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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.”

People hold up a banner as they protest

against Israel at the entrance of the

International Criminal Court.

000000000000000000000000000000000

13 people were killed -- in an Israeli strike

on the city of Saida in southern Lebanon

November 18th, 9:52pm

(RT.ru)

An Israeli strike on the city of Saida in southern

Lebanon killed 13 people and injured

several others.

This is reported by Reuters with reference

to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

The Israeli military claims.... to have struck a training

camp belonging to the Palestinian Hamas movement.

In turn, the Hamas statement says ------ that

Israel attacked a Palestinian refugee camp.

Earlier, it was reported that Lebanon
maintained a ban on Iranian flights
---- for security reasons amid
Israeli threats.

____________________________________________________________

‘Day of shame’: Ex-UN rights official

slams UNSC resolution on Gaza

November 18th, 5:06pm

(PressTV)

A former senior United Nations human rights official has

denounced the UN Security Council’s adoption of a

resolution backing a US plan for foreign forces in

the besieged Gaza Strip, describing the vote
as a "day of shame" for the world body.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Craig Mokhiber, former director

of the New York office of the UN High Commissioner for Human

Rights (OHCHR), described the vote on the US resolution as

a "day of shame" for the world body .....and called it a

“colonial outrage.”

The former rights official further accused governments worldwide

of being “on their knees before the US empire and its violent

Israeli client.”

The US-drafted resolution was adopted on Monday with 13 votes

in favour, with two abstentions from Russia and China in the

15-member council.

The plan is based on US President Donald Trump's 20-point project

for Gaza's future, including only a singular line that envisions the

''possibility'' of a future Palestinian state.

It outlines a Trump-chaired "Board of Peace"... to oversee affairs

in the besieged Palestinian territory as a transitional authority.

It also authorizes an "international stabilization force" that

would ensure a "demilitarization" of Gaza.

Mokhiber also criticized the "horrific" resolution

--------- as a violation of international law.

Trump’s plan for Gaza ‘reminiscent of

colonial era practices,’ Russia says

Moscow says the plan sidelines Palestinians and

risks deepening the territory’s political division.

“This proposal has been rejected by Palestinian civil society

and factions, as well as by defenders of human rights and

international law --- everywhere,” Mokhiber said.

“The struggle for Palestinian freedom ------

will continue undeterred,” he emphasized.

The Hamas resistance movement and other Palestinian factions,

including Islamic Jihad, have condemned the resolution -- for
imposing an “international guardianship” over Palestinians.

“The resolution imposes an international guardianship mechanism

on the Gaza Strip, which our people and their factions reject,”

Hamas said.

“It also seeks to achieve the occupation’s objectives, which it

failed to accomplish through its brutal genocide,” he stated.

The Palestinian group criticized the resolution for “detaching the

Gaza Strip from the rest of Palestinian territory” in an attempt to

impose new realities - against the will of the Palestinian people.

The Islamic Jihad Movement also affirmed its rejection of the

US resolution, stating that it violates the Palestinian people’s

“right to self-determination.”

It further censured the use of humanitarian aid, as a tool of

pressure and noted that the resolution fails to hold Israel

accountable for the blockade of Gaza.

Critics and independent observers argue that the US draft seeks

to use the UN’s authority to normalize Israel’s genocide --- and

impose another foreign regime on Palestinians.

UN Security Council..... approves US plan

for Gaza, Hamas rejects UNSC resolution

Hamas has rejected the UNSC resolution, arguing that it imposes

international guardianship, does not address Palestinian rights,

and aims to disarm the resistance.

The plan is also criticized for operating outside recognized

international legal frameworks ---- establishing a parallel

order based on security control and external authority.

The diplomats said that the Americans could decide to go

forward unilaterally with a force from willing countries

that would not have the UN's backing.

Hamas and Israel agreed last month to the US-brokered

Gaza ceasefire, aimed at ending the latter’s two-year-

long genocidal war against Palestinians in the

besieged territory.

The truce took effect on October 10, but Israel has

continued to violate it by carrying out airstrikes,

incursions, shootings, and arrests.

_________________________________________

US Incitement Targets Lebanese Army Chief

----- After His Sovereign Stand Condemning

Israeli Attacks

November 18th, 4:52pm

(al Manar)

Washington’s unease is becoming increasingly evident as

the Lebanese Army maintains a clear, sovereign position

in describing Israeli aggression for what it is. Lebanese

media reported that the US abruptly canceled Army

Commander Gen. Rudolf Heikal’s scheduled visit

to Washington today, following a recent military

statement condemning Israel’s continuous

attacks on southern Lebanon and on

UNIFIL forces.

