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.
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Journalist:To end war ------
prosecute UK, US officials
who wage(d) it illegally
October 22nd, 10:12pm (PressTV)
The world must finally put an end to the impunity of war
criminals, by holding US and UK officials responsible
for launching the illegal war on Iraq, done without
the approval of the UN Security Council, and
prosecuting them --- under the Nuremberg
principles, US journalist Don DeBar said.
DeBar made the remarks in an interview with Press TV while
commenting on a report which has revealed that the British
military inquiries into abuse against Iraqi nationals... have
been closed without a single prosecution being brought,
even though the credibility of many "shocking and
shameful incidents" during the war in the Middle
Eastern country, have been confirmed.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement
this week that the Service Police Legacy Investigations,
which was looking at claims of abuse in Iraq, had now
"officially closed its doors."
In March 2003, the US and Britain invaded Iraq in blatant
violation of international law and under the pretext of
finding WMDs; but no such weapons were ever
discovered in Iraq.
More than one million Iraqis were killed - as the result of
the US-led invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq
--- according to the California-based investigative
organization, Project Censored.
The US war in Iraq cost US taxpayers $1.7 trillion with
an additional $490 billion in benefits owed to war veterans, expenses that could grow to more than $6 trillion over the next four decades counting interest, according to a study called Costs of War Project --- by the Watson Institute for
International Studies at Brown University.
DeBar told Press TV that the Iraq war
was illegal from the very beginning.
"It is illegal for a nation to make war on another nation if it
does not have the approval of the UN Security Council, if
any of those nations are signatories to the original UN
Charter. And it’s been adopted - that happened with
the US, as a charter member of the UN -- and it was
approved by the US Senate in the 1940s.
Consequently, the US involvement in Iraq from the beginning, and the UK involvement in Iraq from the beginning, was illegal,” he said.
“And under the Nuremberg standards, which would then
apply, each and every death consequent – intentional
or not - to either US or UK military action there, or
condoning of the US action there, by the media
or public officials, or any act facilitating that,
is an individual war crime. And, by the way,
there’s a death penalty for that,” the
journalist noted.
“No one will prosecute these people. That’s why I started
with the word impunity. And we might bookend with that
because that’s the problem. And until the world puts an
end to that impunity, until the world sees the major
contradiction in all international relations, is US,
UK, and EU imperialism, then it’s going to
continue until this eats our species,”
he stated.
A damning White House memo had revealed details of the
so-called “deal in blood” forged by former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and US President George W. Bush
over the Iraq war.
The document, titled “Secret... Memorandum for the
President”, was sent by then-US Secretary of State
Colin Powell to President Bush on March 28th, 2002, a week before Bush’s summit with Blair at his Crawford ranch in Texas.
The sensational memo, revealed that Blair had agreed to
support the war a year before the invasion even started
while publicly, the British prime minister was working to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
The document also disclosed that Blair agreed to act as a
spin doctor for Bush and convince a skeptical public that
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass
Destruction, which actually did not exist.
In response, Bush would flatter Blair and give the
impression that London was not Washington’s
poodle but an equal partner in the
“special relationship.”
Powell told Bush that Blair “will be with us” on the
Iraq war, and assured the president that “"the UK
will follow our lead in the Middle East."
Blair has always denied the claim that he and Bush
signed a deal “in blood”, at Crawford, to launch a
war against Iraq that began on March 20th, 2003,
that has killed hundreds of thousands of people.
The Powell memo, however, showed how Blair and
Bush secretly prepared the Iraq war plot behind
closed doors at Crawford.
Powell told Bush: “He will present to you the strategic,
tactical and public affairs lines, that he believes will
strengthen global support for our common cause.”
Venezuela ---reiterates its admiration for
the people of Cuba on their national day
January 1st, 10:31am
(Prensa Latina)
Venezuela today reiterated its admiration for the people of Cuba,
whom it described as an example of dignity, humanism, and
revolutionary firmness, when commemorating the 67th
anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs --- in a statement extended, on
behalf of President Nicolás Maduro to Venezuela's people
and Government, the deepest and most fraternal
congratulations - to Cuban President Miguel
Díaz-Canel, to Army General Raúl Castro
and the heroic people of Cuba.
The note indicated that this commemoration is framed in the
context of the birth of the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro.
He pointed out that this memorable heroic feat “opened an
irreversible horizon of dignity, sovereignty and social
justice for Cuba --- and for all of Our America”.
The text noted that the drums of emancipation resonate with
the strength of 67 years of victories, guided by the strategic
vision and infinite courage of Fidel Castro, who, inspired by
the ideology of José Martí, triumphantly entered Santiago
de Cuba to liberate the largest of the Caribbean Antilles
from colonial domination and imperial oppression ----
for ever.
“That dawn of 1959, he highlighted, not only represented a new
dawn for our sister Cuba, it was the birth of hope that lit the
torch of dignity and hope ---- for all the peoples of
Our America and the world - who fight for
their definitive independence”.
He valued that Venezuela and Cuba, united by the historical legacy of
Bolívar and Martí, and sealed by the unbreakable brotherhood of the
commanders, Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, “ratify today more
than ever, in the face of grotesque imperial pretensions to
violate sovereignty with blockades and aggressions - to
besiege our Caribbean, their inalienable commitment
to continue traveling together.... as sister nations”.
Likewise, move towards the path in the defense of sovereignty,
peace, socialism and the right of our people to build their own
destiny ....without tutelage or impositions.
