News from around the world

The national Assembly, held in Rome on 23rd-24th April, of the militants who came together, during the Sixth Congress of the Party of Communist Refounding (PRC), around Motion 4, entitled “Another Rifondazione is possible” provoked wide interest on the Italian Left and was commented on in the media.

With the Dutch cabinet’s Yes campaign well under way, the No has gone up from 52% two weeks ago to 53%. But the radical left faces an uphill fight as it heads to the June 1st referendum.

The Women’s Global Charter for Humanity arrived in Québec on 8 May 2005, greeted by a 15,000 strong demonstration carrying the demands to the Quibec National Assembly.

The election in Scotland saw voters punishing new Labour, but the electoral system made it difficult for for the Scottish Socialist Party to benefit from this.

The new leftwing coalition RESPECT has won a parliamentary seat in Britain’s May 5 general election, generating massive publicity for for it and its new MP George Galloway.

Two Chinese ‘Gold Peak’ battery factories have poisoned at least 300 workers with cadmium. Hong Kong based Globalization Monitor has issued an appeal for support for the workers.

Pictures details of the solidarity effort made by sections of the Fourth International to help its Sri Lankan section, the NSSP, in its efforts to help the victims among the poor and oppressed.

1800 people attended LCR rally against the proposed European Constitution on 8 April.

By 16 March the strike wave had grown to 250 000 students on strike. 16 March also saw almost 100 000 demonstrators in the streets of Montreal, and a smaller demonstration in Quebec City.

The Sri Lankan government is trying to politically control relief work. The NSSP needs more financial aid to continue its relief programme.