(Text-only) Rhondda Records Home Page

Rhondda Records is with you every day
bringing the news ------- that gives a
view of world events different to
the mainstream media or
social media!

Except Sundays - our day of rest.

Cuban Students in Russia Show

Their Support for the Homeland

A representation of Cuban students from the program of the

100 scholarships made clear in Moscow their commitment

to support the government of their country in the face of

threats from the US, Prensa Latina learned today.

May 19th, 4:24am

(Prensa Latina)

In the meeting... held at the headquarters of the embassy of the

Republic of Cuba in the Russian Federation, a rejection of the

students in the face of the intensification of the economic,

commercial, financial and energy blockade of the

administration of US' President Donald Trump,

against the people of the Caribbean nation,

was also confirmed.

"These actions of Washington intend to suffocate and to make

Cuba surrender --- but we are willing to defend the revolution

and the social project undertaken by our people,"
it notes -- in the students' statement.

Likewise, at the meeting - it was confirmed that the scholarship
program developed by government agreement between Russia

and Cuba, is progressing satisfactorily, and the students are
preparing those specialisms necessary - for the economic

and social development of their country.

Hezbollah claims it has destroyed

Israel's Iron Dome platform

May 19th, 7:43pm

(Izvestia.ru)

The Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah attacked the Iron

Dome air defense system platform at the Jal al-Allam position,

located near the border with Lebanon. This was reported on

May 19 in the press service of the movement.

"Islamic Resistance fighters struck the Iron Dome platform

at Jal al-Allam's position, resulting in its destruction,"

the Telegram channel reported.

The press service clarified that the strike was related to the

violation of the ceasefire by Israel ---- and its attacks on

settlements in southern Lebanon.

___________________________________________

Israel drops phosphorus shells on farms

in southern Lebanon ---- amid ceasefire

violations

May 19th, 6:31pm

(PressTV)

Israeli forces have dropped phosphorus shells on farms

in southern Lebanon, kidnapping civilians in a fresh

violation of the recent ceasefire agreement.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported

on Tuesday that 3 phosphorus shells landed near farmers

harvesting watermelons in the Mansouri junction area

of Tyre district.

According to NNA, the farmers fled the fields

immediately, and no injuries were reported.

In the same district, Israeli aircraft also carried out

strikes on the towns of Hanawieh and Maarka.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Health Committee - reported

recovering the body of a civilian from the rubble of

a house in Qana, Tyre district --- which was hit in

Monday’s attacks. Search operations for other

missing residents ...are ongoing.

In southern Lebanon’s eastern sector, Israeli forces

established a checkpoint at the Marjayoun-Halta

junction in the Nabatieh district. Three civilians

were detained, and cellphones --- confiscated.

Israeli warplanes also struck the town of Dabin, while

a drone strike early Tuesday - targeted a motorcycle

on the Kfar Dajjal-Nabatieh road, injuring 1 person.

The attacks come amid ongoing violations of the fragile

ceasefire that began on April 17 and was extended for

45 days until early July.

Since March 2, Lebanon has faced a large-scale Israeli

offensive, with official figures reporting over 3,000

killed, at least 9,200 wounded, and more than

1.6 million displaced.

Israel is occupying a belt of southern Lebanon extending

five to ten kilometres inland. The Israeli military has

warned the residents of southern Lebanon not

to cross into the area.

The continued escalation in southern Lebanon

underscores the precarious security situation

and growing humanitarian concerns.... for

civilians in the region.

________________________________________

Iran’s rising power directly associated

with population growth: Leader

May 19th, 6:10pm

(PressTV)

Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba

Khamenei, says the growth of Iran’s status as a great and

influential power is directly related to the growth of its

population, calling for increased efforts to promote

the culture of childbearing.

In a message issued on the occasion of National Population Day,

the Leader responded to a letter of condolence and affection

from population activists following the martyrdom of his

father, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

“Among the valuable achievements of the third Sacred Defense

and the great blessing of the nation’s unique uprising, which

has become clear to everyone, is Iran’s emergence as a

great and influential power.”

