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The Elections are on Sunday the 23rd of Feb 2025

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The German coalition government failed a no confidence vote

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Thailand reports eight dead as bus explodes after collision with freight train

Get you up to speed: Thailand reports eight dead as bus explodes after collision with freight train

A bus in central Bangkok, Thailand was hit by a freight train, resulting in an explosion that killed eight passengers. The incident occurred near the Makkasan railway station, and deputy transport minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat reported that 32 additional people were injured.

According to Thailand’s deputy transport minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat, an investigation has been launched into the causes of the bus explosion that resulted from a freight train collision, killing eight passengers and injuring 32 others. Witness Wanthong Kokpho remarked on the chaos caused by the blocked vehicles, stating, “Cars were also blocked and unable to move forward.”

Thai authorities have launched an investigation into the causes of the bus explosion that resulted from a collision with a freight train in central Bangkok. Rescue teams are continuing to search for victims following the incident, and the injured are being treated at various hospitals.

Bus explodes in fireball killing eight after train crashes into it in Thailand | News World

Shocking dashcam footage has captured the moment a bus exploded after it was hit by a freight train earlier today.

The explosion engulfed the bus and killed its eight passengers in central Bangkok, Thailand, according to the country’s deputy transport minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat.

Rescue crews and firefighters were dispatched and managed to contain the blaze, which happened close to the city’s major Makkasan railway station.

Speaking shortly after the tragedy, Mr Angkasakulkiat said: ‘Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the wounded being treated at various hospitals.

Thailand reports eight dead as bus explodes after collision with freight train
The bus appeared to be split in half when the train rammed into it in the middle of a busy junction in Bangkok, Thailand

‘All eight dead were on the bus.’

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Authorities currently believe the bus was driving over a level crossing when its lights turned red, Mr Angkasakulkiat explained.

While this vehicle’s location prevented the crossing’s barriers from closing, the red light and heavy traffic stopped the driver from moving off the track, witnesses reported.

Meanwhile, the train, which was carrying containers, was unable to stop in time, the minister explained.

epa12963262 Thai rescue workers extinguish a fire to a damaged car and a wrecked public bus following a collision between a freight train and a bus at the Airport Rail Link's Makkasan station in Bangkok, Thailand, 16 May 2026. A freight train crashed into a public bus, several vehicles and motorbikes causing the bus to burst into flames killing at least 8 people and injuring 15, according to the Royal Thai police. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT
Thai authorities have launched an investigation into what led to the tragedy. (Picture: EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT)

Dashcam footage shared on social media showed the moment the bus and several other vehicles were thrown down the railway line by the train before the bus became engulfed in flames.

Wanthong Kokpho, a motorcycle taxi driver, witnessed the crash and said: ‘Cars were also blocked and unable to move forward.

‘The fire broke out immediately … If this had been a normal working day, the damage would have been much worse.’

Since the fire was brought under control, rescue teams have continued to search for victims, according to Thai authorities.

They also confirmed an investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident.

Thailand’s roads are notoriously dangerous, and the country has one of the highest road traffic death rates in Asia, according to the World Health Organisation.

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Car strikes pedestrians in Modena, injuring eight, four critically

Car strikes pedestrians in Modena, injuring eight, four critically

Modena Incident
Several people were injured after a car ploughed into pedestrians in Modena, with eight injured, four critically, according to Mayor Massimo Mezzetti.
Injury Count
Eight people were injured, with four in critical condition, underscoring the event’s severity and the urgent need for immediate medical response.
Political Reaction
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated, “What happened today in Modena… is extremely serious. I express my solidarity with the injured and their families.”

Key developments

In Modena, northern Italy, eight individuals sustained injuries after a car deliberately struck pedestrians. Four of the injured are in critical condition, with one woman potentially facing leg amputations.

The driver, a 31-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, is being interrogated by police to ascertain whether substances influenced his actions or if they were deliberate. Early reports suggest he targeted the sidewalk before crashing into several victims.

Several injured after car ploughs into crowd in Italy’s Modena

Car strikes pedestrians in Modena, injuring eight, four critically

Published on

Several people were injured after a car ploughed into pedestrians in the city centre of Modena, in northern Italy.

Eight people were injured, four of them critically, Mayor Massimo Mezzetti told Italian TV. He said a woman pinned against a shop window may require the amputation of both legs.

Of the critically injured, two people have been transferred to the Maggiore Hospital in Bologna and two to the hospital in Modena.

