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188 dead and 1,520 injured by 

earthquakes ---- in Venezuela

Caracas, June 25th, 2:43pm 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

So far, 188 people have died and 1,520 have been injured by 

the earthquakes in Venezuela the day before, the president 

of the National Assembly (parliament), Jorge Rodríguez, 

revealed today in statements to the press.

 

The deputy also announced that 200 people are reported 

trapped in the rubble and 157 missing, while specialized 

personnel are making enormous efforts to rescue those 

who remain buried under the ruins.

 

In an event that made many happy, 25 people were rescued 

from the remains of three buildings that collapsed in the 

Caracas parish of San Bernardino, said the mayor of 

the capital, Carmen Meléndez.

 

He explained that the rescue teams worked since the night 

with specialized equipment and coordination with the 

Citizen Security agencies to save the lives of these 

people, who were immediately transferred to the 

nearest hospitals.

 

Commenting on the material damage, Rodríguez quantified 

that 2,927 families were affected, 8 hospitals, 20 shopping 

centres & 250 buildings, the latter especially in the state 

of La Guaira (north), a territory that was declared in 

emergency due to the magnitude of the damage.

 

The president of the Legislative Branch commented that 

after the earthquakes yesterday afternoon --- of 7.2 and 

7.5 magnitude, the seismological authorities reported 

at least 137 aftershocks, some of which were 

verified by Prensa Latina in the historic 

centre of the city.

 

He said that, in view of the serious effects in important areas 

of the country, the president in charge Delcy Rodríguez 

declared natural disaster zones, which have the 

coordinated action of the unified command.

 

"We ask for calm from our population --- and unity," said the 

 president yesterday, and announced that, in view of this 

serious situation, the General Staff was activated, 

composed of the sectoral vice presidents of 

Politics, Citizen Security and Peace; the 

Ministry of Services and Public Works; 

of the Social Area, and the Economy.

 

The head of state pointed out that these, jointly, will attend

 and channel this entire situation generated by the two 

consecutive earthquakes that affected the country.

 

As of this Thursday, the Venezuelan government expects

 the arrival of international rescuers from several 

countries, according to the president in charge.

 

In the next few hours, the arrival of brigades with specialized 

personnel from the United States, the Dominican Republic, 

El Salvador, Qatar, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and other 

countries is expected, as well as humanitarian aid from 

China, Brazil and the Caribbean nations.










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




























Hezbollah bloc: 'Iran forced a new 

balance,' no --------- to direct talks

June 25th, 5:09pm

(Al Mayadeen English)

 

Lebanon's Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, has issued a strongly 

worded statement marking Ashura, praising Iran’s regional role 

and reiterating its rejection of any form of direct talks with 

"Israel", while calling on Lebanon's authorities - to align 

with Tehran’s unconditional support for Lebanon.

 

The bloc, meeting on June 25, 2025 (corresponding to Muharram 

10, 1448 AH), said Ashura represents “the day of the cry of truth 

in the face of falsehood, and the triumph of the blood of the 

oppressed over the tyranny of the oppressor.” 

 

Describing the occasion as rooted in sacrifice and resistance, 

the statement said that Ashura.. carries “all the meanings of 

sacrifice, redemption, and heroism -- even in the absence of 

supporters and helpers.” It also cited the words of Sayyida
Zainab, the sister of Imam Hussein, quoting her words: 

“Scheme your scheme, strive your effort, for by God 

you will never erase our memory - nor extinguish 

our cause.”

 

Bloc hails Iran's role as 'a resounding 

voice…... from the rising East'

 

The bloc said the commemoration continues to serve as “a 

school from which the free and the oppressed in every era 

and generation draw lessons,” adding that its values are 

reflected in the resilience of “our steadfast people” and 

“the families of our martyrs, wounded, and detainees.”

