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Vietnamese company....... installs 

solar modules in schools in Cuba

Hanoi, September 10th, 5:56am

 (Prensa Latina) 




Through the Sun Without Borders Project, the Vietnamese company 

Thai Binh Green Power (TBGP) announced today the completion of

 solar panel modules and batteries in five schools in Havana ----

 out of a plan of 20.




The Vo Thi Thang elementary school, in the capital's municipality of 

Playa, was the first school to benefit last May from the initiative, 

promoted by the Union of Friendship Organizations with 

Vietnam .......and the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship 

Association in Ho Chi Minh City.




In the report of TB Solaro, a member of TBGP, to which Prensa Latina 

had access, it was realized ---- that the systems of eight solar panels 

with 10 or 15 kilowatt batteries have already been completed in the 

Vietnam Heroico and Le Van Thang kindergartens, the Nguyen Van 

Troi primary school (Cerro) and the Ho Chi Minh polytechnic... all 

in Havana.




Meanwhile, work began on the formation of the modules 

in the Cesáreo Fernández (Playa) and Nguyen Van Troi

 (Diez de Octubre) elementary schools.




The other 13 educational institutions --- will be equipped with solar 

panels and batteries in the coming months from a list coordinated 

between the executing company and the Cuban Ministry of 

Education, which included vocational pre-university 

enters in the western provinces of Pinar del Río, 

Artemisa, Mayabeque, Havana and Matanzas 

and the Special School of Solidarity 

with Panama.




The project included a nursery (Friends of the Vietnamese) 

and a primary school (Mártires de Tarará) in the town of 

Ben Tre, in the Artemisa municipality of Bauta.




The fundamental condition is that the educational institutions 

are located within a radius of 60 kilometres from Havana.




TB Solaro expressed on its Instagram account that for many 

communities in Cuba, having a stable electricity supply not 

only allows classes to continue without interruptions, but 

also provides students with better conditions.... to learn 

and access knowledge.




"In the coming months, TB Solaro will continue to bring this 

project to more schools across Cuba, bringing clean 

energy closer... to education and communities," 

he added.




We believe that each donated solar energy system not only 

lights up a school, but also helps illuminate the future of 

the new generations of Cuban students, he stressed.




In Vietnam, several fundraising campaigns have been carried 

out - to support the construction of solar energy systems in 

primary schools in Cuba, such as the one held in southern 

Ho Chi Minh City from July to November last year.




The Vietnamese government --- also donated four solar photovoltaic 

parks, of 20 megawatts each, including 10 megawatts of battery 

storage, which were placed in Mayabeque province.


 

 

____________________________________




  Trump’s Venezuela Oil Deal..... 

Doesn’t Add Up. Here's Why


September 4th, 9:19pm GMT


(Pravda.En)




Donald Trump has called his Venezuela agreement the “biggest 


oil deal in world history.” He promises control over 65B barrels, 


cheaper gasoline, a refilled Strategic Petroleum Reserve and 


a century of US energy dominance—all at “zero cost” to 


the US.


 


Every part of that sales pitch has.. a problem.


 


The 65B-barrel figure assumes that operators can recover around 


20% of the oil underground. Venezuela’s fields have historically 


achieved recovery rates of only 6–8%. A realistic estimate 


may therefore be closer to 20B barrels.


 


Much of it is extremely heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt. Producing 


and processing it requires dilutents, new wells, pipelines, upgrading 


facilities and specialized refineries. Trump is counting difficult oil 


in the ground, as if it were gasoline ready for delivery.


 


Venezuela ...currently produces around 1.2M barrels per day, down 


from roughly 3M in the late 1990s. Caracas says at least $100B in 


investment may be needed to raise output to just 1.5M barrels 


per day. Even that modest increase would take years and 


barely register in a global market consuming more than 


100M barrels daily.


 


The promised investment has yet to appear. Exxon previously called 


Venezuela “uninvestable” ------ while other major producers remain 


cautious. Chevron has committed $7B, but its plan runs during 


2031. Washington has placed its grand $100B reconstruction 


scheme around North American Blue Energy Partners, a far 


smaller Barbados-based operator expected to raise the 


money from private investors.


 


Those investors must also ignore the legal mess. The White House 


claims NABEP received 100-year concessions over 17 fields. 


