(Text-only) Rhondda Records Home Page

Cuba lives - and continues to bet on

tourism with adaptation strategies

Montevideo, October 13th, 7pm

(Prensa Latina)

Cuba lives despite the war without bombs exercised by the United States

and continues to bet today on tourism with adaptation strategies and

with the benefits of nature, history, culture and hospitable people.

This was stated by the Minister of Tourism for the South American Cone

of the Caribbean island, José Antonio Aguilera, in a presentation to

representatives of Uruguayan travel agencies.

It was at the headquarters of the Latin American Integration Association

(ALADI), whose deputy secretary general, Benjamín Blanco, stressed

that tourism is one of the ways in which the countries of the region

can be integrated.

Aguilera acknowledged material and other difficulties derived from the

reinforcement of the blockade imposed by Washington, including

energy, and the pressures for the departures of important

foreign hotel chains from the Cuban market.

But Cuba is alive and so is its tourism, he said. The hotels that we

used to manage with foreign companies are Cuban and we have

the experience to manage them, he said.

He explained that the strategy is the compaction of tourist facilities

and other offers that have the supplies and fuel assured to satisfy

the services.

This is the case with hotels of the Gran Caribe chain, Cubanacán and

Gaviota, and poles such as Havana, Varadero, the northern keys,

Trinidad, with the best hotels and also capacities and services

of the private sector.

There are also cultural activities, sports, our beaches, the rum and cigars

of the island, the excursions, our music, and the unique hospitality of the

people, he emphasized.

"We are not selling an idealized Cuba, but a real one - that continues

to have its cultural and human experiences that are difficult to find,

in a land without earthquakes, without sargassum, or organized

crime," he said.

For his part... the president of the Uruguayan Association of Travel

Agencies, Carlos Pera, evoked a traditional interest in destination

Cuba, and the willingness of tour operators in this country to

revitalize it.

In the presentation, the Undersecretary of Tourism, Ana Claudia

Caram, expressed solidarity with the largest of the Antilles and

praised the efforts to sustain and lift the tourism industry.

The Cuban ambassador, Lissette Pérez, referred to the strategy

of focusing the tourist offer on specific points, and with

operational guarantees.

He explained that at the same time his country is immersed

in economic transformations that place tourism .......as a

strategic priority.

The forum was an occasion for the economic and commercial

counselor of the Cuban embassy, Yamila Martínez, to make

public the call for the 48th edition of the Havana

International Fair, FIHAV 2026, which will take

place between November 24 and 26.

Image: People hold up a banner as they protest against Israel at the entrance of the International Criminal Court.

Yemen Petroleum Company empty,

Saudi targeting has 'no value':

Saree

October 13th, 3:46pm

(Al Mayadeen English)

Yemen says its petroleum facility in Sanaa is empty amid Saudi threats,

as the Yemeni Armed Forces warn of retaliation against Riyadh.

The Yemen Petroleum Company’s facility in al-Sabaha, west of Sanaa, is

empty of petroleum products and has no military value, according to a

company source cited by Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brig.

Gen. Yahya Saree.

The statement came after Saudi threats to target the Yemen Petroleum

Company and the central al-Sabaha station in the Yemeni capital

on Tuesday. Yemen’s official SABA news agency subsequently

reported that Saudi aggression had struck the company’s

facility in the Bani Matar district, west of Sanaa.

Saree later announced that the Yemeni Armed Forces

had confronted the Saudi-backed combat formations

targeting Sanaa.

Yemen warns Saudi Arabia of retaliation in Riyadh

The Yemeni Armed Forces had warned Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that

any attack on Sanaa would be met with a “harsh, painful response”

in Riyadh.

Saree also called on all employees and civilians near facilities

belonging to Saudi Aramco to evacuate, declaring that

“these sites are legitimate targets for our forces.”

The warning specifically covered the Aramco oil facility in Dammam and

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The Yemeni Armed Forces

said the facilities would be targeted if Saudi Arabia proceeded with

its announced plans to strike sites in Sanaa.

The Yemeni Armed Forces further reiterated their position - that any Saudi

attack on the capital would trigger a retaliatory strike against Riyadh, as

part of the “escalation for escalation" equation.

The Yemeni Armed Forces warned Saudi Arabia that any attack on the

capital, Sanaa, would be met with a "harsh and painful response", in

Riyadh. The warning came after the Saudi-led coalition threatened

to "issue bombing threats targeting Sanaa shortly."

The Yemeni Armed Forces reaffirmed their equation of "escalation for

escalation," signaling that any Saudi attack on Yemen’s capital -

would be met with a retaliatory strike on the Saudi capital.

