5 February 2013

Obama administration claims power to authorize pre-emptive cyberwar strikes

By Joseph Kishore, 5 February 2013

Secret legal arguments prepared by the government are part of an effort to expand cyberwar strikes against other countries, particularly Iran and China.

Greek government threatens striking ferry workers with martial law

By Christoph Dreier, 5 February 2013

The Greek government has announced that it intends to ban a strike by ferry workers against wage cuts and sackings and place the workers under martial law.

Alabama standoff ends with death of hostage-taker

By David Walsh, 5 February 2013

The standoff between authorities and Jimmy Lee Dykes, a 65-year-old Vietnam War veteran who shot a school bus driver and then abducted a five-year-old boy, ended Monday afternoon.

Britain: Closure plans for Trafford General Hospital’s Accident & Emergency unit approved

By Tony Robson, 5 February 2013

The closure of the Accident & Emergency unit at Trafford General Hospital in Greater Manchester, the hospital where the National Health Service was founded, has been approved.

UK youth face bleak job prospects in 2013

By Joe Mount, 5 February 2013

Youth unemployment continues to rise in the UK, with a new study forecasting that 86,000 more workers under the age of 25 will be without jobs this year.

Australian Labor government crisis deepens as unofficial election campaign begins

By Patrick O’Connor, 5 February 2013

The seven-month campaign has begun with the arrest of a suspended Labor MP, two ministerial resignations, polling pointing to an electoral wipe-out, and speculation about a renewed leadership challenge.

Thai court jails journalist for 11 years for lese majeste

By John Roberts, 5 February 2013

Somyot Prueksakasemsuk is the latest person to be convicted and jailed for insulting the monarchy under the country’s draconian law.

South Korean president-elect moves to abandon welfare promises

By Ben McGrath, 5 February 2013

With the election over, Park Geun-hye is preparing to ditch her pledges to narrow the gap between rich and poor.

New England supermarket workers face contract battle

By Mike Ingram, 5 February 2013

Supermarket chain Stop & Shop has set up scab hiring centers in preparation for the February 23 expiration of a contract covering 36,000 workers.

New in French

La Grande-Bretagne entreprend sa propre avancée militaire en l’Afrique

Par Jean Shaoul, 5 février 2013

La Grande-Bretagne va envoyer pas moins de 350 militaires au Mali et en Afrique occidentale dans un acte de défi direct aux efforts français pour dominer la région.

Les protestations autochtones ébranlent l’establishment canadien et la direction officielle autochtone

Par Carl Bronski, 5 février 2013

Idle No More (« L’inertie, c’est fini »), le mouvement populaire autochtone, continue sa campagne de protestations contre le gouvernement conservateur canadien.

New in Romanian

Bula speculativă de pe pieţele bursiere

De Andre Damon, 5 februarie 2013

În al cincilea an de criză economică şi pe fondul celor mai rele semne de încetinire globală din 2008 încoace, pieţele bursiere mondiale sunt în plină expansiune.

New in German

Griechische Regierung droht streikenden Seeleuten mit Kriegsrecht

Von Christoph Dreier, 5. Februar 2013

Die Besatzungen der griechischen Fähren streiken seit letzten Donnerstag gegen Arbeitsplatzabbau und Lohnsenkungen und die Folgen des Spardiktats der Europäischen Union.

Der nominierte Verteidigungsminister Hagel beugt sich den Rechten in der Frage Israels, des Iran und des Militarismus

Von Bill Van Auken, 5. Februar 2013

Die Anhörung im Senat am Donnerstag für die Bestätigung von Chuck Hagel als Verteidigungsminister nahm manchmal inquisitorische Züge an.

Dortmund: Roma-Arbeiter ins Elend getrieben

Von Sibylle Fuchs, 5. Februar 2013

Die ARD-Sendung Monitor zeigte einen erschütternden Bericht über die soziale Kälte und Menschenverachtung, mit der die Stadt Dortmund auf die Not gestrandeter Arbeiter aus Südosteuropa reagiert.

