Turkey enters Syria to retrieve precious Suleyman Shah tomb

Hundreds of Turkish forces in armoured vehicles have entered war-torn northern Syria to evacuate troops guarding a historic tomb, demolishing it and moving the remains to a different site.

The remains of Suleyman Shah, who died in the 13th Century, were moved to a site in Syria closer to the border.

Turkey considered the shrine sovereign territory.

Islamic State (IS) militants in the area had threatened to attack it last year.

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which has lost control over much of northern Syria as a result of the country’s civil war, condemned the incursion as “flagrant aggression”.

It said that Turkey had informed its Istanbul consulate about the operation but had not waited for Syria’s consent.

Suleyman Shah, who lived from about 1178 to 1236, was grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman empire, Osman I.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government and the armed forces had carried out a “successful operation which is beyond all kinds of appreciation”.

All the relics at the tomb and the Turkish soldiers who had been guarding it had been brought out “safe and sound”, he said, and the existing mausoleum was destroyed.

One soldier was killed accidentally in the overnight raid, the military said.

The remains of Suleyman Shah have been moved to a hill north of the village of Esmesi close to the Turkish border, in an area under Turkish military control.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he hoped the remains could be returned to the old burial site eventually.

The operation unfolded peacefully, beginning on Saturday at about 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) and ending on Sunday morning, with 572 soldiers involved, Mr Davutoglu said.

A convoy of 39 tanks and 57 armoured vehicles streamed through Kobane, the city which Syrian Kurdish fighters retook last month from IS

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http://bbc.in/1w0VA9K

More than a third of jobs in some parts of Teesside pay less than the living wage

More than a third of jobs in some parts of Teesside pay less than the living wage, it has been revealed today.

The parliamentary constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland tops the list of living wage blackspots in the North-east with 36% of the jobs based there paying less than the living wage.

Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop, who represents Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said he was “not surprised” by the figures and said it was time to invest in skilled jobs in the region.

Second in the blackspot list is Hartlepool (34.7%), followed by Berwick-upon-Tweed (33.4%).

TUC has revealed at the start of the second week of the TUC’s Fair Pay Fortnight its analysis of official figures from the House of Commons Library that shows that nationally one in five jobs pays under the living wage - currently set at £9.15 in London and £7.85 across the rest of Britain.

Across the country, more than five million people get paid less than the living wage.

For working women the picture is even bleaker. In Hartlepool almost half (46.7%) of jobs pay less than the living wage, followed by Redcar (45.1%) and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (44.8%).

In some parts of the North-east there are higher paying areas where workers fare better. In Gateshead just 13.8% of jobs pay less than the living wage, followed by Newcastle upon Tyne East (14.9 %) and North Tyneside (18.6%) whereas in Teesside, in Stockton North 20.4% receive less than the living wage.

Northern TUC regional secretary Beth Farhat said: “These figures show that huge numbers of working people in the North-east are struggling to bring home a wage they can live off. Extending the living wage is a vital step towards tackling the growing problem of in-work poverty in parts of the North East - and Britain as a whole.

“Working families have experienced the biggest squeeze on their living standards since Victorian times, and these living wage figures show that women are disproportionately affected. Pay has been squeezed at all levels below the boardroom, and the government’s mantra about ‘making work pay’ is completely out of touch with reality.

“The number of living wage employers is growing rapidly and unions are playing their part in encouraging more employers to sign up and pay it. But we need to see a far wider commitment to pay the living wage from government, employers and modern wages councils – to drive up productivity and set higher minimum rates in industries where employers can afford to pay their staff more.”

Mr Blenkinsop said: “In my constituency we have more private employers - which is a good thing - but the smaller employers don’t have the ability to take on the same amount of costs.

“I think zero contracts make up the lion’s share of the problem.

“We need to have a bigger effective economy, upscaling the economy in general.

“It’s not just about getting people into employment but getting people into skilled jobs where they get paid higher wages to increase the tax base.”

Aitor Karanka: 'It's good we've got another game on Tuesday because this team always reacts well to a defeat'

Aitor Karanka is backing his players to bounce back from their Leeds loss by beating Bolton tomorrow night.

Boro’s 1-0 defeat was the first they’ve suffered on home soil since August.

The hosts, backed by the second largest Riverside crowd of the season, completely dominated a one-sided derby but couldn’t find a way past Leeds goalie Marco Silvestri, who made several outstanding saves to earn his team all three points.

The hosts suffered a further blow late on when Jelle Vossen was stretchered from the field with concussion and is almost certain to miss tomorrow’s game.

Karanka expects an positive reaction from his players against Bolton.

“It’s the best thing that we’ve got another game because this team always has a very good reaction after a defeat,” he said.

“We work very well after a setback and I think the best thing is we are at home on Tuesday.

“When we have had problems or have lost a game the following game we have always been good and I am expecting a similar reaction on Tuesday.

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A mystified Karanka admitted he couldn’t understand how his team lost to Leeds, adding: “It was the kind of day that you can’t explain how we lost the game.

“I don’t know how many chances we created but football is about goals, football is about points and we have lost.

“The Leeds keeper was brilliant. It’s not the first time that when we play a team the keeper is the man of the match but I can’t say anything bad about my players because they have done everything.”

“We are doing really well and we are in this position because all of the players have worked very well since the end of the season, I am very proud of them and we have to keep going.”

Boro slipped to second in the table as a result of the defeat, with Derby climbing to the top after beating Sheffield Wednesday and Bournemouth slipping to third as a result of their 3-1 defeat at Brentford.

It’s now incredibly tight at the top of the Championship with only five points separating Boro, who have 60 points, and seventh-placed Brentford, who have 55.

For the visit of Bolton, Mejias is likely to lose his place to Dimi Konstantopoulos, who was suspended for Saturday’s game, but Dani Ayala won’t be fit.

On Vossen’s condition, Karanka said: “I don’t know how he is but I hope it is nothing serious. The main thing is the player’s health and I hope Jelle is well as soon as possible.”

Karanka confirmed that Ryan Fredericks was fit and available for the Leeds game but he decided not to include him in the squad.

