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Fidel's Centennial

1971: Fidel in Chile, a meeting of two peoples

Santiago de Chile, August the 1st, 4:06pm

by Carmen Esquivel, Chief
correspondent in Chile

(Prensa Latina)

Fidel Castro's trip to Chile in 1971 was a great event; the leader of

the Cuban Revolution toured the north, centre and south, visited

factories, mines and universities, and in each place ------
the reception was multitudinous.

Fidel arrived on November 10 and remained here until December 4, in

a long stay, that had among its highlights the welcome by President

Salvador Allende, the meeting at the University of Concepción, the

visit to the Chuquicamata copper mine and the Santa Elena

saltpeter wing, and the speech at the National Stadium.

"Fidel Castro's leadership was not only in Cuba, but throughout Latin

America. He was a world character. Because of the number of

people who were there, I believe that the impact produced

by his visit was stronger than that of Pope John Paul II

when he arrived in Chile in 1987."

This was recalled in an interview with Prensa Latina by Pedro Felipe

Ramirez, who at that time was one of the founders of the Christian

Left and would later take over as Minister of Mining and Housing

and Urban Planning.

1971 was very good for Allende's administration and one of the best

years in Chile, he said, and recalled that copper was nationalized

and in a very remarkable way - because there was
unanimous approval in Congress.

That was a very important step -- because it

endorsed a main project of the Government.

On the other hand, he said, the agrarian reform that had been

initiated by the administration of Eduardo Frei Montalva

continued ...and a series of economic policies were

carried out at the level of increased production, of

very strong industrial and commercial expansion.

Then, in 1971, Fidel Castro was received at a time when

the Allende government had a lot of support, he said.

"We as Christian Left already had good relations with Cuba and then

the ambassador, Mario García Incháustegui, invited us to dinner at

his house.

"He summoned us at 9:00 PM, a typical time for dinner in Santiago,

but Fidel was late because he was inaugurating a statue of Che

Guevara in the commune of San Miguel.

"After lunch we went to a room to talk and, why do I say!, our

impression was enormous. First, the size, he was a very tall

and corpulent man, I would say he was about 2 metres tall.

"The second thing that impacted us a lot, was the conversation. We

talked until 3 in the morning. Of course, much of it was worn by him.

"His human warmth and extensive knowledge impressed the people

who were there. It was a library, he knew Chilean political leaders,

he spoke of a senator or a deputy as if he were his friend, he met

with the military because he knew that the problem could come

from there.

"Later I learned from other people that the impact caused on them

was great, it left them with their mouths open, because he knew

about military technique and strategy."

Asked by this agency how he would characterize the Commander in

Chief in a few words, Ramírez replied: "Fidel has marked world

politics. They are figures that emerge in humanity once

every 50 years."

THE CIA IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FIDEL CASTRO IN CHILE

An article published by Archivo Chile, of the Miguel Enríquez Study

Centre, points out that during Fidel's visit to the country, the

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and elements of the

Cuban counterrevolution prepared three attempts

to attack the dignitary.

Andres Pascal Allende, who at the time was a member of the

Political Commission of the Revolutionary Left Movement

(MIR), said in an extensive interview with Prensa Latina

that they collaborated with the president's security in

the second ring.

We designated comrades from the MIR... for mass

events since there was a risk of attacks, he said.

The best known case, he recalled, was that of two alleged

journalists accredited as reporters for the Venevisión

channel, who would shoot Fidel with a gun placed

inside a television camera.

In that attempt, the terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who at the time

lived in Caracas and worked for the Venezuelan secret police,

played a leading role. He was the one who managed the

credentials of the fake journalists on television.

At the last minute the subjects cowered

and the attempt .....was deactivated.

Another event occurred during Fidel's visit to the Chuquicamata

copper mines. On the way, the caravan stopped because a car

was obstructing the road.

In the trunk of the vehicle, apparently abandoned, a powerful charge

of dynamite was waiting to be detonated by remote control. But at

the moment of exploding it, the device operated by the assassins

who were observing from a distant point failed, and the criminal

action was aborted.

The last one occurred on December 4 when the plane carrying the

leader of the Revolution made a stopover in Lima. The objective

was to explode a device from the terrace of the airport.. as the

Commander in Chief passed, but the plane in which Fidel was

traveling .........did not stop at the place calculated by

the conspirators.