“Undoubtedly, the continuation of this situation and reaching

a more desirable degree of it is directly related to the issue

of population.”

Strategic necessity, not just compensation

The Leader said the need for population increase - is

sometimes viewed merely as a way to compensate

for past policy shortcomings.

Ayatollah Khamenei, however..... said

there is a more important dimension.

Iran’s aging population growing

rapidly, official warns

A senior official, says a third of Iran’s

population will be aged 60 and older

by 2050.

“With the diligent pursuit of the correct and certain policy of

population increase, the great Iranian nation will be able to

experience great role-playing and strategic leaps - in the

future, and take long steps towards ---- creating a new

Islamic Iranian civilization.”

He said the late Leader placed a premium on the matter

during meetings or correspondence with public and

private audiences, and it remains one of the

most important strategic matters .....

of the Islamic establishment.

The Leader ...praised grassroots activists in the field

of population, urging them to continue their efforts.

“The increasing efforts of popular activists in the field of

population and the promotion of a childbearing culture

can have a significant impact on securing this bright

future,” he wrote.

The third Sacred Defense, refers to Iran's retaliatory

operations to counter the 40â€‘day war of aggression

launched by the US and Israel -- against Iran -- on

February 28, which included the assassination

of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s armed forces responded with 100 waves of

decisive strikes under Operation True Promise 4.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since early April,

but a US naval blockade of Iranian ports ....remains.

________________________________________________________

ICC seeks arrest warrant for Israeli
minister Smotrich over forced
displacement, genocidal
remarks

May 19th, 5:54pm

(PressTV)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested an arrest

warrant for Israeli finance minister Bezalel Yoel Smotrich for

the forceful displacement of Palestinians from their lands

and for making genocidal comments about the people

of Gaza.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Smotrich said

he had been informed that the ICC had requested a

warrant for his arrest.

He did not specify who had informed him, noting that

the process of seeking warrants..... is confidential.

He claimed the arrest warrants against Israeli officials... are

“a declaration of war,” adding, “In the face of a declaration

of war, we will fight back ----- with a vengeance.”

Announcing that he would go “on the attack” after learning

of the arrest warrant, Smotrich said he “will sign an order

to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar,” forcibly transferring the

Palestinian community from this occupied West

Bank village that has endured a years-long

legal battle with Israeli authorities ------

for its survival.

He also - attacked Palestinian humanitarian organisations,

reflecting the Israeli authorities’ anger at Palestinians for

seeking international legal action over Israel’s genocidal

campaign in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7,

2023 and has killed more than 72,800 Palestinians

and wounded at least 172,700 others.

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli

prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister of

war Yoav Gallant for “crimes against humanity and war

crimes” committed during Israel’s genocidal war

on Gaza.

Judges and prosecutors at the ICC have since been sanctioned

by banks, credit card companies, and tech giants, such as

Amazon -------- as a result of sanctions imposed by the

administration of US President Donut Trump.

The ICC’s request for an arrest warrant --- centres on Smotrich’s

forced displacement orders targeting Palestinians, his support

for moving Israeli settlers into occupied territory, and his

claim that it may be “justified and moral” ...to starve

Palestinians in Gaza.

If approved, it would make Smotrich the third Israeli official

targeted by the court, after Netanyahu and Gallant.

The United Kingdom and four other countries have imposed

sanctions on Smotrich and another Israeli minister, Itamar

Ben-Gvir, for --- repeatedly --- inciting violence against

the Palestinians.

Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have called for the permanent

occupation of Gaza --- and the re-establishment of

illegal Jewish settlements there, which Israel

abandoned in 2005.

In February, Smotrich approved a plan to claim large areas of the

occupied West Bank as “state property,” as more than 700,000

Israelis live in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli military forces and settlers have killed at least 1,155

Palestinians, injured around 11,750 others, and abducted

approximately 22,000 in the occupied West Bank, since

October 2023, according to official figures.

