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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.”

Venezuela releases 88 people

linked to July 28, 2024

The Ministry of the Penitentiary Service of Venezuela reported

that in the last few hours 88 people linked to the violent

events of July 28, 2024 were released from prison,

it transpired here today.

In a statement, the institution reported - that the crimes

committed by these citizens were aimed at generating

destabilization and ignoring the sovereign will of the

It pointed out.. that these actions are part of the process
of a comprehensive review of cases, instructed by
President Nicolás Maduro, through which - the
State individually evaluates each situation,
& adopts in accordance with the Law,

precautionary measures.

All of this is part of a justice policy with
a humanistic approach and the
preservation of peace.

The note stressed that, despite the context of a permanent siege

against the nation, the “Venezuelan State guarantees dignified

treatment to people deprived of liberty, respect for their

human rights ....and comprehensive care”.

He also reaffirmed the commitment of the Bolivarian

Government - to act in defense of stability, social

justice, and national sovereignty.

People hold up a banner as they protest

against Israel at the entrance of the

International Criminal Court

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

All UAE military personnel

have left Yemen

by Anna Petrova

January 2nd, 6:15pm

(Komsomolskaya Pravda)

TO SHARE

The process of withdrawing UAE troops from Yemen, has

been completed. This was reported by the Ministry of

Defense of the United Arab Emirates.

"The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates

announces the completion of the return of all UAE

Armed Forces personnel from the Republic of

Yemen in accordance with the announced

decision," the ministry said.

Escalations in Yemen occurred in early December,

when UAE-backed separatists of the Southern

Transitional Council (STC) took control of the

provinces of Hadramaut and Al-Mahra. The

head of the STC, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, said

that the next step would be to establish

institutions for a future southern state.

Earlier, KP.RU reported that two vessels traveling
from the United Arab Emirates to Yemen - were
hit in airstrikes. The attack was carried out
by a Saudi-led coalition.

____________________________________

Winter storms intensify Gaza aid

crisis, Muslim states warn

January 2nd, 3:34pm

(Al Mayadeen English)

Foreign ministers from eight Muslim-majority countries call

for unrestricted aid access, protection for UN agencies,

and urgent shelter and recovery efforts for displaced

Palestinians in Gaza.

Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar,

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates have voiced

alarm over what they described as a rapidly deteriorating

humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip - exacerbated

by severe winter weather and continued restrictions

on aid access.

In a joint statement issued in Islamabad, on Thursday, the ministers

said heavy rainfall and storms had compounded existing shortages

of food, shelter, medical supplies, and fuel, while the slow entry of

essential materials --------- is hindering the rehabilitation of basic

services and the construction of temporary housing.

The statement highlighted the vulnerability of nearly 1.9 million

displaced Palestinians living in makeshift inadequate shelters.

Flooded camps, damaged tents, and the collapse of already

weakened buildings, combined with cold temperatures

and widespread malnutrition, are said to be sharply

increasing risks to civilian lives, including the

spread of disease. Children, women, the

elderly.... and people with underlying

medical conditions, are identified

as particularly at risk.

The ministers praised the United Nations agencies, notably UNRWA,

as well as international humanitarian organizations for continuing

to deliver assistance under what they described as “extremely

difficult and complex circumstances." They called on "Israel"

to ensure that UN bodies and NGOs are able to operate in

Gaza and the West Bank in a sustained and unrestricted

manner, warning that any attempts to obstruct their

work --------- are unacceptable.

The group reaffirmed support for UN Security Council Resolution 2803

and for US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan, saying

they intend to contribute to its implementation ------ in order to

sustain the ceasefire and bring an end to the war on Gaza.

They said these steps are necessary to "secure a

dignified life for Palestinians" after months of

humanitarian suffering ---- and to create a

credible pathway towards Palestinian

self-determination and statehood.

Emphasizing the impact of winter conditions, the ministers urged

the immediate scaling up of early recovery efforts, including the

provision of durable, dignified shelters - to protect Palestinians

from the cold.

They also called on the international community to meet its legal

and moral responsibilities by pressing "Israel", as the occupying

power, to lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of

essential supplies. These include tents, shelter

materials, medical aid, clean water, fuel,

and sanitation support.

