Why Rudy and Walker Were Right

This week, the media broke news that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said, at an event attended by prospective Republican presidential candidate Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, that he does not believe President Barack Obama “loves America.” This isn’t news. Barack Obama doesn’t love free enterprise, believes founding philosophy was fatally flawed and sees the American people as rubes with antiquated religious and racist tendencies. Sure, we can all agree that Obama likely loves America’s scenery; perhaps he loves America, but doesn’t like her very much. But that’s not what Giuliani was talking about, and everyone knows it.

But in any case, Giuliani wasn’t the media’s true target. The true target was Walker.

Using Giuliani’s comments as a springboard, media members went hunting for a faux pas from Walker. They asked him whether he thinks Obama loves America; Walker responded, quite rightly, “You should ask the president what he thinks about America. I’ve never asked him so I don’t know.” They asked him whether he believed Obama was a Christian; Walker answered, “I don’t know. … You’ve asked me to make statements about people that I haven’t had a conversation with about that.”

For the media, this represented a “gotcha” moment. Anyone who doubts President Obama’s love of country must be pilloried as cruel and inhumane. Anyone who doubts the religious sincerity of a man who invoked Christianity to support lies about his support for traditional marriage, a man who recently compared Christian history with the acts of ISIS, must be publicly scourged.

Naturally, many Republicans have eagerly jumped on the bandwagon. George F. Will said that all Republicans should say that Obama is a patriot (a strategy that worked brilliantly for John McCain in 2008). Matt Lewis of The Daily Beast wrote that no candidate should question anyone’s patriotism or stated faith. The premise seems to be that failing to demonstrate such goodwill touches off media conflagrations that damage conservatives overall.

This misses the point.

Democrats have for years been questioning the decency of Republicans as human beings.

During the Obamacare rollout, President Obama accused Republicans of wanting to deprive people of healthcare; he openly accused President George W. Bush of being “unpatriotic” for raising the national debt. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that Republicans are “indifferent” to hungry and poor children. Anyone who opposes any aspect of President Obama’s agenda has been deemed a racist.

The point here is not the media’s double standard, which is egregious but unchangeable. The point is that this perception of Republicans has pervaded the public arena. Republicans’ fundamental burden is not explaining to the American people that Democrats are great people, but wrong on policy. Their great burden is overcoming the generalized perception that they are money-grubbing Snidely Whiplashes bent on strapping widows and orphans to the train tracks.

You cannot overcome that perception by ardently pleading that the very folks who call you racist, sexist, homophobic bigots are well-intentioned but incompetent. If someone calls you a racist, and you respond by stating that they are a reasonable human being with policy differences, you grant their premise: A reasonable person has called you a racist, which means it is reasonable to call you racist. You lose.

And Republicans have been losing, at least in large part, because they grant the fundamental premise of the left: Democrats are well-meaning, even when they are wrong, and Republicans have evil intentions, even when they are right. That is a recipe for disaster in a country where intentions matter more than actions.

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The Hoax of Black Victimization at the Oscars

If John Legend and Prince and all the celebrities at the Oscars and Grammys are right, then so is this: A whole lot of black people are in prison For No Reason Whatsoever. Or tens of thousand of white people are getting away with murder. Or both.

Legend, of course, is the singer/songwriter who won the Oscar for his music from the movie Selma. He used his acceptance speech to reveal a bit of truth that maybe some folks wish he had not: Selma is not really about the past but the present. And how black people are still relentless victims of relentless white racism that happens all the time, everywhere and explains everything.

Legend finished his speech by reminding us there are more black people in prison today than there were slaves in 1850. No on one is disputing that either: The incarceration rates for black people are anywhere from 6 to 10 times higher than for whites. And ten times more than that for Asians.

But here is the question that Legend and his merry band of celebrities left out: Are all those black people in prison for No Reason Whatsoever?

If so, that problem has a simple solution: Get’ em out. Get some witnesses, videos, victims, police reports and 911 calls and put them all together, present them to black judges and black prosecutors and then get ready for the deluge of innocent black people streaming out of the prisons and back into the places where they were falsely convicted in the first place.

Or maybe cops are just ignoring white criminals. That would also explain the disparity.

If that is the case, the solution is kind of the same: Just gather the evidence and lock ‘em up.

Surely there are enough black mayors, black police chiefs, black prosecutors, black judges, black newspapers, black radio stations, black web sites and black juries in black cities to make this happen.

The idea that cops pick on black people and ignore white people is conventional wisdom on the news outlets where racial grievance is served up like the latest Marie Osmond diet plan. And they always cite the same bogus facts from the same bogus study to back up their same bogus claims that sometimes end up at the Academy Awards in front of one billion people:

Black people and white people use the same amount of drugs. But black people are arrested four times more often. That story is easy to find in the New York Times, Washington Post and lots of other places.

It is also easy to show it is wrong by asking just one little question: “How do we know that?”

That popular piece of misinformation comes from the Census Department. They choose 3500 families to do a “super census” and ask about 45 minutes worth of questions in your home. Including: Do you smoke pot?

That study shows no difference between white and black people when it comes to admitting they use marijuana. But the Census Bureau does not test for drugs. They take your word for it. That is called self-reporting and it is notoriously unreliable way of figuring out if someone is using drugs.

In fact, Johns Hopkins University and the Journal of Addictive Behaviors are just two of the outfits that have studied this. They found when you compare black and white drug use — where they test you — with black and white drug use that is self reported, black people lie six times more often.

Yes, they said that.

Here’s the kicker, Legend and Common: As bad as black crimes rates are, they are actually way, way worse. Think of stitches for snitches, witness intimidation, Bronx juries, fewer arrests, and of course do not forget what Melissa Harris Perry, the high priestess of black grievance, said on her MSNBC show:

Black women do not like to report rape and domestic violence because they know black men will be the victims of racist white police. “So they don’t call,” quoth she.

In Detroit, they recently found 11,000 rape kits in a warehouse. Untested. That’s a lot more people who belong in prison, Mr. Legend, but who are not.

David Horowitz calls it Black Skin Privilege.

Now that, Mr. Legend, would be a great song.

