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At least 15 killed as Lisbon’s iconic funicular railway car derails

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At least 15 killed as Lisbon’s iconic funicular railway car derails


The image shows local police cordoning off the crash site in Lisbon, Portugal on September 3, 2025. — AFP/File
The image shows local police cordoning off the crash site in Lisbon, Portugal on September 3, 2025. — AFP/File

LISBON: At least 15 people were killed and 18 others injured on Wednesday when Lisbon’s Gloria funicular railway car, a popular tourist attraction and one of the city’s symbols, derailed and crashed, an emergency medical service spokesperson said.

Authorities did not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but confirmed that some foreign nationals were among the dead. Five people were reported to be gravely injured, the spokesperson added.

“It’s a tragic day for our city … Lisbon is in mourning, it is a tragic, tragic incident,” said Carlos Moedas, the mayor of the Portuguese capital.

Footage from the site showed the destroyed yellow tram-like funicular, which carries passengers up and down a steep hillside in Lisbon. Emergency workers were seen pulling people from the wreckage.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented the accident in a statement, expressing hope that authorities would soon determine the cause of the crash.

Police investigators inspected the site, while the prosecutor general’s office announced it would open a formal investigation, as is customary in public transport accidents.

The line, which opened in 1885, connects Lisbon’s downtown area near Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), known for its vibrant nightlife.

It is one of three funicular lines operated by the municipal public transport company Carris, serving both tourists and local residents.

Carris said in a statement that “all maintenance protocols have been carried out”, including monthly and weekly programmes and daily inspections.

The Gloria line transports around 3 million passengers annually, according to Lisbon’s town hall.

Its two cars, each capable of carrying about 40 passengers, are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, with traction provided by electric motors on both cars.

The car at the bottom of the line was apparently undamaged, but video aired by CNN Portugal showed it jolting violently when the other one derailed, with several passengers jumping out of its windows and people shouting.

Portugal, and Lisbon in particular, has experienced a tourism boom in the past decade, with visitors crowding the popular downtown area during the summer months.





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Iran Assures Neighbours of Non-Aggression Amid Regional Tensions

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Iran Assures Neighbours of Non-Aggression Amid Regional Tensions



Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a significant statement aimed at easing regional tensions, assuring that Iran will not launch missile strikes or take aggressive action against neighbouring countries.

The president said the decision was taken with the approval of the Interim Leadership Council, stressing that Iran’s policy of non-aggression will remain in place as long as no attacks are carried out on Iranian territory.

Commitment to Peace

In a message shared on social media, Pezeshkian said Iran harbours no hostility toward regional countries and expressed regret over the recent tensions affecting neighbouring states.

“We harbor no hostility toward regional countries and apologize for the recent situation with our neighbors,” the president said.

Sovereignty Will Be Protected

While calling for peace, Pezeshkian also emphasized that Iran’s sovereignty and national security would not be compromised.

He added that diplomatic efforts and mediation aimed at ending the ongoing conflict should be led by the countries that initiated the confrontation.

Regional De-escalation Efforts

The statement comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following military exchanges involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, prompting calls from several countries for de-escalation and dialogue to restore regional stability.



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Dubai introduces new public safety laws, fines up to AED2m

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Dubai introduces new public safety laws, fines up to AED2m


People walk on a promenade overlooking the skyline in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. — Reuters/File
People walk on a promenade overlooking the skyline in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. — Reuters/File 

DUBAI: Dubai has announced the implementation of a new public safety law introducing stricter regulations for public spaces and events, with fines ranging from AED500 ($136) to AED1 million ($272,000), authorities said.

Under the legislation, repeat violations within one year could result in fines of up to AED2 million, officials added.

The new law, which takes effect across the emirate on June 1, sets out enhanced safety requirements for public venues and gatherings.

The rules were issued by Dubai’s Ruler, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Dubai introduces new public safety laws, fines up to AED2m

According to the regulations, public venues and events must ensure safe entry and exit routes, adequate lighting, and capacity limits to prevent overcrowding.

Event organisers will be required to provide firefighting equipment, emergency evacuation plans, first aid facilities, and trained security personnel.

Compliance with safety instructions at public venues has been made mandatory.

The law also requires adherence to designated swimming times at beaches and prohibits access to restricted areas.

Possession of explosives or fireworks without a permit is banned, as is the use and transport of hazardous or flammable materials.





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India let Iran warship dock the day US sank another off Sri Lanka, say officials

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India let Iran warship dock the day US sank another off Sri Lanka, say officials


The Iranian military ship IRIS Lavan is docked at a port in Kochi, India, March 7, 2026. — Reuters
The Iranian military ship IRIS Lavan is docked at a port in Kochi, India, March 7, 2026. — Reuters

India has allowed an Iranian warship to dock as a humanitarian gesture, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Saturday, after the US sank another Iranian navy vessel off neighbouring Sri Lanka.

The Lavan docked at India’s southern port of Kochi on Wednesday, the same day the US submarine struck Iranian navy frigate Dena, after an urgent request from Tehran, an Indian government source told Reuters.

US President Donald Trump has said destroying the Iranian navy is one aim of the war he and Israel launched against the Islamic Republic a week ago.

The Lavan – an amphibious landing vessel, according to the US Naval Institute’s online news site – and two other ships “were coming in for a fleet review and then they got, in a way, caught on the wrong side of the events,” Jaishankar told the annual Raisina Dialogue event.

“I think we really approached it from the point of view of humanity, of other than whatever the legal issues were,” he said. “I think we did the right thing.”

At least 87 people were killed in the US attack on the Dena in Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone, 19 nautical miles off the coast, outside its maritime boundaries.

India received the docking request for the Lavan on February 28, the day the Iran war started, the source said late on Friday, adding that the request “was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues”.

Its 183 crew members have been accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi, said the source, who asked not to be identified citing confidentiality.

The Dena was on its way back from a naval exercise organised by India, according to the drill’s website and Sri Lankan officials.

Sri Lankan authorities said on Friday that they were escorting the Iranian naval ship Booshehr to a harbour on the eastern coast and moving most of its crew to a navy camp near Colombo.





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