Senegal, Israel-Palestine, Afghanistan.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jan 08, 2023

Senegal

A horrible tragedy in Senegal. At least 40 people were killed and 87 injured after two buses collided when one of them suffered a burst tire, according to officials. President Macky Sall has declared three days of national mourning and pledged to address road safety in a country where such accidents are relatively common. “I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident,” Sall said on Twitter. “I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”

Israel-Palestine

Palestine’s foreign minister, Riad al-Maliki, said today that Israel had revoked a permit that allows him to travel easily in and out of the occupied West Bank, something ordinary Palestinians cannot do. The move, confirmed by an Israeli spokesman speaking to the Reuters news agency, is the latest in a series of punitive moves taken against Palestinian authorities by Israel’s new hardline government. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the measures are a response to a UN General Assembly vote to refer Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory to the International Court of Justice at the request of Palestinian authorities.

Afghanistan

A Taliban decision to ban women from working for aid agencies in Afghanistan has “paralyzed” humanitarian work, the head of one of the world’s biggest aid groups has told the Associated Press news agency. Jan Egeland, the secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, spoke to the AP during a visit to the Afghan capital Kabul during which he met with Taliban officials. He said that, given the country’s laws and cultural norms, women workers are necessary to interact with women in need of assistance, including female-headed households and widows. “It’s not thought through at all,” Egeland said. The Taliban has introduced a series of draconian measures restricting the rights of women and girls since it returned to power.