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Rhondda Records is with you every day bringing the news ------- that gives a view of world events different to the mainstream media or social media!
Except Sundays - our day of rest.
Journalist:To end war ------
prosecute UK, US officials
who wage(d) it illegally
October 22nd, 10:12pm (PressTV)
The world must finally put an end to the impunity of war
criminals, by holding US and UK officials responsible
for launching the illegal war on Iraq, done without
the approval of the UN Security Council, and
prosecuting them --- under the Nuremberg
principles, US journalist Don DeBar said.
DeBar made the remarks in an interview with Press TV while
commenting on a report which has revealed that the British
military inquiries into abuse against Iraqi nationals... have
been closed without a single prosecution being brought,
even though the credibility of many "shocking and
shameful incidents" during the war in the Middle
Eastern country, have been confirmed.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement
this week that the Service Police Legacy Investigations,
which was looking at claims of abuse in Iraq, had now
"officially closed its doors."
In March 2003, the US and Britain invaded Iraq in blatant
violation of international law and under the pretext of
finding WMDs; but no such weapons were ever
discovered in Iraq.
More than one million Iraqis were killed - as the result of
the US-led invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq
--- according to the California-based investigative
organization, Project Censored.
The US war in Iraq cost US taxpayers $1.7 trillion with
an additional $490 billion in benefits owed to war veterans, expenses that could grow to more than $6 trillion over the next four decades counting interest, according to a study called Costs of War Project --- by the Watson Institute for
International Studies at Brown University.
DeBar told Press TV that the Iraq war
was illegal from the very beginning.
"It is illegal for a nation to make war on another nation if it
does not have the approval of the UN Security Council, if
any of those nations are signatories to the original UN
Charter. And it’s been adopted - that happened with
the US, as a charter member of the UN -- and it was
approved by the US Senate in the 1940s.
Consequently, the US involvement in Iraq from the beginning, and the UK involvement in Iraq from the beginning, was illegal,” he said.
“And under the Nuremberg standards, which would then
apply, each and every death consequent – intentional
or not - to either US or UK military action there, or
condoning of the US action there, by the media
or public officials, or any act facilitating that,
is an individual war crime. And, by the way,
there’s a death penalty for that,” the
journalist noted.
“No one will prosecute these people. That’s why I started
with the word impunity. And we might bookend with that
because that’s the problem. And until the world puts an
end to that impunity, until the world sees the major
contradiction in all international relations, is US,
UK, and EU imperialism, then it’s going to
continue until this eats our species,”
he stated.
A damning White House memo had revealed details of the
so-called “deal in blood” forged by former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and US President George W. Bush
over the Iraq war.
The document, titled “Secret... Memorandum for the
President”, was sent by then-US Secretary of State
Colin Powell to President Bush on March 28th, 2002, a week before Bush’s summit with Blair at his Crawford ranch in Texas.
The sensational memo, revealed that Blair had agreed to
support the war a year before the invasion even started
while publicly, the British prime minister was working to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
The document also disclosed that Blair agreed to act as a
spin doctor for Bush and convince a skeptical public that
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass
Destruction, which actually did not exist.
In response, Bush would flatter Blair and give the
impression that London was not Washington’s
poodle but an equal partner in the
“special relationship.”
Powell told Bush that Blair “will be with us” on the
Iraq war, and assured the president that “"the UK
will follow our lead in the Middle East."
Blair has always denied the claim that he and Bush
signed a deal “in blood”, at Crawford, to launch a
war against Iraq that began on March 20th, 2003,
that has killed hundreds of thousands of people.
The Powell memo, however, showed how Blair and
Bush secretly prepared the Iraq war plot behind
closed doors at Crawford.
Powell told Bush: “He will present to you the strategic,
tactical and public affairs lines, that he believes will
strengthen global support for our common cause.”
Venezuelan Armed Forcesrejected
statements by Donald Trump
December 17th, 11:05am
(Prensa Latina)
The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) today flatly rejected
the delirious statements of the president of the United States
who, insolently, threatens Venezuela with armed actions by ordering an alleged naval blockade.
A statement read by the Minister for Defense ----- General in Chief
Vladimir Padrino, considered this fact as a “vulgar act of piracy”.
He indicated that the accusations made -- are fanciful and incoherent,
pointing out - in an unusual way - that “we have stolen oil, land and
other assets from them”, which, he stated, is completely false
and unmasks the “implausible narrative --- of the fight
against narco-terrorism”.
The text indicated that this also revealed the perverse intentions
planned since the beginning of the war escalation in the middle
of this year, that, as President Nicolás Maduro repeatedly
denounced, “they are none other than forcing a regime
change in our country ---- and seizing its oil and
natural resources”.
The note reaffirmed that everything is for oil, which forms the
reissue of the Monroe Doctrine that establishes neocolonial
dominance in the hemisphere by the United States.
Padrino denounced that the aforementioned claims flagrantly violate
the Charter of the United Nations “regarding respect for the
sovereignty of States and the resolution of disputes by
peaceful means, the laws of international trade and
the Geneva Charter on the high seas.”
He estimated that it also went beyond the laws of International
Law, and even the diplomacy of the gunboats.
The text pointed out that they also contravene precepts established
in the Constitution, which “obliges all Venezuelans and especially
the FANB, to fully defend their national territory, as well as their
sacred interests».
Consequently, he stressed, they constitute - a clear «Act of Aggression»,
and we denounce this before a world, whose multilateral organizations
must reflect and act - in the face of this insane warlike attitude, that
puts at risk not only Venezuela, but the entire Latin American
Caribbean region --- and global energy stability.
The FANB indicated that never in the history of our country had
a US president threatened it ------ in such an incisive manner.
He said that, when today commemorates 195 years of the leap to
eternity of the Liberator Simón Bolívar, “we say to the North
American government and its president, that we are not
intimidated by their crude and arrogant threats».
