13 December 2012
“Friends of Syria” meeting demands Assad cede power to Islamist opposition
By Alex Lantier, 13 December 2012
Representatives of 130 governments, led by the US and the European powers, officially recognized the Islamist Syrian opposition as the sole representative of the Syrian people.
US warns of “consequences” over North Korean rocket launch
By Peter Symonds, 13 December 2012
For the Obama administration, it provides a convenient pretext for stepping up the US strategic “pivot” to Asia aimed against China, North Korea’s ally.
Sweetheart settlement for HSBC bank on drug money laundering charges
By Barry Grey, 13 December 2012
The financial mafia that bestrides the American economy and controls the political system is, in practice, above the law.
Oregon students face massive debt
By Lauren Hughes, 13 December 2012
With tuition fees jumping more than 40 percent since 2007, Oregon graduates now carry an average of $25,497 in debt.
Massachusetts governor outlines new round of budget cuts
By John Marion, 13 December 2012
The Democratic governor of Massachusetts is calling for major cuts in social programs to close a state budget gap.
Social Democratic-led alliance wins Romanian election
By Andrei Tudora and Tina Zamfir, 13 December 2012
With 58.6 percent of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 60.1 percent in the Senate, Romania’s Social Liberal Union will enjoy a comfortable majority to form the new government.
After winning FDI vote, Indian government vows to push ahead with pro-investor measures
By Deepal Jayasekera, 13 December 2012
Last week’s debate and vote on opening India to Walmart and other giant retailers has underscored the support of all sections of India’s political establishment for big business’ economic agenda.
Australian court throws out allegations against former parliamentary speaker
By Patrick O’Connor, 13 December 2012
The entire sordid affair points to the debased character of official politics in Australia.
New Zealand Hobbit premiere used to drive “international competitiveness” agenda
By John Braddock, 13 December 2012
The media hype around The Hobbit has been used to justify further attacks on wages and working conditions.
New in Spanish
La economía política del rescate bancario español
Por Nick Beams, 13 Diciembre 2012
La decisión de proporcionar 39.500 millones de euros para el rescate del sistema bancario de España es la demostración de una mayor operación que tendrá como fin mayores ataques a la posición social de la clase trabajadora.
New in German
Politische Ökonomie des spanischen Bankenbailouts
Von Nick Beams, 13. Dezember 2012
Die Hilfen an die spanischen Banken werden offenbar als Auftakt für einen umfassenden Bailout des spanischen Staates und für die Errichtung einer Finanzdiktatur wie in Griechenland aufgefasst.
Steinbrück und der Ruf nach dem starken Staat
Von Ulrich Rippert, 13. Dezember 2012
Die SPD bietet sich an, eine Regierung zu bilden, die konsequenter die Interessen der Konzerne und Banken vertritt, als es die Merkel-Koalition bisher getan hat.
Die WSWS benötigt Eure Unterstützung
Von Ulrich Rippert, 13. Dezember 2012
Um ihre Arbeit aufrecht erhalten und weiter ausbauen zu können, benötigt die WSWS dringend umfangreiche Spenden und vor allem regelmäßige Spender.
Washington entdeckt Terroristen in Syrien
Von Bill Van Auken, 13. Dezember 2012
Die USA bezeichnen eine der wichtigsten Milizen der Assad-Gegner als Terrororganisation. Damit enthüllen sie den Charakter des Krieges in Syrien, den sie selbst unterstützen.
Amerikanische Kommandanten nehmen afghanische Kinder
ins Visier
Karsai bietet US-Besatzungstruppen Immunität
an
Von Bill Van Auken, 13. Dezember 2012
Der afghanische Präsident Hamid Karsai erklärte sich am Sonntag bereit, den US-Truppen, die nach dem offiziellen Abzug 2014 im Land bleiben, Immunität vor Strafverfolgung zu gewähren.
New in Persian
آتش اعتراضات بر عليه ديكتاتوري اسلامي در سراسر مصر شعله ور شد
8 دسامبر 2012 يوهانس اشترن
اعتراضات تودهاي عليه حكومت اسلام گرا اخوان المسلمين و چنگ اندازي محمد مرسي رئيس جمهور تحت حمايه آمريكا به قدرت مستبدانه، روز گذشته در سراسر مصر شعله ور شد.