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Obama U.S. Attorney: Anti-Muslim Backlash More Dangerous Than ISIS

With nearly 40 million people, California offers an inviting target to Islamic terrorists. Ahmed Ressam, for example, aimed to blow up LAX in 1999, stopped only by a sharp-eyed customs agent. Since then, the Golden State has been free of attacks of 9/11 magnitude, mass murder in the style of “Soldier of Allah” Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood, Texas, and the kind of attacks now occurring in Europe. That could change under the strategy that emerged from the president’s recent “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.”

In attendance was Obama appointee Benjamin Wagner, U.S. Attorney for California’s Eastern District, the territory from Los Angeles County to Oregon. Steve Magagnini of the Sacramento Bee asked Wagner, “What’s our first line of defense?”

Wagner said that his office recently held a “community resilience exercise” at Sacramento State University with 30 members of the region’s Muslim community and 30 representatives from the FBI and eight local law enforcement agencies. The Muslim community, Wager said, is concerned about the recruitment problem and wants to be seen as “part of the solution.” So he wants to “share to share information and build relationships so we can get ahead of some of these issues before something bad happens.”

Magagnini raised the issue of Californian Muslim convert Nicholas Teausant, a former National Guard man arrested last year en route to Syria to join ISIS. The zealous convert came to believe his daughter’s day care center was “Zionist” and wanted to blow it up. That did not emerge in the interview.

By Wagner’s count, “about 150 Americans have gone or tried to go to join ISIL.” He said poverty doesn’t cause terrorism but “if you don’t have a lot of economic opportunity and you feel marginalized, it can create a fertile environment for recruitment.” In Wagner’s view “a lot of people who have been recruited didn’t have a long-term, religious involvement. A lot of this seems to be a teenaged fantasy.” Recruiters “have an appeal to angry, disaffected young people, and that really doesn’t have much to do with religion.”

The U.S. Attorney explained that “the Muslim community can play an important role in helping law enforcement separate radical noise from radical action, and when it’s something to be worried about and when it’s not. If the community can be successful in stepping in first, law enforcement will never have to be involved.” But Magagnini pressed the point: “Are Californians in danger from the Islamic State and al-Qaida?”

“I would say it’s not a very high threat,” Wagner responded. “It’s important that people be alert without being frightened.” The U.S. Attorney and Obama appointee acknowledged that ISIS has been urging people to “take action in your own communities, attack police, government buildings.” However, “there are limits to how much one person can do to arm people, mobilize and do damage without law enforcement intercepting it.” Then the U.S. Attorney made clear his real priorities.

“What I’m more concerned about is some sort of backlash crime here – something gruesome will happen in Syria and someone will take revenge on the local community.” Wagner quoted Obama that “We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam.” And as the Obama appointee put it:

“Religion doesn’t cause terrorism; people cause terrorist attacks. With grisly story after grisly story, there’s been a growth in Europe of xenophobic, anti-Islamic political movements, and one of the people at our community project yesterday said negative feelings toward Muslims in the U.S. are even worse than they were after 9/11.”

So in the vision of U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner, it’s mostly a teenage fantasy and has nothing to do with religion. ISIS and al-Qaida do not pose a very high threat, despite “grisly story after grisly story,” an apparent reference to murders, assassinations, torture and such. The real concern is xenophobic anti-Islamic political movements and “backlash crime” against American Muslims, who sense more negative feelings than after 9/11.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner announced no enhanced protection for California’s bridges, dams, or airports like LAX, which Ahmed Ressam sought to bomb. Wagner did not advocate heightened vigilance for theme parks, sports arenas or the government buildings that, as he explained, ISIS wants its recruits to target. And no mention of those “Zionist” daycare centers such as the one Nicholas Teausant wanted to bomb.

Should something like that take place, it would doubtless be a purely random attack, just like the one on that kosher grocery in Paris. That was a real “grisly story” indeed. On the watch of Obama appointee Benjamin Wagner, California could easily become a more dangerous place.

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Goa BJP MLA caught on camera leading mob attacking restaurants

A Goa BJP legislator has been caught on camera allegedly leading a group of people that demolished two structures in Calangute-Baga coastal belt, claiming they housed dance bars and sex workers.

Bar and restaurant owners operating in the popular tourist belt on Tuesday released CCTV footage that purportedly shows the local MLA, Michael Lobo, leading the group that razed the structures last week.

The ruling party lawmaker claimed it was a mob fury that led to the demolitions and he was just trying to control the violent crowd, which consisted of local residents.

At a press conference here, the bar owners released CCTV clips that sought to debunk his claim. Clad in a white shirt, Lobo is seen leading a group of men and instructing them to pull down the structures at two separate bars.

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Palestinian girl injured after being hit by settler vehicle in Silwan

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian girl suffered fractures and bruises Tuesday after being hit by a settlement guard’s jeep in the Ein al-Lawza area of the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem, family said.

Mariam Karim Dana, 10, was hit as the vehicle was speeding between houses, Dana’s brother Amer said.

He said the car stopped after Mariam fell down, but backed up again, hitting her leg.

Israeli police arrived at the scene but allowed the driver to leave without being detained or questioned.

Mariam is currently in Hadassa hospital with a broken left foot and bruises in the back and neck.

The family is preparing to file an official complaint against the driver, he said.

In September, settlers occupied 23 houses in Silwan and forcibly evicted the residents of an apartment.

East Jerusalem is internationally recognized as Palestinian territory, but Israel occupied it in 1967 and later annexed it in a move never considered legitimate abroad.

More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law.

Israeli police detain 5 women at Aqsa compound

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police on Tuesday detained five Palestinian women as they left the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a lawyer told Ma’an.

Ramzi Kteilat, a member of the group “Lawyers for Jerusalem,” said that one of the women was released while the others would be held for another day.

The four women still being held were identified as Jihad Ghazzawi, Fatima Ulayan, Latifa Mkheimer, and Khadija Khweis.

Meanwhile, two women from Jerusalem were released after being held for a day, Kteilat said. They were arrested the day before outside the Al-Aqsa compound.

Upon their release, Wisal Idrees and Sina Sheikha were banned from entering Al-Aqsa for 45 days and ordered to pay a fine of 500 shekels ($125).

