News in Brief
Protests against finance bill in Kenya turn violent
Reuters – Kenyan police fired tear gas at hundreds of people protesting near parliament on Tuesday against a proposed finance bill that would hike taxes on fuel and housing.
President William Ruto, who won elections in August on a platform of helping the poor, is under pressure to raise revenues in East Africa’s economic powerhouse in the face of rising government debt repayments.
But his proposals have drawn sharp criticism from civil servants and political opponents, who say that the cost of living is already too high.
Kuwaitis vote in parl. polls
Reuters – Kuwait on Tuesday held its second legislative election in nine months in a bid to resolve a grinding political crisis that has seen parliament repeatedly dissolved and reinstated, hindering economic reforms.
Feuding between the OPEC member state’s appointed government and elected parliament has hampered fiscal reform, including passing a debt law that allows Kuwait to tap international markets and address a heavy reliance on oil.
Dozens dead, thousands homeless after floods in Haiti
Reuters – Flooding from torrential rains in Haiti has left at least 42 people dead over the past couple days and dozens more missing and injured, officials said.
Over 13,600 homes are also listed as flooded.
The civil protection agency said on Twitter on Monday the death toll had risen since Sunday night after floods over the weekend hit various parts of the country, including near the capital Port-au-Prince.