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Travel influencer, 24, killed after pickup truck is swept away in terrifying river crossing

A 24-year-old travel influencer was killed after a pickup truck carrying a group of travelers was swept away while crossing a river in Nicaragua.

French traveler Emma Marie Laurent was one of three women who died after the vehicle was caught in strong currents following heavy rainfall, according to news agency Jam Press.

The group was traveling through El Manzano, a community in the northwestern department of Chinandega, when they attempted to cross the Nahualapa River at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, the same source reported.

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Recent rainfall had caused the river to rise, creating dangerous conditions before the vehicle attempted to cross.

The driver, identified as Mexican national Martin Gerardo García Girón, reportedly stepped out of the pickup to assess the water level before attempting the crossing, according to Jam Press.

The water reportedly came close to the driver's knees, but the current swept the pickup away and caused it to overturn.

The driver survived, though accounts have differed on whether other passengers also made it to safety, according to Jam Press. 

Authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding the crossing.

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Nicaraguan co-President Rosario Murillo offered condolences to the victims' families following the deaths.

"This is a tragedy," Murillo said, according to reports. 

"We express our solidarity and our call to remain vigilant and, in the face of such tragedies, to express our full solidarity."

Murillo also warned about the dangers of crossing rivers during Nicaragua's rainy season.

"Rivers are deceptive; one thinks they are calm and, suddenly, the current comes, and we have tragedies like this that bring mourning to families," she said, according to Jam Press.

Laurent had developed an online following by sharing her travels around the world, including glimpses of life on the road from her van.

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She described herself as "your barefoot BFF" on Instagram, where she had nearly 43,000 followers at the time of her death, Jam Press reported.

Laurent appeared to have shared her final social media post on Oct. 2, uploading a video from a recent trip to Portugal.

In the post, she reflected on the importance of appreciating everyday moments.

"I think the most beautiful people, inside and out, are those who know how to admire the world around them," Laurent wrote in French.

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Following news of her death, social media users left messages of remembrance beneath the post.

"Gone far too soon," one person commented.

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"Condolences to the family," another user wrote.

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Cruise passengers face blocked access as angry protesters set barricades on fire

Angry port workers in Barcelona, Spain set a barricade ablaze Wednesday, blocking access to a cruise terminal and forcing passengers to haul their luggage on foot, according to local reports.

The protest took place near Barcelona's cruise terminals, where workers blocked an access road leading to the Porta d'Europa bridge, Spanish news outlet Crónica Global reported.

The workers were protesting potential pay cuts, with the road closures forcing cruise passengers to walk with their luggage instead of traveling by bus or car, the same outlet reported.

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Roughly 200 workers took part in the protest, which lasted about four hours, Spanish outlet Metrópoli said. 

There was a burning barricade made of branches. Riot police were reportedly deployed to the area, according to Crónica Global.

Four cruise ships carrying a combined total of more than 13,000 passengers were in port during the disruption, according to Cruise Hive.

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The vessels reportedly included Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, Mein Schiff 7 and AIDAmar, which were visiting Barcelona.

Norwegian Escape was also in port preparing to embark passengers for a new voyage, Cruise Hive reported.

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Spanish outlets reported that the protest followed a government audit that found discrepancies between approved salary budgets and the amounts workers were actually paid.

Workers fear the findings could lead to pay cuts of up to 8%, according to local news outlet betevé.

Employees have argued they should not be penalized for the discrepancies.

"The solution is not to cut salaries," the workers' committee said in a statement Wednesday, translated from Spanish, according to maritime news outlet Diario del Puerto.

In a statement, the Port of Barcelona said it was required to correct the payroll discrepancies identified in the government audit but maintained that the issue was not the result of wrongdoing by the port, according to local broadcaster betevé.

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Barcelona is one of Europe's busiest cruise destinations, with the port recording nearly 4 million cruise passenger movements in 2025, according to the Port of Barcelona.

The disruption comes as Barcelona continues to grapple with broader tensions surrounding tourism.

Earlier in October, Fox News Digital reported growing tensions over tourism in Barcelona, where protests have raised concerns about the impact on visitors to the popular Spanish destination.

Earlier this summer, Barcelona officials pushed to increase taxes on cruise passengers visiting the city for less than 12 hours to as much as $35, as part of broader efforts to curb overtourism.

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The U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Spain and Andorra issued a demonstration alert for Spain (not related to the port protests) on Oct.28.

"Demonstrations and protests continue to occur in Spain.  While some demonstrations have been announced, including on October 31, other protests are spontaneous. Last minute changes can happen and may occur outside planned routes," the alert said.

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"Local authorities may increase security measures, including road closures, traffic restrictions, or increased security presence in areas where the demonstrations will occur.  U.S. citizens should avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest. 

"Stay away from areas with large crowds or significant police activity," it added. "Even peaceful protests can turn confrontational and escalate into violence."

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