Venezuela’s hydrocarbons law provides initial terms of up 


to 25 years, with extensions capped - at another 15. 


There was no competitive auction, and a future 


Venezuelan government could challenge
the
 entire arrangement.


 


Trump’s plan for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is equally flimsy. 


The reserve held around 294M barrels in late August -- against an 


authorized capacity of 714M. The State Department has secured 


20% of NABEP’s future production at cost - but first the company 


must find investors, rebuild the fields and produce the oil. That 


will not refill hundreds of millions of missing barrels..........


 anytime soon.


 


Cheaper gasoline is another campaign fantasy. Oil prices respond to 


actual daily supply, not century-long claims over difficult reserves. 


Any meaningful new Venezuelan output will arrive years after 


the midterms Trump wants to influence.


 


The administration has confused ownership paperwork with an 


operating oil industry. A Pentagon stake, board vetoes and 


purchase rights may give Washington control on paper. 


They cannot repair pipelines, provide electricity, 


raise $100B or ---- force heavy crude out of 


neglected fields.


 


Trump staged the victory ceremony before securing the 


financing, settling the law, or producing a single 


additional barrel.


 


Washington’s empire of plunder - celebrated the robbery 


before discovering that its loot existed largely on paper.


 


 


Source: Telegram "newrulesgeo"


 


 










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















































 

Iran shifted to offensive posture, 
will shape new global order: 


Hezbollah MP


September 10th, 2:26pm


 (PressTV)


 


A senior Hezbollah lawmaker has declared that Iran has 


successfully transitioned from a defensive to an 


offensive military posture ---- shattering US 


hegemony in West Asia and positioning 


the Islamic Republic to help shape a 


new, multipolar international order.


 


Speaking at a ceremony honouring a fallen fighter, MP 


Hassan Ezzeddine of the Loyalty to the Resistance 


Bloc praised Tehran’s steadfastness, asserting 


that the era of US intimidation --- is over.


 


"Iran today is no longer just defending itself; it is defending all 


free, oppressed, and honourable people across the world, 


both governments and populations," Ezzeddine stated.


 


He said that Washington's empire of intimidation has "shattered 


against the rock of Iranian steadfastness," leading to profound 


strategic shifts in the region.


 


According to the parliamentarian, Iran has emerged as the most 


critical and capable power in West Asia -- for two main reasons.


 


"First, regarding the security of the Persian Gulf and the region, 


no one can bypass the Islamic Republic of Iran anymore," 


he said.


 


Secondly, Ezzeddine highlighted Tehran's


 enhanced military deterrence.


 


"Iran has transitioned from defense to offense, meaning it can strike 


sites that pose a threat and respond to any planned aggression or 


crime by the US," he explained, adding... that this evolution will 


grant Iran a pivotal role in establishing a new global system 


"based on multipolarity, justice, and humanity."


 


Lebanon at forefront of future negotiations


 


Ezzeddine emphasized that these regional transformations will 


directly benefit Lebanon, noting: that Tehran has consistently 


prioritized Lebanese interests in its diplomatic engagements.


 


"In any new negotiations between the US and Iran, 


Lebanon ---- will be the first item on the agenda," 


he asserted.


 


He expressed confidence that Hezbollah and Iran, working together, 


can establish new equations that will force Israel to withdraw from 


all Lebanese territories, returning the situation to its pre-2023 


status quo.


 


"We must be patient, for victory is only 


an hour of patience away," he added.


 


Rebuke of Lebanese government


 


The lawmaker also delivered a critique of the Lebanese political 


leadership, blaming them for their silence in the face of recent 


Israeli massacres in southern towns, including Mansouri, 


Zebdin, Kafr Tebnit, and Kafr Ruman, where women 


and children were killed.


 


He described the ruling authority as a "partner in the blood" 


spilled across the South, Beirut's southern suburbs 


(Dahiyeh), and the Bekaa Valley.


 


Ezzeddine questioned whether the government has properly 


assessed the shifting regional dynamics, particularly the 


evolving power balance between the US and Iran, and 


demanded an end to direct negotiations with the 


"Israeli enemy."


 


"Every time... the authority makes further concessions to the 


enemy, the enemy becomes more ferocious in its genocide, 


killing, destruction, and displacement," Ezzeddine warned.