US offers $3m for info on Russian engaged in hacking op

The United States is offering a $3 million reward for any information that leads to the detention of a Russian national purportedly engaged in hacking of a number of banks.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US State Department made the offer for information on Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev, alleging he was the administrator of a group that stole some $100 million.

The group is said to have been behind the “GameOver Zeus” malware, an updated version of “Jabber Zeus”, which made it possible for thieves to break into bank accounts in 12 countries.

“This reward offer reaffirms the commitment of the US government to bring those who participate in organized crime to justice, whether they hide online or overseas,” said the State Department statement.

Bogachev, who is already on the FBI “cyber’s most wanted” list, is probably living in Russia, according the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

“This was a worldwide infection, but it also had law enforcement worldwide working to combat it and bring to justice the criminal organization behind it,”Joseph Demarest, head of the FBI’s cyber crime division, said in a statement.

Last year, federal authorities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, charged the Russian national, also known as “lucky12345” and “slavik”, with multiple counts including conspiracy, computer hacking, bank fraud, and money laundering.

The FBI said at the time that it sought help from technology companies such as Microsoft and Symantec in order to put an end to the operation.

According to some security experts, the malware shortly re-emerged following the FBI move.

Last June, the US Justice Department said the servers used by the cybercriminals to control infected machines had been shut down.

Up to one million computers were reportedly infected by the malware through emails.

NT/NT

Council tax rise in Stockton of nearly 2% agreed by council

A near 2% council tax rise for Stockton residents has been pushed through by councillors.

A full meeting of Stockton Council was told the rise was needed as the authority faces a 43% cash reduction in Government funding from £120m in 2010/11 to £68m in 2015/16.

As part of plans to balance the budget, a council tax rise of 1.9% for 2015/16 was recommended by the authority’s Cabinet earlier this month.

Council leader Councillor Bob Cook, Labour, told last night’s meeting that the authority was facing the second worst Central Government budget cut in the country.

“This Government continues to hit areas with the most need like Stockton the hardest,” he said. “We in Stockton have some of the most deprived areas in the country.

Cllr Cook warned that to accept the Government’s offer of a council tax freeze now would lead to increased financial pressures in the future. “This could mean the closure of Billingham Forum and Splash,” he said.

The Conservative group tabled an amendment to accept the council tax freeze, supported by the Lib Dems group.

Tory group leader Councillor Ben Houchen urged his fellow members “not to bash the people of Stockton and take the freeze - this is the sensible way forward,” he said.

“If this budget goes through we will be looking at a 10% increase in council tax since 2011.”

Lid Dem group leader Councillor Maureen Rigg backed the amendment, saying: “We can’t justify an increase to our residents when last year’s doom and gloom statement was then replaced by a decision later in the year to invest millions.

“Our residents look at that and say ‘Why are we putting council tax up?’”

But as the debate grew heated, Labour councillor Bob Gibson, told his Tory and Lib Dem colleagues: “You’re setting out a budget here that in two or three years time will absolutely devastate this council.”

Councillor Mike Clark, Labour, added: “Most people realise now this council has got a very raw deal from the Government.”

The amendment was defeated by a vote of 39 to 12.

For a Band A property the 1.9% council tax increase will mean an extra 32p a week on the current £875 annual bill. The increase would be 49p a week for those properties in Band D.

Rights group says 1,500 sites of Syrian air attacks

Human Rights Watch has said it has identified nearly 1,500 sites where the Syrian government has carried out indiscriminate air attacks over the past year using barrel bombs and other improvised weapons that have killed or injured thousands of people.

The human rights group accused President Bashar Assad of lying when he said his government was not using barrel bombs and said in a new report that the attacks have had “a devastating impact on civilians.”

Human Rights Watch said that by examining satellite imagery it identified some 450 major damage sites in 10 towns and villages held by rebel groups in the Daraa governorate in the south and over 1,000 in war-ravaged Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. It also examined video and photographic evidence and interviewed witnesses to document the attacks.

Nadim Houry, the group’s deputy Middle East and North Africa director, told a news conference that the majority of deaths are still caused by the Assad government, and the bombing is the “key cause of the displacement crisis in Syria.”

The four-year-old Syrian conflict has killed 220,000 people, according to UN estimates, and displaced 6.5 million inside the country and more than 3 million people to neighbouring countries.

In an interview with the BBC on February 10, Assad denied his forces have used barrel bombs, insisting that the army uses bullets, missiles and bombs. “There are no barrel bombs; we don’t have barrels,” he insisted.

Philippe Bolopion, United Nations director at Human Rights Watch, told reporters “we know he is simply lying.”

The government’s use of barrel bombs, usually dropped by helicopters, has been widely documented by international human rights organisations and residents of opposition-held areas in Syria.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported on February 22 that 6,163 civilians including 1,892 children and 1,720 women have been killed by the crude explosive devices since the Security Council adopted a resolution a February 22, 2014 which demanded that all parties to the conflict in Syria end the indiscriminate use of barrel bombs and other weapons in populated areas.

The Violations Documentation Center, a local monitoring group, has documented 609 civilian deaths in Daraa and 2,575 civilian deaths in Aleppo governorate over the past year from aerial attacks, Human Rights Watch said.

The rights group urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Syria’s government and any group implicated in widespread human rights abuses.

“We believe an arms embargo would deal adequately with the issue of barrel bombs,” Bolopion said, because it would target shipments of spare parts, fuel for aircraft and other key items

IS terrorists kidnap 90 Christians in Syria

BEIRUT (AFP) — Militants from the Islamic State group have kidnapped at least 90 Assyrian Christians in northeast Syria, a monitor said on Wednesday.

The abductions took place on Tuesday after IS seized two Assyrian villages from Kurdish forces in the province of Hassakeh, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based monitor had no details on the missing Assyrians, who were taken from two villages — Tal Shamiram and Tal Hermuz — after they were attacked by IS.

IS has destroyed churches and Christian shrines in Syria, and demanded that Christians living under its rule pay a tax known as jizya.

In Libya, IS terrorists last week released a video showing the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians.

Much of Hassakeh is divided between Kurdish and IS control.

