The World : 22 Die in Israel Bus Crash

A school bus packed with children on an outing was struck by a train near Haifa, Israel, killing 22 people and injuring 15 in Israel’s worst rail accident. Israel radio said the dead included 18 students, two mothers, a teacher and the driver. Most of the children were seventh graders on their annual year-end trip to a nature preserve. The rail crossing is at the top of a steep hill, cannot be seen until a driver is almost upon it and has no gate. The engineer applied the brakes 250 yards away, but was unable to stop, authorities said.