According to the same reports, US officials canceled all meetings

planned for the Army Chief, while the Lebanese Embassy in

Washington.... called off the reception organized in

his honour. Sources emphasized that the direct

cause was ---- “Washington’s objection to the

Army’s tone, which held Israel responsible

for destabilization without assigning any

blame to Hezbollah, at a time when the

United States regards Israel as a

principal ally.”

The statement — firmly rooted in national principles and on-
the-ground facts angered several prominent members of
Congress, prompting an internal debate over the future
of US assistance to Lebanon. The issue has now
reportedly been placed under the purview of
Secretary of State Marco Rubio - given his
role.... in shaping Washington’s evolving
policy toward Lebanon --- particularly
regarding Lebanon's Armed Forces.

In a sign of escalating political pressure, Republican
Senator Joni Ernst ---- wrote on X expressing
“disappointment” with the Lebanese
Army’s position.

What provoked Washington, however, was the very truth it sought to

suppress. On November 16, the Lebanese Army stated plainly that

“the Israeli enemy persists in violating Lebanese sovereignty and

causing instability,” adding that the Israeli enemy’s attack on a

UNIFIL patrol constituted “a dangerous escalation that

demands immediate action.”

Israel later admitted it had ''mistakenly''

fired on two UN peacekeepers.

UNIFIL --- through its spokesperson Candice Ardell --- also

voiced “deep concern”, over the repeated Israeli attacks.

The contrast --- between the Army’s statement and the rhetoric

emerging from Congress underscores a fundamental reality:

the problem does not lie in Beirut’s words - but in the US’s
discomfort - with any Lebanese position that identifies

Israel, for what it is — an occupying force engaged

in continuous aggression.

Source: Al-Manar Website

____________________________

Urgent

Israeli killed, 3 others hurt

in Gush Etzion attack:

Israeli media

____________________________

Israeli Occupation Forces ------ Conduct

Widespread Arrests Across West Bank

November 18th, 12:39pm

(al Manar)

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carried out a series

of raids in the West Bank last night and early Tuesday

dawn, arresting a number of Palestinian citizens.

According to local sources, the IOF arrested three citizens,

including two brothers, from different neighbourhoods

in Bethlehem.

In the village of Hindaza, southeast of Bethlehem, Israeli

occupation forces arrested two other brothers from

their home.

The IOF also stormed the Aida and al-Deheisha refugee camps,

though no arrests were reported in those incidents.

In the Ramallah and al-Bireh province, the Israeli occupation

forces arrested two young men after raiding their homes

in the al-Jalazon refugee camp and stormed several

other areas.

In Jenin, a young man was taken prisoner after a special

occupation Israeli occupation force raided his home

in the town of Meithalun.

In Nablus, the IOF stormed the city and surrounding towns,

where they reportedly ransacked multiple homes.

In the village of Odala, south of Nablus, Israeli occupation

soldiers raided a house and a store, confiscating security

camera recordings.

Source: Agencies (edited by
Al-Manar English Website)

___________________________________

South Lebanon: Municipal Worker Martyred

in Israeli Strike in New Ceasefire Violation

November 18th, 10:39am

(al Manar)

A Lebanese municipal worker was martyred on Tuesday

in an Israeli strike on south Lebanon, in a new violation

of the ceasefire that ended the brutal Israeli war on

Lebanon in late 2024.

Al-Manar correspondent reported an Israeli drone strike

on a Rapid vehicle in the southern town of Bint Jbeil.

Lebanese Health Ministry announced that

the strike in Bint Jbeil left one martyr.

Media identified the martyr as Ali Ibrahim Shaito, reporting

that he was heading to his work in the municipality...

as he was targeted by the Israeli drone.

The Union of Municipalities of Bint Jbeil District issued

a statement ---- in which it strongly condemned the

Israeli aggression.

Civil worker Ali Ibrahim Shaito was martyred in the Israeli

attack which targeted the citizen’s efforts in serving the

local community, the union’s statement read.

Elsewhere in the border town of Blida, an Israeli glider

targeted an excavator, causing it to catch fire,

according to our correspondent.

The Israeli enemy continues to bomb Lebanon, mainly the

country’s south, almost daily and maintains occupation

over five posts along the southern border - in violation

of a ceasefire deal reached following a brutal 66-day

Israeli war between September and November 2024.

In addition to the Israeli violations, the Lebanese State has

been subjected to unprecedented pressure by the US, the

first sponsor of the Zionist entity, to disarm Hezbollah.

