22 July 2009

July casualties highest of Afghan war

By James Cogan, 22 July 2009

The number of US/NATO deaths in July has already reached 58—the highest monthly toll since the invasion in October 2001.

Obama task force backs indefinite detention without trial

By Tom Eley, 22 July 2009

A task force on US detention policies has released an “interim report” indicating that the Obama White House—like the Bush administration before it—claims the right to indefinitely detain “terror suspects” without charges or trials.

California budget deal reached
Governor Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders agree to major cuts

By Kevin Mitchell, 22 July 2009

The agreement over the state’s $26 billion dollar budget deficit includes $15.6 billion in cuts, almost entirely from programs that benefit the working class and poor.

Michigan officials slash public services

By Jack Cody, 22 July 2009

The economic crisis has hit Michigan with full force. Every level of government is dealing with massive budget shortfalls by cutting wages, benefits and social services for workers.

Afghan insurgents hold US soldier

By David Walsh, 22 July 2009

Within the wider tragedy of the brutal US occupation of Afghanistan, the fate of Private Bowe Bergdahl has its own tragic dimension.

US bank bailout could cost $23.7 trillion

By Andre Damon, 22 July 2009

The federal government’s bailout of Wall Street may cost $23.7 trillion, according to a statement given to Congress Monday by the lead overseer of the Treasury's bailout program.

Mexican state of Michoacán under military state of siege

By Carlos del Rocío, 22 July 2009

The deployment of 2,500 more Mexican army troops to the state of Michoacán signals a major escalation of the US-backed “war on drugs” being waged by the Calderón government.

Canada: Worker resistance must be armed with a socialist strategy

Statement of the Socialist Equality Party (Canada), 22 July 2009

The Toronto and Windsor city worker strikes are part of growing working class resistance to big business’ drive to make the working class pay for the crisis of the profit system. But if this resistance is to not to be contained and derailed by the unions and NDP workers must draw far-reaching conclusions from the bitter reversals they have suffered over the past three decades.

Abbeydal GrangeVideo: Protesters opposing closure of Sheffield’s Abbeydale Grange School speak to WSWS

22 July 2009

On July 17, parents, pupils and staff protested outside the Town Hall in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to oppose the closure of Abbeydale Grange School.

Germany: Unions support dismantling of over 10,000 jobs at Opel
What lies behind the “workers equity investment scheme”?

By Ludwig Weller, 22 July 2009

As part of their “rescue plan” for Opel, the German trade unions propose a “workers equity investment company”, in which only the works council members and some union officials would have any say.

Denmark to open Arctic military command

By Niall Green, 22 July 2009

The Danish government announced last week it would expand its permanent military presence in the Arctic. To advance its claims, the Danish bourgeoisie must secure its control over Greenland and the Faroe Islands, and rebuff the territorial ambitions of its rivals in the region.

Australia: Teachers Federation annual conference: a green light for Labor’s pro-market “education revolution”

By Erika Zimmer, 22 July 2009

Last week’s New South Wales Teachers’ Federation annual conference served to deflect widespread opposition among teachers to the Rudd government’s pro-market education reforms.

New in French

Quarante ans depuis le premier atterrissage lunaire

Par Patrick Martin, 22 juillet 2009

Voilà maintenant quarante ans aujourd’hui, deux astronautes américains, devenaient les deux premiers êtres humains à fouler le sol lunaire. Cet exploit historique est d’autant plus remarquable que la période d’exploration habitée du satellite de la Terre inaugurée par Apollo 11 n’aura pris fin qu’à peine plus de trois ans plus tard.

New in German

Griechenland ein halbes Jahr nach den Jugendprotesten:
Linksbündnis SYRIZA verteidigt Polizei

Von Markus Salzmann, 22. Juli 2009

Im Anschluss an ein Treffen mit Funktionären der Polizeigewerkschaft bekundet Alekos Alavanos, der Vorsitzende der Parlamentsfraktion des Linksbündnisses SYRIZA, seine ausdrückliche Unterstützung für die griechische Polizei.

Scharfe Spannungen in der iranischen Führung

Von Bill Van Auken, 22. Juli 2009

Die Rede von Ex-Präsident Rafsandschani am vergangenen Freitag signalisiert eine Zuspitzung des Kampfs im herrschenden Establishment des Iran. Rafsandschani war der wichtigste verbündete des unterlegenen Präsidentschaftskandidaten Mirhossein Mussawi.

Immer mehr Tote in Internierungslagern in Sri Lanka

Von Sarath Kumara, 22. Juli 2009

Die Bedingungen in den Internierungslagern in Sri Lanka verschlechtern sich. 1.400 Menschen sollen pro Tag an Seuchen sterben.

Perspective

The class issues in the US health care debate

22 July 2009

The Obama administration’s push for health care “reform” has exposed the class realities that dominate American politics and the social interests which Obama defends.

Earlier Perspectives »

Socialist Equality Party

German Socialist Equality Party certified for 2009 federal election

By our reporter, 22 July 2009

At its meeting on July 17, Germany's Federal Election Committee agreed to allow the Socialist Equality Party (Partei für Soziale Gleichheit—PSG) to stand in this September's national elections, but only after a lengthy dispute.

CollierSEP candidate D’Artagnan Collier takes part in Detroit mayoral debate

By Jack Cody, 22 July 2009

Socialist Equality Party candidate D’Artagnan Collier outlined his response to the social crisis in Detroit during a July 16 debate involving candidates for the city’s upcoming primary mayoral election.

SEP conference in Detroit on July 25
A new political perspective for the working class

The SEP is holding this critical conference in Detroit on July 25 to discuss a new political perspective for the working class to defend jobs and living standards.

Arts Review

An Earlier DorsetDarwin’s “endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful”

By Paul Mitchell, 22 July 2009

The current Fitzwilliam Museum exhibition is a fascinating exploration of the impact of Charles Darwin’s revolutionary theories on art in the late 19th century.

Workers Struggles

Victorian ambulancesAustralia: Labor government’s new industrial relations body bans paramedic strike

By Chris Sadlier, 22 July 2009

Fair Work Australia (FWA), the Labor government’s new industrial relations tribunal, yesterday banned planned strike action by ambulance paramedics in Victoria.

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