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

30 January 2010

Tony Blair, war criminal, testifies before inquiry

By Chris Marsden, 30 January 2010

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s testimony before the Chilcot inquiry into the 2003 Iraq war marks him down once more as a war criminal.

Sri Lankan government cracks down on opposition

By Sarath Kumara, 30 January 2010

Despite winning re-election by a substantial margin, President Rajapakse’s position remains weak amid continuing divisions in ruling circles and popular resentment over declining living standards.

Britain: Unions lobby Parliament to line up behind Labour

By Paul Mitchell, 30 January 2010

This week, one group of trade union bureaucrats after another has traipsed into Parliament to lobby MPs ahead of the upcoming general election due in May.

Further questions raised in East Timor “assassination” trial

By Patrick O’Connor, 30 January 2010

An ongoing trial relating to the alleged failed assassination of East Timor’s president and prime minister has raised further serious questions about the murky affair.

US: Republican activist behind Acorn smear campaign faces felony charges

By Peter Daniels, 30 January 2010

James O’Keefe, the Republican activist who became a hero in extreme right-wing circles last year after he carried out a provocative sting-type operation Acorn, faces felony trespass charges.

First “bad bank” set up for Eastern Europe

By Markus Salzmann and Wolfgang Weber, 30 January 2010

A so-called “bad bank” for heavily indebted East European countries had been established in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

New York City: In the face of intense opposition, Bloomberg closes 19 public schools

By Sandy English, 30 January 2010

Over intense opposition from students, teachers and parents, New York City’s Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) voted early Wednesday morning to close seven middle or elementary schools and 12 high schools.

New York students and teachers speak out on school closings

By a WSWS reporting team, 30 January 2010

The World Socialist Web Site interviewed parents, students and teachers who attended Tuesday night’s Panel for Educational Policy vote at Brooklyn Tech on the closing of 20 public schools.

City union prepares capitulation to Detroit mayor

By Jerry White, 30 January 2010

Hundreds of Detroit city workers gathered Thursday night at a meeting called by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 25.

Pennsylvania: Braddock hospital closes its doors for good

By Samuel Davidson, 30 January 2010

The University of Pittsburgh Medical System is closing Braddock hospital on Sunday, delivering another blow to this once thriving steel town south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River.

New in French

« Reconstruire Haïti » pour ses salaires de misère

Par Bill Van Auken, 30 janvier 2010

Des ministres gouvernementaux, des banquiers internationaux et des organismes humanitaires se sont réunis à Montréal lundi pour discuter des plans de reconstruction d’Haïti, ravagé par un tremblement de terre. Au cœur de leurs propositions se trouve l’exploitation des travailleurs haïtiens à des salaires de misère.

New in German

Die politischen Auseinandersetzungen in Sri Lanka und die Rivalität zwischen USA und China

Von Peter Symonds, 30. Januar 2010

Nach den Präsidentschaftswahlen in Sri Lanka verwandelte sich Colombo in einen Hexenkessel, in dem Gerüchte und Intrigen brodelten. Statt die Auseinandersetzungen zu beenden, haben die Wahlen dazu beigetragen, die politische Instabilität zu verstärken.

Afghanistan-Konferenz in London:
Das Land wird noch jahrelang besetzt bleiben

Von Chris Marsden, 30. Januar 2010

Die Londoner Konferenz geht davon aus, dass Afghanistan noch mindestens fünf weitere Jahre militärisch besetzt bleibt. Trotz der Gefahr, dass die Besatzung im Schlamassel enden und viele Soldaten und Unsummen Geldes kosten könnte, will keine Macht auf Einfluss in der öl- und gasreichen Region verzichten.

Israel droht der Hisbollah und dem Libanon

Von Jean Shaoul, 30. Januar 2010

Israel hat seine Kriegshetze gegen die Hisbollah und die libanesische Regierung verschärft, und damit die Spannungen im gesamten Nahen Osten erhöht.

New in Spanish

Historiadores al servicio de la “Gran Mentira”: Análisis crítico de la biografía sobre Trotsky por el Profesor Robert Service

Por David North, 30 Enero 2010

Publicamos aquí una charla presentada por David North el 13 de diciembre, 2009, en la Friends Meeting House [Casa de Reuniones Para Amigos] en Londres. El Sr. North es presidente de la Junta Editorial internacional del World Socialist Web Site.

La CIA se toma la revancha lanzando misiles en Pakistán

Por Bill Van Auken, 30 Enero 2010

Desde el ataque suicida que acabó con la vida de 7 agentes de la CIA y un espía jordano, se ha producido una aparente campaña de represalias en Pakistán, y al menos 20 personas han muerto debido al ataque con misiles procedentes de aviones teledirigidos.

Seis millones de estadounidenses no tienen más ingresos que los bonos de comida

Por Jerry White, 30 Enero 2010

Según un análisis de los datos estatales realizado por el diario New York Times, unos seis millones de estadounidenses (una de cada 50 personas en Estados Unidos) viven únicamente de los 100 o 200 dólares mensuales en bonos de comida.

Tambores de guerra estadounidenses en Yemen tras el incidente de la línea aérea

Por Bill Van Auken, 30 Enero 2010

Tras el fallido intento el día de Navidad del joven nigeriano de 23 años Umar Faruk Abdulmutallab de detonar una bomba en el vuelo de Northwest Airlines con destino a Detroit procedente de Ámsterdam, se han intensificado los tambores de guerra a favor de una mayor intervención militar estadounidense en Yemen.

Perspective

The real state of the union in 2010

30 January 2010

In his State of the Union speech Wednesday night, President Barack Obama avoided any direct and concrete presentation of the actual state of US society.

Earlier Perspectives »

Commentary

Obama’s guilty silence on Haiti

By Bill Van Auken, 30 January 2010

In his State of the Union speech Wednesday President Barack Obama barely mentioned the historic catastrophe unfolding on America’s doorstep, with the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Haitians and millions more left injured, hungry and homeless.

Behind Sri Lanka’s political infighting: US-China rivalry

29 January 2010

Following Tuesday’s presidential election, Colombo has become a hotbed of rumour and intrigue. Far from ending the campaign brawling, the election has set the stage for deepening political instability.

London conference on Afghanistan: Occupation will last for years to come

By Chris Marsden, 29 January 2010

The London conference on Afghanistan laid down a scenario for the country’s military occupation stretching over at least 5 years and, according to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, as long as 15 years.

Sri Lankan SEP Election Campaign

Tensions high as incumbent wins Sri Lankan presidential poll

By K. Ratnayake, 28 January 2010

A tense political situation continued in Sri Lanka yesterday as Mahinda Rajapakse was declared the winner in Tuesday’s presidential election. Opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka announced he would challenge the result.

Sri Lankan SEP election web site

The election web site of the Sri Lankan section of the ICFI makes the party’s analysis available simultaneously in the island’s three main languages—English, Sinhala and Tamil.

Arts Review

An interesting collection, but a distorted view of Stalinism
Mexican prints: revolution on paper

By Paul Mitchell, 29 January 2010

Mexican prints 1910-1960 will be shown at the British Museum in London through April 5, 2010.

Mehring Books

Tom Eley: The Revolution Betrayed is among the greatest political works of the 20th century

By Tom Eley, 29 January 2010

Mehring Books is continuing its Winter Recommended Reading Series, in which it invites WSWS writers to share their thoughts with readers about works of Marxist literature that have influenced them and explain why.

Mehring Books promotional sale ends Monday
Last chance to buy books at up to 50 percent off

29 January 2010

On Monday, Mehring Books will be ending its promotion sale marking the launching of its new web site.

Pamphlet on Haitian history available from Mehring Books

27 January 2010

Mehring Books is pleased to make available to readers of the World Socialist Web Site a pamphlet from its archives that provides historical background to the events currently unfolding in Haiti.

Workers Struggles

Workers Struggles:
Asia, Australia and the Pacific

30 January 2010

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

25 years
50 years
75 years
100 years

25 years ago: Time acquitted in Sharon libel case over massacre

Both Time magazine and Ariel Sharon claimed victory in the days following a New York City jury's January 24 decision in a libel case brought by the former Israeli general against a paragraph in an article Time had published over his role in the Shabra and Shatilla massacre.

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50 years ago: Belgium concedes independence to Congo

Its control over the Congo slipping and mindful of the disaster gripping its neighbor France in Algeria, Belgium on January 27, 1960, agreed to recognize the independence of its prized imperial possession at the end of June, after May national elections.

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75 years ago: Revolt against President Terra in Uruguay

A major uprising was launched in Uruguay on January 28, 1935 against President Gabriel Terra. The revolt led to fighting between rebel groups and government loyalists in all of the country's 18 provinces. By January 29, a rebel militia had attacked government troops in the capital of Montevideo.

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100 years ago: “White slavery” Mann Act passes House

The Mann Act, which made transporting women between states for "immoral purposes" a crime punishable by up to five years in jail and $5,000, on January 26, 1910, passed the US House en route to becoming law.