Source: Al-Manar English Website

_____________________________________

Palestinian Factions Denounce

UN Resolution as Trusteeship

for Gaza

November 18th, 9:37am

(al Manar)

Hamas issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the US-drafted

UN Security Council resolution adopted the previous night. The

group asserted that the resolution “fails to meet the political

and humanitarian demands and rights of the Palestinian

people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.”

The statement continued, “It imposes a mechanism to achieve the

occupation’s objectives, which it could not accomplish through

its war of extermination” over the past two years.

Hamas indicated that the resolution “imposes an international

trusteeship mechanism on the Gaza Strip,” emphasizing the

rejection of this proposal by the Palestinian people and

their factions.

The statement further elaborated that “this resolution separates the

Gaza Strip from the rest of the Palestinian territories - and attempts

to impose new realities that disregard the fundamental principles

and legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people. This

deprives them of their right to self-determination and the

establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem

as its capital.”

Regarding the resistance’s weapons, Hamas reiterated that they

are “linked to the existence of the occupation.” It stressed that

“any discussion on the issue of weapons --- must remain an

internal national matter, connected to a political process

---- that guarantees the end of the occupation, the

establishment of a state, and the right to

self-determination.”

While Hamas emphasized --- that resisting the occupation “by all

means is a legitimate right ---- guaranteed by international laws

and conventions,” it clarified that “assigning the international

force's tasks and roles within the Gaza Strip ---- including

disarming the resistance ----- strips it of neutrality and

transforms it ----- into a party to the conflict, on

behalf of the occupation.”

Hamas stressed that if any international force is established,

its presence must be limited to the border, “in order to

separate the forces and monitor the ceasefire.”

Islamic Jihad: US Decision

Constitutes Trusteeship

and Separation

For its part, the Islamic Jihad Movement announced its categorical

rejection of the resolution, asserting that it constitutes an

international trusteeship over the Gaza Strip. The

movement stated this is rejected by all the

components of the Palestinian people,

and their forces, because it “aims to

achieve goals - that the occupation

has failed to impose through its

repeated wars.”

The movement emphasized ---- that the danger of the resolution lies

in its attempt ------ to separate the Gaza Strip from the rest of the

Palestinian territories and to impose new political realities that
contradict the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. It

described the resolution as a usurpation of the right to self-

determination --- and the right to resist the occupation ---

a right, it stated --- guaranteed by international laws

and conventions.

Islamic Jihad also asserted that imposing an American-backed

governing body, with international cover, on a part of the

Palestinian people without their consent, constitutes

a violation of international humanitarian law.

The UN Security Council adopted the US-sponsored resolution

endorsing President Donald Trump’s plan for the Gaza Strip

on Monday evening. The resolution, which passed with

13 votes in favour, calls for the deployment of an

international force - and the disarmament

of the Palestinian resistance.

Source: Palestinian media (edited

and translated by Al-Manar

English Website)

_____________________________________

The latest UN resolution on Gaza

...opens the door to controversy:

US welcomes it,
Hamas rejects it

November 18th, 8:36am

(al Manar)

The UN Security Council voted in favour of a US-drafted

resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s Gaza

peace plan, which includes deploying an

international force and a path to a

Palestinian state.

Thirteen members of the Council voted for the text, which US

Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz described as “historic and

constructive.” Russia and China abstained, but neither

country used its veto power.

Waltz said, “Today’s resolution is another important step that will

enable Gaza to prosper and provide an environment that allows

Israel to enjoy security.”

However, Hamas said the resolution: “falls short

of the political and humanitarian demands and

rights of our Palestinian people.”

The movement added, “This resolution separates the Gaza Strip

from the rest of the Palestinian territories and attempts
to impose new realities that disregard our people’s

fundamental principles - and legitimate national

rights, thus depriving our people of their right

to self-determination and the establishment

of their Palestinian state, with Jerusalem

as its capital.”

The text, which underwent several revisions during

negotiations within the Council, endorses the plan

that led to the ceasefire on October 10.

The latest version of the text allows for the establishment of an

“international stabilization force that will cooperate with the

occupying power, Egypt, and the newly trained Palestinian

police to help secure border areas and disarm the

Gaza Strip.”

The “international stabilization force” will also work to

permanently disarm unofficial armed groups, protect

civilians, and establish humanitarian corridors.

The resolution also allows for the creation of a “Peace Council,”

a transitional governing body for Gaza, theoretically headed by

Trump, with its mandate extending until the end of 2027.

