23 December 2017

Pentagon admits presence of US troops in Yemen as cholera cases top one million

By Bill Van Auken, 23 December 2017

Washington is deepening the catastrophe in Yemen as part of its war preparations against Iran, threatening the lives of millions.

Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's former dictator, killed in Sana’a

UN General Assembly repudiates Trump over Jerusalem announcement

US considers splitting immigrant children from parents in immigration jails

By Eric London, 23 December 2017

The proposal comes at the end of a week marked by ruthless attacks against immigrants.

DACA deal put off to 2018 leaving 800,000 under deportation threat

Government report details human rights violations at US immigration detention centers

More on the attack on immigrants in the US »

As AT&T announces holiday layoff of hundreds of workers
Corporate America begins campaign to sell Trump tax bonanza

By Patrick Martin, 23 December 2017

The bonuses announced by a handful of big companies are a cynical attempt to deflect attention from the billions in added profits they will receive.

Over token Democratic opposition
US Congress passes tax windfall for corporations and the rich

The United States of Inequality

Notes on police violence
Bexar County, Texas police shoot and kill six-year-old boy

By Trévon Austin, 23 December 2017

Sheriff’s deputies, firing at a fleeing woman, shot and killed six-year-old Kameron Prescott when at least one round pierced through the wall of his San Antonio-area mobile home.

More on police violence in the US »

Political turmoil in Spain following Catalan election

By Paul Mitchell, 23 December 2017

Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy is under pressure from some quarters to consider negotiations, but there is no indication of a climbdown on his part.

Crisis election in Catalonia
No to dictatorship and national separatism! For the Unity of Catalan and Spanish workers!

More on the crisis in Spain »

UN imposes harsh new sanctions on North Korea

By Peter Symonds, 23 December 2017

The latest measures, drawn up by Washington, represent a last-ditch attempt to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear arsenal.

US will “compel” North Korea to denuclearise

Is the United States on the brink of nuclear war?

More on the war threat against North Korea »

Japan’s cabinet approves draft budget that boosts the military

By Ben McGrath, 23 December 2017

Tokyo’s buildup of weaponry further aligns it with the US in preparation for war with North Korea and China.

Trump authorizes $41.5 million sale of lethal US weaponry to Ukraine

By Niles Niemuth, 23 December 2017

The decision to allow Kiev to purchase “lethal defensive weapons” portends an escalation in the nearly four-year-old war against pro-Russian separatists entrenched in the country’s eastern provinces.

Amazon worker dies after vomiting blood at Sacramento, California fulfillment center

By Kristina Betinis, 23 December 2017

This is at least the third death in recent months for the world’s largest online retailer, and the company has nearly doubled its workforce for holiday sales.

OSHA dragging its feet investigating death of Pennsylvania Amazon worker Devan Shoemaker

“If finding out what happened could save another life at least something good would come from our son’s death”
Family, co-workers want truth about Kentucky Ford worker’s death

By Jerry White, 23 December 2017

Two weeks after the death of 41-year-old electrician Ivan Bridgewater, company, union and government officials have not explained how the fatal accident occurred.

“Ford and big companies don’t care if you live or not”
Ford workers speak out on Kentucky Truck worker’s death

“They are going to cover-up everything like they always do”
Ford, UAW downplay finding of Legionella bacteria at Kansas City assembly plant

Autopsy report refutes claims young Ford worker was on drugs at time of factory shooting

Massive job cuts at Opel and Vauxhall

By Marianne Arens, 23 December 2017

The management board, works council and IG Metall union have agreed on a drastic reduction in staff and labour costs at Opel to make the company more profitable.

More on auto workers issues »

Trump administration congratulates “re-election” of police-state regime in Honduras

By Andrea Lobo, 23 December 2017

Washington’s announcement arrived as Honduran military police escalated their bloody repression of the nation-wide protests against the electoral fraud.

