Global News Podcast – "Lisbon's world-famous funicular derails"

Date: September 3, 2025
Host: BBC World Service – Valerie Sanderson

Episode Overview

This episode centers on breaking international news with a primary focus on the tragic derailment of Lisbon’s Gloria funicular, a popular tourist attraction. The podcast proceeds to cover a broad sweep of global stories, including calls for transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein case, China's Victory Parade and geopolitical messaging, new research on physical activity and longevity, a deadly landslide in Sudan, anti-LGBTQ laws in Burkina Faso, the legacy of Europe’s 2015 refugee influx, and the real meaning behind standing ovations at film festivals.

Main Stories & Key Discussion Points

1. Lisbon Funicular Derailment

[02:16–07:21]

• What Happened: The iconic Gloria funicular in central Lisbon derailed and crashed into a building, resulting in at least 15 fatalities and 18 injuries. The funicular carriage was “practically destroyed” (02:27), and evidence pointed to a very crowded vehicle at the time.
• Eyewitness Account:
  • “It fell about a meter and a half, made a huge crash. It was packed. Just as we were going to help, we saw another tram coming downhill. The only thing we could do was turn and run toward the avenue.” – Unnamed witness [02:44]
• On the Scene (Alison Roberts, BBC):
  • Emergency services and criminal investigators are active at the narrow crash site.
  • 5 out of 18 injured are in serious condition.
  • The Mayor of Lisbon declared three days of mourning; a national day of mourning will follow.
• Historical Context (Alison Roberts):
  • Gloria is the best known and most used of Lisbon’s three historic funiculars, in service since 1885 with no prior major incidents.
  • It serves around 3 million passengers annually, both tourists and locals.
• Safety & Maintenance:
  • The funicular underwent its last major maintenance in 2022, with interim and regular daily checks.
  • Cause is under forensic investigation, but operator claims all necessary checks were up to date.
• Quote of Note:
  • “[Gloria] is really an attraction in its own right...Anyone who lives in the city will have passed by it many, many, many times, and they'll be doing that again...looking at it with shock and horror and thinking, how on earth could this have happened?...there's never been any incident of this kind before now.” – Alison Roberts [05:37; 06:12]

2. Call for Full Release of Epstein Files

[07:21–08:41]

• Context: Epstein victims rally at US Congressional steps, demanding the release of all related files, following partial document releases.
• Victim Statement (Marina Lacerta):
  • “They have documents with my name on them that were confiscated from Jeffrey Epstein's house and could help me put the pieces of my own life back together...But I don't have any of it.” [08:28–08:36]
• Congressional Action:
  • Two congressional sponsors push for transparency; bill is two signatures short of forcing a vote.

3. China's Victory Parade & Image Strategy

[09:35–12:55]

• Event: 80th anniversary of World War II’s end; massive parade hosted by President Xi Jinping with key allies present (Putin, Kim Jong Un).
• Expert Perspective (Professor Dawei, Tsinghua University):
  • China aims to project itself as a pivotal WWII player and modern global influencer.
  • On perceived hypocrisy concerning international law: “If we are fair enough, let's say many Western countries, particularly the United States, also violate international law. But we still...need to work with the United States.”
  • On military posture: “Among the major countries in the world, [China] is probably the most peaceful...We have not launched any war in past four decades.” [11:54]
• Challenging Western Narratives:
  • Acknowledges territorial disputes, denies current military aggression.

4. Physical Activity Study: Life-Saving One-Minute Bursts

[12:55–16:28]

• Key Finding:
  • New research suggests even incidental short bursts (20–60 seconds) of vigorous activity (carrying groceries, climbing stairs) could reduce premature mortality in previously sedentary individuals.
• Expert Input (Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, University of Sydney):
  • Emphasizes “incidental physical activity”—not structured gym sessions.
  • “Those who day in, day out do five, six, seven, eight very short bouts of high intensity activity...seem to potentially be getting some significant...lower risk of premature mortality.” [13:26]
  • Cautions against misleading simplifications (e.g., "one minute cures").
• Practical Perspective (Rosemary Conley, fitness expert):
  • Advocates for integrating micro-activities into daily life: “This gives us hope...taking [things] up every single time is all part of what the professor is suggesting and that is exercise ideas that we've been teaching for years and years.” [15:22]
  • Encourages making the heart “work a bit harder” through spontaneous movement.

5. Sudan Landslide Disaster

[17:23–20:22]

• Event: Landslide in Darfur region buries a mountain village; local rebels say up to 1,000 feared dead; 270 bodies recovered.
• Leaders’ Plea (Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Noor):
  • Appeals for international humanitarian intervention: “We call upon [the UN and aid organizations,] everywhere, every country who really believe in human rights, that those people have right to live.” [18:50]
  • Describes the site as a “safe haven” filled with displaced Sudanese.

6. Burkina Faso’s Anti-LGBTQ Law

[20:22–23:25]

• Law Change: Outlaws same-sex relationships, “promotion of homosexuality,” and even advocacy for LGBTQ rights.
• Expert Reaction (Larissa Kojui, Human Rights Watch):
  • The law’s vague language targets not just LGBTQ individuals but also their advocates: “People who are homosexual are leaving the country. They live in fear, they close themselves in their house, they cannot leave their places.” [21:33]
  • Notes escalation post-2023 with coups and increased authoritarianism.

7. 10 Years Since Europe’s Refugee Crisis

[23:25–29:06]

• Retrospective: Fergal Keene revisits sites from his 2015 refugee reporting, tracking Europe’s shift from “solidarity to crackdowns and fences.”
• On the Greek Island Lesbos:
  • Remembers mass arrivals “every day...the biggest migration since WWII.”
• