7 February 2013

Greek government imposes martial law on ferry strikers

By Christoph Dreier, 7 February 2013

The criminalization of striking workers harks back to the police state conditions that prevailed under the fascist regime of the Greek colonels some 40 years ago.

US Postal Service announces plan to end Saturday mail delivery

By James Brewer, 7 February 2013

The postmaster general announced a $2 billion cost-cutting measure that would end Saturday mail service by August.

Tokyo accuses Chinese navy of “locking onto” Japanese targets

By Peter Symonds, 7 February 2013

The latest Japanese claims come on top of months of escalating friction between the two countries following Tokyo’s “nationalisation” of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

Ireland’s United Left Alliance collapses

By Dermot Quinn, 7 February 2013

The attempt to bring Ireland’s main “left” groups together has come to a swift end.

Dead children used to provide identification for UK undercover police

By Dave Hyland, 7 February 2013

British undercover police used the identities of dead children.

Kremlin responds to slowdown in economic growth with deeper social cuts

By Clara Weiss, 7 February 2013

The budget for 2013-2015 provides for massive cuts in the spheres of culture, education and health, while the share going to military spending will rise to 6.1 percent of GDP.

Firms make billions as middlemen in government cover-up of Wall Street crimes

By Andre Damon, 7 February 2013

US financial regulators increasingly rely on “independent investigators” who, in the guise of helping regulators find wrongdoing, help financial firms cover up their fraudulent activities.

UN report details brutal conditions in Australian government’s Pacific refugee camps

By Mark Church, 7 February 2013

The contents of the UN report are a further indictment of the policies enacted by the Labor government.

New in Spanish

Obama anuncia plan de reforma migratoria

Por Kate Randall, Febrero 2013

El plan de reforma migratoria del presidente norteamericano consiste en reforzar las fronteras, más represión y mayor control sobre toda la clase obrera.

¡Por el poder obrero en Egipto!

Por Johannes Stern y Joseph Kishore, Febrero 2013

Dos años después de los levantamientos que derrocaron a Mubarak, la clase obrera nuevamente está en marcha revolucionaria. Requiere una dirección revolucionaria.

New in French

Goodyear France annonce la fermeture de son site d’Amiens-Nord

Par Pierre Mabut et Antoine Lerougetel, 7 février 2013

Les syndicats français ont refusé d’engager un mouvement de grève pour unir les travailleurs de Goodyear à leurs collègues en France, en Europe et internationalement.

Allemagne: Une nouvelle capitulation du syndicat IG Metall devant la direction d’Opel

Par Philipp Frisch, 7 février 2013

Les permanents syndicaux d’IG Metall sont en train de trahir les travailleurs par souci pour leur propre avancement personnel et pour se voir attribuer un siège au conseil d’administration d’Opel.

Projection du film Tsar to Lenin à Montréal

7 février 2013

Le World Socialist Web Site et les Étudiants et jeunes internationalistes pour l’égalité sociale (EJIES) organisent la projection du film Tsar to Lenin à l’Université de Montréal.

New in German

Zur Trennung von Kirche und Staat
Obama krebst bei der Verhütungsfinanzierung zurück

Von Tom Carter, 7. Februar 2013

Präsident Obamas wiederholtes Einknicken vor religiösen Organisationen in der Frage der Geburtenkontrolle unterstreicht die Rechtsentwicklung des amerikanischen Liberalismus und sein Aufgeben zentraler demokratischer Prinzipien.

Memo des Justizministeriums erlaubt staatliche Ermordung amerikanischer Bürger

Von Bill Van Auken, 7. Februar 2013

Eine Denkschrift des US-Justizministeriums gibt dem Präsidenten die uneingeschränkte Handlungsfreiheit, die Ermordung vermeintlicher Staatsfeinde anzuordnen.

Griechische Regierung verhängt Kriegsrecht über Seeleute

Von Christoph Dreier, 7. Februar 2013

Mit der Verhängung des Kriegsrechts setzt die griechische Regierung ein elementares demokratisches Grundrecht außer Kraft. Die Abschaffung des Streikrechts ist ein typisches Merkmal autoritärer Diktaturen.