_____________________________________________

Iran studied US airstrike tactics;

extracted missiles, launchers:

NYT

May 19th, 12:31pm

(Al Mayadeen English)

A senior US military official says Iran analyzed US

fighter jet flight patterns, and used the ceasefire

period to restore its missile launch capabilities.

Iran successfully studied the flight patterns of US

fighter jets and bombers, allowing it to defend

more effectively against US airstrikes, The

New York Times reported, citing a senior

US military official.

Tehran also used a period of ceasefire to extract

missiles and launchers from previously bombed

positions, the official added.

According to the official, Iranian commanders,

possibly with Russian assistance, analyzed

the flight patterns of US fighter jets and

bombers, including aircraft involved

in recent strikes.

The official warned that the downing of an F-15E

fighter jet last month, along with ground fire

directed at an F-35, revealed that US aerial

tactics have become highly predictable,

enabling Iran -------- to mount more

efficient defenses.

Iran recovers ballistic missile sites

On Iran’s missile capabilities - the US official stated

that Tehran exploited the ceasefire to clear dozens

of ballistic missile sites that had been bombed

and to reposition mobile launch platforms.

Despite sustaining losses..... Iran has

adjusted its tactics, in anticipation

of any renewed strikes.

The official noted that many of Iran’s ballistic missiles

were launched from deep underground caves and

facilities carved into granite mountains,

structures that US attack aircraft

....find ''difficult'' to destroy.

As a result, the United States primarily bombed the

entrances to these sites, causing collapses and

burials but not full destruction, and then Iran

excavated a significant number of those

sites, the official told the NYT.

Asked about the overall impact of the war on Tehran,

the official said, “Although five weeks of intense

bombing killed many Iranian commanders and

leaders, the war has left a tougher and more

resilient adversary.”

The official added that the Iranians have redeployed

much of their remaining weaponry and have

developed a strengthened belief that their

country can successfully resist the US,

whether by effectively shutting down

the Strait of Hormuz, attacking

energy infrastructure.. in the

neighbouring Gulf states ---

or threatening US aircraft.

Source: The New York Times

__________________________________

Senior Iranian commander: Any aggression by US

or allies will be met ---- with overwhelming force

May 19th, 1:26am

(PressTV)

The commander of Iran's highest operational command unit has

said that any new act of aggression by the United States or its

allies ---- will be met with overwhelming force, as the Islamic
Republic stands stronger and more determined than ever

to defend its sovereignty.

In a statement on Monday night, Major General Ali Abdollahi,

commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya HQ, said that the

Islamic Republic --- and its battle-hardened armed

forces are now more prepared and formidable

than at any time in history ---- with fingers

firmly on the triggers ---- ready to

protect the proud nation.

“We announce to America and its allies: Do not commit

another strategic mistake or miscalculation,”
the commander said.

“They must know - that any renewed aggression or invasion

by the enemies of our land and our proud nation ----- will be

met with a swift, decisive, powerful, and broad response.”

He reminded the world that the American-Zionist enemies have

repeatedly tested the courage of the brave Iranian nation and

the might of its powerful armed forces, and have always ---

been taught a harsh lesson.

“With divine resolve and determination, we have proven

that we will demonstrate our authority and capability

------- to the enemies on the battlefield,”
the commander stressed.

He warned that if the enemies dare to make another mistake,

Iran will confront it with far greater power and capability

than during the 40-day imposed war.

“We - will defend the rights of the Iranian nation

with all our strength - and cut off the hand of

any aggressor,” the commander concluded.

Iranian military leaders have said that while Iran seeks no war

and desires peace and stability in the region, it will never

hesitate to deliver a crushing, proportionate response

to any provocation or act of aggression - against

its people and its sacred soil.

They have consistently emphasized: that the country’s

growing strength serves solely as a deterrent against

foreign threats and interference.

In response to the US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic

Republic on February 28, the Iranian Armed Forces

launched daily missile and drone operations

targeting locations in the Israeli-occupied

territories - as well as US military bases

and assets across the region.

