News In Brief

- After 7 years, the EF!AU has reached its 50th birthday! To celebrate this fact, the evolution of the movement and how the Update has reflected this, the 'EF!AU 1st 50 Reader' is being put together. We need ideas, comments, any amusing or good unpublished photos, distribution help. Contact us via Manchester EF! Laminated stickers also now available, 10p each or contact us for bulk orders.

- A local FoE anti-quarry campaigner & one other have been found guilty of 'conspiracy to cause criminal damage and recklessly endanger life'. This follows the cutting of the railway line out of Whatley Quarry in September '96. The decision's being appealed before the (stiff) sentencing, due late August. Meanwhile, ARC are appealing the stop to the expansion plans.

- It all got a bit mixed up at the recent Salisbury RTS. Party-goers found themselves sharing 2 stalled tanks with soldiers and discussing the ethics of going out and shooting people, as the traffic piled up...

- Worthing residents celebrated the 2nd anniversary of the arrival of CCTV, making the public the focus of their own handmade CCTV cameras, and presenting a birthday cake to one of the real ones. Crime has risen by 19% in the town since the cameras were put up.

- The EF! & RTS websites have had to move. See the bottom of the contact list for the new address.

- At the suggestion of local FoE and Worthing Borough Council, two neighbourhoods celebrated Green Transport Week by organising their own community street parties. Turfed-over tarmac, sandpits, and a trampoline replaced the traffic. Funds raised will go to community projects.

- Huntingdon Life Sciences, the UK's biggest contract animal testing laboratory, have lost their second largest shareholder, and half the workforce at the Cheshire lab are to be made redundant. To help keep up the pressure to close it down, contact HDSC.

- At Faslane, although the local Council won the appeal against the peace camp and could evict immediately, they have contacted camp residents to ask for “talks” in early August. Faslane folk are intrigued, but remain on alert.

- Do you live in mid-Wales or the English borders? Interested in the eco non-violent direct action movement but frustrated by the sparsity of like minds in this very rural and lowly-populated area? Contact Hereford EF!

- Arthur's Wood, the new Manchester Airport camp is in need of enough dwellers to start another camp, plus usual polyprop donations etc. 3 people were arrested and bailed off site.

- If you attended either of the parties in Brixton or Tottenham, RTS need your help. There were several arrests and a couple of police assaults on partygoers. Phone RTS ASAP, 0171 281 4621 or 0961 398257

- London RTS are putting together a book about the RTS movement. Contributions welcome: photographs, press cuttings etc (will be returned). Send to John, RTS, 75 Kitto Rd, Telegraph Hill, London SE12 5TN, or

- Although the McLibel appeal date is not until 1999, they have two weeks to lodge their appeal bundles - all 200,000 pages - and pay £20,000 pounds extra for transcripts! And if they don’t? Appeal struck out.

- Undercurrents 10 underway for November release. If you know of a story that needs telling, or want support in making your own feature, get in touch.

- The latest offering from SQUALL includes features on Freemasonry, the Countryside Alliance, global activism & the GAndALF fiasco.

- Someone's putting together an anarchist anthology, in a very accessible-to-all-ages style. 2-5 page articles are still needed, and graphics

- Heron Land Developments want to build 2,500 houses, industrial units and a retail park adjoining Chepstow...on 300 acres of pasture, copses, ponds, 30 kms of hedgerows, a SSSI, part of the Offa's Dyke path, and Saxon and Iron Age sites. 'In return', HLD have 'offered' a 2nd bypass! - contact 01291 624901

- At a peaceful blockade of a barge at a Nigerian oil installation (owned by US multinational Chevron), Chevron-hired soldiers shot and killed two protesters and wounded 30 more. Chevron has devastated the ecology and communities of Ondo. See Njaja@compuserve.com.

- The Liverpool Dockers, compelled to end their 30 month dispute, will still struggle against exploitation and casualisation, here and globally. They led the London ‘March for Social Justice’ in May, and more is planned - call 0181 372 0908

- At the BNRR, the Brum fire brigade & ambulance service have been told by police not to come to the aid of protestors - there'll be 'urine & flea grenades waiting'. Yegads, those violent terrorist protestors again...!

Prisoners

Chris Garrett (Scouse Chris), CL 4664 HMP Altcourse, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LH, on remand for charges relating to the Manchester Airport protest.