Syria MPs Nasser al-Hariri and Khalil al-Rifae walk out of parliament as unease grows over government’s violent tactics At least 10 mourners were killed in Syria as pro-democracy protesters buried their dead after the bloodiest day yet of an uprising against the county’s authoritarian government. Two politicians also resigned from parliament in a sign of growing unease at the government’s use of lethal force. Nasser al-Hariri, a member of Syria’s parliament from Deraa, told al-Jazeera Arabic TV: “I can’t protect my people when they get shot at so I resign from parliament.” Minutes later a second politician, Khalil al-Rifae, also from Deraa, resigned live on the channel. The resignations – the first during this crisis – were a significant sign of unease at escalating violence. Security forces again opened fire at funerals for Friday’s victims, where large crowds of mourners were chanting anti-government slogans. A witness in Izraa told the Observer that five people from nearby Dael and Nawa were shot dead at the entrance to the town . “They were attempting to come to the funerals of 10 people killed on Friday,” he said. He insisted the security forces and army were responsible. News agencies reported that at least two mourners had been shot dead by snipers in Douma, a suburb of Damascus, and three in the district of Barzeh. Human rights organisations and activists said at least 76 people and possibly more than 100 were killed during the largest and bloodiest protests yet on Friday, as the unrest continued into its eighth week. Many were shot in the head and chest, and mosques were used as hospitals. Al-Jazeera reported accounts of Syrian security officers entering hospitals and clinics to take the dead and injured to military hospitals in an apparent attempt to cover up casualty figures. Local human rights organisations claimed some Syrian Christians were among the dead. Christians, who make up around 10% of Syria’s population of 22 million, are largely supportive of the regime due to fears of a backlash by the Sunni Muslim majority. The claims could not be independently verified. Easter celebrations, in which parades of children and families usually flood the streets of Damascus’s old city, have been cancelled. It is unclear whether this was a decision by Christian leaders or if the government had put pressure on them in a bid to prevent large gatherings. With the death toll since 18 March now above 280, international condemnation of Syria has begun to grow. Barack Obama issued a strongly worded statement calling the violence “outrageous” and said that it should “end now”. As in other protests that have swept the Arab world, social media have been one of the powerful tools of protest, subverting official channels. Amateur video footage of bloody scenes continued to emerge from the protests. In one video, posted on YouTube, a man tells how security forces killed his son and left him to die. As the situation escalates, Syrian observers said the government had made it clear that it intended to cling to power with the use of violence, despite attempts at reform. “They want to push demonstrators to the limits,” said Ayman Abdel Nour, a Syrian dissident based in Dubai. He still believed that President Bashar al-Assad had time to show that he was serious about reform. But after Assad recently lifted the country’s state of emergency, abolished the security court and appointed new governors in Latakia, Homs and Deraa, other commentators said he was running out of options. Protesters have responded with a new round of chants. “We want the toppling of the regime,” said a resident of Ezraa, a small southern town that saw one of the highest death tolls on Friday. “The blood of our martyrs makes this our responsibility now.” Activists acknowledged some concerns that protesters, who have been overwhelmingly peaceful so far, will be tempted to take up arms in self-defence. Syrians say weapons licences are hard to come by for non-Baath party members, but many people in the tribal southern region own guns. The regime still retains the loyalty of the military and leading businessmen as well as many among the country’s minority communities. In the streets of central Damascus, many say they would rather stick with stability than take a risk on what would come if Assad’s regime was to fall. Syria’s government, which has continued to blame the deaths on armed gangs, expressed “regret” at Obama’s sharp condemnation of Friday’s violence. “It isn’t based on a comprehensive and objective view of that is happening,” it said in a statement posted on the official Sana website. It added that Syria viewed Obama’s comments as “irresponsible”. The statement came as al-Jazeera correspondent Cal Perry was ordered to leave the country, adding to an almost total blackout on independent and foreign media. Katherine Marsh is the pseudonym of a journalist living in Damascus Syria Middle East Arab and Middle East unrest Bashar Al-Assad Katherine Marsh guardian.co.uk