The driver was identified as a 31-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan origin, living in the province of Modena, with no previous convictions. He was detained and is being questioned at police headquarters as authorities work to determine whether he was under the influence of substances or acted deliberately, the mayor said.

Early eyewitness accounts said the driver “aimed for the sidewalk, hitting a bike, then crashed while slamming head-on into a woman, badly hurt with both legs crushed”. The car then crashed into a shop window.

According to the mayor’s account, the car headed for the pavement, also hitting a bicycle before crashing into the woman. “They saw him with a weapon in his hand but he did not manage to stab anyone. It appears that he tried to strike someone,” the mayor added.

Government monitoring

The Italian government is following the developments in Modena closely, according to official parliament sources. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is reportedly in contact with the interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, and with the undersecretary to the prime minister’s office responsible for the country’s security, Alfredo Mantovano, to receive real-time updates on the outcome of the questioning and the work of the anti-terrorism unit.

“What happened today in Modena, where a man ran over several pedestrians and then is reported to have stabbed a passer-by, is extremely serious. I express my solidarity with the injured and their families. I would also like to thank the citizens who bravely intervened to stop the perpetrator and the law-enforcement officers for their action. I have spoken to the mayor and I remain in constant contact with the authorities to monitor how the situation develops. I trust that the person responsible will be held fully accountable for his actions,” Meloni later wrote on X.

Modena’s mayor, Mezzetti, thanked “those citizens who showed courage and civic duty”. He added that “we need to understand what’s behind this act. But it was a dramatic event.”

“I am deeply shaken. Whatever it was, it was extremely serious. If it turns out to be an attack, that would be even more serious,” Mezzetti said.

Car strikes pedestrians in Modena, injuring at least seven people

Get you up to speed: Car strikes pedestrians in Modena, injuring at least seven people

Several people have been injured after a car struck pedestrians in Modena, with at least seven injured, two of them seriously. Mayor Massimo Mezzetti reported that one woman was crushed against a shop window and could lose both of her legs.

In Modena, a car struck several pedestrians, injuring at least seven, two of whom are in serious condition, according to mayor Massimo Mezzetti. The suspect, who allegedly fled the scene and stabbed a bystander, is currently being questioned by police, as reported by Il Tirreno.

Modena city centre remains locked down following the car ramming incident, with the suspect reportedly in police custody and being questioned. Mayor Massimo Mezzetti confirmed that at least seven people were injured, with two sustaining serious injuries, including a woman who may require amputation of both legs.

Car rams into a crowd before ‘man stabs people’ in Italy | News World

Car strikes pedestrians in Modena, injuring at least seven people
A car mowed down several people in Modena city centre, crushing at least one person against a department store window (Picture: LaPresse/Shutterstock)

Several people have been injured after a fast-moving car struck pedestrians in Italy before a stabbing.

The incident happened in Modena when a car mowed down people in the historic northern Italian city today.

At least seven people were injured, two of them seriously, after a car hit them in Largo Porta Bologna area of the city before crashing into a department store window.

One woman was crushed against the shop window and could lose both of her legs, mayor Massimo Mezzetti said.

A car crash scene in Modena, Italy, where a vehicle hit pedestrians.
Modena city centre is locked down after the car ramming incident today (Picture: LaPresse/Shutterstock)

A mangled bike left at the scene of a car ramming in Modena, Italy.
A mangled bike left at the scene after the incident (Picture: LaPresse/Shutterstock)

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A man in the car, who was reportedly also injured, is said to have fled on foot.

He then allegedly stabbed one person who tried to stop him before being arrested, Il Tirreno reports.

Footage from the scene shows a badly damaged silver Citroen with its front smashed next to the pavement, with debris surrounding it.

The mayor said: ‘Fortunately, there were no deaths, but seven people were injured, two of them seriously.

‘One woman will likely have to have both legs amputated: she was crushed against the shop window.’

He said the suspect was being questioned at the police station.

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Metropolitan Police deploy 4,000 officers for rival marches in London

Metropolitan Police deploy 4,000 officers for rival marches in London

Police Deployment
The Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers, along with horses, dogs, drones and helicopters, to manage the concurrent marches in London.
Operational Scale
The Metropolitan Police’s deployment of 4,000 officers, supported by various resources, underscores the significant scale of managing concurrent large protests.
Police Statement
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the deployment of 4,000 officers to ensure safety during the “Unite the Kingdom” march and the pro-Palestinian rally.