Fighters from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) have been on the offensive in the province in recent days.

They have taken 24 villages and hamlets as part of an operation to try to recapture the town of Tal Hamis and surrounding areas.

Tal Hamis lies to the east of the villages taken by IS on Tuesday.

YPG forces have also been on the offensive in Raqa province, which neighbors Hassakeh, seizing 19 villages as they advance following their recapture of the strategic border town of Kobane last month.

The Kurdish forces have been backed by US-led air strikes launched by the international coalition fighting IS.

The Observatory said the coalition carried out a series of strikes around Tal Hamis on Tuesday that killed 14 IS members.

Single goal winning margins: How Boro aren't alone in enduring nervous finales this season

Just as a cricketer in full-flow suddenly loses his timing as he approaches the nervous nineties and a golfer suffers with the yips as he closes in on a title, footballers often sit deeper and deeper as they defend a narrow lead.

Bill Beswick called it the 'red zone'.

A game that should have been comfortably wrapped up suddenly evolves into a test of nerves as the opposition launch hopeful punts forward.

Take Boro's clash with Bolton on Tuesday night. Muzzy Carayol could well have been introduced for his long-awaited comeback as Boro coasted to a convincing victory.

Instead, with the game not put to bed, Ben Amos trotted forward as the Trotters sensed a late leveller.

Aitor Karanka admitted that inability to kill off the game was a concern.

"I can understand it when we play against teams and we haven't had chances to score and you have only one and score and then have problems (late on)," said the boss.

"But usually we have two, three four clear chances and the other team's keeper is the man of the match and you arrive in the final minutes with problems. It is a problem we have to fix."

How we'd love to stroll into the latter stages of games in command of a controlling lead and in the absence of butterflies fluttering around the in stomach.

But Boro can take comfort from the fact they're not alone. In fact, the game against Bolton was just the second time Boro have won a game by just a single goal on home turf this season, the other being the 2-1 victory over Cardiff City last month.

Table-topping Derby County look to have been equally as convincing at home. The Rams have won three games at the iPro Stadium by a single goal margin, one of which was the 3-2 victory over Huddersfield Town when they conceded the second goal in the 90th minute.

It's that home form which has played a significant role in the league position of both sides. McClaren's men top the table on home form, having picked up 37 points from a possible 51, while Boro are just three points behind.

But that's not to say it's been all plain sailing on home turf.

On paper, Boro's 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town looked convincing enough but it needed a 90th minute stunner from Lee Tomlin to allow some breathing space.

And although Charlton hardly looked like salvaging an equaliser on their trip to Teesside, it required another Tomlin strike late on to extend the winning margin to two goals against the Addicks.

Blackburn equalise right at the death with Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos on the ground

And then there was Blackburn and Rudy Gestede. The afternoon Aitor Karanka prefers not to speak about. That undeserved last-gasp leveller.

But Derby fans have had to endure similar scares.

The Rams twice sealed 2-0 wins at home by scoring the second with almost the last kick of the game - at home to both Bournemouth and Blackburn.

Darren Bent scores the second goal for Derby against Blackburn

And they suffered the heartbreak of a derby defeat to Nottingham Forest in the dying seconds when just 10 minutes earlier they were a goal to the good.

On the road the Championship's top two sides have both endured some nerve-wracking finales.

Remember the moans at Huddersfield when 'Typical Boro' resurfaced ever so briefly and allowed Jon Stead to apply his annual sucker punch, only for Grant Leadbitter to go up the other end and secure the points with a cool head from the spot.

And Blackpool away. Heart-rates are still on the come-down from the late drama at Bloomfield Road.

In total, Boro have won six games away from home by a single goal.

At Bolton, Karanka's side came from behind to show their battling qualities for the first time this season and at Cardiff they stood strong to a late flurry of long-balls and held on comfortably as Kike's early goal proved to be a matchwinner.

But what should have been an enjoyable end to the game at Brighton ended up an anxious affair as Gordon Greer's 88th minute goal ensured a nail-biting finale. And at Brentford Boro flirted with the opposition throughout but somehow held on to a one-goal lead.

Boro's chief promotion rivals have suffered their own distressing periods of stoppage time defending a single goal lead.

The leaders held on to win 3-2 at Blackburn and had to grind out a 1-0 victory at basement boys Blackpool.

And they had to endure uneasy late stages at Ipswich and Watford, although their single goal victories at Portman Road and Vicarage Road will be near the top of their promotion winning CV come the end of the season should they book a spot in next season's Premier League.

The final whistle at the Riverside on Tuesday night was greeted more by a feeling of relief than joy.

Nervous backs-to-the-wall finales are not what the doctor ordered but a win is a win. Whether Boro and Derby win by a single goal or hit teams for four or five, they both know promotion to the promised land is in their own hands now as long as they keep winning games.

Tributes paid to 'lucky' Jim Potter, Teesside Arctic Convoy hero who was torpedoed THREE times during World War Two

One of Teesside’s few remaining heroes from the perilous Arctic Convoy missions in World War Two has died aged 91.

Middlesbrough former merchant seaman James Potter - known as Jim - served aboard several of the vessels which bravely shipped supplies to Russia, despite perilous, icy seas and the constant threat of German attack.

And Jim, of Berwick Hills, could justifiably lay claim to the nickname “Lucky Jim” having survived THREE torpedo attacks on ships he sailed on, including two in one day.

Born in Borough Road, Middlesbrough, in 1923, Jim attended St John’s and Marton Road schools before going straight into the merchant navy, inspired by his docker dad Alf’s love of all things nautical.

He became a second cook - and subsequently an expert baker - although sadly his main discharge book went missing, meaning full details of the vessels he served on are sketchy.

But he did sail in several Arctic Convoy missions between 1941-44 and was lucky to escape with his life.

One day, a merchant vessel he served on was torpedoed, so he transferred to a Royal Navy frigate - and that was torpedoed too. The leg injuries he suffered saw him need a lengthy spell of recuperation in Aberdeenshire, but it didn’t stop him returning to sea soon after.

Even before that double escape, another vessel he served on was also torpedoed, but Jim somehow made it to Murmansk in Russia where he stayed for three months before joining another convoy.