The draft states that once the Palestinian Authority implements

the required reforms and begins the reconstruction of Gaza,

“conditions may finally be in place for a credible path to

Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

For his part... the Algerian representative to the United Nations,

Amar Benjamaa, said that amendments had been made to the

US draft resolution on Gaza to ensure fairness and balance,

noting that “Arab and Islamic countries supported the US

draft resolution.... in its final version.”

The Algerian representative, for his part, stressed the need to

respect “the decisions and choices of the Palestinian people

and their representatives, and to support the continuation

of the ceasefire in Gaza and the Palestinian people’s

right to self-determination.”

The UN Security Council adopted the US resolution

on President Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza.

In a related context, Russia’s UN representative, Vasily Nebenzya,

expressed Moscow’s reservations about the US resolution on

Gaza, noting that it does not include any reaffirmation of

fundamental principles and resolutions, including the

two-state solution.

Nebenzya also pointed to several shortcomings in the resolution,

including “the absence in Trump’s plan of any reference to the

role of an international force in disarming Hamas, the lack of

a timeframe for the Palestinian Authority to extend its

control over Gaza, and the lack of clarity regarding

a peace council or an international force to

stabilize Gaza.”

The Council ...approved the resolution by a majority of 13 votes out

of 15, with two members abstaining, while the occupation forces

continue to bomb the Gaza Strip and demolish what remains of

its homes, despite the ceasefire agreement reached on the

tenth of last month, resulting in hundreds of Palestinian

martyrs and wounded, as well as restricting the entry

of food and medical supplies.

Source: Agencies (edited

& translated by Al-Manar

English Website)

Today, November the 18th, in 1935,

Brought up in East Germany, Rudolf Bahro, since his
death.... has been recognized as a significant
philosopher, political figure and author.

Bahro was a leader of the West German party The Greens,

but left the party.... after becoming disenchanted with it.

Bahro spent the remainder of his life exploring

spiritual approaches to sustainability at

Humboldt University in Berlin.

Rudolf Bahro also spent years in retreats

delving into his soul for honest answers.

Bahro, was a founding member of the West German 'Die
Grunen'. For him, green politics was about capturing
people's consciousness, not accumulating votes.

By 1985 he had resigned from the Party. His resignation

statement noted how the Greens did not want to get

out of the industrial system:

"Instead of spreading consciousness ---

they are obscuring it all along the line."

Further discussion of Bahro's ideas, can be found in

Green Web Bulletin # 68, "Ecofascism: What is It?

A Left Biocentric Analysis".

Bahro ---- particularly repudiated the

continuing justification of animal

experimentation ----- by the

''Animal experiments -------- occupy a central place in the

material and spiritual edifice of our whole civilization.

We are speaking here, of one of those foundation

stones ------- whose removal could cause the

whole house to collapse.''

"I believe that the ecological crisis ------

will bring about the end of capitalism."

‘Worst gift ever’ ----- Global calls mount

to boycott Reebok over sponsorship

tied to Israeli settlements

November 11th, 12:06pm

by Maryam Qarehgozlou

When a global sportswear name appears on the kit of a regime

waging a genocidal war, the sneakers in shop windows stop

being just shoes — they become symbols.

Reebok, a US footwear and clothing brand, is finding itself at the

centre of a growing international storm, over its sponsorship

of the Israel Football Association (IFA).

For Palestinian athletes and human-rights campaigners, the deal

crosses a line: a multinational brand is lending prestige — and

heaps of money — to an association embedded in an

occupation that kills and displaces Palestinians

daily in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The result has been a coordinated global call for a boycott

and a “Day of Action” on November 22, urging consumers

to turn their purchases ---- into political pressure.

Anti-Israel protesters holding a banner in Dublin, Ireland, calling on UEFA and FIFA to ‘show Israel the red card’.

Irish football body votes ---

to seek Israel’s ban: from

European competition

November 8th, 7:26pm

(PressTV)

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) ....has overwhelmingly

passed a resolution calling on the Union of European Football

Associations (UEFA) ---------- to suspend Israel from all

international competitions.

The resolution, proposed by Dublin club Bohemians, says that

the Israel Football Association (IFA) failed to enforce an

effective anti-racism policy and continues to organize

clubs in Israeli settlements in the occupied West

Bank without the consent of the Palestinian

Football Association.

The motion passed Saturday with 74 votes in favour, seven

against, and two abstentions, according to the FAI. The

association confirmed that it plans to submit a formal

motion to UEFA’s executive committee requesting

--------- Israel’s immediate suspension from

its competitions.