#OnThisBoroDay 2006: Boro do just enough to book their spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup

Roma were next up for Boro after Stuttgart were sent packing in the UEFA Cup and there was no reason to fear the Italian giants.

That was the confident claim of Steve McClaren after he watched his side do just enough to make it into the last 16 of the competition on this day in 2006.

But he wasn’t the only one who thought Boro would have too much for the much-fancied Italian side.

Markus Babbel was one of the best players on the pitch at the Riverside, as Stuttgart looked to overturn a 2-1 first leg defeat.

Their 1-0 win on the night on Teesside wasn’t enough as Boro edged through, but the former Liverpool defender had seen enough of McClaren’s side to believe they would cause problems for any side.

“I think they can go far because they have a good squad – it’s a good mix between young players and experienced players,” said Babbel.

“Gareth Southgate and Chris Riggott are fantastic defenders, Gaizka Mendieta is a great midfielder and they have got forwards who can score goals.

“But they have to play with a little bit more confidence.”

The confidence should have been oozing through the side after knocking out a quality German outfit – even if they did make hard work of it.

Christian Tiffert’s early goal ensured nails were nibbled as the clock seemed to stand still in a nervous second half.

But the European dream wasn’t over yet, and Boro did enough to book a last-16 date with Roma.

It was at that stage when Boro had faltered the year earlier, losing to Sporting Lisbon, but McClaren insisted his side had matured in that time.

“We saw what a good side Stuttgart are, but we beat them,” he said.

“Over the two legs, that’s a big win and an excellent prize in going to Roma.

“We are back in the final 16, and this year I think we are better equipped.”

Babbel and McClaren were both spot on. Once again, nerves would be shredded but Boro would do enough to take another European scalp.

The OSCAR winners at 87th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA

Eddie Redmayne was thrust into Hollywood stardom when he won the leading actor Oscar at the 87th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA.

The star, lauded for his performance as Professor Stephen Hawking in The Theory Of Everything, saw off competition from big names including Bradley Cooper and his friend - and fellow Brit - Benedict Cumberbatch.

Accepting his award from Cate Blanchett, a shocked Redmayne said: "I don't think I'm capable of articulating quite how I feel right now. I'm fully aware that I'm a lucky, lucky man".

He dedicated the award to "all of those people around the world battling" motor neurone disease - the illness that left Professor Hawking in a wheelchair.

Clutching his Oscar, Redmayne said: "I will be its custodian and I promise you I will look after him, I will polish him, I will answer his beck and call and wait on him hand and foot " and thanked the Hawking family and his wife, Hannah.

Redmayne, who has also won a Golden Globe, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild for the performance, also thanked his "staggering partner in crime Felicity Jones" who lost out on the leading actress Oscar to Julianne Moore.

Moore - like Redmayne - was widely tipped to win before the ceremony began.

(left to right) Winners of the Best Actor in a Supporting Role J.K. Simmons, Best Actress in a Supporting Role Patricia Arquette, Actress in a Leading Role Julianne Moore and Actor in a Leading Role Eddie Redmayne, in the press room of the 87th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA

Accepting her award for her performance as a woman with Alzheimer's in Still Alice, she said: "Thank you so much. I read an article that said that winning an Oscar could lead to living five years longer. If that's true I'd really like to thank the Academy because my husband is younger than me."

The actress added: "I'm so happy. I'm thrilled actually that we were able to hopefully shine a light on Alzheimer's disease. So many people with this disease feel isolated and marginalised."

The big hit of the night was Birdman which won best picture, original screenplay and best director for Alejandro G Inarritu.

On a night peppered with political point scoring, Inarritu joked the academy should bring in "immigration rules" after his win followed Alfonso Cuaron's success last year with Gravity.

He said: "Two Mexicans in a row, that's suspicious I guess".

Inarritu also raised the plight of Mexicans inside and outside the US, saying: "I pray for my fellow Mexicans, to have the government they deserve"

The tone was set early by Patricia Arquette who brought the house down with a speech demanding "equal rights for women".

The actress, named best supporting actress for her role in Boyhood, accepted her award from last year's best supporting actor Jared Leto.

In a highly political speech, she said: "To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights. It's our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America."

Host Neil Patrick Harris performs at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

The event at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles was hosted by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris.

The actor started with a satirical welcome for "Hollywood's best and whitest - sorry brightest" before launching into a song that paid paid tribute to legends include Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe.

But his confident opening faded and his script never quite seemed to totally win over his audience - and there was no attention-grabbing moment to rival last year's selfie with then-host Ellen DeGeneres.

Whiplash star JK Simmons was the night's first winner, picking up his award for best supporting actor from Lupita Nyong'o.

The Oscar for best original song went to Glory from the Martin Luther King biopic Selma.

John Legend performs on stage at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Collecting the award, John Legend said the song was written for a film based on events 50 years ago, but he added: "We say that Selma is now because the struggle for justice is right now."

He added: "We know that right now the struggle for freedom and justice is real. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world.

"There are more black men under correctional control today than there were under slavery in 1850."

One of the night's most powerful speeches was made by Graham Moore who won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for The Imitation Game which stars Cumberbatch as Alan Turing.

Moore told the audience he tried to commit suicide aged 16 because he "felt weird" and "different" and told the TV audience: "Stay weird, stay different and when it's your turn and you're standing on this stage, please pass on this message".

The award for best documentary feature went to Citizenfour, about whistleblower Edward Snowdon, and director Laura Poitras dedicated the win to Snowdon and other whistleblowers, and journalists "exposing truth".

Host Neil Patrick Harris speaks at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

In a nod to the controversy over the release of The Interview, Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs told the assembled audience they had "a responsibility to protect freedom of expression".

The film, about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, had its US release cancelled late last year following a hacking plot of the Sony Pictures studio in which terror threats were made against cinemas planning to screen it.

It was at the centre of an international controversy after the FBI insisted the online attack was carried out by North Korea and, after much political and celebrity pressure, the film was eventually shown online and in a limited number of cinemas.

The Grand Budapest Hotel failed to win any of the big prizes, but carried off Oscars for costume design, make-up and hair-styling and production design.

The Oscar for best foreign language film was presented to the Polish film Ida, while Londoner Mat Kirkby won the Oscar for best live action short film for The Phonecall, telling the audience: "Crikey O'Reilly. Crikey, these are big buggers."

Pawel Pawlikowski accepts the award for best foreign language film for Ida at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

The film, starring Sally Hawkins, is set in a crisis hotline centre, as is the film that won the documentary short category - Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1.

The Oscar for sound mixing went to Whiplash, and American Sniper won the Oscar for achievement in sound editing and Interstellar picked up the Oscar for visual effects.

Big Hero 6 picked up the Oscar for best animated feature, and Birdman's Emmanuel Lubezki won the Oscar for cinematography.

The Oscar for film editing went to Tom Cross for Whiplash, and he thanked the film's stars Miles Teller and JK Simmons for "delivering gold to the cutting room every day".

Scarlett Johansson introduced Lady Gaga who took to the stage for a tribute to The Sound Of Music, before Julie Andrews arrived on stage to present the Oscar for best original score to Alexandre Desplat for his work on The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Dusplat was also nominated for his work on The Imitation Game.

The full list of winners:

The full list of winners at the Oscars:

Best picture: Birdman

Actress in a leading role: Julianne Moore

Actor in a leading role: Eddie Redmayne

Supporting actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Supporting actor: JK Simmons, Whiplash

Directing: Alejandro G Inarritu for Birdman

Original screenplay: Birdman

Adapted screenplay: The Imitation Game

Costume design: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Makeup and hairstyling: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Foreign language film: Ida

Documentary (short subject): Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1

Live action short film: The Phone Call

Visual effects: Interstellar

Animated short film: Feast

Animated feature film: Big Hero 6

Production design: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman

Film editing: Tom Cross for Whiplash

Documentary feature: Citizenfour

Original song: Glory from Selma

Original score: Alexandre Desplat for The Grand Budapest Hotel

New subsea venture for Darlington - TI Geosciences

The parent company of Darlington’s Modus Seabed Intervention is part of a duo launching a new subsea venture on Teesside.

Tompkins UK, the parent of subsea specialist Modus, is partnering with Dutch firm Royal IHC to invest €17m in a new company, TI Geosciences - based in Darlington.

The newly created firm will deliver services in the deep and ultra-deep water, oil and gas geotechnical survey and site investigation markets.

TI Geosciences will initially provide cone penetration test (CPT) and gravity coring services, which are used to determine the geotechnical engineering properties of soils.

The services will use Tompkins’ technology, deployed from a platform supply vessel.

Remote seabed drilling services are also expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2015, with the first in a range of IHC’s sonic wireline-operated remote drill systems (SWORD).

The SWORD systems will remain within IHC’s research and development programme.

TI Geosciences will also have bases in Singapore and Saldahna Bay in South Africa.

The two firms said the new venture will be supported by IHC’s international network of office production and engineering facilities.

Modus, which was established in 2008 by Jake Tompkins, provides services for offshore industries, including the engineering and management of equipment to sectors including renewable energy, oil and gas and defence.

Last year it co-founded the Centre for Subsea Technology Awareness, Training and Education or - C-STATE.

The centre has gone from strength to strength, attracting trainees from across the region to its Darlington College base and also proving popular with companies forced out of Aberdeen by sky-high accommodation costs.

The facility is a partnership Cumbria-based Maritime Training and Competence Solutions Ltd (MTCS), Darlington College, Teesside University, Tees Valley Unlimited, Darlington Borough Council and Modus.

The purpose-built facility, which includes a 200hp hydraulic remotely operated vehicle (ROV), offers a range of subsea courses from apprenticeships to further and higher education, and industry recognised and accredited training.

Last June, Modus - which employs around 50 people - announced it was aiming for international growth after securing a £2.45m finance package from HSBC.

Accounts filed at Companies House in January show Modus Seabed Intervention suffered a £1.5m operating loss in its last financial year due to a curtailed contract and delays in a key build project.

Modus, which supplies predominantly to the North Sea offshore industries, reported a slide from operating profit of £1.2m to a loss of £1.53m, in the year to the end of March 2014.

Does Obama Love America or Islam?

Walk into a store and you’ll see piles of red and pink in the Clearance box. Everything from heart-shaped cards and boxes of chocolate candy to plastic flowers and teddy bears clutching plush red hearts will be 50 percent off because Valentine’s Day comes but once a year. And Valentine’s Day is over.

Obama’s love for America also comes but once a year. He tosses it into a speech in the Midwest when his poll numbers are down and then it goes into the clearance box where you can buy his love and his patriotism for 50 percent off. And it’s still expensive at the price because the heart-shaped box is empty.

Greeting card sentiments come easily to the man who will say anything. Obama promised to eliminate income tax for seniors making less than $50,000, vowed transparent open government and promised that you could keep your doctor. His words were empty promises.

Love, of a person or of a country, is not judged by what we say. It is judged by what we do.

Every politician with ambition claims to love America. Most only love themselves. Some love other things. No one can know what is it in Obama’s heart, which is why the media’s shrill demands that Scott Walker affirm Obama’s love for America are silly and cynical, but we can certainly follow his passions.

We show our passions in the things that we really care about. We all have our duties and obligations. Obama’s obligations include delivering speeches praising America, occasionally placing his hand on his heart during the pledge of allegiance (when he can find it) and badly saluting soldiers with a latte cup.

But are these the things he loves and cares about?

We can follow Obama’s passions the way that an adulterer’s trail to his mistress can be followed no matter how many cards or stuffed bears he gives to his wife.

What are the things that Obama is passionate about?

In his first days in office, he signed a number of executive orders. Of his first five orders, three involved Muslim terrorists captured and held in Gitmo. His third executive order was about the “humane” treatment of terrorists. His fourth executive order sought to close Gitmo. Like the man who can’t wait to get away from his wife so he can call his mistress, Obama made his priorities clear from the start.

It took Obama a month to set up the Economic Recovery Advisory Board. It took him two days to set up a Special Interagency Task Force on Detainee Disposition to free Gitmo terrorists.