To his annoyance, when he returned to Murmansk on a subsequent mission, he found much of the cargo he and colleagues had risked their lives to transport still on the dockside.

Jim and late wife Isobel married at St John’s Church in 1943 and had five children - Jim, now 69, Kevin, 68, Elaine, 63, Linda, 59 and the late Jean. But Jim says that despite his dad’s World War Two exploits, it was something he rarely discussed.

He said: “A lot of it he didn’t talk about, but he did say how hard and difficult it was, with cold the main enemy.

“He felt D-Day was the worst experience he had, though. It was the only time he was really frightened - while they were discharging troops, they came under heavy fire and he thought ‘I’ve come this far, it would be terrible to cop it now’.”

Jim’s nautical dramas didn’t end there as a ship he served on, the City of Rochester, caught fire while docked in New York and he suffered burn injuries.

And even after his merchant navy days, he was lucky to survive an accident while working as a rigger in the Acklam Steelworks.

Jim said: “A 28lb double sledgehammer came off overhead crane tracks and hit him on the head. When he went go home at the end of the day, he was examined and they found he had a fractured skull, a broken neck and three broken vertebrae!”

A talented model-maker, baker and gardener, he was a devoted father whose overseas adventures instilled into his children a love of travel they all share. And son Jim recalls with a smile a present his dad once brought home, which made them the envy of all the children in the neighbourhood.

“He brought a monkey back from West Africa. We called it Jacko, but everyone tried to buy it off him on his way from the ship to home. He also brought us a parrot called Sidney - although it died and I got the blame!”

Jim’s funeral is on Friday at the Church of Ascension, Berwick Hills, at 1.30pm.

Stockton Sky Trail: £1m plans approved by Stockton Council

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Ambitious plans for a new four storey £1m Sky Trail visitor attraction in Stockton have been given the green light.

The Teesside skyline is set to be dominated when the 17m-high ‘high ropes course’ is built at the Tees White Water Course.

As reported, the attraction would be the highest of its kind in the UK and it would be the only place in the country where a Sky Trail can be found alongside an Olympic standard white water course, making it a unique adventure outdoor facility.

Stockton Council’s planning committee considered the plans when it met today - but not everyone backed the scheme.

Councillor Paul Kirton, whose Stockton Town Centre ward the facility will be built in, described it as “an eyesore” and said he would be objecting against it.

“It’s right in your face all the time,” he said. “What you are building is quite good but it could go anywhere, an industrial site would be a better idea.”

Councillor Mick Stoker raised concerns about “toxic soil” on what was previously a historic land fill site.

But a report from planning officers states: “It is our understanding that waste was not deposited on the area of land proposed for this development.

“It is also considered that the wastes types deposited under the terms of the licence would not have an adverse impact on the proposed development.”

The £1m, four-storey Sky Trail attraction may look like this

Other councillors supported the Sky Trail, including Cllr Mike Clark, who said: “This will be contributing to making Stockton a destination town and help the economy and move the town forward.”

Cllr David Wilburn said: “It’s an iconic development and should not be hidden away on an industrial estate.”

And Councillor Jim Beall added: “I think you will be pleasantly surprised how it will blend in.

“It’s a great opportunity, I think its going to be a great asset.”

The attraction will be run by Tees Active, which runs leisure facilities and activities across the borough on behalf of Stockton Council.

The facility will include two zip rails and a 10m high climbing wall at one end.

It is estimated the Sky Trail would generate a projected surplus of at least £100,000 per year while also significantly increasing visitor numbers to Stockton borough.

Stockton Council’s cabinet originally approved plans for the concept in July last year “as a basis for investment”.

At the time, councillors at the meeting also said it would help improve visitor attraction to the already popular Tees Barrage International White Water rafting course which the Sky Trail would stand beside.

TV florist plucked from Redcar cafe by police after being suspected of 'terrorist' incident in New Look

A TV florist’s visit to Redcar took a bizarre turn after he was plucked from a seafront cafe by police probing an alleged terrorism-related incident.

Jonathan Moseley - the floral expert on BBC2’s The Big Allotment Challenge - had popped to Redcar for the day with his partner Bish Sharif during their regular February holiday break in a Whitby cottage.

But as they sat down to their lunch of quiche, salad and chips in Redcar’s Terrace Cafe earlier today, police turned up.

And for 15 surreal minutes, they found themselves being quizzed on the pavement about possible involvement in terrorist-related activity.

Gardening celeb Jonathan is now planning to make a formal complaint to Cleveland Police after the “unbelievable” incident.

A professional floral expert for more than 20 years, Jonathan says his ordeal began as he and Bish sat down to lunch in the West Terrace cafe.

Ian Cooper/The Gazette

TV Gardener Jonathan Moseley (left) and Bish Sharif

He said: “A police van pulled up outside, then a policeman and woman entered the cafe and walked towards our table.

“They asked me and my partner to step outside because they needed to talk to us about an incident.

“When I said ‘what?’ they said no, we needed to step outside - that it would be less embarrassing for us if we did.

“They said we’d been seen on CCTV in New Look approaching staff and telling them not to worry, that we were military police and monitoring a possible terrorist incident happening in Redcar.

“It was totally bizarre - we hadn’t even been in New Look. In fact, we don’t even know where New Look is in Redcar. But they were adamant CCTV footage confirmed it was us.”

Jonathan says he and Bish were made to stand outside “with half of Redcar watching” while police continued their investigation.

New Look in Redcar

He said: “I asked to see the CCTV footage but I was told I had no right to see it and in fact, I could be arrested at any time under anti-terrorism legislation.

“Apparently the reason we were linked to it was we fitted the description of wearing boots and dark jackets.

“But even though I knew we’d done nothing wrong, I was starting to get really panicky - it looked like we might get arrested for a potentially serious offence we had absolutely no knowledge of.

“But eventually, they told us it might be a case of mistaken identity and we were free to go.”

Jonathan, who confirmed he will making an official complaint “once I’ve calmed down”, said: “We just came for a nice afternoon out to Redcar - we certainly didn’t expect to be held outside a cafe on suspicion of a terrorist offence.