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• Hit F5 or refresh for the latest (sorry, auto-refresh down) • Email rob.smyth@guardian.co.uk with your thoughts • Keep up with all today’s goals on our live scoreboard • And follow live in-running league tables 3.30pm “Ha,” says Andrew Buddery, “and after a blissful winter following your cricket coverage, I’d forgotten how much of a wind-up merchant you are when writing about football. Good afternoon, Rob!” That would be quite funny if it actually meant anything. 3.29pm “Your description of Kuyt’s contribution to Liverpool’s opener confirms he has a big touch for a short player,” says Ian Copestake. Is 2010-11 the season in which English football learned to stop worrying and love Dirk Kuyt? 3.28pm: SPURS 1-1 WEST BROM (Pavlyuchenko 27) The underused Roman Pavlyuchenko whips in a fine equaliser from 20 yards. Benoit Assou-Ekotto wasn’t on the field, but I think just his mere presence in the ground was the inspiration for the goal. 3.27pm karma department It’s now Hull 1-3 Middlesbrough, with Julio Arca the scorer. 3.25pm: LIVERPOOL 2-0 BIRMINGHAM (Kuyt 23) Ben Foster makes two great saves from Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt, but Kuyt bounces to his feet to put the loose ball into the net. 3.24pm: PORT VALE 0-1 STOCKPORT (Elding 20) The great escape is on! You heard it here last. 3.23pm “Surely its fair to point out that the reason Benoit Assou-Ekotto was beaten by Odemwingie is that he was actually injured in the challenge and has had to be substituted?” says Andy Buddery. Well, it might be if I was watching the game. But we’re in England, and in England we can’t legally watch 3pm games, so I was basically paraphrasing what was said on Soccer Saturday. Take it up with Phil Thompson. After a blissful winter of doing cricket, I’d forgotten how sensitive football fans on the internet can be. Two grown men are, you know, allowed to have two different opinions without one of them being unfair, or a rotter, or a deviant, or a wally. 3.22pm: WOLVES 1-0 FULHAM (Fletcher 21) I can’t keep up with all this. What day is it? Who am I? Are we all free? Anyway, Wolves have scored, a smart header from the underrated Steven Fletcher. Wolves are far too good to go down, surely? 3.20pm: ASTON VILLA 0-1 STOKE (Jones 20) Just as people were starting to say nice things about their style of play, Stoke actually score from a long throw: taken by Rory Delap, headed in by Kenwyne Jones. 3.18pm “One for the bloopers tapes here,” says John Ashdown. “After a decent opening from the home side, Bristol City win a corner and Steve Simonsen flaps it into his own net. A quite stunning piece of ineptitude.” We should open a book on what time Ashers completely loses it, rises to his feet and flings his laptop onto the pitch in disgust. I’m going for 3.21pm. 3.17pm: BLACKPOOL 0-1 NEWCASTLE (Lovenkrands 17) It’s all over for Blackpool, isn’t it? Charlie Adam is caught in possession – there’s a shock – and it results in a goal for Peter Lovenkrands. 3.16pm “Assou-Ekotto has been one of our best performers this season,” says Jack Howes. “He’s a class player who admittedly is prone to the occasional error. However to say he has had a shocking season is complete and utter bollocks. Alan Hansen proved he doesn’t watch football when he lambasted him a while back on MOTD. You’ve been too busy watching the cricket Rob.” I like Assou-Ekotto a lot, as a player and a bloke, but he’s been ragged in almost every game I’ve watched this season. Just my opinion, it’s not going to kill anyone. ‘Shocking’ was hyperbolic though, it’s true. 3.15pm “In that photo montage at the top of the page,” says Phil Sawyer, “why is Alex McLeish licking Ian Holloway’s ear?” Never mind that: what position is Roy Hodgson assuming with Mark Hughes at his feet? 3.14pm: BRING BACK PHIL BROWN Make that Hull 1-2 Middlesbrough , with Scott McDonald scoring two goals in a minute. 3.13pm Blimey, these clockwatches are a bit lively, aren’t they? It’s now Hull 1-1 Middlesbrough, with Celtic legend alumnus Scott McDonald equalising for Boro. 3.12pm I wish we had a journocam on John Ashdown this afternoon: his beloved Sheffield United have gone 1-0 down at home to Bristol City – thanks to an own goal from their keeper Steve Simonsen. 