8 February 2013

Senate hearing on John Brennan whitewashes US assassination program

By Bill Van Auken, 8 February 2013

A Senate hearing on the confirmation of John Brennan as CIA director whitewashed the US drone assassination program, largely ignoring its violation of core constitutional and democratic rights.

Media covered up US assassination base in Saudi Arabia

By Joseph Kishore, 8 February 2013

At the request of the Obama administration, the New York Times, Washington Post and other media outlets concealed the location of the base, used to carry out drone assassinations.

Former Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi praises Mussolini

By Marianne Arens, 8 February 2013

Italy’s former prime minister used the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day to praise the fascist “Duce” Benito Mussolini.

Murder of secular politician sparks mass protests in Tunisia

By Antoine Lerougetel, 8 February 2013

Mass protests and attacks on the ruling Islamist Ennahda party offices broke out throughout Tunisia after the assassination of a prominent Tunisian secular politician

UK: Honda slashes nearly one third of jobs at Swindon

By Richard Duckworth, 8 February 2013

The announcement comes less than six months after British politicians, business circles and the media praised Honda to the skies and declared that Britain had “won the global car war”.

Sri Lankan army report denies war crime accusations

By Sarath Kumara, 8 February 2013

The report is a bid by the military for a greater political role as social and economic tensions on the island sharpen.

Ten killed in Solomon Islands tsunami

By Oliver Campbell, 8 February 2013

The tsunami’s impact is an indictment of the callous indifference of the Australian and New Zealand governments toward the plight of working people in the South Pacific.

Ontario teachers’ union funded Liberal leadership candidates

By Carl Bronski, 8 February 2013

The largest secondary school teachers’ union local in Ontario lavished donations on candidates running to lead a provincial Liberal government that is implementing a brutal austerity program, including real wage-cuts for teachers.

Bowling Green, Ohio university to lay off 12 percent of faculty

By Naomi Spencer, 8 February 2013

The layoff of 100 professors at Bowling Green State University will mean fewer classes, heavier workloads for faculty, and delays in graduation times.

New in Romanian

Casa Albă ia Medicare în vizor

De Patrick Martin, 8 februarie 2013

Preşedintele Obama şi un consilier economic de top au confirmat faptul că Medicare este primul vizat în cadrul negocierilor de reducere a bugetului care au loc acum în spatele scenei, la Washington.

New in Spanish

El camino a seguir en la huelga de los autobuses escolares de Nueva York

Por Partido Socialista por la Igualdad, 8 Febrero 2013

El PSI lucha por la formación de comités independientes de los trabajadores ede autobuses escolares, de padres, maestros y otros obreros para defender la huelga y vencer los ataques contra la educación pública.

New in French

Grèce: Le gouvernement décrète la loi martiale contre les travailleurs des ferries en grève

Par Christoph Dreier, 8 février 2013

La criminalisation des travailleurs en grève rappelle les conditions d’Etat policier qui étaient en vigueur sous le régime fasciste des colonels il y a une quarantaine d’années.

Tsar to Lenin
Introduction par David North

8 février 2013

Voici l’introduction au film Tsar to Lenin rédigée par David North, président du Comité de rédaction du World Socialist Web Site, qui marquait la sortie du documentaire en DVD l’été dernier.

New in German

Die letzten Atemzüge der amerikanischen Demokratie

Von Joseph Kishore, 8. Februar 2013

Die „Denkschrift“ der Obama-Regierung zur Ermordung amerikanischer Staatsbürger muss der Arbeiterklasse eine ernste Warnung sein. Die herrschende Klasse Amerikas ist tief in Verbrechen und Gewalt verstrickt und bewegt sich auf eine Diktatur zu.

Irlands United Left Alliance bricht zusammen

Von Dermot Quinn, 8. Februar 2013

Der Versuch, die nominell linken Gruppen in Irland zusammenzubringen ist krachend gescheitert.

Bundesregierung plant massive Einschränkung der Prozesskostenhilfe

Von Sven Heymanns, 8. Februar 2013

Die geplante Einschränkung der Prozesskostenhilfe hätte für Geringverdiener, die vor Gericht ihre Rechte geltend machen wollen, unkalkulierbare finanzielle Folgen.

Other Languages

Perspective

Bank scandals and the case for public ownership

8 February 2013

Calls for greater regulation of the banks ignore the incestuous relationships between the finance houses and the regulators that are supposed to be overseeing them.

Earlier Perspectives »

Correspondence

A reply to a defender of SYRIZA

By Robert Stevens, 8 February 2013

The WSWS replies to a criticism of “Pseudo-left conceals refusal of SYRIZA, PASOK and trade unions to oppose Golden Dawn.”

Workers Struggles

School bus workers fight for job security and wages: 1979 and today

By Fred Mazelis, 8 February 2013

An examination of the New York City school bus drivers strike of 1979 underscores the transformed role of the unions.

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

6 February 2013

Democrats join bid to strangle New York City bus drivers strike

By Bill Van Auken, 7 February 2013

Bloomberg presses attack on striking New York City school bus drivers

By Jerry White, 7 February 2013

More on the New York school bus drivers strike »

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

8 February 2013

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

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

Commentary

The police state implications of Obama’s assassination program

By Joseph Kishore, 7 February 2013

Greek government imposes martial law on ferry strikers

By Christoph Dreier, 7 February 2013

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

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.

Arts Review

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

By Hiram Lee, 6 February 2013

Auto Workers Struggles

Goodyear France announces closure of its Amiens-Nord site

By Pierre Mabut and Antoine Lerougetel, 6 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.

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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 »