Amid mass protests, Honduran government and Trump administration seek to impose fraudulent re-election

Virgin Care: A case study in how private corporations loot the UK’s National Health Service

By Ajanta Silva, 23 December 2017

The Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group accidentally disclosed a backdoor payment of £328,000 to Virgin Care, owned by billionaire business mogul Richard Branson.

Nashville, Tennessee: Homelessness at record levels despite pledges from politicians and business leaders

By Warren Duzak, 23 December 2017

On an average night in January 2015 there were 2,365 homeless in Nashville, with 1,124 in emergency shelters, 560 in transitional housing and 470 living on the street.

US fire death toll in 2017 reaches 2,152

By Steve Filips, 23 December 2017

A heart wrenching increase in the deaths of children in fatal house fires highlights the substandard housing conditions and poverty widespread within the US.

More on the social crisis in America »

First “foreign fighter” arrest in Australia

By Mike Head, 23 December 2017

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton seized upon Betka’s arrest to justify the creation of the government’s “security” super-ministry.

New in Norwegian

Krisevalg i Catalonia
Nei til diktatur og nasjonal separatisme! For foreningen av katalanske og spanske arbeidere!

Alex Lantier, 21 December 2017

Med dagens valg har Madrid som mål å gi en «demokratisk» ferniss til pådrivet mot politistatregimer og rehabiliteringen av ytrehøyre-krefter over hele Europa.

Trumps nasjonale sikkerhetsstrategi: Tilbake til militær konflikt mellom stormaktene

Bill Van Auken, 20 December 2017

Den nye amerikanske Nasjonale sikkerhetsstrategien og Trumps tale mandag utgjør en grim advarsel for menneskeheten om at amerikansk imperialisme har lagt ut på en vei som fører til en kjernefysisk tredje verdenskrig.

New in Russian

Профессор Шон МакМикин и констриурование исторической лжи (Часть II)

23 декабря2017 г.

Утверждение профессора Шона МакМикина, согласно которому Ленин был агентом германского империализма, основано на преднамеренно ложной интерпретации исторического исследования, не оставляющего камня на камне от мифа о «германском золоте».

Эта неделя в русской революции
11–17 декабря: Белая армия захватывает Ростов

23 декабря 2017 г.

В то время как вооруженные силы под командованием контрреволюционного генерала Каледина оккупируют Ростов, крупный промышленный центр на юге России, в руководстве большевиков продолжается конфликт по вопросу об Учредительном собрании.

New in French

Les nationalistes catalans remportent les élections de crise par une courte majorité

Alex Lantier et Alejandro López, 23 décembre 2017

Les résultats enterre les espoirs à Madrid que les élections allaient rapidement résoudre le conflit entre le gouvernement espagnol et celui de la région catalane.

L’Assemblée générale de l’ONU rejette la position de Trump sur Jérusalem

Jordan Shilton, 23 décembre 2017

Le vote par 128 voix contre 9, avec 35 abstentions, reflète l’isolement extrême des Etats-Unis et renforce la perspective d’un affrontement violent au Moyen-Orient.

New in German

Soziale Ungleichheit und Regierungskrise

Peter Schwarz, 23. Dezember 2017

Die soziale Ungleichheit hat ein Ausmaß erreicht, das sich nicht mehr mit demokratischen Herrschaftsformen vereinbaren lässt.

Katalanische Nationalisten erringen knappe Mehrheit

Alex Lantier und Alejandro López, 23. Dezember 2017

Das Wahlergebnis zerstört die Hoffnung Mariano Rajoys, den Konflikt zwischen der Zentralregierung und der katalanischen Regionalregierung durch die Wahl lösen zu können.

War der Terroranschlag auf den Berliner Weihnachtsmarkt eine „Geheimdienstoperation mit tödlichem Kollateralschaden“?

