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

29 July 2010

The “new normal”: More than one in five Americans at risk of destitution

By Barry Grey, 29 July 2010

More than one in five Americans in 2009 suffered a household income loss of 25 percent or more over the previous year, according to a new report sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and entitled “Economic Security at Risk.”

BP oil disaster

Gulf oil spill: 100 days of disaster

By Tom Eley, 29 July 2010

The first 100 days of the BP Gulf oil catastrophe have provided an object lesson in the destructiveness and irrationality of capitalism.

Full coverage of the Gulf oil disaster »

Judge blocks main provisions of Arizona anti-immigrant law

By Patrick Martin, 29 July 2010

Federal district judge Susan Bolton barred enforcement of the major provisions of SB 1070, which was to go into effect July 29, until constitutional challenges are resolved. This means that the law will be effectively blocked until a final decision by the US Supreme Court.

The German Love Parade disaster: Not a tragic accident, but a crime

By Ulrich Rippert, 29 July 2010

Numerous eyewitness testimonies indicate that the organizers and those politically responsible disregarded concerns and warnings raised by experts.

Australia: Prime Minister Gillard answers damaging leaks with display of “steel”

By Mike Head, 29 July 2010

In an attempt to confront damaging leaks about her opposition in cabinet to spending on pensions and parental leave, Gillard provided an aggressive display of the ruthless pro-business and austerity agenda that lay behind her installation as prime minister.

Sri Lankan students protest against police over university death

By Suranga Siriwardena and Kapila Fernando, 29 July 2010

Thousands of university students have taken part in protests for the past three days over the death of fellow student Susantha Aruna Bandara. He died last Friday, one month after a police attack on students at Ruhuna university.

Report exposes journalist killings in Honduras

By Rafael Azul, 29 July 2010

Seven journalists were shot to death and another severely wounded in Honduras earlier this year. These assassinations expose Washington’s claims that Honduras is on the road of democracy and reconciliation.

800,000 gallons of oil spilled into Michigan river

By Josué Olmos, 29 July 2010

On Sunday, July 25, a leak at an oil pipeline pump near Marshall, Michigan sent over 800,000 gallons of crude oil spilling into the Kalamazoo River. The health and environmental effects of the spill have already begun to take their toll.

New in French

Accusé de servir de refuge aux guérilléros, le Venezuela rompt ses relations diplomatiques avec la Colombie

Par Bill Van Auken, 29 juillet 2010

Le président du Venezuela Hugo Chavez a rompu les relations diplomatiques avec la Colombie, pays voisin, après que Caracas a été accusé par le gouvernement de ce dernier de servir de refuge à des guérilléros des FARC.

New in German

Die New York Times und die Afghanistan-Dokumente

Von Bill Van Auken, 29. Juli 2010

Die Veröffentlichung von ca. 92.000 geheimen Dokumenten über den Afghanistankrieg durch WikiLeaks wird verglichen mit der Veröffentlichung der Pentagon Papers vor vierzig Jahren, die den Charakter der amerikanischen Politik im Vietnamkrieg entlarvten.

Australien: Gillards und Abbotts inszeniertes Wahlduell

Von Patrick O’Connor, 29. Juli 2010

Am Abend des 25. Juli fand das einzige Fernsehduell zwischen Labor-Premierministerin Julia Gillard und dem liberalen Oppositionsführer Tony Abbott im australischen Wahlkampf statt.

Umweltskandal in Dortmund

Von Katharina Wied, 29. Juli 2010

Die zuständige Aufsichtsbehörde hat den Dortmunder Betrieb Envio Recycling wegen massiver Verstöße gegen die Emissionsschutzauflagen stillgelegt, nachdem Arbeiter und Anwohner jahrelang hochgiftigen PCB-Emissionen ausgesetzt waren.

Other Languages

Perspective

The Afghanistan documents and the struggle against war

29 July 2010

The utter indifference of the US media and the political establishment as a whole to the WikiLeaks documents’ exposure of massive violence against the people of Afghanistan poses the critical need for a new strategy in the struggle against war.

Earlier Perspectives »

Socialist Equality Party (Australia) Election Campaign

Support the socialist alternative to war, social inequality and attacks on democratic rights! Build the Socialist Equality Party!

By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 29 July 2010

The Socialist Equality Party calls on working people and youth to support our campaign in the August 21, 2010 federal election and vote for our candidates in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

SEP (Australia) relaunches party web site

29 July 2010

The Socialist Equality Party has relaunched its web site, www.sep.org.au, featuring the SEP’s 2010 election statement, profiles of its candidates and information on the campaign.

Australian election takes place in a ‘parallel universe’

28 July 2010

As the Australian federal election campaign enters its second week, the major political parties and corporate media, followed obediently by the Greens and “ex-left” groups, have already sharply narrowed the terms of permissible debate.

Socialist Equality Party election meetings
The socialist alternative to austerity, social inequality and war

26 July 2010

The SEP candidates will be addressing public meetings over the next four weeks and final rallies in Melbourne and Sydney.