 

Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc said this year’s Ashura 

comes as Lebanon and Palestine face “a brutal, 

criminal, aggressive Zionist occupation that 

practices genocide, ethnic cleansing, and 

crimes against humanity,” adding that 

such actions are carried out “with 

US and Western support.”

 

"In contrast, a small number of actors --- with willpower and 

determination stand against all this darkness, complicity, 

regression, & failure. They present a bright image filled 

with faith, hope, and reliance on God, an image drawn 

from the Karbala of Imam Hussein (peace be upon 

him) and the Ashura of al-Taff, embodying all the

meanings... of sacrifice, selflessness, loyalty, 

courage, bravery, giving, and dedication," 

the statement added.

 

In particular, it highlighted Iran’s role, stating that “Iran, 

its leadership, presidency, government, diplomacy, 

parliament, people, and armed forces, including 

the Revolutionary Guard and the army, has 

stood firm,” and described it --- as “a 

resounding voice… from the rising

East.” It said Iran “has always 

been supportive ----- of the 

oppressed, everywhere

in the world.”

 

A strong statement of gratitude

 

The Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc said it had reviewed 

recent local and regional developments and issued a 

statement outlining its position.

 

The bloc said Iran’s “historic and honorable stance” -- in 

supporting Lebanon and its people should be met with 

“gratitude, respect, and appreciation” across the 

country. It added that there is “nothing more 

deserving of thanks” --- than those who 

devote their security, prosperity, and 

strategic interests to supporting a 

cause or a people, as it said Iran 

has done in backing Lebanon 

and “repelling aggression” 

against the country and 

its state and citizens.

 

The statement expressed “the highest levels of thanks, 

appreciation, and gratitude to the Islamic Republic of 

Iran, including its leadership, people, presidency, 

government, diplomacy, and armed forces, 

including ---- the army and the Islamic 

Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).''

 

Iran created 'a new equation' 

 

The statement said that this “courageous and loyal Iranian 

position” had forced both the “Zionist aggressor” and its 

US ally ....to agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon.

 

It further stressed that this development had created a 

“new equation” regionally and globally, in which - Iran 

compels respect from the “forces of arrogance” and 

reinforces its influence and standing in the region.

 

"This --- will restore balance to the entire regional 

landscape moving forward", the statement reads.

 

Calls for policy shift

 

The Bloc said it reflected deeply on the “immense
sacrifices”
made by Resistance fighters, their 

families, and their broader support base, 

including those who have given “their 

most precious youth,” as well as 

martyrs, the wounded, and 

the missing.

 

"They have set a remarkable example of courage, sacrifice, 

bravery, loyalty, patience, and steadfastness in confronting 

the Zionist aggression, in their displacement and journeys 

of migration and exile, inspired by the lessons of Karbala 

and embodying its noble human values in both word and 

deed - over many long months," the statement stressed

 

It added that all of those affected, men, women, and children, 

now deserve renewed commitment to loyalty and to 

defending their freedom, dignity, sovereignty, and 

rights, as well as booting the enemy from their 

territory and protecting their interests.

 

"The Bloc calls on the Lebanese authorities to seize the 

opportunity of Iranian support, which has imposed a 

ceasefire on the Zionist enemy, and compelled its 

US backer  - to commit to withdrawing from our 

land - very soon. It also renews its call, not to 

persist in misguided policies that have only 

resulted in gratuitous concessions to the 

enemy ....and have deepened internal 

divisions - among the Lebanese,” 

the statement went on to say.

 

Direct talks grant 'Israel' advantages at 

the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty

 

The Bloc reaffirmed its opposition to direct talks with "Israel", as 

well as to any results arising from such talks. It warned against 

entering into any commitments.... that would grant the Israeli 

entity advantages at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty,
including arrangements described as “experimental zones 

north of the Litani” or any linkage between withdrawal 

from Lebanese territory, and external conditions.

 

It stressed that the authorities must demand the full and 

immediate withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from 

Lebanese territory, the return of forcibly displaced 

people, the release of detainees, and an end to 

all forms of aggression against the country.