“May the spirit of January 1, 1959 continue to be the sacred fire
that lit our present --- and future victories! Long live the Cuban
Revolution! Until Victory Always!”, the statement concluded.
_______________________________________
President declared 2026 in Venezuela
------ the year of Admirable Challenge
January 1st, 10:04am
(Prensa Latina)
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, declared the year
that began today of the Admirable Challenge, a definition that
he intends to leave behind, definitively, rentier inequality
and strengthening irreversible independence.
In a message called “The Dawn and the Night”, from the Sol del
Perú Hall, Miraflores Palace, the seat of Government, and
accompanied by the first combatant, Cilia Flores, the
president highlighted last night.. that the Republic
is moving towards its own and sovereign dawn.
Maduro demanded - that the people overcome their own feats
to continue advancing, in consolidating the rights of Popular
Power, as well as in military-technical development against
imperial doctrines.
The dignitary stated that Venezuela managed to consolidate
peace and security ...thanks to the popular, military-police
fusion, and today the “homeland is safe and protected”
with that civil-military unity.
In the opinion of the head of state, this fusion is no longer a
statement, but “it is an ethical, institutional and social
ontology ---- that preserves our national life”.
In that respect, he praised the performance of the Bolivarian
National Armed Forces, which he described as “heroic and
possessing absolute loyalty to the spirit of the 1999
Constitution and its anti-imperialist roots, with
which, they founded the Republic”.
The dignitary affirmed that direct, communal and neighbourhood
democracy has ceased to be a desire of the Magna Carta --- “to
become a daily practice, resolve differences, and create a
new common sense”.
It meant that the country moved towards a deeply democratic and
sovereign State, and he alluded to the Popular Consultations as a
mechanism that contributed to providing answers to specific
problems, in addition to consolidating the peace of the
nation ..in the face of external aggressions.
Regarding the year that just ended, Maduro expressed: that it ended
with a diversified and productive economy that thrives towards the
definitive overcoming ....of the rentier model of the 21st century.
The country, he pointed out, is moving forward with the articulation
of the 14 Productive Engines under a strategic vision that
guaranteed national consumption... and allowed the
export, over land and sea, of multiple items to
international markets.
For the president, the growth rates achieved under blockade
conditions corroborated that Venezuela overcame the siege
imposed a decade ago, and assured that the country today
has greater preparation, experience and unity ----- to face
new challenges.
Image: People hold up a banner as they protest against Israel at the entrance of the International Criminal Court.
People hold up a banner as they protest
against Israel at the entrance of the
International Criminal Court
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Israel launches airstrikes, artillery fire
across Gaza .....on first day of 2026
January 1st, 5:34pm
(PressTV)
The Israeli military has carried out attacks on the Gaza Strip on the first
day of 2026 in yet another violation of the ceasefire agreement, aimed
at ending the regime’s 2-year-long genocide in the besieged territory.
The Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire took place on Thursday across
Gaza, where heavy winter rains have in recent weeks flooded tents
sheltering displaced Palestinians and claimed the lives of children
affected by hypothermia.
Latest reports said Israeli fighter jets targeted eastern Rafah
in the southern Gaza Strip, while the occupation forces
fired artillery - simultaneously.
In the same area, the reports added, loud explosions were
heard amid sporadic gunfire from Israeli military vehicles.
Similar Israeli attacks were also reported in Gaza City’s Zeitoun
and Shujaiya neighbourhoods, as well as eastern sections of
the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
On October 10, a US-backed ceasefire deal took effect
between Israel and Hamas aimed at bringing an end
to the Tel Aviv regime’s genocidal war on Gaza
that began on October 7, 2023.
Since then, at least 415 Palestinians have been killed,
and 1,152 others injured --------- as Tel Aviv continues
airstrikes on the territory.
Under the fragile truce deal, Israel is obliged -- to
allow “full aid” to be immediately sent into Gaza.
Earlier this week, however, the criminal regime banned 37
international humanitarian agencies from operating in
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The foreign ministers of 10 countries, including Canada, the UK,
Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden,
and Switzerland, expressed “serious concerns” about a
“renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation”
in Gaza.
In a statement, they warned of the “catastrophic” situation in the
blockaded Palestinian territory, saying that "1.3 million people
still require urgent shelter support. More than half of health
facilities are only partially functional and face shortages
of essential medical equipment and supplies. The total
collapse of sanitation infrastructure has left 740,000
people vulnerable ------ to toxic flooding.”
In its war on Gaza, Israel has killed at least 71,269
Palestinians, mostly women and children, and
injured 171,232 others.
___________________________________________
Yemen military chief vows ------ support
will continue until Palestine liberated
January 1st, 5:16pm
(PressTV)
Yemen’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Yusuf
Hassan al-Madani, has reaffirmed his country’s
unwavering support for the Palestinian
resistance and hailed the martyred
Hamas commanders --- for
confronting the Israeli
occupying forces at
the battlefronts.
In a recent message to Hamas, al-Madani vowed to stand
with resistance factions until Palestine is fully liberated
and the last occupying soldier is expelled from the
occupied lands.
“We stand with you in every option you choose and in every
arena you enter, until God grants a clear victory, full
independence is achieved, and the last Zionist
soldier is expelled ----- from the pure soil
of Palestine.”
Al-Madani praised the martyred resistance commanders for
their lives --- dedicated to “confronting oppressors and
fighting criminals across all the battlefields.”
The Yemeni military official highlighted the Palestinian people’s
ability to nurture countless leaders like these martyrs,
ensuring “the flag of resistance will never fall.”
