CBC News Barbados

France: Dozens injured as trams collide

By Associated Press     (CNN) — Paris (AP) — Two trams collided in Strasbourg in eastern France on Saturday, causing dozens of injuries, though none critical, authorities said. The accident took place during the afternoon in a tunnel leading to the station near the city’s central train station. An additional 100 people, though uninjured, were assessed for shock or stress, said René Cellier, director of the Bas-Rhin Fire and Rescue Service. Emergency services deployed 130 firefighters, 50 rescue vehicles and established a wide safety perimeter. “Around 50 people are in a state of relative emergency, with injuries such as scalp wounds, clavicle fractures and knee sprains. But there are no critical injuries. It could have been much worse,” Cellier said. The exact cause of the collision was unclear but local media reported that one of the trams was reversing at the time. Mayor Jeanne Barseghian, who visited the site, described the incident as a “brutal collision” and expressed her gratitude to emergency responders. “I am at the station with the injured and rescuers. Thank you for your mobilization,” she said on X. She urged the public not to obstruct rescue operations. Images shared on social media showed two severely damaged tram cars, one of which had derailed in the tunnel. Strasbourg, the first major French city to reinstate tram services in 1994, had not experienced a significant tram accident until now, according to French media. Authorities launched an investigation to determine what caused the collision. Cleanup operations continued Saturday evening, and residents were advised to avoid the area around the train station. The-CNN-Wire & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CBC News Barbados

US offering $25 million for Maduro’s arrest, conviction

CARACAS, Venezuela, CMC – The US Department of State has increased to US$25 million, the reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro who has been charged in a federal indictment for narco-terrorism and drug trafficking-related offences. Originally set at $15 million, the reward was raised to $25 million to underscore “the gravity of his crimes and the continued threat he poses to international stability,” according to a senior State Department official. The US government is urging individuals with relevant information to come forward. Individuals in the United States have been encouraged to reach out to their local Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office while those located outside the US are encouraged to contact the nearest US embassy or consulate. Maduro, 62, has been under US indictment since 2020. Prosecutors allege he was a key figure in the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organisation comprising high-ranking officials. He has been accused of leading a violent and corrupt narco-terrorism conspiracy in partnership with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated foreign terrorist organisation. US prosecutors claim that Maduro negotiated multi-ton shipments of FARC-produced cocaine, directed the cartel to provide military-grade weapons to the FARC, and sought the group’s assistance in training an unsanctioned militia that acted as an armed wing of the cartel. The announcement of the increased reward for his arrest came on the same day he was sworn into office for a third term. Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, was declared the winner of the July 2024 election by the country’s electoral authority and top court, despite what the US State Department said was “credible evidence of electoral fraud”. Washington has not recognised him as the legitimate president of Venezuela since 2019. l

CBC News Barbados

Weather forecast: Sunday, January 11, 2025

Here is today’s weather forecast according to the Barbados Meteorological Services. Weather Forecasts Today From 6:00 a.m. Synopsis: A ridge pattern is the dominant feature. General Forecast: Mostly sunny with a few brief isolated light showers. Tonight From 6:00 p.m. Synopsis: A ridge pattern will be the dominant feature. General Forecast: Mostly clear with a few brief isolated light showers. Wind Forecasts Today From 6:00 a.m. Gentle easterly to east-northeasterly breeze from 20 to 30 km/h (12 to 19 mph). Tonight From 6:00 p.m. breeze from 20 to 30 km/h (12 to 19 mph). Marine Forecasts Today From 6:00 a.m. Moderate to rough in open water with northerly swells ranging from 2.5 to 3.0 meters (8 to 10 ft.). A SMALL CRAFT AND HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ABOVE-NORMAL SWELL HEIGHTS. Tonight From 6:00 p.m. Moderate to rough in open water with northerly swells ranging from 2.5 to 3.0 meters (8 to 10 ft.) and decreasing. A SMALL CRAFT AND HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ABOVE-NORMAL SWELL HEIGHTS. Tides, Sunrise & Sunset High Tide (First) 3:22 a.m. High tide (Second) 2:19 p.m. Low Tide (First) 8:04 a.m. Low tide (Second) 9:27 p.m. Sunrise 6:24 a.m. Sunset 5:49 p.m