World

Winfried Wolf, Berlin The Left Party.PDS [Party of Democratic Socialism] performed best in the German federal election on September 18. Receiving 8.7% of the national vote, it has more than doubled its result from 2002, when it failed to jump the

On September 22, Diosdado Fortuna, a union leader at the Cabuyao Nestle factory, was shot by unidentified gunmen as he travelled home from a picket line. An international campaign has been launched to demand that the Philippines government

On September 29, the First People of the Kalahari (FPK), the grassroots organisation of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen, who are fighting for their right to return to their ancestral homeland, were awarded Sweden's Right Livelihood Award, known as the

Stuart Munckton While the land reform process and expropriation of idle factories led by the government of socialist President Hugo Chavez has captured the most media attention, a series of other measures are being put in place that give the

Elizabeth Schulte& Eric Ruder, Chicago From all 50 states and all walks of life, they poured into the US capital on September 24. On buses and trains and planes, in cars and vans, they made their way to Washington, DC, to take a stand against the

James Balowski, Jakarta On October 1, under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced massive cuts to fuel subsidies. The average cost of domestic fuel rose by

Stuart Munckton Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced on September 30 that his government had sold its foreign currency holdings, held in US treasury bonds, and deposited them in banks in Europe. According to an October 1 Venezuelanalysis.com

Max Lane "This is similar to when martial law was implemented more than 30 years ago", said 70-year-old Professor Francisco Nemenzo, outgoing President of the University of the Philippines and convener of the left coalition Laban ng Masa. Nemenzo

Max Lane An eight-month election process for village councils has finished in East Timor. Although the village councils have no power and are primarily vehicles through which local people can articulate their opinions, the elections were contested

On October 4, at least one million workers joined a general strike across France in opposition to stagnant wages and privatisation. Strikers demanded an end to the implementation of labour laws, passed over the northern summer, which allow companies

In the September 20 Seattle City Council election, Freedom Socialist Party activist Linda Averill won 18% — almost 16,000 votes. Averill, a bus driver, campaigned for an increase in the minimum wage, raised the need for an elected civilian review

The article "Police drop investigation into murder of 13 Arab citizens" in GLW #644 incorrectly stated: "In the first week of the demonstrations, some 100 peaceful demonstrators and 13 Palestinians with Israeli citizenship were killed in Umm el Fahm,