International

BREAKING: 11 Killed as Skydiving Plane Crashes Near Tomblaine, France

Published

4 months ago

June 28, 2026

230 Views

A civilian aircraft carrying skydivers plummeted from the sky and crashed near the eastern French town of Tomblaine on Sunday, killing everyone on board in one of the country’s deadliest light aircraft disasters in years, authorities said.

All 11 people aboard — believed to include the pilot and 10 skydivers — died in the crash, local officials confirmed. Emergency services rushed to the scene after reports of the downed aircraft, but found no survivors.

The aircraft went down in a rural area close to Tomblaine, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, shortly after takeoff on what was reportedly a routine skydiving excursion. Debris was scattered across the crash site, and a large emergency operation involving firefighters, police, and medical teams is underway.

French authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the tragedy. The National Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has been notified and is expected to lead the probe, examining factors such as mechanical failure, weather conditions, or human error.

“This is a terrible tragedy that has shocked the entire community,” a local official told reporters at the scene. “Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives today.”

Skydiving operations are popular in the region, but light aircraft accidents remain rare. Sunday’s crash ranks among France’s worst involving small planes in the past decade.

More details are expected as the investigation progresses. This is a developing story.

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International

JUST IN: Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Surgery for Early-Stage Lung Nodule

Published

11 hours ago

October 12, 2026

Charles Flames

12 Views

Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small, localized nodule found on his lung during a recent routine medical checkup.

The 71-year-old pontiff made the disclosure himself during his weekly Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square. “Doctors found a localized nodule in my lung,” he said. “It was detected at a very early stage and is well-contained.

The doctors believe it is advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.”

The Vatican confirmed the operation is scheduled for the first days of this week at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which has a dedicated papal suite. Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Pope is expected to need about a week to recover. On Monday, the Vatican added that Leo will be admitted Tuesday morning.

The nodule’s nature—whether benign or malignant—has not been specified. Medical experts note that most lung nodules are non-cancerous, and early detection generally carries a favorable outlook.

This marks the first significant health issue of Leo’s papacy since his election in May 2025. The American-born pope, known for remaining physically active, has continued his full schedule of audiences and is still expected to proceed with a planned trip to Latin America next month.

International

‘Up to our people’ to pick leader, Zelenskyy responds to Trump’s pledge for new elections in Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than four and a half years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Published

1 day ago

October 11, 2026

OCHEFA

28 Views

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday his country could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day total ceasefire, pushing back against US counterpart Donald Trump’s call for Ukraine to pick a new leader.

“First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader”, Zelenskyy told ABC News in a televised interview, a day after Trump said Ukraine needed a new president who would agree to end the war.

Zelenskyy said he told Trump’s team that if they really wanted Ukraine to hold elections, “please tell Putin to give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elections”.

“We want peace, we are ready for a ceasefire, we are ready to begin with any kind of steps of de-escalation”, Zelenskyy told ABC in a TV interview.

“And if the Russians want us not to attack their diesel, their refineries, etc., we are asking President Trump to give them a signal not to attack the energy infrastructure of Ukraine”.

Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than four and a half years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Euro News