STATS OF THE WEEK
- The net worth of billionaires in India, points out IMF chief Christiane Lagarde, has increased by 12 times in the past 15 years, “enough to eliminate absolute poverty in this country twice over.”
- One of every eight human beings on the face of the Earth “do not have enough food to eat,” United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan points out, at the same time as “the richest 85 people in the world own as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion.”
- America’s corporate executives and financial sector power-suits, notes Americans for Financial Reform, have collected well over half the post-1980 income growth of the top 1 percent and more than two-thirds the even more remarkable gains of the nation’s top 0.1 percent.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“It’s all very well to talk in the abstract about the dignity of work, but to suggest that workers can have equal dignity despite huge inequality in pay is just silly. In 2012, the top 40 hedge fund managers and traders were paid a combined $16.7 billion, equivalent to the wages of 400,000 ordinary workers.” Paul Krugman, Inequality, Dignity, and Freedom, February 14, 2014
“When power, luxury, and money become idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of wealth. Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity, and sharing.” Pope Francis, Lenten message, February 4, 2014
FEATURES
‘Jaywalking’: How the car industry outlawed crossing the road http://farefreenz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/jaywalking-how-car-industry-outlawed.html?spref=fb
What Cold War CIA Interrogators Learned from the Nazis http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/11/what-cold-war-cia-interrogators-learned-from-the-nazis.html
Russell Brand Vs Jon Snow: Comedian Loses His Temper During Heated Talks On Drugs And Revolution (VIDEO) http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/15/russell-brand-jon-snow_n_4793555.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
Full video interview with Brand: http://www.channel4.com/news/russell-brand-revolutionary-drug-law-full-interview-jon-snow-video
Álvaro García Linera: A message to the left of Europe and the world http://links.org.au/node/3712
The Sixth Extinction: Earth is on the brink of another massive loss of animal species but this time the calamity isn’t an asteroid or ice age… http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-sixth-extinction-earth-is-on-the-brink-of-another-massive-loss-of-animal-species-but-this-time-the-calamity-isnt-an-asteroid-or-ice-age-9132053.html
WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS
The Mobsters of Wall Street By Jim Hightower: Assume that you ran a business that was found guilty of bribery, forgery, perjury, defrauding homeowners, fleecing investors, swindling consumers, cheating credit card holders, violating U.S. trade laws and bilking American soldiers. Can you even imagine the kind of punishment you’d get?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37633.htm
LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Michael Klare, In the Carbon Wars, Big Oil Is Winning http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175806/tomgram%3A_michael_klare%2C_in_the_carbon_wars%2C_big_oil_is_winning/
CULTURAL DISSENT
The painful truth of Twelve Years a Slave http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/articles/92-film-review/16924-the-painful-truth-of-twelve-years-a-slave
“Operation Paperclip" U.S. Government Recruited Nazi Scientis
Rumsfeld: Why We Live in His RuinsMark Danner http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2014/feb/06/rumsfeld-why-we-live-his-ruins/
Springsteen’s Tribute To Australian Workers http://workinglife.org.au/2014/02/17/springsteens-tribute-to-australian-workers/
The Hunger Games: their world and ours http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/articles/92-film-review/16929-the-hunger-games-their-world-and-ours
AUSTRALIA
Racism and police brutality in Queensland http://redflag.org.au/article/racism-and-police-brutality-queensland
CFMEU chiefs blacklisted from all Victorian building sites http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/cfmeu-chiefs-blacklisted-from-all-victorian-building-sites/story-fni0fit3-1226825141640
Royal Commission targets unions and penalty rates https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55885
Refugees denied legal rights and deported https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55886
Victoria Goes After Protest And Picket Rights https://newmatilda.com/2014/01/21/victoria-goes-after-protest-and-picket-rights
Rupert Murdoch’s empire receives $882m tax rebate from Australia http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/feb/17/rupert-murdoch-receives-882m-tax-rebate
BAHRAIN
Bahrain protest attracts tens of thousands, no clashes http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/94319.aspx
BOSNIA