Obama prioritized helping Muslim terrorists over the economic recovery. Why? Because that was a subject he was passionate about.

People will always prioritize what they are passionate about over what they aren’t. It’s easy to look at a mission shift and see the choice that has been made.

For example, is Obama passionate about space exploration? He told the head of NASA that his “foremost” priority was making Muslims feel good about themselves.

Obama is more passionate about Muslim self-esteem than he is about visiting other planets.

Is he passionate about god and religion? That depends on which god and which religion.

Obama left out “Under God” when reciting the Gettysburg Address. The DNC’s platform initially left out “God” and booed the reinsertion. Obama’s invocation at his inauguration also dropped “Under God”.

However Obama cheerfully recited “Allahu Akbar”, the opening of the Islamic supremacist call to prayer, and called it “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth.” He had a man jailed for making a YouTube video attacking Mohammed and blamed him for Muslim acts of terror against America.

Obama’s religious beliefs, such as they are, remain locked in his head. But there is only one religion that he is passionate enough to protect by imprisoning those who blaspheme against it.

He may botch salutes and the pledge of allegiance, but he has retained the ability to chant “Allahu Akbar” with a “first-rate accent”.

He may think that the “good book” says “don’t throw stones in glass houses”, but he accurately quotes the Koran. The things that we remember are the ones that we really care about.

Obama has an obligation to reference the Gettysburg Address, to wait out the pledge of allegiance and to praise America. He has no obligation to quote the Koran or chant “Allahu Akbar”. These are things that he does because he wants to do them. They are the things that he is actually passionate about.

Does he love them more than he loves America? No one can know what is in another person’s heart.

There are married couples who have lived together for decades only to discover that the love of their life had been cheating on them all along. And who is to say that the adulterer doesn’t love? We can’t pass a final verdict on his feelings. But we can know his faithlessness by his deeds.

We can say of him and of Obama that they broke faith with the covenant that they had entered into. We can say that they betrayed those who trusted them, lied to them, used and abused them, and then feigned outrage when their actions were questioned.

Can the media’s furious talking heads denouncing Giuliani deny that Obama lied to Americans? Can they deny that he harmed them? Can they deny that he refused to take responsibility for his actions?

The facts are clear. Only the interpretation is in doubt. And the interpretation is what we are debating.

Does Obama lie to Americans because he loves them? Does he weaken America abroad because he loves it? And if Obama loves America, what does he love about it and how does he show that love? Does he love the Constitution? If he did, he wouldn’t constantly violate it. Does he love Americans? Which Americans? The ones whose health plans he took away for ObamaCare or the ones whose jobs he took away to legalize illegal aliens? The ones whose votes and wishes he ignores and snidely mocks?

Is it the Americans who no longer believe in the future under his rule that he loves? Is it the unemployed Americans he loves? Is it the Americans he jailed under his new laws and regulations that he loves?

If Obama loves Americans, then it’s a clear case of hurting the ones you love.

And if Obama doesn’t love Americans, what America does he love; the rock band or the Walt Whitman poem, the town America in the Netherlands or the Neil Diamond song?

Questioning Obama’s love for America is alleged to be unacceptable gutter politics, but accusing his critics of being racists is a standard debating tactic for those same outraged media talking heads.

It wasn’t gutter politics when Obama claimed that the national debt under Bush was “unpatriotic”. Is Obama at least as “unpatriotic” for increasing the debt by 70 percent? Is it possible that his spending spree proves that he doesn’t love America? Or is indebting our children the way that he shows his love?

Can we question the patriotism of a man who frees terrorists or only of a man who locks them up?

Is asking whether Obama loves America an unacceptable question because the answer is obvious or because it isn’t?

Obama will go on making speeches in which he claims to love America while making the country poorer, more dangerous and weaker. He will also go on making speeches praising Islam while increasing the power, influence and wealth of Muslims in America and around the world.

As the clearance box after Valentine’s Day shows, anyone can buy a card or a teddy bear. It’s the actions that count. It’s not what we say that shows love. It’s what we do that shows what we truly care about.

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Bill Whittle: Brass Tacks on Immigration

From a guaranteed right to hormone therapy for transgendered illegal aliens, to a prospective Attorney General saying that illegals have the same right to a job as US citizens or legal immigrants, the ongoing sham of the Obama administration’s under-the-radar policies get seen in the light of day in Bill Whittle’s latest FIREWALL. See the video and transcript below:

TRANSCRIPT:

Hi everybody. I’m Bill Whittle and this is the Firewall.

As you may recall, a few months ago, President Barack Obama accomplished something with the stroke of his pen that had been deemed well beyond what he himself said was beyond his authority as chief: grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens through executive order.

So let’s get above the pit of criminality of both the act of illegally coming into ANYONE’S country – not just ours – and also above selfish venality of those who not only sanction such actions but in fact approve of and encourage them for their own political and financial gain. Let’s just get down to the brass tacks here on illegal immigration.

To do that, let’s look at two recent statements – one on the part of an active immigration official in the US government, and a second from the candidate for the highest law enforcement position in the land.

We’ll start with Kevin Landy, assistant director of the office of detention policy and planning for ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement branch of the Federal government, discussing treatment options for transgendered illegal aliens once in US detention facilities.

((LANDY CLIP 35 SECONDS))

There are two important words buried in that bland bureaucratic response. One of them is especially important. Let’s listen again.

The first word is GUARANTEES, in other words, makes a binding promise. The second word is RIGHT. A right is something that cannot be taken away from you. Calling it a “right” means that someone has to provide it for you if you cannot provide it for yourself.

This official of the US government, Kevin Landy, has just stated that if you break US law by illegally entering the country then the citizens of the country whose laws you have violated are legally obligated to provide you with the hormone therapy necessary to your choice of lifestyle.

And now from the ridiculous to the sublime. Here is Loretta Lynch, President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace disgraced Attorney General Eric Holder, being questioned by Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama:

((LYNCH CLIP 32 SECONDS))

The candidate for the highest law enforcement official in the land has just stated that people who are here illegally have an equal right to the same job as people who are either US Citizens or legal immigrants here on work visas.

So now to the brass tacks.

