31 January 2013

US economy contracted in fourth quarter of 2012

By Barry Grey, 31 January 2013

The Commerce Department report highlights the disconnect between the bleak economic conditions facing working people and the staggering rise in corporate profits and stock and bond prices.

With death toll rising, Egypt’s opposition calls for talks with Mursi

By Bill Van Auken, 31 January 2013

With the death toll in Egypt’s protests having climbed to near 60, the head of the main bourgeois opposition coalition has called for talks with President Mursi.

French military oversees power-sharing deal in Central African Republic

By Patrick O’Connor, 31 January 2013

The political realignment underway is being driven by France, which aims to reassert control over its former resource-rich colony and counter China’s growing influence.

French Renault and PSA unions try to block fight against plant closures

By Antoine Lerougetel, 31 January 2013

The CGT and other unions are negotiating with PSA and Peugeot-Citroen on arrangements for plant closures and new competitiveness deals.

Desperate US students seek “arrangements”

By Nancy Hanover, 31 January 2013

There has been an explosive growth of a new business model organized by a variety of exploitive American entrepreneurs.

EMS cuts delayed ambulance in fatal Detroit fire

By Lawrence Porter, 31 January 2013

Anger is growing over the death of a six-year-old boy in a Southwest Detroit house fire.

At University of Michigan symposium Angela Davis offers political cover for Obama

By Helen Halyard and Shannon Jones, 31 January 2013

In recent years, Davis has been brought forward as part of an effort to give an oppositional gloss to the Democratic Party.

California governor’s State of the State speech celebrates austerity

By Dan Conway, 31 January 2013

Democratic Governor Jerry Brown used the speech to present himself as a reliable proponent of austerity.

The Philippines takes South China Sea dispute to UN tribunal

By Joseph Santolan, 31 January 2013

The case represents a further ratcheting up of tensions between China and other regional claimants to the South China Sea.

Australia: Gillard imposes Aboriginal celebrity as Senate candidate

By Richard Phillips, 31 January 2013

The appointment is part of Labor’s efforts to “revamp” its image in the lead up to the federal election.

Burger scandal reveals food adulteration in Britain

By Robert Stevens, 31 January 2013

This latest case of adulterated food products demonstrates how the search for higher profits has compromised public health.

New in French

La Grande-Bretagne et les Etats-Unis intensifient leur aide à la guerre alors que la France progresse vers le Nord Mali

Par Alex Lantier, 31 janvier 2013

La Grande-Bretagne a promis de déployer des troupes au Mali et les Etats-Unis planifient l’installation d’une base de drones au moment où l’intervention impérialiste s'intensifie au Sahara.

New in German

Politische Lehren des Streiks der U-Bahnfahrer in Athen

Von Christoph Dreier, 31. Januar 2013

Die Verhängung des Kriegsrechts gegen den Streik der griechischen U-Bahnfahrer widerlegt alle Vorstellungen, dass der Staat durch Proteste und begrenzte Streiks in seiner Politik beeinflusst werden könne.

Großbritannien:
Cameron verspricht für 2017 Referendum über EU-Mitgliedschaft

Von Julie Hyland, 31. Januar 2013

Cameron erntete von mehreren europäischen Regierungen Kritik für seine Selbstverpflichtung, ein Referendum über die EU-Mitgliedschaft Großbritanniens durchzuführen.

Commerzbank streicht bis zu 6.000 Arbeitsplätze

Von Konrad Kreft, 31. Januar 2013

In der Commerzbank und mehreren anderen deutschen Banken stehen in den nächsten Monaten Arbeitsplatzverluste bevor.

Busunternehmen setzen Streikbrecher in New Yorker Schulbusstreik ein

Von Sandy English, 31. Januar 2013

Private Schulbusunternehmen, die im Auftrag der Schulbehörde der Stadt New York fahren, versuchten den seit zwei Wochen andauernden Streik der 8.800 Fahrer, Betreuer und Mechaniker zu brechen, indem sie Streikbrecher einsetzten.