FIDEL CASTRO AND SALVADOR ALLENDE: A

RELATIONSHIP OF FRIENDSHIP & RESPECT

Fidel spent several weeks in Chile, met with miners and workers, as

well as with peasants and Mapuche to learn about the process of

Agrarian Reform, Andrés Pascal Allende recalled.

The then prime minister of Cuba also spoke with different

organizations, including the political commission of the

MIR, where he insisted a lot on revolutionary unity

...and within the Chilean left.

"Although the MIR was not part of the Popular Unity government, we

supported Allende and were in charge of his security, through the

Group of Friends of the President (GAP)," said our interviewee.

"The GAP was formed at Allende's request. We had our distrust

in the ruling class and in the officers of the Armed Forces. We

believed that a coup d'état would come, as happened in

1973, a concern that Fidel also shared," he said.

In his last act at the National Stadium, Fidel warned: about the

danger of fascism and reactionary violence. However, he was

very respectful of the institutional path adopted by Allende,

despite having the same fears.

Between Allende and Fidel there was a close relationship and a

personal friendship. Allende was one of the first leaders to

support the Cuban Revolution. As a senator he went to

Cuba, and personally helped the survivors of Che's

guerrillas in Bolivia, he declared.

"I, as the president's nephew, knew that they had very frank

conversations about the dangers facing revolutionary

processes not only in Latin America, but also in

Chile in particular."

However, Fidel maintained absolute political respect for Allende,

never raised the differences he might have, nor did he intervene

from the outside in the Chilean process.

Pascal Allende points out that one of the discrepancies that the

MIR's political commission had with the president, is that they

thought it was necessary to prepare for the military coup and

develop the popular self-defense militias, but Fidel never

gave them weapons.

That shows the respect that Fidel had for Allende. He supported

the process in Chile, encouraged revolutionary changes, but

never intervened from the outside in that process, he said.

FIDEL IN THE CITY OF CONCEPCIÓN

One of the moments of the visit of the first secretary of the Central

Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba that was most

commented on at the time was the trip to the city of

Concepción, where he gave a speech at the

Regional Stadium and then met with

students from the university.

"We have been extraordinarily impressed by the generous reception

you have given to our delegation today. They told us, that the city
had 190 thousand inhabitants. However, we do not understand

how so many people were able to gather today," Fidel said.

In his meeting with the students, a representative of the Socialist

Youth asked him: "It is said that this government is reformist, and

therefore it is not a revolutionary government. Do you consider

that our Chilean experience or path is a revolutionary path

that will lead us to the socialist homeland?"

To which Fidel responded: "In reality I am not the one who should

judge the Chilean government. I can give my opinion, but I'm

going to tell you one thing: The discussion is between you.

I do not have any prerogative to participate in that type

of discussion."

"So I cannot make an analysis of the errors and successes

of the government. That is something that corresponds

entirely to Chileans."

"Now, if you ask me what is happening in Chile, I would sincerely tell

you that a revolutionary process is taking place in Chile," Fidel said,

in a speech that received a standing ovation.

The Commander in Chief recalled that the Revolution is a process -

with different phases: You cannot call the child young, you cannot

call him a man, and much less can you call him grandfather. But

it is possible that one day he will become a great-grandfather.

The Revolution has different phases.

"And we have even called our Revolution a process: a process is a

path, it is a phase that begins and, if in the purity of the concept

we must characterize it in some way, we must characterize it

as a revolutionary phase that begins."

THE FAREWELL AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM

As a farewell and closing of the visit, on December 2, 1971, Fidel

Castro and Salvador Allende participated in a massive event at

the National Stadium, where both gave speeches before a

packed auditorium.

"The presence of Fidel Castro in our homeland is the meeting of two

peoples, of two peoples united by their history, by their desire for

justice, by the struggle, for authentic freedom," Allende said

on that occasion.

"Fidel Castro has arrived in our land, he has traveled it from the arid

north to the southern zone, from the foothills to the coast. He has

come not to learn or to teach. He has brought his experience

and his language.

''He has not come to intervene in the internal politics of Chile, he has

not had a single phrase that can reach beyond the borders to rulers

of other countries; he has pointed out, yes, in his revolutionary

language, what Cuba has been and at the same time what

the revolution is'', he said.

