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From Our Own Correspondent: Haiti on the edge

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Haitians que to collect fuel at in Port-au-Prince

20/08/2022 GMT

Haiti on the edge

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, Haiti on the edge

Daily life is grinding to a halt in Haiti, as the global fuel crisis bites hard

Daily life is grinding to a halt in Haiti, as the fuel crisis bites hard. Plus stories on Russia's biggest prison scandal, and Yemen's shopping mall run for - and by - women.

Pascale Harter presents stories from Haiti, Russia and Yemen.

Haiti is facing multiple crises right now. Chronic instability, dictatorships and natural disasters in recent decades have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas. Still grappling with the Covid pandemic, gang violence has escalated in the capital, Port au Prince, with more than 200 people left dead after ten days of fighting back in July. But as Harold Isaac explains, for Haitians, this is just the backdrop of a much bigger problem, as the country's fuel supply dries up. 

In Russia, allegations of severe brutality in the country’s prisons have circulated for many years - though rarely is anyone held responsible. In some cases, the authorities in charge are themselves heavily implicated in the abuse. But a recent series of scandals have come to light - this time with video evidence. Oleg Boldyrev has spent months investigating a culture of violence in Russia’s prisons, and heard first-hand testimony from prisoners who have faced physical and sexual abuse. 

A temporary truce has been extended in Yemen – again – but there’s little sign of actual peace. While many men are still away from their families, it is women who are left to fend for their families. Yemen consistently scores poorly in rankings for gender equality and human rights for women, but in the southern city of Ataq, the war has brought a new sense of independence for some women, who are behind a female-only shopping centre. Leila Molana-Allen opened a door onto a hidden world. 

Producer: Sally Abrahams
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

(Image: Haitians queue to collect fuel in Port-au-Prince. Credit: Richard Pierrin/AFP via Getty Images)

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