“The whole thing lasted about 15 to 20 minutes but it seemed like a lifetime.

“Redcar Police need to be held accountable for this. It’s just such a negative thing to happen to people coming to Redcar as tourists, hoping to enjoy a nice day out. We certainly don’t feel like rushing to come back.”

Anne Ellis saw the police raid

Terrace cafe boss Anne Ellis said she felt sorry for the duo. She said: “They just came in, two nice lads, ordered their food and sat at the table in front of the window.

“Then a policeman came inside and said he needed to talk to them and it would be better if they went outside.

“We were fairly busy at the time so it was in front of everybody.

“I felt sorry for them because they were out in the cold for ages and looked terrified when they came back in, really shaken up.

“They weren’t the type of people you’d think police would normally take out of a cafe. And if they had done anything, why would they have sat in the front window, where anyone could see them?”

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “We would like to apologise to these two gentlemen for any disruption to their afternoon caused by some confusion with descriptions.

“Two other gentlemen were spoken to and all parties were given advice.”

Postman wins £100k after placing £10 bet on 14 teams - including Boro!

A Boro-loving postman has won more than £100,000 after placing a football bet for just £10.

The 33-year-old from Middlesbrough is not a regular football punter but he managed to pick out 14 winning teams - including the Boro - in a £10 online accumulator bet with Coral bookmakers.

The plucky punter couldn’t believe his luck when every single prediction, including Boro’s 1-0 victory over Bolton and Barcelona’s 2-1 win against Manchester City, came through leaving his account credited with more than £100,000 on what proved to be a very expensive evening for Coral bookmakers.

The lucky winner did not wish to be named but said: “I was listening to the Boro game on the radio so I knew I had one winning team on my bet.

“When I logged into my Coral account, I was expecting to find that one or two teams had let me down, however, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my balance was over £100k.

“The win means so much to me and my wife as we can now look to try and get on the property ladder.

“Before that though, we will be going on a nice holiday and I will be buying a Middlesbrough season ticket for next season where hopefully we will be playing in the Premier League.”

Britain’s bookmakers were counting their losses as 14 of the most popular 15 selections in football were successful yesterday in an evening that left Coral with a £6m payout.

Coral spokesman John Hill said: “We would like to congratulate our customer on his win.

“After speaking to him earlier, it was clear how much this payout is going to change his life for the better.

“Tuesday evening proved to be a very costly evening for Britain’s bookmakers as 14 of the most popular 15 football selections all won which meant thousands of punters, staking in the region of £5-£10, all picked up five-figure payouts and more.

“We anticipate the industry loss to be in the region of £50m and this is the second time in 2015 that we have seen such a freak set of results on the same day.”

Here’s the teams Middlesbrough’s luckiest postman backed to win in his £10 14-fold accumulator bet:

Barcelona, Juventus, Derby, Norwich, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Watford, Sheffield Wednesday, Brentford, Preston, Swindon, Cardiff and Sheffield United.

Man, two women and 15-year-old boy arrested after man is stabbed in chest in street attack

Four people have been arrested after a man was stabbed in the chest in a street attack.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the serious assault on Essex Street in Middlesbrough which happened at around 5pm on Monday.

Several people were involved in the incident which resulted in a 35-year-old man sustaining a stab wound to his chest.

He was taken to James Cook University Hospital where he received treatment and was discharged.

Two women aged 32 and 33, and a 15-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of GBH and a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray.

All have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Anyone with information or who witnessed this incident is asked to contact DC Jon Button on 101.

Autopsy shows Palestinian teen was shot at close range

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Autopsy results for a young Palestinian man killed by Israeli forces near Bethlehem early Tuesday show that he was shot in the upper body at close range, a forensic expert told Ma’an.

Sabri al-Aloul said that the autopsy results show that 19-year-old Jihad al-Jaafari bled to death after being hit with an M16 bullet that penetrated his body through the left shoulder and struck his lungs before exiting and causing severe bleeding in his arteries and around his spine.

The killing was “similar to an execution” because he was shot from very close range, al-Aloul said.

The autopsy was performed between 10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and adhered to international standards, he added.

He said the autopsy was significant given that the report could be used to hold Israel accountable in international courts.

Al-Jafaari’s father Shehada had called for the autopsy in order to document what he called Israeli crimes and violations against Palestinians.

The teen was killed early Tuesday when Israeli soldiers were conducting arrest raids in Duheisha refugee camp.

Bernie Slaven: Bolton sucked Boro into a scrap - we should have won early on

Dear me! That was an unbelievably tense finish against Bolton.

When they were throwing the ball forward into the box and even their keeper came up I think I needed Valium.

I had to stop chewing my nails because I was up to my elbow and besides I needed my hands at that stage so I could watch through my fingers.

It wasn’t glamorous. It was a very scrappy, nervous finish to a poor second half - I don’t think much of it will make it onto the season highlights DVD let’s put it that way.

But Boro got the job done and that’s all that counts at this stage.

People may say it wasn’t a great game but that doesn’t matter.

The points are on the board now and no-one can take them away because it wasn’t one for the purists.

Boro did enough to win. They created a few decent chances in the first half, Patrick Bamford could have had a hat-trick and there was a moment of real quality with a super ball from Lee Tomlin to send Albert Adomah through for the goal.

But that ball was the only moment of composure we saw in the game.

The rest seemed hurried.

Players rushing and making the wrong call.

Maybe the nerves were showing now the stakes are getting higher, maybe they could sense the jitters in the crowd, I don’t know, but there was a lack of confidence in the box.

It was same against Leeds: in that game we played well, created a load of chances and had plenty of shots but for me they were all lashed too hard or too soon or were hurried and wayward because the contact was all wrong.

You don’t have to whack it as hard as you can. Just steer it in. Pick your spot. Beat the keeper. Make it hard for him. Accuracy is as important as power.

And the longer Boro went without scoring, the more tense the crowd got and the more scrappy and nervous the players were.

When you are a player you can feel that tension. Of course you can. Especially when it isn’t a full house. The early roar dies down, then it is a low buzz and then it goes quiet with just the odd yelp.

You go to take a throw and you can see nervous people sat there in stony silence, biting their nails or holding their heads in their hands.