With Allende's inauguration on November 3, 1970, an ambitious

process of social, economic and political changes began in

the country as never before in history.

As the standard-bearer of Popular Unity, Allende not only became

the first socialist leader to be democratically elected in the

country, but also the first to try to transition to socialism

through peaceful means.

The Chilean road.... flavoured with empanada and red wine, as the

president used to say, reflected the intention of creating a model

rooted in the culture, traditions and national institutionality.

But Allende was aware of the threats and in that speech he warned

him: "I do not have the money of an apostle nor do I have the

money of a Messiah, I do not have the conditions of a

martyr, I am a social fighter who fulfills a task, the

task that the people have given me," he said.

And he added: "Let those who want to go back in history and ignore

the majority will of Chile understand it: without having the flesh of

a martyr -- I will not take a step back; let them know: I will leave

La Moneda when I fulfill the mandate that the people gave me."

When the leader of the Cuban Revolution took the microphone,

he said he was deeply impressed by Allende's words.

"The President has spoken moving and courageous words,

analyzing some current issues. Those of us who know

him know that he is not a man of phrases, that he

is a man of facts," he said.

Fidel highlighted the hospitality with which the Chilean people

welcomed him. "One thing we take with us: the indelible

memory of this visit, of the affections, the attentions,

the honours that you gave to our delegation as a

representative of the Cuban people and

the Revolution."

And he concluded: "We just want to say, dear President, to you and

to Chileans, that with Cuba you can count, with your selfless and

unconditional solidarity, with what that flag means, with what

that homeland means."

After the 1973 coup d'état against the Popular Unity government,

Cuba welcomed thousands of Chilean exiles ...and hundreds of

professionals were trained on the island. That shared history

cemented a friendship between the two peoples that

continues to grow stronger today.

Amelia Roque

Special Editor Prensa Latina

Laura Esquivel

Web Editor Prensa Latina

The IRGC announced the destruction

of three more F-35s in Jordan

August 1st, 10:44pm

(RT.ru)

The Iranian military has confirmed the destruction of

three more US F-35 fighter jets, at a base in Jordan.

This is reported by RIA Novosti with

reference to the IRNA agency.

According to the agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

(IRGC) Aerospace Force struck the base with several ballistic

missiles on the morning of August 1. The target was the

repair hangar and aircraft parking lot at Al-Azrak.

"As a result of the attack, three F-35 fighters were destroyed

and three others were damaged," the publication says.

Earlier, CBS News reported that the United States & Israel

are preparing massive strikes on Iran's energy facilities.

U.S. embassies in the Middle East - have urged their

citizens in the region to be prepared for evacuation.

_______________________________________________________

75 years of US malice: Iran warns US

against naval deception in Hormuz

August 1st, 9:44pm

(Al Mayadeen English)

Iran’s Foreign Ministry accuses the US of naval violations,

aggressive actions, and attempts to deceive Iran

in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a series of statements

on Saturday accusing the United States of deceptive naval

operations in the Strait of Hormuz, violating maritime

agreements, and engaging in aggressive acts

against the Islamic Republic over the past

15 months.

Between June 26 and July 8, Iranian authorities observed

multiple instances of US frigates operating alongside

large vessels .....carrying oil or liquefied gas,

according to the ministry's statement.

"The American terrorist army repeatedly exploited commercial

vessels to transport military personnel, equipment, and war

machinery," the statement said. The ministry also asserted

that: the primary reason for the transit of vessels through

the southern route with tracking devices turned off was

"to avoid detection by the armed forces of the Islamic

Republic of Iran."

On July 8, a frigate belonging to US Central Command was observed

"taking cover behind a giant vessel loaded with liquefied gas" while

transiting through the "unsafe and unauthorized" southern route,

the statement added.

The ministry described the frigate's maneuver not merely as a

dangerous and irresponsible action regarding commercial

navigation safety, but said it.... "revealed America's

malicious intent and purpose ---- to exploit the

ceasefire understanding to pave the way

for hostile actions against Iran".

US response - to ship incidents
shows 'premeditated planning'

The Iranian Foreign Ministry further stated that the US response

to damage sustained by three ships constitutes a pattern of

premeditated hostility.