Furthermore, Iran retaliated against the strikes by closing the

Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in a significant increase

in oil prices and their by-products.

On April 8, 40 days into the war, a Pakistan-brokered temporary
ceasefire between Iran and the US took effect. Negotiations
ensued in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.. but stopped

short of an agreement ----- amid Washington’s maximalist

demands and its insistence on unreasonable positions.

Iranian nation and armed forces -- will force

US retreat and surrender: Leader's advisor

Mohsen Rezaei fhas stated that the iron fist of Iran’s powerful

armed forces and the resolute Iranian nation will compel the

United States ------- to retreat and surrender.

Today, May 19th, in 1890,

colloquially known as Uncle Ho,

and a revolutionary statesman,

writer, poet, and journalist,

He founded the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 - and

served as its first president from 1946 until his death in 1969

and as its first prime minister from 1945 to 1955.

A committed Marxist–Leninist, Ho played a central role in

establishing the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930

and later led its successor, the Workers' Party of

Vietnam (the Communist Party of Vietnam),

as chairman, until his death.

Ho remained president and party leader after the US invasion

and the splitting of Vietnam into two --- which began in
1955, under the French empire.

He supported the Viet Cong insurgency in the south, overseeing

the transport of troops and supplies on the Ho Chi Minh trail,

until his death from heart failure in 1969. Vietnam beat the

US out in 1975, and the country was re-unified in 1976,

as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, although it had

to endure 18 years of vicious sanctions by the US,

despite having lost millions slaughtered by the

US - its cities carpet bombed and its forests

de-foliated with a poison - agent orange.

His funeral was attended by about 250,000 people

and 5,000 official guests, which included many

international mourners.

Southern Vietnam's former capital,

was renamed Ho Chi Minh City

In 1987, UNESCO officially recommended that its member states

"join in the commemoration of the centenary of the birth of

President Ho Chi Minh by organizing various events as a

tribute to his memory", considering "the important and

many-sided contributions of President Ho Chí Minh to

the fields of culture, education and the arts" - who

"devoted his whole life to the national liberation

of the Vietnamese people, contributing to the

common struggle of peoples for peace,

national independence, democracy,

and social progress".

One of Ho Chi Minh's works, The Black Race, much of it

originally written in French, highlights his views on the

oppression of peoples by colonialism and imperialism,
in twenty written articles.

Other books such as Revolution which published selected

works and articles of Ho Chi Minh in English, also

highlighted Ho Chi Minh's interpretation and

beliefs in socialism and communism, and

in fighting against the evils stemming

from capitalism, colonialism,

''Only in a socialist system are the interests of the individual,

the state and the collective at one. That is why only a

socialist constitution can encourage the citizens to

fulfill enthusiastically their duties to the society

and the fatherland.''

''The capitalists often boast that their constitutions guarantee

the rights of the individual, democratic liberties .......and the

interests of all citizens. But in reality, only the bourgeoisie

enjoy the rights recorded in these constitutions. The

working people do not really enjoy democratic

freedoms; they are exploited all their life

and have to bear heavy burdens in the

service of the exploiting class.''

''Individualism ------- spawns.. hundreds of dangerous diseases:
bureaucratism, commandism, sectarianism, subjectiveness,

corruption, and waste. It ties up and blindfolds its victims

whose every action is guided by their desire for honour

and position, not by concern for the interests of the

class and the people.''

''Revolutionary morality consists, in whatever circumstances, in

resolutely struggling against all enemies, maintaining one's

vigilance, standing ready to fight, and refusing to submit,

to bow one's head. Only by so doing can we defeat the

enemy, and fulfill our revolutionary tasks.''

''Revolutionary morality consists in uniting with the masses --- in

one body - trusting them, and paying attention to their opinion.

By their words and deeds the Party and Working Youth Union

members and cadres win the people's confidence, respect

and love, closely unite them around the Party, organize,

educate and mobilize them.... so that they will

enthusiastically implement the Party's

policies and resolutions.''

