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Several people were killed, and many others were injured after intense protests at Kenya’s parliament in Nairobi yesterday following an unpopular proposal to raise taxes.
This comes after lots of frustration over high living costs across Kenya, as it is the seventh-most populous country in Africa and one of the most expensive to live in. A tax hike would only increase the struggles that many residents of Nairobi and other cities face against the high prices, which sparked protests in the capital that later spread to other towns as well.
The protests began in front of the parliament building and quickly became quite violent. They also burned down about half of the parliament building. The lawyers proposing the tax raise managed to pass the bill before the invasion of protestors, but Kenya’s President William Ruto still has to approve it. Some groups are pressuring him to pass it, while others strongly recommend he veto the bill– the residents of the East African nation will anxiously await his decision.
Police responded violently to the situation– multiple officers opened fire on crowds, and others fired tear gas into swaths of protestors. Five people were shot dead as they tried to help the injured, and more were wounded near hospitals and churches as they sought immediate medical attention. The fire at the parliament building was put out with police water cannons, which were also used to ward off incoming protestors.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission expressed concern about the killings and told President Ruto to stop them as soon as possible. However, Ruto maintained that he was doing exactly what was needed to ensure peace and stop the unrest.
On another note, on Tuesday, a heated battle between U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman and candidate George Latimer took place for the Democratic nomination for New York’s 16th District. Latimer ended up winning the race, and here’s why.
Firstly, Bowman and Latimer have different stances on the war in Gaza. Both condemned the Oct. 7 attack, and both support a two-state solution. However, Bowman believes the U.S. should stay out of the war and rejected a symbolic House resolution in support of Israel. At the same time, Latimer backs Israel and said negotiating a cease-fire with Hamas will have no chance of success because it is a terrorist organization.
The boundaries of District 16 have changed, and so have the people. In 2022, before the boundaries were reshaped, 30% of the voting-age population was Black, while 34% was White. After the redrawing in 2024, 21% is Black, and 42% is White. This is relevant because Bowman is Black, and Latimer is White.
At YNH, we don’t usually cover local news, especially local elections. However, this example shows us how things like war can create two different ideologies and how demographics can easily sway an election.
Lastly, a quick update on the heat deaths during this year’s Mecca pilgrimage: the death toll has reached a total of 1,301. In case you missed it, here’s the article explaining the disaster.
Fact of the Day (Readers' Digest): The exact birthday of blue jeans, according to Levi's, is May 20, 1873.
Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years. (James Clear-- Atomic Habits)
Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Renumeration (noun) - Remuneration is a formal word that refers to an amount of money paid to someone for a service, loss, or expense, or to the act of paying such an amount. It is synonymous with recompense and pay.
In a Sentence: The actor was offered a modest speaking fee by the host as remuneration for giving her speech at the awards ceremony.
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