 

"Anything beyond that is a Lebanese internal matter 

that does not concern the enemy, and there is no 

concession in this regard," it concluded.

 

Ongoing Israeli violations - despite ceasefire

 

It is worth noting that Ashura is deeply rooted in resistance 

and sacrifice, paying tribute --- to Imam Hussein’s defiant 

stand against tyranny in the historic Battle of Karbala 

more than 1,300 years ago.

 

Imam Hussein’s revolt, though tragically ending in his 

martyrdom, has remained a symbol of unwavering 

justice and moral resistance ---- in the face 

of oppression. 

 

The bloc's statement comes after the Islamic Resistance 

in Lebanon announced on Wednesday, that it is closely 

monitoring Israeli violations of the ceasefire after an 

Israeli drone strike killed two Lebanese civilians in 

the southern town of Kfar Rumman.

 

Three Lebanese civilians were also killed earlier today 

in an Israeli strike on their vehicle in Mayfadoun, in

southern Lebanon.

 

 

_______________________________



 Most citizens frustrated with US government, 

believe Founding Fathers would be.... 

disappointed: Poll

June 25th, 11am

 (PressTV)

 

Most US citizens have become frustrated with their government, 

saying the Founding Fathers would be disappointed with the 

present sociopolitical situation of the United States, 

according to a recent poll.

 

As the Donald Trump administration prepares with great fanfare 

to hold the US Semiquincentennial – a series of celebrations 

and observances to commemorate the historical events 

leading up to the creation of the United States as an 

independent republic in 1776 – people's 

disappointment ---- is becoming 

more evident.

 

The event, which is scheduled to culminate on Saturday, July 4, 

2026..... marking the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the 

Declaration of Independence by a 56-member group known 

as the Founding Fathers – led by George Washington, 

Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander 

Hamilton and John Adams – is once again 

stirring society ....and reopening the 

bare wounds: of racial, ethnic and 

religious divisions - even further 

fueled by Trump's presidency.

 

Polls show Trump’s approval ratings drop to new lows

 

Major surveys conducted in the United States have shown that 

President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have hit new lows.

 

A Gallup survey published on Wednesday found that only 

19% believe the group that signed the Declaration of 

Independence would approve of the country's 

current direction.

 

The poll shows that more than three out of four US citizens
believe the Founding Fathers, would be disappointed with 

what the United States has become. 77% of respondents 

said -- the signers of the Declaration of Independence 

would be disappointed ---- with how the nation has 

developed over the past 250 years .....while 19%

believe they would be happy with the outcome.

 

Gallup's survey also showed that the share holding a 

negative view has risen from 71% in 2013, and 42% 

in 2001.

 

The participants in the poll represented various political 

affiliations. However, those who identified themselves 

as Republicans... were somewhat less negative than 

Democrats. No more than a quarter of respondents 

from either party said the founders would approve 

of the country's current condition.

 

Another poll - conducted by the Marquette School of Law, also 

released on Wednesday - found that 66% were at least some-

what proud of the country. However, only about half of them 

said they are optimistic about the future of US democracy.

 

According to a separate poll by Fox News, US citizens are more 

likely to define themselves as "patriotic" ---- rather than saying 

they are proud of what the US has turned into in recent years.

 

In 1776, the Founding Fathers launched.. what they referred to as 

the "Grand Experiment" on human rights. The goal was to create 

a republican form of government independent from Great Britain, 

with the aim of setting forth the basics of a new nation...... 

reflective of the principles of liberty and equality.

 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created 

equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 

unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, 

Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

 

 

________________________________________________

 

 

 

Hezbollah MP No agreement will be reached -

without complete withdrawal of Israeli forces

June 25th, 10:53am

 (PressTV)

 

A Lebanese legislator from Hezbollah's political wing says Israel 

has consistently breached the ceasefire agreement with the 

Beirut government & sought to circumvent the stipulations 

outlined in the Iran-US memorandum of understanding 

(MoU), cautioning.. that a conclusive agreement can

not be achieved without a total Israeli withdrawal 

from Lebanese territory.