''Revolutionary morality does not fall from the sky. It is

developed and consolidated through persevering

daily struggle and effort. Like jade, the more it

is polished - the more it shines. Like gold, it

grows ever purer ...as it goes into the

EU approves new sanctions against Israeli

settlers ------ over violence in West Bank

May 11th, 5:43pm

(PressTV)

The EU agreed to impose new sanctions against Israeli

settlers ------ over the increasing violence against

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

EU foreign ministers, who gathered in Brussels for a meeting

of the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, also approved a

new round of sanctions against Israeli organizations

supporting illegal settlement activity in the

occupied West Bank.

“It's done! The EU is sanctioning today the main Israeli

organizations guilty of supporting the extremist and

violent colonization of the West Bank, as well as

their leaders. These most serious - and

intolerable - acts must cease without

delay," French Foreign Minister

Jean-Noel Barrot, said, on

social media platform X.

Barrot said, “The hope that France revived last year in New

York, that of two recognized and respected States living

side by side in peace and security, we will let no one

undermine it."

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also confirmed the decision,

saying EU foreign ministers "gave the go-ahead to sanction

Israeli settlers over violence against Palestinians."

"It was high time we moved from deadlock to delivery.
Extwemisms and violence carry consequences,"

Kallas saids - on X.

The decision sparked outrage from Israeli foreign minister

Gideon Sa'ar, who called it “arbitrary --- and political”.

“The European Union has chosen, in an arbitrary and political

manner, to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and entities

because of their political views ...and without any basis,”

Sa’ar sneered... in a post on social media platform X.

He defied the decision, saying Israel will continue

to support the (illegal) settlements in the

occupied West Bank.

Violence by Israeli forces and settlers has escalated across

the occupied West Bank since October 2023, when Israel

launched the genocidal war against Gaza, including

killings, abductions, home demolitions, and

settlement expansion.

Since then, at least 1,155 Palestinians have been killed,

and about 11,750 others injured, and nearly 22,000

arrested in the occupied West Bank.

_____________________________________

FIFA World Cup boycott ‘self-evident’

under Trump’s ‘racist, vile’ regime:

Activist

April 14th, 9:03am

by Mohammad Ali Haqshenas

The United States is no longer a safe or credible host for a global

sporting event ----- with sweeping travel bans, rising internal
repression, and an increasingly aggressive foreign policy,

making a boycott of the 2026 World Cup -- not radical:

but inevitable, according to an activist and artist.

In an interview with the Press TV website, Willie Dowling, an

activist .....who also happens to be a multi-instrumentalist,

singer and composer, said there were "enough reasons"

for the world to boycott the FIFA World Cup to be

co-hosted by the US before the announcement

of recent restrictions placed on travel.

Dowling’s case begins with borders - and who is allowed to cross

them. Even before new restrictions were announced in January

2026, he noted that 19 countries were already subject to full

entry bans to the US, with another nineteen ----- facing

partial restrictions.

“Without exception, all of the nations banned

or partially banned ....have mostly non-white

populations,” he told the Press TV website.

“The extraordinarily rapid decline of the United States ---- into an

even more racist, authoritarian nation --- than it has historically

been should be reason enough not to go there for the football.”

The bans, he believes, are not bureaucratic hurdles but warnings.

“This should serve as a warning to everyone that it is not safe

to go to the US, particularly if you are non-white.”

These concerns are no longer theoretical. Campaigns urging fans,

players, and national associations to stay away from the US-

hosted tournament have gained momentum across Europe,

Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia.

The possibility of a direct boycott by a competing nation

has also become a reality in the wake of the Trump

regime’s acts of aggression abroad.

Iran could essentially boycott the World Cup in response to the

unprovoked US-Israeli war of aggression ---- which began on

February 28 and targeted the country's nuclear facilities,

schools, hospitals, and bridges, as well as its

sports infrastructure.

Pointing to the "malicious actions carried out against Iran,"

Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated recently,

"Our players do not have security, and fundamentally

the conditions for participation do not exist."

