Anti-tax riots rock Kenya
Kenyan President William Ruto yesterday deployed the military to crack down on what he called “treasonous” protesters after Thousands of protesters are angry about the passage of the tax increase billprotesters flooded the streets of the capital, Nairobi, stormed the parliament building and set fire to the entrance.
Police fired tear gas and gunfire. At least five people died from gunshot wounds and more than 30 others were injured, according to a joint statement from Amnesty International, human rights groups and several Kenyan civil society organizations. The New York Times could not immediately confirm these figures.
Kenyans have widely criticised the bill, saying it will increase the cost of living for millions of people, but the government argues it is essential to secure revenue for important initiatives.
Other protests: The protests spread beyond Nairobi, with protesters blocking streets with burning tires in Nakuru, a city about 100 miles away. Amnesty International said at least one person was killed and 200 injured across the country last week. In recent days, the government has been accused of kidnapping critics and making mass arrests.
What’s next: Ruto now has two weeks to sign the bill or send it back to parliament for amendments.
photo: The following are What is it like on the ground?.
Israel’s Supreme Court rules on conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews
Israel’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously yesterday The military must start conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jewish menThe decision threatens to split Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, which relies on two ultra-Orthodox parties.
All nine judges on the court agreed that there was no legal basis for military exemptions. The issue has long been a source of tension between Israel’s secular and ultra-Orthodox communities, a debate that has intensified as the Gaza war drags on and reservists are called up for second and third rounds of service.
What’s next: The exact timing of the conscription has not yet been set, but any such move would almost certainly face strong resistance from the religious community. In an effort to pressure the ultra-Orthodox community to accept the ruling, the court said the government could suspend subsidies to religious schools that do not comply with the ruling.
Hunger in Gaza: A UN-backed panel of experts said almost Half a million people face starvation The war caused catastrophic food shortages.
What Julian Assange’s plea deal means for the media
The plea deal reached between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and prosecutors is bad for press freedom in the United States. But it could have been worse. My colleague Charlie Savage writes In news analysis.
Assange Confession today Assange was charged in a court on Saipan, part of a remote U.S. territory in the western Pacific, with violating the Espionage Act for disclosing state secrets on WikiLeaks. He was subsequently sent to Australia after spending five years in detention in Britain. What we know About Assange and his dealings.
The first successful effort in U.S. history to criminalize the collection and publication of information the government considers secret sets a chilling precedent for journalists. However, because Assange has agreed to a deal, the case will not result in a clear Supreme Court ruling in favor of a narrow view of press freedom.
More Hot News
Once a rarity outside of Italy, wood-fired oven pizzerias are now a fixture in many American cities. The result? American pizza is better than ever, writes my colleague Brett Anderson, who has eaten dozens of pizzas in 18 states. Report this article.
China’s Journey to the Far Side of the Moon
China is now the first Bringing soil from the far side of the moon back to EarthThe sample, which landed in Inner Mongolia yesterday aboard the Chang’e-6 spacecraft capsule, may contain clues to the origins of the moon and Earth.
The far side of the moon is a mystery: It never faces Earth, making direct communication with a lander extremely difficult, making it difficult to successfully reach the region. Some scientists hope China’s mission will advance global scientific understanding of the solar system.