First, if there are no such things as illegal aliens, as the advocates for open borders proclaim – then where does it stop? If seven million people can sneak across the border at night and be granted the same status, and the same benefits as US Citizens – social security, medicare, and the right to vote – then where do we stop? Why only seven million? Why not all seven billion people currently on planet Earth?

If three hundred and twenty million Americans are having money taken from them at gunpoint through taxation in order to GUARANTEE the RIGHT of one transgendered illegal alien to hormone therapy once they cross the border, then there is no line – none. None! – between that and them having to pay through their hard work and taxes the health care of any one of the seven billion people on planet earth who can manage to cross a two thousand mile long line on a map.

Second, if the candidate for the chief law enforcement position in the land says that someone entering the country by breaking the law is not only not going to be arrested and deported, but rather has the same right to take a job from US citizen or a legal immigrant on a work visa and condemning them to unemployment and dependency on the government, then what does that tell you about the person who nominated her to that office? And what does it say about his contempt for the people that elected him in the first place? And ultimately, what does it say about those people themselves?

This man, who says there comes a point where people have made enough money, who says that the people who pay the taxes for hormone therapy for illegal transgendered criminals didn’t build the businesses that write the checks that maintain his loving and generous reputation, is, as you may know by now, an avid golfer. The man who condemns rich fat cats with private jets flies in the biggest private jet in the world to the finest resorts in the world, and he does it all the time. Because he likes it. Who wouldn’t?

Does anyone actually think this individual is capable of that kind of lifestyle without spending one person’s money to buy the vote of another’s? And does anyone still doubt that any of these incompetents and losers are willing to not only destroy the laws of the nation, but the nation itself, in order to sate the lust for the money and power they are incapable of obtaining through their own efforts?

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Judaism vs. The Progressive Faith — on The Glazov Gang

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This week’s Glazov Gang was joined by Aaron Shuster (Writer/Producer), Ari David (Host, The Ari David Show Podcast) and Barak Lurie (Host, Barak Lurie Show).

The guests gathered to discuss Judaism vs. The Progressive Faith, analyzing the connection between rejecting the Torah and joining the Left. The dialogue occurred within the context of a focus on The Psychology of Left-Wing Jews.

Don’t miss Jamie Glazov discuss his battle on Hannity against the Unholy Alliance and the mechanisms of Jihad-Denial:

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Israel ‘opens dam gates’ flooding Gaza: Palestinian agency

Israeli authorities have opened the gates of a dam near the Gaza Strip, which led to the flooding of several homes in the enclave, according to the strip’s Civil Defense Directorate (CDD).

“The [Israeli] army opened the floodgates of a canal leading to central Gaza, which led to the removal of sand mounds along the border with Israel,” Gaza’s CDD said in a statement.

“Opening the levees to the canal has led to the flooding of several Palestinian homes, and we had to quickly evacuate the afflicted citizens,” it added.

Medical sources told Anadolu Agency that no casualties have been reported as a result of the flooding.

According to the CDD, Israeli authorities usually open the floodgates to their dams in the direction of the Gaza Strip – without prior notice – in order to discharge the enormous quantities of water that had accumulated due to the heavy rains in the region.

The Gaza Strip is struggling to deal with a severe snowstorm that has been sweeping across several Middle Eastern countries since Tuesday.

The Israeli blockade of Gaza, in place since 2006, has led to shortages in fuel and rainwater drainage equipment, which further exacerbated the situation of the 1.9 million Palestinians in the strip.

Images by MEMO Photographer Mohammed Asad.

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Hamas accuses Egyptian media of spreading anti-Palestinian lies

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A Hamas spokesman on Saturday slammed what he described as a campaign of “incitement and deception” by a number of Egyptian journalists against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri denied reports that Palestinians have been traveling via tunnel into Egypt recently, denouncing what he called a “Zionist-like” network that had spread the rumors and sought to sow discord between Egypt and Palestine.

All of the tunnels under the border area, he said, have been destroyed and both Egyptian and Palestinian security forces have been guarding both sides of the borders.

Similarly, Hamas interior ministry spokesman Iyad al-Buzm denounced the “attempts to accuse the Gaza Strip of (culpability in) the ongoing events in Egypt.”

Commenting on a report on an Egyptian TV channel Friday evening claiming that gunmen infiltrated Egyptian territory from Gaza, al-Buzm argued that “the channel which circulated the rumor is the same channel which falsely claimed a few days ago that a Palestinian resistance fighter was killed in Sinai.”

The claims proved to be false that time, he said, suggesting they would be proven false yet again.

The Egyptian media has widely followed the government’s lead since the July 2013 military coup in denouncing Hamas as enemies of the state and supporters of the Wahhabi insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula.

Hamas was an ally of the democratically-elected government of the Muslim Brotherhood’s President Mohamed Morsi, and as Egyptian leader Fattah al-Sisi has cracked down brutally on the party’s supporters, Hamas has also been targeted.

Beside labeling the group a “terrorist” organization and outlawing it, the Egyptian government has kept the Rafah border sealed completely shut and destroyed underground tunnels that once provided a lifeline for Gaza’s 1.8 million people to the outside world.

Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood have denied any connection to the Sinai insurgency, which is being waged by an Islamic State affiliate.

Both Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood subscribe to a mainstream view of Sunni Islam that conflicts with the Wahhabi Salafi interpretation of Islam pursued by IS, and in Gaza Hamas has previously cracked down on followers of IS’ brand of fundamentalist Islam

PM Modi was not a ‘Chai Wala’ reveals an RTI

By IND on February 22, 2015

New Delhi, February 21:

There is no record available that shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a tea-seller on railway platforms or trains during his childhood, an RTI query has revealed.

A Congress supporter and social activist Tehseen Poonawalla, had sought information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from the Railway Board about whether there was any record, registration number or official pass issued to Modi allowing or entitling him to sell tea on trains and at stations.

Quoting the RTI response from the railway ministry, she said: “No such information is available in TG III Branch of Tourism and Catering Directorate of Railway Board.”

——IANS

Funding boost of almost £30m for two Teesside companies

Two Teesside businesses have been awarded a £20m cash boost.