The statement demanded the immediate, full, and unhindered

delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza through the

UN and its agencies, the rehabilitation of infrastructure

and hospitals, and the opening of the Rafah crossing

in both directions.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in the Gaza Strip reported on Friday

that Israeli attacks on Gaza continue --- despite the ongoing

ceasefire agreement --- and worsening humanitarian

conditions caused by a severe winter storm.

According to our correspondent, Israeli artillery shelled areas east

of the Jabalia camp in the northern part of the Strip. Meanwhile,

in the south, Israeli tanks opened fire inside areas under

occupation control east of Khan Younis.

These attacks come as part of the Israeli occupation’s repeated

violations of the ceasefire, which was established on October

11 under the auspices of US President Donald Trump and

regional mediators. The agreement continues to be

breached with near-daily Israeli military action.

In parallel with the military escalation, a powerful storm has

caused devastating flooding across displacement camps

in Gaza. Thousands of tents sheltering displaced

Palestinians were torn apart or submerged, as

reported by Al Mayadeen's correspondent.

The storm, described as "extremely catastrophic", comes amid the

continued Israeli siege and the severe restriction of humanitarian

aid into the Gaza Strip. The correspondent noted that the work

of humanitarian organizations remains limited and insufficient,

given the scale of the crisis.

The combination -- of flooding, the lack of shelter, and the absence

of adequate aid has led to the martyrdom of several Palestinians,

including children, highlighting the deadly consequences of the

siege and the environmental exposure -------- under occupation.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Government of Pakistan

__________________________________

Israeli Air Raids Target Southern

Lebanon, Western Bekaa

January 2nd, 12:46pm

(al Manar)

On Friday, the Israeli enemy continued attacking southern

Lebanon towns ------ in violation of Lebanese sovereignty

and the ceasefire agreement.

Al-Manar's correspondent reported that enemy warplanes

launched a series of raids on the heights of Al-Lweizeh

in southern Lebanon, the heights of Mount Mashghara

in the western Bekaa, the “Mrouj Aqmata” area in the

heights of the Iqlim al-Tuffah, Wadi Aza – Zifta, the

outskirts of Ansar, and the “Tabna” area in the

outskirts of Al-Bisariyah.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health - indicated that the

Israeli enemy raid on Ansar town - injured a citizen.

Al-Manar's reporter mentioned that an Israeli glider crashed

while spying on one of the houses in Bint Jbeil town, in

southern Lebanon, adding -- that another Israeli glider

dropped 2 bombs on Khiam town, southern Lebanon.

Our correspondent also reported: that an Israeli glider

---- targeted an excavator in the town of Aita al-Shaab,

with a bomb near the border with occupied Palestine.

Source: Al-Manar English Website

______________________________________

‘Be Mindful of Your Soldiers’,

Larijani Warns US ------ after

Trump’s Meddlesome Post

January 2nd, 11:52am

(al Manar)

Iran’s top national security official has warned US President

Donald Trump that any US interference in Iran’s internal

affairs ....will destroy US interests in the region.

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani

on Friday reacted to remarks by Trump and Israeli officials on

sporadic protests over the decline of the rial, saying recent

statements have exposed hidden coordination between

Iran’s enemies ...behind the scenes.

Larijani issued a direct warning to Washington, saying Trump

should understand the consequences of any intervention.

“Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter

would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying

America’s interests,” he said.

He also addressed the US public, saying, “The American people

should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should

be mindful of their soldiers’ safety.”

He stressed that Iranian authorities differentiate between

legitimate economic grievances --- and acts of sabotage.

“We distinguish between the stance of the protesting

shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors,”

he said.

His comments came after Trump threatened Iran in a social

media post, claiming the United States was prepared for

military action against Iran.

“If Iran shots (sic) and violently kills peaceful protesters,

which is their custom, the United States of America

will come to their rescue. We are locked and

loaded and ready to go,” Trump said.

Ali Shamkhani, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Sayyed

Ali Khamenei’s representative in the Defense Council, also

rejected Trump’s suggestion to intervene to “rescue”

protesters ---- saying Iranians are familiar with

Washington’s record in the region.