Source: Al Mayadeen English

______________________________________________

UN calls on Israel to stop incursions into

southern Syria, respect its sovereignty

October 13th, 11:12am

(PressTV)

The UN Security Council urges Israel to halt its violations of the

1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, stop its incursions

into southern Syria, & respect the Arab nation’s sovereignty

and territorial integrity.

“I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for an end to the violations

of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and full respect

for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Deputy Special

Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone told the UN Security Council

on Monday.

Cordone stated that Israeli military offensives in southern Syria

continue on a daily basis, highlighting significant construction

activities, the establishment of checkpoints, searches, and

arrests, along with the lethal shooting of a civilian near

an Israeli military site on October 5.

He noted that 49 Syrian nationals are reportedly held in Israeli

detention, and referred to a separate event on September 23,

in which 14 members of an extremist Israeli settler group

crossed into Syria across the ceasefire line.... before

being returned by Israeli forces.

“Diplomacy is the only way to reach agreement on security

arrangements, consistent with international law,”

Cordone said.

He explained that broader economic factors, such as the

devaluation of currency and increasing fuel prices, have

diminished the purchasing power for essential goods.

This comes despite some initial financial stabilization efforts,

including €620 million ($692 million) in support from the EU

and a $175 million agricultural initiative from the World

Bank, which aim to alleviate the impact of sanctions

and foster international collaborations.

Cordone stated that the UN, in coordination with Syria’s ruling

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime... is considering the

possibility of organizing an international conference

focused on recovery and reconstruction... which

would be based on the Arab nation’s priorities.

“The task now is to translate these opportunities into

sustained support for Syria’s recovery,” he said.

Regions adjacent to the Golan Heights, which are under

Israeli occupation, have seen a rise in Israeli military

incursions this year.

Israeli forces entered southern Syria and areas to the west

of Damascus, seizing portions of those territories shortly

after foreign-supported Takfiri militants, led by HTS

forces, overthrew the government of the former

President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Israeli incursions into southern Syria persist, despite a high-

diplomatic meeting in Jordan in August that included Asaad

al-Shaibani, the main diplomatic envoy of Syria’s ruling HTS

regime, and Roman Gofman, the head of the Israeli Mossad

intelligence agency.

Israel has been heavily criticized for ending the 1974 ceasefire

agreement with Syria and exploiting the turmoil in the conflict

-ridden country to pursue its territorial goals.

Israeli military strikes have mainly focused on the southern

Syrian regions of Quneitra, Dara’a, and Damascus, which

represent about 80% of all confirmed Israeli assaults.

_______________________________________________________

Gaza abductees left with fractures, untreated

injuries inside Israeli prison: Rights group

October 13th, 9:16am

(PressTV)

A Palestinian prisoners’ advocacy group says Palestinian abductees

from the Gaza Strip are left with fractures and untreated injuries at

Ganot Prison in the occupied territories.

A Palestinian prisoners’ advocacy group has warned that authorities at

the Israeli Ganot Prison are persistently refusing to provide medical

care to abductees from Gaza, particularly those who were injured

during a crackdown on October 7, leaving inmates with broken

bones and other wounds --- without treatment.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office (ASRA) reported on Monday that

one inmate sustained broken ribs and a head injury during the recent

attack, but did not receive any medical care.

It also said that prison officials denied another inmate --- who has a

broken leg secured with metal plates, the painkillers he requested.

The refusal to provide medical care also impacts abductees suffering

from chronic conditions. The ASRA reported that one prisoner, who

has thalassemia and high blood pressure, is not receiving his

required blood pressure medication and has lost about 50

kilograms since his incarceration --- due to insufficient

and low-quality food.

Inmates dealing with scabies and fungal infections are experiencing

discomfort and itching that hinders their sleep, amid a lack of

medications and hygiene supplies.

The Palestinian rights group said prisoners can only wash their

clothes once every ten days, with the allotted time being

inadequate for everyone.

The ASRA attributed the worsening health of the detainees to Israel,

urging international organizations and the International Committee

of the Red Cross (ICRC) to step in to guarantee medical treatment

for sick and injured inmates.

The latest findings come shortly after the rights group disclosed details

of the assault on Gaza prisoners in Ganot Prison on October 7, stating

that Israeli suppression forces employed rubber bullets, tear gas,

pepper spray, batons ------- and unleashed police dogs in the

inmates’ quarters.

The ASRA also reported that inmates with scabies and boils were

subjected to beatings, exacerbating their injuries. Additionally, it

was noted that detainees were denied breakfast, faced delays

for lunch, and were restricted from using the restroom during

the assault.