Chemical company, Chemoxy International and waste-management firm J&B Recycling have each secured £10m in capital from the Business Growth Fund, a £2.5bn fund back by the UK’s five big banks.

And Chemoxy has secured a further boost after it also secured an additional £10m in working capital from the RBS bank.

Chemoxy, based in Middlesbrough, will use the new funding package to make further investments in capital and plant over the next four years in order to increase capacity.

It intends to expand its product and service range and hopes to more than double revenue to £100m by 2020.

Chief Executive Ian Stark said: “This funding package supports our long-term ambitions for Chemoxy, with growth capital empowering us to expand the business without relinquishing control over the management or direction of the firm.

“At the same time, we are looking forward to drawing on new ideas and expertise.”

The firm was created following a management buyout of Dow Chemical in 2011. It works with blue-chip companies across the chemical, agricultural, retail and oil and gas industries.

Vikki Jackson-Smith, Managing Director of J & B Recycling Business Growth Fund

Since the buy-out by Mr Stark and chief operating officer Martyn Bainbridge, turnover has increased from £34m to £50m within three years.

The company has already invested £10m in new machinery and has acquired new land at its Billingham site in preparation for future growth. Chemoxy now employs more than 130 people.

Chemoxy makes solvents for products ranging from petrochemicals to fragrances. It manufactures its own low toxicity solvent, Coasol, which is sold to paint companies all over the world, and also runs a solvent recycling business.

J&B Recycling, a waste management firm also secured £7.5m investment from the Business Growth Fund, which is backed by Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC, RBS and Standard Chartered.

New jobs will be created at the recycling firm, which operates from a waste transfer station in Middlesbrough and two recycling facilities in Hartlepool.

The company is run by Vikki Jackson-Smith, who established the recycling business in 2000 to diversify from the solid fuel business that her father Alan Jackson had originally established in the 1970’s.

Since then, the business has grown to an annual turnover of £10m and employs 175 people.

She said: “I am delighted J&B has secured a significant investment from BGF to help execute our very exciting growth plans.

“J&B has always viewed itself as an innovator within the industry, from our early days of recycling glass bottles to the development of our state-of-the-art materials recycling facility.

“This investment will further enhance our reputation as we look to collect, recover and recycle more and more waste to put to new uses.”

Visitors descend on Gisborough Priory for annual snowdrop display

Visitors to Gisborough Priory were greeted by a white carpet of snowdrops today.

The annual Snowdrop Sunday, which is Gisborough Priory Project’s opening event this year, welcomed visitors young and old to see the blooming spectacle.

The volunteer-run charity has been working hard over recent years to restore the historic gardens in the market town.

Chairman of the project, Doug Moore, said: “This is our first open day of the year. It is difficult to gage exactly when they will come depending on the winter we have.

“We generally get a lot of people in each year.

Snowdrop Sunday at Gisborough Priory in the woodland gardens

“Before we started on this project, all of the area was covered in brambles and woodland debris. We couldn’t really get into it all. It was all overgrown.

“Once it was all uncovered, it let a bit of light in and out the snowdrops came. It was a nice surprise.”

Jenny Thomas, 65, from Guisborough, has been volunteering as part of the Gisborough Priory Project since 2007.

She said: “When we cleared the centre of the Monks’ Walk the snowdrops appeared. The more we cleared the more snowdrops we got.”

Beverley Jones, from Marske, also went along to see the snowdrops with her mum, Sheila Fawcett.

Beverley said: “Mum loves snowdrops so we thought we could come along and see. It’s a shame they are not out in the summer. The weather would be so much better.”

Snowdrop Sunday at Gisborough Priory in the woodland gardens

Madeline Jones, 69, from Redcar, has enjoyed the beautiful sight of the flowers for a number of years now.

She said: “Today has been in my diary for a few weeks. I love snowdrops. I have been several times and it is always a pleasure to come, even when the weather is like this.”

From next month, Gisborough Priory Project will take over the whole site, greeting visitors on arrival as well as continuing with their gardening work.

Doug Moore said: “The aim of the Gisborough Priory Project is to restore the Priory gardens. We are trying to make it more accessible for the public. We are working to make it more user-friendly.”

To find out more about Gisborough Priory Project and to get involved visit http://bit.ly/1zxtnck .

How Chinese New Year was celebrated on Teesside

The Chinese New Year was welcomed on Teesside with a feast of activities at a local community centre today.

The Year of the Goat got off to a delicious start at Tees Valley Chinese Community Centre on North Ormesby Road, Middlesbrough, with more than 200 guests enjoying the finest Chinese cuisine from Hot Wok on Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, while being entertained with traditional dance and music.

Chinese New Year celebrations at the Chinese Community Centre in Middlesbrough

Kew Lim, chairwoman of Tees Valley Chinese Community Centre, said: “It’s important for us to preserve our culture and our mother tongue. But our centre is not just for the Chinese community, we welcome everybody.

“This is the year of the mountain goat, it means we will have to work hard to survive and we must cooperate with people.

“People born in the Year of the Goat will be moderately humble, a little shy but very cooperative people.”

Chinese New Year celebrations at the Chinese Community Centre in Middlesbrough

Line dance teacher Caroline Cooper, 42, praised the hospitality shown by the community.

She said: “Everybody is so hospitable and the food was very nice.”

Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy hopes to get creative with your Wish support

A Stockton school is hoping to be more creative with the help of your Wish tokens.

Located on Darlington Lane in Norton, Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy, continuously works hard to support its pupils, parents and the wider community.

The school, which welcomes 210 pupils, aims to help all children fulfil their potential regardless of whether this is academic or in other fields.

Having entered The Gazette’s Wish campaign this year, the school’s early years foundation stage hopes that readers will help to boost their imaginary skills.

Emma Hunter, of the school said: “We would like to spend the money on new resources to encourage creativity and imagination.”

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.

Although there are no more tokens to collect, there is still time to help by sending your tokens to your chosen group, which must submit them by 5pm on February 27.

To help Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy, send your tokens to: Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy, Darlington Lane, Norton, Stockton on Tees, TS20 1BZ.