Or play stops for a second and you can hear the frustrated shouts from fans telling you to get your finger out.

Or you have a poor touch and lose control and as the ball bobbles away you just hear all the low moans and groans and frustrated tutting.

Players know when the crowd are nervous and sometimes, if they are not having the best of games, it can get to them a bit.

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But it wasn’t just Boro not quite clicking or playing poorly or not getting a grip that made the game scrappy late on.

No, it was Bolton. I have to be honest and say they were a poor, poor side.

I couldn’t imagine having to watch that style of football every week.

They reminded me of the old Wimbledon at their best. Or worst.

I’ve not seen a team so route one for a long time.

They just knocked long diagonals for big Emile Heskey all night and, to be fair, while is getting on a bit now he won just about every ball in the air and caused all kinds of problems for the defence.

Big guys at the back. Big guy up front. Get it forward quickly. In open play they were woeful and didn’t really threaten but they put everything into winning set-pieces and putting it Heskey’s head.

It was like watching Wimbledon with Big John Fashanu up front.

It is not really crowd-pleasing stuff but it seems to be getting some results for Neil Lennon - who was stomping and steaming about like a complete lunatic on the touchline, by the way - and on another night they might have got something.

It is hard work to play against that and it is easy to get dragged down to that style and end up scrambling it away and booting it long yourselves.

For me Boro did well to deal with it but Aitor Karanka won’t be happy about how they got sucked into a scrap in a game that they should have won early on.

Middlesbrough garage owner fined for dumping waste and oil in residents' communal bins

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A Middlesbrough garage owner has been fined £300 for failing to dispose of business waste correctly.

Chris Broadley admitted to failing to provide waste transfer notes when he appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that Mr Broadley, who owns Marton Road Tyre Centre on Marton Road, failed to provide waste transfer notes when required to do so by September 19 last year.

By law all businesses are required to keep a record of how they dispose of their waste for at least two years and to produce them when requested to an authorised officer.

The 30-year-old was first investigated following a complaint alleging Marton Road Tyre Centre was using residents’ communal bins to dispose of commercial waste and also dumping oil.

On July 16 last year an environmental enforcement officer visited the alleyway to the rear of the premises and inspected each of the communal bins.

In one bin near the Somerset Street alley gate the officer discovered part of what appeared to be an engine and used oil spill kit among domestic waste.

Also contained in the waste were blue disposable gloves and beneath these a partially burned letterhead for Mr Broadley, Marton Road Tyre Centre was found and taken as evidence along with photographs.

On September 12 a legal notice under the Environmental Protection Act was delivered to Mr Broadley, requiring him to provide details of where his business waste had been going for the previous two years within seven days of the date of the notice.

No response was received and therefore on September 22 a fixed penalty notice was issued for failing to produce the documents.

Mr Broadley pleaded guilty when he appeared before magistrates. He was fined £300 and ordered to pay £340 towards prosecution costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Councillor Tracy Harvey, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for environment, said: “The vast majority of businesses in Middlesbrough are operated responsibly, but those who choose to ignore the law can expect to be prosecuted.

“Businesses have a duty to ensure that their waste is disposed of properly so that it does not cause harm or pollute the environment.

“This defendant had a number of opportunities both to comply with the law, and to pay the fixed penalty notice.

“Prosecution is always a last resort after all other avenues have been explored, and we are happy to talk to any business owners who are not clear on their obligations.”

Mr Broadley declined to comment.

Solar eclipse 2015: Astronomer on where's best on Teesside to witness eclipse

Astronomer Jack Youdale has travelled the globe to have the perfect eclipse experience.

The Teesside eclipse expert says that it’s a phenomenon that everyone must experience in their lifetime.

And now he’s given advice on how to get the best out of the UK solar eclipse next month in our area - and given a stark health warning about the potential for eye damage.

82-year-old Jack - who is Diane Youdale AKA Jet from Gladiators’ dad - is the president of Cleveland and Darlington Astronomical Society.

He said: “The sun is so massively bright it can damage the eyes without suitable filters and you can get special glasses to wear for this purpose.

“The filters obviously reduce that light so that no damage to the eyes is caused.

“Do not be observing the sun with your naked eye.

“You must wear protective glasses.

“You must be careful as you can damage your eyes.”

Jack travelled to Cornwall to catch the last big UK eclipse in 1999 but was let down the weather.

His quest for the perfect eclipse experience also took him to Hawaii prior to 1999 - but once again it was obscured by clouds.

But his trip to Turkey in 2006 proved fruitful.

Jack, who lives with his wife Patricia, 79, in Thorpe Thewles between Stockton and Sedgefield, said: “I remember the last one in 1999 well but was let down by the weather and the clouds got in the way.

“I had to go to Turkey for my total eclipse - and it was absolutely fantastic. Such a wonderful sight.

“It’s one of the things that people have to see before they pass on from this planet.

“A total eclipse is something very, very special and it’s really hard for me to try and explain it.

“It was more of an emotional thing for me, when the sun completely goes out.”

Astronomer Jack Youdale of Thorpe Thewles with wife Patricia

Jack has revealed that the best place to witness it in Teesside will be with the help of professionals at Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory - or in a rural spot with less chance of light pollution.

“It starts quite early in the morning and will be visible for several hours with more than 80% of the sun covered in Teesside," he said.

“It’s a very large partial eclipse.

“It will be one of the best we’ve seen for a number of years.

“The best place to see the next one in the UK will be at the Wynyard Planetarium & Observatory and the car park outside - if they are hosting an event.”

For more information about the planetarium visit this link.

South Bank husband and wife among 18 to appear in court over evasion of tobacco duty

A Teesside man and woman have appeared in court alongside 16 other people charged with conspiring to evade hundreds of thousands of pounds in excise duty on tobacco.

Ian George Gregory, 58, and Louise Gregory, 53, both of Bevanlee Road in South Bank, appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court today.

The husband and wife, along with a number of others from outside the Teesside area, are alleged to have conspired to “fraudulently evade any duty chargeable” on the goods at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire between July 1 2012 and August 14 2013.

The charges are in relation to goods allegedly sent in parcels through the post and via courier services.