The Irish resolution --- follows similar calls from the Turkish

and Norwegian football associations, which urged Israel’s

suspension from international competitions.

These requests came after United Nations experts - appealed to

FIFA and UEFA to act, citing a UN Commission of Inquiry report

that concluded Israel ------ was actively committing genocide

against Palestinians.

In a letter to the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, the experts

described banning Israel as “imperative” and urged the football

governing body and its members to “fulfil their legal and moral

obligations to uphold international law --- and move forward

with an immediate and complete ban of Israeli football.”

The letter highlighted the devastating impact of Israel’s actions

on football in Gaza as at least 421 Palestinian footballers have

been killed since the regime launched its war on the

Palestinian territory in October 2023.

__________________________________________

Microsoft - forced to block Israel’s use of its

cloud, AI... in mass spying on Palestinians

September 27th, 10:20am

(PressTV)

US tech giant Microsoft has been forced to terminate the Israeli

military’s access to some of its services ------ which the illegal

regime uses for espionage activities and data surveillance

against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza and the

occupied West Bank.

Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Brad Smith, confirmed in a

blog post that the company had “ceased and disabled a set of

services” to a unit within the Israeli ministry of military affairs

------- in response to an August 6 joint investigation by The

Guardian, +972 Magazine, and the Hebrew-language

outlet Local Call.

The investigation revealed that following a 2021 meeting between

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Israel’s Unit 8200 leader Yossi

Sariel, an agreement was reached -- to collaborate on moving

large volumes of ''sensitive'' intelligence material into the

company’s Azure platform.

The probe revealed that Unit 8200, the Israeli military’s notorious

spy outfit in charge of carrying out clandestine operations and

collecting signal intelligence, used Microsoft’s Azure cloud

computing platform to store phone call data obtained

through mass surveillance in war-torn Gaza and

the occupied West Bank.

The joint investigation said the spying unit, equipped with Azure’s

near-limitless storage capacity and computing power - had built

an indiscriminate new system allowing its intelligence officers

to collect, play back, and analyze the content of cellular calls

.....of the entire Palestinian population.

According to several sources, the enormous repository of

intercepted calls – which amounted to as much as 8,000

terabytes of data – was held in a Microsoft data centre

--- in the Netherlands.

Sources familiar with the matter, said Microsoft told Israeli officials

late last week that Unit 8200 had violated the company’s terms of

service by storing the vast trove of surveillance data in its Azure

cloud platform.

The decision brings to an abrupt end a three-year period

in which the spy agency operated its surveillance

program using Microsoft’s technology.

Although the initial focus of the spying system was the occupied

West Bank, where an estimated three million Palestinians live

under Israeli military occupation - intelligence sources were

reported to say the cloud-based storage platform had been

used in the Gaza war......... to facilitate the preparation of

deadly airstrikes.

The revelations highlighted how Israel, in cahoots with major US

technology companies, used their services and infrastructure

----- to bomb Gaza, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians,

mostly civilians, and creating a humanitarian crisis.

US technology giant Microsoft plays a significant role and is

complicit in the Israeli regime’s genocidal war on the Gaza

Strip by providing the occupying entity with advanced

artificial intelligence (AI) tools, finances, and

workforce, says a recent report.

Last month, Quds News Network said in a report - that Microsoft is

among the most prominent global technology companies that has

established a strong and influential presence, in the Israeli war

on Gaza.

Microsoft was reported to have employed over 1,000 former Israeli

soldiers and officers in its offices within the occupied territories,

with many also working in its global branches.

Investigations based on leaked employee records reveal

that more than 300 former Israeli spies currently work

at Microsoft, according to the report.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been committing genocide

in the Gaza Strip by killing, starving, and displacing

Palestinians, ignoring international calls and

orders from the International Court of

Justice - to halt it.

The genocide has left 65,549 dead and 167,518 injured, most of

them children and women. Over 11,000 people are missing, in

addition to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and

a famine that has claimed more than 210 lives.

_______________________________________________

UN blacklist updated: 68 more companies

linked to illegal activities - in Israel

September 26th, 6pm

(africanews)

The United Nations has significantly expanded -------- its blacklist of

companies accused of contributing to human rights violations

against Palestinians ---- through their activities in
Israeli settlements.

The UN added 68 new companies from 11 countries

to its database, bringing the total to 158 firms.

The list, first established just under a decade ago,

predominantly features Israeli companies - but

also includes major Western companies from
the US, Germany, Spain, and many others.