 

Speaking during an Ashura commemoration on Wednesday, 

Hassan Fadlallah, a member of the Loyalty to the 

Resistance Bloc, emphasized that "the Israeli 

enemy has never shown any intention to 

comply with this agreement."

 

He underlined that Hezbollah is entirely ready to retaliate, 

stating that "the relevant parties are cognizant of the 

suitable course of action and the current trajectory 

regarding this issue."

 

Fadlallah characterized the Iran-US memorandum of 

understanding as "a notable accomplishment" for 

the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighting its 

inclusion of Lebanon - and the complete 

commitment from Iran.

 

He pointed out that the continuation of negotiations 

between the Beirut government and the Tel Aviv 

regime is dependent on the cessation of Israeli 

assaults on Lebanon, asserting that 

"negotiations will not proceed 

unless the attacks on 

Lebanon stop."

 

The Lebanese lawmaker further noted that the Iran-US deal 

has created "a regional equation," which is based on "the 

diplomacy of strength, missiles, resilience, the Strait of 

Hormuz, the conflict in Ali al-Taher, and the political 

pressure applied by the Islamic Republic of Iran."

 

"After placing our faith in God Almighty - we depend on the

strength of the resistance fighters, our nation, our unity, 

as well as the support and backing from Iran."

 

The Hezbollah legislator contended that recent developments 

have refuted assertions that Lebanon is under the influence 

of external powers.

 

Fadlallah indicated, that the critics of the Iran-US MoU - include 

"the Israeli enemy - which aims to undermine the ceasefire, as 

well as certain (Lebanese) political faction whose aspirations 

have been dashed and illusions destroyed."

 

"Do not place your trust in America, do not anticipate our defeat, 

and do not assume that we are a people who can be subdued," 

the Lebanese lawmaker said.

 

He went on to accuse certain Lebanese figures of trying 

to sabotage the agreement through political pressure 

and foreign influence, cautioning against 

making concessions.

 

"We have cautioned them... that they must not, 

under any circumstances, yield to this 

defeated and humiliated enemy," 

he stated.

 

Fadlallah emphasized that any agreement between the 

Beirut government and the Tel Aviv regime, would not

 be enacted without the approval of Hezbollah.

 

"Nothing will be enacted in Lebanon, without our approval. 

What we consent to will be enacted, and what we do not 

consent to will not be enacted in Lebanon, even if the 

entire world were to unite against it."

 

He concluded with a plea for an internal reassessment, 

addressing the Lebanese government by saying: "The 

opportunity has not yet passed... You must escape 

the downward spiral, reconnect with your people, 

trust them, and the Resistance front, and take 

advantage of this Iranian support," adding: 


"Lebanon is the one that requires Iran, 

not the other way around. It stands 

with us."

 

The Iran-US memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed on 

June 18, 2026, was an agreement that brought an end to the 

US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran. The 14 point MoU, 

brokered by Pakistan, committed both sides to an 

"immediate and permanent" termination of 

military operations --- on "all fronts", 

including Lebanon, and provided 

for the lifting of the US naval 

blockade, and the release 

of frozen Iranian assets.

 

However, the path to implementation 

has been rocky ---- from the start.

 

Despite the ceasefire commitment, Israeli forces have 

continued strikes in southern Lebanon, with deadly 

attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs and border 

villages ---- killing dozens of civilians.

 

Lebanese officials have reported more 

than 4,100 people killed since March. 

 

 

____________________________________

 

 

 

In black and tears: Millions in Iran, globe 

-------- observe Ashura to mourn 

Imam Hussein's martyrdom

June 25th, 10:48am

 (PressTV)

 

Millions of mourners clad in black observe Ashura, marking the 

martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia 

Imam, and the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (Peace be 

upon Him), whose sacrifice in the desert of Karbala has 

become the eternal symbol of resistance 

against oppression.

