A rights group yesterday published new photos of Israeli soldiers posing with detainees and vandalising Palestinian homes, in images apparently taken during the 2008-2009 Gaza war.
In one picture, a soldier points his assault rifle at the face of a blindfolded detainee and in another an officer is seen spray-painting a Star of David and “Back soon” on what looks to be the wall of a home.
Others show soldiers smiling and posing inside what appears to be Palestinian homes, and in one picture a woman in a headscarf is cooking at a stove.
Their release comes after a series of photos and videos depicting Palestinian prisoners have gone public after being posted on social network sites in a practice the military has said it is trying to halt. (AFP)
Mini-skirt ban bid
An Italian mayor wants to ban mini-skirts in public, branding them “too revealing”.
Luigi Bobbio said he wanted to restore public decorum in Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, through a set of rules that include banning football games in public parks, blasphemy, and “very succinct clothes”.
The rules are expected to be approved by the city council. (PA)
Bright spark
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured when oil collected by villagers from a leaking pipeline in Burma exploded.
The blast happened after one of them struck a match to see how much oil they had in drums.
The injured included nearly 100 people who were being treated mostly for burns at the hospital in the central district of Pakokku. (PA)
Man jailed for busting dog out of ‘death row’
An Australian man who busted his dog out of “death row” and abandoned his family to go on the run with it was jailed for six weeks yesterday.
An Adelaide court heard former champion boxer Ronnie Gilbertson, 42, was motivated by his over-riding love for Max, a Staffordshire terrier-cross who had been ordered to be put down for mauling a neighbour’s dog.
Mr Gilbertson used bolt cutters to free Max during a farewell visit and fled to western Australia, before being arrested in July. He had pleaded guilty to contempt of a court order instructing him to return the dog.
Judge Peter Brebner found Mr Gilbertson, who left behind his partner and two children when he fled, was “wilful and continuous” in disobeying the court order. Meanwhile, Max had been put down by a vet in Perth, the court heard. (AFP)
Ambulance driver in drink-driving probe
An ambulance driver was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after he was involved in a seven-vehicle accident while answering a 999 call.
Four people received minor injuries in the crash, with one treated for a suspected broken leg and another suffering a suspected fractured pelvis.
A third person suffered whiplash.
The 39-year-old driver was questioned and released on police bail.
He has been suspended by East Midlands Ambulance Service (Emas).
The ambulance service has launched an internal investigation into the collision on the A52 in Nottingham on Saturday evening.
At the time of the crash, the ambulance was en route to an emergency call and was not carrying a patient on board. (PA)
Shoe-hurler targets former Aussie PM
An anti-Iraq war activist dramatically hurled shoes at former Australian Prime Minister John Howard on live national TV yesterday, mimicking the famous protest directed at ex-US leader George W. Bush.
The protester stood up and threw two shoes, which missed Mr Howard, while shouting slogans during a stormy edition of public broadcaster ABC’s Q&A debate-style show.
“That is for Iraqi dead,” the protester shouted, before being quickly escorted away. A woman audience member yelled: “You’ve got blood on your hands” before walking out of the studio.
Mr Howard smiled and appeared unfazed by the stunt, which followed a surprise recorded question from “Aussie Taliban” David Hicks, a former Guantanamo Bay inmate, during a series of tough questions about his time in power. (AFP)