3.10pm A nasty incident at the Stadium of Light. After a clash of heads, and over six minutes’ treatment, Phil Bardsley has been stretchered off to be replaced by Anton Ferdinand. So Sunderland are down to 10 men. 3.07pm: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BIRMINGHAM (Rodriguez 7) A dismal first touch from Dirk Kuyt creates the opening goal for Liverpool. He miscontrolled the ball so badly that it went five yards in front of him, but it inadvertently set up Jay Spearing for a long shot that was spilled badly by Ben Foster, and Maxi Rodriguez was first to the rebound. 3.06pm: SPURS 0-1 WEST BROM (Odemwingie 5) Spurs will go fourth if they win today. So, what with them being Spurs , they are behind. Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s shocking season continues when he is outmuscled by Peter Odemwingie, who runs through and gives West Brom the lead. 3.04pm I haven’t seen Soccer Saturday for months, since they took Sky Sports News off Freeview. It’s like being back in the bosom of an old friend. Actually, that’s far too weird a turn oh phrase. Whatever. Hull are beating Middlesbrough 1-0, thanks to Jay Simpson. They might well make the play-offs, although they would still be in the Premier League if they hadn’t driven that crazy maverick genius Phil Brown out of town. 2.59pm “Are you interested in updates from bottom of the Championship?” says my colleague John Ashdown. “Here at Bramall Lane, stunning Easter sunshine has become torrential rain, a neat meteorological metaphor for Sheffield United between 2006 and today. The Blades can’t quite get relegated today, but the final nail is three-quarters of the way into the coffin anyway. Interestingly we’ve got four special guests on the pitch pre-kick off – Jeff Eckhardt (Sheffield-born, 74 apps), Tony Philliskirk (son on the home bench, 80 apps), Wayne Allison (cult hero, 73 apps) and Earl Barrett. Quite what Earl Barrett is doing there I don’t know – he made five appearances on loan in 1998. And was abysmal.” Wash your mouth out with gin, Ashdown. Earl Barrett has three England caps, and no bad players have ever played for England, and especially not under Graham Taylor. A nice accompaniment to today’s match between Brighton (93 points) against Southampton (77 points) 2.53pm “You’d think sex and monster munch would work, wouldn’t you?” says Dan Smith. “But you’re just left shamefaced with crumbs in the bed and a flamin’ hot burning sensation. Are you covering Chesterfield away at Oxford this afternoon?” Where do you think I’m typing this from? Sheff Utd v Bristol City team news Sheff Utd Simonsen, Lowton, Maguire, Lowry, Mattock, Williamson, McAllister, Montgomery, Quinn, Slew, Henderson. Subs: Aksalu, Doyle, Bogdanovic, Kozluk, Collins, Philliskirk, Riise. Bristol City James, McAllister, Nyatanga, Stewart, Spence, Adomah, Elliott, Cisse, Woolford, Maynard, Pitman. Subs: Gerken, Johnson, Clarkson, Skuse, Wilson, Campbell-Ryce, Stead. Referee Andy D’Urso (Essex) Port Vale v Stockport team news Port Vale Tomlinson, Yates, Collins, Owen, McCombe, Dodds, Griffith, Roberts, Robert Taylor, Marc Richards, Justin Richards. Subs: Martin, Kris Taylor, Haldane, Rigg, Morsy, Sutton, Davis. Stockport Glennon, Halls, Assoumani, Brown, Goodall, Mainwaring, Wallace, Vincent, Poole, Griffin, Elding. Subs: McLoughlin, Lynch, Fisher, Rose, Darkwah, Whitehead. Referee Peter Quinn (Cleveland) Brighton v Southampton team news Brighton Ankergren, Calderon, Elphick, El-Abd, Painter, Bennett, Bridcutt, Sparrow, Dicker, Barnes, Murray. Subs: Brezovan, Dunk, Kishishev, Sandaza, Wood, Noone, Navarro. Southampton Davis, Butterfield, Jaidi, Fonte, Dickson, Chaplow, Hammond, Gobern, Do Prado, Lambert, Forte. Subs: Bialkowski, Richardson, Seaborne, Lallana, Connolly, N’Guessan, Stephens. Referee Scott Mathieson (Cheshire) Liverpool v Birmingham team news Liverpool Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Robinson, Meireles, Spearing, Lucas, Maxi, Kuyt, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Cole, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Poulsen, Shelvey, Coady. Birmingham Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Larsson, Bowyer, Gardner, Fahey, Hleb, Jerome. Subs: Doyle, Phillips, Bentley, Derbyshire, Parnaby, Beausejour, Davies. Referee Howard Webb (S Yorkshire) Tottenham v West Brom team news Tottenham Gomes, Kaboul, Gallas, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Van der Vaart, Huddlestone, Modric, Bale, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe. Subs: Cudicini, Lennon, Jenas, Crouch, Bassong, Sandro, Pienaar. West Brom