PWW National

Cuba-US: Frosty relations no bar to communication

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:20:12 EDT

Cuba and the United States are poised to resume talks on migration issues any time now, although the five Cuban agents imprisoned in the U.S. remain "a formidable obstacle" to normalising bilateral relations, according to Cuban parliament president Ricardo Alarc�n.

Fight to save Troy Davis grows

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:12:04 EDT

The NAACP has initiated an �I am Troy Campaign� as part of worldwide effort to prevent the execution of Troy Davis, a 40-year-old man on death row in Georgia. Davis, who is African American, was convicted 20 years ago for the death of a white off-duty police officer, Mark MacPhail.

Davis, a former coach, is viewed to be innocent by a broad coalition of including former President Jimmy Carter, the Vatican, Amnesty International, former FBI head William Sessions and conservative Bob Barr. Seven of nine witnesses in the case have recanted their testimony.

In political sex scandals, guys still rule

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:54:13 EDT

Has anybody else noticed that most news stories about politicians' affairs aren't really about women?

There are women in them, of course. There's the Wronged Wife, who is often portrayed as a victim in stories that frame her in a domestic light, focusing on how she is "coping" and whether "she'll stand by her man," the Cheating Husband.

Rhode Islanders �declare independence from the insurance industry�

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:53:34 EDT

CRANSTON, R.I. � Health care providers, union leaders and advocates from across Rhode Island got the Fourth of July spirit going early. Gathering Thursday outside the state health insurance commissioner�s office here, they �declared independence from the insurance industry,� and urged the state�s congressional delegation to support a strong national health care reform bill that includes a public option.

COMMENTARY On racism, Supreme Court rules for status quo

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:08:33 EDT

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the New Haven firefighters is not a reason to keep Judge Sonia Sotomayor off the court as some on the right are pushing, but rather it shows how urgent it is that she be confirmed.

New York Pride

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:48:15 EDT

The demand for full marriage rights was a major theme at the June 28 Gay Pride Parade in New York.

Change comes to the People�s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:17:33 EDT

Can you believe it? It still seems like a dream to me. This fighting, working-class newspaper is back to daily publishing!

Following in the footsteps of The Daily Worker and all the other great newspapers that have advocated for workers, for equality and democracy, for peace and socialism, this daily is online and reaching 80,000-100,000 each month at www.pww.org. And we have just begun.

First-ever union contract approved at world�s largest pork plant

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:43:16 EDT

More than 5,000 workers at the world�s largest pork processing plant, Smithfield Packing in Tar Heel, N.C., approved their first-ever union contract in voting that ended this morning.

Unemployment rate hits 26 year high

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:08:12 EDT

The unemployment rate soared to 9.5 percent in June, a 26-year high, and up a fraction from 9.4 percent in May. The Department of Labor said 467,000 jobs were lost in June.

Kennedy and Dodd unveil new public option health plan

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:57:50 EDT

A national health care plan with a government run public option moved dramatically closer to reality this morning with the release of a new proposal by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn.