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Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)

1 September 2017

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Death toll expected to rise as chemical explosions add to devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey

By Niles Niemuth, 1 September 2017

Officials at every level of government continue to congratulate themselves on their response to the storm, while the endless media commentary avoids any discussion of those responsible for the disaster.

More than 80 percent of homeowners impacted by Harvey lack flood insurance

By Niles Niemuth, 1 September 2017

The working class responds to Hurricane Harvey

The Houston flood, the anarchy of the capitalist market and the case for socialist planning

“I grew to call the oil industry the rape, pillage and plunder industry”
Former Shell Oil civil engineer and Berkeley Professor Emeritus Robert Bea speaks on Hurricane Harvey

By Barry Grey, 1 September 2017

Robert Bea, a retired civil engineer, has had a long career in the fields of flood control and risk assessment and management.

Houston residents speak out on historic flooding from Hurricane Harvey

Government indifference leads to vast death toll in South Asian floods

By Arun Kumar, 1 September 2017

Despite regular floods and monsoons, governments in India, Bangladesh and Nepal have not implemented any serious measures to protect ordinary people.

Pakistan boycotts talks with US, rejects role for India in Afghanistan

By Sampath Perera, 1 September 2017

US President Trump’s Afghanistan strategy has provoked an angry reaction in Islamabad.

French President Macron unveils decrees to destroy Labour Code

By Anthony Torres, 1 September 2017

Financial markets hope Macron’s decrees will mark a decisive step in the destruction of social rights won by workers’ struggles in Europe in the twentieth century.

French President Macron calls for military buildup in foreign policy address

Earthquake on Italian island of Ischia: Grief is mixed with anger

By Marianne Arens, 1 September 2017

Although the earthquake on Ischia only measured 4 on the Richter scale, many buildings were reduced to rubble, two people died and 42 were injured.

Social Democratic chancellor candidate Schulz calls for well-equipped German army

By Johannes Stern, 1 September 2017

The Social Democrats are seeking to transform widespread opposition to US-led imperialist wars into support for German militarism.

Anti-immigrant Texas bill SB4 implemented despite suspension of some key provisions

By Genevieve Leigh, 1 September 2017

The most controversial provision, giving local law enforcement the authority to demand proof of a person's immigration status during routine interactions, was allowed through.

Deportation fears prevent many Houston immigrants from seeking emergency shelter

Trump pardons former Arizona Sheriff: A green light for anti-immigrant violence and repression

Trump begins campaign for huge tax cut for business and the wealthy

By Patrick Martin, 1 September 2017

There is widespread support from Democrats on proposals to reduce the corporate tax rate, the centerpiece of the Trump administration tax plan, and repatriate offshore earnings.

“The working class has to stand together against this”
After five months on strike, Spectrum workers in New York-New Jersey must break union-imposed isolation

By Alan Whyte, A. Woodson and Steve Light, 1 September 2017

Nearly 2,000 technicians and engineers continue to battle the telecom giant Charter Communications, now known as Spectrum.

Venezuela nears default after US imposes sanctions on economy

By Andrea Lobo, 1 September 2017

Amid its worst economic crisis, the new sanctions have pushed Venezuela to the brink of default, which threatens to sink the country’s workers and poor to new depths of misery.

Australian government urges universities to tear up staff conditions

By Mike Head, 1 September 2017

The tertiary education trade unions will use this week’s Fair Work Commission ruling to intensify their work to stifle all resistance by increasingly discontented university workers.

New in Turkish

Barselona yürüyüşünde savaşa ve hükümetin teröre suç ortaklığına karşı öfke patladı

Alex Lantier, 1 Eylül 2017

Barselona’daki olaylar, şu anda İspanya’da ve Avrupa genelinde gelişmekte olan patlayıcı sınıfsal çatışmalara işaret etmektedir.

New in French

La classe ouvrière répond à l’ouragan Harvey

Par Joseph Kishore, 1 septembre 2017

L’esprit de sacrifice et l’initiative de la classe ouvrière en réponse à l’ouragan sont un puissant argument en faveur d’organisations ouvrières indépendantes et d’un contrôle ouvrier de la vie économique et sociale.

Macron dévoile les ordonnances pour détruire le Code du travail

Par Anthony Torres, 1 septembre 2017

Les marchés financiers espèrent que ces décrets seront une étape décisive dans la destruction des droits sociaux acquis par les travailleurs européens au 20e siècle.

Nouvelle menace de guerre : Trump refuse de négocier avec la Corée du Nord

Par Peter Symonds, 1 septembre 2017

Si les négociations ne sont pas une option, la seule conclusion à tirer est que les États-Unis préparent une attaque militaire contre la Corée du Nord.

Le Pentagone rejette l’appel de l’ONU à une pause dans le siège de Raqqa

Par Bill Van Auken, 1 septembre 2017

Washington est déterminé à poursuivre le massacre afin de poursuivre sa lutte pour le contrôle du territoire syrien.

New in Spanish

La clase obrera responde al huracán Harvey

Por Joseph Kishore, 1 septiembre 2017

El autosacrificio y la iniciativa organizacional de la clase obrera en respuesta al huracán plantean un fuerte caso a favor de organizaciones obreras independientes y el control de la vida económica y social en manos de los trabajadores.

La inundación de Houston, la anarquía del mercado capitalista y la lucha por la planificación socialista

Por Niles Niemuth, 1 septiembre 2017

Doce años después de Katrina, no se ha hecho nada para reforzar los controles contra inundaciones ni para mejorar la infraestructura social y limitar el impacto de tormentas de gran intensidad.

El Pentágono rechaza la petición de la ONU de pausar el asedio de Raqqa

Por Bill Van Auken, 1 septiembre 2017

Washington está decidido en continuar la masacre a fin de avanzar su campaña para controlar territorio sirio.

Cien mil alumnos sin techo en escuelas públicas de Nueva York

Por Fred Mazelis, 1 septiembre 2017

En medio de un dizque “recuperación económica” y junto con el gran auge de Wall Street, el número de alumnos sin techo pego un gran salto durante los últimos seis años.

New in German

SGP-Kandidaten im WDR-Kandidatencheck

Verena Nees, 1. September 2017

Seit Dienstag sind auf der Website des Westdeutschen Rundfunks (WDR) Statements der Bundestagskandidaten der Sozialistischen Gleichheitspartei in NRW abrufbar.

BKA sammelt rechtswidrig Millionen Daten

Martin Kreickenbaum, 1. September 2017

Das Bundeskriminalamt speichert illegal Millionen Datensätze und führt offenbar eine „schwarze Liste“ über Journalisten und politische Aktivisten, die es als linksextrem einstuft.

SGP-Wahlveranstaltung in Duisburg
Lebhafte Diskussion über den Zusammenhang von Krieg und sozialen Problemen

unserem Reporter, 1. September 2017

Am Dienstagabend stellten die drei Bundestagswahlkandidaten der Sozialistischen Gleichheitspartei (SGP) in Nordrhein-Westfalen Arbeitern und Jugendlichen das sozialistische Programm vor, mit dem die SGP zur Wahl antritt.

Frankreich: Macron verkündet drastische Arbeitsmarktreformen und fordert Aufrüstung

Alex Lantier, 1. September 2017

Bevor Präsident Macron seine brutalen Arbeitsmarktreformen verkündete, skizzierte er in einer Rede vor französischen Botschaftern seine Pläne für eine aggressive Außenpolitik.

Die Reaktion der Arbeiterklasse auf Hurrikan Harvey

Joseph Kishore, 1. September 2017

Die Opferbereitschaft und die organisatorische Initiative der Arbeiterklasse als Reaktion auf den Hurrikan sind ein beeindruckendes Plädoyer für unabhängige Arbeiterorganisationen und die demokratische Kontrolle über das wirtschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Leben.

Other Languages

Perspective

UN says 27 dying each day in US-led siege of Raqqa

1 September 2017

The mass killing in the Syrian city of Raqqa is part of an arc of US slaughter, stretching from the Horn of Africa through the Middle East and into South Asia.

Earlier Perspectives »

Google Censorship

Over three thousand sign WSWS petition against Google censorship

By Isaac Finn, 1 September 2017

The World Socialist Web Site’s petition against Google’s blacklisting of socialist, antiwar and progressive websites has received more than 3,000 signatures, with over a thousand signing in the last ten days.

An open letter to Google: Stop the censorship of the Internet! Stop the political blacklisting of the World Socialist Web Site!

25 August 2017

David North, chairperson of the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site, has sent the following open letter to Google executives Sundar Pichai, Lawrence Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt.

Arabic translation of “Google rigs searches to block access to World Socialist Web Site”

Sign the petition and share it as widely as possible through email, online forums, and social media.

Watch: Stop online censorship!

Centenary of the Russian Revolution

Leaders of the Russian Revolution: Ivar Tenisovich Smilga (1892-1937)
Part two

By Clara Weiss, 1 September 2017

The is the second part of a two-part article on Ivar Tenisovich Smilga, a leading figure in the October Revolution and the Red Army who worked closely with Lenin and then with Trotsky as a member of the anti-Stalinist Left Opposition. The first part was posted on August 31.

Leaders of the Russian Revolution: Ivar Tenisovich Smilga (1892-1937)
Part one

This week in the Russian Revolution
August 28 – September 3: Surge in support for the Bolsheviks

28 August 2017

Professor Sean McMeekin revives discredited anti-Lenin slanders (Part I)

Chronology of the Russian Revolution »

Commentary

Channel Four News anchor Jon Snow: From mea culpas over Grenfell Tower to demands for censorship

By Chris Marsden, 1 September 2017

Snow’s proposals to “democratise” the media repeated official complaints about “fake news” used by Google to blacklist the WSWS and other sites.

SGP condemns German government’s ban of linksunten.indymedia.org

By the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, 31 August 2017

German government raids and shuts down left-wing Indymedia site

German court issues draconian ruling against Hamburg G20 protester

Another war threat: Trump rules out talking to North Korea

By Peter Symonds, 31 August 2017

After the financial crisis: How the ultra-wealthy have prospered

By Nick Beams, 31 August 2017

The Canadian NDP and the Libyan war: Niki Ashton is a liar

Mehring Books

New from Mehring Books
Why Study the Russian Revolution?
Volume I: The February Revolution and the Development of Bolshevik Strategy

28 August 2017

One hundred years after the Russian Revolution, the events of 1917, their consequences and their lessons retain a burning contemporary relevance.

Lessons of Hurricane Katrina

31 August 2017

The World Socialist Web Site pamphlet on the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina 12 years ago is critical reading in light of the current catastrophe in Texas.

Socialist Equality Party

Indian ICFI supporters hold meeting against US-led war drive

By our correspondents, 31 August 2017

Despite police efforts to block the meeting, participants discussed how Washington’s war plans and India’s partnership with the US are intensifying geopolitical tensions in the region.