The Minister for Defense expressed that Bolívar himself and many
other heroes of American emancipation taught us to fight and
defeat powerful empires, and that the dignity of this
country is not negotiated away, or intimidated --
before anyone.
He stressed that the FANB, strictly complying with the orders given
by our Commander in Chief, “with imperturbable serenity, without
falling into provocations, together with the Venezuelan people
in perfect popular military-police fusion - it will preserve the
current constitutional and democratic system at all costs».
Likewise, he expressed the territorial integrity of the country,
the legitimate rights over its air and maritime spaces; and
irreducibly, it will defend its freedom, sovereignty,
independence and peace.
________________________________________________
Venezuela’s Maduro: hails Iran
as a model ----- in the fight for
the international rule of law
December 17th, 10:44am
(PressTV)
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has praised Iran
as a global example in defending international law,
appreciating the Islamic Republic’s unwavering
support for Caracas amid escalating threats
from the United States
Speaking during his weekly television program “With Maduro,”
the Venezuelan president expressed appreciation -- for Iran’s
steadfastness and principled positions on the global stage.
He offered details of a recent phone conversation with President
Masoud Pezeshkian, saying he was informed of Iran’s full
support for Venezuela’s sovereignty and stability.
Maduro said President Pezeshkian --- conveyed the “comprehensive
and unequivocal support” of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the government, and the Iranian
people --- for Venezuela.
“When I say... comprehensive support, I mean total and unconditional,”
Maduro said, adding that the support is directed toward Venezuela’s
fight for peace, sovereignty, dignity, and stability, “not only for
today or tomorrow, but forever.”
Highlighting Iran’s role in international affairs, Maduro described the
Islamic Republic as “a shining example in the struggle to establish
international rule of law,” and thanked the Iranian president for
Tehran’s firm backing.
The US government has escalated pressure on Venezuela
through a military buildup in the Caribbean, accusing it
of pursuing an anti-drug trafficking mission - without
offering evidence.
The US has also carried out at least 21 strikes on alleged drug
vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing
at least 83 people.
Iran has repeatedly reaffirmed its support for the independence,
security, and stability of Venezuela in the face of US pressure
and attacks.
Iran and Venezuela, longstanding strategic allies, continue to
stress the need to counter unilateralism and unjust Western
sanctions, while maintaining close cooperation across the
political, economic, and diplomatic fields.
People hold up a banner as they protest
against Israel at the entrance of the
International Criminal Court
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Lebanese Parliament Convenes
Despite Boycott by Lebanese
Forces,Kataeb
December 18th, 1:38pm
(al Manar)
Lebanese Parliament held a general legislative session chaired
by Speaker Nabih Berri to continue reviewing draft laws and
proposals that were on the agenda for the session of
September 29, 2025.
Parliament approved a draft law for a $250 million loan agreement
with the World Bank for the reconstruction of infrastructure in
southern Lebanon.
It also approved the law regulating the judiciary, taking into account
the observations made by the President, Joseph Aoun.
The Parliament convened despite calls to boycott the session by
the Lebanese Forces over Speaker Berri’s refusal to timetable
discussion on a contentious election law.
Sixty-seven MPs attended the session, just
above the threshold required to proceed.
The Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb party
abstained in protest ...among a handful
of others.
Lebanese political powers are in disagreement over the diaspora
vote, which is part of the electoral law. There have been calls to
amend the electoral law in a bid to allow Lebanese abroad to
vote for all 128 parliamentary seats (the current law allows
expatriates to vote for seven seats).
Amal Movement and Hezbollah, among other parties, oppose
amending the diaspora vote, stressing that such a move
contradicts with the principle of equal opportunities,
especially that the Hezbollah resistance party, is
banned -- and does not enjoy the campaigning
freedom that the other parties have abroad,
especially in Western countries.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
_____________________________________________
Qatar warns Israel’s ceasefire violations
pushing Gaza truce toward collapse
December 18th, 11:04am
(PressTV)
Qatar’s prime minister has warned that relentless Israeli breaches
of the Gaza ceasefire are jeopardizing the entire agreement, as
winter storms deepen a humanitarian catastrophe and Tel
Aviv ------ continues to obstruct aid to the besieged
Palestinian territory.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman
bin Jassim Al Thani sounded the warning on Wednesday,
stressing that daily Israeli violations of the US-brokered
ceasefire threaten to derail the deal altogether, calling
for the immediate launch of the second phase of the
deal ------- aimed at halting Israel’s genocidal war
on Gaza.
Speaking after talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
in Washington, Al Thani warned that “delays and ceasefire
violations endanger the entire process - and place the
mediators in a difficult position,” stressing ------ that
humanitarian aid must enter Gaza unconditionally.
The remarks came during the 7th US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue
as the fragile truce continues to fray amid a worsening
humanitarian emergency.
According to reports, the talks focused largely on pressuring the
occupying entity to halt its violations, alongside discussions on
forming an international stabilization force, that could include
Indonesian and Turkish troops, despite Israel’s objections
to Turkish involvement.
Since the ceasefire began on October 10, Israel has violated it at least
738 times, killing at least 394 Palestinians and injuring 1,075 others.
The development comes as Gaza’s humanitarian situation has grown
desperate as winter storms batter the war-ravaged territory, forcing
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to shelter in flimsy tents
or unsafe and bombed-out buildings.
Israel has compounded the crisis ------- by blocking essential supplies,
including mobile homes, tents and blankets, while tightly restricting
aid deliveries, with Gaza’s Government Media Office reporting that
only 39% of approved aid trucks have reached their destinations.
The United Nations says around 30,000 children - have been affected
by storm damage to shelters, as Israel continues to bar vital winter
assistance and nutritious food.
At least 17 Palestinians, including four children, have died from cold
in the Gaza Strip so far this month amid continued Israeli
restrictions on aid delivery.
Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, for his part, has warned that
ongoing Israeli violations threaten the viability of the agreement,
urging US President Donald Trump to force Tel Aviv to comply,
while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defends
continued killings.. by accusing Hamas of rearming.
The second phase of Trump's 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan concerns
Hamas' disarmament, the further withdrawal of Israeli forces, the
unveiling of a new governing body in Gaza, and the launching
of an “International Stabilization Force” in the strip.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 70,667 Palestinians,
the majority being women and children, with 171,151 others
injured, in Gaza.
______________________________________________
Hezbollah warns it won’t disarm,
says patience ...running out
December 18th, 10:16am
(PressTV)
A senior Hezbollah official has warned - of mounting threats to the Arab
nation, stressing that the Lebanese resistance movement’s patience is
running out, while Israeli attacks continue in violation of the ceasefire.
Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chairman of Hezbollah's political council,
said that the group would not surrender its weapons under any
circumstances and vowed it would never retreat from its role
as a deterrent force ------- defending Lebanon against the
Israeli aggression.
He cautioned that Lebanon’s very existence and survival are at risk,
adding that Hezbollah forces will not fully withdraw from areas
south of the Litani River and will maintain a presence there.
Qamati emphasized that Hezbollah is prepared to confront any act
of aggression. “If... the resistance group runs out of patience,
it will no longer argue with anyone,” the senior Hezbollah
official said.
The remarks come as Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Wednesday that
the occupation military is preparing a list of potential targets against
Hezbollah, in anticipation of Tel Aviv's decision to launch a large
-scale aggression against Lebanon.
According to the report, these targets include Hezbollah's infrastructure,
senior and junior members of the party, members of the “missile unit,”
and weapons depots, to limit the group's capabilities.
The Israeli channel said, “Israel is aware - that Hezbollah still possesses
long-range missiles and other means that it can use in decisive battles.
At the same time, it continues its efforts to strengthen its power, and
for this reason, Israeli forces may conduct strikes deep inside
Lebanon to harm the party.”
Israel and the Hezbollah resistance movement - reached a ceasefire
agreement that took effect on November 27, 2024. Under the deal,
Tel Aviv was required to withdraw fully from Lebanese territory,
but has kept forces stationed at five sites, in clear violation of
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of last
November’s agreement.
Since the implementation of the ceasefire, Israel has
violated the agreement almost daily - through
repeated assaults on Lebanese territory.
Lebanon's authorities have warned that the Israeli regime’s
violations of the ceasefire ---- threaten national stability.
Two Lebanese were killed and five others injured in two
separate Israeli airstrikes ---- targeting vehicles in
southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s
Ministry of Health.
Also --- in the latest violations of the ceasefire, an Israeli drone
strike hit a car on a road between the towns of Markaba and
al-Aadaissah in the Marjayoun district, killing one person.
In a separate attack, another Israeli drone targeted a pickup
truck in the Sebline area along the Mount Lebanon coast,
killing one person and injuring five others, according to
the Health Ministry.
Despite almost daily Israeli airstrikes and ongoing breaches of
Lebanese airspace and sovereignty, Hezbollah continues to
be the sole credible military entity capable of challenging
the occupation --- and thwarting more Israeli intrusions.
As demands from Washington and Israel to disarm the Lebanese
resistance group intensify, numerous individuals within the
Arab nation contend that such attempts ----- overlook the
fundamental problem of Israel's ongoing infringements
on Lebanese sovereignty.
___________________________________________
Powerful Israeli Strikes on South Lebanon
and Bekaa, Speaker Berri Says the
Bombardment is “In Honour of
the Mechanism”
December 18th, 10:41am
(al Manar)
On Thursday, the Israeli enemy launched a series of air raids
on large areas in southern Lebanon and Bekaa in the east
of the country, in a new escalation ---- that targeted
mountainous areas, valleys and the outskirts
of several towns.
Al-Manar's correspondent reported, that the Israeli airstrikes
targeted the outskirts of Al-Rihan in Iqlim Al-Tuffah, as well
as the area between the towns of Deir Siryan and Qusayr
in the south.
The strikes also hit the Litani River between Zawtar and Deir
Siryan in the Nabatieh region, in addition to the Al-Jabbour
and Al-Qatrani heights in Western Bekaa, according to
our reporter.
Israeli aircraft later renewed their raids, targeting the Mahmoudiya
area in southern Lebanon, while other airstrikes hit the Zaghrin
heights in the Hermel mountains of the eastern Bekaa,
Al-Manar correspondents reported
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone strike targeted a Rapid vehicle
near the road linking the border town to Deir Siryan.
The strike took place as a truck belonging to Electricity of
Lebanon public company was present nearby, our
correspondent in southern Lebanon, noted.
“A number of workers were injured as the Israeli strike
torched the Rapid vehicle ...and the Electricity of
Lebanon truck,” Al-Manar's reporter said.
Commenting on the Israeli strikes, Lebanon's Speaker
said the Israeli strikes were a “message” dedicated
to the Paris Conference ------- for supporting the
Lebanese Army.
The strikes “are an Israeli message to the Paris Conference
...a sustained bombardment in honour of the Mechanism,”
Speaker Berri was quoted as saying, referring to the
committee overseeing the ''ceasefire'' between
Lebanon and the Zionist entity.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
___________________________________________
Israeli Occupation Steps Up Aggression on Occupied West Bank
December 18th, 8:26am
(al Manar)
The Israeli occupation escalated its attacks in the occupied
West Bank, carrying out raids and arrests in several areas
across the occupied territories.
Palestinian media reported on Thursday that the occupation forces
stormed the towns of Anabta and Kafr Al-Labad, east of Tulkarem.
The occupation forces arrested two young men in the towns
and forced shop owners to close their shops under threat
of weapons, while stopping vehicles and citizens and
subjecting them ---- to field interrogations.
In central West Bank, Israeli occupation forces also
raided AL-Mughayyar town, northeast of Ramallah.
Elsewhere in the southern West Bank, Israeli occupation forces
raided the village of Deir Razeh, south of Al-Khalil (Hebron),
assaulting and abusing two young men.
Meanwhile, Israeli military vehicles deliberately rammed a
Palestinian vehicle in the southern part of the city,
causing material damage.
Additionally, armed Zionist settlers attacked a vehicle
north of Al-Khalil with stones, smashing its windows.
Palestinians in Hebron are subjected to severe movement
restrictions by occupation forces and many of their
businesses have been forced to shut as a result
of the Israeli settlements.
Earlier on Wednesday -- Israeli occupation forces arrested 40
Palestinians in military raids across the occupied West Bank.
A child and former prisoners were among the detainees in the
raids ------ that targeted the cities of Salfit, Jenin, Bethlehem,
Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarem, and Al-Khalil, according to
the Palestinian Prisoner Society.
The Israeli occupation army has escalated its attacks in
the occupied West Bank ......since the outbreak of the
Gaza war in October 2023.
The northern West Bank has been subjected to an ongoing
aggression since January 21, 2025, which began in the
Jenin camp and extended to the Tulkarem and Nur
Shams camps, leaving behind widespread
destruction and the displacement of
over 50,000 Palestinian citizens.
Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers have killed
at least 1,097 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,
including East Jerusalem, injured nearly 11,000, and
detained around 21,000 -------- since October 2023,
according to Palestinian figures.
Source: Palestinian media
(translated and edited
by Al-Manar)
Today, December 18th, in 1972,
Lawrence Wong,
politician, economist,
former civil servant
and happy patriot,
is born.
Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai has been serving as the fourth
prime minister of Singapore since 15 May 2024 and the
minister for finance since 2021.
A member of the governing People's Action Party, he has
been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the
Limbang division of Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC since
2015, and previously the Boon Lay division of
West Coast GRC between 2011 and 2015.
He is the first prime minister born after
Singapore’s independence - in 1965.
''Knowing what to do does not mean that the leader must have all the answers, but certainly the leader can listen to advice, get views,
but eventually the leader must say ----- this is the way forward,
because -- if you are not even able to articulate and express
this way forward then there is no need for a leader to exist.
So, knowing what to do is important, but the second part
is equally important. You have decided, after a process
or whatever it is this is the best way forward. How do
you get everyone to come around to agreeing with
you and bringing everyone on the same page and
say, let us move this way. That is not easy to do
too, that requires communication, it requires
persuasion, it requires ways to inspire
people, engage people, motivate
them and get everyone on the
same page.''
''We have a unique Singaporean approach to this, which is that we value
every community, big or small - and we want to make sure that every
community has a place, is respected, is valued and feels a sense
of belonging in Singapore. Which means that every community
must be able to continue with their customs and traditions -
their own ethnic cultures ------ and never feel like they are
excluded from Singapore society. At the same time we
work with all communities to find common ground,
to see what is it that brings us together as
Singaporeans. And, we continually
work ----- towards evolving and
strengthening this sense of
Singaporean identity.''
''The external environment is indeed --- a big concern for us, because even
as we go about leadership transition ....and entering our next phase of
development, we are doing so at a time when the world is changing,
and it is going to be a new global order, which is likely to be very
messy and unpredictable, because the world ---- is in flux. The
unipolar moment for America --- has ended. Everybody talks
about going into a multipolar world, but it is not quite at
a stable equilibrium yet. And this period of transition
will be very messy, a lot will be marked by
nationalism, protectionism, excessive
nationalism - nationalism itself isn't
a bad thing - but excessive, very
aggressive nationalism ---- and
protectionism - as the rivalry
between the major powers.''
''I am also hopeful --- because I see many young Singaporeans nowadays
certainly much more well informed than I was when I was their age.
They read ------ a lot more widely. They get access to all sorts of
information - and they are clearer about what they would like
to do in life. From the conversations..... I get the sense that
they would like to contribute not just to their own careers
--- but they would like to contribute to something larger
than themselves, to a larger purpose, and I think that
is very meaningful. That is a good, positive sign.''
''I would say that we have come a long way as a country these last 60
years. We have fought incredible odds; we have defied incredible
odds ------- to achieve this miracle called Singapore. It is a
The academic boycott of Israeli universities in Europe has
doubled, even after the Gaza ceasefire aimed at ending
the occupying regime’s genocidal war against the
besieged Gaza Strip.... a move that further
isolates Tel Aviv --- in global higher
education, a new report says.
The Academic Boycott of Israel Monitoring Team, created by
the Committee of University Presidents in Tel Aviv, said in a
report on Monday that academic boycotts targeting the
regime have surged, with around 1,000 cases
reported in Europe by November.
It stressed that Israel’s negative image, which has persisted even
after the ceasefire over the genocidal war against Gaza -- is “so
deeply entrenched that political moves alone are not enough
to shift public perception.”
Contrary to expectations that the boycott would ease following the
ceasefire, the report notes that “the opposite occurred,” with
institutions and individual academics more frequently
filing boycott cases.
The monitoring team, whose report was published by The Marker,
the economic version of the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz ---- also
warned that this expanding boycott could isolate Israeli higher
education significantly and pose a long-term strategic threat
to its international standing.
The report further identified concrete consequences for the move,
including a drop in EU Horizon Europe research grants for Israeli
scholars, exclusion from international cooperation projects,
and a breakdown in collaborative programs.
The Association of University Heads in Israel has reportedly
recorded over 1,000 incidents of academic boycotts over
the last two years, three times the total as of a year ago.
According to the report, 57 percent of cases involve individual
researchers (mainly being excluded from research groups),
22 percent are institutional severances, seven percent
are from professional associations, and 14 percent
relate to halted student exchanges or
postdoctoral partnerships.
It also said that this crippling boycott trend --- is unlikely to reverse
soon without “major regional and geopolitical changes,” warning
that sustained isolation of Israeli academia may continue.