The statement said the US reaction was "disproportionate and

brutal," adding that this reaction came "under the pretext of

damage to ships that, firstly, have no connection to the

United States and, secondly, for which no evidence

has yet been presented, indicating an

Iranian attack".

The ministry also cited "the US president's statements regarding the

termination of the ceasefire understanding, the revocation of the

license to sell Iranian oil, and the return of the naval blockade".

According to the statement, these actions --- are "all clear and

undeniable indicators of the premeditated planning by the US

governing body to breach covenants, violate Iran's sovereign

rights in the Strait of Hormuz, and escalate tensions".

US actions - 'threat to
international peace
and security'

Furthermore, the ministry characterized US actions against Iran over

the past 15 months as meeting three specific definitions: "the threat

to international peace and security," "the breach of international

peace and security," and "the aggressive act."

The ministry said these designations "require the Security

Council to intervene to stop the aggressive acts and hold

the aggressors accountable".

However, the statement noted that "the Security Council has not

yet taken any effective action to fulfill its legal responsibilities

regarding the aggressions by the United States and the

Zionist entity".

It added that "the UN Secretary-General has not undertaken

any tangible action in this regard, beyond some vague and

equivocal statements".

'Nuclear Bomb Lie' ...used
as pretext for aggression

The ministry also accused the US governing body of relentless
hostility. "The US governing body has not hesitated over the

past two years to practice any evil against the Iranian

people and the Muslim peoples of the region.... to

satisfy the expansionist and colonial ambitions

of the occupying entity," the statement said.

It further asserted that the US initially used "the worn-out lie, of

'preventing the Iranian nuclear bomb'" as a pretext for military

aggression against Iran, while simultaneously raising

"laughable pretexts ---- such as 'confronting the

imminent threat of Iran' and 'a preemptive

operation in defense of Israel' to
justify its crimes".

The statement asserted, "Every sane person knows that the only

reason for the American-Zionist military aggression against Iran

is the insistence of the Iranian people on their independence

and national sovereignty ---- and their resistance to US

ambitions and pressures over the past half-century".

Iran vows to continue 'resistance'
------- as defensive strikes persist

"We express our appreciation for the valiant efforts undertaken

by the armed forces in defending the entity of Iran with full

capability," the statement said, affirming the Islamic

Republic's determination "to continue the path of

resistance and steadfastness --------- until the
complete defeat of the enemies' evils".

The ministry stated ----- that Iran's
defensive strikes remain ongoing.

"The defensive strikes of the Iranian armed forces -- continue at full

capacity, under conditions in which the American enemy continues

-- to breach its covenants in the implementation of the terms of the

memoranda of understanding by continuing the naval blockade on

Iranian ports & commercial navigation and the continuous waging

of brutal attacks on various parts of the country & the escalation

of economic pressures and illegal threats," the statement said.

Regarding the naval blockade, the ministry said, "The continuation

of the naval blockade, along with the brutal attacks on military

and non-military targets, civilian infrastructure, and Iranian

citizens inside and outside Iran, including in Iraq,

constitutes a flagrant violation of the United

Nations Charter."

It added, "The Islamic Republic of Iran will use all its tools

to exercise its inherent right to legitimate defense

against these aggressions".

75-years of United States malice

The ministry also addressed ---- what it

characterized as an historical pattern

of US hostility.

"The Iranian people will not forget the history of American malice

against them and the betrayal of the then-US governing body of

the Iranians' trust - and its participation in the criminal coup

against the government elected by the Iranian people and

the establishment of a dictatorial & repressive regime,"

the statement read.

It asserted that the new round of US military

aggression .....is a continuation of this

75-year enmity.

"The new round of US military aggression against Iran, which began

concurrently with the magnificent funeral ceremony for the pure

body of the martyred leader, under the pretext of responding to

alleged incidents involving three ships that were transiting

through an unsafe and unauthorized route in the Strait of

Hormuz and has continued to this day, is a continuation

of the 75-year-long enmity that has openly manifested

itself over the past two years," the statement read.

The ministry dismissed the pretext for the attacks. "The pretext of

the alleged incidents of three ships -- to attack Iran represents the

peak of misinformation and fabrication by the US governing body

and some of its regional allies to justify the breach of covenants

and the assault on Iran's sovereign rights in the Strait of

Hormuz," it said.