The message was issued after al-Qassam Brigades, the military
wing of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, confirmed
that its longtime spokesman, Abu Obeida, was
assassinated in an Israeli strike on
the Gaza Strip.
Among other high-profile figures the resistance group confirmed
killed were Mohammed Sinwar, Hamas’s leader in Gaza;
Muhammad Shabana, the former commander of the
Rafah Brigade in the al-Qassam Brigades, better
known by his nom de guerre, Abu Anas; and
Hakem al-Issa, the former chief of staff of
the “combat and administrative support
division” in the Qassam Brigades.
Yemen’s chief of the general staff further emphasized that the
martyred commanders’ noble stances “humiliated the Zionist
regime, shattered its arrogance, and painted the most
glorious images of sacrifice and devotion.”
The Yemeni military leader described “the downfall of the
Zionist enemy as an undeniable truth -- doubted only by
the cowardly and those deviating from the right path.”
Addressing the resistance, al-Madani stressed that they should be
reassured that, “no matter how much the Zionist enemy persists
in tyranny, how greatly it exalts itself on earth, or how much it
resorts to brutality and oppression, it is —— without doubt —
heading toward its inevitable demise and disgraceful end.”
He said the treacherous Zionist enemy, notorious for breaking covenants
and agreements, has proven that its resort to cowardly assassinations
during periods of truce and ceasefire is nothing but clear evidence of
its baseness and an explicit admission of its inability to confront
the resistance forces in the field, where its weapons have
shattered against the rock --------- of your unparalleled
legendary steadfastness.
In a separate message, Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of Yemen's
Supreme Political Council, hailed the martyred Hamas commanders
for rendering sacrifices at the battlefronts.
“These Hamas commanders were martyred on the front lines, while
confronting the Zionist killing machine and terrorism,” Houthi said.
He further strongly denounced Israel’s decision to recognize the self-
declared Republic of Somaliland, saying Yemen “firmly opposes any
desperate attempt to divide Muslim territory.”
Somaliland, which is a breakaway from Somalia, is being considered
for the forced relocation of Palestinians by the Zionist regime.
It has maintained self-rule since the 1991 civil war,
but has yet to get any international recognition.
Somaliland is located along the Gulf of Aden and is
home to the deep-water strategic port of Berbera.
The Israeli regime reportedly plans to build a military base in
Somaliland, which would enable it to gain control over the
Gulf of Aden ------- where it can launch attacks on the
Ansarullah-led government in Yemen.
Yemen’s Ansarallah resistance movement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi,
warned in a speech that any potential Israeli presence in
Somaliland will be considered a “military target” for
the Yemeni Armed Forces.
__________________________________________
Israeli military confirms soldier’s
death in apparent suicide case
January 1st, 11:20am
(PressTV)
The Israeli military has announced that another Israeli soldier
was found dead in the southern part of the occupied
territories, in an apparent suicide.
The statement noted that a Military Police investigation has
been opened, and upon its completion, the findings will be
submitted to the Military Advocate General's Office
...for review.
This brings the number of Israeli troops who have taken
their own lives since the start of the genocidal war on
Gaza to more than 61.
The Israeli military went on to say that 22 cases of suspected
suicide are currently under investigation or have been
investigated, including 12 conscript soldiers, one
career soldier, and nine reservists.
The development comes after an Israeli soldier took his own life
at a military base in the northern part of the Israeli-occupied
territories on December 16.
The Hebrew-language newspaper Haaretz reported that the soldier,
serving as a tracker in regular military duty, shot himself inside the
base. He sustained critical injuries and was later pronounced
dead that evening.
From the beginning of 2024 to July 2025, a total of 279 Israeli soldiers
attempted suicide, with roughly one completed suicide occurring for
every seven attempts, as reported by the Knesset Research and Information Centre.
In October, Israeli chief of staff Eyal Zamir highlighted a growing
mental health crisis within the army, revealing that thousands
of soldiers ---- are undergoing psychological treatment.
He called on commanders to remain vigilant, identify mental health
issues within their units, and ensure that the affected soldiers
receive prompt care.
Nearly 10,000 of the 19,000 Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza are currently
dealing with psychological disorders, including post-traumatic stress
disorder, and are receiving care through the rehabilitation
department of the ministry of military affairs, according
to a previous report by the public broadcaster KAN
published in late July.
Israel has killed at least 71,269 Palestinians, mostly women
and children, and injured 171,232 others in attacks in Gaza
since October 2023.
A ceasefire implemented on October 10 of last year was
intended to bring an end to the war. However, Israel
has breached it on a daily basis, leading to
hundreds of additional casualties.
Israel continues to impose restrictions on the entry of food
and medicine into Gaza, where approximately 2.4 million
Palestinians endure severe humanitarian challenges,
according to the Gaza government media office.
_____________________________________
UN chief condemns Israelfor blocking
water, power, to Palestinian refugee
agency in Gaza
January 1st, 10:58am
(PressTV)
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has sharply
condemned Israel’s decision to block electricity and water to
facilities of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, warning
that the move violates international law and threatens
essential services for millions of Palestinians.
Guterres on Wednesday denounced Israel’s move to ban electricity
and water to facilities used by UNRWA, saying it would “further
impede” the agency’s ability to function.
“The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations
remains applicable to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), its property
and assets, and to its officials and other personnel.
Property used by UNRWA, is inviolable,” Stephane
Dujarric -- spokesman for the secretary general,
said while describing UNRWA as an “integral”
part of the world body.