Carson, Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey, Brunt, Mulumbu, Scharner, Thomas, Odemwingie, Vela. Subs: Myhill, Tchoyi, Pablo, Morrison, Fortune, Cox, Jara. Referee Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire) Blackpool v Newcastle team news Blackpool Gilks, Eardley, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey, Vaughan, Adam, Southern, Phillips, Campbell, Taylor-Fletcher. Subs: Kingson, Ormerod, Varney, Cathcart, Puncheon, Reid, Beattie. Newcastle Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ameobi, Lovenkrands. Subs: Soderberg, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Ireland, Steven Taylor, Ranger, Kuqi. Referee Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire) Aston Villa v Stoke team news Aston Villa Friedel, Walker, Dunne, Collins, Luke Young, Downing, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Ashley Young, Bent, Heskey. Subs: Marshall, Pires, Agbonlahor, Albrighton, Makoun, Clark, Cuellar. Stoke Begovic, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson, Pennant, Whelan, Delap, Etherington, Jones, Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Collins, Fuller, Pugh, Diao, Whitehead, Faye. Referee Chris Foy (Merseyside) Wolverhampton v Fulham team news Wolverhampton Hennessey, Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Guedioura, Henry, O’Hara, Jarvis, Milijas, Fletcher. Subs: Hahnemann, Kightly, Ebanks-Blake, Vokes, Hammill, Mancienne, Foley. Fulham Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Davies, Sidwell, Murphy, Dempsey, Gudjohnsen, Dembele. Subs: Stockdale, Kelly, Johnson, Etuhu, Kakuta, Zamora, Greening. Referee Michael Oliver (Northumberland) Sunderland v Wigan team news Sunderland Mignolet, Elmohamady, Turner, Onuoha, Bardsley, Henderson, Cattermole, Colback, Sessegnon, Gyan, Welbeck. Subs: Carson, Zenden, Malbranque, Muntari, Riveros, Meyler, Ferdinand. Wigan Al Habsi, Gohouri, Alcaraz, McCarthy, Gary Caldwell, Watson, N’Zogbia, Cleverley, Boyce, Rodallega, Diame. Subs: Kirkland, Thomas, Di Santo, Moses, Gomez, Sammon, Stam. Referee Lee Probert (Wiltshire) The 3pm Premier League games We’ll also be keeping a third of an eye on some of the important matches in the Football League. Aston Villa v Stoke Blackpool v Newcastle Liverpool v Birmingham Sunderland v Wigan Tottenham v West Brom Wolverhampton v Fulham Preamble Gormless posturing, casual racism and the intrusive shrill of ambulance sirens. It can only mean one thing: just another Friday night out with the Guardian Sport team St George’s Day. And on this most important day for all Englishmen, today’s clockwatch will celebrate the best league in the world. The Bundesliga. Okay, it won’t, because we don’t do Bundesliga clockwatches, but there’s a vaguely interesting point here. Well, a point. In England it has almost become a truism that the Premier League is the best league in the world. The observation is a constant, and only the justification changes. So, a couple of years ago, when the Premier League was woefully uncompetitive but consistently dominant in Europe, it was the best league in the world because it had the best teams. Now, even though England are miles behind Spain in Europe, the Premier League is the best in the world because somebody new broke into the top four!!!! it is so competitive. It’s irrational, disingenuous and simplistic, not to mention a load of fresh horse pucky. You can’t quantify how good a league is, based on the number of points it takes to win it, or the points gap between top or bottom, or the number of European Cup semi-finalists. The best league in the world is not necessarily, for example, the one with the best teams. You have to take a valued judgement based on all kinds of factors: the sheer quality of the best teams, the openness of the competition, the remorselessness of the title run-in, the attacking intent of the teams, the atmosphere at the grounds, the ratio of cheats to men, and so on. If you do that, you’d have to be either completely off your rocker or high on the paint you’ve just applied to your face in the shape of the St George’s Cross to think that the Premier League is the best in the world at the moment. Right here, right now, it’s in a rare old state. Indeed this has been, by a reasonable distance, the worst Premier League season since the competition began in 1992. The quality has been shamefully low, and just about the only thing going for it is the fact that we still have a race at the top and bottom of the table (which is a bit like giving a stupid kid a gold star at school for spelling his name correctly). That relegation battle will