29 May 2010

Obama makes PR stop on Gulf Coast

By Tom Eley, 29 May 2010

On Friday President Barack Obama made a brief public relations visit on the Gulf Coast, his second since the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon.

More revelations point to criminality of BP, Transocean

By Tom Eley, 29 May 2010

More facts have come to light demonstrating the criminal negligence of BP and rig owner and operator Transocean in the lead-up to the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon.

France: Day of action highlights chasm between workers and established parties

By Antoine Lerougetel, 29 May 2010

In organizing the May 27 day of action against pension cuts, France’s unions and bourgeois “left” aimed to boost their fortunes by hiding their support for social cuts.

Thai government widens political witch hunt

By John Roberts, 29 May 2010

Despite its calls for “reconciliation” in the wake of last week’s military’s crackdown on the “Red Shirt” protests, the Thai government is extending its dragnet of opposition leaders and supporters.

Canada to mount largest-ever security operation for G8/G20 summits

By Paul Franklin, 29 May 2010

Canada’s Conservative government has announced that it will spend close to $1 billion on security for next month’s G8 and G20 summit meetings in Huntsville and Toronto, Ontario.

Judge Baltasar Garzón suspended for investigating Franco’s crimes

By Vicky Short, 29 May 2010

The internationally renowned Spanish judge, Baltasar Garzón, was suspended from his post on May 14, accused of perverting the course of justice by the body that oversees the judiciary, the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).

British government outlines plans to dismantle welfare

By Julie Hyland, 29 May 2010

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has set out plans for an assault on unemployment and invalidity benefits, as the precursor to a broader assault on welfare provision.

New in German

Sparprogramme in ganz Europa

Von Peter Schwarz, 29. Mai 2010

Um die gewaltigen Löcher zu stopfen, die die Gelder zur Rettung der Banken und das Paket zur Rettung des Euro in die öffentlichen Haushalte reißen, wird die arbeitende Bevölkerung jetzt zur Kasse gebeten.

GM Europa: Betriebsrat setzt Lohnkürzungen und Arbeitsplatzabbau durch

Von Dietmar Henning, 29. Mai 2010

Der Opel-Gesamtbetriebsratsvorsitzende Klaus Franz hat in einem Vier-Augen-Gespräch mit dem europäischen GM-Chef Nick Reilly die schon lange geplanten Kürzungen bei Arbeitsplätzen und Löhnen vereinbart.

Geheimbefehl bereitet neue US-Kriege im Nahen Osten und in Zentralasien vor

Von Hiram Lee, 29. Mai 2010

Eine Geheimdirektive von General Petraeus ordnet die Ausdehnung geheimer militärischer Operationen auf den ganzen Nahen Osten, Zentralasien und das Horn von Afrika an.

New in Italian

L’indebitamento della Grecia indica una nuova fase nel conflitto di classe

Dichiarazione del Comitato Internazionale della Quarta Internazionale
29 maggio 2010

La crisi del debito greco segna una nuova tappa nella recessione globale innescata dal collasso della banca di investimento statunitense Lehman Brothers nel 2008.

New in French

Comment le Parti communiste grec couvre les coupes sociales de Papandreou

Par Alex Lantier, 29 mai 2010

Le Parti communiste grec cache sa collaboration avec l’establishment politique et son approbation des coupes sociales derrière le nationalisme grec et une défense persistante du stalinisme.

Other Languages

Perspective

Austerity measures throughout Europe

29 May 2010

In the two weeks since European heads of state and the IMF reached agreement on a €750 billion rescue package for the euro, not a day has gone by without the announcement of a new round of draconian austerity measures.

Earlier Perspectives »

BP Oil Disaster

Obama press conference
Lies and evasions in defense of BP

28 May 2010

The White House press conference Thursday, focused on the Gulf coast oil disaster, saw President Obama cover up for both the oil industry and the federal government.