He emphasized that UNRWA remains legally
protected ------ despite the Israeli actions.
Israel has banned UNRWA from operating in the occupied territories
...after accusing some of its staff of being involved in the Al-Aqsa
Flood operation in October 2023. Despite repeated requests
from UNRWA for the Israeli regime to provide evidence
supporting its allegations, the agency has received
no response.
UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini also condemned
the decision, describing it as part of a systematic campaign to
discredit the agency and undermine its role in assisting
Palestinian refugees.
He linked the utilities ban to a broader political effort to obstruct
UNRWA’s humanitarian mission, which provides education,
health care, and aid to millions of Palestinians across
the besieged Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
The escalation follows a 2024 Israeli parliamentary law banning
UNRWA from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories
and prohibiting Israeli officials from having contact with
the agency.
The law effectively ends the UNRWA operations in the occupied
West Bank and Gaza .....because the Israeli regime controls
access to both regions.
Relations between Israel and UNRWA, long tense, have deteriorated
sharply since the war in Gaza, with Israel repeatedly calling for the
agency to be dismantled and its responsibilities transferred
elsewhere within the UN system.
The move against UNRWA -- comes alongside Israel’s suspension of
dozens of international non-governmental organizations operating
in Gaza, citing new and restrictive vetting requirements.
In response... Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan,
Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom warned
in a joint statement that such measures would severely limit
access to essential services, including health care.
They also noted that one in three health facilities in Gaza
would be forced to shut down ---- if international NGO
operations were halted.
The UN agency has faced deepening financial turmoil since
Israel -------- launched a defamation campaign against it.
Image: Cuba's --- Triumph of the Revolution
Today, January the 1st, in 1959,
Cuba's --- Triumph of the Revolution
is born.
The holiday known as the "Triumph of the Revolution"
(Spanish: Triunfo de la Revolución) - also known as
Liberation Day (Spanish: Día de la Liberación), is
a celebration in Cuba of the anniversary of the
victory of the revolution led by Fidel Castro
in 1959, which established the present
government in Cuba. The holiday is
celebrated on January 1st,
every year.
The event is marked by military parades, fireworks and
concerts throughout the country. The first parade of
the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces on the
holiday, took place on the Plaza de la
Revolución, in 1960.
Throughout December of 1958, top military commanders began
plotting the removal of Fulgencio Batista. On December 24,
General Eulogio Cantillo, secretly met with Fidel Castro
and agreed to arrest Batista. Cantillo also agreed -
that his new government would merge with the
26th of July Movement... to create a new
united government.
On December 30, 1958, Cantillo notified Castro, that coup plans had
changed. Cantillo privately advised Batista - that he should flee the
country. Around midnight on January 1, 1959, Batista, realizing
that his presidency could not continue, informed his cabinet
and top officials at Camp Columbia, the Havana HQ of the
Cuban Constitutional Army, that he was resigning and
would leave the country.
At 3am, on January 1st, Batista boarded a plane on Camp Columbia airfield
with 40 of his supporters and immediate family members ...and flew to
Ciudad Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. A second plane flew out
of Havana later that night, carrying ministers, officers, and the
Governor of Havana, and a third plane followed.
Batista took along a personal fortune of more than $300 million that
he had amassed through bribery and corruption. Critics accused
Batista and his supporters of taking as much as $700 million
in fine art and cash with them... as they fled into exile.
Immediately after the flight of Batista, members of the Revolutionary
Directorate of 13 March Movement occupied Havana University and
the Presidential Palace. Their action was done under the pretext
of ''anxiety''. When Fidel Castro announced his victory, and the
establishment of a provisional government, no mention was
made of the involvement of other rebel groups in such
a government.
Besides the rebel occupation, Cuban citizens began to loot and
vandalize Havana. Angry mobs attacked several casinos -- and
The casino at Sans Souci was set ablaze by arsonists.
Alongside this, many citizens filled the streets in celebration of
the flight of Batista, often shouting the slogan "Abajo Batista,
Viva Fidel" ("Down with Batista, Long live Fidel").
On January 2nd, Castro called for a general strike, and began his trek
to Havana - in his Freedom Caravan. The rebel army columns led by
Che Guevara, & Camilo Cienfuegos reached Havana by January 2.
The next day, Guevara secured La Cabaña fortress in Havana.
The arrival of the 26th of July Movement restored order in
Havana, ending the rioting.
On January 7, Cuban television broadcast the execution of the
commander of the Santa Clara army barracks. The televised
execution was ordered by Che Guevara, who was the rebel
commander of Santa Clara at the time.
Castro entered Havana --- to the sight of cheering crowds on January 8.
After arriving in Havana, Castro ordered the Revolutionary Directorate
to stand down, causing them to abandon their occupied positions.
On the night of January the 8th, Castro delivered a speech at the Camp
Columbia military base in Havana. In the speech Castro denounced
other rebel groups who were hoarding weapons, an allusion to the
weapon stocks of the Revolutionary Directorate. Fidel Castro
elaborated that weapons hoarding was pointless
considering the shift to democracy,
specifically stating:
''When all the citizen's rights have been restored, when elections are
to be called as soon as possible - arms for what? Hiding arms to
what end? To blackmail the President of the Republic? To
threaten the peace? To set up gangster organizations?
Are we to go back to daily shoot-outs in the streets
of Havana? Arms for what?''
The first legal act passed by the new provisional government was the
legalization of the death penalty. This act was passed on January 10,
two days after Castro's entrance to Havana.