US used violations of MoU
to cover military activities

The statement further addressed the countries to which the ships

belong, saying that, "despite their knowledge of the provisions of

paragraph 5 of the memorandum of understanding and with the

knowledge that the route imposed by the United States in the

south of the Strait of Hormuz is unauthorized and unsafe,

proceeded to transit these 3 ships through that route".

The ministry said these actions, which are....... "provocative and

contrary to paragraph 5 of the memorandum of understanding,"

began shortly after the ceasefire understanding was signed

and coincided with a provocative statement by Marco

Rubio and the Gulf Cooperation Council foreign

ministers, adding that they "were the subject

of repeated protests by Iran."

The ministry concluded that "America's insistence and that of

some of its regional partners on transiting ships through the

southern route was not only to empty paragraph 5 of the

memorandum of understanding of its content - and to

disrupt Iran's fulfillment of its obligations --- but was

also a cover for military activities and movements".

Iran urges regional states to block
US, Israeli..... 'use of territory'

In an additional statement, the ministry reiterated its legal

position on self-defense and regional responsibilities.

"The continuation of the naval blockade and attacks on military,

non-military targets, and Iran's infrastructure constitutes an

instance of an 'aggressive act' and a violation of the UN

Charter, and Iran will use its right to legitimate self-

defense," the ministry said.

It also called on regional governments to act, stating, "Regional

governments have a legal, religious, and moral duty to prevent

the United States and the Zionist regime from using their

territory and facilities to attack Iran."

The ministry also clarified the scope of Iran's defensive operations.

"Iran's defensive strikes ---- against the origin of the United States'

illegal attacks are by no means considered an attack on regional

countries," the statement read.

Source: Al Mayadeen

__________________________________________

Israeli ''lawyer'': calls for

killing - all Palestinians

in occupied West Bank

August 1st, 5:57pm

(PressTV)

An Israeli lawyer has called for the killing of Palestinians in the

occupied West Bank if they refuse to live under Israeli rule

or leave the territory.

Yehuda Shimon made the remarks during an interview with the

BBC, published on Saturday at the Havat Gilad settlement

outpost in the northern occupied West Bank.

Shimon, a lawyer affiliated with an organization representing

Israelis arrested over violence against Palestinians,

defended attacks on Palestinian villages as

acts of retaliation.

Referring to the killing of a guard from the settlement outpost

during clashes between Palestinians and Israelis in the

village of Tal, he called for reprisals against several

Palestinian communities.

“After they killed one Israeli, we need to kill all the people

in Tal and Sarra, even Jit and Farata,” he claimed.

Shimon also alleged that the life of one Jewish person was

worth “10 million Palestinians.” When a BBC reporter

described the statement as racist, he responded

by saying, “This is the truth.”

He also criticized the Israeli cabinet and military, slamming

them for failing to use sufficient force against Palestinians.

“The Israeli [cabinet] and the Israeli army... don’t kill the

Palestinians, they just separate the people. Afterwards,

because they don’t kill Palestinians, the Palestinians

kill us,” he further claimed.

Shimon further said that Palestinians should be removed

from what he called an “all-Israeli territory”, including

the Gaza Strip.

“If we don’t wake up and remove them all from this area,

from all areas of Israel, even Gaza too, they will come

back again,” he said.

He concluded by saying that Palestinians had only two

choices if they wished to remain alive: accept Israeli

rule and “live quietly,” or leave for other Arab or

Muslim countries.

“If you don’t want to make peace with us, and you don’t

want to get out, I don’t have a choice: I must kill you,

and I will kill you all,” Shimon said.

As reported by the Palestinian Colonization and Wall

Resistance Commission, there were 3,488 incidents

of aggression by illegal settlers in the West Bank

in the first half of this year, causing the deaths

of 17 Palestinians.

A ceasefire that took effect last October ended

Israel’s two-year genocidal war on Gaza that

began on October 7, 2023.

The bloody onslaught killed over 73,000 Palestinians

and injured over 174,000 others, most of them

women and children, and caused wide-

spread destruction affecting 90% of

civilian infrastructure. The UN ----

estimates reconstruction costs

at approximately $70 billion.