look a lot clearer after this set of 3pm fixtures, which involve 10 of the 12 sides who could still feasibly go down. Perhaps the most important match is Blackpool v Newcastle. Blackpool have been in freefall, with only five points from the last 13 games. They still have games at White Hart L ane and Old Trafford, and if they lose today it is hard to see them staying up. That would be a huge shame because, as David Lacey wrote on these pages today , they have been one of the few joys of a forgettable season. Like Luton in 1982-83 and Foggia in 1991-92 – they are a newly promoted side who have given the rulebook the finger and decided to attack and enjoy themselves. Is there anything better in life than a newly promoted loose cannon? Yes, obviously – there’s the physical act of love, and Monster Munch – but it is still one of the most enjoyable things in football. That’s why, even if Blackpool are relegated, we will remember them far longer than we will the Wolverhampton, West Ham, Wigan, Blackburn, Birmingham, Sunderland, Stoke, Fulham, West Brom, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Bolton, Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United sides of 2010-11. Premier League Championship League One League Two Rob Smyth guardian.co.uk
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Security forces injure three in Douma and fire at mourners approaching Izra’a to stop them attending mass funeral Syrian security forces have opened fire on mourners at mass funerals for pro-democracy protesters killed in the bloodiest day of uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Troops injured at least three people when they fired live rounds at a funeral in the Damascus suburb of Douma, while mourners approaching the southern town of Izra’a were shot at to prevent them from attending another mass funeral, witnesses told Reuters. One of the witnesses at the Douma funerals told the news agency: “I saw three people falling on the ground, one of them had blood gushing from his mouth. I could not tell whether he was hit in the stomach or the chest.” A second witness said pallbearers abandoned coffins they were carrying and ran for cover when the funeral came under fire. One witness who had come to Izra’a to attend the burials of at least 12 people shot by security forces on Friday told Reuters: “There was a heavy volley of gunfire in our direction as we approached Izra’a to join the funerals of martyrs.” Across Syria on Saturday tens of thousands of mourners demanded the “overthrow of the regime” on at funerals for around 100 protesters killed by the security forces on Friday. Mourners at the funeral in Izra’a chanted: “Bashar al-Assad, you traitor. Long live Syria, down with Bashar.” Activists said on Saturday that at least 100 people were killed during Friday’s protests – raising the death toll from their estimate on Friday of at least 88 civilian casualties. Demonstrators were killed across the country, from the port city of Latakia to Homs, Hama, Damascus and the southern village of Izra’a, the group said. Security forces around Damascus and other key cities ignored appeals to eschew violence, opening fire with live rounds and using teargas against several pro-democracy protests, activists and witnesses reported. The crackdown on the protests have continued despite a string of government concessions earlier in the week, including the lifting of the hated 48-year-old emergency law. The White House urged Damascus to follow through on promised reforms. Barack Obama called on the Syrian government to stop using violence against demonstrators and accused Assad of seeking help from Iran. “This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now,” Obama said. “Instead of listening to their own people, President Assad is blaming outsiders while seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria’s citizens through the same brutal tactics that have been used by his Iranian allies.” British foreign secretary William Hague condemned the “unacceptable killing of demonstrators” and called on Syrian security forces “to exercise restraint instead of repression”. He said the authorities should respect the “people’s right to peaceful protest”. Syria Arab and Middle East unrest Bashar Al-Assad Middle East David Batty guardian.co.uk