In the immediate aftermath of the triumph of the revolution, tribunals
were set up around Cuba to convict former Batistiano collaborators.
Raúl Gómez Treto, senior legal advisor to the Cuban Ministry of Justice,
argued that the death penalty was justified in order to prevent citizens
themselves from taking justice into their own hands, as had happened
twenty years earlier in the anti-Machado rebellion.
Biographers of Fidel Castro often note that in January 1959 the Cuban public was in a "lynching mood", and point to a survey at the time showing 93% public approval for the tribunal process. Moreover --- a January 22nd 1959, Universal Newsreel, broadcast in the US --- and narrated by Ed Herlihy, showed Fidel Castro asking an estimated one million Cubans if they approved of the executions, and being met with a roaring
"Si!" (yes).
Some exiled Cubans in Miami celebrate
May 20 as their national holiday when
Cuba was given ''independence'' by
the US --- which installed Batista -
and not the January 1 holiday.
U.S. President Donald Trump released a
statement in 2017, celebrating Cuban
independence on May the 20th.
Cuba's government called Trump's
statement ---- both controversial
....and ridiculous.
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-
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.
Image: No thanks to Israeli goods App
The world and her daughter are calling for a boycott of the genocidal colonial apartheid state of Israel.
Place yourself on the right side of joy and sorrow by joining the world's boycott - say ''no'' to evil!
Keir Hardie - Britain's first Labour MP - opposedWorld War One.
His namesake is stammering his way in the opposite direction.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
ROGER WATERS TO MUSICIANS:- "BOYCOTT ISRAEL"
Roger Waters formerly of Pink Floyd, in an open letter, calls on his fellow musicians --- to boycott the Zionist Israeli regime and follow the example of the cultural boycott against the ex S. African Apartheid regime.
“Given the inability or unwillingness of our governments [to act] …. I write to you now, my brothers and sisters … to ask you to join with me, & thousands of other artists around the world, to declare a cultural boycott on Israel,” Roger Waters says in his letter.
Waters says the Zionist regime has been found guilty of major breaches of human rights and international law by international organizations, UN officials and the International Court of Justice.
He touches on two such cases, saying the regime has been identified as perpetrating the “crime of Apartheid”, including in a statement on March 9th, 2012 by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the “crime of ethnic cleansing” including in East Jerusalem (al-Quds).
Waters adds that he has been a member of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against the Israeli regime’s occupation of the Palestinian lands and Tel Aviv’s violations of Palestinian human rights for 7 years, and now wants other musicians to also join the anti-Israeli front.
“Please join me and all our brothers and sisters in global civil society in proclaiming our rejection of Apartheid in Israel & occupied Palestine, by pledging not to perform or exhibit in Israel or accept any award or funding from any institution linked to the government of Israel, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights.”
The former Pink Floyd Musician also says he has recently faced a boycott by the US media after his November 29th, 2012 address at the UN on behalf of the Russell Tribunal.
In the address, he sought accountability for the Zionist regime’s violations of the international law and the lack of United Nations resolve that prevents the Palestinian people from achieving their inalienable rights, especially the right of self-determination.
____________________
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Cash tickets from:
The Factory, Porth Instrumental Music, Penygraig Spillers Records, Cardiff
Indulge in a delicious cake and a cup of tea while enjoying music and sing-along songs from fantastic Welsh musicians.
Ticket information:
The Cultural Services Booking & Information Line:
08000 147 111 or book online at
www.rct-arts.co.ukÂÂ
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Mid Rhondda Modelling Club...
7pm - 9pm
Tonyrefail Comprehensive School Mid Rhondda Modelling Club
has been running for over 30 years.
We meet on a regular basis
& enjoy making models for display.
We encourage both Gentlemen
and Ladies to attend, and also young people aged 12+.
However, Young people under 16, must be accompanied by an adult.
Ticket information
£1 contribution every week. Under 16's free
Telephone Mr. Davies on 01443 686658
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Comedy In The Laughter Lounge
The Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy.
COMEDY IN THE LAUGHTER LOUNGE
Join us once a month in the intimate setting of the Laughter Lounge for some top notch comedy with some of the biggest and brightest rising comedians on the circuit.
Laugh? You'll snort like a pig!
Hilarious - TimeOut.
www.rct-arts.co.uk
Rhondda Records exists to express the Rhondda's vision --- when it was confident, powerful, caring, and socialist.
A Rhondda very aware of the media's poisonous tricks -- how they con working class people into attacking each other, or racial groups, or, often, even their best allies and friends... instead of seeing their real enemies:--- an elite who hate the very idea that working people can think, create, or achieve a fairer society.
Thatcher said her proudest achievement was Blair and New Labour - who parachuted in careerists and expenses fiddlers - to stop local Labour members having a say, and who made genuine socialist MPs leave the Labour party in disgust and many members and voters to despair... and the young to stop voting.
Jeremy Corbyn was always attacked because he was trying to reverse all that New Labour corruption --- that's why membership was flooding in all over the UK.
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Get Involved!
– If you feel you’ve been ‘purged’, take this online survey:
– Request all your own data that the Labour Party holds on you:
http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/privacy
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IF - YOU THINK you HAVE BEEN UNFAIRLY BARRED:
“Any member who is suspended & intends to appeal the decision should throw in a ‘Subject Access Request in accordance with the Data Protection Act’ --- for ALL data that the Labour Party hold on them.