Bosnia’s magnificent uprising: Heralding a new era of class politics? http://links.org.au/node/3708
Bosnia presents a terrifying picture of Europe’s future – The ordinary people of Bosnia-Herzegovina are showing Europe how to avoid sleepwalking into a disaster to rival that of a century ago http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/17/bosnia-terrifying-picture-of-europe-future
Plenum of Sarajevo http://www.demotix.com/news/3959920/plenum-sarajevo#media-3959912
BRAZIL
Brazil and Coercion: One Step Further Into the Criminalization of the Radical Left http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/938.php
CAMBODIA
Garment unions regroup, plan peaceful strike in March http://asiancorrespondent.com/119588/cambodia-garment-unions-regroup-plan-peaceful-strike-in-march/
Cambodian Embassies besieged – Free the 23! http://www.industriall-union.org/cambodian-embassies-besieged-today-free-the-23
CANADA
Speaking tour of Mi’kmaq activists appeals for solidarity with New Brunswick anti-fracking struggle http://www.rogerannis.com/speaking-tour-of-mikmaq-activists-appeals-for-solidarity-with-new-brunswick-anti-fracking-struggle/
EGYPT
An international initiative against repression inEgypt
https://gpjanz.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/egypt-solidarity-add-your-name/
Resurgence of strikes and industrial action across the country http://madamasr.com/content/resurgence-strikes-and-industrial-action-across-country
Sisi’s Turn by Hazem Kandil http://www.lrb.co.uk/v36/n04/hazem-kandil/sisis-turn
Unfinished business: The government’s decision to allocate LE157 million to meet the financial demands of textile workers has not convinced the Mahalla workers, writes Noha Moustafa http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/5399/18/Unfinished-business-.aspx
Egyptian army’s role in torture and disappearances – leaked document http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/apr/10/egyptian-army-torture-disappearances-document
Workers strike at Egypt’s biggest public textile hits day 7 http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/94383/Business/Economy/Workers-strike-at-Egypts-biggest-public-textile-hi.aspx
Mahalla textile workers’ strike enters eighth day http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/02/17/mahalla-textile-workers-strike-enters-eighth-day/
Spinning and weaving workers at Kafr Al-Dawar strike in solidarity with Mahalla workers – See more at: http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/02/16/spinning-weaving-workers-kafr-al-dawar-strike-solidarity-mahalla-workers/#sthash.R5ssrI65.dpuf
Did Arab leftists betray the revolution? http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/02/did-arab-leftists-betray-revolu-201421674037574769.html
Canadian journalist, two colleagues deny charges in Cairo court http://www.rogerannis.com/canadian-journalist-two-colleagues-deny-charges-in-cairo-court/
FRANCE
Feminism can save France from Islam: that’s the real message of Majorité Opprimée – The gender role reversal video purports to target sexism and homophobia. But its essence is class bigotry, racism and misogyny http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/13/feminism-france-islam-majorite-opprimee-racism
JAPAN
Japan’s Right-Wing Stirrings http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/opinion/kato-japans-right-wing-stirrings.html?ref=japan&_r=1
Tokyo Elections and the Future of the Anti-Nuclear Movement http://iso.org.nz/2014/02/18/tokyo-elections-and-the-future-of-the-anti-nuclear-movement/
KOREA
Appeals Court Annuls Dismissal of Ssangyong Workers – See more at: http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/article/3215/annulment-layoffs-appeals-court-annuls-dismissal-ssangyong-workers#sthash.fV8CK8rS.dpuf
MEXICO
Twenty Years after NAFTA, Mexico Has Experienced Lagging Growth, Persistent Poverty and Increased Unemployment http://tinyurl.com/np57aeo
For Mexico, Legalization is Freedom By Vicente Fox (former Mexican President) http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37672.htm
PALESTINE
The boycott is our Palestinian non-violent resistance http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.co m/2014/02/11/the-boycott-is-our-palestinian-non-violent-resistance/
Video: Stone Cold Justice – A Special Four Corners / The Australian Newspaper Investigation reveals evidence that shows the army is targeting Palestinian boys for arrest and detention. http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2014/02/10/3939266.htm
Brokers of Deceit: Massive US Aid to Israel has Enabled a Colonial Project http://www.juancole.com/2014/02/brokers-colonial-project.html
Israeli soldiers pose for photos while abusing Palestinian child http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-soldiers-pose-photos-while-abusing-palestinian-child
Brokers of Deceit: Massive US Aid to Israel has Enabled a Colonial Project http://www.juancole.com/2014/02/brokers-colonial-project.html
