Australian school bus crashes, killing girl and injuring 11 others

Australian school bus crashes, killing girl and injuring 11 others
This screengrab taken from a video released by Australian broadcaster ABC and received via AFPTV on August 26, 2025 shows Australian police personnel in the small town of Porepunkah in the northeast of Victoria state, Australia. (AFP)
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Updated 27 August 2025
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Australian school bus crashes, killing girl and injuring 11 others

Australian school bus crashes, killing girl and injuring 11 others

SYDNEY: An Australian school bus veered off the road and crashed on Wednesday, killing a girl and injuring 11 others, Victorian state emergency services said.
The bus was carrying 28 students from Christian College Geelong when it failed to negotiate a left-hand turn on a rural road near the city of Geelong and rolled over, police said.
The crash scene was “incredibly confronting” for emergency workers, said Paul Lineham, a senior officer with Victoria Police, at a news conference.
“One loss of life is one loss too many and when it comes to children, as a parent myself, it really does hit home and my heart goes out to the parents when they first found out their kids were involved,” he said.
One child was flown by air ambulance to hospital with serious injuries, while a further 10 people including the driver were taken to hospital by road, said David Shearer, from Victoria’s ambulance service.
The 76-year-old driver has since been discharged from hospital and is currently assisting police with their investigation into the crash, Lineham said.
“The exact circumstances are unknown and we will take into consideration everything from the bus to the conditions at the time,” he said.


Pope Leo calls for ‘deep reflection’ about treatment of detained migrants in the US

Pope Leo calls for ‘deep reflection’ about treatment of detained migrants in the US
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Pope Leo calls for ‘deep reflection’ about treatment of detained migrants in the US

Pope Leo calls for ‘deep reflection’ about treatment of detained migrants in the US
  • The Chicago-born pope was responding to a range of geopolitical questions from reporters outside the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV called for “deep reflection” in the United States about the treatment of migrants held in detention, saying that “many people who have lived for years and years and years, never causing problems, have been deeply affected by what is going on right now.”
The Chicago-born pope was responding Tuesday to a range of geopolitical questions from reporters outside the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, including what kind of spiritual rights migrants in US custody should have, US military attacks on suspected drug traffickers off Venezuela and the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East.
Leo underlined that scripture emphasizes the question that will be posed at the end of the world: “How did you receive the foreigner, did you receive him and welcome him, or not? I think there is a deep reflection that needs to be made about what is happening.”
He said “the spiritual rights of people who have been detained should also be considered,’’ and he called on authorities to allow pastoral workers access to the detained migrants. “Many times they’ve been separated from their families. No one knows what’s happening, but their own spiritual needs should be attended to,” Leo said.
Leo last month urged labor union leaders visiting from Chicago to advocate for immigrants and welcome minorities into their ranks.
Asked about the lethal attacks on suspected drug traffickers off Venezuela, the pontiff said the military action was “increasing tension,’’ noting that they were coming even closer to the coastline.
“The thing is to seek dialogue,’’ the pope said.
On the Middle East, Leo acknowledged that the first phase of the peace accord between Israel and Hamas remains “very fragile,’’ and said that the parties need to find a way forward on future governance “and how you can guarantee the rights of all peoples.’’
Asked about Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, the pope described the settlement issue as “complex,’’ adding: “Israel has said one thing, then it’s done another sometimes. We need to try to work together for justice for all peoples.’’
Pope Leo will receive Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican on Thursday. At the end of November he will make his first trip as Pope to Turkiye and Lebanon.