Train and Bus Collision Kills 20 in Egypt

Twenty people were killed when a train struck a bus, in Egypt, on Sunday.

The accident happened near Dahshur, just south of Cairo.

Officials say that the bus driver ignored the closed crossing gates, went around them, and on to the tracks as the train approached.

A full investigation is underway.

Explosion Kills 31 in Damascus

Thirty-one people were killed by a blast in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday night.

The explosion completely destroyed a government building.

It is believed that the explosion came from the basement, suggesting rebel forces breached security to plant the bomb.

Officials were thankful for the timing of the attack, as only the night shift was present.

Even just an hour earlier more than two hundred people would have been caught in the explosion.

Yameen Elected President of Maldives

Yameen

Abdulla Yameen has been elected president of the Maldives.

He won 51.3% of a run off vote.

The run off vote was rescheduled three times, as the supreme court and police found reasons to delay things.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed, who took 48.6% of the run off, has accepted defeat, and urged his supporters to support the democratic process.

Political experts, from around the world, had accused the supreme court and police of delaying the election in order to keep Nasheed from winning.

Floods Kill 19 in Vietnam

Torrential rains have caused severe flooding in Vietnam, on Saturday.

The floods and mud slides have killed nineteen people and at least eight are missing.

Over eighty-one thousand have been forced to evacuate, by the still rising waters.

Forecasts are for the rain to continue into Monday.

US Army: Staff Sergeant Richard L. Vazquez

Staff Sergeant Richard L. Vazquez, twenty-eight of Seguin, Texas, died on November 13.

He was killed by an improvised explosive device in Panjwai, Afghanistan.

Vazquez was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Among his completed courses were: US Army Basic Airborne Course, US Army Air Assault, Combat Lifesaver Course, Warrior Leader Course; Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course; Special Forces Qualifications Course, Senior Mountaineer Course, Master Mountaineer Course, Sensitive Site Exploitation Operator Advanced Course.

His decorations include: Purple Heart, three Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, Meritorious Unit Citation, two Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Proffessional Development Ribbon with numeral two, Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Master Driver Badge, Air Assault Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab.

Fighting in Libya Kills 31

Thirty-one people were killed after clashes broke out between unidentified gunmen and the Misrata militia, in Tripoli, Libya.

Two hundred and thirty-five more people were injured in the fighting.

Friday began with a mass demonstration, which demanded all militias leave Tripoli, especially the Misrata.

Hours later hundreds of gunmen attacked the Misrata compound.

The fighting lasted several hours, with the Misrata still holed up as night fell.

Expectations are that the fighting will likely resume on Saturday.

Pipeline Explosion Forces Evacuation of Texas Town

A ten inch petroleum pipeline exploded near Milford, Texas, on Thursday morning.

The explosion forced the evacuation of the entire town.

Crews worked to shut down the line, but the fire was still burning Thursday night.

Workers were also keeping an eye on an adjacent fourteen inch line.

Officials believe that they should have everything under control, sometime Friday, and be able to lift the evacuation.

Florida Sinkhole Destroys 2 Houses

A sinkhole opened up in Dunedin, Florida, on Thursday.

Two houses were destroyed and a third slightly damaged.

The neighboring houses were evacuated as a precaution.

No one was injured in the incident.

Florida, especially around the area of Tampa, is made up of porous ground, which makes sinkholes common.

4500 Confirmed Dead in Philippines After Haiyan

Nearly forty-five hundred people have now been confirmed dead in the Philippines.

Over one hundred thousand people have been left homeless in the aftermath of typhoon Haiyan.

Death tolls may climb further yet, as more victims are found, and as diseases being to be an issue.

Aid is slowly reaching the affected people, especially now that the USS George Washington aircraft carrier has arrived.

Preview: Maleficent

Disney released the first teaser trailer for Maleficent, on Wednesday.

The trailer shows that the movie will very likely be quite dark.

Though that is not surprising as this movie is the story of Sleeping Beauty, from the side of the evil queen, Maleficent.

Amanda Jolie is portraying Maleficent, while Ellie Fanning plays Aurora/Sleeping Beauty.

In the trailer, Aurora says that she knows Maleficent has been watching over her for a long time and wishes to meet her.

Maleficent will go back into the past and show how the queen became evil.

It hits theaters on May 30, 2014.