Key developments

The Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers, along with horses, dogs, drones, and helicopters, to oversee Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” march and a pro-Palestinian rally on Nakba Day.

This extensive police presence aims to ensure public safety and prevent potential clashes between the opposing groups, reflecting heightened tensions surrounding the events.

London police out in force as tens of thousands attend rival rallies

Metropolitan Police deploy 4,000 officers for rival marches in London
The Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters to manage far-right activist Tommy Robinson’s so-called “Unite the Kingdom” march and a rival pro-Palestinian rally marking Nakba Day.

King ‘stunned’ as soldier dies in fall from horse at Royal Windsor Show

Get you up to speed: King ‘stunned’ as soldier dies in fall from horse at Royal Windsor Show

TRAGIC INCIDENT
King Charles expressed deep shock over the death of a soldier from the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, following a fall during the Royal Windsor Show.
POLICE APPEAL
Thames Valley Police, alongside the Ministry of Defence, is appealing for information regarding the unexplained death of the soldier at the Royal Windsor Show.
TRAGIC INCIDENT
Thames Valley Police is collaborating with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Accident Investigation Branch to investigate the unexplained death of the soldier at the Royal Windsor Show.

What we know so far

King Charles has expressed his shock following the death of a soldier at the Royal Windsor Show, stating he is “greatly shocked” by the incident. The soldier, part of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, suffered a fatal fall after leaving the arena following a display.

Despite the immediate response from medical crews, the soldier later succumbed to serious injuries, as confirmed by police. A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace announced that the King will reach out to the soldier’s family to extend his condolences.

The palace clarified that while the royal family was present during the incident, they were not informed of its severity until later. Thames Valley Police are treating the death as unexplained but not suspicious, and are appealing for information from the public.

The show, which will continue through Sunday, has removed the King’s Troop display from its schedule out of respect. Chief Superintendent Michael Loebenberg mentioned that investigations are underway in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.

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King left ‘shocked’ after soldier dies falling from horse at Royal Windsor Show | News UK

King Charles III presenting the award to the top trooper during the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Windsor, Berkshire. Picture date: Saturday May 16, 2026.
King Charles will be contacting the soldier’s family after the deadly fall at the Royal Windsor Show (Picture: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

King Charles has commented on the death of a soldier at the Royal Windsor Show, saying he is ‘greatly shocked’ by the incident.

A soldier who was part of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery team, fell from a horse at around 7pm yesterday after having left the arena following a display.

Despite the efforts of the medical crews, the soldier died of their serious injuries, the police said.

King Charles will be in touch with the family of the soldier to share his condolences, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

The monarch was in the arena when the incident happened.

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King Charles III meeting wellwishers during the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Windsor, Berkshire. Picture date: Saturday May 16, 2026.
King Charles was pictured at the Windsor horse show today speaking with fans (Picture: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

The palace said in a statement: ‘While His Majesty and other Members of The Royal Family were present at the arena at the time the incident took place, they were not made aware of the severity of the situation until later.

‘The King was greatly shocked and saddened to have learned subsequently of the Troop member’s death, and will be in touch with the family to share his personal condolences.

‘The thoughts and most heartfelt sympathies of the whole Royal Family are with the victim’s loved ones and military colleagues at this time of grief.

The death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, and Thames Valley Police has asked anyone with information or material to get in touch.

The horse, which fell, received medical attention and is uninjured, the Royal Windsor Horse Show said.

Royal Windsor Show, which runs until Sunday, continued today, although The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery display has been removed from the schedule.

Chief Superintendent Michael Loebenberg said: ‘We are appealing for anyone with information or material relating to the sad death of a military rider at Royal Windsor Horse Show yesterday to please get in touch.

‘Our thoughts are with the soldier’s family and the wider community in the military and at the Royal Windsor Horse Show at this extremely difficult time.

‘At this stage, we have not found any suspicious circumstances.

‘We are working with the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Accident Investigation Branch and Royal Windsor Horse Show organisers HPower to gather as much information as possible to understand how this happened.’

What is Royal Windsor Horse Show?

The royal event has been organised since 1943, when it was staged to raise funds for the Second World War effort.

Its first ever show was attended by King George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the two young princesses, future Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret.

Queen Elizabeth II was a horse enthusiast and she entered several of her horses in the show, which happens on the private grounds of Windsor Castle.