The boycott movement “will accompany Israeli academia for
a long time and will not ease without major regional and
geopolitical changes,” the report noted.
Israel has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians, most of them women
and children, and injured over 170,900 others in Gaza since
October 7, 2023, according to Gaza's Health Ministry,
when it launched a brutal war against the
Palestinian territory.
Despite a ceasefire announced in October,
Israel continues to target Gaza -------
in violation of the agreement.
Hamas has urged the guarantors of the ceasefire, namely Qatar,
Turkey, Egypt, and the United States, to press Israel to abide
by the deal ---- and stop its attacks on Gaza.
The world and her daughter are calling for a boycott of the genocidal colonial apartheid state of Israel.
Place yourself on the right side of joy and sorrow by joining the world's boycott - say ''no'' to evil!
Keir Hardie - Britain's first Labour MP - opposedWorld War One.
His namesake is stammering his way in the opposite direction.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
ROGER WATERS TO MUSICIANS:- "BOYCOTT ISRAEL"
Roger Waters formerly of Pink Floyd, in an open letter, calls on his fellow musicians --- to boycott the Zionist Israeli regime and follow the example of the cultural boycott against the ex S. African Apartheid regime.
“Given the inability or unwillingness of our governments [to act] …. I write to you now, my brothers and sisters … to ask you to join with me, & thousands of other artists around the world, to declare a cultural boycott on Israel,” Roger Waters says in his letter.
Waters says the Zionist regime has been found guilty of major breaches of human rights and international law by international organizations, UN officials and the International Court of Justice.
He touches on two such cases, saying the regime has been identified as perpetrating the “crime of Apartheid”, including in a statement on March 9th, 2012 by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the “crime of ethnic cleansing” including in East Jerusalem (al-Quds).
Waters adds that he has been a member of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against the Israeli regime’s occupation of the Palestinian lands and Tel Aviv’s violations of Palestinian human rights for 7 years, and now wants other musicians to also join the anti-Israeli front.
“Please join me and all our brothers and sisters in global civil society in proclaiming our rejection of Apartheid in Israel & occupied Palestine, by pledging not to perform or exhibit in Israel or accept any award or funding from any institution linked to the government of Israel, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights.”
The former Pink Floyd Musician also says he has recently faced a boycott by the US media after his November 29th, 2012 address at the UN on behalf of the Russell Tribunal.
In the address, he sought accountability for the Zionist regime’s violations of the international law and the lack of United Nations resolve that prevents the Palestinian people from achieving their inalienable rights, especially the right of self-determination.
____________________
AT THE FACTORY
Tickets from
www.wegottickets.com/thefactory
www.ticketweb.co.uk
browse venues in Wales
www.ticketlineuk.com
02920 230130
Cash tickets from:
The Factory, Porth Instrumental Music, Penygraig Spillers Records, Cardiff
Indulge in a delicious cake and a cup of tea while enjoying music and sing-along songs from fantastic Welsh musicians.
Ticket information:
The Cultural Services Booking & Information Line:
08000 147 111 or book online at
www.rct-arts.co.ukÂÂ
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Mid Rhondda Modelling Club...
7pm - 9pm
Tonyrefail Comprehensive School Mid Rhondda Modelling Club
has been running for over 30 years.
We meet on a regular basis
& enjoy making models for display.
We encourage both Gentlemen
and Ladies to attend, and also young people aged 12+.
However, Young people under 16, must be accompanied by an adult.
Ticket information
£1 contribution every week. Under 16's free
Telephone Mr. Davies on 01443 686658
************************************************
Comedy In The Laughter Lounge
The Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy.
COMEDY IN THE LAUGHTER LOUNGE
Join us once a month in the intimate setting of the Laughter Lounge for some top notch comedy with some of the biggest and brightest rising comedians on the circuit.
Laugh? You'll snort like a pig!
Hilarious - TimeOut.
www.rct-arts.co.uk
Rhondda Records exists to express the Rhondda's vision --- when it was confident, powerful, caring, and socialist.
A Rhondda very aware of the media's poisonous tricks -- how they con working class people into attacking each other, or racial groups, or, often, even their best allies and friends... instead of seeing their real enemies:--- an elite who hate the very idea that working people can think, create, or achieve a fairer society.
Thatcher said her proudest achievement was Blair and New Labour - who parachuted in careerists and expenses fiddlers - to stop local Labour members having a say, and who made genuine socialist MPs leave the Labour party in disgust and many members and voters to despair... and the young to stop voting.
Jeremy Corbyn was always attacked because he was trying to reverse all that New Labour corruption --- that's why membership was flooding in all over the UK.
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Get Involved!
– If you feel you’ve been ‘purged’, take this online survey:
– Request all your own data that the Labour Party holds on you:
http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/privacy
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IF - YOU THINK you HAVE BEEN UNFAIRLY BARRED:
“Any member who is suspended & intends to appeal the decision should throw in a ‘Subject Access Request in accordance with the Data Protection Act’ --- for ALL data that the Labour Party hold on them.
The Labour Party are Data Controllers and therefore have to, by law, provide you with all material/information they hold on you.”
If anyone is in contact with anyone who was barred from voting --- please can you pass this info on:
The Labour leadership election was under the jurisdiction of the electoral reform services.
If you were unfairly deprived of your vote you can call them on 0208 365 8909 and lodge your complaint, and inform them of your Data Protection request.
https://www.electoralreform.co.uk
The notification letters barring new members did not give a clear reason, or information on how to appeal, so Vox Political suggests that anyone in this situation, could also contact Liz Davies here: http://www.whycantivote.com
She is a barrister --- who can advise members on what to do.
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PONCY LABOUR MPS PROBLEM?
A huge drop in working-class Labour MPs, caused a massive drop in support among voters with similar backgrounds, reveals research seeking to explain why support has dwindled in the party’s heartlands.
