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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

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

“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,”

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

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.”

Maduro-Trump Dialogue - and

Political Bureau of the PSUV

during Venezuela's week

December 6th, 9:19am

(Prensa Latina)

President Nicolás Maduro's revelation of the telephone

dialogue held with his US counterpart, Donald Trump,

stood out in the week that ends today in Venezuela,

where the constitution of the Political Bureau of

the PSUV was announced.

In the midst of multiple speculations - after the US president

acknowledged to the press “yes we spoke”, the Bolivarian

head of state admitted that they spoke - in a “tone of

respect, and even cordiality”.

Maduro's admission -- not only put an end to malicious

speculation against him, but hinted at the possibility

of advancing.... along the path of dialogue and

understanding, through peace diplomacy.

If that call.. “means that steps are being taken towards

respectful dialogue, from State to State, from country

to country, dialogue and diplomacy are welcome,

because we will always seek peace”, the ruler

stressed to the applause of civil, military and

community authorities --- of the Commune

“Simón Rodríguez”, in Petare, state

of Miranda.

The dignitary evoked his six years as chancellor, a period

in which he learned diplomatic prudence, and in these

years as President, with that school, and from the

teacher he had, in Commander Hugo Chávez,

“I like prudence ...and not microphone

diplomacy”, he voiced.

When there are important things, “it has to

be silent until it happens”, he highlighted.

He expressed that the US people and youth are tired of

eternal wars and “have marks on their collective

psychology as a country” .....of conflicts in

Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

Those people say en masse “no more Afghanistan, no

more Vietnam, no more Libya and no more Iraq”,

he stressed.

Maduro reaffirmed that the path of the people of the

United States and Venezuela “has to be a path of

respect, diplomacy and dialogue”.

He reiterated - that he likes prudence, respect and “with

the favour of God and our Commander of Commanders,

the Lord Jesus Christ, everything will turn out well for

peace, independence, and the dignity and future

of Venezuela”.

In this context, the president of the United Socialist Party of

Venezuela (PSUV) and the nation announced the formation

of the Political Bureau of this political force, one of the

agreements emanating from the 5th Congress and

the 4th, of its Youth.

“I have already spoken with each one, they have specific tasks,

and I intend to swear them in front of the people because I

want them to be.. due to the new popular constituent

process of the Committees and Commands of the

Comprehensive Bolivarian Community”, the

president said, before a large crowd.

The Political Bureau of the PSUV, is made up of 12 compatriots

with experience, half of men and half of women, so that they

assume “the leadership at the highest level of the social

political forces of the Bolivarian Revolution” and

accompany him....... in his leadership as

Commander in Chief, he noted.

This new party structure ------- has a Secretary General;

an Undersecretary General and Head of Propaganda

and counter Propaganda; a Secretariat of Social

Movements; of Street Mobilization; of

Parliamentary Affairs; and of
Security and Defense.

In addition... to a Strategy Secretariat; of Comprehensive

Political Training; of International Affairs; of Production

and Finance; of Organization and Youth.

The general secretary of the PSUV, Diosdado Cabello,

confirmed that this political force demonstrated in

all these years of electoral events “being at the

forefront and being the main political force of

the Bolivarian Revolution....... with victory

after victory”.

But also - to become - he stated, an instrument to

address - and channel - the needs of the people.

As part of the transformations of the Party in its base

structures, it was announced that a total of 237,902

Streets... with their Comprehensive Bolivarian

Committees were formed, while in a similar

process, more than 47,000 Commands of

Comprehensive Bolivarian Communities

-- were activated.

Cabello pointed out that this is a new way of having the

Party structure prepared.... for any scenario, “if it is

about winning elections -- we go to the electoral

process, we will be there to defend the people

in the streets and the PSUV will be there to

defend the country”.

The undersecretary general of the political formation,

Jorge Rodríguez, stressed that, from the streets, the

neighbourhoods, the communities and the urban

centres, “we are going to defend our right to

be free, to independence, to a full life”.

The resumption of flights with repatriates from US was

also significant, after having suspended them for 48

hours, two from Eastern Airlines arrived this week

with 438 deported migrants.

The complaint by Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez

about the forced sale of the company Citgo Petroleum

Corporation in the US, also had repercussions,

and deserved the unanimous repudiation

of the National Assembly.

