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.

Other Languages

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.

Earlier Perspectives »

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.

LansingMichigan 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

BrubeckJazz 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 »

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.

More »

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.

More »

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.

More »

 

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.

More »

Mehring Books

KingNow 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.