Afghanistan, Kenya, Mexico.

Today's three stories you should know.

Aug 13, 2022

Afghanistan

Remarkable bravery on display in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul today as a group of about 40 women marched to demand women’s rights. The Taliban responded by chasing them down and beating them with the butts of their rifles, firing warning shots in the air and seizing their mobiles phones. “Justice, justice! We’re fed up with ignorance!” the group of women chanted. On Monday, it will have been exactly one year since the group took control of Afghanistan and in that time women and girls have seen their rights severely restricted. The demonstrators carried a banner reading “August 15 is a black day” in reference to the day the Taliban came to power.

Kenya

Kenyans are running out of patience as vote counting continues after a presidential election on Tuesday. Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has a slight lead according to official tallies with his rival, Deputy President William Ruto, behind by less than two percent at the time of writing. The slow pace of the count is fuelling anxiety in some given past elections have ended in violence and even been cancelled. The country’s electoral commission has until Tuesday to declare a winner.

Mexico

Hundreds of soldiers have surged into the Mexican city of Juarez after a prison battle between rival drug cartels spilled over into the streets. The trouble began when Los Chapos, members of the infamous Sinaloa cartel formerly led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, clashed with the local group Los Mexicles. Two people were shot dead, four had bullet wounds and 16 others were injured in fighting. But members of Los Mexicles outside the prison then went on a rampage in the city killing nine civilians.