(2023-01-07). Why the Middle East is moving and must move away from Oil and Gas. juancole.com By Elif Selin Calik |  ; ( Middle East Monitor )  ; In 2022, the biggest energy issue in the Middle East was Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil cut as the world economy entered into a period of 'heightened uncertainty and rising challenges'. In October, OPEC cut its 2022 forecast for growth …
(2023-01-07). Threat of more U.N. sanctions on Haiti. workers.org 
While the huge social, economic and political problems of Haiti have slipped out of the news, if anything they have intensified over the past few months. Credit: HaàØti-Liberté According to Helen La Lime, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of BINUH (U.N. Integrated Office in . . . |
(2023-01-07). [Perspectives] Advancing the commercial determinants of health agenda. thelancet.com The landmark 1842 Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Labouring Population of Great Britain, by the social reformer Edwin Chadwick, was a damning indictment of how large-scale socioeconomic change during the 19th century contributed to the increased spread of epidemic and chronic diseases. Poor health among the working masses was not simply a consequence of behavioural choices or moral failings but was associated with pathogenic conditions created by the Industrial Revolution.
(2023-01-07). Friday 1/13: SF Rally-Smash US Supported Coup In Peru, US Gov & Biden Get Bloody Hands Off Peru. indybay.org Peru Consulate | 790 Market St. | San Francisco…
(2023-01-07). Australian public health system breaking down as funding cuts to Medicare deepen. wsws.org The federal Labor government "increased" Medicare payments by just 1.6 percent in July last year, when inflation had already reached 6.1 percent.
(2023-01-07). The Heat: U.S. Prison Slavery. america.cgtn.com 
Does slavery still exist in the United States of America? This past November, four U.S. states voted to remove the last vestiges of slavery from their state constitutions. Slavery and involuntary servitude are prohibited on the national level, and forced labor is still allowed in …
(2023-01-07). China optimizes medical insurance to ease financial burden of COVID-19 patients. ecns.cn Chinese authorities have released a circular to further optimize medical insurance policies to ease the financial burden of COVID-19 patients.
(2023-01-07). Black Man Accused Of 'Broke People Behavior' For Not Spending $2 K On Wedding Sparks Debate. moguldom.com A recent clip from "Love & Hip Hop: New York" in which a cast member accuses her fiancee of "broke people behavior" because he doesn't want to spend $2 ,000 on their wedding has people weighing in. During the 58-second snippet, Brooklyn-based rapper Phresher and his fiancée, Jenn Coreano, are arguing about how much she wants …
(2023-01-07). [Editorial] The Lancet at 200: a start, but more to do. thelancet.com Thomas Wakley, a 27-year-old apothecary, surgeon, and sometime boxer, founded The Lancet in 1823. Wakley's intention was to publish reports of metropolitan hospital lectures, at the time a highly profitable activity for a small coterie of powerful physicians and surgeons in London. In addition to dismantling this private monopoly over medical knowledge, Wakley also hoped to provide "a correct description" of important clinical cases—"a complete Chronicle of the current Literature". His audience was national (city and country doctors) and global ("Colonial Practitioners"—a group for whom we must make o…
(2023-01-07). Australian students and youth: "We need an anti-war movement because otherwise we won't have a future" wsws.org "There's been no greater time for the building of an anti-war movement. Capitalism has no answer to the needs of the population. All it has is austerity policies."
(2023-01-06). As Washington prepares for conflict with China, US confronts major labor shortages in semiconductor manufacture. wsws.org Semiconductors are as essential to modern militaries as they are to every other part of the economy.
(2023-01-06). American Job Market Stays Hot, 223,000 Jobs Added In December As Unemployment Falls. moguldom.com The U.S. added 223,000 jobs in December, finishing out a strong year for the labor market while the unemployment rate fell back to a -year low. Some economists and market watchers say this is a sign that the economy is holding its own despite warnings and fears of an imminent recession. Others say wage growth …
(2023-01-06). Socialism is not a Utopian ideal, but an achievable necessity: The First Newsletter (2023). mronline.org 
In May 2021, the executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and the UN high representative for disarmament affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, wrote an article urging governments to cut excessive military spending in favour of increasing spending on social and economic development.