People hold up a banner as they protest

against Israel at the entrance of the

International Criminal Court

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Gaza urges global action nearly a year

after abduction of hospital director

December 6th, 5:58pm

(PressTV)

Gaza's Ministry of Health has called on the international

community -- to address the case of Dr. Hussam Abu

Safiya, the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital,

to expend efforts to uncover his whereabouts

and work toward his release, as the first

anniversary of his abduction by

Israeli forces draws near.

“We appeal to the countries of the world to secure the release

of Abu Safiya, disclose his fate -------- and provide him with

protection under international law,” Dr. Munir al-Bursh,

director general of the ministry, wrote in a post

published on the Telegram messaging

application on Friday.

Bursh emphasised that doctors should never be targeted,

as those who abduct them are essentially attacking

the very essence of justice.

He explained that Abu Safiya was not abducted for carrying a

weapon or causing harm to anyone, but rather for dedicating

himself to his humanitarian work, wielding his stethoscope

and compassionate heart, and aiding lives in need when

the world turned its back on them.

Bursh noted that Abu Safiya was a disguised figure in Gaza’s

hospitals and operating rooms, consistently supporting the

injured during the Israeli onslaught. However, he was later

abducted, prevented from seeing his family, and stripped

of the chance to continue his vital medical work that

had been instrumental in saving lives.

He urged that Israel be held responsible for the crimes

of abducting and torturing doctors and paramedics.

Despite losing his young son, sustaining severe injuries, and

facing constant threats, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya refused to

abandon his hospital and patients in Gaza. Now his

whereabouts are unknown.

Bursh called on international and human rights organizations

to take action to safeguard medical teams in the Gaza Strip

and ensure the release of Abu Safiya.

On December 27, 2024, Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan

Hospital in Beit Lahiya. The raid put the hospital, the last

functioning major medical facility in northern Gaza, out

of service.

Human rights organisations have demanded the immediate

release of Dr. Abu Safiya, but the Israeli regime has

ignored the demands.

Last July, Abu Safiya’s lawyer said his client was being starved

and tortured by Israeli forces and was in critical condition.

Ramy Abdu wrote on the social media platform X that he visited

his client on July 9, and that the physical and mental condition

of Dr. Abu Safiya was getting worse every day.

“He has lost over 40 kilograms, more than one-third of his

body weight. At the time of his [abduction], he weighed

100 kilograms; today, he weighs no more than

60 kilograms.”

“On June 24, 2025, he was severely beaten. His room (Room

1, Section 24, Ofer Prison) was specifically raided. He was

brutally assaulted in the chest area and sustained severe

bruises to the face, head, back, and neck. The beating

lasted approximately 30 minutes,” Abdu wrote.

__________________________________________________

Urgent

Palestinian sources report Israeli quadcopter drones

opened fire toward residential homes in the vicinity

of the Shujaiya neighbourhood, east of Gaza City.

____________________________________

Qatari PM warns - Gaza deal

not a true ceasefire without

Israeli withdrawal

December 6th, 1:43pm

(PressTV)

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al

Thani, has warned against Israel’s continued hostilities in the

Gaza Strip, stressing ----- that only a full withdrawal of Israeli

forces would constitute a full ceasefire ----- under the US-

brokered peace plan.

Speaking at the Doha Forum on Saturday, Al Thani said the

current nearly two-month truce has reached a “critical”

juncture, as the first phase of US President Donald

Trump's 20-point peace plan draws to a close.

“What we have just done.... is a pause,” he said. “We can

not consider it yet a ceasefire. A ceasefire cannot be

completed ---- unless there is a full withdrawal of

Israeli forces, there is stability back in Gaza,

people can go in and out, which is not

the case today.”

The Qatari premier further noted that international mediators

are pushing to launch the second phase of the peace plan,

which aims to solidify the agreement and establish a

long-term political framework.

He also stated that even the next phase must remain

“temporary,” stressing the necessity - of creating

a Palestinian state, for sustainable peace.

“If we are just resolving what happened in Gaza, the catastrophe

that happened in the last two years, it’s not enough,” he said.

“There is a root for this conflict. And this conflict is not

only about Gaza."

“It’s about Gaza. It’s about the West Bank. It’s about the rights of

the Palestinians for their state. We are hoping that we can work

together with the US administration to achieve this vision -- at

the end of the day,” he added.

At the same forum, Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan

- also raised concerns about the proposed "International

Stabilization Force (ISF)" in Gaza - citing uncertainties

about its participating countries, command structure

and initial objectives.

