• A massive wave of violence and protest have spread across Haiti after the government announced that it would raise the country’s highly subsidized fuel prices. With over 1 million Haitians in need of food aid, the situation has been compared to a “low intensity civil war.” Ariel Henry took power following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
(“Haiti’s Unrest Intensifies,” Foreign Policy, Sept. 19, 2022; “Fuel Hike Plunges Haiti Near Anarchy,” New York Times, Sept. 21, 2022)
• China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have signed a long-anticipated agreement to push ahead with a feasibility study of building a railway line to connect the three countries.
(“The Middle Rail,” The Economist, Sept. 10, 2022; “Fighting Flames on Disputed Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border,” Reuters, Sept. 16, 2022)
• It’s been 16 months since former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd. The police killings of 22-year-old Amir Locke and 20-year-old Andrew Sundberg this year sparked outrage, albeit to a lesser extent. Despite dwindling local action, however, the battle over policing rages on in Minneapolis.
(“The ACLU Fights for Minneapolis,” The Nation, Aug. 31, 2022)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