The study says past leaders like Kinnock and Blair made a concerted effort to pick “more and more middle-class candidates to run for office, during the 80s and 90s, as part of an effort to rebrand” -- which had initial successes at the ballot box.
But this “conscious electoral strategy” stored up problems, as working-class voters who initially, just didn’t vote in response, now seek an alternative.
The solution?Trust each constituency to put forward its own candidates, and don't impose ‘party-approved’ choices who can't do the job.
Now, unfortunately, there are "entryist" MPs who, for decades, have been groomed by CIA cold war relic organisations -- like the Atlantic Council -- and are now trying to misdirect the Labour Party towards cuts, a militarised police, and a US war agenda... - and their anti-Corbyn slant is hobbling Labour.
‘How Can I Deselect My Labour MP?’ A Short Guide to Reselection and Democratic Accountability by Eric Sim, excellent free advice here:
http://novaramedia.com/2016/07/13/how-can-i- deselect-my-labour-mp-a-short-guide-to- reselection-and-democratic-accountability/ CHRIS BRYANT - SUPPORT THE MEMBERS' LEADERSHIP CHOICE & POLICIES - OR GO!
Chris Bryant, the Rhondda's dodgy MP, was on TV -- as soon as the PLP coup started -- telling us that Jeremy MUST go, because it was the ONLY way to act in the Labour Party's interest...
Chris Bryant's voting record: from TheyWorkForYou.com
On Tuition Fees:
On 27 Jan 2004: Chris Bryant voted in favour of university tuition fees increasing from £1,125 per year, to up to £3,000 per year.
On 31 Mar 2004: Chris Bryant voted to allow university tuition fees to increase from £1,125 per year, to up to £3,000 per year.
On 31 Mar 2004: Chris Bryant voted for the introduction of variable university tuition fees (top-up fees) of up to £3,000 per year in place of the previous fixed fee of £1,250 per year.
On 31 Mar 2004: Chris Bryant voted to allow university tuition fees to increase from £1,125 per year to up to £3,000 per year, and to make other changes to higher education funding and regulation arrangements.
On 14 Sep 2004: Chris Bryant voted against: the immediate abolition of all tuition fees, the re-introduction of maintenance grants of up to £2,000 for students from low-income homes, and changes to the country's higher education system.
On 14 Sep 2004: Chris Bryant voted to reject the Liberal Democrat policy of abolition of tuition fees.
On 25 May 2016: Chris Bryant was absent for a vote on Queen's Speech - Forcing Schools to Become Academies - Further Rises in University Tuition Fees
On Human Rights:
Consistently voted for introducing ID cards
Almost always voted for requiring the mass retention of information about communications
Generally voted for mass surveillance of people’s communications and activities
On the Environment:
Generally voted against greater regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract shale gas
On Special Interests:
Almost always voted against limits on success fees paid to lawyers in no-win no fee cases
Generally voted against a statutory register of lobbyists
On War or Peace:
Generally voted for use of UK military forces in combat operations overseas
Consistently voted for the Iraq war
Consistently voted against an investigation into the Iraq war
Generally voted for replacing Trident with a new nuclear weapons system
On 2 Dec 2015: Voted to support UK airstrikes in Syria [without UN authorisation]
On 2 Dec 2015: Voted to support UK airstrikes in Syria [without UN authorisation]
On Independence:
Generally voted for more EU integration
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Chris Bryant Labour MP From Wikipedia
(aka 1962-1986: Mr Christopher John Bryant 1986-1991: The Reverend Christopher John Bryant, 1991-2001: Mr Christopher John Bryant, 2001-: Mr Christopher John Bryant MP.)
Born in Cardiff, to a Scottish mother & a Welsh father, Bryant grew up in Cardiff, Wales (where his father worked for 5 years), and Cheltenham.
He was educated at Cheltenham College, an independent school for boys in the spa town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, where he was captain of the school swimming team, and Mansfield College at the University of Oxford, where he graduated in 1983, with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English. This was later promoted to a Master of Arts degree (MA (Oxon)), as per tradition.
After completing his first degree, Bryant began training to be a priest in the Church of England at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, in Oxfordshire. There, he obtained a degree in theology.
Although a member of the Conservative Party, and an elected office-holder in the Oxford University Conservative Association, he joined the Labour Party in 1986, after leaving Oxford.
He was ordained deacon in 1986 and priest in 1987. He served as a Curate at the Church of All Saints, High Wycombe, from 1986 to 1989; then as a Youth Chaplain in Peterborough, as well as travelling in Latin America.
In 1991 Bryant left the ordained ministry, after deciding that being gay and being a priest, were incompatible. Statements made by Richard Harries, then Bishop of Oxford, also influenced his decision.
After leaving the priesthood in 1991, Bryant worked as the election agent to the Holborn and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party, where he helped Frank Dobson hold his seat in the 1992 general election.
From 1993, he was Local Government officer for the Labour Party; he lived in Hackney and was elected to Hackney Borough Council in 1993, serving until 1998. He became Chair of the Christian Socialist Movement.
He is both a member of the Labour Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Palestine & the Middle East. From 1994 to 1996 he was London manager of the leader-grooming "charity", Common Purpose.
He was Labour candidate for Wycombe, in the 1997 general election (he lost by 2,370 votes), and Head of European Affairs for the BBC, from 1998.
His selection for the very safe Labour seat of Rhondda, South Wales in 2000, shocked many people given Bryant's background – gay, an ex- Anglican vicar, and someone who was a Tory, while studying at Oxford, and a member now, of the Henry Jackson Society 'think tank' --- described by The Guardian newspaper as 'neoconservative'. It is pro-US, pro-NATO and pro-military intervention, as well as being fundamentally anti-socialist.
Fifty-two people applied for the candidature and a local councillor was hot favourite to win, before Bryant was parachuted in.
In 2004, a photograph of Mr Bryant in his underpants, which he had posted to a gay dating website, was published in 'papers.
