 Hello and welcome to today's episode of the International Daily Roundup by People's Dispatch where we bring you some of the top stories from around the world. Let's take a look at today's headlines. CELAC members reaffirmed regional unity, two journalists killed amid gang clashes in Haiti, Columbia University student workers and strike, and Turkish court orders release of Boazici student protesters. In our first story, the community of Latin American and Caribbean states, or the CELAC, held its 22nd summit of foreign ministers on Friday. Delegates from 32 countries participated in the meeting held in Buenos Aires. CELAC was set up through the efforts of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in 2010. The regional bloc was conceived as an alternative to the imperialist organization of American states or the OAS. In Friday's meeting, member countries stressed the need for regional unity and political agreement. They denounced the intensification of unilateral coercive measures, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also rejected the debt pressures on member countries including Argentina, which is currently in talks with the IMF. Despite these pressures, members also welcomed CELAC's achievements in 2021. These included the sharing of COVID-19 vaccines and the creation of a fund for climate change response. Argentina has now assumed the pro-temporal presidency of the bloc, taking over from Mexico. Foreign Minister Santiago Cofiero presented a 15-point work plan for 2022. This includes an inclusive economic recovery and health strategy, food security, and environmental and space cooperation. Cuba and Argentina also signed an agreement to boost agricultural development. The 2022 work plan also includes dialogues with extra-regional partners. Venezuela stressed the need to strengthen ties with countries like India and China and other regional blocs like the African Union. The CELAC countries also plan to cooperate on issues like disaster management, education and gender equality. In our next story, two journalists were killed amid fighting between armed gangs in Haiti on January 6th. John Wesley Amadi and Wilgens Lusant were reportedly shot in the Laboul-12 neighbourhood. Amadi was on an assignment for Radio Ikhut FM, reporting on clashes between the T-Macarque and Toto gangs. Members of one of the gangs are reportedly responsible for the killings. A third journalist, Wilman Will, managed to escape the attacks. Haiti Libre reported that both gangs were fighting to control Laboul-12. It is the only alternative land route to access the southern part of Haiti. The national road has been under the control of a powerful gang since June. The attack followed less than a year after journalist Diego Charles was killed in June 2021. He and political activist Marie Antoinette DeClaire were among 15 people shot by unidentified attackers in Port-au-Prince. Haiti has witnessed a surge in armed violence, abductions and forced displacements. The Centre for Human Rights Analysis and Research documented 950 kidnappings in 2021. Conditions worsened after the assassination of de facto President Hauvinal Moyes on July. There were also the growing threat of renewed US military intervention in the country. Armed gangs in Haiti have been fighting for control over key areas. Lockheits set up by such groups also triggered a months-long fuel crisis in 2021. The US-backed acting head of state, Ariel Henry, has been unable to address the crisis. His mandate has also been broadly rejected as unconstitutional by Haitian people and civil society groups. Henry's legitimacy we can further after he was named in the investigation into Moyes' killing. Next we go to the United States, where student workers at Columbia University have entered the strike after 10 weeks. 3,000 graduate and undergraduate students had walked out on November 3, 2021. Their demands included better wages and labour protections. Organised by student workers of Columbia of the UAW, the action soon became the biggest active strike in the United States. Striking workers argued that Columbia was paying its student up to $18,000 below the annual living wage in New York City. The action gained a lot of support as Columbia threatened to replace striking workers. The union stated on January 7 that a tentative agreement had finally been reached. The four-year deal includes a 6% raise for students with annual contracts. The wages of hourly workers will be increased from $15 to $21. Columbia University will also set up a $300,000 student employment support fund. The University will also cover 75% of the cost of dental insurance. Student workers will also be able to seek third-party arbitration and mediation in cases of discrimination and or harassment. The contract also expands summer stipends and childcare subsidies. 1,134 members cast their ballots to decide if the strike should end. The vote passed with a majority of 93.9%. A 15-day discussion period will now be held on over the agreement. Following this, a final ratification vote will be held between 22nd and 27th January. And now for a final story. Two students arrested during the protests at Turkish Boazici University are said to be released from jail. Unrest spread in January 2021 after Mele Bulu became the rector of the institution. He was appointed by President Tayyip Erdogan and the move was criticized as an attack against academic freedom. Starting January 4th, protests broke out at the Boazici University campus in Istanbul and spread to other cities including Ankara, Antalya and Izmir. Hundreds of students were detained in the following months with Erdogan even labelling the protesters as terrorists. In August 2021, Mele Bulu was replaced by Mehmet Nasi in C. The appointment bypassed an internal faculty election at Boazici sparking more protests. 14 students were arrested in October 2021. They were charged with violating a law on demonstrations preventing public officials from doing the duty, among others. Two students, Arsin Beke Gok and Canir Perid Ozen were jailed pending trial. The 22nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court ordered their release from the Siliviri prison on January 7th. Boazici students, teachers and activists gathered outside the courthouse on Friday during the proceedings. The trial of Beke Gok, Perid Ozen and other 12 students charged last year will resume in March. A travel ban has been imposed on both students and they will have to regularly report to the police. And that's all for today's episode. For more such stories, visit our website at www.peoplesdispatch.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Thank you for watching.