Tuesday morning news: November 29, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kristen Flavin. 

China protests » In Tokyo, people are holding blank sheets of paper in front of their faces in support of Chinese protesters.

Protests have sprung up in at least eight major cities in China last weekend after a fire killed ten people. The white pieces of paper represent the censorship in the country.

The protesters blame COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for trapping people in the burning building. Chinese authorities say the victims were too weak to escape.

Since then, people around the world have protested in support of the Chinese dissidents, including in the United States.

Congressman Mike Gallagher

GALLAGHER: We stand here in America for freedom and therefore, we stand with people fighting for freedom.

China has not commented directly on the protests, but some are calling them the biggest show of opposition in the country in decades.

Ghana » Soaring prices have triggered an economic crisis in the African nation of Ghana.

Inflation has reached almost 40 percent, and the value of the currency has plummeted. Government finances are at their lowest point in years.

One businessman says he’s had to increase his prices because of increases in his costs.

MAN: Definitely I have to factor everything inside so the final consumer is bearing the whole cost.

That means some consumers aren’t buying nonessentials and businesses are suffering.

International trade analyst Louis Yaw Afful says investors could soon look elsewhere.

AFFUL: And so once we ignored those sides for some time and we are underperforming, they will look for the competitive country that has all these at once.

Ghana’s president has attributed the crisis to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Iran » HAJIZADEH: [Farsi]

Iranian general Amir Ali Hajizadeh says possibly over 300 people have died in the protests that have racked his country over the past two months.

U.S. Human Rights Activists in Iran reported that over 450 protesters have died. The group also says about 18,000 people have been detained.

The protests erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman. She died in police custody.

Gen. Hajizadeh also said that many who died in the protests were not actually protesting, because of failures to distinguish “friends” from “enemies.”

HAJIZADEH: [Farsi]

Hajizadeh also reiterated the official stance of Iran that foreign powers such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States are behind the protests.

Arizona » Six of Arizona’s 15 counties had to decide yesterday whether to certify the 2022 election results. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: State election officials say they will sue Cochise County for missing its deadline to certify the results.

The county delayed certification, citing concerns over voting machines. Other counties had certified their election results as of yesterday evening.

Republican candidate for governor Kari Lake has not conceded the election to Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs. She has also criticized voting machine malfunctions in Maricopa County—Arizona’s largest county.

Lake has also brought a public records lawsuit asking for clarification from county officials about the problem and its consequences.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Buffalo shooter » The 19-year-old suspect in a racially motivated mass shooting has pleaded guilty. He was charged with hate-motivated terrorism in the killings of 10 black people. The shooting occurred in a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in May.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.

FLYNN: No individual in the history of the state of New York has been found guilty of that domestic terrorism charge motivated by hate until today.

The terrorism charge carried a mandatory life sentence. He also pleaded not guilty to one separate federal hate crime charge that could bring a death sentence.

Defense attorney Brian Parker.

PARKER: It is our hope that a final resolution of the state charges will help, in some small way, to keep the focus on the needs of the victims and the community.

Parker said the guilty plea represents a condemnation of the shooter’s racist beliefs that motivated the massacre.

Houston water » In Houston, more than 2 million people spent the day buying or boiling water to use for cooking, drinking, and bathing. WORLD’s Anna Johansen Brown has more.

ANNA JOHANSEN BROWN, REPORTER: A power outage at a water treatment plant triggered a boil order on Sunday. Even with power restored, Houston officials must flush the water system and test for contamination.

The lack of clean water led schools and businesses to close on Monday. Hospitals canceled some elective surgeries. The city expects to lift the boil order today.

For WORLD, I’m Anna Johansen Brown.

Rail strike » President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to intervene to stop a railroad strike. Railroads and unions have until Dec. 9 to work out a new agreement.

Eight of 12 unions have ratified deals already. They are getting 24 percent raises and $5,000 in bonuses. But the other four unions are still negotiating.

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis

MALLIOTAKIS: We cannot allow this to happen. It would be devastating to the economy. It would cost us roughly 2 billion dollars a day. If you think there’s supply chain issues and high costs of goods right now, wait until there’s a rail strike.

Congress has the power to impose contract terms on the workers. It could also force negotiations to continue into the new year.

I’m Kristen Flavin. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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