The president of Kyoto Animation, Hideaki Hatta, denied the arsonist Shinji Aoba’s claims that the studio stole his novel during an 11th trial hearing for the deadly 2019 arson attack. Hatta stated the company does not steal ideas. While Aoba admitted carrying out the attack, his defense argued he was mentally incompetent. The fire killed 36 people and injured 33 others. After pausing productions, Kyoto Animation resumed work in 2022 with the release of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid season 2.

Memorials honoring the victims are planned to be unveiled on the 5th anniversary of the tragic incident in 2024.

Archive.today link to animehunch.com

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Thailand police arrest 14-yr-old suspected gunman after 3 killed at luxury mall. According to the article, chaos erupted after gunfire was reported at the upscale Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok. Three people were killed and four others injured in the shooting. Police arrested a 14-year-old boy suspected of being the gunman. Hundreds of people, including children, were seen pouring out of the mall in torrential rain. Gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand, with the incident coming a year after a nursery shooting killed 36 people, including 22 children.

Siam Paragon is Thailand’s most famous mall, known for its high-end stores and popular food court.

Archive.today link to www.reuters.com

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The article warns that a recession in the US may hit as early as the fourth quarter due to rising complacency. It argues the Fed’s interest rate hikes will not fully impact the economy for another 18-24 months. Several potential shocks are highlighted such as an auto strike, student loan payments resuming, and a spike in oil prices. A slowdown in China and other developing economies is also weighing on global growth. While forecasts still largely expect a soft landing, the article notes that widespread calls for one often precede recessions.

It claims the credit system will face more difficulties as banks tighten lending standards.

Archive.today link to www.nakedcapitalism.com

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Ecosocialist Bookshelf profiles several new books addressing environmental and social issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. One book examines Cuba’s successful transition to a low-carbon economy in response to losing oil imports after the Soviet Union collapsed. Another provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to viruses, revealing their true nature beyond just causes of disease. Kings of Their Own Ocean investigates the bluefin tuna and unsustainable industrial fishing practices. Saying No to a Farm-Free Future argues against replacing small-scale farming with factory-produced foods, instead advocating for low-carbon agrarian localism.

Finally, Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution documents how slavery profoundly shaped Britain’s economic rise and the forces of capitalism, showing its role was not just in toppling statues but building the entire system.

Archive.today link to climateandcapitalism.com

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Workers at Australia’s two largest supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, are undertaking the first ever national strike on October 7th. The companies make billions in profits each year but pay workers very low wages, as low as 46% less for those under 20. Conditions are also poor, with unpredictable work hours and lack of job security. During the pandemic, workers faced abuse and threats from customers but stores remained open. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union is leading the strike to demand higher pay, an end to junior rates, and safer working conditions. While the chains have agreements with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, the union is seen as too conservative and secretive. This strike will test the effectiveness of collective action and organizing led by RAFFWU versus backroom deals pursued by the SDA.

The worker interviewed encourages all supermarket staff to join the union ahead of the planned industrial action.

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott is pushing hard for school vouchers and privatization, arguing parents should have more choice over their children’s education. However, rural Republican legislators and communities oppose this agenda, recognizing that it threatens local public school districts, which are major employers and social institutions in sparsely populated areas. If more students leave for private schools, districts will lose significant funding but still have high fixed costs. Decades of research also show that vouchers do not improve outcomes and can harm disadvantaged students. While Abbott frames this as helping religious families, some faith leaders argue it inappropriately uses public money for religious education. With Republicans making public schools a culture war issue, it is important for Democrats to defend them as community institutions rather than just focusing on test scores.

For now, opposition appears likely to block Abbott’s voucher plans again in an upcoming special legislative session.

Archive.today link to jacobin.com

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Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh led to a new reality of Azerbaijani control over the region. However, tensions continued as issues around detainees, borders and Karabakh’s autonomy remained unresolved. Russia had peacekeepers in Karabakh but its influence waned after invading Ukraine. Seeing an opportunity, Azerbaijan launched a new offensive in September 2023, seizing full control of Karabakh with little international opposition. The conflict is shaped by imperial interests of Russia and Turkey in the region as well as the pursuit of national capitalist states. It has perpetuated violence and ethnic cleansing, fueling hatred between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Internally, the war has consolidated Aliyev’s authoritarian rule in Azerbaijan and justified suppressing opposition.

As new forms of policing and militarization continue, the region appears headed towards a grim future of perpetual war, not peace.