(2023-01-06). Socialism Is Not a Utopian Ideal, but an Achievable Necessity. popularresistance.org In May 2021, the executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and the UN high representative for disarmament affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, wrote an article urging governments to cut excessive military spending in favour of increasing spending on social and economic development. Their wise words were not heard at all. To cut money for war and to increase money for social development, they wrote, is 'not a utopian ideal, but an achievable necessity'. That phrase — not a utopian ideal, but an achievable necessity — is essential. It describes the project of socialism almost perfectly. | Our institu…
(2023-01-06). Sunday 1/8: The Pursuit of Happiness framed in political-economic terms. indybay.org Virtual through Google Meet: The Pursuit of Happiness framed in political-economic terms | Sunday, January 8 ∑ 7: 00 — 8: 00pm | Google Meet joining info | Video call link: meet.google.com/mqd-jtmf-gkk…
(2023-01-06). Quién duda que en Cuba el debate económico no solo competa a académicos o especialistas. cubadebate.cu Cuadrando la caja es un ejemplo de cuánto se puede hacer para contribuir a la solución o entendimiento de múltiples problemas de la economía cubana, a crear poco a poco la cultura en torno a esta ciencia, y a confiar en la capacidad creadora de nuestros trabajadores y pueblo.
(2023-01-06). 28 January: Public Launch of the International Peoples' Tribunal on U.S. Imperialism: Sanctions, Blockades and Economic Coercive Measures. samidoun.net 
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network is excited to be a co-sponsor of this important project. After two years of dedicated organizing, we are excited to officially announce the launch of the International People's Tribunal on U.S. Imperialism: Sanctions, Blockades, and Economic Coercive Measures. This project is a first ever international effort to build systems of accountability—rooted …
(2023-01-06). Wage Growth Slows as Unemployment Falls Back to Half-Century Low. truthout.org The December employment report showed a very strong labor market but much less evidence of inflationary pressures than in prior months. The unemployment rate fell back to 3.5 percent, its half-century low. The U-6 measure of labor market slack fell to 6.5 percent, its lowest level on record. At the same time, wage growth moderated. There was a sharp downward revision to the November data. With 0.3… |
(2023-01-06). Unemployment Falls Back to Half-Century Low, but Wage Growth Slows. cepr.net The pandemic increase in the length of the average workweek has been completely reversed. | The December employment report showed a very strong labor market but much less evidence of inflationary pressures than in prior months. The unemployment rate fell back to 3.5 percent, its half-century low. The U-6 measure of labor market slack fell to 6.5 percent, its lowest level on record. | At the same time, wage growth moderated. There was a sharp downward revision to the November data. With 0.3 percent growth in the average hourly wage reported for December, the annualized rate over the last three months is just 4.1 p…
(2023-01-06). Flexible work arrangements, a benefit to all — ILO report. news.un.org Flexible working hours can advance economies and businesses while helping employees and families achieve a better work-life balance, according to a new report launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Friday.
(2023-01-06). Starmer pledges austerity alliance between future UK Labour government, big business and unions. wsws.org Declaring Labour was the party of national unity, he began, "I believe in our country, I believe in our businesses."
(2023-01-06). Review: Learning From An Older Generation Of Troublemakers. popularresistance.org One of the fun things about the 2022 Labor Notes Conference was the presence and enthusiasm of young people. To this labor veteran, it was encouraging to see the young blood and new faces; it was clear that we have a new generation of leaders emerging in the labor movement. And that is more than welcome! | That being said, there is a lot of experience that has already left and will leave over the next 20 or so years. It's not that my generation—folks who came of age during the late 1960s and early '70s—had all the answers or did everything correctly. But we did a lot; and there's a lot that younger ac…
(2023-01-06). This NYC construction union is reaching out to undocumented and non-union workers. The bosses don't like it. popularresistance.org Many workplaces are marked by a real tension between different types of workers: undocumented vs. citizens, union vs. non-union, and more. New York City's Construction and General Building Laborers' Union Local 79 has been working to overcome these divides by intentionally reaching out to undocumented and non-union workers in the construction trades. And the bosses are taking notice. Recorded in the spring of 2022 from the Local 79 headquarters in Manhattan, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez conducts a Spanish-language interview with Alex Martinez, Walter Martinez, and José Rosas, who were all fired from t…
(2023-01-06). We Have Had Enough!They Have Crossed The Line! NNU-CNA Sutter Alta Bates Nurses Strike. indybay.org On January 1, over 100 striking NNU-CNA nurses and community supporters rallied at Sutter's Alta Bates hospital…
(2023-01-06). Learning From An Older Generation Of Troublemakers. popularresistance.org One of the fun things about the 2022 Labor Notes Conference was the presence and enthusiasm of young people. To this labor veteran, it was encouraging to see the young blood and new faces; it was clear that we have a new generation of leaders emerging in the labor movement. And that is more than welcome! | That being said, there is a lot of experience that has already left and will leave over the next 20 or so years. It's not that my generation—folks who came of age during the late 1960s and early '70s—had all the answers or did everything correctly. But we did a lot; and there's a lot that younger ac…
(2023-01-06). This Construction Union Is Reaching Out To Undocumented And Non-union Workers. popularresistance.org New York City, New York – Many workplaces are marked by a real tension between different types of workers: undocumented vs. citizens, union vs. non-union, and more. New York City's Construction and General Building Laborers' Union Local 79 has been working to overcome these divides by intentionally reaching out to undocumented and non-union workers in the construction trades. And the bosses are taking notice. Recorded in the spring of 2022 from the Local 79 headquarters in Manhattan, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez conducts a Spanish-language interview with Alex Martinez, Walter Martinez, and José Rosas,…
(2023-01-06). Belgian trade unions strike over soaring energy prices and inflation from Ukraine war. therealnews.com 
Belgium's largest unions took to the streets of Brussels on Dec. 16th to demand higher wages, a cap on energy prices, and more bargaining power. This strike came on the wave of other labor actions in Belgium, including a national strike and a three-day rail strike. Organizers say that workers' real wages are being diminished by runaway inflation driven by rapid increases in the costs of energy due to the war in Ukraine. | Director, Camera, Editing: Brandon Jourdan |
| Transcript: | The transcript of this story is in progress and will be made available as soon as possible. |
| Help us i…
(2023-01-06). Enticed by Wealth, the Media is Complicit in the Crimes of Corporations in Indian Country. indybay.org Enticed by wealth and self-glory — the media, corrupt tribal governments, and self-dealing non-profits operate a vacuum for truth, violating the sacred places of origin. The most censored issues in Indian country in 2022.
