Mali, Maldives, Cuba.

Today's three stories you should know.

Sep 08, 2023

Mali

Insurgents today launched an assault on an army base in northern Mali a day after two separate attacks in the same region killed 49 civilians and 15 soldiers, the military said. The JNIM, an umbrella coalition of armed groups allied with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for all three attacks. The western Sahel region has for years been the center of a conflict between the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger and armed groups with links to al-Qaeda and ISIS. According to a UN report last month, the groups have almost doubled the territory they control in Mali in less than a year.

Maldives

The Maldives goes to the polls tomorrow in a presidential election that pits a pro-India incumbent against the pro-China mayor of the capital. Those allegiances are important as India and China battle for influence over the Maldives, each splurging hundreds of millions of dollars on infrastructure projects in the country. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has been polling slightly ahead of Male mayor Mohamed Muiz but in a recent survey some 53 percent of people said they were still undecided.

Cuba

Cuban authorities today said they had arrested 17 people connected to a human trafficking ring aimed at sending young Cuban men to fight as mercenaries for Russia in the Ukraine war. Prosecutor Jose Luis Reyes said the accused could face 30 years in prison, a life sentence or the death penalty. Russia has long been a destination for Cubans seeking to escape poverty. President Vladimir Putin last year signed a decree offering fast-track citizenship for foreigners who sign up for the Russian army.