible.”

He was keen to stress, though, that he wouldn’t be looking beyond the Reading game.

“Against Millwall, we learned that we need to be stronger in the future,” he added.

“If we want to do something good in the future – next season – we need to be stronger and we need to think about the next game, not the play-offs.

“That has been my mentality since I came here because it is difficult to think what is going to happen in one or two months’ time.

“It’s better to only think about the next game. When we were only thinking about the next games we played well and we won."