The US government - has also restricted Iran's participation. While

FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed -- that the Iranian team is

"welcome to compete," the US president warned that the Iranian

team’s "life and safety" would be at risk ------- if it participated in

the event.

Trump administration has also barred travelers from Iran and

three other World Cup-participating countries, and multiple

Iranian delegates already had their visas denied before

December’s group-stage draw.

Activist groups cite visa denials, expanded anti-immigration

policies, internal security crackdowns, and US military

aggression abroad. Some governments.. have quietly

raised concerns about whether fans and journalists

can enter — and remain — safely.

Dowling sees a boycott as leverage. “Nor is it wise to give

Trump and his regime --------- anything they can use as a

successful publicity event,” he noted.

Individual choices matter, he argued, because - they scale.

“As individuals, we can’t do much to help bring down this

vile regime, but little actions by millions of people — like

not buying US goods --- or not travelling to the US — will

start to hit the US economy and thereby affect Trump’s

standing with his own MAGA zealots,” he stated.

The argument extends well beyond immigration. Dowling

pointed to foreign policy and to broken promises. “Let’s

remember Trump campaigned to win the Presidency

on a policy of ‘No more foreign wars’ and ‘No more

regime changes’.”

The reality, he added, looks very different. “And yet in

under a year he has bombed several countries, and

militarily threatened five others, including long-

standing allies.”

In Dowling’s view, these actions are not just aggressive but

also unlawful. “All of his military interventions fly in the

face of International Law and Human Rights."

Against that backdrop --- the idea of hosting the world’s biggest

sporting event in the US, feels absurd to him. “In light of this,

it seems almost extraordinary to me - that there is even a

question about boycotting the World Cup in the US.”

He drew a direct comparison. “The existential threat coming

from the US far exceeds that of any other nation on the

planet, and since Russia has experienced a boycott,

it seems perfectly logical - if not blindingly obvious

that the USA should be boycotted, internationally

isolated and sanctioned.”

For Dowling, the issue is credibility. “What good is ‘rules-based

order’ if the most powerful nation in the world consistently

flaunts any rule they choose to?”

The danger, he hastened to add, is not only external, but

domestic. “Incidentally, it’s interesting that Trump said:

‘No more foreign wars’ - because it looks increasingly

likely that he’s going to spark a civil war in the US.”

Dowling believes internal unrest - may be politically useful.

“I suspect he’s continually provoking dissent and protest

in the US in order to declare a national emergency and

invoke the Insurrection Act, thereby cancelling the

midterm elections --- which he would otherwise

lose and then face immediate impeachment

and probably jail.”

And.. he sees a longer game. “And should he succeed in

cancelling the midterms, he’ll undoubtedly seek a way

to cancel the 2028 election.”

The implications, he noted -- are chilling. “This increasingly

authoritarian grip and the casual willingness of the Trump

regime to either censor, jail, extradite, or even murder

those of a different colour, or those in opposition to

them are reasons enough to boycott the football.”

Some calls to stay away have come from inside football itself.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and several European

officials recently suggested fans would be safer

watching from home .....rather than going all

the way to the stadiums in the US.

Dowling’s criticism sharpened - when it

turned to FIFA’s conduct under Trump.

He cited “the ludicrous ‘Peace Award’ the football governing

body presented to Trump, only days before he bombed

Venezuela to steal their oil.”

The timing, he added, came “long after the US

military assaults on other nations in the

previous months of 2025.”

“The idea of Trump qualifying for any award in the name

of peace is laughable,” Dowling said. “And FIFA

inexplicably made themselves part of that

ridiculous hypocrisy.”

At the heart of the boycott argument is exclusion. “The ban on

travel and the visa policies imposed by the US extend almost

exclusively to nations that have predominantly non-white

populations,” Dowling stated.

“This is typical of the Trump regime … of course, they

consistently deny their racism, but one only needs

to observe their actions: to see that they don’t

match the rhetoric.”