“Thousands of details, questions are in place,” he said.

“I think - once we deploy the ISF, the rest will come.”

Türkiye, one of the 'guarantors' of the ceasefire, faced

rejection from Israel regarding its involvement in the

force, due to the strained relations between the

two sides.

‘Genocide rages on’: Report says Israel kills

some 10 Gazans daily since the ceasefire

deal took force.

The Israeli regime kills an average of 10 Palestinians

a day in the Gaza Strip since October 10, a human

rights organization reports.

Israel accepted the Gaza truce deal after two years,

following the failure to achieve its declared

objectives of eliminating Hamas, and

freeing all captives, despite killing

68,116 Palestinians, mostly

women and children, and

injuring 170,200 others

since launching the

genocidal war - on

Gaza on October

the 7th, 2023.

Trump pushed for a ceasefire deal as part of a US-led

diplomatic effort, engaging regional powers and

both parties to halt hostilities and allow

humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The initial phase of Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan

took effect on October 10 and saw a prisoner exchange,

but further stages have not been negotiated yet.

However, the fragility of the US president's 20-point Gaza deal

was evident from the beginning, as reports from Gaza health

officials indicated over 360 Palestinian casualties since the

ceasefire's initiation, with the latest incident involving an

Israeli airstrike northwest of Gaza City.

Despite the pause in large-scale hostilities, the situation remains

tense -- with continued reports of Israeli fire causing Palestinian

casualties and tensions around crossing truce lines into Israeli-

controlled areas of Gaza.

_____________________________________

Enemy Forces - Escalate Attacks

on Southern Lebanese Towns

December 6th, 12:31pm

(al Manar)

Israeli occupation forces conducted a series of attacks

------ targeting towns in southern Lebanon on Saturday,

resulting in heightened tensions along the border.

Machine Gun Fire and Stun Grenade in Al-Dhahira

According to a correspondent Al-Manar,Israeli enemy forces

initially directed bursts of machine gun fire towards the

outskirts of the town of Al-Dhahira. These attacks

coincided with an enemy aircraft dropping

a stun grenade over the town.

No casualties were reported

from this initial aggression.

Second Airspace Violation Over Adaisa

In a subsequent violation of Lebanese airspace, an Israeli

enemy aircraft dropped another stun grenade at about

10:30am. This incident occurred... in the vicinity of

Ain Square in the centre of the town of Adaisah.

Machine Gun Fire Targets Returning Civilians

The escalation continued in the afternoon. At around

2:10pm, the Israeli occupation forces once again

opened fire --- with machine guns. This attack -

was directed towards a number of residents

of Al-Dhahira who were visiting their town.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported

from this latest act of aggression.

Source: Al-Manar's

correspondent in

south Lebanon

___________________________________

West Bank Sees Surge in Israeli

Raids ------- and Settler Violence

December 6th, 10:30am

(al Manar)

Israeli occupation forces escalated raids across the West

Bank and Jerusalem beginning overnight Friday, carrying

out widespread arrests amid clashes. These operations

coincided with reported increases in attacks by Israeli

settlers targeting Palestinian agricultural activity - in

multiple areas.

Occupation Incursions - and Clashes

The raids targeted numerous population centres. In Hebron

governorate, occupation forces stormed the city of Dura,

deploying armoured vehicles and checkpoints, before

raiding a home and arresting one man under drone

surveillance. Operations extended to the towns

of Beit Kahil, Beit Ummar, and Sa’ir, involving

tear gas, home searches, & several arrests.

In the Ramallah area, occupation forces raided

neighbourhoods in Al-Bireh - including Jabal

al-Taweel -------- employing live ammunition,

rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades.

Extended clashes occurred in the villages of Nabi Saleh,

Kafr Malik, and Beit Rima, with heavy use of tear gas

before the occupation forces withdrew.

Further operations targeted the town of Biddu, northwest

of Jerusalem, and the Jenin-area towns of Burqin and

Arraba, where violent exchanges were reported.

Local sources stated that homemade

explosive devices were used

against Israeli military

vehicles during the

Burqin raid.

Expanded Operations and Assaults

The incursions continued at dawn Saturday across a wider

area, including Qabatiya, Shuqba, Qibya, Rantis, Burqa,

Sebastia, Tulkarm, and Azzun. Palestinian sources

reported, that several detained individuals were

assaulted, citing - the severe beatings of three

young men near Jericho and similar incidents

at checkpoints by Jenin & Shavei Shomron.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported a separate incident

involving a 20-day-old infant... suffering from tear gas

asphyxiation, in the town of Madama.