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BBC director general Mark Thompson says John Sullivan’s sitcoms ‘will live on for years to come’ Scriptwriter John Sullivan has died at the age of 64, the BBC announced today. Most famous for creating the sitcoms Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Roger Roger, the writer died after a short illness. Mark Thompson, the BBC director general, said: “John created some of the UK’s most-loved comedies, from Only Fools and Horses to his most recent work, Rock & Chips. He had a unique gift for turning everyday life and characters we all know into unforgettable comedy. “His work will live on for years to come. We will miss him and we send our condolences to his family.” More details soon… Comedy BBC guardian.co.uk
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BBC director general Mark Thompson says John Sullivan’s sitcoms ‘will live on for years to come’ Scriptwriter John Sullivan has died at the age of 64, the BBC announced today. Most famous for creating the sitcoms Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Roger Roger, the writer died after a short illness. Mark Thompson, the BBC director general, said: “John created some of the UK’s most-loved comedies, from Only Fools and Horses to his most recent work, Rock & Chips. He had a unique gift for turning everyday life and characters we all know into unforgettable comedy. “His work will live on for years to come. We will miss him and we send our condolences to his family.” More details soon… Comedy BBC guardian.co.uk
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Julia Sweeney considered herself an enlightened, sex-is-no-big-deal kind of parent. But that was before an innocent question about tadpoles prompted The Conversation One evening, on a school night, when my daughter Mulan was nine, we were eating dinner together at our favourite Thai restaurant. It was autumn, over two years ago, and writing about it now I see that Mulan and I interacted much like two roommates. We ate out a lot. We had a handful of favourite places. When you’re a single mother who primarily takes her daughter to dinner at restaurants (my meagre defence: I was spending four days a week driving her to gymnastics after school – 45 minutes each way – so, who had time to cook?), it’s easy to think of yourselves as a couple. You eat, you talk, and sometimes you just stare at each other in a stupor of familiarity. At the restaurant, we know the owner and chef, who this night recommended the frogs’ legs in hot peppers. We politely declined. Mulan told me
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• Hit F5 or refresh for the latest (sorry, auto-refresh down) • Email scott.murray@guardian.co.uk with your thoughts • Follow Cardiff v QPR in the Championship here • Keep up with all today’s goals on our live scoreboard The weather: It’s sunny in Manchester. You’ve got to say it while you can. Getting pelters in the papers tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and next Saturday: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire) The most in-form team in the league must do without Tim Cahill, who only makes the bench, and Mikel Arteta, who’s not involved at all: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Neville, Rodwell, Bilyaletdinov, Osman, Beckford. Subs: Mucha, Cahill, Gueye, Vellios, Anichebe, Mustafi, Duffy. Fabio, Darron Gibson and Jonny Evans are all called up for Manchester United as Fergie keeps one eye on Tuesday’s match with Schalke: Van der Sar, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Evans, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia, Gibson, Anderson, Nani, Rooney, Hernandez. Subs: Kuszczak, Evra, Brown, Owen, Giggs, Carrick, Rafael Da Silva. We’ll start finding out how things pan out at: 12.45pm. How much of this is relevant, though? None of it, that’s what, I’m just filling space. Possibly more to the point is this: United have won their last 12 home league games in a row, they didn’t create much at Newcastle in midweek, and Everton haven’t lost in the league since mid February. Actually, that doesn’t get us very far either. Like all good Godfearin’ folk, United have mixed feelings about Easter, unsure whether to celebrate or mourn. In 1992, they drew at Luton Town and lost at home to Nottingham Forest, handing the league to Leeds United. But twelve months later, Steve Bruce scored his 197th minute winner against Sheffield Wednesday on the same day their closest challengers Aston Villa drew at home to Coventry City, and never looked back. Manchester United like playing Everton at Old Trafford. Of the last 17 fixtures against the Toffees down Sir Matt Busby Way, they’ve won 14 and lost a big Anderson-shaped zero. Even the season before that run began brought good cheer. United lost 3-0 at the start of the 1992/93 campaign, their fans beginning to seriously wonder whether they’d ever win the league after the previous season’s late capitulation. And look what happened since. Premier League Manchester United Everton Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
