Europe

Lille, France: The driver of a high-speed TGV train was killed and 27 people injured in France on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, when the train collided with a truck, officials said. The accident occurred at a level crossing between the towns of Bethune and Lens in the northern French region of Pas-de-Calais at around 7:00 am (0500 GMT), said rail operator SNCF. "I am heading to the scene with the chief executive of the SNCF, Jean Castex," Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said on X. Neither the SNCF nor the prefecture were able to provide details of the circumstances of the accident. The SNCF said that rail services would be suspended between Bethune and Lens until at least late Tuesday. In France, serious accidents involving high-speed rail lines are rare compared to traditional railways.

Americas

Panama City: One person died and two more were injured Monday after a truck carrying fuel exploded near a bridge that crosses thePanama Canal, authorities said. The incident occurred at a complex where tanker trucks are supplied with fuel, located next to the Bridge of the Americas, which traverses the interoceanic canal. Security camera footage of the explosion showed a fireball and a thick cloud of smoke emanating from the area. Handout picture released by thePanamaFirefighting Department press office showsPanamanian firefighters tackling theblaze. (Photo by Handout /PanamaFirefighting Department / AFP) Panamanian firefighter chief Victor Alvarez said a person who was presumed to work at the complex died as a result of the explosion, and two firefighters suffered minor injuries. ThePanama CanalAuthority reported the explosion had no impact on the canal. The Bridge of the Americas was closed after the incident, and was set to undergo inspections Tuesday to determine if it was damaged by the blast.

Asia

Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal's government has developed tough measures to stamp out insurance scams involving unnecessary helicopter rescues of trekkers, an official said Tuesday, a long-running racket threatening the country's vital tourism industry. The Himalayan nation, home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks including Everest, attracts thousands of trekkers each year, many walking remote high-altitude trails where emergency airlifts are costly. But police say some operators have for years orchestrated fraudulent evacuations for insurance payouts, and 32 people have been charged after an investigation in an alleged $19.69 million scam. "The government is taking several steps to ensure that there is investigation and immediate action against any fraudulent practices," Jaya Narayan Acharya, spokesman at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, told AFP. "Tourism is an important industry. We must take corrective action against any malpractice." Police say the scam worked by filing multiple insurance claims for a single rescue, meaning charter flight companies were paid several times for the same unnecessary flight. Read Also 'Not theCairowe know': Energy shock from Iran war dims Egypt nights Bahrain Public Prosecution orders detention of suspects accused of spying for Iran Laughter, tears: historic day for astronaut Jenni Gibbons in Houston Investigators said some trekkers were even intentionally made sick -- by serving contaminated meals or even adding baking soda -- to justify a helicopter ride out. Trekkers were also pressured into airlifts even for minor illnesses, according to the chargesheet. The ministry has said a "zero-tolerance policy" will be implemented to stamp out fraud, including investigations, and publicising those guilty of fraud. It said a task force involving the police, tourist board and aviation officials would "strengthen oversight and conduct regular audits", as well as to ensure guides and trekking agencies were licensed. A 2018 government probe identified 15 companies involved in similar scams, but no action was taken, allowing them to persist despite new guidelines introduced after warnings from insurers. The investigation comes ahead of Nepal's lucrative climbing and trekking season, when mountaineers can pay tens of thousands of dollars, trusting their guides to lead them into highly dangerous peaks, where acute mountain sickness can be deadly. Police said that there was "no evidence" to suggest Everest guides were involved in the scam. The Nepal Mountaineering Association has also said there were "no verified cases of food poisoning or the alleged overdosing of Diamox (a drug used for altitude sickness) involving climbers in Nepal".