Andy Durgan und En Lucha: Historische Verfälschungen zur Rechtfertigung des politischen Betrugs an den spanischen Arbeitern
Teil 1

Von Dave Hyland, 31. Januar 2013

Dies ist der erste Teil eines dreiteiligen Artikels über die Verfälschungen der Lehren der spanischen Geschichte durch Andy Durgan von En Lucha.

Other Languages

Perspective

New York City school bus strike at the crossroads

31 January 2013

The struggle has revealed the basic class divisions in America.

Earlier Perspectives »

Commentary

Revolutionary Socialists offer their services to the Egyptian bourgeoisie

By Chris Marsden, 31 January 2013

With the eruption of the mass movements against Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the RS came forward as the chief advocate of a united movement of the Islamists and liberal bourgeois parties to block social revolution.

An answer to the Washington Teachers’ Union

By Nick Barrickman and Jerry White, 31 January 2013

While parents, teachers and students want to fight the school closures, the WTU declares that its job is to be the advocate for those who “will ultimately be displaced.”

For workers’ power in Egypt!

By Johannes Stern and Joseph Kishore, 30 January 2013

Australian PM announces unprecedented seven-month election campaign

By James Cogan, 30 January 2013

Sri Lanka’s constitutional crisis: The way forward for workers

By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 30 January 2013

ISO offers sophistry in the service of the trade union bureaucracy

By Jerry White and Barry Grey, 29 January 2013

Political lessons of the Athens subway strike

By Christoph Dreier, 29 January 2013

Workers Struggles

Union officials offer to end NY school bus strike and negotiate concessions

By a reporting team, 31 January 2013

The union representing school bus drivers and matrons made an offer to end the strike and negotiate concessions, but the Bloomberg administration rejected it out of hand.

More on the New York school bus drivers strike »

History

PBS’s The Abolitionists: Remembering the political struggle against slavery

By Tom Mackaman, 31 January 2013

The Public Broadcasting System’s The Abolitionists is a reminder that the fight against slavery in the US was a hard-fought political struggle.

Arts Review

The Impossible: A narrow view of a major disaster

By George Marlowe, 31 January 2013

The Impossible, directed by Juan Antonia Bayona, is the story of one British family’s experience in the carnage and destruction of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

A reply to Michael Moore’s defense of Zero Dark Thirty

By David Walsh, 30 January 2013

NHS Fightback

Staff strike at Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust in England

By Barry Mason and Julie Hyland, 30 January 2013

Thousands march in London against threat to close Lewisham Hospital Accident & Emergency unit

By our correspondent, 29 January 2013

Visit the NHS FightBack web site » »

Socialist Equality Party

Sri Lankan SEP to mark 25th anniversary of Keerthi Balasuriya’s death

By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 29 January 2013

The memorial meeting to be held February 10 will discuss Keerthi Balasuriya’s political and theoretical contribution to the struggle for socialist internationalism and its significance for the working class today.

No to all school closures! For action committees to defend public education!

By the Socialist Equality Party, 29 January 2013

This Week in History: January 28-February 3

25 years ago: Massive FBI spying on US antiwar groups

On January 28, 1988, the New York Times reported on the public release of documents exposing a wide-ranging spying campaign against American organizations opposed to US policy in Central America.

More »

50 years ago: France blocks UK from Common Market

On January 29, 1963, France vetoed the United Kingdom’s application to join the European Economic Community (EEC), also known as the Common Market.

More »

75 years ago: Nazis reveal grandiose plans for rebuilding of Berlin

On January 31, 1938, Professor Albert Speer, speaking on behalf of the Nazi regime, announced plans to rebuild Berlin.

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100 years ago: Balkan War negotiations break down following Young Turk coup

On February 3, talks between the antagonists in the Balkan War broke down, and hostilities on all fronts resumed.

More »