Thousands of Palestinians are reportedly incarcerated in Israeli prisons.

Human rights groups argue that Israel infringes upon the rights and

freedoms of prisoners as outlined in the Geneva Convention.

Palestinian prisoners are kept in Israeli facilities under appalling

conditions, lacking adequate hygiene. These inmates also face

systematic torture, harassment, and oppression.

Approximately 60% of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody

suffer from chronic illnesses, with some dying while in

detention or shortly after release due to the

seriousness of their health issues

....according to the Palestine

Detainees Studies Centre.

_________________________________________

Netanyahu seeks Saudi approval to join

aggression ------ against Yemen: Report

October 13th, 5:41am

(PressTV)

The Israeli prime minister views the offer, as a way to advance

ties with Riyadh and pave the way for a future ''normalization.''

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly seeking

Saudi Arabia’s approval, through US mediation, for Israel to join

the aggression against Yemen.

According to a report by Haaretz, Netanyahu reportedly views

the move as a way to advance ties with Riyadh and pave the

way for future normalization.

However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly

opposed to the decision over fears of a public backlash,

and without his approval as the prime minister, Israel

is unlikely to receive permission to enter the war.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that it would only normalize

relations with Israel after the establishment of a Palestinian

state, something Netanyahu has pledged to prevent --- in

recent election campaign statements.

The developments come as Yemen’s armed forces have expanded

their presence along the western coast and around the strategic

Bab al-Mandeb Strait, reclaiming areas previously held by

Saudi-backed forces.

The Sana’a administration declared a naval blockade against Saudi

Arabia on July 20, in response to “an unfair and tyrannical siege”

on Yemen ....lasting nearly 12 years.

The Yemeni military has announced several successful operations

aimed at ships linked to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a blockade on

Yemen and launched a sweeping military offensive, backed by

military, political, and logistical support from the US and

several Western countries.

The war has killed tens of thousands of Yemenis. However, Saudi

Arabia has failed to achieve its stated objective of reinstating a

puppet regime that serves its interests.

Yemen’s Ansarullah has vowed that the country’s armed forces will

continue escalating operations deep inside Saudi territory and

upholding the equation of “blockade for blockade and

escalation for escalation” until the aggression

against Yemen ends and the blockade...

is lifted.

Today, October 13th, 2026 is #DRRDay

The International Day for
Disaster Risk Reduction

2026 Theme: Resilience starts at home

Homes are where people live, sleep, and care for one another, and

seek shelter and security. For many, they are central to wellbeing

and stability. However, the ways homes are planned, built,

financed and maintained, determine whether risk is

reduced or created.

When houses are located in high-risk areas, built without disaster-

resilient designs, or inadequately maintained to withstand

growing hazards, homes become sites of vulnerability,

contributing to loss of lives, displacement and

economic losses.

These risks often have differentiated impacts on women,

children, older persons, persons with disabilities, & low-

income households ------ particularly where inequalities

in housing, land tenure, access to resources, mobility,

caregiving responsibilities & decision-making persist.

The Midterm Review of the implementation of the Sendai Framework

-- highlighted that many countries still lack adequate mechanisms to

ensure resilient construction, in hazard-prone areas. People living in

informal settlements are often underserved by planning processes,

risk reduction measures and building regulation, with marginalized

groups frequently facing additional challenges to secure housing,

access to services, and participation in local decision-making.

Whether homes are resilient --- depends on the combined actions of

governments, local authorities, the private sector, and households.

States bear the primary responsibility to reduce disaster risk, but

real estate developers, construction companies, financiers, and

insurers also shape exposure and vulnerability by decisions on

where and how houses are built, the materials and standards

used, and the availability of risk-informed financing and

insurance products.

Strengthening accountability and incentives across these actors, is

essential to ensure housing resilience, including through inclusive

and risk-informed housing policies, accessible and affordable

financing and insurance mechanisms, universal design

principles, and a meaningful participation of women,

persons with disabilities and local communities

in housing and urban planning processes.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 establishes

disaster risk reduction as a people-centred endeavour, emphasising - that

policies, systems, and investments must be designed around the needs

& capacities of individuals & communities, recognising that disaster

risks and impacts are not experienced equally across populations.

Nowhere is this principle more relevant than at home ------- the

most personal and fundamental environment in people's lives.

IDDRR Theme for 2026:

How --- can we make every
home safe from disasters?