When an interviewer suggested he was a 'disgrace to the Rhondda', he replied: "They can't get rid of me."
His pay, allowances and some expenses:
The basic annual salary for an MP, from April 1st, 2016 is £74,962. MPs also get expenses: to cover the costs of running an office, employing staff, having some- where to live in London, plus, in their constituency and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.
His MP's expenses story:
Chris Bryant changed second home twice to claim £20,000: the deputy leader of the House of Commons, "flipped" his second home twice, in 2 years, allowing him to claim almost £20,000 for renovations and fees.
Chris Bryant, MP for the Rhondda, split over £92,000 of expenses between 3 properties in Wales and London --- within five years.
In 2004, he attempted to claim £58,000 to overhaul his second home in Wales, after allegedly complaining that properties in his constituency were "terrace or mine owners' houses".
Mr Bryant, a former Church of England clergyman, wanted the money for a new bathroom & kitchen, and to demolish his conservatory. He'd bought the detached house for £97,500, under a year earlier.
He submitted a claim to the Commons fees office for £58,493.26 --- almost 3 times the annual maximum. He noted that the claim exceeded his allowance.
His alleged justification was disclosed... in correspondence between Commons officials. By email, an official wrote: "He had problems finding a suitable property because in the Rhondda there is a choice mainly of terraced property or mine owners' houses." When approached by the Daily Telegraph, Mr Bryant said: "I have never said or thought anything of the sort".
In all, he successfully claimed over £13,000 for renovations, repairs & appliances, in 2004. Along with other bills, his annual claim was £20,902.
In April 2005, he flipped his expenses to his flat in west London, which he bought for £400,000 in April 2002. He also claimed £630 a month for mortgage interest, along with other bills. After claiming over £3,600 over 3 months, he sold the flat in July 2005 for £477,000.
Mr Bryant used his profits to buy a more expensive flat in west London, which was valued at £670,000. He immediately flipped his second home expenses there, claiming almost £6,400 in stamp duty, legal fees and mortgage fees, incurred in the purchase.
He then began claiming interest of £1,000 a month on the mortgage. He also claimed a further £6,000 a year for the flat's service charge and ground rent.
In all, he claimed £92, 415 in second home expenses, from 2004 to 2009.
Mr Bryant said at the time: "I moved flat in London, so as to be closer to Parliament."
Research by Channel 4 News in 2015 found that at least 46 MPs had this kind of system in place – a move one Labour backbencher described as “a new fiddle”. Channel 4 reported then:
“Our investigation found that many of the MPs bought their London properties with the help of the taxpayer, when a previous expenses system allowed them to claim back mortgage payments. But when those claims were banned, following the expenses scandal, they switched to letting out their properties, in some cases for up to £3,000 a month. They then started claiming expenses for rent and hotels in the capital.”
Among those identified was Chris Bryant, shadow leader of the House of Commons. He had already bought a penthouse in London back in 2005 and claimed around £1,000 a month in mortgage claims under the old system.
But after the expenses scandal, he started renting the property out. It’s since been advertised by estate agents as having a private lift and a porter, with rent at about £3,000 a month. Meanwhile, Bryant moved into a new flat;- claiming his own rent on expenses.
Russian/Scottish scientists hail long-range secure quantum communication system.
A group of scientists from ITMO University in Saint Petersburg, Russia, has developed a new approach to constructing quantum communication systems for secure data exchange.
The experimental device based on the results of the research is capable of transmitting single-photon quantum signals across distances of 250 klmtrs or more, which is on par with its cutting edge analogues, the ITMO press-service says.
"Now researchers are on a mission -- to create a fully-fledged quantum cryptographic system, that will generate & distribute quantum keys and transmit useful data simultaneously", ITMO says.
Information security is becoming more and more of a critical issue not only for large companies, banks and defense enterprises but even for small businesses and individual users.
But the data encryption algorithms we currently use for protecting our data are imperfect - in the long-term, their logic can be cracked. Regardless of how complex and intricate the algorithm is, getting around it, is just a matter of time.
Unlike algorithm-based encryption, systems that protect information, by making use of fundamental laws of quantum physics, can make data transmission totally immune to hacker attacks, in the future.
Information in a quantum channel is carried by single photons that change irreversibly if an eavesdropper tries to intercept them. The legitimate users will instantly know about any kind of intervention.
Researchers at the Quantum Information Centre of the International Institute of Photonics and Optical Information Technology at ITMO Uni., Russia, along with their colleagues from the Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, have devised a new way to generate and distribute, quantum bits.
This makes it possible to share quantum signals --- via optical fibres --- 250 kilometres in distance.
"To transmit quantum signals, we use the so- called side frequencies," says Artur Gleim, head of the Quantum Information Centre, at ITMO University,
"This unique approach gives us a number of advantages -- such as a considerable simplification of the device architecture and the large pass-through capacity of the quantum channel. In terms of bit rate and operating distances, our system is comparable to absolute champions in the field of quantum communications."
According to Robert Collins, research associate at the Institute of Photonics & Quantum Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, and one of the authors of the study, this may become a pivotal point for the whole field of quantum communication and cryptography:
"Down the track, this new approach can enable smooth coexistence of numerous data streams with different wavelengths in one single optical cable. On top of it, these quantum streams can be fed into the already existing fibre optic lines --- along with conventional communications."
The research paper is published in the Optics Express journal.
Scottish universities are to be congratulated for their strong & growing links with Chinese and Russian universities....
What a shame, that Wales is lying low --- with academics too scared to break from US military research.
KILLING THE ELDERLY BY CLOSING CARE HOMES
Did you know that each time a local authority
closes a care home for the elderly, within 8
months, around half the residents are dead?
Campaigners liken the cuts and their effect to euthanasia of the UK's elderly. What to do?