Arts Review

The White MeadowsSan Francisco International Film Festival 2010 Part 5: The small pictures that still dominate

By Joanne Laurier and David Walsh, 28 May 2010

Films from Iran, Germany, Palestine, Belgium, Mexico, South Korea, the US and China exhibit some of the same “smallness,” some of the same passivity, some of the same aversion to tracing out phenomena historically.

TatlinA comment on Tatlin in London today

By Virginia Smith, 26 May 2010

The tower design for London’s 2012 Summer Olympics is mysteriously evocative. The steel structure, designed by sculptor Anish Kapoor and called Orbit, is funded primarily by ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel maker.

Committee Against Utility Shutoffs (CAUS)

CAUS campaign continues
The profit motive and utility shutoffs

By Andrea Peters, 28 May 2010

In this comment, the Committee Against Utility Shutoffs (CAUS) explains why the provision of electricity and gas on the basis of private profit can neither guarantee essential services nor ensure that workers in the utility industry have jobs and a decent standard of living.

Mehring Books

Detroit DisassembledNewly available from Mehring Books
Detroit Disassembled: A visual exposé of Detroit’s decline

25 May 2010

Mehring Books is pleased to offer Detroit Disassembled, the recently published monograph by photographer Andrew Moore.

Workers Struggles

Workers Struggles:
Asia, Australia and the Pacific

29 May 2010

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

Vale IncoVideo: Vale Inco strikers and supporters in Sudbury speak

26 May 2010

3,300 nickel miners, smelter and mill workers have been on strike in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Ontario for over ten months against the concession demands of Brazilian based transnational mining giant Vale Inco.

Australian Ford workers strike against regressive agreement

By Chris Sadlier, 26 May 2010

Ford Australia workers have launched two 24-hour strikes this month, the first such industrial action in 12 years.

Commentary

The political lessons of the Thai protests

By Peter Symonds, 27 May 2010

Last week’s military crackdown may have crushed anti-government protests in Bangkok but the underlying social tensions and political issues remain and will inevitably erupt again.

This Week in History: May 24 - May 30

25 years ago: Nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island restarted six years after partial meltdown

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) voted four-to-one May 29, 1985, to restart one of the reactors at Three Mile Island in south-central Pennsylvania, the site of a partial meltdown in 1979. That accident caused 80 petabecquerels (13 million curies) of radioactive noble gases to be released into the atmosphere. While highly toxic cancer-causing agent iodine-131 made up only a tiny fraction of the pollutants, a full-scale nuclear disaster was only narrowly averted.


More »

50 years ago: Turkish government overthrown in bloodless coup

Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was overthrown in a bloodless military coup on May 27, 1960. He, along with President Celâl Bayar and members of his cabinet, was driven from office by a cabal of 37 of the country’s young military leaders, who then installed General Cemal Gürsel as head of state.

75 years ago: US Supreme Court rules National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional

The United States Supreme Court ruled the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) unconstitutional on May 27, 1935. The unanimous decision was handed down during the case of Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, more popularly known as the “sick chicken case.”

More »

100 years ago: Chinese-Americans call for boycott of US-made goods in China

The US-based Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCC) called for a boycott of American goods throughout China on May 29, 1910. The CCC’s League of Justice issued the appeal to protest the creation of a detention center for Chinese immigrants on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. Telegrams were sent by the organization to business associations across China requesting that they refuse to purchase US-made goods in an effort to pressure Washington to abandon its discriminatory practices.

More »

Correspondence

Retired driver blames budget cuts for fatal accident on Detroit school bus

By Mary Coleman, 27 May 2010

On May 20, 11-year-old Tiffany Lynn Ross-DiCicco was struck and killed by a tree branch as she leaned out of a Detroit school bus window to say goodbye to friends. If transportation aides had not been eliminated the young girl might still be alive, says a retired Detroit school bus driver.