راه حركت به جلو در مصر
26 نوامبر 2012 يوهانس اشترن
فرمان قانون اساسي توسط رئيس جمهور مصر، محمد مرسي، طبقهی كارگر را با سوالات اساسي در ارتباط با چشم انداز سياسي مواجه ميكند. طبق اين فرمان، مرسي تمام قدرت مقننه، قانون اساسي، مجريه و قضائي را در دست خود متمركز ميكند.
Perspective
Michigan’s right-to-work law
13 December 2012
The inability of the United Auto Workers and other unions to mount any serious opposition to the anti-worker legislation demonstrates the bankruptcy of these organizations.
Commentary
The royal pregnancy phone hoax
By Julie Hyland, 13 December 2012
The monarchy is the human embodiment of a social order based on wealth, privilege and class oppression.
Leading German newspaper’s conference hears call for dismantling democracy
By Wolfgang Weber, 13 December 2012
At a conference organized by the prominent newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeiner Zeitung, Cologne law professor Otto Depenheuer advocated the dismantling of democracy in Germany.
Washington discovers terrorists in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 12 December 2012
The political economy of the Spanish bank bailout
By Nick Beams, 11 December 2012
UAW provides Obama a platform for his austerity assault on workers
By Jerry White, 11 December 2012
Workers Struggles
Illinois grad assistants union pushes through concessions contract
By Marcus Day, 13 December 2012
The new contract is part of an attack on public education throughout the state of Illinois and across the country.
Michigan enacts right-to-work law
By Andre Damon and Jerry White, 12 December 2012
Michigan protesters denounce right-to-work law
By a WSWS reporting team, 12 December 2012
For an independent political struggle by the working class
No to Michigan’s ‘right-to-work’ legislation
Statement of Socialist Equality Party, 10 December 2012
South West NHS Fightback
Lobbyists collude with UK government on National Health Service privatisation
By Tony Robson, 13 December 2012
A leaked document exposes how intense lobbying shaped government health policy during a public “listening exercise” on the Health and Social Care Bill.
Visit the South West NHS FightBack web site »
Arts Review
Death Grips’ No Love Deep Web: A terminally destructive message
By Zac Corrigan, 13 December 2012
Death Grips are a trio from Sacramento, California, composed of vocalist MC Ride (Stefan Burnett), percussionist Zach Hill and producer Andy “Flatlander” Morin.
The Central Park Five: A story of injustice
By Joanne Laurier, 12 December 2012
Jazz musician Dave Brubeck dies at 91
By Hiram Lee, 10 December 2012
A significant figure in postwar American culture, Brubeck's classic 1959 album Time Out sold a million copies, the first jazz album to hold that distinction.
Auto Workers Struggles
GM-Opel plant in Germany to be shut down
By Dietmar Henning, 12 December 2012
More on auto workers struggles »
This Week in History: December 10-16
25 years ago: GM permanently shuts down first sit-down strike plant
The plant where the great Flint sit-down strike of 1936-37 began was permanently shut down on December 10, 1987.
50 years ago: Mariner 2 transmits from Venus
On December 14, 1962, the NASA probe Mariner 2 became the first spacecraft to transmit from another planet back to Earth.
75 years ago: Tensions exacerbated by Japanese sinking of USS Panay
The American river gunboat the USS Panay was sunk by Japanese bombers in China on the Yangtze river on December 12, 1937.
100 years ago: Peace talks on Balkan War commence in London
On December 16, 1912, peace talks on the ongoing Balkan War began in London, convened under the auspices of the major European powers.
Mehring Books
Now available from Mehring Books: Russian Revolutionary Posters by David King
29 November 2012
Mehring Books is proud to offer for sale a new book, Russian Revolutionary Posters: From Civil War to Socialist Realism, From Bolshevism to the End of Stalinism by David King (Tate Publishing).
Correspondence
Letters from our readers
13 December 2012
A selection of recent letters to the World Socialist Web Site.
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