We can start by urging our MPs to sign EDM 2251:
EDM 2251: The contents
This House notes with deep concern the worsening crisis for elderly care as growing numbers of local authority and private care homes face closure
Acknowledges concerns that the loss of elderly people's care homes causes fear, anxiety and, in many cases, a higher mortality rate, when vulnerable, elderly people are forced to leave their homes
Further notes that the Southern Cross crisis will increase needs for local authority care
And therefore calls on the government to hold a public inquiry into the deaths after closures, of local authority care homes, and impose a moratorium on the closure of local authority care homes, until that inquiry publishes its results, to ensure that vulnerable, elderly people's lives are not put at further risk.
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MAKING THE CONNECTION IN WALES
Households across three more English areas will be able to access superfast broadband in the latest phase of a Government scheme to connect rural homes and businesses.
The £50 million funding package for Devon and Somerset (£30 million), Norfolk (£15 million) and Wiltshire (£4 million) will aid the roll- out of superfast broadband services unable to be reached by the market alone.
Areas will also receive financial support from their local authorities and private investors, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport says.
So it's Broadband Heaven for England...
and crapola for Wales' broadband - the
slowest, worst Broadband in the UK !!!
Lib Dems in Scotland might have received a pummeling for Clegg and his betrayals, yet, in Scotland, their campaign centred on it becoming the "most connected country in Europe," to massively boost their economy.
In Wales, which political party is now willing to put into practice scientists' recommendations: that Wales' hilly topography requires establishing
free 'wireless' broadband?
It could connect the people of Rhondda and the world, boosting Wales' economic regeneration, like no other move.Wireless technology is now supplying free broadband to an entire island off New Zealand's coast.
Come on; if New Zealand can do it - so can we !!!
Western China has embraced "green-mode development" - with painful changes from which, Wales could well learn.
Eastern China has seen fast growth and urban mess. The West, a mining and agricultural area, has not.
Xi'an Chan-ba Ecological District, is a model for reclaiming old mining areas.
It took six hard years, but now Xi'an is showing the world how best to change, by turning a badly polluted rubbish landfill site, into an all new environment-friendly development.
As China's economic focus moves from east to west, it's using the lessons learned during 30 or more years of rapid industrial development.
The green way for China's west, is to combine green industrialization & green urbanization.
The western region's strategy is to adopt effective energy-saving and environmental protection technologies... AND to extend its industry through science and products unique to China's West, together with strong vertical growth in agriculture and all its ancilliary economic & professional spin-offs.
In undertaking this industrial revolution, the western region will keep a sharp eye out - to avoid all polluting non-sustainable industries.
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A BIG DROP OF HONEY !!!
Spring is beekeeping and honey-processing season in Yunnan province, in China.
Waves of bees flit across vast fields of flowers.
Local beekeepers and many from other places, such as Sichuan and Fujian provinces - set up their base in tents among the rapeseed farms.
The 430,000 hectares of rapeseed blooms in Luoping attract myriads of bees, which produce 15 - 20 million tons of honey a year.
Local people now look to brand their county as a honey production base & increase sales to outside markets.
Luoping Tianyuanmiyu Bee Industry Co Chair, Zhu Hongkun, founded his enterprise in 2009.
It mainly produces honey, propolis and propolis powder.
His company works with 270 plus beekeepers, who each earn 80,000 yuan a year on average.
Some earn 200,000 yuan annually, Zhu says.
Who says beauty endowed by nature isn't worth a fortune?
The whole of the uplands of south Wales could be as beautiful & productive, if used wisely!
CHINA's PREMIER POINTS WAY FORWARD
As the Tories threaten a "bonfire of the Quangos", perhaps Wales should take note. Now extracting all our mineral wealth has been stopped (apart from sand and rock) we find ourselves "in" the 1st World of the UK, but with a 3rd World economy, only just kept going by quangos which promise much... but deliver little... and rely on weak public support.
We could WAKE UP & understand that we either do something, or stay as begging bowl cases.
China's premier points the way forward for Wales:
"Industrial restructuring is the key... only by developing energy-efficient, indigenous innovative and high value added products can our companies and economy, achieve sustainable development."
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WHILE FRANCE, GREECE, IRELAND, ETC, STRUGGLE TO STOP THE PENSION AGE RISING HIGHER AND HIGHER...
An online survey on qq.com, a popular Chinese news portal, finds that 91% of its over 800,000 respondents, are against raising the current official Chinese retirement age.
745,123 of those surveyed say they oppose raising retirement ages -- 72,456 support it.
China's scholars & the public have been debating whether to raise the retirement age, for the past few years, but the issue rose to prominence after remarks by an official.
Wang Xiaochu, the official vice minister of the Ministry of Human Resources & Social Security, said at a press conference that the government was "studying the matter"...
The retirement age in China is generally set at 60 for men and 50-55 for women.
Wow! Bet you didn't know that !!!
FARMING AND SCIENCE COULD REGENERATE WALES
A new UN General Assembly report warns "vast areas" of cultivated land are lost each year, and that this could lead to unrest.
The report says up to 30 million hectares, an area the size of Italy, is lost each year to environmental degradation, industry & urbanization - the growth of cities - and all because of speculative building and greed.
The UN special rapporteur Olivier De Schutter, gives the example of eastern Africa, where the amount of cultivated land has declined by half --- in just one generation! "
As rural populations grow and competition with large industrial units increases, plots cultivated by smallholders are shrinking year after year," says De Schutter.
"Farmers are often relegated to soils that are arid, hilly or without irrigation."
The UN officer also mentions India as another example, where the average landholding fell from 2.6 hectares in 1960 to 1.4 hectares in 2000. A cut of nearly half in 40 years!
He says 500 million small farmers suffer from hunger, partly because their right to land is being violated. The expert warns of the devastating consequences, as foreign investors compete for larger and larger areas of the world's land for "their" agriculture.
Rhondda Records says Wales could rebuild its new economy by basing it on a fresh approach to high-value added products, using science and agriculture... such as the Altzeim project in Gwent.