 


He condemned the government for stubbornly pursuing 


negotiations that have failed to secure a real ceasefire 


or halt the ongoing devastation, urging a complete 


reassessment of their failed diplomatic strategy.


 


 


_________________________________________________





US tanker strikes fail to deter Iran,

 drain interceptors: Bloomberg

September 10th, 11:31am

(Al Mayadeen English)

 

US attacks on Iranian oil tankers have failed to prevent further 

Iranian missile operations against US naval forces, while 

repeated strikes are forcing Washington to expend 

costly and increasingly scarce air-defense

 interceptors, Bloomberg reported.

 

The report examined the limits of Washington's policy of attacking 

Iranian tankers in response to operations targeting US warships, 

noting that the strategy has so far failed to establish the 

deterrence sought by the Trump administration.

 

US Central Command claimed it destroyed eight Iranian tankers 

over recent days following two Iranian missile attacks against 

US Navy vessels.

 

Washington has presented the attacks on the tankers.. as a punitive 

measure aimed at raising the cost of targeting US forces. Analysts 

cited by Bloomberg, however, said the calculation may favour 

Tehran, particularly as Iran can continue threatening vastly 

more expensive US naval assets while forcing US vessels 

to consume large quantities of defensive missiles.

 

US retaliation fails to halt Iranian operations

 

Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Centre, said 

the possibility of successfully striking a US naval 

vessel could outweigh the losses Iran incurs 

from US attacks on its tanker fleet.

 

“A successful hit would send the message that  US naval forces 

cannot operate with impunity, giving Tehran something it could 

portray both domestically and internationally as a success,” 

Grieco said. “Losing the tankers certainly hurts, but 

Tehran may well think it is worth it.”

 

US tanker strikes fail to halt Iranian operations

 

Significantly, Bloomberg noted that an earlier wave of US attacks

 on Iranian tankers did not prevent Tehran from subsequently 

launching further operations against US warships.

 

The latest confrontations are unfolding amid Washington's 

continued naval blockade targeting Iranian oil exports 

and renewed tensions over navigation through the 

Strait of Hormuz following the expiration of the 

previous ceasefire arrangement.

 

Iran has sought to enforce restrictions on maritime traffic 

through the strategic waterway as the US continues its 

campaign aimed at choking off Tehran's oil revenues.

 

Rubio vows to continue tanker retaliation

 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio nevertheless defended 

Washington's policy on Tuesday, signaling that the 

administration intends to.... continue attacking 

Iranian tankers in retaliation for operations 

against US vessels.

 

“When they try to hit US naval ships.... they will get hit themselves,” 

Rubio told reporters. “The back and forth is pretty straightforward. 

For every time they do that, or try to do that, they’re going to.. 

lose tankers.”

 

Meanwhile, Bloomberg stressed that Iran can still impose 

substantial costs on the US Navy, even when incoming 

missiles are intercepted.

 

Iran operations drain costly US interceptor arsenal

 

The Pentagon has said that many of the weapons launched toward 

US vessels were ballistic missiles, although Washington.. has not 

disclosed the exact missiles involved or the defensive systems 

used during the latest confrontations.

 

US warships depend on several layers of missile defenses, 

including SM-3 Block IIA interceptors, SM-6 missiles, and 

short-range Rolling Airframe Missiles.

 

According to Bloomberg, a single SM-3 interceptor produced 

by Raytheon costs roughly $15 million, while each SM-6 

costs around $5 million.

 

Cost imbalance favours repeated Iranian attacks

 

Iranian missiles are believed to cost substantially less --- and can be 

produced more readily than the advanced interceptors Washington 

must expend to defeat them, creating a widening cost imbalance 

with every new attack.

 

Becca Wasser, defense lead for Bloomberg Economics, said 

repeated missile operations can therefore benefit Tehran 

even without producing a direct hit on a US vessel.

 

The same challenge previously emerged during US naval 

confrontations with Yemen's Ansar Allah. Wasser said 

the Yemeni Armed Forces launched around 480 

relatively basic cruise missiles toward US 

Navy vessels between November 2024 

and January 2025 ---- compelling 

Washington, to expend billions 

of dollars' worth of weapons.

 

US struggles to replenish interceptor stockpiles

 

Heavy interceptor consumption during the ongoing US war 

on Iran ---- has further compounded the problem, with 

Washington and its allies --- already struggling

 to replenish air-defense stockpiles.

