Four of the U.K.’s biggest unions say they will hit the streets with at least 800,000 angry workers and taxpayers, on June 30.
They will protest the massive social cuts their government has enacted. Union officials say the government austerity cuts has actually driven more Britons into the ranks of the unions.
“It remains the case that a way must be found for us to leave nuclear power behind as soon as possible.”-Norbert Rottgen, Environment Minister
Because of the ongoing nuke disaster reactor at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi plant, Germany ordered ‘worst case scenario’ testing of all its nuclear plants. They all FAILED!
The report was published by Der Spiegel. It was discovered that all of Germany’s nuke plants lack the “required safety features” to withstand a level three disaster. Not only that, but four of the plants failed simulations involving small aircraft crashing into them.
The highest safety standard rating for nuclear plants in Germany, is a level three rating. The report says most of the plants can’t even meet level two safety standards.
Ford announced that it’ll build a transmission factory in China. It will build six speed automatic transmissions. The plant will cost $350 million.
Also, they’re building an engine plant in China, at a cost of $500 million. Ford hopes to have the factories operating in 2013. China is now the world’s largest car market.
Depending on which media source you read, Boeing won its World Trade Organization case against Airbus. Depending on which media source you read, Airbus won its World Trade Organization case against Boeing. Yes, that’s the idea.
Both Airbus and Boeing are declaring victories in their WTO case against each other.
U.S. officials say the ruling helps Boeing: “This definitive victory will benefit American workers who have had to compete with a heavily subsidized Airbus.”-Tim Reif, general counsel for the U.S. Trade Representative
Airbus officials say the WTO ruling upheld European loan subsidies: “…government loans are a legal instrument and that none of the government loans made to Airbus over the past 40 years were prohibited…”
Boeing reps said this is a “definitive victory” for the United States, but Airbus said “This is a big win for Europe.”
Who’s right? The WTO looked at the allegations line by line, and voted line by line, basically splitting the difference. So both sides think they won, when in reality they broke even.
Honda announced they will have to lay off 400 workers at their factory in Brazil. The problem is lack of parts.
Originally Honda was going to reduce production, at their Brazil plant, for 12 days. Now it’s cutting production for a full month, and reducing payroll by 12%.
The ongoing parts supply problem was caused by the March 11 disasters in Japan, which revealed the weak link in the “just in time” supply policy for Japan’s (and even the world’s) industries.
11,000 employees with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, for Palestine, went on strike over unfair working conditions.
Employees say management at UNRWA engage in arbitrary firing and denial of workers’ rights. In some cases workers have been fired because of the political party they belong to.
The strike resulted in the closing of 238 schools, and 25 health clinics in Gaza.
U.S. Treasury Department announced that President Barak Obama has imposed sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and other Syrian officials.
The sanctions also include two Iranian officials. Also, Obama signed a similar order against at least 10 Syrian officials on April 29.
“As a result of this action, any property in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons in which the individuals listed in the Annex have an interest is blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.”-U.S. Treasury statement
May 17, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was recently asked, by CBS’s 60 Minutes, about the war against Libya. He replied that the United States was not legally/technically at war with Libya (that would take a declaration of War by Congress). Instead Gates says the U.S. is engaged in “limited kinetic action” against Libya.
Gates is not the first U.S. official to make such a reference to the war against Libya.
Rumors say that President Barak Obama’s speech, on peace between Israel and Palestinians, will be a let down for those seeking statehood.
While Obama is expected to ask Israel to stop new settlements, he’s also expected to ask Palestinians to stop seeking statehood. He will give the speech on Thursday, May 19.
May 18, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, says the United States faces a new Cold War if it continues to push its “missile shield” across eastern Europe.
Medvedev says Russia will have no choice but to increase spending on its military, especially nuclear weapons: “We would then be talking about developing the offensive potential of our nuclear capabilities. This would be a very bad scenario.”
The U.S. has repeatedly said the missile shield system is aimed at Iran, but it’s very suspicious that most European countries that have agreed to host the U.S. system, are in eastern Europe facing Russia.