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Videos and Images


Detroit resident speaks on utility shutoff
Friend of Detroit fire victim denounces utility shutoffs
Shutoff victim speaks to WSWS at DTE public relations stunt
Scientist says government policy contributed to Gulf Coast Spill
Louisiana workers denounce BP’s oil spill response
Lawyer for family of worker killed in blast says BP guilty of negligence
SEP candidate addresses Oxford Union
Hearing of the Citizens Inquiry into the Dexter Avenue Fire
Detroit firefighters discuss impact of utility shut-offs and budget cuts
Citizens Inquiry chairman speaks at press conference
Dexter Avenue fire victim’s son speaks to the WSWS
ISSE members speak at San Diego rallies
Neighbors of Detroit fire victims oppose utility shutoffs
Interviews with neighbors of Bangor Street fire victims
Sister of fire victims speaks on utility shutoffs NUMMI
NUMMI auto workers denounce UAW intimidation Borax
Locked-out California Borax workers oppose concessions Borax
Boron, California mine workers denounce company lock-out House fire
Family members denounce deaths in Detroit fire Detroit teachers
Detroit teachers speak out against DFT Contract Handful of jobs offered at Detroit jobs fair
Handful of jobs offered at Detroit jobs fair H1N1 distribution interviews
Thousands line up for Swine Flu vaccine in Michigan Ford workers speak on contract rejection
Ford workers speak on contract rejection Ford workers speak out against concessions contract
Ford workers speak out against concessions contract 50,000 line up for housing assistance in Detroit
50,000 line up for housing assistance in Detroit ISSE members speak on education cuts at rally
ISSE members speak on education cuts at rally Detroit residents speak on utility bills, social crisis
Detroit residents speak on utility bills, social crisis OU video
Michigan’s Oakland University faculty strike has student support Detroit teachers denounce pay cuts
Detroit teachers denounce pay cuts D'Art
Detroit city workers oppose concessions, layoffs Interviews at Los Angeles health care clinic
Interviews at Los Angeles health care clinic Workers continue Vestas occupation on Isle of Wight
Workers continue Vestas occupation on Isle of Wight A conversation with Windsor municipal workers
A conversation with Windsor municipal workers New York City workers speak against cuts in healthcare and social services
NYC workers speak against cuts in social services Flint vid
Flint, Michigan and the bankruptcy of General Motors MI auto vid
GM workers on bankruptcy and plant closings MI auto vid
Michigan auto workers and families speak on plant closures GM vid
GM workers speak out on concessions contract Protesting students and parents speak to the WSWS
Protesting students and parents speak to the WSWS Chrysler workers speak on concessions vote
Chrysler workers speak on concessions vote UK Visteon workers speak on occupation
UK Visteon workers speak on occupation GM and Chrysler workers oppose more concessions
GM and Chrysler workers oppose more concessions Chrysler workers oppose Obama auto plan
Chrysler workers oppose Obama auto plan
WSWS interviews G20 protesters in London Donovan
Pontiac residents speak on schools crisis Detroit jobs fair
Workers interviewed at Detroit jobs fair
Ford workers: “Now the fight is with our own union.” GM workers videoGM workers denounce concession demands Chrysler workers oppose cuts
Chrysler workers oppose pay cuts, concession demands London demonstration against Sri Lankan war
Over 100,000 demonstrate in London against Sri Lankan war Joanne
Funeral for Michigan man frozen following utility shut-off Montserrat
Exposing Franco's mass graves Bay City, Mich.: “Shutting somebody's electricity off in the dead of winter is criminal”
Bay City, Michigan residents speak on death from utility shut-off London protesters speak to the WSWS
WSWS interviews London protesters London demonstrators protest Israeli assault on Gaza
London demonstrators protest Israeli assault on Gaza Chrysler workers denounce pay cuts
Chrysler workers denounce pay cuts Griffiths and Walsh
The Writer and Revolution: A conversation with Trevor Griffiths

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