• After five months of mass pro-democracy protests, Hong Kong has fallen into a recession. Tourism has fallen to its lowest level since the SARS viral pandemic in 2003, and some workers from mainland China in the city are now looking to relocate to Beijing and Shanghai.
(“Hong Kong Enters Recession, Official Says, As Protests Again Erupt in Flames,” Reuters, Oct. 27, 2019; “Hong Kong Tourism Suffers Worst Downturn Since SARS Outbreak in 2003,” South China Morning Post, Sept. 10, 2019; “Mainlanders in Hong Kong Worry As Anti-China Sentiment Swells,” Reuters, Oct. 30, 2019)
• Amidst the recent eruption of protests against inequality, austerity and corruption in Chile, Ecuador, Iraq and Lebanon, the U.S. media has focused little attention on Haiti after a deepening economic crisis and growing fuel and food shortages have triggered militant street demonstrations. Protesters in the impoverished Caribbean nation are demanding the resignation of U.S. backed President Jovenel Moise.
(“Some Haitians Want US to Weigh In on Crisis. But Trump Administration Is Focused Elsewhere,” Miami Herald, Oct. 30, 2019; “What Is Really Behind the Crisis in Haiti,” Al-Jazeera, Sept. 30, 2019)
• Leading 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders gave some “tough love” to Israel during the annual J Street conference, in a crowd packed with liberal Democrats. Sanders laid out his views on putting real conditions on Washington’s $3.8 billion annual military aid package to Israel. Yet, House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi have proclaimed their solidarity with Israel in condemning the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (or BDS) movement.
(“Thanks to Sanders, Conditioning of Aid to Israel Is Entering the National Conversation,” American Prospect, Oct. 29, 2019; In These Times, “Israel’s Scheme to Defund the BDS Movement,” In These Times, Nov. 12, 2019 (not yet active))
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Richard Hill.