The Labour Party are Data Controllers and therefore have to, by law, provide you with all material/information they hold on you.”
If anyone is in contact with anyone who was barred from voting --- please can you pass this info on:
The Labour leadership election was under the jurisdiction of the electoral reform services.
If you were unfairly deprived of your vote you can call them on 0208 365 8909 and lodge your complaint, and inform them of your Data Protection request.
https://www.electoralreform.co.uk
The notification letters barring new members did not give a clear reason, or information on how to appeal, so Vox Political suggests that anyone in this situation, could also contact Liz Davies here: http://www.whycantivote.com
She is a barrister --- who can advise members on what to do.
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PONCY LABOUR MPS PROBLEM?
A huge drop in working-class Labour MPs, caused a massive drop in support among voters with similar backgrounds, reveals research seeking to explain why support has dwindled in the party’s heartlands.
The study says past leaders like Kinnock and Blair made a concerted effort to pick “more and more middle-class candidates to run for office, during the 80s and 90s, as part of an effort to rebrand” -- which had initial successes at the ballot box.
But this “conscious electoral strategy” stored up problems, as working-class voters who initially, just didn’t vote in response, now seek an alternative.
The solution?Trust each constituency to put forward its own candidates, and don't impose ‘party-approved’ choices who can't do the job.
Now, unfortunately, there are "entryist" MPs who, for decades, have been groomed by CIA cold war relic organisations -- like the Atlantic Council -- and are now trying to misdirect the Labour Party towards cuts, a militarised police, and a US war agenda... - and their anti-Corbyn slant is hobbling Labour.
‘How Can I Deselect My Labour MP?’ A Short Guide to Reselection and Democratic Accountability by Eric Sim, excellent free advice here:
http://novaramedia.com/2016/07/13/how-can-i- deselect-my-labour-mp-a-short-guide-to- reselection-and-democratic-accountability/ CHRIS BRYANT - SUPPORT THE MEMBERS' LEADERSHIP CHOICE & POLICIES - OR GO!
Chris Bryant, the Rhondda's dodgy MP, was on TV -- as soon as the PLP coup started -- telling us that Jeremy MUST go, because it was the ONLY way to act in the Labour Party's interest...
Chris Bryant's voting record: from TheyWorkForYou.com
On Tuition Fees:
On 27 Jan 2004: Chris Bryant voted in favour of university tuition fees increasing from £1,125 per year, to up to £3,000 per year.
On 31 Mar 2004: Chris Bryant voted to allow university tuition fees to increase from £1,125 per year, to up to £3,000 per year.
On 31 Mar 2004: Chris Bryant voted for the introduction of variable university tuition fees (top-up fees) of up to £3,000 per year in place of the previous fixed fee of £1,250 per year.
On 31 Mar 2004: Chris Bryant voted to allow university tuition fees to increase from £1,125 per year to up to £3,000 per year, and to make other changes to higher education funding and regulation arrangements.
On 14 Sep 2004: Chris Bryant voted against: the immediate abolition of all tuition fees, the re-introduction of maintenance grants of up to £2,000 for students from low-income homes, and changes to the country's higher education system.
On 14 Sep 2004: Chris Bryant voted to reject the Liberal Democrat policy of abolition of tuition fees.
On 25 May 2016: Chris Bryant was absent for a vote on Queen's Speech - Forcing Schools to Become Academies - Further Rises in University Tuition Fees
On Human Rights:
Consistently voted for introducing ID cards
Almost always voted for requiring the mass retention of information about communications
Generally voted for mass surveillance of people’s communications and activities
On the Environment:
Generally voted against greater regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract shale gas
On Special Interests:
Almost always voted against limits on success fees paid to lawyers in no-win no fee cases
Generally voted against a statutory register of lobbyists
On War or Peace:
Generally voted for use of UK military forces in combat operations overseas
Consistently voted for the Iraq war
Consistently voted against an investigation into the Iraq war
Generally voted for replacing Trident with a new nuclear weapons system
On 2 Dec 2015: Voted to support UK airstrikes in Syria [without UN authorisation]
On 2 Dec 2015: Voted to support UK airstrikes in Syria [without UN authorisation]
On Independence:
Generally voted for more EU integration
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Chris Bryant Labour MP From Wikipedia
(aka 1962-1986: Mr Christopher John Bryant 1986-1991: The Reverend Christopher John Bryant, 1991-2001: Mr Christopher John Bryant, 2001-: Mr Christopher John Bryant MP.)
Born in Cardiff, to a Scottish mother & a Welsh father, Bryant grew up in Cardiff, Wales (where his father worked for 5 years), and Cheltenham.
He was educated at Cheltenham College, an independent school for boys in the spa town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, where he was captain of the school swimming team, and Mansfield College at the University of Oxford, where he graduated in 1983, with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English. This was later promoted to a Master of Arts degree (MA (Oxon)), as per tradition.
After completing his first degree, Bryant began training to be a priest in the Church of England at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, in Oxfordshire. There, he obtained a degree in theology.
Although a member of the Conservative Party, and an elected office-holder in the Oxford University Conservative Association, he joined the Labour Party in 1986, after leaving Oxford.
He was ordained deacon in 1986 and priest in 1987. He served as a Curate at the Church of All Saints, High Wycombe, from 1986 to 1989; then as a Youth Chaplain in Peterborough, as well as travelling in Latin America.
In 1991 Bryant left the ordained ministry, after deciding that being gay and being a priest, were incompatible. Statements made by Richard Harries, then Bishop of Oxford, also influenced his decision.