Dietmar Henning, 23. Dezember 2017

Neue Dokumente erhärten den Verdacht, dass der Attentäter Anis Amri von Geheimdiensten und Polizei gedeckt wurde.

UN-Vollversammlung: Herbe Abfuhr für Trump in Jerusalem-Frage

Jordan Shilton, 23. Dezember 2017

Die UN-Abstimmung mit 128 zu 9 Stimmen zeigt die extreme Isolation der Vereinigten Staaten, was jedoch die Kriegsgefahr im Nahen Osten noch erhöht.

Pilotenstreik bei Ryanair

Marianne Arens, 23. Dezember 2017

Der dreistündige Warnstreik der Piloten bei Ryanair war der erste Streik in der Geschichte der irischen Billigfluglinie.

„Radikales Russland: Kunst, Kultur und Revolution“
Wie die bolschewistische Revolution die Avantgardekunst rettete

Paul Mitchell, 23. Dezember 2017

Die Kuratoren haben ihre Objekte sorgfältig ausgewählt, um verschiedene Bereiche der Avantgardekunst vor und nach der bolschewistischen Revolution abzudecken.

New in Spanish

Muertes por narcóticos reducen expectativa de vida en Estados Unidos por segundo año consecutivo

Por Eric London, 23 diciembre 2017

La caída en la expectativa de vida de EUA refleja la devastación social que afecta a millones de personas y que fue ocasionada por las décadas de políticas bipartidistas dirigidas a enriquecer más a los ricos.

Ante una oposición demócrata simbólica
El Congreso aprueba recorte fiscal que disparará los ingresos de las corporaciones y los ricos

Por Barry Grey, 23 diciembre 2017

Los demócratas apoyaron la reducción de los impuestos para las corporaciones sin hacer nada para oponerse a esta legislación abiertamente clasista.

El gobernador de Puerto Rico ordena revisar el número oficial de víctimas

Por Niles Niemuth, 23 diciembre 2017

La revisión llegado en medio del creciente enojo en la isla e informes mediáticos de que el verdadero número de fatalidades del Huracán María podría superar los 1000.

El Congreso de los EUA pone en la mira a la candidata del Partido Verde Jill Stein por alegaciones de confabulación con Rusia

Por Trévon Austin, 23 diciembre 2017

Que se ensañen con Stein demuestra que la caza de brujas anti-Rusia tiene por objetivo final la oposición política doméstica.

De las Jornadas de Julio al golpe de Estado de Kornílov: El Estado y la revolución de Lenin

Por Barry Grey, 23 diciembre 2017

Estamos publicando aquí el texto de la conferencia pronunciada el 14 de octubre por Barry Grey, editor nacional de Estados Unidos del World Socialist Web Site.

New in Turkish

Katalonya’da kriz seçimi
Diktatörlüğe ve ulusal ayrılıkçılığa hayır! Katalan ve İspanyol işçilerin birliği için!

Alex Lantier, 22 Aralık 2017

Madrid, bugünkü seçimle, polis devleti rejimi yönelimine “demokratik” bir maske takmayı ve AB genelindeki aşırı sağcı güçlere saygınlık kazandırmayı amaçlıyor.

Eşitsizlik ülkesi: Amerika Birleşik Devletleri

Andre Damon, 22 Aralık 2017

Geçtiğimiz hafta, Kongre trilyonlarca doları mali oligarşiye aktaracak bir vergi yasasını geçirmek için koştururken, uzmanlar ABD’deki toplumsal eşitsizliğin büyümesini belgeleyen mahkum edici raporlar yayınladı.

Yoldaş Keerthi Balasuriya’nın 30. ölüm yıldönümü üzerine

22 Aralık 2017

Aşağıdaki mektup, WSWS Yayın Kurulu Başkanı David North tarafından, Keerthi Balasuriya’nın 30. ölüm yıldönümünü anmak üzere toplanan Sosyalist Eşitlik Partisi’ne (Sri Lanka) gönderildi.