 

“The sheer amount of air-defense interceptors consumed in 

every attack continues to be unsustainable,” Wasser said. 

“The US risks running bare, and the continued costs on 

US stockpiles ..may lead Washington to reevaluate 

its approach.”

 

The assessment highlights -- a broader vulnerability facing US 

naval forces: Tehran does not necessarily have to penetrate 

US defenses ....in order to inflict strategic costs.

 

Tanker strikes fail to establish deterrence

 

By compelling US warships to repeatedly launch multimillion-dollar 

interceptors, Iranian operations ---- can steadily erode US missile 

inventories, increase the financial burden of maintaining the 

US naval presence, and place additional pressure on 

already strained Western defense production.

 

Meanwhile, Washington's destruction of Iranian tankers has yet 

to demonstrate that it can prevent Tehran from continuing 

operations against US forces, raising further questions

over the sustainability of the Trump administration's 

attempt to impose deterrence through attacks
on 
Iranian maritime assets.

 

More: US Patriot missile stockpiles 

fall below 1,700 amid Iran war.

 

 

Source: Bloomberg

 

 

____________________________________________

 

 

 

Marandi: Ending wars, sieges in region 

'the least --- that should be demanded'

September 10th, 11:21am

(Al Mayadeen English)

 

Marandi says Iran’s response will extend beyond US military 

positions, warning regional states supporting Washington 

that continued involvement.. warrants consequences.

 

Iran will not agree to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz - unless all 

elements of the memorandum of understanding with the US are 

implemented, including the removal of sanctions and the

withdrawal of US forces, Iranian academic and 

political analyst, Dr. Mohammad Marandi, 

said on Wednesday.

 

Speaking on Al Mayadeen’s The Grand Standoff: Iran and the World, 

Marandi said Iran is insisting that the commitments contained in 

the MoU be fully implemented, including an end to US threats 

against Iran, US meddling in Iraq, Israeli occupation of 

Lebanon, and the genocide in Gaza.

 

“These are parts of the MoU that were agreed upon, 

and Trump himself signed,” Marandi said.

 

MoU conditions must be met 

 

He said Iran was reiterating the conditions --- because of 

unconfirmed reports that the US or US President Donald 

Trump could seek to walk away from the agreement 

while declaring victory. Marandi said such an 

outcome - would not be sufficient for the 

Strait of Hormuz to return to normal.

 

“Those conditions that were agreed upon

in the MoU have to be met,” he stressed.

 

Marandi argued that the agreement also required an end to wars 

across the region, including the siege on Yemen, the genocide 

in Gaza, and the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon.

 

He also said that the death toll in Gaza --------- is far higher than the 

reported figures because of malnutrition and untreated illnesses, 

attributing the deaths to restrictions on the entry of medicines 

and hospital equipment. In this context, Marandi asserted 

that the siege on Yemen, the war in Gaza, & the Israeli 

occupation of Lebanon --- must end, as part of any 

regional normalization.

 

“The region has to have peace for the situation to normalize and for, 

straight up, for most to normalize. That is what was agreed upon 

between Iran and the United States. And Iran will settle for 

no less,” he emphasized.

 

Iran has endured war, sanctions

 

The top Iranian figure said Iran had accepted war, sanctions, and a 

siege while maintaining its foreign policy principles and defending 

Palestinian and Lebanese people, as well as its own sovereignty.

 

“We have been bombed, we have been sanctioned, we have been 

besieged. But the country remains steadfast,” he stressed.

 

Marandi argued that the United States would face greater 

consequences if it continued the war, saying Iran would 

suffer from sanctions and airstrikes ---- but the impact 

would extend to the wider world and the US itself.

 

“The more the United States carries on with this war, the more 

it tries to change the equation, the worse things are going to 

become ------- for the entire world,” Marandi stressed.

 

'Sieges and sanctions - as deadly as airstrikes'

 

Marandi also cited a recent report in the medical journal The Lancet, 

stating that Western sanctions imposed between 1971 and 2021 

had contributed to 38 million deaths worldwide. He used the 

figure to argue -------- that sanctions and sieges.. could be 

as deadly as military attacks.

 

“So sieges and sanctions are just 

as deadly as airstrikes,” he said.