Der Weg vorwärts für die streikenden New Yorker Schulbusfahrer

Von der Socialist Equality Party, 5. Februar 2013

Die SEP ruft zur Verteidigung der Streikenden und zur Gegenwehr gegen den Angriff auf das öffentliche Bildungswesen zur Gründung von Basiskomitees aus Schulbuspersonal, Eltern, Lehrern und anderen Arbeitern auf.

SEP (Sri Lanka) verurteilt Versammlungsverbot des Verteidigungsministeriums in Jaffna

Von der Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), 5. Februar 2013

Mit dem Verbot einer öffentlichen Versammlung der SEP (Sri Lanka) in Jaffna setzt die Regierung Rajapakse ihre massiven Angriffen auf demokratische Rechte, insbesondere in den nördlichen und östlichen Landesteilen Sri Lankas, fort.

New in Italian

Il costo umano dell'austerità in Italia

Di Paul Bond, 4 febbraio 2013

La corsa alle elezioni politiche italiane del prossimo mese è dominata dalla discussione sulla messa in opera di ulteriori misure di austerità.

New in Spanish

Fuego casero mata a infante de nueve meses de edad

Por Dyne Brian y Porter Larry, 4 Febrero 2013

Fuego casero acaba con la vida de una bebé de nueve meses de edad bajo condiciones sociales deplorables.

Other Languages

Perspective

Biden in Munich: The ugly face of imperialism

5 February 2013

Setting the tone for this year’s Munich Security Conference, marked by unabashed neo-colonialism, the American vice president signaled that US imperialism is gearing up for battle in every corner of the planet.

Earlier Perspectives »

Workers Struggles

New York City school bus drivers should reject union moves to end strike

By Jerry White, 5 February 2013

The strike by nearly 9,000 New York City school bus drivers, matrons and mechanics, about to begin its fourth week, has won widespread sympathy among working people.

Letter from a New York City school bus driver

5 February 2013

A letter on the assault by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the striking New York school bus drivers.

New York City cops aid strike-breakers

By Bryan Dyne, 5 February 2013

In addition to penning workers behind barricades and blocking them from mounting effective picket lines at bus yards, New York City police have come to the direct aid of strike-breakers.

More on the New York school bus drivers strike »

Workers Struggles: The Americas

5 February 2013

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

Commentary

White House zeros in on Medicare

By Patrick Martin, 4 February 2013

Further cave-in by Obama on contraceptives

By Kate Randall, 4 February 2013

Socialist Equality Party

Sri Lankan SEP to mark 25th anniversary of Keerthi Balasuriya’s death

By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka),

The memorial meeting to be held February 10 will discuss Keerthi Balasuriya’s political and theoretical contribution to the struggle for socialist internationalism and its significance for the working class today.

Auto Workers Struggles

Germany: A new capitulation by the IG Metall union to Opel management

By Philipp Frisch, 4 February 2013

More on the struggle in auto »

Arts Review

Dustin Hoffman’s Quartet: Aging and the artist

By Joanne Laurier, 1 February 2013

The Impossible: A narrow view of a major disaster

By George Marlowe, 31 January 2013

NHS Fightback

UK: Unite union appeals to Labour to save the National Health Service

By Richard Duckworth, 1 February 2013

Visit the NHS FightBack web site » »

This Week in History: February 4-10

25 years ago: Forty-year sentence for striking coal miners

On February 4, 1988, four Kentucky miners, victims of one of the most blatant frame-ups ever orchestrated by the federal government against workers, were sentenced.

More »

50 years ago: Ba’ath Party launches Iraq bloodbath with CIA backing

On February 8, 1963, the Iraqi wing of the pan-Arabist Ba’ath Party launched a coup that brought down the government of Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim.

More »

75 years ago: Italian Fascist government introduces anti-Semitic policies

On February 7, 1938, the Italian fascist regime of Benito Mussolini put in place a spate of new anti-Semitic laws.

More »

 

100 years ago: Protests force resignation of Japanese prime minister

On February 4, 1913, the government of Prime Minister Katsura Tarō was censured by Japan’s Diet, its bicameral legislature, after mass protests broke out.

More »

Correspondence

Letters from our readers

5 February 2013

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