It features show jumping, dressage, driving and endurance.

The former Prince Andrew has also attended the event in the past, including in 2018 along with his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

Maldives mourns death of military diver amid ongoing recovery mission

Get you up to speed: Maldives mourns death of military diver amid ongoing recovery mission

A diver on the search team died during a recovery mission for four Italian tourists who drowned while exploring underwater caves in the Maldives. Mohammed Mahdi, a sergeant major in the Maldivian military, fell ill during the operation in the Vaavu Atoll, which local reports attribute to decompression sickness.

A diver, Mohammed Mahdi, a sergeant major in the Maldivian military, reportedly died from decompression sickness on the third day of the recovery mission for four missing Italian tourists from the University of Genoa, according to local reports. The university stated that the scuba diving activity during which the fatalities occurred was not part of the planned research and was “undertaken privately.”

Recovery teams are set to explore the third chamber of the cave on Saturday, following limited search efforts in the first two chambers due to oxygen and decompression considerations. Meanwhile, the Maldives tourism ministry has suspended the operating licence of the ‘Duke of York’ pending an investigation.

Diver dies in search for tourists who drowned exploring underwater caves in the Maldives | News World

Diver dies during search for bodies of missing Italians who drowned in Maldives caves as tragic death toll reaches six AP
Mohammed Mahdi, a sergeant major in the Maldivian military, was said to have fallen ill on the third day of the recovery mission (Pictures: AP)

A diver on the search team trying to recover the bodies of four tourists killed in a fatal trip exploring underwater caves in the Maldives has also died.

Mohammed Mahdi, a sergeant major in the Maldivian military, was said to have fallen ill on the third day of the recovery mission in the Vaavu Atoll on Saturday.

Local reports attribute the tragic death to decompression sickness.

Paying tribute to the serviceman on X, the Maldivian military said: ‘His courage, sacrifice, and service to the nation will always be remembered. Our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues.’

The group of Italian scuba divers had been exploring underwater caves and failed to resurface on Thursday.

Four of the divers were part of a team from the University of Genoa, including respected marine biologist Monica Montefalcone, 51, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 20, research fellow Muriel Oddenino, marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri, and boat operations manager and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.

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In a statement posted on its website, the university said: ‘The sympathy of the entire university community goes out to the families, colleagues and students who shared their human and professional journey.’

15818615 Five tourists die during diving excursion in 160ft-deep cave in Maldives Monica Montefalcone ttps://www.corriere.it/cronache/26_maggio_14/cinque-italiani-morti-alle-maldive-durante-un-escursione-subacquea-86e3f90c-9681-4fcc-a3c7-ac86bd900xlk.shtml
Four of the divers were part of a team from the University of Genoa, including respected marine biologist Monica Montefalcone

Monica Montefalcone's daughter Giorgia Sommaca Five tourists 'including university professor and her daughter' die during diving excursion in 160ft-deep cave in Maldives
Her daughter Giorgia Sommacal also died in the tragedy

A recovery mission led by specialist divers has been ongoing to try and recover the missing bodies, which were believed to be stuck in one of the caves.

Ms Montefalcone and Ms Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said.

But the university added that the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was ‘undertaken privately’.

Ms Montefalcone’s husband, Carlo Sommacal, told Italian newspaper La Repubblica he hoped her GoPro might be able to help investigators understand how the tragedy happened.

He said his wife was an ‘expert’ diver who had undertaken 5,000 trips and ‘knows what to do even in times of difficulty’.

The same was true for Mr Benedetti, who he called ‘meticulous’ in his safety planning.

He said his wife ‘usually had a GoPro when she went diving’, adding: ‘I don’t know if she had one the other day. If they find it, maybe from there we can understand what happened.’

This image released by the Maldives President's Media Division, shows divers preparing to search for the four missing Italian divers near Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, Saturday, May 15, 2026. (Maldives President's Media Division via AP)
Divers preparing to search for the four missing Italian divers near Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives (Picture: Maldives President’s Media Div)

Italian officials said around 20 other Italians who were on the same expedition aboard a vessel named the ‘Duke of York’ were safe.

Italy’s embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid.

The Maldives tourism ministry said it has suspended the operating license of the ‘Duke of York’ pending an investigation.

The Italian foreign ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages.

Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.

On Saturday, they will explore the third chamber, the ministry added.

Italian officials and the honorary consul are in contact with the victims’ families to provide assistance.

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