“Iranians know well the US ‘rescue’ record — from Iraq and

Afghanistan to Gaza,” he said. “Any intervening hand

approaching Iran’s security under any pretext will

be cut off with a response that induces regret.

Iran’s national security is a red line, not

material for adventurist tweets.”

Protests erupted Sunday, after shopkeepers in Tehran

temporarily closed their businesses to protest the

sharp fall of the national currency, which

plunged to record lows against the

US dollar.

Iranian officials have acknowledged the economic pressure

facing the public and said peaceful protests are legitimate.

At the same time, they have warned that foreign-backed

elements are seeking to exploit the situation ------ and

fuel violence.

Attorney-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad said peaceful

economic protests are a “recognizable reality” and should

be addressed through legal channels, while cautioning

against organized attempts -------- to turn protests

into unrest.

Iran’s economy has faced sustained pressure since 2018,

when the United States reimposed unilateral sanctions

after Trump withdrew from an international nuclear

agreement during his first term.

Movahedi-Azad slammed the unilateral and extraterritorial

sanctions, noting that when such measures restrict

access to essential goods, medicine, financial

services, and vital resources, “it is difficult

to separate them from the concept of

collective punishment” ------- which

international law rejects.

Movahedi-Azad emphasized the need - to clearly

separate lawful protest from criminal behaviour.

“Economic pressures can lead to the formation of social

demands and protests, and in this framework, peaceful

economic protests must be pursued... through legal

channels,” he said.

He warned that some actors seek

--- to manipulate public demands.

“Sometimes, by exploiting guided media networks,

distorted narratives, and the instrumentalization

of deceived individuals or elements disrupting

public order, there are efforts to turn these

demands into insecurity,” he said.

Source: Press tv

Today, January the 2nd, in 1954,

After completing secondary school, she left Haiti -

to read languages and education at US university.

In 1987, Trouillot returned to Haiti, where she teaches

French at the State University. In 2002, Évelyne, her

daughter Nadève Ménard, and her brother Lyonel,

founded Pré-Texte, a writer's organization that

sponsors reading and writing workshops.

Her works have been translated widely

and she has won several honours and

From her "The Solution is Within":

''I was not intending to write an historical novel. May I be

forgiven, then, for the few discrepancies and creative

liberties I've taken. I only seek to acknowledge

my characters' humanity. Yet I must refuse

any responsibility -- for the torture and

punishments described in the text.

They are all -- unfortunately, true,

born of the cruel and perfidious

imagination ....of those who

proclaimed themselves

''The solution for a country is never outside the country; it

should emerge, and grow and develop, from within. We

can’t all be emigrants. A whole nation cannot leave.

The more people leave, the more the country

declines. It’s a vicious circle, we’re going

... round and round.''

''We Haitian citizens know the damage already caused by

foreign forces in the country. Many questions - need to

be asked: Where did the guns and bullets that have

reached Haiti ...come from? The country does

not manufacture guns - or bullets. Why do

international bodies - and other foreign

countries, continue to support the de

facto government -- while it refuses

to prevent violence from bandits?''

''Violence - can prevent us from looking at the bigger picture

and make us prisoners of the mundane --- on guard, so we

don’t catch stray bullets. We should not be prisoners of

this manufactured violence, which keeps us in a state

of despair -- and constant fear. We have to keep our

capacity to reflect on the situation and continue

to look for and find solutions that take into

account the dire realities of violence,

while addressing the deeper

structural problems of

''The solution does not involve sending foreign soldiers to land in

a country they do not know. The solution must go further than

killing thugs. Rather, the solution requires ------ that foreign

governments stop butting into the country’s affairs.''

''The solution.... is within. It demands that we, as Haitians, are not afraid

to look properly at the problems, find a way to establish justice, break
with the impunity, distribute our resources fairly ----- and gather our

strength and dignity - to establish a society that can work for us.

It will not be an easy task, but it is possible. I still believe that.''

