Nigeria, Argentina, Uganda.
Today's three stories you should know.
Nigeria
At least 100 people have been kidnapped, mostly women and children, in northwest Nigeria, according to local officials and community leaders, in attacks on two villages. Gunmen riding dozens of motorcycles swept into the village of Gamdum Mallam firing indiscriminately, village head Muhammadu Mai Anguwa told Reuters. As mentioned in previous editions of Proximities, northern Nigeria, notoriously insecure, is struggling with a kidnapping-for-ransom crisis with armed gangs known locally as bandits regularly kidnapping large groups of people, as well as stealing cattle and raiding villages.
More from Reuters here.
Argentina
Dramatic footage has been captured as Argentina’s President Javier Milei was pelted with rocks by protesters while campaigning from the back of a truck making its way through a suburb near the capital Buenos Aires. Demonstrators also hurled plants and bottles at the libertarian leader. Bodyguards briefly held up a shield in front of Milei before hurrying him away in another car. The incident happened amid a corruption scandal in which his sister and right-hand woman, Karina Milei, is accused of stealing funds from the public disability agency.
More from France 24 and AFP here.
Uganda
In unsurprising news, Uganda’s ruling NRM party has endorsed longtime President Yoweri Museveni as its candidate for a general election next year. It would set Museveni, 80, on the road to a seventh term in office. The president came to power in 1986 as head of a rebel movement. At the time, he said: "The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people, but leaders who want to overstay in power.” Museveni is accused of becoming increasingly authoritarian and his main opposition figures, the veteran Kizza Besigye and the rapper-turned-politician Bobi Wine, are regularly subject to arrest and intimidation. Besigye has been in prison since November on treason charges rights groups say are politically motivated.
More from Africa News here.