News In Brief

Dominican Republic riots over food prices continue

Rioting spread to more than 20 cities Tuesday in the second day of protests against food price rises, with five people killed as mobs looted and burned stores. Police said six people were killed in disturbances Monday when security forces opened fire on rioters looting supermarkets.

Unofficial estimates put the number of injured at more than 100 and the number of arrests at more than 300 in the worst rioting in the Dominican Republic since August 1979.

The protests came less than a week after the government increased prices of some basic foods by 50 percent to comply with terms set by the International Monetary Fund for renewal of a $450 million loan.