Spain acts against Israel's illegal settlements,

orders platforms to remove listings

December 30th, 3:10pm

(PressTV)

Spain has ordered seven major online platforms to remove

more than 100 holiday-rental listings located in Israeli-

occupied Palestinian territories, marking Madrid’s

latest move to condemn Israel's settlement

activity, deemed illegal under

international law.

Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs said on Tuesday that it

had identified 138 listings on platforms operating in Spain

and notified the companies to “immediately remove or

block” the content.

Authorities warned that failure to comply could result in further

government action, though the penalties were not specified.

The Minister of Consumer Affairs, Pablo Bustinduy, condemned the

listings, saying they help “normalize and perpetuate a colonial

regime considered illegal under international law.”

The move is a part of measures introduced by Prime Minister

Pedro Sanchez’s government to support Palestine and hold

Israel accountable for its genocidal aggression in Gaza.

Sanchez has repeatedly denounced the international community

for oscillating --- between “indifference” and “complicity” with

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This latest move builds on a series of measures Spain has adopted

in recent months ---- to confront Israel over its illegal settlement

enterprise and military aggression.

In September 2025, the Spanish government banned imports

of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the

occupied Palestinian territories.

Sanchez said the goal is “to stop the genocide in Gaza, pursue

its perpetrators -------- and support the Palestinian population.”

The Spanish government has prohibited ships and aircraft

carrying weapons directed towards Israel from entering

its ports or airspace.

The country has said that it will ----- deny entry to

anyone directly involved in the atrocities in Gaza.

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank -- are considered

illegal under international law, a position upheld by the United

Nations and the majority of the global community.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a

landmark advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of

Palestinian territories illegal -- and calling for the removal

of all settlements from the West Bank and East al-Quds.

Since recognizing the Palestinian state - in 2024, Spain

has been one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s

genocide in Gaza.

Israel has so far killed more than 71,000 Palestinians since

launching the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023,

before a ceasefire deal, brokered by the United States,

was reached in the strip last October.

The world and her daughter are calling for a boycott
of the genocidal colonial apartheid state of Israel.

Place yourself on the right side of joy and sorrow
by joining the world's boycott - say ''no'' to evil!

Keir Hardie - Britain's first Labour MP - opposed World War One.

His namesake is stammering his way in the opposite direction.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

ROGER WATERS
TO MUSICIANS:-
"BOYCOTT ISRAEL"

Roger Waters formerly of Pink Floyd, in an open letter,
calls on his fellow musicians --- to boycott the Zionist
Israeli regime and follow the example of the cultural
boycott against the ex S. African Apartheid regime.

“Given the inability or unwillingness of our governments
[to act] …. I write to you now, my brothers and sisters …
to ask you to join with me, & thousands of other artists
around the world, to declare a cultural boycott
on Israel,” Roger Waters says in his letter.

Waters says the Zionist regime has been found guilty of
major breaches of human rights and international law
by international organizations, UN officials and the
International Court of Justice.

He touches on two such cases, saying the regime has been
identified as perpetrating the “crime of Apartheid”, including
in a statement on March 9th, 2012 by the UN Committee on
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the “crime of
ethnic cleansing” including in East Jerusalem (al-Quds).

Waters adds that he has been a member of the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against the
Israeli regime’s occupation of the Palestinian lands and
Tel Aviv’s violations of Palestinian human rights for 7
years, and now wants other musicians to also join
the anti-Israeli front.

“Please join me and all our brothers and sisters in global
civil society in proclaiming our rejection of Apartheid in
Israel & occupied Palestine, by pledging not to perform
or exhibit in Israel or accept any award or funding from
any institution linked to the government of Israel, until
such time as Israel complies with international law
and universal principles of human rights.”

The former Pink Floyd Musician also says he has recently
faced a boycott by the US media after his November 29th,
2012 address at the UN on behalf of the Russell Tribunal.

In the address, he sought accountability for the Zionist
regime’s violations of the international law and the lack
of United Nations resolve that prevents the Palestinian
people from achieving their inalienable rights,
especially the right of self-determination.

____________________

www.wegottickets.com/thefactory

www.ticketweb.co.uk

browse venues in Wales

www.ticketlineuk.com

02920 230130

Cash tickets from:

The Factory, Porth
Instrumental Music, Penygraig
Spillers Records, Cardiff

For more details visit

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

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

Daytime Delights...