Archive.today link to jacobin.com

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The Commune is a 1972 novel by Greek writer Marios Chakkas that was recently translated to English. It captures his experience growing up in working-class Athens amid the Greek government’s violent suppression of communism after WWII. Chakkas was imprisoned in the 1950s under anti-communist laws and witnessed the 1967 military coup. The novel depicts the remnants of the communist movement building a commune and the narrator’s declining health, representing the left’s defeat and melancholy. However, Chakkas refuses to fully abandon hope, seeing how the blood and memories of past resistance in his neighborhood could inspire new opposition to the dictatorship.

The Commune provides a glimpse into the tragedy faced by Greek communists after the civil war and their struggle to maintain hope against overwhelming odds.

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The FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the FCC will take an active role again in overseeing corporate control of the internet. At its next meeting, the FCC will vote on restoring its Title II authority to regulate internet service providers. This will allow the FCC to prevent anti-consumer practices like price gouging, access throttling, and privacy violations. It will also empower the FCC to reinstate net neutrality rules barring ISPs from slowing access or prioritizing speed for certain sites. Net neutrality is overwhelmingly popular among the US public but has faced opposition from large telecom companies and their lobbyists. The article suggests the FCC’s new stance may rekindle debates between tech and telecom giants over how the internet should be regulated.

Restoring the FCC’s Title II authority is important for allowing oversight of hugely powerful ISPs and their control over a vital part of modern life and civic participation online.

Archive.today link to fair.org

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Workers are unhappier in their jobs now than at any point since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with job satisfaction declining steadily since 2020. A survey of over 60,000 employees found a sense of resignation and apathy among many. Unfair treatment, lack of control, inflation, layoffs and uncertainty around return-to-office policies are troubling workers. Additionally, remote employees often feel disconnected from their company’s mission. Meaningful work is important for happiness yet many lack a sense of purpose in their roles. Engaged employees boost business performance through higher profits and less turnover. However, disengaged staff costs the global economy an estimated $8.8 trillion annually in lost productivity.

While improving every problem may be difficult, managers can help by making time for understanding conversations with their teams weekly.

Archive.today link to www.cnbc.com

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Temperatures in Spain shattered heat records for early October according to the country’s meteorological agency AEMET. Nearly 40% of weather stations recorded highs above 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit to start the month. Two cities, Badajoz and Montoro, broke continental Spain’s record for the warmest October temperature with readings of 38 and 38.2 degrees respectively, surpassing the previous mark of 37.5 degrees. Most of the Iberian Peninsula saw temperatures 7 to 14 degrees above normal. Even Madrid’s historic Retiro Park matched its October heat record of 30 degrees from 1930. The weather expert noted almost 100 individual records were broken just on October 1st alone. If the trends continue, future summers may not only be hotter but also longer, extending well into autumn which is usually milder.

The article notes that scientists widely attribute the rising global temperatures to human activity.

Archive.today link to www.reuters.com

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The Writers Guild of America went on strike for 148 days, forcing the studios to return to negotiations. With help from a SAG strike, writers secured major concessions around AI usage, streaming residuals, and staffing minimums. These were demands the studios had refused, but writers showed through an uncompromising strike that highlighted class differences that these were realistic goals. The victory sets a precedent for other unions to organize in the industry and demand increased protections. To defend their gains, writers will need to remain militant as the studios look for loopholes and try to roll back terms.

Increased organizing and a willingness to strike again will be crucial to protecting workers’ interests when negotiations resume with SAG and in future contract fights.

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The passage discusses debates between Left Voice and Tempest on building an independent socialist party and engaging with broader left formations. A key point of contention is whether revolutionaries should aim to build their own organizations or intervene within reformist groups like Syriza or Podemos. While both agree on the need for revolutionary change, Left Voice argues for proposing a clear socialist program and alternative, while Tempest stresses the importance of flexibility and maintaining independence within broader left spaces to spread revolutionary ideas.

Overall, the debate centers on the best strategy for small revolutionary groups to transform consciousness and build working class power in the current political context.

Archive.today link to www.leftvoice.org

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The Land Alliance, representing five First Nations in Ontario, is opposing mining and extraction on unceded Indigenous lands without consent. A march called the March for the Land is being organized to pressure the Ontario government to respect Indigenous sovereignty and stop resource extraction. The article argues that capitalism depends on domination over land and resources, requiring the ongoing oppression and genocide of Indigenous peoples. It claims settler colonialism cannot reform itself and will always violate treaties and encroach on Indigenous land. The piece calls on the settler working class to support the land march and stand in solidarity with Indigenous people against the extraction-driven policies of Doug Ford’s government. It notes that large shows of opposition have successfully pressured Ford to backtrack on policies in the past.