Trump’ın Kudüs’ü İsrail’in başkenti olarak tanıması Arap önderlerin krizini derinleştiriyor

Jean Shaoul, 22 Aralık 2017

Trump’ın Kudüs açıklaması, yalnızca İsrail ile Filistin arasında yeni ve kanlı bir çatışma değil; Arap, Musevi, İranlı ve diğer ulusal ve etnik grupların birbirleri ile karşı karşıya geleceği bölgesel bir savaş yönünde artan tehlikeye işaret etmektedir.

Other Languages

Perspective

Democratic Party witch-hunters target Green Party candidate Jill Stein

23 December 2017

The Socialist Equality Party condemns the targeting of Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate in the 2016 election, by Democrats in the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Earlier Perspectives »

WSWS Holiday Schedule

Over the holiday period, we will not publish on Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26, and on Monday, January 1 and Tuesday, January 2. We will resume our regular schedule of postings on January 3. The WSWS extends season's greetings to all of our readers.

Workers Struggles

Engineering workers occupy three BiFab yards in Scotland

By Darren Paxton and Sandy Campbell, 23 December 2017

Although workers effectively took control of the yards, the GMB and Unite trade unions were at pains to insist the action was a “work-in.”

Wildcat strike stops production as workers eject union leaders at Ford Romania

By Eric London, 23 December 2017

The spontaneous walkout took place the day after Ford and the union agreed to a sellout contract with similar terms as those imposed on workers in the US and Canada.

Indian telecommunication workers strike, Australian coal terminal workers impose bans
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific

23 December 2017

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Continuing attacks on New Zealand public transport workers’ jobs and wages

Mehring Books

WSWS publishes Urdu translation of Trotsky’s Lessons of October

Preface to the Urdu edition of Lessons of October

Arts Review

Downsizing: Alexander Payne’s take on climate change, overpopulation, social inequality … and more

By Joanne Laurier, 23 December 2017

Payne’s latest work is a science-fiction satire that proposes to solve the earth’s ecological and other problems by “downsizing,” or physically shrinking, human beings.

Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird and Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck: “Small” films at a time of big crisis

By Carlos Delgado, 21 December 2017

One hundred years since the birth of Romanian pianist and composer Dinu Lipatti

Star Wars: The Last Jedi—The further business of the Disney franchise

Commentary

Social inequality and Germany’s government crisis

By Peter Schwarz, 23 December 2017

Social inequality has reached a scale that is no longer compatible with democratic forms of rule.

German Social Democratic Party follows the path of far-right Alternative for Germany

The contradictions of the bitcoin-blockchain frenzy

By Nick Beams, 23 December 2017

In seeking to grasp the significance of the present frenzy, it is worth recalling the analysis made by Marx of previous financial bubbles, in particular those associated with the expansion of the credit system, which began in the mid-nineteenth century.

Bitcoin speculation continues to surge

Drug deaths drive down US life expectancy for second year

By Eric London, 22 December 2017

US workplace fatalities rose 7 percent in 2016

Jury acquits all six defendants in first trial of Inauguration Day protesters

By Patrick Martin, 22 December 2017

UK: Pro-Corbyn councillors sabotage fight against Labour’s social cleansing

By Robert Stevens and Margot Miller, 22 December 2017

Court ruling allows Canadian spies to conduct mass surveillance of cellphones

By Laurent Lafrance, 22 December 2017

UK: Deputy Conservative leader Damian Green forced to resign by manufactured sex scandal

By Robert Stevens, 22 December 2017

Actor Matt Damon comes under attack for his criticisms of the sexual misconduct campaign

Socialist Equality Party

Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka) stands for local government elections

By our correspondents, 23 December 2017

The SEP is the only party contesting the elections on an internationalist and socialist program against the looming threat of a world war, social counter-revolution and dictatorial rule.