(2023-01-06). A History Of The First Revolution In The Americas. popularresistance.org On January 1, 1804, Haiti became an independent republic, following the revolution which had begun 13 years earlier as a rebellion of enslaved people against slavery and French colonialism. | Previously known as Saint-Domingue, it was the most profitable colony in the world, generating greater revenue than all of the continental North American colonies combined. This immense wealth was generated by the sweat and blood of enslaved Africans who were being worked to death in their tens of thousands on coffee and sugar plantations. | Shortly after the French revolution, which supposedly espoused the ideals of "libert…
(2023-01-06). Global Food Prices Surge 14.3 Pct in 2022: FAO. telesurenglish.net In 2022, the FAO's sub-indexes show cereal prices are up by 17.9 percent from 2021, vegetable oil prices are up by 13.9 percent, dairy prices are up by 19.6 percent, meat prices are up by 10.4 percent, and sugar prices are up by 4.7 percent. | Photo taken on Oct. 11, 2022 shows a worker displaying processed rice at a grain plant in Nanchang County, east China's Jiangxi Province.
(2023-01-06). US Fed says no letup in financial tightening. wsws.org Once again, the Federal Open Market Committee, the key policy-making body, underscored that for all the talk in public about the need to bring down inflation, the discussion behind closed doors is about blocking a wages upsurge in the working class.
(2023-01-06). US Child Care Deficit Impacts Multiple Sectors of the Country. popularresistance.org As Congress delivers nearly a trillion dollars for military spending through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in fiscal year 2023, one of the country's most vulnerable sectors is in the midst of financial turmoil, with lingering effects across the country's workforce. | Within the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed in March 2021, a mere $39 billion was allocated towards child care relief funding, an amount proven to not be enough with funds already drying up. | The shortage of money sets up a house-of-cards style effect on child care and the workforce as a whole. Wit…
(2023-01-06). At least 12,000 NYC nurses poised to strike. popularresistance.org As many as 12,000 New York City nurses are set to go on strike on Monday, January 9. On December 21, NYC unionized nurses voted to Authorize A Strike by a landslide 98.8% vote. The nurses, organized under the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), are demanding that hospital executives address short-staffing, raise pay in line with inflation, and not cut healthcare benefits for workers. | With the impending strike, hospital executives are scrambling. Nurses at New York Presbyterian hospital reached a tentative deal with bosses over the weekend, in which nurses would receive 18% in raises over the next three y…
(2023-01-06). The Inflation and Deflation Stories of Our Lifetime (and No, They're Not the Ones You Think!). scheerpost.com 
(2023-01-06). Why the Arctic turning into a Lukewarm Puddle should be a bigger Headline than a bit of Inflation. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com )  ; Let me start 2023 with a glance back at a December news moment that caught my eye. To do so, however, I have to offer a bit of explanation. First, the obvious: I'm an old guy and, though I spend significant parts of any day scrolling through endless websites covering aspects …
(2023-01-06). Sixty-thousand Detroit households threatened with water shutoff. wsws.org In the face of 7 percent inflation, and with the immune-evasive new XBB.1.5 variant now spreading throughout the country, the resumption of water shutoffs will be a social and health disaster for Detroit's working class.