He described a governing style built on misinformation, referring

to the Trump administration. “This is a regime that has adopted

lying --- as its key strategy.” He invokes a phrase popularized by

Trump’s former adviser. “As Steve Bannon said — with strong

echoes of Joseph Goebbels — ‘Flood the zone with shit’.”

The goal, Dowling argues, is distraction.

“I suspect they might have been even further down the line with

their objectives had they not started to attack their own white

population in democratic states, particularly recently --- in

Minnesota,” he added, pointing to the recent violence.

The standard, he said, is racial. “The US and indeed the Western

world -------- tends to be more tolerant towards murder -------- if it’s

non-whites that are being killed.”

Which brings him back to football. And to first principles. “How

can a sporting event be described as ‘global’ ....if 39% of the

world’s nations ---- are exempt from the racist whims of

the Trump regime?”

For Dowling, the conclusion needs no embellishment.

“Taking all of the above into account.... I’d suggest

that the moral case for a boycott is self-evident.”

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

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

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

His namesake is stammering his way in the opposite direction.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

ROGER WATERS
TO MUSICIANS:-
"BOYCOTT ISRAEL"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

____________________

www.wegottickets.com/thefactory

www.ticketweb.co.uk

browse venues in Wales

www.ticketlineuk.com

02920 230130

Cash tickets from:

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

For more details visit

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

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

Daytime Delights...

Starts at 1pm

The Parc & Dare, Treorchy

Lunchtime Concerts in the Lounge Bar.

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

Ticket information:

The Cultural Services Booking & Information Line:

08000 147 111
or book online at

www.rct-arts.co.ukÃ‚Â

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

Mid Rhondda Modelling Club...

7pm - 9pm

Tonyrefail Comprehensive School
Mid Rhondda Modelling Club

has been running for over 30 years.

We meet on a regular basis

& enjoy making models for display.

We encourage both Gentlemen

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

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

Ticket information

£1 contribution every week. Under 16's free

Telephone Mr. Davies on 01443 686658

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

Comedy In The Laughter Lounge

The Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy.

COMEDY IN THE LAUGHTER LOUNGE

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

Laugh? You'll snort like a pig!

Hilarious - TimeOut.

www.rct-arts.co.uk

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

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

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

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

______________________________________

Get Involved!

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

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

or this one:

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

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

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

_______________________________________

IF - YOU THINK you HAVE
BEEN UNFAIRLY BARRED:

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

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

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

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

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

https://www.electoralreform.co.uk

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

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

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

PONCY LABOUR MPS PROBLEM?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Bryant's voting record:
from TheyWorkForYou.com

On Tuition Fees:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Human Rights:

Consistently voted for introducing ID cards

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

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

On the Environment:

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

On Special Interests:

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

Generally voted against a
statutory register of lobbyists

On War or Peace:

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

Consistently voted for the Iraq war

Consistently voted against an
investigation into the Iraq war

Generally voted for replacing Trident
with a new nuclear weapons system

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

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

On Independence:

Generally voted for more EU integration

____________________________

Chris Bryant Labour MP
From Wikipedia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His pay, allowances and some expenses:

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

His MP's expenses story:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The research paper is published
in the Optics Express journal.

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

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

KILLING THE ELDERLY BY CLOSING CARE HOMES

Did you know that each time a local authority

closes a care home for the elderly, within 8

months, around half the residents are dead?

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

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

EDM 2251: The contents

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

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

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

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

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

MAKING THE CONNECTION IN WALES

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

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

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

So it's Broadband Heaven for England...

and crapola for Wales' broadband - the

slowest, worst Broadband in the UK !!!

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

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

free 'wireless' broadband?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A BIG DROP OF HONEY !!!

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

Waves of bees flit across vast fields of flowers.

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

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

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

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

It mainly produces honey, propolis and
propolis powder.

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

Some earn 200,000 yuan annually, Zhu says.

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

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

CHINA's PREMIER POINTS WAY FORWARD

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

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

China's premier points the way forward for Wales:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FARMING AND SCIENCE
COULD REGENERATE WALES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What have we got to lose?