24 January 2012

European Union imposes oil embargo on Iran

By Peter Symonds, 24 January 2012

The EU sanctions are an act of economic war that heightens the danger of a slide into military hostilities.

Italian truckers, taxi drivers mount national strike against social cuts

By Alex Lantier, 24 January 2012

Truckers and taxi drivers blocked roads and highways throughout Italy, as protests spread against the social cuts of Prime Minister Mario Monti.

Anti-democratic actions by the US Supreme Court

By Tom Carter, 24 January 2012

Recent Supreme Court opinions involving religion, voting rights and warrantless surveillance cast a shadow over existing democratic legal protections.

Australian government loses support of independent MP

By Patrick O’Connor, 24 January 2012

Having lost the support of Andrew Wilkie, reducing its effective parliamentary majority to just one seat, Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s minority Labor government has become even more precarious.

New Zealand judge defers bail decision on Megaupload arrests

By John Braddock, 24 January 2012

As part of a global campaign by the US government, the Megaupload associates face extradition proceedings on copyright charges.

US Senators escalate tensions in Southeast Asia

By Joseph Santolan, 24 January 2012

Every stop of the visit by McCain and Lieberman was a calculated escalation of US military and political machinations against China.

Russian Prime Minister Putin appeals to middle-class protesters

By Clara Weiss, 24 January 2012

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin presented his election program in an article published January 16 in the Russian daily Izvestia.

Famine devastates states of northern Mexico

By Rafael Azul, 24 January 2012

Mexico’s food crisis is turning into a famine for the marginalized groups such as the Tarahumara Indians in Chihuahua State.

Bostonians decry transit fare hikes and service cuts

By Kate Randall, 24 January 2012

Boston area residents are reacting with shock and outrage to MBTA plans for steep fare increases and dramatic service cuts to the region’s transit system.

Australian government car subsidies spark rift in corporate circles

By Terry Cook and Patrick O’Connor, 24 January 2012

The Labor government’s assistance is premised on continuing restructuring measures, coordinated with the trade unions, involving mass layoffs.

Police repress protest against tuition hikes at UC Riverside

By Juan Verala Luz, 24 January 2012

Two people were arrested, and police used pellets and batons against a protest last week in Riverside, California.

New in German

Der Verrat am Generalstreik in Nigeria

Von Robert Stevens, 24. Januar 2012

Der Verrat an dem landesweiten Generalstreik durch die Gewerkschaftsverbände Nigeria Labour Congress und Trade Union Congress enthält wichtige Lehren für Arbeiter und Jugendliche auf der ganzen Welt.

Manroland: WSWS-Artikel löst Debatte über IG Metall aus

Von unserem Reporter, 24. Januar 2012

Auf der Online-Plattforum der Offenbach-Post haben viele Leser, darunter viele Manroland-Beschäftigte, die Rolle von Betriebsrat und IG Metall bei der Zerschlagung des Unternehmens verurteilt.

Schlecker-Insolvenz bedroht 47.000 Arbeitsplätze

Von Elisabeth Zimmermann, 24. Januar 2012

Die Drogeriemarktkette Schlecker hat am Montagmorgen beim Amtsgericht Ulm Insolvenz beantragt. Durch eine Planinsolvenz sollen die geltenden Arbeits- und Tarifverträge außer Kraft gesetzt werden.

Libyen: Menschenrechtsgruppen werfen NATO Kriegsverbrechen vor

Von Bill Van Auken, 24. Januar 2012

Ein am Donnerstag veröffentlichter Bericht von Menschenrechtsgruppen aus dem Nahen Osten enthält Beweise dafür, dass die NATO in ihrem achtmonatigen Krieg zur Herbeiführung eines Regimewechsels in Libyen Kriegsverbrechen begangen hat.

Lateinamerikanische Regierungen „entschuldigen“ sich für Verbrechen von Diktaturen

Von Bill Van Auken, 24. Januar 2012

Die offiziellen staatlichen Entschuldigungen der Regierungen von El Salvador und Uruguay für die Verbrechen rechter Regimes, die jahrzehntelang zurückliegen, zeigt nur ihre Unfähigkeit, die Verantwortlichen für diese Verbrechen zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen

New in French

La trahison de la grève générale au Nigeria 

Par Robert Stevens, 24 janvier 2012

La trahison de la grève générale nationale par le Congrès du travail du Nigeria et le Congrès des syndicats fournit des leçons cruciales aux travailleurs et aux jeunes du monde entier.