The update - primarily targets firms in construction,

real estate, mining, and quarrying - ruling their

operations supportive... of settlements that

are illegal ------ under international law.

Notable additions, include Germany's Heidelberg

Materials and Spain's Ineco, while travel giants

like Expedia and Airbnb - remain listed.

This update arrives at a politically sensitive time, as

some European nations have recently recognized a

Palestinian state in protest of Israel's military

actions in Gaza.

It also follows Israeli threats of the annexation

of the West Bank and its approval of more

new ''settlements''.

The UN human rights office stated it urges businesses to

conduct due diligence ---- to avoid human rights abuses.

However, the list is a symbolic tool from the UN Human

Rights Council, says africanews ---- lacking power to

enforce compliance.

Rhondda Records adds: unless others find

the UN list -- and boycott those firms on it.

_________________________________________

Edinburgh --- to become first Scottish city

to boycott Israeli regime over genocide

September 26th, 3:35pm

(PressTV)

Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, has aimed to become the first

Scottish city to boycott the Israeli regime over its ongoing

genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

City Councillors voted on Thursday in favour of a motion.. which

moves the capital closer to implementing Boycott, Divestment

and Sanctions (BDS) against the Zionist regime: in opposition

to the Gaza genocide.

Green Councillor Ben Parker said the Council.. took a step towards

ensuring that no public money is being used to support the regime.

“The people of Edinburgh have repeatedly voiced their solidarity

with the people of Palestine, and Green Councillors have long

been trying to find ways to turn that solidarity into practical

actions against the Israeli regime," Parker said.

“BDS is one way of doing this, but local councils have previously

been blocked from taking this action against Israel ...due to an

outdated piece of legislation," he added.

“As we approach two years of continued bombardment, torture and

mass starvation of Palestinians, it seems bizarre to be debating

motions about regulations and process," Parker said.

“But we’re hoping that the move by the Scottish Government will

allow Edinburgh to follow suit and take real, practical steps

towards a free Palestine --- so, we need clarity on exactly

what it means for local government procurement rules."

Meanwhile, former co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie,

said, "We fully support our Green Councillors motion, and we hope

that Edinburgh will lead the way in taking action to boycott Israel."

“There is a role for every level of government in taking action and

showing true solidarity with the Palestinian people who are

subjected to horrific killing and dehumanisation by

Israeli military forces," he said.

“Scotland must divest from any Israeli-linked companies and arms

dealers who profit from the state-sanctioned genocide in Gaza,"

he stated.

“The Scottish Government has already voted in favour of our

proposals, and now they must explain how they will carry

them out, and how they will work with local councils

to enable them to do the same.”

The Greens hope to use the international sanctions and boycotts to

pressure the Israeli regime into ending the genocidal war against

Gaza ---- and uphold its responsibilities to international law.

Scottish Conservatives, who are opposed to the move,

labelled the motion as “warped” and “anti-Semitic”.

Jackson Carlaw, a former leader of the Scottish Conservatives,

claimed Edinburgh residents expect the city Councillors to be

focused on menial jobs -- like emptying their bins and filling

potholes, instead of putting forward legislation aimed at

ending the suffering and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Since the Israeli regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza in

October 2023, at least 65,502 Palestinians, mostly women

and children, have been killed.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war

minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against

humanity in Gaza.

The Israeli regime also faces a genocide case at

the International Court of Justice (ICC) for its

crimes in the besieged Palestinian land.

__________________________________________

Eurovision body to vote

- on Israel's expulsion

by Steven McIntosh

Entertainment reporter

September 26th, 12:54pm

(by the state owned BBC)

The organisation behind the Eurovision Song Contest has

confirmed it will hold a vote on whether or not Israel

should be allowed to participate next year.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed it will

invite 68 member countries to give their view at a

general assembly meeting in early November.

A decision will be taken by a simple majority, meaning that

if more than 50% of members vote to exclude Israel,

the country will not take part in 2026.

Israel's continued participation in Eurovision has been

controversial due to the ongoing ''war'' in Gaza, and

several countries have already called for

their exclusion.

The EBU confirmed all 68 member countries will be

invited to vote, including broadcasters who don't

take part in Eurovision, such as Tunisia, Egypt,

Turkey, Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon.

Recently, countries including Ireland, the Netherlands,

Slovenia, Iceland and Spain, have all said they will

drop out of Eurovision ...if Israel is not banned.

The Irish broadcaster, RTÉ, said that Ireland's participation

in the event "would be unconscionable given the ongoing

and appalling loss of lives in Gaza".

