Massive protests break out in Kenya
Kenyan President William Ruto yesterday deployed the army to crack down on what he called “treasonous” protesters who stormed parliament in the capital, Nairobi, climbing in windows and setting fire to the entrance after they were angry about a tax hike passed by the government.
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 by Amnesty International and several Kenyan civil society organizations. These figures could not be independently confirmed.
Kenyans have widely criticized the bill, saying it will push up the cost of living for millions of people, but the government argues it is essential to secure revenue for important initiatives.
What’s next: Ruto now has two weeks to sign the bill or send it back to parliament for amendments.
Other protests: The protests appear to have spread beyond Nairobi, with protesters using burning tires to block streets in Nakuru, a city about 100 miles from the capital. Amnesty International says at least one person has been killed and 200 injured across the country in the last week.
photo: The following are What is it like on the ground?.
Assange agrees to plea deal
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange agrees Pleaded guilty to a felony charge In exchange for his release from a British prison, ending his long-running standoff with the U.S.
Assange is expected to be sentenced to about five years in prison, a sentence he is already serving in the UK, at a hearing in a US court in the Northern Mariana Islands today. He is then expected to return to Australia.
In the 2010s, Assange was praised and condemned for leaking state secrets, including material about U.S. military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan and confidential diplomatic cables. What we know About Assange and his plea deal.
What’s next: Assange’s plea deal could set a chilling precedent for press freedom in the United States, my colleague Charlie Savage wrote in “The Assange Plea Deal.” An analysis.
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 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, which relies on two ultra-Orthodox parties.
All nine judges 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 and has become more intense as the Gaza war continues 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.
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Once a rarity outside of Italy, wood-fired oven pizzerias are now a fixture in many American cities. The result? Pizza in America Better than beforeMy colleague Brett Anderson wrote about this story, eating dozens of pizzas in 18 states.
Planning a trip? Here are 22 Best Pizza Restaurants Across the United States
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hockey: Florida Panthers Beat the Edmonton Oilers Win the Stanley Cup.
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tennis: Roger Federer’s commencement speech at Dartmouth College has become beat“The truth is, no matter what game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose,” he said.
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baseball: Read about Obsession with strikeouts Changed the sport.
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China’s Journey to the Far Side of the Moon
China is now the first Retrieving soil from the far side of the moon and bringing it back to EarthThe sample, which touched down yesterday in Inner Mongolia aboard the Chang’e-6 lander, may hold clues to the origins of the Moon and Earth.
The far side of the moon is a mystery: It never faces Earth, so direct communication with a lander on the far side is nearly impossible, making the area difficult to successfully reach. Some scientists hope China’s mission will advance global scientific understanding of the solar system.