Starts at 1pm

The Parc & Dare, Treorchy

Lunchtime Concerts in the Lounge Bar.

Indulge in a delicious cake and a cup of tea
while enjoying music and sing-along songs
from fantastic Welsh musicians.

Ticket information:

The Cultural Services Booking & Information Line:

08000 147 111
or book online at

www.rct-arts.co.ukÃ‚Â

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

Mid Rhondda Modelling Club...

7pm - 9pm

Tonyrefail Comprehensive School
Mid Rhondda Modelling Club

has been running for over 30 years.

We meet on a regular basis

& enjoy making models for display.

We encourage both Gentlemen

and Ladies to attend,
and also young people aged 12+.

However, Young people under 16,
must be accompanied by an adult.

Ticket information

£1 contribution every week. Under 16's free

Telephone Mr. Davies on 01443 686658

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

Comedy In The Laughter Lounge

The Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy.

COMEDY IN THE LAUGHTER LOUNGE

Join us once a month in the intimate setting
of the Laughter Lounge for some
top notch comedy with some of the
biggest and brightest
rising comedians on the circuit.

Laugh? You'll snort like a pig!

Hilarious - TimeOut.

www.rct-arts.co.uk

Rhondda Records exists to express the Rhondda's
vision --- when it was confident, powerful, caring,
and socialist.

A Rhondda very aware of the media's poisonous
tricks -- how they con working class people into
attacking each other, or racial groups, or, often,
even their best allies and friends... instead of
seeing their real enemies:--- an elite who hate
the very idea that working people can think,
create, or achieve a fairer society.

Thatcher said her proudest achievement was
Blair and New Labour - who parachuted in
careerists and expenses fiddlers - to stop
local Labour members having a say, and
who made genuine socialist MPs leave
the Labour party in disgust and many
members and voters to despair...
and the young to stop voting.

Jeremy Corbyn was always attacked because
he was trying to reverse all that New Labour
corruption --- that's why membership was
flooding in all over the UK.

______________________________________

Get Involved!

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

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

or this one:

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

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

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

_______________________________________

IF - YOU THINK you HAVE
BEEN UNFAIRLY BARRED:

“Any member who is suspended & intends
to appeal the decision should throw in a
‘Subject Access Request in accordance
with the Data Protection Act’ --- for ALL
data that the Labour Party hold on them.

The Labour Party are Data Controllers and
therefore have to, by law, provide you with
all material/information they hold on you.”

If anyone is in contact with anyone who
was barred from voting --- please can
you pass this info on:

The Labour leadership election was under the
jurisdiction of the electoral reform services.

If you were unfairly deprived of your vote you
can call them on 0208 365 8909 and lodge
your complaint, and inform them of your
Data Protection request.

https://www.electoralreform.co.uk

The notification letters barring new members
did not give a clear reason, or information on
how to appeal, so Vox Political suggests that
anyone in this situation, could also contact
Liz Davies here: http://www.whycantivote.com

She is a barrister --- who can
advise members on what to do.

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

PONCY LABOUR MPS PROBLEM?

A huge drop in working-class Labour MPs,
caused a massive drop in support among
voters with similar backgrounds, reveals
research seeking to explain why support
has dwindled in the party’s heartlands.

The study says past leaders like Kinnock
and Blair made a concerted effort to pick
“more and more middle-class candidates
to run for office, during the 80s and 90s,
as part of an effort to rebrand” -- which
had initial successes at the ballot box.

But this “conscious electoral strategy”
stored up problems, as working-class
voters who initially, just didn’t vote in
response, now seek an alternative.

The solution? Trust each constituency to put
forward its own candidates, and don't impose
‘party-approved’ choices who can't do the job.

Now, unfortunately, there are "entryist" MPs who, for
decades, have been groomed by CIA cold war relic
organisations -- like the Atlantic Council -- and are
now trying to misdirect the Labour Party towards
cuts, a militarised police, and a US war agenda...
- and their anti-Corbyn slant is hobbling Labour.

