The good news

IssueMay 2007
News by Kat Barton

The Bush Administration was dealt another blow over Iraq in April after three of its top generals turned down a new high-profile post tasked with overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The retired generals were approached by the White House but rejected the job, with one citing the chaotic way the war was being run as the reason for his decision.
Climate activists have once again been busy in the East Midlands area -- this time disrupting work at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station -- the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the UK. Eleven protesters were arrested in the action -- a forerunner to those at the Camp for Climate Action this summer (14-21 August) -- after they locked onto conveyor belts for three hours.
It seems that direct action is becoming the tactic of choice in the battle against climate change: In April, the Swedish group Climax -- formed just two weeks previously -- managed to break into Stockholm airport and occupy a runway for half an hour, delaying a plane destined for Gothenburg, a one hour flight away. The action, inspired by the UK groups Plane Stupid and Riding Tide, was the first of its kind in Sweden.
And finally... the really good news... the annual World Naked Bike Ride is set to take to the streets again this year on 9 June. The ride, which takes place in over 50 cities worldwide, is an environmental protest aimed at highlighting the destructive effects of car culture and demanding “real rights for cyclists” on city streets. To find out if there's a ride in your local area or to find out how to organise one yourself, visit http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/

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