Italien: Berlusconi lobt Mussolini

Von Marianne Arens, 7. Februar 2013

Der 67-jährige Multimilliardär Berlusconi mobilisiert im italienischen Wahlkampf gezielt die äußerste Rechte.

Italien vor den Wahlen in tiefer Rezession

Von Paul Mitchell, 7. Februar 2013

Italien soll dieses Jahr noch tiefer in die Rezession absinken, sagt die Bank von Italien in einer Schätzung für 2013 voraus.

Sri Lankas Ex-Linke und das Amtsenthebungsverfahren

Von Vilani Peiris und Sarath Kumara, 7. Februar 2013

Im Verlauf der Amtsenthebungskrise Krise haben die NSSP und die USP die Arbeiter und Jugendlichen der rechten, bürgerlichen United National Party untergeordnet.

Other Languages

Perspective

The police state implications of Obama’s assassination program

7 February 2013

The Obama administration’s “white paper” on the assassination of US citizens must be taken as a dire warning to the working class. The American ruling class, steeped in lawlessness and violence, is moving toward dictatorship.

Earlier Perspectives »

Workers Struggles

Democrats join bid to strangle New York City bus drivers strike

By Bill Van Auken, 7 February 2013

Pretending to support both striking bus workers and parents, New York City’s Democratic politicians have joined the union in calling for a “cooling-off period” and negotiations on cost-cutting givebacks.

Bloomberg presses attack on striking New York City school bus drivers

By Jerry White, 7 February 2013

The strike by nearly 9,000 New York City school bus workers entered its fourth week today with the Bloomberg administration preparing to accept bids from private school bus contractors without long-standing job and wage protections.

Video: Striking New York City bus workers speak on their struggle

6 February 2013

More on the New York school bus drivers strike »

West Chicago teachers strike

By Shane Feratu, 6 February 2013

Obituary

Ed Koch: The right-wing trajectory of a Democratic politician

By Fred Mazelis, 6 February 2013

Socialist Equality Party

An extraordinary cinematic event:
Tsar to Lenin to be screened Wednesday in Montreal

7 February 2013

On Wednesday, February 13, the Socialist Equality Party will be hosting a showing of Tsar to Lenin at the Université de Montréal.

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

By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka),

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.

Commentary

Obama’s contraception climb-down and the separation of church and state

By Tom Carter, 6 February 2013

S&P charged with fraud in mortgage ratings

By Barry Grey, 6 February 2013

Arts Review

Girl on Fire—Alicia Keys closes her eyes to the world

By Hiram Lee, 6 February 2013

The latest album by the popular R&B singer.

Auto Workers Struggles

Goodyear France announces closure of its Amiens-Nord site

By Pierre Mabut and Antoine Lerougetel, 6 February 2013

Germany: A new capitulation by the IG Metall union to Opel management

By Philipp Frisch, 4 February 2013

More on the struggle in auto »

NHS Fightback

UK: Unite union appeals to Labour to save the National Health Service

By Richard Duckworth, 1 February 2013

Visit the NHS FightBack web site » »

This Week in History: February 4-10

25 years ago: Forty-year sentence for striking coal miners

On February 4, 1988, four Kentucky miners, victims of one of the most blatant frame-ups ever orchestrated by the federal government against workers, were sentenced.

More »

50 years ago: Ba’ath Party launches Iraq bloodbath with CIA backing

On February 8, 1963, the Iraqi wing of the pan-Arabist Ba’ath Party launched a coup that brought down the government of Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim.

More »

75 years ago: Italian Fascist government introduces anti-Semitic policies

On February 7, 1938, the Italian fascist regime of Benito Mussolini put in place a spate of new anti-Semitic laws.

More »

 

100 years ago: Protests force resignation of Japanese prime minister

On February 4, 1913, the government of Prime Minister Katsura Tarō was censured by Japan’s Diet, its bicameral legislature, after mass protests broke out.

More »

Correspondence

Letters from our readers

7 February 2013

A selection of recent letters to the World Socialist Web Site.