Le juge espagnol Baltasar Garzón devant la justice pour avoir enquêté sur les crimes de Franco

Par Vicky Short, 24 janvier 2012

Le juge espagnol Baltasar Garzón a comparu devant la justice le 17 janvier dans le premier de trois dossiers destinés à le réduire au silence et à porter atteinte à ses investigations.

Other Languages

Perspective

The unions and the lockouts at Cooper Tire and Caterpillar

24 January 2012

As the lockouts of Cooper Tire workers in Ohio and Caterpillar workers in Ontario enter their ninth and fourth weeks respectively, the unions are working deliberately to isolate the struggles and ensure defeat.

Earlier Perspectives »

Workers Struggles

California food workers union reaches agreement with Food 4 Less

By Jack Cody, 24 January 2012

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union has reached an agreement with the Food 4 Less supermarket chain in Southern California that ties wage increases to higher health premiums.

OntarioThousands rally to support Ontario Electro-Motive workers

By Carl Bronski, 23 January 2012

“We need every worker from around the world to have a day of action against Caterpillar”

By a WSWS reporting team, 23 January 2012

More on the Caterpillar lockout »

Texarkana Cooper Tire local to vote on settlement while Findlay workers remain locked out

By James Brewer, 21 January 2012

More on the lockout of Cooper Tire workers »

Germany: Manroland is broken up with the help of the union

By Ulrich Rippert, 21 January 2012

Workers Struggles: The Americas

24 January 2012

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

Arts Review

Johnny Otis, R&B’s renaissance man, dies at 90

By Hiram Lee, 24 January 2012

Influential R&B musician Johnny Otis, best-known for the hit dance record “Willie and the Hand Jive” died January 17 at the age of 90.


War Horse—All heart and no head

By Kevin Martinez, 23 January 2012

Socialist Equality Party

Sri Lanka: SEP/ISSE meeting to demand release of political prisoners

By the Socialist Equality Party, 24 January 2012

The SEP and ISSE will hold a public meeting in Jaffna on January 29 to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.

Commentary

US-NATO war crimes in Libya

By Barry Grey, 23 January 2012

Banks and EU leaders pressure Greece for more austerity

By Stefan Steinberg, 23 January 2012

Gingrich wins South Carolina Republican primary with right-wing, pseudo-populist appeal

By Patrick Martin, 23 January 2012

The betrayal of Nigeria’s general strike

By Robert Stevens, 21 January 2012

History

Twenty-five years since the Mendiola massacre in the Philippines

By Joseph Santolan, 23 January 2012

On January 22, 1987, 17,000 peasants, workers and students marched across Mendiola Bridge in Manila when police opened fire on them.

ISSE

Oppose extradition of Richard O’Dwyer to the US!

Statement of the International Students for Social Equality,
23 January 2012

The International Students for Social Equality calls on all students, young people, academics and workers to oppose the extradition of Richard O’Dwyer to the United States on copyright infringement charges.

This Week in History: January 23 - January 29

25 years ago: Gorbachev issues dire warning to Communist Party Central Committee

Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev’s address to the plenary session of the Central Committee on January 27, 1987, warned of an enormous social crisis in the USSR for which the party leadership bore responsibility.


More »

50 years ago: Alarm over US balance of payments deficit

This week in 1962 the US National Foreign Trade Council announced that it expected 1962 to produce a $3 billion balance of payments deficit—the amount by which the outflow of currency from the US would outstrip the amount coming in.

More »

75 years ago: Second show trial opens in Moscow

The second Moscow show trial began January 23, 1937. Old Bolsheviks, including Radek, Pyatakov, Muralov, Sokolnikov, Serebriakov, and 12 others sat in the dock faced by the Stalinist chief prosecutor Vyshinsky, a former Menshevik and opponent of the Russian Revolution.

More »

100 years ago: Bloody end to civil war in Equador

On January 28, 1912, Eloy Alfaro and other leaders of the Radical Liberal Party were murdered at a prison in Quito, where they were held following their defeat in a brief civil war.

More »

Correspondence

Letters from our readers

24 January 2012

A selection of recent letters to the World Socialist Web Site.