At least 1,209 Palestinians have been killed and 3,943

others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire,

according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

_______________________________________

US mulling.. decrease in military footprint

in Kuwait due to Iran operations: Report

August 1st, 11:13am

(PressTV)

The Pentagon is evaluating the possibility of scaling back the US

military presence in Kuwait due to the substantial impact of

losses attributed to Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone

operations, according to a report.

“The attacks have made people in Kuwait think of the US presence

as a liability, but also as absolutely necessary to defend Kuwait,”

the Wall Street Journal quoted Douglas Silliman, a former US

ambassador to Kuwait, as saying.

He added, “I think they are trying to figure out

what the best way forward on defense is.”

For decades, Kuwait has served as a significant military base

for the United States, after the expulsion of the Iraqi army

by US forces in 1991.

Kuwait was utilized as a strategic launch point for the US invasion

of Iraq in 2003, and it continued to support US troops stationed in

the oil-rich Persian Gulf kingdom for the subsequent ten years.

Kuwait.. regarded the deployment of US troops as the most effective

means of safeguarding its interests, while simultaneously assisting

the US in demonstrating its military strength in the region.

Nonetheless, the relationship between Washington

and Kuwait City is currently under reassessment.

In response to the unprovoked war of aggression initiated by the

US and Israel against Iran in late February, the Islamic Republic

retaliated by launching extensive missile and drone strikes

targeting US bases and assets in Kuwait ..and various

Persian Gulf nations, which served as operational

bases for the assault.

Multiple attacks by the Iranian Armed Forces have significantly

impacted US military installations in Kuwait. One particular

strike in March resulted in the deaths of six US soldiers.

“The question really is, if the Iran war continues, whether that large

US presence still makes sense,” Elizabeth Dent, a fellow at the

Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) and

a former Pentagon official, said.

On Friday, the Iranian Army targeted key US military facilities

at an air base in Kuwait with kamikaze drones in retaliation

for the latest US acts of aggression against Iran, including

a deadly attack on Qeshm Island.

The Army stated - that the strike was conducted in the 27th phase of

Operation Thunderbolt, responding to the recent acts of aggression

by the “terrorist US military” towards Iran, and its “ferocious

attack” on a residential property on Qeshm Island.

As per the statement, the Army’s explosive-laden drones attacked

fighter jet hangars, satellite communication systems, and

equipment depots at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base

in Kuwait.

According to the Army, the base has been instrumental in US aerial

and surveillance operations, highlighting its function as one of the

“essential hubs of air support” for the US military.... in addition to

its operational role.

The statement denounced the US’ assault on residential areas in

Qeshm, labeling it “a clear breach of humanitarian principles”

and “yet another instance of the war crimes committed

by the treacherous enemy.”

____________________________________________

MI5 chiefs .....secretly lobbied UK government

to designate IRGC as ‘terrorist’ organization:

Report

August 1st, 6:51am

(PressTV)

MI5 directors secretly pushed for Britain’s decision to designate the

Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization

and helped the government adopt .......the draconian National

Security Act, a report says.

The report, published by The Grayzone on Friday, revealed that MI5

Director General Kenneth Douglas McCallum and former MI5 chief

Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller privately worked to advance

the IRGC designation and expand state security powers...

before the measure was adopted.

McCallum discussed the proposed IRGC proscription with

then-Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in 2023,

while acknowledging that its “direct operational

benefit” was likely to be “modest.”

Despite... recognizing the limited practical impact, McCallum

told Cooper that granting authorities such powers was still

“sensible to contemplate” as Britain debated whether to

formally proscribe the IRGC.

The leaked emails showed that the IRGC designation gained

momentum amid false claims by British security officials

that Iran had been involved in plots inside the UK,

including McCallum’s statements that MI5 had

disrupted multiple Iran-related threats -------

without disclosing any evidence.

The UK government officially designated the IRGC as a terrorist

organization on July 13, granting authorities expanded powers

to prosecute individuals for activities to support or promote

the group.... under Britain’s so-called terrorism laws.

The report also linked the intelligence campaign to the passage of

the National Security Act, a controversial law that expanded

government powers against activities considered threats

to national security.

In one leaked email, McCallum thanked Manningham-Buller for

helping secure the legislation, writing, “Many thanks for your

support (and stamina) in getting the NS Act over the line.”