Full coverage of the SEP (Australia) election campaign »

Arts Review

A somber look back: Mad Men, Season 4

By James Brookfield, 29 July 2010

AMC’s Mad Men, whose fourth season premiered on Sunday night, stands out as one of the more interesting and well-written US television series at present.

I am Love and The Leopard: Italian cinema new and old

By Joanne Laurier, 27 July 2010

Numerous critics argue that director Luca Guadagnino’s I am Love represents something of a revival of Italian cinema, and compare the new film favorably to Luchino Visconti’s 1963 masterpiece, The Leopard.

Commentary

The New York Times and the Afghan documents

By Bill Van Auken, 28 July 2010

The posting by WikiLeaks of some 92,000 secret documents on the Afghanistan war has sparked comparisons with the leaking nearly 40 years ago of the Pentagon Papers, which provided a devastating exposure of US policy in the Vietnam War.

A record of war crimes

27 July 2010

The tens of thousands of documents posted online by WikiLeaks have provided a detailed, documentary portrait of the criminal war being waged by the Obama administration.

The Sherrod affair and American social reality

By David Walsh, 27 July 2010

The Shirley Sherrod affair, the case of the black US Department of Agriculture official fired July 20 because of an allegedly racist remark, is profoundly discrediting to every wing of the American establishment.

The refoundation of Spain’s United Left: A turn to the banks

Socialist Equality Party

SEP candidate to be placed on the ballot in Detroit

26 July 2010

SEP candidate D’Artagnan Collier, will be on the ballot for the 9th district of the Michigan state house of representatives.

SEP public meetings in New Orleans and Mobile
The Gulf oil disaster and capitalism

21 July 2010

The SEP will hold public meetings in the US Gulf Coast states of Louisiana and Alabama in early August to discuss the causes and consequences of the BP oil spill disaster.

Sri Lankan SEP to hold a public meeting against police-state measures

29 July 2010

The methods used against the Tamil masses during two decades of civil war are being turned against working people as a whole as the government wages its “economic war” to “build the nation”.

Investigative Report

The social crisis in Appalachia
Part 3: Environmental disaster and private profit

By Naomi Spencer and Rosa Lexington, 27 July 2010

Reckless surface mining operations in close proximity to communities has exposed residents of the coalfields to water contamination, flash flooding, and other dangers.

“Massey has destroyed the wells and the water”
Williamson, West Virginia, residents speak to the WSWS

By a WSWS reporting team, 27 July 2010

Residents of Williamson spoke to the WSWS about declining conditions, environmental destruction, and corruption in Williamson.

Book Review

Diane Ravitch’s The Death and Life of the Great American School System
An insider’s critique of education “reform”

By Walter Gilberti and Jerry White, 27 July 2010

Diane Ravitch’s book presents a summary on the attack on public education, from its origins during the Reagan era to Obama’s Race to the Top.

Committee Against Utility Shutoffs (CAUS)

Michigan governor signs law witch-hunting workers for “energy theft”

Statement of the Committee Against Utility Shutoffs (CAUS), 23 July 2010

The Committee Against Utility Shutoffs (CAUS) condemns legislation signed into law by Michigan’s Democratic governor, Jennifer Granholm, sanctioning a crackdown on poor residents in Detroit and other cities for alleged “energy theft.”

Visit the CAUS web site »

25 years
50 years
75 years
100 years

25 years ago: GM, UAW deepen collaboration with Saturn car brand

On July 26, 1985, the Executive Board of the United Auto Workers (UAW) approved a new, more highly exploitative labor contract for workers to be hired at General Motors’ Saturn venture, to be based in Tennessee.

More »

50 years ago: War threat after South Korean elections

South Korea attacked a North Korean naval vessel, killing 14, on July 31, 1960, the first naval conflict since the signing of the 1953 armistice. One South Korean sailor died in the exchange. The attack came the day after the Liberal party of former South Korean dictator and US puppet Syngman Rhee suffered a stinging electoral defeat.

More »

75 years ago: New Deal establishes jobs program for unemployed writers

On July 27, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Federal Writers Project, one of several programs enacted under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for the purpose of employing cultural workers. Collectively known as “Federal One,” the other cultural programs of the WPA included the Federal Theatre Project, the Federal Art Project and the Federal Music Project.

More »

100 years ago: Rupture between Spain and the Vatican

This week in 1910 Spain recalled its ambassador to the Vatican after the Holy See issued an ultimatum demanding Madrid reverse a new law granting rights to non-Catholic religious organizations.

More »

Gulf Oil Crisis

Video series: The human toll of the BP blowout

The BP blowout has devastated the economy, environment and health of the entire Gulf region. WSWS reporters C. W. Rogers and Andre Damon interviewed residents, small businessmen and environmental and health experts on the Gulf coast and compiled this video report.

Full coverage of the Gulf oil disaster »