 

Ashura --- the 10th day of the lunar month of 

Muharram, fell on Thursday in Iran this year.

 

Massive crowds of grieving devotees held mourning rituals such 

as beating their chests in rhythmic unison.... listening to soulful 

elegies, and weeping over the tragedy that unfolded in 680 AD. 

 

On that fateful day, Imam Hussein (AS), along with his 72 loyal 

companions, were martyred in the Battle of Karbala, in 

southern Iraq, after fighting courageously for justice 

against thousands of soldiers of the Umayyad 

caliph, Yazid I.

 

In Iran, mourning processions filled cities and villages across

 the country while benefactors distributed votive food, 

known generically as nazri, to mourners and the 

needy, a tradition embodying the spirit of 

generosity and solidarity that Imam

 Hussein (AS) championed.

 

The rhythmic sound of chest-beating and the haunting 

melodies of elegies echoed across the country as 

millions paid homage to Imam Hussein (AS).

 

For the millions mourning Imam Hussein (AS), this Ashura 

carries an added layer of grief as it is the first Muharram 

since the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution 

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated 

in an unprovoked US-Israeli war of aggression that 

erupted on February 28. During over 40 days of 

unlawful attacks, the nation lost not only its 

revered Leader but also...... several senior 

commanders and thousands of civilians.

 

On the eve of Ashura - known as Tasu’a - mourners remember 

Abbas ibn Ali (PBUH), Imam Hussein’s half-brother, who was 

martyred shortly before Imam Hussein as he tried to bring 

water to women and children in Imam’s camp, who had 

had no water to drink for days due to a siege by the 

enemy forces.

 

Shia Muslims across the globe likewise hold mourning rituals, 

while hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from Iran and other 

nations travel to the holy city of Karbala in Iraq -- home 

to Imam Hussein's sacred shrine -- to mark Ashura.

 

More than mere rituals, the Muharram ceremonies represent 

the eternal confrontation between truth and falsehood, 

embodying humanity's timeless struggle against 

oppression and tyranny, the cause that Imam 

Hussein (AS) embraced....... with his 

ultimate sacrifice.

 

 

 

_______________________________________________

 

 

 

 Extrajudicial Executions --- of 

Two Palestinians Denounced

Ramallah, June 25th, 10:45am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Israeli soldiers killed two men in cold blood today in 

separate raids in the towns of Jenin and Salfi, in

the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian 

Prisoners' Association (APP) 

denounced today.

 

The first, identified as Mohammad Nazem Zayed, was 

killed after Israeli soldiers assaulted and ransacked 

his home, took him out into the street, shot him 

dead and took the body to an unknown 

destination, according to the 

APP complaint.

 

The second victim, in Salfit, was Mustafa al-Khatib, killed

 inside his home during the raid on his home, where he 

was riddled with bullets with assault rifles and his 

remains.... left at the scene, the report said. 

 

Both crimes constitute an extension of the systematic 

policy of extrajudicial executions by the Israeli 

occupiers that shows a trend of increase 

since the beginning of the genocidal 

war - against the population of the 

Gaza Strip, according to the text 

of the APP circulated by the 

WAFA news agency.

 

A few days ago, credible local sources reported the death

 of a young Palestinian man while in police custody in 

one of the detention centres set up in the Israeli-

occupied West Bank.

 

 

 

________________________________________________


 

 

‘Neither commit oppression, nor accept it’:

 Iranian president cites lesson from 

Imam Hussein

June 25th, 9:14am

 (PressTV)

 

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian - has highlighted a lesson 

learnt from Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, that says

 neither perpetrate oppression, nor remain silent in the face 

of it.

