• The Intercept reports the FBI has launched an investigation into a failed arms sale in Libya two years ago that involves Erik Prince, founder of the Blackwater mercenary army. The investigation is looking into the attempted sale of Jordanian helicopters and arms to support Libyan militia leader Khalifa Haftar in his campaign to take over the capital city of Tripoli, which failed. Prince’s efforts included arranging meetings with a member of then-President Donald Trump’s National Security Council, but Jordanian government officials halted the deal.
(“FBI Investigation of Failed Mercenary Plot Delves Into the Role of Erik Prince,” Intercept, Oct. 30, 2021)
• It’s been nearly 30 years since the end of Apartheid in South Africa, but a new study finds that it remains one of the most unequal countries in the world. The Economist reports that a study of South Africa’s economy from 1993 to 2019, found that the share of income going to the top 10 percent of earners grew from 57 percent to 66 percent — levels higher than in any other comparable nation. The average income of the top 1 percent increased by 50 percent, while that of the poorest half fell by more than 30 percent after inflation. The income going to the top 1 percent is roughly the same as it was at the end of the apartheid era.
(“Not So Black and White,” Economist, Sept. 23, 2021)
• President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill just in time to address the backed-up ports in Savannah, Georgia and nearby South Carolina. Two dozen container ships wait offshore as the blocked supply chain hampers recovery in the pandemic ravaged economy.
(“Can the US Still Build and Think Big?” Christian Science Monitor, Nov. 15, 2021)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
