Fighting the ravages of luxury towers
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — In most of the country, the housing boom is past. Not in New York City. Apartments, office towers, hotels, luxury entertainment facilities and mixed-use complexes rise to 70 stories. In recent years, housing costs were 30 percent of family income, but now in Manhattan they are 50 percent for many families.
Autoworkers wary of Chrysler sale
DETROIT — The restructuring taking place in the auto industry took a dramatic turn May 15 when Cerberus, the New York private equity investment firm, acquired an 80.1 percent controlling share of Chrysler and renamed it Chrysler Holdings. Daimler, formerly DaimlerChrysler, will retain a 19.1 percent share.
Harry Potter author pleads: Dont spoil book
New York (AP) — J.K. Rowling has a request for anyone who has inside dirt on her seventh and final Harry Potter book: Please keep it to yourself.
THIS WEEK IN LABOR
Iraq unions fight oil theft law California grocery workers and kids rally Miami’s mayor backs EFCA Labor cool to new trade standards
WORLD NOTES
Israel: Plans for East Jerusalem assailed Western Sahara: South African communists express solidarity Chile: Death of a forest worker Italy: Citizens reject big U.S. military base India: Gov’t may limit foreign funding
Cuba, the European Union and Spain
As part of Washington’s decades-long project to isolate the Cuban revolution, Caleb McCarry recently undertook an eight-nation European tour. It came after a visit to Cuba in early April by Spain’s foreign minister to sign agreements with his Cuban counterpart — the first visit from a high-level European diplomat in four years.
Md. living wage law nations first
BALTIMORE — Fighters for living wage jobs hailed Maryland for enacting an $11.30 per hour living wage, May 8, in the Baltimore-D.C. region and $8.50 per hour in the rest of the state for companies that hold contracts with the state.
Illinois POWER rally demands freeze rates now
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – “The people of Illinois are being robbed,” said Chuck Chandler to a crowd of over 500 protesters, mostly seniors, who rallied here at the Capitol building, May 9, urging the state Senate to roll back electric rates and pass a rate freeze.
Immigration issue heats up in Senate
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) postponed debate on comprehensive immigration reform until May 21 to allow for continued closed-door negotiations between Bush administration officials and Republican and Democratic senators.
Postal rate hike threatens free speech
It’s nearly impossible to find any issue on which the People’s Weekly World and the extreme right-wing National Review can agree, but a proposed postage rate increase that would negatively affect small publications does the trick