Great North Run millionth finisher urges others to run in aid of Butterwick Hospice

People are being urged to pull on their running shoes in aid of a good cause.

Butterwick Hospice has a number of places in this year’s Great North Run available for people who are willing to raise money for the charity.

They will join Tracey Cramond, last year’s millionth finisher, who took the accolade while running for the Stockton charity.

And the hospice has special tickets to give away to two lucky runners. All those who sign up to run for the Hospice will have their names put in a draw with the chance of winning a VIP place which allows you to finish the race in the celebrity marquee, rubbing shoulders with famous entrants.

Tracey, from Darlington, is again running for Butterwick Hospice Care in memory of her mum because Butterwick was her mother’s favourite local charity.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to this year’s Great North Run and I’m inviting others who want to experience an amazing day to join me on the Butterwick Hospice team.”

To sign up call 01642 628930 or visit at http://bit.ly/1DHa073 .

Registration costs £52. Runners must raise a minimum of £300 sponsorship.

Billingham cannabis dealer avoids jail after court hears he uses the drug for pain relief

A Cannabis dealer who used the drug to relieve the pain of his arthritis has avoided jail.

Andrew Williamson, 44, said the Class B drug was the only effective painkiller he could use for his arthritis.

His illnesses played a part in the decision not to jail him, but to keep him prisoner in his own home at nights under a curfew.

More than £2,500 worth of cannabis was found in his home in two police raids.

He admitted he was supplying the Class B drug to finance his own habit, not for financial gain.

Police first searched his home on Denbigh Road, Billingham on January 21 last year.

Officers found cannabis worth £1,464, almost £780 cash, digital scales and two mobile phones carrying drug-related texts.

They also discovered some amphetamines and magic mushrooms, Teesside Crown Court heard from prosecutor David Crook.

Williamson admitted supplying cannabis and possessing the drug with intent to supply, saying he only supplied it to people he knew.

Teesside Crown Court

He was bailed and his home was raided again on May 30.

This time £1,141 worth of cannabis was found along with £94 worth of the Class A drug cocaine and a very small amount of “ground-up constituents of MDMA”.

Williamson admitted possession of the cocaine but denied possessing cannabis - found in his kitchen and bedroom - with intent to supply.

He was convicted by a jury after a trial which heard medical evidence of his health conditions.

Andrew White, defending, said: “He does suffer from arthritis to a significant degree. That puts him in significant pain.

“That problem has been compounded by his diagnosis in 2010 with Barrett’s syndrome, which affects his oesophagus.”

The condition meant he could not take painkillers commonly used for arthritis, and had to rely on paracetamol “which doesn’t touch the pain that he suffers”.

“Unfortunately he found that the only effective relief he was getting was from cannabis,” added Mr White.

“He used that of necessity in very high quantities.”

“He regrets what he’s done and apologises to your Lordship. He has clearly got himself involved in the supply of cannabis.”

Now Williamson had stopped taking cannabis and was being helped by his GP in finding a legal way to fight his pain.

“To some extent he doesn’t - he has to bear it,” said Mr White.

“But he’s off the cannabis and intends to remain that way.”

Williamson had never been to prison and was concerned about the effect of a jail term on his seven-year-old daughter, the court heard.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, told the defendant: “This is street dealing. But you were not a main drug dealer.”

He said Williamson was dealing to “not a huge number of others” to make enough money to buy cannabis for his arthritis.

He took into account Williamson’s illnesses, the care of his daughter and a 10-year gap in his offending.

He added: “It took something by you to step back and desist from cannabis.

“I give you credit for that. For all those reasons I’m prepared to suspend this sentence.”

He gave Williamson a 13-month jail term suspended for two years with supervision and a four-month tagged curfew between 8pm and 7am.

Stub it out: Smoking killed 23,000 in KSA last year

There is an alarming rise in the Kingdom’s death rate due to smoking .

“Smoking caused more than 23,000 deaths in the Kingdom last year,” said a report from an anti-smoking center. It said the number would double by 2025. The report describes the measures taken to combat smoking as weak. It warned that passive smoking, which is smoke inhaled by people who are close to smokers, is lethal as it can cause death, disease and physical weakness.

Statistical studies have shown a steady increase in the number of young and adolescent smokers across the world. The numbers warrant serious efforts to halt the habit’s escalation. At the same time, a number of citizens have demanded awareness drives concerning the tragic consequences of smoking. They say that families should keep children away from bad company. They must also explain to them the dangers involved in smoking cigarettes.

Nasser Saleh of the anti-smoking center said that smoking was spreading fast among young children and adolescents.

“Young smokers in the past used to hide their habit from others for fear of parents’ and neighbors’ angry reactions, but now they smoke near their homes and show no fear in being seen by all. This shows their lack of awareness on the dangers of smoking,” he said.

“It is very common these days to see children smoking close to their homes, schools, public places and parks,” Saleh said, adding that weak parental supervision and monitoring combined with the influence of the children’s smoking friends make the situation even worse and eventually the children become addicted to cigarettes. Saleh stressed that parents should inform their children about the harmful effects of smoking and, if needed, punish the children in order to stop them smoking.

Khaled Fahd also warned that the growing habit of smoking among young men might be attributed to weak religious influence as well as a lack of awareness about the dangers of smoking and negligence on the part of their relatives. He felt that some teenagers might turn to smoking as a result of personal problems. They might be trying to prove themselves adults in the belief that smoking is a sign of maturity.

Sultan Muhammad said a lot of teenagers believed that smoking was a shortcut to the adult world, and that it was a sign of manhood. His advice to parents with teenage children is to be friends with their children so that the children do not look for friendship with the wrong kind of young people.

Sattam Al-Harbi said some children were driven to smoking because of problems at home such as quarreling parents and thus, they did not get the love or recognition they need.

Assad forces kill 48 civilians in Aleppo

Syrian regime forces killed 48 civilians in Hardatnin village in Aleppo in northern Syria, according to a statement released Saturday by the Syrian Revolution General Commission.

Regime forces killed 48 civilians by shooting or slaughtering the victims before withdrawing from the village Friday night. The victims included women and children. The massacre was discovered when the rebels completely seized control of Hardatnin village on Saturday, according to the statement.

The revolutionaries freed 150 civilians who were captured at a school in the village.

A field hospital documented a list of the 48 victims’ names.

Mustafa Sultan, a local activist in the area, confirmed the death toll saying that regime forces backed by Hezbollah factions killed the civilians before their withdrawal.

On Friday, Nusra Front said that it seized control of the strategic area of al-Mallah strategic from regime forces. Regime forces were trying to cut the road which the opposition forces use to transfer supplies in Aleppo’s countryside using the area’s strategic position.

A report released by a group of UN experts investigating war crimes on Friday, said that “unthinkable” crimes continue to occur on a daily basis in Syria as the conflict approaches its fifth year.

The UN commission of inquiry on Syria called for urgent attention to be paid to the shocking crimes committed by the Syrian regime, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant militants and other armed opposition groups.

The report said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime’s “surrender or starve” siege strategy has left thousands of people, particularly infants, dead over the past four years, citing the victims describing the regime’s strategy as that of “draining the sea to kill the fish.”

The regime has been using barrel bombs since 2012, targeting crowded areas, such as bakery lines, transportation hubs, apartment buildings, markets and aid distributions, which led to an increase in the number of persons with disabilities, according to the report.

Syria has been gripped by violence since the regime launched a violent crackdown in response to anti-government protests in March 2011, triggering a conflict that has left at least 210,000 people dead and displaced almost half of the country’s population, according to the UN.

Source: MEMO

Rugby round-up: Redcar and Acklam suffer defeat as promotion race remains wide open

Redcar were six minutes away from a famous victory over league leaders Ponteland - but were rocked by a last-gasp sucker punch at Mackinlay Park.

Despite leading for virtually all of the match, Redcar ended up on the losing side after a dramatic late score earned Ponteland a 16-15 win on Teesside.

The Seasiders went into the game having won all 10 of their league matches on home soil this campaign, a run that has seen them emerge as genuine promotion contenders in Durham and North Two.

That imperious home form looked set to claim another victim as Redcar led from as early as the third minute.

But losing centre Brian Foreman to the sin bin late on, Ponteland scored the game’s decisive try in the 74th minute to crush 14-man Redcar.

The result extends Ponteland’s winning run to 20 consecutive league games, and virtually secures them the championship crown.

But for third-placed Redcar it was a bitter pill to swallow as their unbeaten home record came crashing down.

“We were devastated - we thought we had done enough,” said Redcar head coach Richie Young.

“On the balance of play we probably should’ve enjoyed a convincing win but some poor execution and decision-making cost us a couple of tries.

“They’ve got a real weapon in their driving maul and we coped with it well for the most part, but that’s ultimately what won them the game.”

Redcar's Richie Young

Starting the day four points behind rivals Acklam in the second promotion spot, Redcar knew they had little room for error.

But despite their defeat, they remain in contention for promotion after Acklam suffered a shock 22-19 defeat at Hartlepool.

“If anything, hearing the Acklam result made it worse,” Young added.

“To be so close to beating Ponteland - the ‘unbeatable team’ - on the same day that Acklam lost, it was a missed opportunity for us.

“But we’ll now regroup, get our heads together and see what we can achieve in the last six games of the season.”

It was an afternoon of real frustration for in-form Acklam, who travelled to Hartlepool on the back of three straight wins.

Playing the first half against the wind, Acklam struggled to get out of their own half against a Pools side enjoying home advantage.

When they did break into the opposition half, it was a case of missed opportunities as Acklam failed to score, despite six consecutive scrums on the Hartlepool five-metre line.

The hosts cruised into an early 14-0 lead, and Acklam’s slow start was made even worse after Andy Dunn was shown a yellow card on 25 minutes.

The Teessiders did hit back with a try of their own during that period, but against the wind Acklam trailed 22-5 at the break.

Acklam regrouped and started brightly in the second half with substitute Chris Walker bagging two tries before the hour mark.

With the visitors in the ascendancy, Hartlepool tried to slow the game down - receiving three yellow cards in an ill-tempered second half.

But Acklam couldn’t make their numerical advantage count, and slipped to a frustrating defeat.

That result means Acklam remain four points clear of Redcar in the promotion race ahead of next weekend’s round of games. Redcar travel to North Shields, while Acklam host Whitley Bay Rockliff.

Rugby round-up: Boro return to winning ways in Yorkshire One

A superb second half display saw Boro return to winning ways after a 35-0 success over Pontefract at Acklam Park.

Boro came into the match on the back of two straight defeats, with an inconsistent 2015 seeing them slip down to sixth in Yorkshire One.

But Ian Heslehurst’s men moved up one place after Saturday’s bonus point victory, which will do much to raise the spirits ahead of a busy few weeks.

Two penalties from Simon O’Farrell handed Boro an early 6-0 lead, and despite long periods camped in the Pontefract half, the hosts could not extend that lead before the break.

But it was a different story in the second period with Richie Lonsdale finishing off a great team move after Rhys Kilbride was held up short.

Leading 16-0 into the final 10 minutes, Boro then cut through their opponents at will with Euan Tremlett , Josh Lynas and Kilbride all crossing to earn the hosts a four-try bonus point.

Next up for Boro is a trip to Scarborough, which should see Ian Bradford make his 300th first XV appearance for Boro - a remarkable achievement.

Elsewhere, Guisborough maintained their title charge in Durham and North One with a 43-12 win at Gateshead.

The Priorymen’s latest success means it’s now 16 wins from their last 17, and remain one point clear of Morpeth with six matches remaining.

In the same division, a depleted Stockton side missing seven first-team players pulled together to claim an 18-12 win at Station Road.

Jeremy Good put in a wonderful personal display, scoring all of Stockton’s points after crossing the line three times.

Winger Brian Morris and hooker Johnny Humby also made their Stockton bows, as the team consolidated sixth spot in the league.

In National Three North it was a drab afternoon for Billingham, who were beaten 22-5 at Wirral. Anth Jackson scored the Teessiders’ only try.

Yarm limped to a 19-12 home defeat against Washington in Durham and North Three.