 

Iran preparing for prolonged war

 

Marandi said Iran was closely monitoring economic, political, and 

social developments in the US, including the US bond market, 

the Japanese yen, and the approaching midterm elections.

 

He said Iran viewed weaknesses in the US economy as potential 

pressure points and argued that Tehran would respond to US 

efforts to increase hardship for Iranians --- by increasing 

the pressure on US citizens.

 

Marandi said Iran is not relying on a potential US electoral setback 

to end the aggression and is preparing for a prolonged war. 

He said Iran had moved toward a wartime economy and

is prepared to continue fighting - through to the end 

of Trump’s presidency.

 

“Iran is prepared for a very long war, and Iran's military doctrine 

has shifted from defensive to offensive because Iran is going 

to put sustained pressure on the US from here onwards, 

regardless of how long this war lasts,” he said.

 

Iran sends a clear message to the US

 

Marandi said Iran’s shift toward an offensive posture followed the 

appointment of a new chair of the Supreme National Security 

Council, and statements by Iranian officials.

 

He further said that Iran had significantly intensified its attacks on 

US positions and other targets following US aggression on Iran.

 

“I think it was something that was done to send a clear message to 

Trump and the United States that - by continuing this war - Iran is 

going to be much more punishing in its response,” Marandi said.

 

Regional US partners could face consequences

 

The Iranian academic warned that countries in the region 

that assisted the United States in the war ...could also 

face consequences if the war continued.

 

He specifically named Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and 

the United Arab Emirates, accusing them of providing support 

to US military operations.

 

“All of these countries --- are fully complicit in 

this war,” he said. “They are partners in war.”

 

Marandi said Iran would not limit its responses to US military 

bases and stated that Iranian forces had already struck 

targets in and around Kuwait, Bahrain, and the 

Strait of Hormuz.

 

Iran moves toward - greater control of Hormuz

 

He said Iran had moved toward taking greater control of the 

Strait and surrounding areas, adding: that ships that defy 

Iranian demands - could face consequences.

 

Marandi described the regional states that support US military 

operations as “co-conspirators against our people” and said 

their governments would have to decide ---- whether to 

continue cooperating with Washington.

 

Consequently, according to Marandi, relations between Iran 

and those countries could change if they asserted greater 

independence from the US - and ended cooperation..
with 
the US aggression on Iran.

 

Iran has capabilities to sustain war

 

On Iran's military capabilities, Marandi said the country possesses 

large numbers of missiles and drones ......and is continuing to 

produce them during the war.

 

He credited the martyred Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei 

with preparing Iran for the possibility of a US aggression, 

describing him as a leader with exceptional foresight.

 

Marandi also reiterated that Iran had captured an unmanned 

submarine through electronic warfare and said that this 

demonstrates Iranian military capabilities.

 

“The fact that the Iranians were able to capture this unmanned 

submarine through electronic warfare shows how capable the 

Iranians are,” he said.

 

Iran faces many Western schemes

 

He further stated.... that US and Western intelligence agencies are 

conducting efforts inside Iran to encourage unrest, infiltration, 

and terrorism amid a broader campaign involving economic 

pressure, sanctions, military attacks, and attempts to 

create instability.

 

“That is why ,,,they are trying to weaken the economy, so 

that there will be unrest and so that they can infiltrate 

that unrest,” he stressed.

 

Marandi raises disputed claims about 9/11

 

Toward the end of the program, Marandi raised a series 

of disputed claims concerning ''September 11, 2001, 

attacks'' in the United States.

 

He referred to a September 12, 2012, email that he said Jake 

Sullivan, who later became US national security advisor, 

sent to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton while 

serving as her advisor. Marandi cited the email as 

stating that “al-Qaeda is on our side” in Syria.

 

He argued that the US cooperation with al-Qaeda-linked forces in 

Syria and Libya raised questions about the group’s relationship 

with Western intelligence agencies.

 

Marandi also cited relevant reports concerning "dancing Israelis"

in New York - and the collapse of a building that he said: was 

not struck.

 

He cited former US General Wesley Clark’s account that 

Washington had a plan to take out seven countries 

within five years, with Iran reportedly being 

the final target.

 

With the other six "taken out", he questioned, 

"Was this the plan from the very beginning?"