The report said the legislation introduced offenses targeting

unauthorized disclosures of state information, while

parliamentary debates explicitly referenced

preventing future “WikiLeaks-type”

disclosures.

The Grayzone also cited warnings from lawyers involved in

drafting the legislation that the Act could have a “chilling

effect” on legitimate journalistic activity.

The leaked correspondence showed McCallum continued

promoting warnings about foreign threats, including

unfounded claims that Iran had carried out plots

against British targets.

In October 2024, Manningham-Buller praised McCallum’s

public security warnings, writing, “You could not have

hoped for fuller coverage. Hope it helps with SR,”

referring to the government’s spending review.

The report said the exchange highlighted how claims of foreign

threats were used to support calls for increased intelligence

resources, with the government later announcing a seven-

percent rise in spending ------- on domestic and foreign

intelligence operations.

Intelligent fools - bless them!

Today, August the 1st, is

Independence Day in Benin

Independence Day in Benin is celebrated annually on August 1st

to commemorate the country's independence from French

colonial rule in 1960.

This day is marked by national pride, colourful festivals, military

parades, and cultural performances that honour the nation's

rich heritage and history.

Celebrations include parades, traditional dances, music,

and community gatherings, reflecting the unity and

resilience of the Beninese people.

UK legislators call for comprehensive

arms embargo, settlement trade ban

on Israel

July 27th, 6:06am

(PressTV)

A coalition of 80 British lawmakers and peers has called on

newly appointed British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to

impose sanctions on Israel -- including a comprehensive

arms embargo and a ban on trade that supports illegal

settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a letter, spearheaded by MP Kim Johnson, they urged the

government to “decisively change its stance to uphold the

rights of the Palestinian people and to prevent Israel’s

continued violation of international law.”

It also called on the government to acknowledge the UN

Independent Commission of Inquiry report, which

validated Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Alongside recognition of the UN finding, the lawmakers urged

the government to fully enforce the International Court of

Justice' advisory opinion, delivered on July 19, 2024.

It holds that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories

is unlawful, that Israel should put an end to that occupation,

desist from creating new settlements, and evacuate those

already established.

“The previous administration ---- has willfully ignored the rulings of

international courts. It has still failed to issue a formal response

to the July 2024 International Court of Justice judgment

- which requires Britain to cease all actions that aid or

assist [Israel’s] grave violations of international law,”

the letter read.

It added, “Now is the opportunity for this government and for you,

as the new Prime Minister, to truly turn a new page.”

The letter bore the signatures of prominent legislators,

including Diane Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn, Baroness

Jenny Jones, and Baroness Warsi.

In an op-ed for Labour Outlook, Johnson stated that Palestine

has emerged as the “defining test” of the Labour Party’s

commitment to the notion --- that international law

applies to all.

“If we condemn violations in one part of the world while excusing

or ignoring them elsewhere, we undermine the very rules-based

international order that Britain claims to defend,” she said.

“Burnham tells us --- he has a plan to renew confidence in Labour. If

that renewal is to mean anything, it must begin by making a clean

break with the failures of Starmerism on Palestine. If we are truly

serious about turning the page, there could be no clearer place

to begin,” Johnson noted.

The letter is supported by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which

has been advocating for Burnham to distance himself from former

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s disgraceful legacy by implementing

extensive sanctions against Israel - comprising a complete arms

embargo, a cessation - of all military collaboration &
diplomatic support - and a total ban on all trade.

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 - opposed World 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.

____________________

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

For more details visit

www.factoryporth.com
www.facebook.com/TheFactoryVenue
Twitter @TheFactoryPorth
01443 687080

***********************************************

Daytime Delights...

Starts at 1pm

The Parc & Dare, Treorchy

Lunchtime Concerts in the Lounge Bar.

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.ukÃ‚Â

*************************************************

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.

______________________________________

Get Involved!

– If you feel you’ve been ‘purged’,
take this online survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/857YMDK

or this one:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0du5YuhPZ8ahI
oxC_b6pvBprmGA4XFdG-0r2dOVYyc4UNFg/viewform?c=0&w=1

– Request all your own data that
the Labour Party holds on you:

http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/privacy

_______________________________________

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.

**************************************

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

____________________________

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.

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.

What have we got to lose?