The Dutch public broadcaster, Avrotros, said it too could

no longer justify Israel's inclusion "given the ongoing

and severe human suffering in Gaza".

However, Israel's public broadcaster Kan said it should be

allowed to take part, adding it was "one of the contest's

longstanding, popular and successful participants".

In the UK, Eurovision is broadcast by the BBC. Last week,

the corporation's director-general Tim Davie said he was

"aware of the concerns" ....around Israel taking part.

Rhondda Records adds:

It's amazing that a violent colonizing apartheid state

managed to sneak into this European competition,

as Israel........ is such a long way from Europe.

__________________________________________________

Chile rejects new purchases of weapons

and military equipment ------ from Israel

September 24th, 11:45am

(Prensa Latina)

The Minister of Defense of Chile, Adriana Delpiano, affirmed today

that there will be no more purchases of weapons and military

equipment from Israel when current contracts expire, and

pointed out the importance of diversifying this line.

The official announced ----- that there are meetings with

representatives from other countries, including Spain

and the UK, to convert them into new suppliers.

Delpiano said it is “an issue that has nothing to do with

the quality of the weapons being fulfilled, but has to
do ....with another situation».

During his recent June 1 Public Account, President Gabriel

Boric said the country will no longer depend on Israeli

industry ------ in all fields.

Along these lines...... he reported that he instructed the head of

Defense to develop an urgent technological diversification plan.

During a conversation with Diario de Cooperativa, the minister said

this Wednesday that when certain equipment is purchased, there

is a dependency in terms of technical assistance, and the

purchase of spare parts and devices.

He made reference to the Israeli radars used by the Chilean

Armed Forces and assured that there are other nations

interested in working with Chile in the future, when

the current contracts end.

He added that in December the Space Centre will be

inaugurated, where they will build satellites without

Israeli technology, but based on elements

tendered in various countries.

A recent publication by academic Gabriel Rivas in the Centre

for Journalistic Investigations indicates that, of Chile's total

military spending, only a small proportion goes to the

import of supplies from the Middle Eastern State.

However, they include sensitive equipment such as drones,

Galil assault rifles, multiple launch systems, anti-tank

guided missiles, radars, missile boats, and others.

___________________________________________________

Spain approves embargo on

arms trade with Israel

September 23rd, 11:11am

(Prensa Latina)

The Council of Ministers of the Government of Spain today

approved implementing the arms embargo on Israel, a

measure that is added to others, in rejection of the

genocide in Gaza.

It was the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business, Carlos

Body, who was in charge of commenting on the announcement

to the media regarding the Royal Decree Law, which

coincidentally was accompanied in parallel by a

minute of silence for the victims of Gaza in

the Congress of Deputies..

“(...) urgent measures are adopted against the genocide in Gaza

and to support the Palestinian population (...) We consolidate

the total arms embargo on Israel’, the Corps highlighted.

In this way, the total arms embargo on Israel is legally established

and prohibits the trade of products from the occupied Palestinian

territories, which establishes that exceptions can be applied to

safeguard the general national interest, he added.

Likewise, he stressed - that the Royal Decree-Law is ‘a forceful and

pioneering step’ and another example of the political commitment

of the Government and Spain's leadership to be able to achieve a

just peace and lasting in the area, and that ‘the genocide stops”.

Going deeper into the issue, the Corps explained that the

consolidation of the total arms embargo on Israel, the

ban on exports to Israel and imports originating in

Israel of all defense material and dual-use

products or technology - are essential.

In addition --- the denial of the transit request for aircraft fuels

with possible military use in Israel, which were not included

until now in the Foreign Trade Control Regulation, they are

today... included.

Another aspect is the prohibition of importing products originating

from illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory

and finally the prohibition of advertising for the marketing of

goods originating from these settlements..... of services

provided in them.

The head of the Economy pointed out that the Government is

committed to reporting to Congress every quarter, of which

he trusts that he will give his support to this package of

sanctions within a deadline of 30 days.

On the other hand, Spain firmly maintained this Tuesday its will to

preserve the security and protection of the humanitarian flotilla

that brings humanitarian aid to Gaza ------- while rejecting

Israel's threats.

In a statement released by the Spanish Foreign Ministry and

endorsed from New York by the Minister of Foreign Affairs,

José Manuel Albares, the Iberian nation confirmed that

it will provide all diplomatic and consular protection

to the Sumud Global Flotilla.

The diplomat recalled the peaceful and humanitarian nature

of this civil society initiative and assured that “we will

react to any act that violates their freedom of

movement, their freedom of expression

and international law”.

