Auschwitz-Birkenau has come to symbolise the brutality of the Nazis, and last month the 60th anniversary of its liberation was marked by international commemoration. Historians, though, are still divided about the meaning of the Shoah in the context of the development of western civilisation. Enzo Traverso examines the wider historical context looking beyond Nazism, World War II, and totalitarian systems, making links to eugenics, Social Darwinism, Taylorist production techniques, and other ideologies and practices. He concludes that "rather than a phenomenon without precedent, it was a unique synthesis of elements at work in our civilisation. Despite its pathological manifestations, Nazism was deeply rooted in the history, culture and technology of the modern world, and in modern forms of organisation, production and domination."

Leo Panitch and Sam Gindin attempt to understand the historical process that led to New York City becoming the operational center of the global financial order and the way finance capital and US empire reinforce each other. Panitch and Gindin examine the development of the Bretton Woods institutions (International Monetary Fund, World Bank), how the US state tried to manage class struggle and inflation in the 1960s and 1970s, the dominance of neoliberal policies since the 1980s, and how the globalization of finance capital has included the 'Americanization' of finance. They argue that there are openings for the Left provided by the problems of neoliberalism and the legitimacy of the US imperial state, but that new strategies are needed to challenge capitalist social relations.

Step right this way, folks, for you are all in for a treat as George "living the Orwell nightmare" Bush casts his gaze upon the land and proposes cuts to 150 domestic social programs. Ah, it's good to be King. Medicare is suddenly getting very expensive but pay no attention because Social Security will have problems forty years from now. North Korea boldly announces it nuclear stockpile to the world, more corporate wrongdoing comes your way and another royal wedding we expect the Brits are none too thrilled about. The BHC finally issues some wingnut smackdown and a marine general admits he loves a good fight as long as he's on the butt end of the rifle:

People.
People who shoot people
Are the luckiest people
In the world.

Churchill's now-famous 911 Essay.

Congress is wasting no time waiting to tangle over women’s reproductive freedom or lack thereof, reviving three bills that have barely had time to rest, with Democrats using new rhetoric to advocate women’s rights.

Well, folks, we've got a big edition for you, so grab a beer and settle in. A whole gaggle of retired generals is up in arms about the Gonzales nomination, a spectrum of economic news comes out and is pretty much, well, all bad and the Social Security "debate" is starting to swell. A desert wilderness is under attack and we bring readers the skinny on how all that came to pass while forests are under a similar assault in California. Christian "missionaries" bargain for salvation in India and more conservative hacks are exposed as White House sycophants, so no news there. A couple toss-off items and then you might want to share that beer you're drinking with Dick Cheney. He looks like he could use it.

The biggest edition of the WSF ever finished on January 31 by reading the numbers of the V WSF and the definitions of the International Council for 2006 and 2007. More than 200,000 people took part in the Forum opening march in Porto Alegre. In total, there have been 155,000 participants, of whom 35,000 stayed in the Youth Camp and 6,880 were lecturers. People from 135 countries have been involved in 2,500 activities and 2,800 volunteers helped in the event. It has been defined that in 2006 the World Social Forum will be descentralized and it will happen in many different places in the world and in 2007 it will take place in Africa.

The biggest edition of the WSF ever finished on January 31 by reading the numbers of the V WSF and the definitions of the International Council for 2006 and 2007. More than 200,000 people took part in the Forum opening march in Porto Alegre. In total, there have been 155,000 participants, of whom 35,000 stayed in the Youth Camp and 6,880 were lecturers. People from 135 countries have been involved in 2,500 activities and 2,800 volunteers helped in the event. It has been defined that in 2006 the World Social Forum will be descentralized and it will happen in many different places in the world and in 2007 it will take place in Africa.