 

"Was 9-11 carried out, so that the United States would 

carry out these wars on behalf of the Israeli regime?"

 

'Al-Qaeda functioned as a proxy

 for the United States and Israel'

 

Marandi said he was not "100% sure" that the September 11 

attacks had been carried out as part of such a plan but 

argued that questions about the attacks warranted 

further examination.

 

“I'm not saying I'm 100% sure about this, but there are important 

documentaries that have been produced in this regard,” he said.

 

He cited a documentary by Tucker Carlson - as raising 

serious questions about the events of September 11.

 

Marandi ultimately expressed his personal belief that 

al-Qaeda is a "proxy of the United States and Israel."

 

“I personally think that al-Qaeda was a proxy, and has always

been a proxy, and will remain a proxy, like ISIS, ---- of the
United 
States and the Israeli regime,” he concluded.

 

 

Source: Al Mayadeen

 

 

__________________________________________

 

 

 

YAF take control of key areas, 

and military sites in Mokha, 

west of Taiz

September 10th, 8:27am

(Al Mayadeen English)

 

Sanaa's Foreign Ministry says Yemen’s Armed Forces:
are 
tasked with defending national sovereignty and 

protecting citizens ---- as the Saudi aggression 

continues across several provinces.

 

The Yemeni forces have taken control of key areas and military 

positions in the coastal district of al-Mokha, west of Taiz 

Governorate, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported.

 

In detail, our correspondent revealed that the Yemeni Armed 

Forces have taken control of Khalid Camp Base and Jabal 

al-Nar Camp, which serves as the command H.Q. for 

military forces on the western coast.

 

This development comes as the YAF made advances in several 

areas, capturing al-Wazi'iyah, al-Khokha, and Hays, before 

reaching the outskirts of the city of al-Mokha.

 

It is worth noting that the area of the districts of Hays and al-Khokha 

to the south of the coastal Hodeidah governorate on the Red Sea ---

exceeds 1,050 sq. kilometres, local sources told Al Mayadeen. 

 

The YAF advances come as the Saudi aggression across Yemen 

continues, with the aim of supporting and reinforcing Saudi 

military mobilizations on the ground.

 

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that Saudi aircraft 

had carried out around 40 airstrikes over the previous 

several hours in the governorates of Taiz, 

Hodeidah, al-Jawf, and Marib.

 

Continued Saudi aggression 

warrants a response until 

---- it stops: Sanaa

 

The Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sanaa said 

the continued Saudi aggression and violations of 

Yemen’s sovereignty - warrant a response 

until the attacks stop.

 

In a statement, the Ministry said the Saudi regime’s continued 

airstrikes targeting Yemeni provinces and its violations of 

Yemen’s sovereignty necessitate a response ---- until 

the aggression ends.

 

It asserted that the Yemeni Armed Forces are responsible for 

defending the country’s sovereignty, protecting its citizens, 

and responding to the sources of fire, adding that such 

actions are carried out in a manner that does not 

conflict with international law.

 

Saudi military build-up necessitated YAF response

 

The Ministry also said the Saudi regime’s recent military

 build-up on Yemeni territory ---- has necessitated a 

Yemeni Armed Forces' response.

 

It further accused the Saudi regime of using continued “wailing and 

outcry” to cover up ongoing crimes against the Yemeni people. It 

said the latest aggression included hundreds of airstrikes on 

several Yemeni provinces.

 

The Ministry also said Yemen “has not and will not pose a threat,” 

arguing that the country seeks to build relations based on 

mutual respect. It noted - that Yemen was prepared
to 
participate in a regional security system, 

particularly in protecting navigation, 

in partnership with coastal states.

 

The Ministry called on the international community to assess

 the course of events objectively -- and compel the Saudi 

regime, as it put it, to stop targeting Yemen, violating 

its sovereignty, and tampering with its resources.

 

Saleh -- orders establishment of 

an alternative command centre

 

Vice Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council 

Lieutenant General Tariq Saleh, meanwhile, 

instructed the Saudi-backed forces on 

the western coast: to reorganize

their ranks.

 

“We ordered the establishment of an alternative command 

centre... in a safe location... to regroup the forces in 

consultation with..... the leadership of the Arab 

coalition and the Presidential Leadership 

Council,” he said.

