On Oct. 23 Mexico’s 128-member Senate voted almost unanimously to pass legislation that opponents say will open the way to the partial privatization of Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the giant state-owned oil monopoly. The 500-member Chamber of Deputies approved the Senate’s… Read moreMexico: Pemex “reform” rules
Two leaders of the Argentine teachers’ unions—Stella Maldonado, general secretary of the Federation of Education Workers of the Argentine Republic, and Alejandro de Michelis, press secretary for the Union of Education Workers—were among those injured on Oct. 20 when Buenos… Read moreArgentina: police fight teachers
Voting results released on Oct. 23 showed Puerto Rico’s teachers rejecting by a 18,123-14,675 margin a bid by the Puerto Rican Teachers Union (SPM) to represent them. The “no” vote was vigorously promoted by the teachers’ current union, the militant… Read morePuerto Rico: teachers back independent union
On Oct. 21 residents of San Francisco de Macoris in the northeastern Dominican province of Duarte started what was planned as a two-day civic strike for improvements in health and education services; in street and road maintenance; and in infrastructure… Read moreDominican Republic: two killed in civic strike
A statement from the General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI), Oct. 27: In Basra Thousands of Workers Take to the Street Against the Government Anti-Workers Policy In a coordination effort with the Labor Unifying Bureau, thousands… Read moreIraq: Basra workers march against austerity
From Reuters, Oct. 27: Skinheads held over Obama death plot WASHINGTON – Two white supremacist skinheads were arrested in Tennessee over plans to go on a killing spree and eventually shoot Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, court documents showed on… Read moreWhite supremacists busted in Obama assassination plot
The nearly 40,000 indigenous Colombians who marched on Cali in a two-week cross-country trek to meet with President Alvaro Uribe in a dialogue on land reform and human rights issues are preparing to return to their homes in Cauca department… Read moreColombia: Uribe stiffs indigenous leaders
This weekend, the Dalai Lama told his followers he has lost hope of reaching agreement with China on the future of his homeland. The future course of the Tibetan movement—including the possibility of an historic switch from demanding autonomy towards… Read moreTibet: Dalai Lama “loses hope” for settlement with China
The US has plundered global wealth by exploiting the dollar’s dominance, and the world urgently needs other currencies to take its place, a front-page commentary in the overseas edition of the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily said Oct. 24. “The… Read moreChina People’s Daily: dollar dominance plunders planet
Australia has ordered an investigation into claims that up to 20 Afghan asylum-seekers were killed by the Taliban after being forcibly returned to their country. A TV documentary reports that those who died were among 400 Afghan asylum-seekers denied entry… Read moreAfghanistan: repatriated refugees killed by Taliban
Mexican authorities say they have dealt a severe blow to the Tijuana Cartel with the arrest of Eduardo Arellano Félix, the last in a ruling clique of five brothers to be captured or killed by authorities in recent years. Arellano… Read moreMexico: Tijuana Cartel kingpin busted
US aircraft crossed five miles into Syrian air space Oct. 26 and launched a raid that left at least eight dead and several more injured near the Iraqi border, Damascus charges. The Foreign Ministry summoned the US envoy in Damascus… Read moreUS attacks Syria?
