International
France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition
France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition
At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, with an 18-year-old woman among those injured and reported to be in critical condition.
The Rouen-Caen regional train derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time near Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, while travelling between the cities of Rouen and Caen.
The incident triggered a major emergency response, with authorities deploying about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.
A mass-casualty emergency plan was activated to coordinate the rescue operation and treatment of those injured.
According to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois, 44 passengers were injured in the France train derailment, including the 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition.
The other 43 injured passengers were treated for less serious injuries.
The initial estimate of the number of injured passengers was lower, but the figure was revised to 44 after emergency teams completed their assessment of passengers at the scene.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the train was travelling between Rouen and Caen when the accident occurred.
A passenger identified as 24-year-old Louis described the moments before the train accident in France as frightening.
He said the train first experienced several jolts before the movement became increasingly violent.
“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.
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“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.
A police source said the train may have struck an unidentified object shortly before it derailed. However, authorities have not established whether the object was responsible for the accident.
The cause of the Cléon train derailment therefore remains under investigation.
The Rouen prosecutor said drug and alcohol tests conducted on the train driver were negative.
Police and railway investigators have begun examining the train, the railway infrastructure and the circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the accident.
The railway operator, SNCF Réseau, suspended traffic on the affected line and switched off electricity to the tracks to allow emergency workers to operate safely.
“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” SNCF Réseau said.
The disruption affected rail services along the Rouen-Caen route, while other services connecting Caen with Le Havre were also affected.
Rail authorities worked to arrange alternative transport for passengers whose journeys were disrupted while emergency and investigative operations continued at the accident scene.
Passengers who were not seriously injured were moved away from the crash site as emergency teams attended to those requiring medical attention.
The prefecture urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area to allow rescue workers and investigators to carry out their duties.
The accident caused significant disruption to rail services across the region, with authorities prioritising the safety of passengers and the restoration of the affected railway line.
The investigation is expected to establish whether the train’s contact with the unidentified object, a problem with the railway infrastructure or another factor contributed to the derailment.
As of the latest reports, there were no fatalities recorded in the accident, while the 18-year-old woman remained in critical condition and the other injured passengers were receiving medical attention.
Authorities said investigations into the France train accident were continuing.
France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition
International
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.
The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.
Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.
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Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.
Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.
The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
International
Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure
Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said he does not support prolonging the war with the United States, while urging Iran to strengthen its economic and political resilience.
Speaking to university leaders, Pezeshkian said Tehran must avoid entering negotiations from a position of weakness, particularly as the US increases pressure through its Operation Economic Outcast campaign.
He called on universities to help the government tackle the country’s economic and social challenges, warning that poorly planned policies could worsen existing problems.
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Pezeshkian also urged young Iranians, including Generation Z students, to contribute to solving social problems rather than allowing frustration to fuel protests.
The president said he was willing to work with different political groups and anyone capable of helping Iran overcome its current difficulties.
His comments come amid growing pressure on Tehran to find a way forward. The conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel and US positions across the region.
With Washington now intensifying economic pressure, Pezeshkian’s remarks reflect the challenge facing Tehran: resisting US demands while preventing the prolonged conflict and sanctions from further weakening the country.
Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure
Africa
Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings
Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings
Family and community leaders rally for justice after 58-year-old cleric from Ekiti is assassinated in his Johannesburg residence.
To his congregation and loved ones, Nigerian clergyman Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle was a pillar of faith and moral guidance. But that sanctuary was violently shattered inside his Kensington home in Johannesburg when two gunmen forced their way inside and opened fire at point-blank range.
Hit more than seven times, the 58-year-old Ekiti native died at the scene, sending shockwaves across the Nigerian expatriate community and turning deep grief into a collective cry for justice.
Leading the push for accountability, the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) voiced the community’s sorrow and growing frustration with violent crime.
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Association leaders stressed that Bishop Fakunle’s family, church, and compatriots deserve clear answers rather than empty reassurances.
Urging South African investigators to act with speed and transparency, the group warned authorities against letting the tragedy become another forgotten statistic in an endless stack of unsolved homicides.
As detectives at Jeppe Police Station proceed with the murder inquiry, community heads are calling for robust oversight from Nigerian diplomats while urging the public to exercise restraint.
Despite the intense anger surrounding the brazen attack, leaders emphasized that justice must be pursued through legitimate legal channels.
As mourners across South Africa and Nigeria remember the slain bishop, their message to investigators remains clear: the community will not look away until those responsible are brought before a judge.
Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings
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