United action could challenge settler colonialism’s theft of Indigenous land and positioning of the land as a resource rather than sacred living space.

Archive.today link to springmag.ca

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Eddie Irizarry was shot and killed by Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial while sitting in his car. Dial was initially charged with murder but the charges were dropped, angering Irizarry’s family and supporters. On September 26th, protests turned into widespread rioting across Philadelphia in response. The riots saw organized and well-prepared participants spread looting across the city to overwhelm police. After looting electronics that were later disabled, some rioters destroyed the items to reject consumerism. While smaller in scale than 2020 protests, this revolt highlighted Black consciousness against anti-Black systems regardless of the specific victim’s race.

Anarchists played a limited role in intentionally participating but supported the growing unrest, seeing it as a sign of future mass revolts to come.

Archive.today link to itsgoingdown.org

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Union organizers at an auto parts plant in London, Ontario were prepared when management launched another anti-union campaign. By mapping out the workforce and addressing managers’ claims of bankruptcy directly, the union secured support. Experts note employers increasingly rely on consultants to bust unions. Successful organizing involves addressing workers’ issues discreetly while building relationships. Amazon uses intimidating one-on-one meetings to discourage unionizing at its Montreal fulfillment center. Meanwhile, Honda monitors “hot spots” with color-coded maps and sets “watch lists” of at-risk franchises. The article highlights how mapping workplace geography and leveraging workers’ concerns can help unions overcome employer interference. However, aggressive union-busting tactics are spreading as companies learn from each other.

Overall, the piece examines current unionization efforts and strategies used by both labor and management.

Archive.today link to briarpatchmagazine.com

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Dutch regulator rejects Apple’s objections to fines is about a decision by the Dutch Competition Authority (ACM) regarding Apple. The ACM had previously ruled that Apple violated competition laws in the Dutch dating app market and fined them 50 million euros for failing to comply with orders to open its App Store payment options. Apple objected to the fines but the ACM rejected all of Apple’s objections in a July 2023 decision. While Apple has complied with most demands, it has not met a still undisclosed third condition. Apple disagrees with the original order and says it does not support user privacy or security. The company will appeal the decision in Dutch courts. The ACM said it would disclose the undisclosed part of the proceedings if Apple loses its court appeal.

In summary, the Dutch regulator upheld sizable fines against Apple for noncompliance related to payment options for dating apps in the Netherlands.

Archive.today link to www.reuters.com

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New York City experienced major flooding on Friday from heavy rainfall, overwhelming the city’s aging infrastructure. Over six inches of rain fell, causing flooded roads and subways and more than 150 flooded schools. Critics argued that Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul did not adequately warn and prepare the public, with warnings and emergency declarations coming too late for many commuters. Residents in frequently flooded neighborhoods like Queens and Brooklyn once again saw their basements flood. Climate change is exacerbating heavy rainfall events, and while the city is working to improve flood resilience, it remains unprepared for the magnitude of storms now expected.

The flooding highlighted the city’s ongoing challenges in upgrading its sewer and transit systems to handle increased precipitation.

Archive.today link to www.thecity.nyc

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Unions are having a resurgence as workers organize and strike for better conditions. However, Allison Schrager argues unions need to reform by cooperating more with employers on flexible arrangements rather than fighting for higher wages and protections. The author criticizes this view, noting unions have been winning gains through collective action. While some are interested in joining unions, labor laws heavily favor employers during unionization efforts through intimidation tactics. Despite these barriers, unions still appeal to many workers by offering better compensation negotiated through collective bargaining. Schrager suggests unions should operate more like insurance providers than advocates for workers, but the author argues this would undermine their purpose of improving conditions through collective power.

The piece highlights the ongoing debate around whether unions help or hurt workers and the economy as labor activism rises again in the US.

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Carbon offsets have faced increasing criticism in recent years from academic research showing that most do not represent real emissions reductions. Studies estimate only 12% of offset projects achieve reductions. Critics argue offsets allow polluters to continue business as usual by buying cheap credits instead of reducing their own emissions. Climate & Capitalism discusses how these issues have been identified for over a decade, with early analyses finding a third to two-thirds of Clean Development Mechanism offsets did not cut emissions. The article notes parallels between worthless offsets and the subprime mortgage crisis. Experts have long argued against tree planting offsets due to issues like permanence, measurability and the delay between planting and carbon sequestration.

One early proponent admits offsets were never meant as a long-term solution, but to start a conversation on carbon that is now overdue to move forward.

Archive.today link to climateandcapitalism.com

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