The others appearing before the court were: Russell William Blakeburn, 58, of Leicester, Deborah Bowie, 38, of Wakefield, Pamela Violet Hall, 64, of Shildon, Tanya Hall, 27, of Greenbank Road, Darlington, Joanna Haxell, 33, of Richmond, John Hodgson, 43 of Richmond, Joshua Hodgson, 22, of Catterick, Paul Hodgson, 44, of Catterick, Paul Stephen Hooper, 51, of Westmoreland Street, Darlington, Peter Jackson, 57, of Richmond, Ashlea Kirk, 43, of Leeming Bar, Angela Marquiss, 36, of Richmond, Suzanne Robinson, 38, of Thompson Street West, Darlington, Trevor Seal, 42, of Appleton Wiske and Daniel Keith Whitmore, 44, of Pensbury Street, Darlington.

All defendants were given unconditional bail and are due to appear before Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday, March 11.

David John Hodgson, 66, of Catterick, did not appear in court but was also bailed in his absence to appear on March 11.

New era for Stockton school as it joins education trust and gains new head

The new head teacher of a Stockton academy has vowed to “celebrate students’ individuality” while building on the strengths of the school.

Our Lady and St Bede Catholic Academy, on Bishopton Road West in Stockton, has just joined the Carmel Education Trust, which is hailed nationally for teaching and learning.

And as it embarks on a new journey with the education trust, newly appointed head of school Chris Hammill says holistic education will be the hallmark of the academy’s future.

Mr Hammill says the academy will build on the strengths of the school – its warm and welcoming nature, which is very much part of the community – but will also move forward with a pursuit of excellence.

He said: “Our vision is for a holistic approach to education. It is about developing the students in all ways – spiritually, academically, morally, culturally and socially.

“It is about celebrating students’ individuality and paying particular care to those students most in need.”

Thornaby-born and bred Mr Hammill attended St Patrick’s primary and secondary schools and St Mary’s College, Middlesbrough, before reading theology and training to be a teacher at Leeds University.

His first post was at St Thomas More School in North Shields, where he became head of RE, before being appointed as assistant headteacher at St Bede’s Lanchester and then deputy head at St Mary’s, Newcastle.

Married to Catherine, who is head of English at a Washington school, he has two children, Beth, seven and Beatrice, two.

Our Lady and St Bede has a roll of 700 students, 80 teachers and 50 support staff.

Mr Hammill added: “I believe we are at a very significant point in the history of Our Lady and St Bede. There is a very positive feel about the direction we are moving in which is reflected in the 30 per cent rise in Year 6-7 applications for September, a sign of the trust parents are putting into the school.”

Carmel Education Trust comprises Carmel College, Darlington, St Michael’s Academy, Billingham, St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, and St Bede’s Primary School, both in Stockton, and Holy Family RC Primary School and St Augustine’s RC Primary School, Darlington, and is a strategic partner within the Teaching School Alliance operating the Carmel Teacher Training Programme.

Trust chief executive Maura Regan said: “Joining our family of schools is an exciting development for us all and students, parents and staff can look forward to a bright, rewarding and successful future.”

World response to armed groups ‘shameful': Amnesty

Amnesty International today painted a bleak picture of global response to atrocities and called on India and other nations to ratify the arms trade treaty to stop flow of weapons to rights abusers.

Describing the year 2014 as “catastrophic” in terms of violence, the London-based rights group in its annual report called on world leaders to act urgently to confront the changing nature of conflict and protect civilians from horrific violence by states and armed groups.

The global response to conflict and abuses by states and armed groups has been shameful and ineffective. As people suffered an escalation in barbarous attacks and repression, the international community has been found wanting,” said Salil Shetty, secretary-general of Amnesty International.

It asked India and other countries yet to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, which came into force in December 2014, to join the 60 countries which have already done so.

The irresponsible flow of weapons to human rights abusers must stop now,” the report said.

“The global outlook on the state of human rights is bleak, but there are solutions. World leaders must take

immediate and decisive action to avert an impending global crisis and take us one step closer to a safer world in which rights and freedoms are protected,” Shetty said.

In specific reference to India, the rights body highlighted two court orders among important “gains” in the

year 2014 including a Bhopal court’s decision in November to demand that its criminal summons against the Dow Chemical Company to be re-issued and a “landmark judgement” by the Supreme Court in April granting legal recognition to transgender people.

However, Amnesty was extremely critical of India’s record on human rights abuses by armed groups in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East and also highlighted May 2014 General Election related violence as a concern.

The report on India added: “Despite progressive legal reform and court rulings, state authorities often failed to

prevent and at times committed crimes against Indian citizens, including children, women, Dalits and Adivasi (Indigenous) people.

This year’s report is also strongly critical of the United Nations’ failure to find solutions to mass-scale

violence and calls for the five permanent UNSC members to renounce their veto rights in situations of genocide and other mass atrocities.

“This could be a game changer for the international community and the tools it has at its disposal to help protect civilian lives.

“By renouncing their veto rights the five permanent members of the Security Council would give the UN more scope

to take action to protect civilians when lives are at grave risk and send a powerful signal to perpetrators that the world will not sit idly by while mass atrocities take place,” said Salil Shetty.

—————–PTI

UN inaction ‘ravaged’ Mideast: KSA

The United Nations is failing in its duty to solve the continuing wars and conflicts ravaging the Middle East region, according to the Kingdom’s representative at the world body. Abdullah bin Yahya Al-Mo’allami, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, made these remarks while delivering a speech in New York on Monday. This was during a Security Council open debate on the UN’s role in maintaining international peace and security over the past 70 years.

“If we look at the Middle East region, we will find that over the past seven decades there have been no less than 15 wars, most of which were associated in one way or another with the Palestinian issue. The agonies of some of these wars are still affecting the region now,” he said.

Al-Mo’allami said the international community has failed to prevent and terminate the occupation. “We are still seeing the Palestinian people being deprived of self-determination and establishing an independent state on their national soil.”

He said these rights were set out in “legitimate international resolutions adopted by the UN, which has failed to impose and implement them. This has led to the outbreak of numerous armed conflicts in the region.”

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