World Socialist Web Site

wsws.org

Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)

23 July 2009

Obama press conference: Evasions and lies on plan to slash health care for workers

By Patrick Martin, 23 July 2009

President Obama’s press conference Wednesday night was an hour-long effort to conceal from the American people the sweeping impact of the cuts in medical benefits that will be imposed in his administration’s planned restructuring of the US health care system.

Honduras: Tensions mount as US-backed mediation stalls

By Bill Van Auken, 23 July 2009

Tensions have continued to mount in Honduras as the coup regime rejects US-backed proposals for a “unity” government that would leave the country’s elected president virtually powerless.

Fed Chairman Bernanke signals more bank bailouts, calls for cuts in social programs

By Barry Grey, 23 July 2009

In two days of testimony before Congress, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke defended the multi-trillion-dollar bailout of the banks while seeking to allay fears on financial markets of a potential eruption of inflation.

Japanese prime minister dissolves parliament and sets election date

By Peter Symonds, 23 July 2009

The ruling LDP heads into a general election trailing behind the opposition DPJ in all the polls and facing an end to its virtually unbroken 53-year rule.

China’s fragile “economic recovery”

By John Chan, 23 July 2009

Even as it reported China’s increased second quarter growth figure last week, the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics cautioned that the recovery was “still infirm”.

US Vice President Biden visits Ukraine and Georgia

By Niall Green, 23 July 2009

US Vice President Biden visited the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia this week. Despite recent concessions in certain strategic areas, Biden’s tour is a warning to Moscow that Washington retains strong interests in the region.

Sri Lankan power workers demand higher wages

By W. A Sunil, 23 July 2009

Thousands of Sri Lankan power workers held a one-day national protest on July 17 to defend benefits and demand higher wages. The struggle is part of the growing opposition of working people to government attacks on living conditions.

Britain: Government housing bill promotes nationalist “local homes” policy

By Simon Whelan, 23 July 2009

Supposedly in response to British National Party (BNP) gains in the European Union elections, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is promoting the notion of “local homes for local people.”

Inquiry into the killing of Iraqi civilian begins in London

By Robert Stevens, 23 July 2009

A public inquiry into the killing of Iraqi civilian Baha Mousa by British soldiers in September 2003 opened in London on July 13.

New in Persian

کودتای هندوراس : هشداری به طبقه ی کارگر

بيل ون اوکن ١١ جولای ٢٠٠٩

از زمان کودتای ٢٨ ژوئن توسط دسته راستی ترين بخشهای نخبگان حاکم که با حمايت ارتش آموزش ديده توسط آمريکا انجام گرفت، طبقه ی کارگر در هندوراس سر به جدالی آرام ناشدنی عليه دولت نامشروع و سرکوبگر برداشته است.

New in French

Les salariés de Télédiffusion de France (TDF) en grève contre des licenciements

Par nos correspondants, 23 juillet 2009

Les salariés de Télédiffusion de France (TDF) sont confrontés à un plan annoncé soudainement par la direction le 12 juin de licencier 600 salariés sur 2400. TDF est la principale entreprise française de diffusion Radio et télévision (détenant les trois quarts du marché).

La guerre d'Obama

Par Bill Van Auken, 23 juillet 2009

Au fur et à mesure qu'Obama s'approche de la fin de son sixième mois à la Maison Blanche, les preuves s'accumulent qui montrent que son gouvernement n'en est qu'au début de ce qui ressemble de plus en plus à une escalade de majeure de la guerre en Afghanistan.

New in Portuguese

Peru: Milhares de trabalhadores protestam contra as políticas de Garcia

Por correspondente do wsws.org , 23 de julho de 2009

Em 8 de julho, milhares de trabalhadores, incluindo operários da construção civil, trabalhadores do setor têxtil, mototaxistas e professores marcharam pela capital Lima como parte de uma ação nacional de três dias em repúdio às políticas econômicas realizadas pelo governo do partido APRA e do presidente Alan Garcia.

Perspective

Unions systematically divide Opel, GM-Europe workers

23 July 2009

From the outset, the German works councils have sought to ensure that the main burden of an Opel “rescue plan” be shouldered by European plants outside Germany.

Earlier Perspectives »

Socialist Equality Party

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.

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.

Featured Interview

An interview with David N. Gibbs, author of First Do No Harm: Humanitarian Intervention and the Destruction of Yugoslavia

By Charles Bogle and Paul Mitchell,
23 July 2009

Earlier this month, the World Socialist Web Site posted a review of First Do No Harm: Humanitarian Intervention and the Destruction of Yugoslavia by David N. Gibbs, Associate Professor of History and Political Science at the University of Arizona. Professor Gibbs has been gracious in granting the WSWS an interview.

Arts Review

Darwin’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

Britain: Vestas workers occupy wind turbine plant to stop closure

By Robert Stevens, 23 July 2009

On Monday evening, some 25 workers began an occupation of the Vestas Blades UK factory in Newport on the Isle of Wight. The plant is set to close on July 31, with the loss of 525 jobs.

Vestas occupation supporter: “Those people in there definitely want to be heard”

By our reporter, 23 July 2009

The World Socialist Web Site spoke to John, who has worked for five years at the Vestas plant on the Isle of Wight, about the occupation that has been mounted to oppose the closure of the factory.