‘How Can I Deselect My Labour MP?’ A Short Guide
to Reselection and Democratic Accountability
by Eric Sim, excellent free advice here:

http://novaramedia.com/2016/07/13/how-can-i-
deselect-my-labour-mp-a-short-guide-to-
reselection-and-democratic-accountability/

CHRIS BRYANT - SUPPORT THE MEMBERS'
LEADERSHIP CHOICE & POLICIES - OR GO!

Chris Bryant, the Rhondda's dodgy MP,
was on TV -- as soon as the PLP coup
started -- telling us that Jeremy MUST
go, because it was the ONLY way to
act in the Labour Party's interest...

Chris Bryant's voting record:
from TheyWorkForYou.com

On Tuition Fees:

On 27 Jan 2004:
Chris Bryant voted in favour of university tuition
fees increasing from £1,125 per year, to up to
£3,000 per year.

On 31 Mar 2004:
Chris Bryant voted to allow university tuition fees
to increase from £1,125 per year, to up to £3,000
per year.

On 31 Mar 2004:
Chris Bryant voted for the introduction of variable
university tuition fees (top-up fees) of up to £3,000
per year in place of the previous fixed fee of £1,250
per year.

On 31 Mar 2004:
Chris Bryant voted to allow university tuition fees
to increase from £1,125 per year to up to £3,000
per year, and to make other changes to higher
education funding and regulation arrangements.

On 14 Sep 2004:
Chris Bryant voted against: the immediate abolition
of all tuition fees, the re-introduction of maintenance
grants of up to £2,000 for students from low-income
homes, and changes to the country's higher
education system.

On 14 Sep 2004:
Chris Bryant voted to reject the Liberal
Democrat policy of abolition of tuition fees.

On 25 May 2016:
Chris Bryant was absent for a vote on Queen's
Speech - Forcing Schools to Become Academies
- Further Rises in University Tuition Fees

On Human Rights:

Consistently voted for introducing ID cards

Almost always voted for requiring the mass
retention of information about communications

Generally voted for mass surveillance of
people’s communications and activities

On the Environment:

Generally voted against greater regulation
of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract
shale gas

On Special Interests:

Almost always voted against limits
on success fees paid to lawyers in
no-win no fee cases

Generally voted against a
statutory register of lobbyists

On War or Peace:

Generally voted for use of UK military
forces in combat operations overseas

Consistently voted for the Iraq war

Consistently voted against an
investigation into the Iraq war

Generally voted for replacing Trident
with a new nuclear weapons system

On 2 Dec 2015:
Voted to support UK airstrikes in Syria
[without UN authorisation]

On 2 Dec 2015:
Voted to support UK airstrikes in Syria
[without UN authorisation]

On Independence:

Generally voted for more EU integration

____________________________

Chris Bryant Labour MP
From Wikipedia

(aka 1962-1986: Mr Christopher John Bryant
1986-1991: The Reverend Christopher John
Bryant, 1991-2001: Mr Christopher John
Bryant, 2001-: Mr Christopher John
Bryant MP.)

Born in Cardiff, to a Scottish mother & a Welsh
father, Bryant grew up in Cardiff, Wales (where
his father worked for 5 years), and Cheltenham.

He was educated at Cheltenham College, an
independent school for boys in the spa town
of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, where he
was captain of the school swimming team,
and Mansfield College at the University of
Oxford, where he graduated in 1983, with
a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English.
This was later promoted to a Master of
Arts degree (MA (Oxon)), as per tradition.

After completing his first degree, Bryant began
training to be a priest in the Church of England
at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, in Oxfordshire.
There, he obtained a degree in theology.

Although a member of the Conservative
Party, and an elected office-holder in the
Oxford University Conservative Association,
he joined the Labour Party in 1986, after
leaving Oxford.

He was ordained deacon in 1986 and priest in
1987. He served as a Curate at the Church of
All Saints, High Wycombe, from 1986 to 1989;
then as a Youth Chaplain in Peterborough,
as well as travelling in Latin America.

In 1991 Bryant left the ordained ministry, after
deciding that being gay and being a priest,
were incompatible. Statements made by
Richard Harries, then Bishop of Oxford,
also influenced his decision.