Concurrent Settler Attacks on Farmers

Simultaneously, settler violence against Palestinian farmers

intensified. In the Yatta area south of Hebron, settlers from

the unauthorized Shimon outpost blocked landowners

from plowing their fields --- leading to an Israeli

occupation military intervention --- where

the area was closed and tractor keys

were confiscated.

A similar confrontation occurred in the village of Zuweidin,

where settlers assaulted farmers attempting to access

their land, reportedly, under the protection of the

occupation forces.

Context of Systematic Escalation

This surge in violence - aligns with recent data. The Wall and

Settlement Resistance Commission reported approximately

621 settler attacks in the occupied West Bank last month,
indicating a systematic pattern of escalation -- against

Palestinian communities and their agricultural land.

Source: Agencies

and Al-Manar

English Website

____________________________________

Intensive Israeli Airstrikes

Target Eastern Gaza Strip

December 6th, 9:30am

(al Manar)

Israeli warplanes conducted a series of intense airstrikes

across multiple areas in the eastern Gaza Strip in the

early hours of Saturday.

These air raids - were accompanied by artillery shelling

and concentrated gunfire, particularly in and around

the perimeter buffer zone ----- referred to as the

“yellow line.”

The attacks extended to several regions. Israeli aircraft

unleashed a barrage of strikes on eastern Gaza City

and targeted areas east of Khan Yunis. Further

strikes were reported on the city of Rafah in

southern Gaza and areas east of the

Maghazi refugee camp, in the

central Strip.

Parallel to the airstrikes, Israeli forces carried out demolition

operations in the Sheikh Zayed area in northern Gaza.

Medical sources confirmed that one civilian was

injured in northern Gaza, during the ongoing

military activities.

These latest operations - represent a continued escalation and

violation of the declared ceasefire in Gaza. Israeli forces have

persisted in conducting bombardments, shootings, and home

demolitions across the territory...... since the truce

agreement began.

According to Palestinian medical sources, the Israeli occupation

military actions since the start of the ceasefire on October 10

have resulted in the deaths of 369 Palestinians, mainly of

children, women, and the elderly. More than 920 others

have been injured, with varying degrees of severity.

Source: Palestinian media

(edited and translated by

Al-Manar English Website)

________________________________________

New panel with pro-Israel ties

------- to oversee UK case on

Palestine Action: Report

November 27th, 7:28pm

Police officers address demonstrators at a protest against

the ban on Palestine Action outside the UK Home Office
in London, November 24, 2025. (Photo by Shutterstock)

A new report says a British judge set to decide whether the UK’s

proscription of Palestine Action is lawful has been abruptly

replaced by a panel ---- that includes a judge with long-

standing ties to Israel, leading to accusations

of a “stitch-up.”

The Electronic Intifada reported on Thursday --- that High Court

Judge Victoria Sharp, who has well-documented connections

to pro-Israel lobbying networks in Britain, will now lead the

newly appointed panel overseeing the case.

Before the change, High Court Justice Martin Chamberlain, an

expert on free speech law.... had been scheduled to rule on

whether to overturn the British government’s designation:

of Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organization. But last

Wednesday ----- he was abruptly replaced by a 3-judge

panel, comprised of Victoria Sharp, Karen Steyn
and Jonathan Swift.

Victoria Sharp’s appointment to the panel is drawing

particular scrutiny ------- due to her family and

professional links to pro-Israel networks.

Her twin brother, Richard Sharp, sits on the board of trustees

of the charity One Million Mentors, alongside Trevor Chinn,

a major British funder of pro-Israel groups.

Richard Sharp is also a former chair of the BBC. When he

was appointed in 2021, the broadcaster noted: that

“Sharp’s heritage is Jewish and he is considered

by those who know him, broadly pro-Israel. He

has a twin sister, Victoria, who is a

He resigned from the BBC in 2023 ------ after breaching

public appointments rules by failing to disclose his

involvement in facilitating a £1 million loan to

then prime minister Boris Johnson.

Victoria Sharp’s own professional background has also come

under the spotlight. As a barrister in the 1980s, she was

instructed by the law firm, Mischon de Reya --- which

later represented the Israeli regime - and a number

of pro-Israel groups, in legal efforts to challenge

boycotts of Israel in the UK.