POLAND
Poland is having a sexual revolution in reverse – The backlash sees sex education and contraception being restricted – and gay people compared to paedophiles http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/11/poland-sexual-revolution-reverse-education-contraception
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa’s emerging new left: the birth of a new socialist party http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/01/south-africas-emerging-new-left-birth-new-socialist-party
NUMSA Rupture Could Mark New Start for Socialist Politics in South Africa by Sam Ashman and Nicolas Pons-Vignon http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/935.php
“Manifestos and Reality” – A Presentation to the Cape Town Press Club by NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/936.php
‘Leadership faction wants COSATU to be a toothless giant’, declare nine affiliates http://links.org.au/node/3715
SRI LANKA
High Commissioner Navi Pillay report on Sri Lanka leaked: international inquiry mechanism recommended http://www.srilankabrief.org/2014/02/high-commissioner-navi-pillay-report-on.html
Sri Lanka: Tamil leader says ethnic conflict has ‘deepened’ https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55912
TURKEY
Turkish Unionists: ‘We Are Not Terrorists’ http://www.labornotes.org/blogs/2014/02/turkish-unionists-we-are-not-terrorists
UK
Britain hammered by ocean surges and ‘most exceptional rainfall in 248 years’ http://www.rogerannis.com/britain-hammered-by-ocean-surges-and-most-exceptional-rainfall-in-248-years/
UKRAINE
A New Cold War? Ukraine Violence Escalates, Leaked Tape Suggests U.S. Was Plotting Coup http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/20/a_new_cold_war_ukraine_violence
USA
Obama’s State of the Union Dilemma: Pushing Fast Track for TPP Would Increase Income Inequality http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lori-wallach/obamas-state-of-the-union_b_4658767.html
Legalizing Oppression: Chris Hedges interviews Lynne Stewart – The lynching and disbarring of civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart, is a window into the collapse of the American legal system.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37604.htm
Our Sinister Dual State By Chris Hedges http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/our_sinister_dual_state_20140216/
Four Reasons Why Torture (Still) Matters http://www.war-times.org/four-reasons-why-torture-still-matters
The U.S. Middle Class Is Turning Proletarian http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2014/02/16/the-u-s-middle-class-is-turning-proletarian/
USA – WORKERS REVOLT
Union Advantage for Black Workers http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/union-advantage-for-black-workers
After Historic UAW Defeat at Tennessee Volkswagen Plant, Theories Abound http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/16300/after_uaw_defeat_at_volkswagen_in_tennessee_theories_abound/
VENEZUELA
March in support of Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela
US support for regime change in Venezuela is a mistake: The US push to topple the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro once again pits Washington against South America http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/18/venezuela-protests-us-support-regime-change-mistake
Right calls more protests after deadly clashes https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55875
Opposition Violence Continues in Some Venezuelan Cities, Attacks on Journalists http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/10345
Violent right wing has no popular base http://www.venezuelawearewithyou.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/violence-to-discredit-bolivarian.html
Economic Sabotage: Venezuela Under Attack Again http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/02/17/venezuela-under-attack-again/
Venezuelan Protests: Another Attempt by U.S.-Backed Right-Wing Groups to Oust Elected Government? http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/20/venezuelan_protests_another_attempt_by_us
Venezuela expels US officials, huge march against coup and for peace (PHOTOS) https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55909
Sorry, Venezuela haters: this economy is not the Greece of Latin America http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/07/venezuela-not-greece-latin-america-oil-poverty
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro raises his fist next to vice-president Jorge Arreaza, during a rally.
WESTERN SAHARA
“These camps will never be our home, we want to return to our homeland.” http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/western-sahara-these-camps-home-return-homeland/
YEMEN
Turning a Wedding Into a Funeral: U.S. Drone Strike in Yemen Killed as Many as 12 Civilians http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/21/turning_a_wedding_into_a_funeral
GPJA 