 

What you need to know

 

The accelerating developments follow the Yemeni Armed 

Forces’ announcement in July that the 2022 truce with 

Saudi Arabia had collapsed following Saudi Arabia’s 

aggression on Sanaa International Airport.

 

In response, the Yemeni forces targeted several Saudi 

economic facilities, including oil refineries operated 

by Aramco and Abha Airport.

 

They also imposed a maritime ban on vessels arriving in 

or departing from Saudi Arabia, as part of the “airport 

for airport and siege for siege” equation.

 

Recently, the Yemeni Armed Forces have been engaging in 

confrontations with Saudi-backed forces - across several 

provinces, after launching preemptive strikes against 

their military mobilizations.

 

 

Source: Al Mayadeen + Agencies

 

















































Image: Medea Benjamin's Birth Day







Today, September 10th, in 1952,

 

Medea Benjamin,

 

proponent of peace

and a fairer world,

 

is born.

 

At school, she joined the Students for a Democratic Society. 

Later she dropped out of school and hitchhiked throughout 

Europe and Africa, teaching English, to earn a living. 

 

She later returned to the United States and received master's 

degrees in public health from Columbia University, and in 

economics from The New School. 

 

Benjamin worked for ten years as an economist and nutritionist

in Latin America and Africa, for the United Nations Food and 

Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, 

the Swedish International Development Agency, and

 the Institute for Food and Development Policy.

 

In 1988, Benjamin co-founded the San Francisco-based 

Global Exchange, which advocates for fair trade 

alternatives - to corporate globalization. 

 

In 2002, with Jodie Evans and others, she co-founded the 

pro-peace group Code Pink: Women for Peace --- which 

advocates for an end to today's wars, the prevention

of future wars, and for social justice. 

 

Benjamin has been involved with the pro-peace 

organization ------- United for Peace and Justice.

 

 

''The CIA ---- is absolutely out of control. The CIA has been on
a killing spree. The CIA has become a death squad and to
see these films 
get so much acclaim --- at the time
when the CIA is in its rogue 
killing phase
--- is very disturbing.''

 

''When Pakistani Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, 

was asked why there was so much animosity in her 

country towards the United States, she gave a 

one-word answer: “drones.”.''

 

''The CIA runs the drone program in Pakistan solely, not with the 

military. Then there's a joint CIA-military program in Yemen, 

then ---- the CIA is involved in a lot of use of spy drones 

around the world and in the proliferation of bases.''

 

''John Brennan has been the mastermind of the drone program. 

He's the one who'd convene the terror Tuesday meetings at 

the White House.'' 

 

''It's not as "cheap" as it's put out to be. One predator drone in one 

day of activity supposedly needs 168 people to carry out the 

day's operations. They crash a lot. So when you calculate 

their costs, consider that the Air Force has said about 

a third of their drones ------ have crashed.''

 

''It hit me very early on that something was terribly wrong, that 

I would see silos full of food and supermarkets full of food, 

and kids starving. In Fair Trade, we see ourselves as 

this infinitesimal part of the world economy. 

But somebody's got to come up with
an 
alternative model that says

children eating is No. 1.'' 

 

''It is so inspiring to see a new group coming together not to focus on
a particular war or weapons system, but on all war ----- everywhere. 

And it's great to have such beautifully crafted arguments - about 

why war is not inevitable and how war contributes to so many

other global ills. This coalition, is worthy of Martin Luther 

King's call to end violence and instead put our energies 

and resources into 'life-affirming activities.' Bravo!'' 

 

''If it weren't for people like the people in Berkeley, standing 

up for what they believe ----- we'd be living under a Hitler.'' 

 

''Israel is run by war criminals.'' 











‘War criminal promotion tactics’
: Adidas

 faces boycott calls ---- over campaign 

featuring an Israeli trooper

September 4th, 9:45pm

 (PressTV)

 

Calls for a boycott of Adidas are growing after the sportswear 

company featured an Israeli trooper in a global campaign.

 

The campaign has prompted criticism from pro-Palestine 

organizations and activists --- because of the trooper 

Shaliv Biton’s participation in the Israeli regime’s 

bloodletting in Gaza.

 

The campaign has been rolled out in Adidas stores, 

including its outlets in the occupied territories.

 

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

claimed the lives of more than 200 Palestinians and 

destroyed numerous buildings.