She has also been reported to have served as one of the

“principal advisers” to media tycoon Robert Maxwell,

later revealed to have acted as a spy for Israel.

Chinn, a longtime figure in pro-Israel advocacy, has

backed groups such as Labour Friends of Israel.

After the Labour Party took office last year, an analysis

by Declassified UK, found that half of Prime Minister

Keir Starmer’s cabinet had received funding from

Israel-aligned donors - with Chinn - among the

“I’ve spent my entire life --- working for Israel,” Chinn said

during a meeting in 2013. In January, he was awarded

the Medal of Honour by the Israeli president for his

“contribution to Israel and the Jewish people.”

Although the last-minute replacement of Chamberlain

was unusual within the British legal system, it was

not without precedent.

A similar switch occurred earlier this year - in the case

brought by the Palestinian human rights organisation

al-Haq, which challenged the British government

--------- over its role in exporting F-35 bomber

components to Israel.

In that case, Karen Steyn --- was one of two judges who

stepped in to replace Chamberlain, and she ultimately

ruled in Israel’s favour.

On 10 June 2022, Swift ruled in favour of the UK Government

that the deportation flights of unsuccessful asylum seekers

in the UK to Rwanda ----- should be allowed to proceed,
as there was ''material public interest'' in doing so.

He added in his ruling, that the risk posed to

refugees was "in the realms of speculation".

On 8 June 2023, Swift ruled in favour of the UK
Government ------ and rejected the appeal of
Julian Assange's legal team.

Meanwhile, campaigners were once again arrested

this week.. for holding signs expressing support

for Palestine Action.

Palestine Action has focused much of its campaign

on Elbit Systems UK --- Israel’s largest weapons

manufacturer, which it accuses of supplying

weapons to the Israeli military during the

regime’s genocidal war on Gaza.

In July, the UN human rights chief sharply criticized

Britain’s ban on the activist group, calling it a

“disturbing” misuse of the UK’s counter

terrorism laws ---- and urging the

government ---- to reverse

Today, December 6th, in 1892,

Osbert Sitwell,

poet, novelist

and truth

teller,

is born.

Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, Bt., was an Englishman

who looked unkindly - with cutting humour - on the English

elite, or ruling class, in the late Edwardian age.

Osbert Sitwell, his brother Sacheverell and his sister Edith

were among the most conspicuous figures in the British

artistic world of the 1920s and 1930s.

He fought in World War 1, and then published
his first novel, 'Before The Bombardment',
in 1926, which was very well received.

Sitwell opposed British intervention

in the Russian Civil War, and the

Amritsar massacre in India.

His critics grew and his novels were
punished with a considerable lack
of appreciation.

''The artist, like the idiot or clown, sits on the edge

of the world, and a push may send him over it.''

''The only difference between an artist and a lunatic is,

perhaps, that the artist has the restraint or courtesy

…to conceal the intensity of his obsession from all

except those similarly afflicted.''

Heroic figures are now obsolete,

So Demigod and Devil find retreat

In minds of children - as rare beasts and men,

Elsewhere extinct, persist in hill or fen

From man protected - where each form assumes

Gigantic stature and intention, looms

From wind-moved, twilight-woven histories:

For them, each flower teems with mysteries.

For Poetry is the wisdom of the blood,

That scarlet tree within, which has the power

To make dull words bud forth and burst in flower.

The British bourgeoisie

Is not born

And does not die,

But, if it is ill,

It has a frightened look in its eyes.

The Daily Herald is unkind.

It has been horrid

About my nice new war.

I shall burn the Daily Herald.

Our General

Had to restore

"Law-and-Order"

At Amritsar;

For he knew

That if he failed

To shoot

Two thousand natives

They would have laughed at him.

To laugh at a General,

Is, of course, very rude.

''How simple-minded of the Germans to imagine that

we British, could be cowed by the destruction of

our ancient monuments! As though any havoc

of the German bombs could possibly equal

the things we have done ourselves!''

''Everywhere men have unlocked the prisoners within,

and from under the disguising skins the apes have

leapt joyfully out.''

''The Rich Man's Banquet, which was to last for a decade,

had now begun: the feast, it was recognised, went to

the greediest.''

''Hell has a climate, but no situation.

It lies in the spirit, and not in space.''

Israeli universities -------- face

growing academic isolation

despite Gaza ceasefire,

report says

November 25th, 8:39am
(PressTV)

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 - 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.