 

Pezeshkian made the remarks in an X post on Thursday, 

marking Ashura, which the martyrdom anniversary of 

Imam Hussein (AS), on the 10th day of the lunar 

month of Muharram.

 

“Imam Hussein (AS) taught us to stand against oppression, 

the temptation of power and self-interest; one can give 

one's life, but not freedom; one can be left alone,
but 
not abandon the truth,” he said.

 

“We should neither commit oppression, nor accept 

oppression or remain silent in the face of it.”

 

Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Mohammad 

(Peace be upon Him), was martyred.. along with his 72 

companions in the Battle of Karbala in southern Iraq

 in 680 AD -- after fighting courageously for justice 

against the much larger army of the Umayyad 

caliph, Yazid I.

 

Every year on Ashura, black-clad Shia Muslims march in 

mass processions, beat their chests, listen to elegies, 

and hold noon prayers, with benefactors
distributing
 votive foods.

 

The mourning rituals symbolize the never-ending and 

unwavering stance of truth against falsehood and 

humanity’s struggle against injustice, tyranny 

and oppression, the cause for which, Imam 

Hussein was martyred.



























Image: Independence day in Mozambique


 
Today, June the 25th, is

 


Independence day
in Mozambique

 

Born into the early slavery of the Western Europeans,

the Bantu natives had seen their lands renamed and

plundered for hundreds of years, yet anti-colonial

attitudes took that long to gain an ideological

focus... and a final resolution.

 

By the early 20th century, the Portuguese had shifted the 

administration of much of Mozambique to large private 

companies..... like the Mozambique Company, the 

Zambezia Company and the Niassa Company, 

controlled and financed mostly, by ''British'' 

financiers, such as Solomon Joel, which 

established railroad lines to their 

neighbouring colonies in South 

Africa and ''Rhodesia''. 

(Now, Zimbabwe). 

 

Although slavery had been legally abolished in Mozambique, at 

the end of the 19th century the chartered companies enacted 

a forced labour policy and supplied cheap - often forced -

African labour ---- to the mines and plantations of the 

nearby British colonies and to boer South Africa.

 

The Zambezia Company, the most profitable chartered company, 

took over several smaller prazeiro holdings and established 

military outposts to protect ''its'' property. The chartered 

companies built roads and ports to bring their goods 

to market including a railroad linking present-day 

Zimbabwe with the Mozambican port of Beira.

 

No other infrastructure was developed,

except that which benefited the

colonist population, who hid

in the cities.

 

In 1951, the Portuguese overseas colonies in Africa --- 

were rebranded as Overseas Provinces of Portugal,

making it clear to the restless Bantu, that they 

were now owned by another country which 

couldn't care less for them .....or their

loved ones. The recent victory by

the Soviet Union... and the birth

of Eastern European socialist

states, encouraged revolt.

 

So -- the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) 

initiated a guerrilla campaign against Portuguese rule, in

September 1964. This conflict --- along with two others 

already initiated.. in the other Portuguese colonies of 

Angola and Portuguese Guinea, became part of the 

so-called Portuguese Colonial War (1961–1974). 

 

From a military standpoint, the Portuguese regular army 

maintained control of the population centres, while the 

guerrilla forces sought to undermine their influence in

rural and tribal areas in the north and west. 

 

Independence (1975)

 

FRELIMO took control of the territory after ten years of 

sporadic warfare, aided by Cuban forces --- as well as 

Portugal's own return to democracy, after the fall 

of the neo-fascist Estado Novo regime --- in the 

Carnation Revolution of April 1974 and the 

attempted coup of 25 November 1975. 

 

Within a year, most of the 250,000 Portuguese in Mozambique 

had left — some expelled by the government of the nearly 

independent territory, some left the country to avoid 

possible reprisals from the unstable government —

and Mozambique ---- became independent from 

Portugal, on the 25th day of June, in 1975.

