Somalia, Mexico, Mali.
Today's three stories you should know.
Somalia
A suicide bomber has killed 14 people in the Somali city of Beledweyne on the eve of local elections. A cafe popular with politicians was the target, and Reuters news agency reported that one of the dead was a parliamentary candidate. The bombing was claimed by the al-Shabab armed group. Shabab, which has been fighting the government for more than a decade, controls some rural parts of the country and launches regular hit-and-run attacks in cities, often using suicide bombers.
More from the Guardian here.
Mexico
The Mexican army, in what many see as a potentially perilous move, has taken control of the hometown of one of the country’s most powerful drug lords. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes - known as "El Mencho" - was born in the town of Naranjo de Chila, Aguililla, and is the leader of the feared Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The area has been at the center of a turf war between Jalisco and the Los Viagras Cartel for years.
More from the BBC here.
Mali
Regular readers of Proximities know that the western Sahel region has for years been at the center of a conflict between the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger and armed groups with links to al-Qaeda and ISIS. In the latest clash, Mali today said eight of its soldiers and 57 rebels were killed. The latest battle comes as French troops, who arrived in the country in 2013 to support the Malian army, have been asked to leave immediately after a falling out with Mali’s government.
More from Al Jazeera here.