22 December 2012

Obama, Boehner pledge to continue talks on social cuts

By Barry Grey, 22 December 2012

Whether a budget deal is worked out before the New Year or after, it will initiate an assault on all that remains of the social reforms enacted in the last century.

Obama nominates John Kerry as Secretary of State

By Bill Van Auken, 22 December 2012

President Obama has nominated John Kerry, the richest individual in the US Senate and a trusted defender of the interests of the US ruling establishment, as Secretary of State.

UN Security Council approves military intervention in Mali

By Ernst Wolff and Alex Lantier, 22 December 2012

On Thursday, the UN Security Council authorized foreign intervention in Mali under the pretext of freeing northern Mali from occupation by Islamist forces.

Twenty-four dead in Mexican prison riot

By Rafael Azul, 22 December 2012

The death of 24 people in the course of an escape attempt at a Mexican prison shines a light on the deterioration of Mexican society during the drug war.

Privatisation agenda behind government threats against UK teachers

By Julie Hyland, 22 December 2012

The Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition intends to extend the conditions that exist in academies to all public schools, in preparation for the handing over of education to the private sector.

Mental health charity warns of “nightmare scenario” for North East England

By Mark Blackwood, 22 December 2012

A report reveals that when compared to the London area, the UK’s poorest region in the North East has almost three times the rate of self-harm/attempted suicide hospital admissions.

Thousands affected by floods in Sri Lanka

By our correpondents, 22 December 2012

Most of those affected are poor farmers, fishermen and workers, who received no official forewarning.

Former Thai prime minister charged with murder

By John Roberts and Peter Symonds, 22 December 2012

The decision to prosecute Abhisit is another indication that the bitter political feuding in the Thai ruling elites has not abated.

Michigan legislature enacts new attacks on workers, democratic rights

By Lawrence Porter, 22 December 2012

The Republican-controlled state legislature has passed a series of reactionary measures in its "lame duck" session.

New in Greek

Εβδομήντα χρόνια από την δολοφονία του Λέων Τρότσκι

Αυτή η διάλεξη δόθηκε από τον Ντέιβιντ Νορθ, Πρόεδρο της Διεθνούς Συντακτικής Επιτροπής του WSWS και Εθνικό Πρόεδρο του Κόμματος Σοσιαλιστικής Ισότητας (ΗΠΑ), σε μια συνάντηση στο Βερολίνο στις 17 Οκτώβρη 2010.

New in Turkish

Newtown'da dehşet

Yayın Kurulu, 22 Aralık 2012

Önümüzdeki günlerde, bu en son toplu cinayet olayının ardındaki özel dürtüleri aydınlatan yeni bilgiler ortaya çıkacak. Eldeki verilere göre, Lanza oldukça sorunlu bir gençmiş. Tersi durumda böyles bir cinayeti işlemesi mümkün olmazdı. Ama onun bireysel psikolojisi ve onun özgün ifadesi, son tahlilde, köklü bir toplumsal hastalığın ürünüdür.

Mısır'daki anayasa referandumu düşük katılım ve sahtekârlık iddialarıyla damgalandı

Johannes Stern, 22 Aralık 2012

Mısır'ın anayasa taslağına ilişkin halk oylamasının ilk turu, 15 Aralık Cumartesi günü, başkent Kahire ile liman kenti İskenderiye gibi büyük kentlerin de aralarında olduğu 27 vilayette gerçekleşti. Mısır'daki diğer 17 vilayet, anayasayı 22 Aralıkta oylayacak.

Alman sendika patronu ThyssenKrupp'ta personel müdürü oluyor

Dietmar Henning, 22 Aralık 2012

Sendika bürokratlığından iki milyon avroluk bir gelirle şirket yöneticiliğine. Bu adım, IG Metall sendikasının (IGM) Kuzey Ren Vestfalya'daki (NRW) önderi Oliver Burkhard tarafından önümüzdeki yıl atılacak. O, çokuluslu çelik üreticisi TyhssenKrupp'un personel müdürlüğüne atanıyor.

New in French

Appels en faveur d’un démantèlement de la démocratie lors d’une conférence organisée par un grand quotidien allemand.

Par Wolfgang Weber, 22 décembre 2012

Otto Depenheuer, professeur de Droit à Cologne, exige lors d’une conférence organisée par le quotidien conservateur Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung que certains domaines de la politique soient « exempts de démocratie »

New in Romanian

Noua conducere a Japoniei intensifică militarismul

De Peter Symonds, 22 decembrie 2012

"Politica noastră este aceea de a încerca să accelerăm sosirea în punctul" în care regimul sirian al lui Bashar al-Assad este răsturnat, a explicat în martie asistentul secretarului de stat, Jeffrey Feltman, în faţa Comitetului pentru Relaţii Externe al Senatului.

New in German

Merkels Weihnachtsbotschaft

Von Ulrich Rippert, 22. Dezember 2012

Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel hat in der Wirtschaftszeitung Financial Times verkündet, die europäischen Wohlfahrts-Staaten seien nicht mehr finanzierbar.

Die Linkspartei mobilisiert für den Krieg gegen Syrien

Von Johannes Stern, 22. Dezember 2012

In der letzten Woche haben führende Persönlichkeiten der Linkspartei einen Aufruf unter dem Titel "Syrien: Freiheit braucht Beistand" unterzeichnet, der zur Intervention in Syrien aufruft.