After leaving the priesthood in 1991, Bryant worked as the election agent to the Holborn and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party, where he helped Frank Dobson hold his seat in the 1992 general election.
From 1993, he was Local Government officer for the Labour Party; he lived in Hackney and was elected to Hackney Borough Council in 1993, serving until 1998. He became Chair of the Christian Socialist Movement.
He is both a member of the Labour Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Palestine & the Middle East. From 1994 to 1996 he was London manager of the leader-grooming "charity", Common Purpose.
He was Labour candidate for Wycombe, in the 1997 general election (he lost by 2,370 votes), and Head of European Affairs for the BBC, from 1998.
His selection for the very safe Labour seat of Rhondda, South Wales in 2000, shocked many people given Bryant's background – gay, an ex- Anglican vicar, and someone who was a Tory, while studying at Oxford, and a member now, of the Henry Jackson Society 'think tank' --- described by The Guardian newspaper as 'neoconservative'. It is pro-US, pro-NATO and pro-military intervention, as well as being fundamentally anti-socialist.
Fifty-two people applied for the candidature and a local councillor was hot favourite to win, before Bryant was parachuted in.
In 2004, a photograph of Mr Bryant in his underpants, which he had posted to a gay dating website, was published in 'papers.
When an interviewer suggested he was a 'disgrace to the Rhondda', he replied: "They can't get rid of me."
His pay, allowances and some expenses:
The basic annual salary for an MP, from April 1st, 2016 is £74,962. MPs also get expenses: to cover the costs of running an office, employing staff, having some- where to live in London, plus, in their constituency and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.
His MP's expenses story:
Chris Bryant changed second home twice to claim £20,000: the deputy leader of the House of Commons, "flipped" his second home twice, in 2 years, allowing him to claim almost £20,000 for renovations and fees.
Chris Bryant, MP for the Rhondda, split over £92,000 of expenses between 3 properties in Wales and London --- within five years.
In 2004, he attempted to claim £58,000 to overhaul his second home in Wales, after allegedly complaining that properties in his constituency were "terrace or mine owners' houses".
Mr Bryant, a former Church of England clergyman, wanted the money for a new bathroom & kitchen, and to demolish his conservatory. He'd bought the detached house for £97,500, under a year earlier.
He submitted a claim to the Commons fees office for £58,493.26 --- almost 3 times the annual maximum. He noted that the claim exceeded his allowance.
His alleged justification was disclosed... in correspondence between Commons officials. By email, an official wrote: "He had problems finding a suitable property because in the Rhondda there is a choice mainly of terraced property or mine owners' houses." When approached by the Daily Telegraph, Mr Bryant said: "I have never said or thought anything of the sort".
In all, he successfully claimed over £13,000 for renovations, repairs & appliances, in 2004. Along with other bills, his annual claim was £20,902.
In April 2005, he flipped his expenses to his flat in west London, which he bought for £400,000 in April 2002. He also claimed £630 a month for mortgage interest, along with other bills. After claiming over £3,600 over 3 months, he sold the flat in July 2005 for £477,000.
Mr Bryant used his profits to buy a more expensive flat in west London, which was valued at £670,000. He immediately flipped his second home expenses there, claiming almost £6,400 in stamp duty, legal fees and mortgage fees, incurred in the purchase.
He then began claiming interest of £1,000 a month on the mortgage. He also claimed a further £6,000 a year for the flat's service charge and ground rent.
In all, he claimed £92, 415 in second home expenses, from 2004 to 2009.
Mr Bryant said at the time: "I moved flat in London, so as to be closer to Parliament."
Research by Channel 4 News in 2015 found that at least 46 MPs had this kind of system in place – a move one Labour backbencher described as “a new fiddle”. Channel 4 reported then:
“Our investigation found that many of the MPs bought their London properties with the help of the taxpayer, when a previous expenses system allowed them to claim back mortgage payments. But when those claims were banned, following the expenses scandal, they switched to letting out their properties, in some cases for up to £3,000 a month. They then started claiming expenses for rent and hotels in the capital.”
Among those identified was Chris Bryant, shadow leader of the House of Commons. He had already bought a penthouse in London back in 2005 and claimed around £1,000 a month in mortgage claims under the old system.
But after the expenses scandal, he started renting the property out. It’s since been advertised by estate agents as having a private lift and a porter, with rent at about £3,000 a month. Meanwhile, Bryant moved into a new flat;- claiming his own rent on expenses.
Image: Russian scientists and Scottish ones
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.
Image: BRICS
Image: March 26 London anti cuts demo
KILLING THE ELDERLY BY CLOSING CARE HOMES
Did you know that each time a local authority
closes a care home for the elderly, within 8
months, around half the residents are dead?
Campaigners liken the cuts and their effect to euthanasia of the UK's elderly. What to do?
We can start by urging our MPs to sign EDM 2251:
EDM 2251: The contents
This House notes with deep concern the worsening crisis for elderly care as growing numbers of local authority and private care homes face closure
Acknowledges concerns that the loss of elderly people's care homes causes fear, anxiety and, in many cases, a higher mortality rate, when vulnerable, elderly people are forced to leave their homes
Further notes that the Southern Cross crisis will increase needs for local authority care
And therefore calls on the government to hold a public inquiry into the deaths after closures, of local authority care homes, and impose a moratorium on the closure of local authority care homes, until that inquiry publishes its results, to ensure that vulnerable, elderly people's lives are not put at further risk.