To ensure homes remain safe for everyone, the United Nations Office for

Disaster Risk Reduction has selected "Resilience Starts at Home" ..as

the theme for the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

(IDDRR), observed on 13 October.

This theme recognises that the home is both the primary site where

disaster impacts are felt and the frontline of resilience-building. It

calls on all actors: governments, the private sector, civil society,

organizations of persons with disabilities, women's groups,

youth networks, diverse community leaders and

households themselves, to take concrete

actions to reduce disaster risk, where

it matters most.

At the household level, people have a clear stake in their own safety and

must be empowered to take action to protect themselves. However, the

ability to act is shaped by unequal access to information, resources,

land tenure, finance, social protection and decision-making power

within households and communities. When households are able

to access and understand the risks they face, respond

effectively to early warnings, make informed housing

decisions, and engage in local planning processes,

they become active agents of resilience.

Global advances in early warning systems -- driven by the Early Warnings

for All initiative, mean that more people are receiving hazard alerts than

ever before, yet early warnings are only effective when they reach all

members of a household in accessible and understandable formats,

when people understand how vulnerable their homes are to

specific hazards, and when they know what protective

actions to take.

Bridging the gap between receiving a warning and taking appropriate
action at the household level - including through accessible risk
communication, inclusive evacuation planning, & recognition

of the disproportionate caregiving responsibilities carried

by women during disasters, remains a critical challenge

that this theme seeks to address.

Building resilience at home - also requires recognizing

and strengthening ---- the leadership, knowledge and

contributions of women and local communities... in

reducing disaster risk and protecting households.

‘War criminal promotion tactics’: Adidas

faces boycott calls ---- over campaign

featuring an Israeli trooper

September 4th, 9:45pm

(PressTV)

Calls for a boycott of Adidas are growing after the sportswear

company featured an Israeli trooper in a global campaign.

The campaign has prompted criticism from pro-Palestine

organizations and activists --- because of the trooper

Shaliv Biton’s participation in the Israeli regime’s

bloodletting in Gaza.

The campaign has been rolled out in Adidas stores,

including its outlets in the occupied territories.

Biton took part in an Israeli assault in Gaza in 2021 that

claimed the lives of more than 200 Palestinians and

destroyed numerous buildings.

Critics have reminded Biton’s military background and his

social media activity. He has shared photographs and

videos of himself and other Israeli forces in Gaza,

including footage of troops singing and dancing,

while his profile also contains images of him

carrying weapons.

Sports journalist Leyla Hamed criticized Adidas’ choice of

campaign representative, arguing that the company

chose to bank on Biton’s having lost a leg, while

it should have considered the wider context

of limb loss in Gaza.

“Gaza has the highest per capita rate of child amputees in the world.

More than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations have been estimated

since October 2023, as a result of Israeli attacks carried out by

soldiers like the one Adidas chose to model for them,”

she wrote on X.

US-based political commentator and activist Guy Christensen also

condemned the campaign, writing, “Actually disgusting when you

know kids in Gaza who might not ever get to walk again.” He

subsequently called for a boycott of Adidas.

Another activist denounced the company for

associating itself with the Israeli military.

“The German sportswear brand Adidas is using Zionist war

criminals from the "Israel" army, who lost a foot while

invading Gaza..... to promote their new single-foot

sneakers. More than 4,000 Palestinian children

have been amputated by "Israel's" bombs,

but Adidas and other millionaire

multinationals ignore them,”

the activist wrote on X.

Other critics similarly condemned Adidas

for associating itself with genocide

and apartheid.

Earlier this year, the NGO Humanity & Inclusion reported that

between 70 and 80 percent of patients admitted to the 12

hospitals that were still partially functioning in Gaza...

had lost limbs or suffered spinal cord injuries.

UNICEF estimated in January 2024 that about 1,000 children

in Gaza had lost one or both legs, equivalent at the time to

approximately 10 children losing a limb each day during

Israeli bombardments. The figure is believed to have

risen since then.

The shortage of medical supplies and the continuing blockade of

Gaza have also complicated the treatment and rehabilitation of

amputees. Healthcare workers have resorted to producing

homemade prosthetics as temporary aids for people

who have lost limbs.... while waiting for access

to appropriate prosthetic devices.

______________________________________

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.

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
or 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 at: 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...
- their anti-Corbyn slant is still 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 & 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 the Queen's
Speech - Forcing Schools to Become Academies
- and 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), & 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
& 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 said:
"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 & 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
taxpayers, when a previous expenses system
let them claim back the mortgage payments.
But when those claims were banned, after
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 porter, with rent
at about £3,000 a month. Meantime, 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.