9 February 2010

Four weeks after earthquake
Haiti: hunger sparks growing protests

By Bill Van Auken, 9 February 2010

On Sunday, Haiti saw one of its largest protests since the January 12 earthquake. as four weeks after the disaster, frustration with continuing hunger and homelessness mount.

Sri Lankan government arrests opposition presidential candidate

By K. Ratnayake , 9 February 2010

The arrest is a marked escalation in the government’s crackdown on political opponents and foreshadows widening intimidation and repression.

Tensions worsen between Israel and Syria

By Jean Shaoul, 9 February 2010

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s foreign minister from the far-right Israel Beiteinu, last week directly threatened President Bashar Assad that in the event of war Syria would be defeated and his regime would collapse.

Connecticut power plant explosion kills five, injures dozens

By Peter Daniels, 9 February 2010

A gas explosion Sunday morning at a power plant under construction in Middletown, Connecticut, killed at least five workers and injured more than 25 others.

Deutsche Bank nets €5 billion profit in 2009

By Stefan Steinberg, 9 February 2010

Germany’s biggest bank, Deutsche Bank, released figures last week for the 2009 business year, showing a massive net profit of €5 billion.

Bank executives get multimillion-dollar bonuses

By Andre Damon, 9 February 2010

Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, the largest Wall Street banks, announced multi-million-dollar year-end payouts for their chief executives on Friday.

Los Angeles, California mayor orders elimination of 1,000 city worker jobs

By D. Lencho, 9 February 2010

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ordered the elimination of 1,000 city worker jobs in order to close the city’s $218.5 million budget deficit.

Northern Ireland: Policing and justice agreement heralds assault on living standards

By Steve James, 9 February 2010

Threats and bribes from London, encouraged by Washington and Dublin, eventually convinced the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to agree to the transferring of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Australia: Opposition leader unveils slush fund for corporate polluters and agribusiness

By Patrick O’Connor, 9 February 2010

Liberal leader Tony Abbott last week released the opposition coalition’s new climate change policy, pledging to establish a multi-billion dollar public fund to be placed at the disposal of the largest corporate polluters and agribusiness interests.

Trial of Malaysian opposition leader begins

By John Roberts, 9 February 2010

A sodomy conviction would effectively end Anwar’s political career and undermine the opposition, which made significant inroads at the 2008 national election.

New in German

Die Deutsche Bank nimmt "die Krise als Chance"
Fünf-Milliarden-Profit für 2009

Von Stefan Steinberg, 9. Februar 2010

Die Deutsche Bank verzeichnet für 2009 einen riesigen Nettoprofit nach Steuern von fünf Milliarden Euro. Noch vor einem Jahr, nach der globalen Finanzkrise, wies sie einen Verlust von 3,9 Milliarden Euro aus.

Angst vor Staatsbankrotten signalisiert neues Stadium der globalen Krise

Von Barry Grey, 9. Februar 2010

Die Aktienmärkte in Europa und Asien erlebten vergangene Woche eine fast panikartige Verkaufswelle. Der Grund sind Befürchtungen, dass die Schuldenkrise schwächerer europäischer Volkswirtschaften die Weltwirtschaft in eine "Doppel-Rezession" werfen könnte.

Hessische Regierung schützt Steuerhinterzieher

Von Jan Peters und Marianne Arens, 9. Februar 2010

Im Bundesland Hessen sind Steuerfahnder, die reichen Steuerhinterziehern zu genau auf die Finger schauten, systematisch unter Druck gesetzt und mittels psychiatrischer Gutachten aus dem Dienst entfernt worden.

New in French

Québec solidaire et le piège de l’indépendance du Québec

Par Louis Girard, 9 février 2010

Québec solidaire (QS), un parti qui se présente comme étant de gauche, a tenu en novembre dernier son premier congrès d’orientation. Lors de ce congrès, QS a décidé de se décrire comme un parti souverainiste et indépendantiste.

Perspective

Government debt: a new stage in the global financial crisis

9 February 2010

The tremors on global financial markets signal a new stage in the financial crisis brought on by fears of vast social struggles as governments attempt unprecedented cuts in jobs, wages and social services.

Earlier Perspectives »

Commentary

The “Tea Party” movement in the US: A right-wing media creation

By David Walsh, 9 February 2010

The “Tea Party” movement, which held a convention last weekend in Nashville, Tennessee, is largely a media concoction, aimed at shifting American politics even further to the right.

After the defeat in Massachusetts, Democrats lurch to the right

8 February 2010

In the three weeks since the special election to the US Senate in Massachusetts, the party which controls the White House and has huge majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives has bowed and scraped before the minority Republican Party.

International Students for Social Equality

International Students for Social Equality meetings in Britain
A socialist programme to defend education

9 February 2010

The International Students for Social Equality is holding a series of meetings in the UK to advance a socialist programme in opposition to the cuts in higher and further education by the Labour government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

25 years ago: Dissident Kim Dae-jung roughed up on return to South Korea

With parliamentary elections approaching, South Korea's leading dissident, Kim Dae-jung, and an entourage of 30 American supporters—including two US Congressmen—were roughed up on their arrival at Seoul's airport. Kim was immediately placed under house arrest. Members of the American delegation said that Kim was beaten and that they too were manhandled by dozens of plainclothes police. The South Korean government had banned all media from the area.


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50 years ago: France tests first atomic bomb

On February 13, 1960, France detonated a 70 kiloton nuclear bomb in the atmosphere over Algeria's southern Sahara, not far from Mali and Mauritania. "Gerboise bleue," as Paris dubbed the explosion, announced France had joined the US, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom as a nuclear-armed state.

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75 years ago: Italy mobilizes troops in ongoing conflict with Ethiopia

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini this week in 1935 dispatched two divisions, numbering up to 35,000 soldiers, accompanied by heavy artillery and at least 50 planes to the border area between Ethiopia and Italian-Somalia. Three warships were also stationed off the Horn of Africa in preparation for a full scale invasion of one of the last two independent African states.

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100 years ago: German police crush workers' demonstrations

The Socialist Party of Germany (SPD) held hundreds of rallies across Germany on February 13, 1910, to protest against the perpetuation of the Prussian three-class franchise, which stipulated that the wealthiest voters would have out-sized representation in the Reichstag, the German parliament.

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Workers Struggles

Workers Struggles: The Americas

9 February 2010

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

Correspondence

Letters from our readers

9 February 2010

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

Videos and Images

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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