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MAKING THE CONNECTION IN WALES
Households across three more English areas will be able to access superfast broadband in the latest phase of a Government scheme to connect rural homes and businesses.
The £50 million funding package for Devon and Somerset (£30 million), Norfolk (£15 million) and Wiltshire (£4 million) will aid the roll- out of superfast broadband services unable to be reached by the market alone.
Areas will also receive financial support from their local authorities and private investors, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport says.
So it's Broadband Heaven for England...
and crapola for Wales' broadband - the
slowest, worst Broadband in the UK !!!
Lib Dems in Scotland might have received a pummeling for Clegg and his betrayals, yet, in Scotland, their campaign centred on it becoming the "most connected country in Europe," to massively boost their economy.
In Wales, which political party is now willing to put into practice scientists' recommendations: that Wales' hilly topography requires establishing
free 'wireless' broadband?
It could connect the people of Rhondda and the world, boosting Wales' economic regeneration, like no other move.Wireless technology is now supplying free broadband to an entire island off New Zealand's coast.
Come on; if New Zealand can do it - so can we !!!
Image: China's rapeseed blossoms this Spring.
Western China has embraced "green-mode development" - with painful changes from which, Wales could well learn.
Eastern China has seen fast growth and urban mess. The West, a mining and agricultural area, has not.
Xi'an Chan-ba Ecological District, is a model for reclaiming old mining areas.
It took six hard years, but now Xi'an is showing the world how best to change, by turning a badly polluted rubbish landfill site, into an all new environment-friendly development.
As China's economic focus moves from east to west, it's using the lessons learned during 30 or more years of rapid industrial development.
The green way for China's west, is to combine green industrialization & green urbanization.
The western region's strategy is to adopt effective energy-saving and environmental protection technologies... AND to extend its industry through science and products unique to China's West, together with strong vertical growth in agriculture and all its ancilliary economic & professional spin-offs.
In undertaking this industrial revolution, the western region will keep a sharp eye out - to avoid all polluting non-sustainable industries.
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A BIG DROP OF HONEY !!!
Spring is beekeeping and honey-processing season in Yunnan province, in China.
Waves of bees flit across vast fields of flowers.
Local beekeepers and many from other places, such as Sichuan and Fujian provinces - set up their base in tents among the rapeseed farms.
The 430,000 hectares of rapeseed blooms in Luoping attract myriads of bees, which produce 15 - 20 million tons of honey a year.
Local people now look to brand their county as a honey production base & increase sales to outside markets.
Luoping Tianyuanmiyu Bee Industry Co Chair, Zhu Hongkun, founded his enterprise in 2009.
It mainly produces honey, propolis and propolis powder.
His company works with 270 plus beekeepers, who each earn 80,000 yuan a year on average.
Some earn 200,000 yuan annually, Zhu says.
Who says beauty endowed by nature isn't worth a fortune?
The whole of the uplands of south Wales could be as beautiful & productive, if used wisely!
Image: retirement China style
CHINA's PREMIER POINTS WAY FORWARD
As the Tories threaten a "bonfire of the Quangos", perhaps Wales should take note. Now extracting all our mineral wealth has been stopped (apart from sand and rock) we find ourselves "in" the 1st World of the UK, but with a 3rd World economy, only just kept going by quangos which promise much... but deliver little... and rely on weak public support.
We could WAKE UP & understand that we either do something, or stay as begging bowl cases.
China's premier points the way forward for Wales:
"Industrial restructuring is the key... only by developing energy-efficient, indigenous innovative and high value added products can our companies and economy, achieve sustainable development."
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WHILE FRANCE, GREECE, IRELAND, ETC, STRUGGLE TO STOP THE PENSION AGE RISING HIGHER AND HIGHER...
An online survey on qq.com, a popular Chinese news portal, finds that 91% of its over 800,000 respondents, are against raising the current official Chinese retirement age.
745,123 of those surveyed say they oppose raising retirement ages -- 72,456 support it.
China's scholars & the public have been debating whether to raise the retirement age, for the past few years, but the issue rose to prominence after remarks by an official.
Wang Xiaochu, the official vice minister of the Ministry of Human Resources & Social Security, said at a press conference that the government was "studying the matter"...
The retirement age in China is generally set at 60 for men and 50-55 for women.
Wow! Bet you didn't know that !!!
Image: unemployment in Wales
FARMING AND SCIENCE COULD REGENERATE WALES
A new UN General Assembly report warns "vast areas" of cultivated land are lost each year, and that this could lead to unrest.
The report says up to 30 million hectares, an area the size of Italy, is lost each year to environmental degradation, industry & urbanization - the growth of cities - and all because of speculative building and greed.
The UN special rapporteur Olivier De Schutter, gives the example of eastern Africa, where the amount of cultivated land has declined by half --- in just one generation! "
As rural populations grow and competition with large industrial units increases, plots cultivated by smallholders are shrinking year after year," says De Schutter.
"Farmers are often relegated to soils that are arid, hilly or without irrigation."
The UN officer also mentions India as another example, where the average landholding fell from 2.6 hectares in 1960 to 1.4 hectares in 2000. A cut of nearly half in 40 years!
He says 500 million small farmers suffer from hunger, partly because their right to land is being violated. The expert warns of the devastating consequences, as foreign investors compete for larger and larger areas of the world's land for "their" agriculture.
Rhondda Records says Wales could rebuild its new economy by basing it on a fresh approach to high-value added products, using science and agriculture... such as the Altzeim project in Gwent.