 

Critics have reminded Biton’s military background and his 

social media activity. He has shared photographs and 

videos of himself and other Israeli forces in Gaza, 

including footage of troops singing and dancing, 

while his profile also contains images of him 

carrying weapons.

 

Sports journalist Leyla Hamed criticized Adidas’ choice of 

campaign representative, arguing that the company 

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

it should have considered the wider context 

of limb loss in Gaza.

 

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

 More than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations have been estimated 

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

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

she wrote on X.

 

US-based political commentator and activist Guy Christensen also 

condemned the campaign, writing, “Actually disgusting when you 

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

 subsequently called for a boycott of Adidas.

 

Another activist denounced the company for 

associating itself with the Israeli military.

 

“The German sportswear brand Adidas is using Zionist war 

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

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

sneakers. More than 4,000 Palestinian children 

have been amputated by "Israel's" bombs, 

but Adidas and other millionaire 

multinationals ignore them,” 

the activist wrote on X.

 

Other critics similarly condemned Adidas 

for associating itself with genocide 

and apartheid.

 

Earlier this year, the NGO Humanity & Inclusion reported that 

between 70 and 80 percent of patients admitted to the 12 

hospitals that were still partially functioning in Gaza... 

had lost limbs or suffered spinal cord injuries.

 

UNICEF estimated in January 2024 that about 1,000 children 

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

approximately 10 children losing a limb each day during 

Israeli bombardments. The figure is believed to have

 risen since then.

 

The shortage of medical supplies and the continuing blockade of 

Gaza have also complicated the treatment and rehabilitation of 

amputees. Healthcare workers have resorted to producing 

homemade prosthetics as temporary aids for people 

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

to appropriate prosthetic devices.

 

 

______________________________________

 


UK legislators call for comprehensive 

arms embargo, settlement trade ban

 on Israel

July 27th, 6:06am

 (PressTV)

 

A coalition of 80 British lawmakers and peers has called on 

newly appointed British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to 

impose sanctions on Israel -- including a comprehensive 

arms embargo and a ban on trade that supports illegal 

settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

 

In a letter, spearheaded by MP Kim Johnson, they urged the 

government to “decisively change its stance to uphold the 

rights of the Palestinian people and to prevent Israel’s 

continued violation of international law.”

 

It also called on the government to acknowledge the UN 

Independent Commission of Inquiry report, which 

validated Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.

 

Alongside recognition of the UN finding, the lawmakers urged 

the government to fully enforce the International Court of 

Justice' advisory opinion, delivered on July 19, 2024.

 

It holds that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories 

is unlawful, that Israel should put an end to that occupation, 

desist from creating new settlements, and evacuate those 

already established.

 

“The previous administration ---- has willfully ignored the rulings of 

international courts. It has still failed to issue a formal response 

to the July 2024 International Court of Justice judgment 

- which requires Britain to cease all actions that aid or 

assist [Israel’s] grave violations of international law,” 

the letter read.

 

It added, “Now is the opportunity for this government and for you, 

as the new Prime Minister, to truly turn a new page.”

 

The letter bore the signatures of prominent legislators, 

including Diane Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn, Baroness 

Jenny Jones, and Baroness Warsi.

 

In an op-ed for Labour Outlook, Johnson stated that Palestine 

has emerged as the “defining test” of the Labour Party’s 

commitment to the notion --- that international law 

applies to all.

 

“If we condemn violations in one part of the world while excusing 

or ignoring them elsewhere, we undermine the very rules-based 

international order that Britain claims to defend,” she said.

 

“Burnham tells us --- he has a plan to renew confidence in Labour. If 

that renewal is to mean anything, it must begin by making a clean 

break with the failures of Starmerism on Palestine. If we are truly 

serious about turning the page, there could be no clearer place 

to begin,” Johnson noted.

 

The letter is supported by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which 

has been advocating for Burnham to distance himself from former 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s disgraceful legacy by implementing 

extensive sanctions against Israel - comprising a complete arms 

embargo, a cessation - of all military collaboration &
diplomatic support - and a total ban on all trade.



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!




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.



____________________




AT THE FACTORY


Tickets from


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.uk 


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



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_b6pvBprm
GA4XFdG-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.


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.


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.

 What have we got to lose?




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