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President Mursi, IMF prepare austerity policies in Egypt - World Socialist Web Site

►http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/01/09/egyp-j09.html

President Mursi, IMF prepare austerity policies in Egypt

By Johannes Stern
9 January 2013

On Monday Egypt’s Islamist government greeted International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials in Cairo to discuss terms of a $4.8 billion loan. President Mohamed Mursi, Prime Minister Hisham Kandil and new Egyptian finance minister Al-Mursi El-Sayed Hegazy met with IMF Middle East and Central Asia Department Director Masood Ahmed.

Both sides announced their commitment to conclude the deal in the coming weeks, and a technical team of the IMF will arrive in Cairo in the coming days. Hegazy, a US-trained economist appointed as finance minister by Mursi in a cabinet reshuffle on Sunday, announced that he was “completely ready to complete discussions” with the IMF.

Another sweetheart bank settlement on mortgage fraud - World Socialist Web Site

►http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/01/09/bank-j09.html

Another sweetheart bank settlement on mortgage fraud
By Andre Damon

9 January 2013

Ten major financial firms agreed on Monday to pay $3.3 billion in cash to settle allegations of mortgage fraud by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the latest in a string of sweetheart settlements between the major Wall Street banks and their nominal regulators. As usual, there were no criminal charges and no bank officials were held accountable.

The settlement, which nominally totals $8.5 billion, includes $3.3 billion in direct payments to borrowers and $5.2 billion in loan modifications and other forms of “borrower assistance” left largely at the discretion of the banks.

Austerity drives up European unemployment to record levels - World Socialist Web Site

►http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/01/09/euro-j09.html

Austerity drives up European unemployment to record levels
By Stefan Steinberg

9 January 2013

The policy of unrelenting austerity adopted by the European political elite has driven up unemployment across the continent to record levels, as shown in data released Tuesday by the Eurostat statistics agency.

Unemployment in the 17 European countries that make up the euro zone rose in November to 11.8 percent, with the number of jobless workers hitting 18.8 million. This is the highest figure since the single currency was introduced in 1999.

The Brennan nomination: A government of torturers and assassins - World Socialist Web Site

►http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/01/09/pers-j09.html

The Brennan nomination: A government of torturers and assassins

9 January 2013

“He has worked to embed our efforts in a strong legal framework,” President Barack Obama declared Monday during an appearance in the East Room of the White House. “He understands we are a nation of laws. In moments of debate and decision, he asks the tough question and he insists on high and rigorous standards.”

The president was describing his nominee as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Brennan, who currently serves as Obama’s homeland security and counterterrorism adviser. He also lauded Brennan’s “integrity” and “commitment to the values that define us as Americans.”

Israeli election campaign reflects rightward shift - World Socialist Web Site

►http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/01/09/isra-j09.html

Israeli election campaign reflects rightward shift
By Jean Shaoul
9 January 2013

The campaign in Israel for the January 22 parliamentary election is marked by an ever more rightward turn by all the main political parties as economic growth slows and social tensions rise.

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu of Likud heads the most right-wing coalition government in Israel’s history. He is widely expected to win the election and serve as prime minister for a third term, presiding over an even more right-wing coalition. This is despite the mass social protests in the summer of 2011 over soaring housing costs and social inequality, which his government has done nothing to address.