After leaving the priesthood in 1991, Bryant
worked as the election agent to the Holborn
and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party,
where he helped Frank Dobson hold his seat
in the 1992 general election.

From 1993, he was Local Government officer
for the Labour Party; he lived in Hackney and
was elected to Hackney Borough Council in
1993, serving until 1998. He became Chair of
the Christian Socialist Movement.

He is both a member of the Labour Friends
of Israel and Labour Friends of Palestine &
the Middle East. From 1994 to 1996 he was
London manager of the leader-grooming
"charity", Common Purpose.

He was Labour candidate for Wycombe, in the
1997 general election (he lost by 2,370 votes),
and Head of European Affairs for the BBC,
from 1998.

His selection for the very safe Labour seat of
Rhondda, South Wales in 2000, shocked many
people given Bryant's background – gay, an ex-
Anglican vicar, and someone who was a Tory,
while studying at Oxford, and a member now,
of the Henry Jackson Society 'think tank' ---
described by The Guardian newspaper as
'neoconservative'. It is pro-US, pro-NATO
and pro-military intervention, as well as
being fundamentally anti-socialist.

Fifty-two people applied for the candidature
and a local councillor was hot favourite to
win, before Bryant was parachuted in.

In 2004, a photograph of Mr Bryant in his
underpants, which he had posted to a gay
dating website, was published in 'papers.

When an interviewer suggested he was
a 'disgrace to the Rhondda', he replied:
"They can't get rid of me."

His pay, allowances and some expenses:

The basic annual salary for an MP, from
April 1st, 2016 is £74,962. MPs also get
expenses: to cover the costs of running
an office, employing staff, having some-
where to live in London, plus, in their
constituency and travelling between
Parliament and their constituency.

His MP's expenses story:

Chris Bryant changed second home
twice to claim £20,000: the deputy
leader of the House of Commons,
"flipped" his second home twice,
in 2 years, allowing him to claim
almost £20,000 for renovations
and fees.

Chris Bryant, MP for the Rhondda, split over
£92,000 of expenses between 3 properties
in Wales and London --- within five years.

In 2004, he attempted to claim £58,000 to
overhaul his second home in Wales, after
allegedly complaining that properties in
his constituency were "terrace or mine
owners' houses".

Mr Bryant, a former Church of England clergyman,
wanted the money for a new bathroom & kitchen,
and to demolish his conservatory. He'd bought the
detached house for £97,500, under a year earlier.

He submitted a claim to the Commons fees office for
£58,493.26 --- almost 3 times the annual maximum.
He noted that the claim exceeded his allowance.

His alleged justification was disclosed... in
correspondence between Commons officials.
By email, an official wrote: "He had problems
finding a suitable property because in the
Rhondda there is a choice mainly of terraced
property or mine owners' houses." When
approached by the Daily Telegraph,
Mr Bryant said: "I have never said
or thought anything of the sort".

In all, he successfully claimed over £13,000
for renovations, repairs & appliances, in 2004.
Along with other bills, his annual claim was
£20,902.

In April 2005, he flipped his expenses to his flat in
west London, which he bought for £400,000 in April
2002. He also claimed £630 a month for mortgage
interest, along with other bills. After claiming over
£3,600 over 3 months, he sold the flat in July 2005
for £477,000.

Mr Bryant used his profits to buy a more expensive
flat in west London, which was valued at £670,000.
He immediately flipped his second home expenses
there, claiming almost £6,400 in stamp duty, legal
fees and mortgage fees, incurred in the purchase.

He then began claiming interest of £1,000 a month
on the mortgage. He also claimed a further £6,000
a year for the flat's service charge and ground rent.

In all, he claimed £92, 415 in second
home expenses, from 2004 to 2009.

Mr Bryant said at the time: "I moved flat in
London, so as to be closer to Parliament."

Research by Channel 4 News in 2015 found that
at least 46 MPs had this kind of system in place
– a move one Labour backbencher described as
“a new fiddle”. Channel 4 reported then:

“Our investigation found that many of the MPs
bought their London properties with the help of
the taxpayer, when a previous expenses system
allowed them to claim back mortgage payments.
But when those claims were banned, following
the expenses scandal, they switched to letting
out their properties, in some cases for up to
£3,000 a month. They then started claiming
expenses for rent and hotels in the capital.”

Among those identified was Chris Bryant, shadow
leader of the House of Commons. He had already
bought a penthouse in London back in 2005 and
claimed around £1,000 a month in mortgage
claims under the old system.

But after the expenses scandal, he started renting
the property out. It’s since been advertised by estate
agents as having a private lift and a porter, with rent
at about £3,000 a month. Meanwhile, Bryant moved
into a new flat;- claiming his own rent on expenses.

Russian/Scottish scientists hail long-range
secure quantum communication system.

A group of scientists from ITMO University
in Saint Petersburg, Russia, has developed
a new approach to constructing quantum
communication systems for secure data
exchange.

The experimental device based on the results of the
research is capable of transmitting single-photon
quantum signals across distances of 250 klmtrs
or more, which is on par with its cutting edge
analogues, the ITMO press-service says.

"Now researchers are on a mission -- to create
a fully-fledged quantum cryptographic system,
that will generate & distribute quantum keys
and transmit useful data simultaneously",
ITMO says.

Information security is becoming more and more
of a critical issue not only for large companies,
banks and defense enterprises but even for
small businesses and individual users.

But the data encryption algorithms we currently
use for protecting our data are imperfect - in the
long-term, their logic can be cracked. Regardless
of how complex and intricate the algorithm is,
getting around it, is just a matter of time.

Unlike algorithm-based encryption, systems
that protect information, by making use of
fundamental laws of quantum physics, can
make data transmission totally immune to
hacker attacks, in the future.

Information in a quantum channel is carried
by single photons that change irreversibly
if an eavesdropper tries to intercept them.
The legitimate users will instantly know
about any kind of intervention.

Researchers at the Quantum Information Centre
of the International Institute of Photonics and
Optical Information Technology at ITMO Uni.,
Russia, along with their colleagues from the
Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, have
devised a new way to generate and
distribute, quantum bits.

This makes it possible to share quantum signals
--- via optical fibres --- 250 kilometres in distance.

"To transmit quantum signals, we use the so-
called side frequencies," says Artur Gleim,
head of the Quantum Information Centre,
at ITMO University,

"This unique approach gives us a number
of advantages -- such as a considerable
simplification of the device architecture
and the large pass-through capacity of
the quantum channel. In terms of bit rate
and operating distances, our system is
comparable to absolute champions in
the field of quantum communications."

According to Robert Collins, research associate
at the Institute of Photonics & Quantum Sciences
at Heriot-Watt University, and one of the authors
of the study, this may become a pivotal point for
the whole field of quantum communication and
cryptography:

"Down the track, this new approach can enable
smooth coexistence of numerous data streams
with different wavelengths in one single optical
cable. On top of it, these quantum streams can
be fed into the already existing fibre optic lines
--- along with conventional communications."

The research paper is published
in the Optics Express journal.

Scottish universities are to be
congratulated for their strong
& growing links with Chinese
and Russian universities....

What a shame, that Wales is
lying low --- with academics
too scared to break from
US military research.

KILLING THE ELDERLY BY CLOSING CARE HOMES

Did you know that each time a local authority

closes a care home for the elderly, within 8

months, around half the residents are dead?

Campaigners liken the cuts and their effect
to euthanasia of the UK's elderly.
What to do?

We can start by urging our MPs to sign EDM 2251:

EDM 2251: The contents

This House notes with deep concern the worsening
crisis for elderly care as growing numbers of local
authority and private care homes face closure

Acknowledges concerns that the loss of elderly
people's care homes causes fear, anxiety and,
in many cases, a higher mortality rate, when
vulnerable, elderly people are forced to
leave their homes

Further notes that the Southern Cross crisis
will increase needs for local authority care

And therefore calls on the government to
hold a public inquiry into the deaths after
closures, of local authority care homes,
and impose a moratorium on the closure
of local authority care homes, until that
inquiry publishes its results, to ensure
that vulnerable, elderly people's lives
are not put at further risk.