SEP in Sri Lanka pays tribute to Keerthi Balasuriya

By our correspondent, 20 December 2017

On the 30th anniversary of the death of Comrade Keerthi Balasuriya

By David North, 19 December 2017

Keerthi’s death on December 18, 1987 was an irreplaceable loss to the International Committee of the Fourth International and its Sri Lankan section.

Australian and New Zealand Trotskyists hold powerful Russian Revolution centenary meetings

SEP meeting attendees speak about the Russian Revolution

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico governor orders review of official hurricane death toll

By Niles Niemuth, 19 December 2017

On-the-spot report
Over a million in Puerto Rico living without the necessities of modern life
“The island has been turned upside down since the storm”

“The poverty is no longer hidden by the trees”
Hurricane Maria exposes the conditions of life for the working class in Caguas, Puerto Rico

“The rich people are not going to do anything for us”
University of Puerto Rico students speak on inequality and the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria

More on Puerto Rico »

Centenary of the Russian Revolution

This week in the Russian Revolution
December 18-24: Peace negotiations begin at Brest-Litovsk

18 December 2017

Trotsky later writes, “The circumstances of history willed that the delegates of the most revolutionary regime ever known to humanity should sit at the same diplomatic table with the representatives of the most reactionary caste among all the ruling classes.”

Chronology of the Russian Revolution »

The Grenfell Tower Fire

Families and survivors hold six-month commemoration of Grenfell Tower fire

By Paul Mitchell, 18 December 2017

Oppose media witch-hunt against “the left” over Grenfell fire

By Robert Stevens, 18 December 2017

Six months since the Grenfell Tower fire

Film Review
“Grenfell changed everything”—Failed by the State: The Struggle in the Shadow of Grenfell

More on the Grenfell Tower fire »

Book Review

Ron Chernow’s Grant: An able and compelling new biography

By Andre Damon, 15 December 2017

Chernow capably weaves together an account of the life of the Civil War general, president and memoirist.

Featured Video

Watch: Davino Watson, American Citizen, imprisoned by ICE for 3.5 years

International Amazon Workers Voice

Amazon conducts total surveillance of workers in new German plant

By Marianne Arens, 16 December 2017

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa
One day strike hits German and Italian Amazon distribution centres

Amazon workers ask “$100 billion man” Jeff Bezos: where’s my cut?

By our reporters, 9 December 2017

“We’re human beings, not slaves and animals”
UK newspaper exposé details Amazon’s super-exploitation of workforce

Temp work past the age of retirement
Amazon’s CamperForce program exploits elderly workers

Watch: How can Amazon workers fight back?

Share this video widely! Like and Follow the International Amazon Workers Voice on Facebook

Google Censorship

Net neutrality and the drive to censor the internet

By Andre Damon, 25 November 2017

The conspiracy to censor the Internet

By Andre Damon and Joseph Kishore, 18 October 2017

The elites “have no credibility left:” An interview with journalist Chris Hedges

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

25 August 2017

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

Watch: Stop online censorship!

More on Google Censorship »

Centenary of the Russian Revolution

Australia: Socialist Equality Party holds successful meetings on Russian Revolution

By our correspondents, 7 December 2017

Workers and youth discuss the Russian Revolution at SEP meetings

By our reporters, 7 December 2017

Russian television’s Trotsky serial: A degraded spectacle of historical falsification and anti-Semitism

By Fred Williams and David North, 25 November 2017

The eight-part serial is an exhibition of the political, intellectual and cultural depravity of all those involved in its production.

The Place of the October Revolution in World History and Contemporary Politics

By David North, 13 November 2017

IYSSE

IYSSE mounts campaign against university police censorship at University of California, Berkeley

By Evan Blake, 2 December 2017

International Youth and Students for Social Equality launches new website

6 November 2017

The IYSSE’s newly designed website includes an updated Statement of Principles for its US section. We urge all youth and students to join the IYSSE and take up the fight for socialism.