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Suspect detained as Police Service of Northern Ireland warns public to be vigilant over Easter weekend Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a man in connection with loyalist terrorist activity. The arrest came after police warned the public to be vigilant over the Easter weekend because of the “severe threat posed by terrorists”. Security checkpoints and patrols are being stepped up as a result. The 40-year-old man was detained in the Donegall Road area of Belfast at about 9.30am on Saturday during a planned police operation. He was taken to the serious crime suite in Antrim for questioning. On Friday, officers investigating dissident republican activities recovered a substantial haul of guns and ammunition from a vehicle in Keady, County Armagh near the Irish border. Three men arrested at the scene remain in police custody. Just three weeks after the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh , the Police Service of Northern Ireland warned that terrorist groups could be intent on trying to murder more officers in the coming days and weeks. A police spokesman said: “Dissident terrorist groups are continuing to identify officers and target them with the single objective of killing them. In so doing, their reckless actions will also put the lives of our wider communities at risk.” The warning came as thousands of mainstream republicans supporting Sinn Féin and the peace process prepared to hold dozens of commemoration parades throughout Ireland to mark the 1916 Rising. Northern Ireland UK security and terrorism David Batty guardian.co.uk
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Rebels fight back in besieged city as Nato targets Muammar Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi claim to have come under fierce attack as they tried to retreat from the rebel-held city of Misrata. The Libyan government earlier said Nato air strikes may force it to withdraw from the port city, 120 miles east of Tripoli, and let tribes loyal to Gaddafi deal with rebels. Early this morning, Nato bombs hit what appeared to be a bunker in Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound. Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said three people were killed by the “very powerful explosion” in a car park. Reuters reporters said they saw two large holes in the ground where the bombs had penetrated what appeared to be an underground bunker. The strike came after the most senior American military officer admitted the conflict was heading towards a “stalemate” despite more than a month of allied strikes against Gaddafi’s forces. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US military’s joint chiefs of staff, said Gaddafi’s ground forces had been degraded by 30% to 40%. But he warned that Nato forces faced a protracted military engagement in the civil war-torn country. “It’s certainly moving towards a stalemate,” Mullen told American troops during a visit to Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, on Friday. “At the same time, we’ve attrited somewhere between 30% and 40% of his main ground forces, his ground force capabilities. Those will continue to go away over time.” He said the allies would “put the squeeze” on the Libyan dictator “until he’s gone”. “Gaddafi’s gotta go,” he said. A group of wounded Libyan soldiers captured by rebels in Misrata, the last large city held by rebels in the west of the country, said they had come under fierce attack from anti-Gaddafi forces as the army tried to retreat. “We have been told to withdraw. We were told to withdraw yesterday,” one soldier, Khaled Dorman, told Reuters. Ayad Muhammad, another soldier, said: “The rebels attacked us while we were withdrawing from Misrata near a bridge this morning,” Another serviceman told the news agency the Libyan government had lost control over Misrata, the country’s third largest city. Reuters reported that it was unclear how far out of Misrata the army had managed to withdraw. Earlier, the Libyan deputy foreign minister, Khaled Kaim, said the army had been given an “ultimatum” to stop the rebellion in Misrata, which has been under siege for nearly two months. Hundreds of people have died in shelling and fighting, petrol is scarce and thousands of migrant workers are trapped there. Libya Middle East Arab and Middle East unrest Nato Muammar Gaddafi David Batty guardian.co.uk
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