_______________________________________

Over 1,300 Artists Pledge Boycott

of Israeli Film Institutions ----

as Gaza War Escalates

September 9th, 5:58am

(teleSUR)

More than 1,300 artists, among them Mark Ruffalo, Riz

Ahmed, and Tilda Swinton, have pledged to cut ties

with Israeli film institutions accused of complicity

in violations against Palestinians.

More than 1,300 artists, including high-profile Hollywood actors

and filmmakers, have pledged to withdraw from Israeli film

institutions accused of supporting violations against

Palestinians, as Israel’s war on Gaza enters its

23rd month.

The initiative, announced Monday, brings together figures such

as Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Riz Ahmed, Tilda

Swinton, and Javier Bardem. Their statement condemned

what they called the “unrelenting horror” in Gaza, where

Israeli attacks have killed over 64,000 Palestinians and

devastated most of the enclave.

“Inspired by Filmmakers United Against Apartheid who refused

to screen their films in apartheid South Africa, we pledge not

to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film

institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and

production companies – that are implicated in genocide and

apartheid against the Palestinian people,” the

declaration read.

The signatories defined complicity as “whitewashing or justifying

genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government

committing them.” The pledge also cited International Court

of Justice findings that the genocide case against Israel is

legally plausible -------- and reaffirmed the illegality of the

occupation of Palestinian territory.

Human rights groups, academics, and UN experts have repeatedly

accused Israel of committing genocide, one of the gravest war

crimes defined by the United Nations as acts carried out “with

intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical,

racial or religious group.”

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mike Lerner described the initiative

as a “non-violent tool” to challenge impunity. “It is the

responsibility of every independently minded artist

to use whatever powers of expression they

possess to support the global resistance

to overcome this horror,” he said.

The boycott reflects a shift within an industry long known for

pro-Israel narratives. Hollywood.. once produced films such

as the 1960 feature Exodus that glorified Israel’s founding,

and has frequently embedded positive references to the

country in mainstream productions. Yet recent years

have seen actors and directors, openly criticize

Israeli policies, often at a professional cost.

In 2023, Susan Sarandon, who signed the current pledge, was

dropped by her talent agency after attending a Palestine

solidarity rally. Actress Melissa Barrera, another

signatory, lost her role in the Scream franchise

following social media posts critical of Israel.

At the same time, Palestinian stories are gaining visibility. In

March, the Israeli-Palestinian co-production No Other Land,

documenting the destruction of Masafer Yatta in the

occupied West Bank, won the Academy Award for

best documentary feature. In September, The

Voice of Hind Rajab — recounting the final

calls of a five-year-old Palestinian girl..

before she and her family were killed

by Israeli forces — received a 23-

minute standing ovation at the

Venice Film Festival.

The artists’ statement concluded: “As filmmakers, actors, film

industry workers, and institutions, we recognise the power

of cinema to shape perceptions. In this urgent moment of

crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the

carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can, to

address complicity in that unrelenting horror.”

The collective action -- adds cultural weight to mounting calls for

accountability, as artists mobilize their influence to challenge

Israel’s conduct in Gaza and spotlight Palestinian voices on

the global stage.

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.

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

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 !!!

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.

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

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!

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."

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

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 !!!

FARMING AND SCIENCE
COULD REGENERATE WALES

A new UN General Assembly report warns
"vast areas" of cultivated land are lost each
year, and that this could lead to unrest.

The report says up to 30 million hectares,
an area the size of Italy, is lost each year
to environmental degradation, industry &
urbanization - the growth of cities - and all
because of speculative building and greed.

The UN special rapporteur Olivier De Schutter,
gives the example of eastern Africa, where
the amount of cultivated land has declined
by half --- in just one generation! "

As rural populations grow and competition
with large industrial units increases, plots
cultivated by smallholders are shrinking
year after year," says De Schutter.

"Farmers are often relegated to soils that
are arid, hilly or without irrigation."

The UN officer also mentions India as another
example, where the average landholding fell
from 2.6 hectares in 1960 to 1.4 hectares in
2000. A cut of nearly half in 40 years!

He says 500 million small farmers suffer
from hunger, partly because their right to
land is being violated.

The expert warns of the devastating
consequences, as foreign investors
compete for larger and larger areas of
the world's land for "their" agriculture.

Rhondda Records says Wales could rebuild
its new economy by basing it on a fresh
approach to high-value added products,
using science and agriculture... such as
the Altzeim project in Gwent.

What have we got to lose?