UN gibt zu:
In Syrien herrscht ein konfessioneller Bürgerkrieg

Von Chris Marsden, 22. Dezember 2012

Eine unabhängige internationale Untersuchungskommission der Vereinten Nationen hat endlich bestätigt, dass in Syrien ein sektiererischer Bürgerkrieg tobt.

Weihnachten 2012: "Das soziale Klima wird frostiger"

Von Ernst Wolff, 22. Dezember 2012

Keine andere Jahreszeit macht das soziale Gefälle in Berlin so deutlich wie der Winter, insbesondere die Vorweihnachtszeit.

Anhörung zu Bradley Mannings Untersuchungshaft beendet

Von Naomi Spencer, 22. Dezember 2012

Am Dienstag endete die Anhörung vor dem US Militärgericht zur Untersuchungshaft des angeklagten Whistleblowers Bradley Manning mit den Schlussplädoyers der Verteidigung und der Anklage. Der 24jährige Gefreite ist seit 923 Tagen ohne Gerichtsverfahren inhaftiert.

New in Persian

مشخصات رفراندوم قانون اساسي در مصر: ميزان مشاركت پايين همراه با سوظن به تقلبات در رأيگيري

17 دسامبر 2012 يوهانس اشترن

مرحله اول رأيگيري پيش نويس قانون اساسي در كشور مصر در 10 استان از 27 استان، از جمله در دو تا از بزرگترين شهرهاي اين كشور، در قاهره و شهر ساحلي اسكندريه روز دوشنبه صورت گرفت. براي 17 استان باقي مانده، تاريخ رأيگيري روز 22 دسامبر تعيين شده است.

Other Languages

Perspective

The Libor swindle

22 December 2012

Not only has the Libor swindle exposed the criminality of the banks, it has laid bare the nexus of corruption and complicity involving governments and financial regulators the world over.

Earlier Perspectives »

Notice to Our Readers

WSWS holiday schedule

Over the holiday period we will not publish on December 25 and 26, or on January 1 and 2. We will resume our regular schedule of postings on January 3. The WSWS extends season's greetings to all of our readers.

Arts Review

KareninaA new film version of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (and Sean Baker’s Starlet )

By Joanne Laurier December 2012

British filmmaker Joe Wright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard have collaborated on a new film adaptation of Tolstoy's classic novel. Starlet tells the story of a relationship between two women in California's San Fernando Valley.

Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty: Hollywood embraces the “dark side”

By Bill Van Auken, 20 December 2012

Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty brings to film-making what “embedded” reporting did for journalism—an uncritical embrace of and identification with the military-intelligence complex and its crimes.

Socialist Equality Party

meetingGermany: PSG holds meetings in defence of Greek workers

By Marianne Arens, 22 December 2012

The Partei für Soziale Gleichheit (Socialist Equality Party) recently held a series of meetings in Germany under the slogan "Defend Greek workers."

The enduring significance of the life and work of Comrade Keerthi Balasuriya

18 December 2012

The International Committee of the Fourth International and the World Socialist Web Site today mark 25 years since the death of Comrade Keerthi Balasuriya, the general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist League, forerunner of the Socialist Equality Party of Sri Lanka

In Memory of Keerthi Balasuriya

By David North, 18 December 2012

This article was originally posted on the WSWS in two parts on December 18-19, 2007.

Sri Lankan SEP marks 25th anniversary of Keerthi Balasuriya's death

By our correspondent, 19 December 2012

SEP members and supporters attended the memorial ceremony in the Colombo General Cemetery.

Workers Struggles

Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific

22 December 2012

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

Obituary

Ravi Shankar, acclaimed Indian musician, dies at 92

By Kapila Fernando, K. Ratnayake and Peter Symonds, 20 December 2012

Commentary

The German chancellor’s Christmas message

By Ulrich Rippert, 21 December 2012

Germany’s Left Party mobilizes for war against Syria

By Johannes Stern, 21 December 2012

UN admits Syria wracked by sectarian civil war

By Chris Marsden, 21 December 2012

State Department officials sanctioned for Benghazi attack

By Bill Van Auken, 21 December 2012

Fiscal cliff talks get down to business
Obama proposes Social Security cuts

By Patrick Martin, 20 December 2012

Obama announces task force on gun violence

By Joseph Kishore, 20 December 2012

25 years ago: Wall Street insider trader sentenced to prison

Ivan Boesky, 50 years old and one of Wall Street's most successful speculators, was sentenced to three years in prison on December 18, 1987.

More »

50 years ago: Juan Bosch elected president of the Dominican Republic

The first free elections in the history of the Dominican Republic, held December 20, 1962, resulted in the election of the left bourgeois nationalist Juan Bosch.

More »

75 years ago: “Rape of Nanking” by Japanese army horrifies world opinion

The first reports of the mass slaughter of Chinese residents of the city of Nanking by invading Japanese forces reached the world December 18, 1937.

More »

 

100 years ago: Fake Piltdown man unveiled

On December 18, 1912, one of the most notorious of scientific hoaxes began.

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Correspondence

Letters from our readers

22 December 2012

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