(2023-01-06). At Least 12,000 New York City Nurses Poised To Strike. popularresistance.org New York City, New York – As many as 12,000 New York City nurses are set to go on strike on Monday, January 9. On December 21, NYC unionized nurses voted to Authorize A Strike by a landslide 98.8% vote. The nurses, organized under the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), are demanding that hospital executives address short-staffing, raise pay in line with inflation, and not cut healthcare benefits for workers. | With the impending strike, hospital executives are scrambling. Nurses at New York Presbyterian hospital reached a tentative deal with bosses over the weekend, in which nurses would receive 18% in ra…
(2023-01-06). Sealing Criminal Records Benefits Us All. popularresistance.org About 70 million people‚Äâ—‚Äâ1 in 3 adults‚Äâ—‚Äâhave some kind of criminal record; background checks often turn up arrests, for example, even if no charges were ever filed. Nine in 10 employers weigh that past in their hiring decisions. | And the collateral consequences go far beyond employment. Criminal records can disqualify people from housing, professional licensing and public benefits. | In short, a record can sentence an individual‚Äâ—‚Äâand their family‚Äâ—‚…
(2023-01-06). Canada's Employment Rises 104,000 in December. telesurenglish.net
(2023-01-06). China's civil aviation industry poised to reach 75% of pre-pandemic level: CAAC. ecns.cn China aims to revive its civil aviation industry to 75 percent of the pre-pandemic level this year, with the total volume of flight transport turnover reaching 97.6 billion ton-kilometers, the air passenger transport volume 460 million trips, and airport cargo and mail throughput 6.17 million tons, working to achieve profit and loss balance, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Friday.
(2023-01-06). How Big Pharma Actually Spends Its Massive Profits. levernews.com 
(2023-01-06). Turkish Intelligence "Neutralized" PKK-Affiliated Communist Leader In Syria's Al-Hasakah. southfront.org 
Zeki Gurbuz, aka Ahmet Sores. Source: the Anadolu Agency. | The Turkish intelligence has "neutralized" a senior leader of the Marxist—Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) in Syria's northern region, the Anadolu Agency reported on January 6. | Security sources told the state-run news agency that the communist leader, Zeki Gurbuz, was targeted in an operation by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in the countryside of al-Hasakah. | The term "neutralized" is usual…
(2023-01-06). Incarcerated lives endangered in freezing conditions. workers.org 
In analyzing the heroic 1992 Los Angeles Rebellion, Sam Marcy, the late chairperson of Workers World Party, wrote in the pamphlet: "A Marxist Defense of the L.A. Rebellion" that "Marxism differs from all forms of bourgeois sociology in this most fundamental way: All bourgeois social sciences are directed at covering . . . |
(2023-01-06). In attempt to preempt strike, New York nurses union announces tentative agreements with two more hospitals. wsws.org Racing to prevent a strike, union officials are using a tentative agreement with New York-Presbyterian Hospital that would amount to a cut in real wages as a template in negotiations with other hospitals.
(2023-01-06). Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia. wsws.org Ground crew at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport strike; India: 3, 0 Tamil Nadu secondary teachers hold hunger protest; Hundreds of South Australian bus drivers to strike for better wages and safety…
(2023-01-06). The U.S. Prison Industrial Complex, A Domestic Military Operation: Over-Policing, Mass-Incarceration, Slavery, and Capitalism. libya360.wordpress.com Karl Fluri Although the United States has branded itself as the bastion of freedom both at home and abroad, it is abundantly clear to any objective observer that, just as U.S. imperialism undermines those claims on a global scale, the fascist police state and "prison industrial complex" that exists in the nation today do the…
(2023-01-06). Ontario's Strong Mayor Reforms: A New Shell for Urban Neoliberalism. socialistproject.ca 
Last month, Ontario's Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell affixed her signature to Along with
(2023-01-06). Omali Yeshitela: 'I was attacked by the FBI for fighting for black power'. greenleft.org.au African People's Socialist Party chairperson Omali Yeshitela discusses the FBI raid on his home and the continuing US government war on the movement for Black liberation and reparations.
(2023-01-06). United States: Two barrels aim at African People's Socialist Party. greenleft.org.au Members of the African People's Socialist Party (APSP) in the United States are expecting to be indicted this month over spurious allegations, reports Don Fitz, prompting a grassroots solidarity defence campaign.
(2023-01-06). Saturday 1/7: Election 2022: What Does It Mean for the Socialist Left? indybay.org
(2023-01-06). SGP holds successful launch event for the Berlin state elections. wsws.org On Monday, the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) broadcast its launch event for the 2023 Berlin state elections. In it, leading members of the party explained the SGP's principles, socialist program and historical foundations.
(2023-01-06). Latin America's Pink Partnership. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site Last summer, Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Ted Cruz (R-TX) issued a warning from the Senate floor. "Already," Cruz said, "nine governments across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean are controlled by socialists." Since then, Gustavo Petro has formed the first left-wing government in the history of …
(2023-01-06). CPC International Department outlines China's optimization of COVID-19 response. ecns.cn The International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee recently sent letters to foreign political parties and organizations, explaining the adjustment to China's COVID-19 response policy and its significance to strengthening exchanges and cooperation between countries.