 

A law had been passed on the initiative of the relatively 

unknown Armando Guebuza of the FRELIMO party, 

ordering the Portuguese to leave the country in 

24 hours with only 20 kilograms (44 pounds) 

of luggage. Unable to salvage any of their 

assets, most of them returned to 

Portugal --------- as poor as the 

natives they had fleeced.

 

 

''Let’s celebrate Freedom! Happy Independence Day. 

Can you imagine a day, without a right to be free? 

It is integral to our existence. So let’s celebrate

our Independence Day! Freedom doesn’t see 

colours, or shapes.''









 

Iran --- hails Ireland’s move 

to ban --- imports from the

illegal Israeli settlements

May 27th 11:34am

 (PressTV)

 

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs 

Kazem Gharibabadi hails Ireland’s decision to ban imports from 

illegal Israeli settlements, describing the move as a practical 

step toward holding the Israeli regime accountable for its 

violations of international law.

 

“Ireland’s decision to ban imports from the illegal settlements 

of the Israeli regime is a commendable step toward turning 

international law from rhetoric into action,” Gharibabadi 

wrote in a post published on social media platform X 

on Wednesday.

 

He pointed to a 2004 advisory opinion by the International Court 

of Justice (ICJ), which stated that the settlements had been 

“established in breach of international law” and said the 

ruling obliges states not to recognize the illegal status 

created by the settlements or support their 

continuation in any form.

 

“Therefore, buying and selling settlement products is not normal

 trade, but economic complicity in sustaining occupation and 

whitewashing an unlawful situation," he further wrote.

 

He added that Western governments that present themselves 

as defenders of international law must now match words 

with action instead of backing down under pressure 

from the Israeli regime, certain US lawmakers, 

and powerful business lobbies.

 

The remarks came as several European countries are moving 

toward tougher measures against Israeli settlements built

 on occupied Palestinian land.

 

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Arnoldus Adrianus Jetten said 

on Friday that Amsterdam would suspend all economic 

transactions linked to settlements in the occupied 

West Bank and the Golan Heights.

 

The measure is intended to “prevent Dutch society from 

contributing, through our economic activities, to illegal 

occupation & the maintenance of illegal settlements,” 

Jetten explained.

 

Meanwhile, a report by Palestine’s Colonization and Wall 

Resistance Commission (CWRC) --- has described 2025 

as a “year of bloodshed” in the occupied West Bank, 

documenting over 23,800 attacks by Israeli forces 

and settlers ---- against Palestinians.

 

In early 2026, Israel's so-called internal security service, Shin 

Bet downgraded the classification of settler violence against 

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank from “terror attacks” 

to “serious incidents,” narrowing the definition of terrorism 

to cases involving explicit intent to kill and reducing the 

priority of investigations.

 

Since October 7th, 2023, when the Israeli regime launched its
genocidal assault on Gaza --- Israeli forces and settlers have 

killed at least 1,155 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank

--- wounded nearly 11,750 others, and abducted around 

22,000 people, according to official figures.



Image: No thanks to Israeli goods App

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

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


Keir Hardie - Britain's first Labour MP - 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.



____________________




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.


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


MAKING THE CONNECTION IN WALES


Households across three more English areas
will be able to access superfast broadband
in the latest phase of a Government scheme
to connect rural homes and businesses.

The £50 million funding package for Devon and
Somerset (£30 million), Norfolk (£15 million)
and Wiltshire (£4 million) will aid the roll- out
of superfast broadband services unable to
be reached by the market alone.

Areas will also receive financial support from
their local authorities and private investors,
the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport says.


So it's Broadband Heaven for England...

and crapola for Wales' broadband - the

slowest, worst Broadband in the UK !!!


Lib Dems in Scotland might have received a
pummeling for Clegg and his betrayals, yet,
in Scotland, their campaign centred on it
becoming the "most connected country in
Europe," to massively boost their economy.


In Wales, which political party is now
willing to put into practice scientists'
recommendations:  that Wales' hilly
topography requires establishing

free 'wireless' broadband?

