On Sunday 22nd November a Bristol-based group unveiled a 44 ton articulated truck for a convoy to Gaza this winter. This truck has been decorated with Banksy-style murals and the much-loved Bristol characters - Wallace & Gromit. The convoy will travel 5,000 miles across Europe carrying badly needed medical and humanitarian aid. Also included are drivers & skilled professionals.

In true Bristol tradition, the sides of the truck have been painted with impressive murals. One side shows the people of Bristol people loading their aid into the truck and in the distance the people of Gaza eagerly awaiting its arrival. The back of the truck is painted with the cartoon character Handala – the icon of the Palestinian struggle. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naji_al-Ali). On the other side of the truck is a representation of the Palestinian flag mixed with Bristol graffiti street art.

Nick Park, of Bristol-based Aardman Animations, has recently given permission for the much-loved characters Wallace & Gromit to be included on the vehicles. This coincides with the 20year celebration of these characters who are strongly associated with Bristol and the local Children’s Hospital.

Banksy has visited Palestine twice and painted political graffiti on the Separation Wall in the West Bank. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_West_Bank_barrier) A selection of these Banksy’s pictures have been included on the truck.

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Today is the beginning of the 16 Days of Action Opposing Violence Against Women

fw writes; "Wednesday 25th November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of the 16 Days of Action Opposing Violence Against Women. Throughout the 16 Days of Action we're asking everyone to take a stand against domestic violence by supporting our work to keep women safe from abuse in their own homes.... " Full article

| International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women | www.womensaid.org.uk | The Brutality of Sex-Trafficking Laid Bare | International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (on Wikipedia.org) |

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On 13th November Bristol Indymedia and Trapese collective filmed an interview with Crisitian Dominguez on his views of the COP15 summit and what his country Bolivia was hoping to achieve at the conference.

As well talking about this he also discussed his support for the people going to Copenhagen to support their demands coming from the global south. Find out what he had to say on the Bliptv Bristol Indymedia channel link.

Madboy23 writes Cristian Domínguez is the Bolivian Secretary of Environment and Resources and United Confederation of Bolivian Campesino Workers and member of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change, participating in the UN cliate talks, presents his country's position on the negotiations. As part of the 100 Days and C-Words exhibition at Arnolfini,[1, 2] Domínguez joined local activists planning to go to Copenhagen to call for an urgent people's mobilisation to Copenhagen and an end to green capitalist solutions for the benefit of all life on earth.

Cristian Domínguez has previously said, “It's not the decision of one country, but all of the countries of the world. It's not about the interests of states or political parties, but the interests of the citizens of the world.” [3]

Evo Morales, Bolivian president, will be a major player at Copenhagen. He has demanded a court for climate justice and indigenous rights. Latin American and Caribbean countries have joined forces to call for climate justice and the defence of the rights of the Earth ahead of climate change talks in Copenhagen. ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas) has called on developed countries to recognise the “climate debt” caused by their historical carbon emissions. The network, consisting of nine counties representing 73 million people, also demanded that rich nations “adopt significant commitments to reduce greenhouse gas discharge and approve mechanisms to help countries to preserve, protect and conserve their forests”.

Full Story and Video | Bolivian Press Call at Arnolfini | Going to Copenhagen? | C Words Last Night Party & Tar Sands Fundraiser

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10 months ago, on 18 January 2009, Elijah Smith A former British Soldier was arrested in Brighton.

WIll writes: He had spent the previous night decommissioning the EDO/MBM/ITT factory in Brighton, in an attempt to stop it providing parts for weapons being used by the Israeli army to bomb civilians in Gaza. Nobody was injured or harassed during their action, which was one of property damage. He and his co-defendants did not resist arrest.

Exactly 10 months on and Elijah Smith is still on remand. Yes that's right – 10 months in prison without trial. And it looks as if he is likely to remain in prison until the trial actually starts, probably on 17 May 2010, by which time he’ll have spent 16 months on remand. Elijah is currently at Bristol prison, please write to him in solidarity: Elijah Smith VP7551, HMP Bristol, 19 Cambridge Rd, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 8PS

He will be there until late November. On 30 November/1 December he and the other Decommissioners will be at Brighton courts for a ‘case management’ session relating to their trial next May. At the same time, Elijah and another decommissioner, also known as the Raytheon 2 (previously the Raytheon 3, but 3rd defendant’s charges dropped), will have that case discussed at the same court – the prosecution are trying to have the Raytheon and EDO cases linked, and a decision is due on that then. Elijah faces a third court case, currently set for 2 August 2010, which relates to alleged threatening comments he made to the EDO/MBM CEO during a previous court hearing.

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