It could connect the people of Rhondda and the
world, boosting Wales' economic regeneration,
like no
other move.
Wireless technology is now
supplying
free broadband to an entire island
off New Zealand's coast.




Come on; if New Zealand can do it - so can we !!!



Image: China's rapeseed blossoms this Spring.

Western China has embraced "green-mode
development"
- with painful changes
from which, Wales could well learn.


Eastern China has seen fast growth and
urban mess.
The West, a mining and
agricultural area, has not.


Xi'an Chan-ba Ecological District, is a model
for
reclaiming old mining areas.


It took six hard years, but now Xi'an is showing
the world how best to change, by turning a
badly
polluted rubbish landfill site, into an all
new
environment-friendly development.


As China's economic focus moves from east to
west,
it's using the lessons learned during 30
or more years of rapid industrial development.


The green way for China's west, is to combine
green industrialization & green urbanization.

The western region's strategy is to adopt
effective energy-saving and environmental
protection technologies... AND to extend
its industry through science and products
unique to China's West, together with strong
vertical growth in agriculture and all its
ancilliary economic & professional spin-offs.

In undertaking this industrial revolution, the
western region will keep a sharp eye out - to
avoid all polluting non-sustainable industries.


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


A BIG DROP OF HONEY !!!


Spring is beekeeping and honey-processing
season
in Yunnan province, in China.


Waves of bees flit across vast fields of flowers.

Local beekeepers and many from other places,
such as Sichuan and Fujian provinces - set up
their base
in tents among the rapeseed farms.


The 430,000 hectares of rapeseed blooms in
Luoping
attract myriads of bees, which
produce 15 -
20 million tons of honey a year.

Local people
now look to brand their county
as a honey
production base & increase sales
to outside markets.


Luoping Tianyuanmiyu Bee Industry Co Chair,
Zhu Hongkun,
founded his enterprise in 2009.

It mainly
produces honey, propolis and
propolis powder.


His company works with 270 plus beekeepers,
who each earn 80,000 yuan a year on average.

Some earn 200,000 yuan annually, Zhu says.

Who says beauty endowed by nature isn't worth a fortune?

The whole of the uplands of south Wales could
be as
beautiful & productive, if used wisely!



Image: retirement China style




CHINA's PREMIER POINTS WAY FORWARD

As the Tories threaten a "bonfire of the Quangos",
perhaps Wales should take note. Now extracting
all our
mineral wealth has been stopped (apart
from sand
and rock) we find ourselves "in" the
1st World
of the UK, but with a 3rd World
economy, only just
kept going by quangos
which promise much... but
deliver little...
and rely on weak public support.


We could WAKE UP & understand that we either
do something, or stay as begging bowl cases.

China's premier points the way forward for Wales:

"Industrial restructuring is the key... only by
developing energy-efficient, indigenous innovative
and high value added products can our companies
and economy, achieve sustainable development."


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


WHILE FRANCE, GREECE, IRELAND, ETC, STRUGGLE TO
STOP THE PENSION AGE RISING HIGHER AND HIGHER...

An online survey on qq.com, a popular Chinese
news portal, finds that 91% of its
over 800,000
respondents, are against raising
the current
official Chinese retirement age.


745,123 of those surveyed say they oppose
raising retirement ages --
72,456 support it.


China's scholars & the public have been debating
whether to raise the retirement age, for the past
few years, but the issue rose to prominence after
remarks by an official.


Wang Xiaochu, the official vice minister of the
Ministry of Human Resources & Social Security,
said at a press conference that the government
was "studying the matter"...

The retirement age in China is generally set
at 60 for men and 50-55 for women.

Wow! Bet you didn't know that !!!



Image: unemployment in Wales


FARMING AND SCIENCE

COULD REGENERATE WALES



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

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 the Altzeim project in Gwent.

 What have we got to lose?




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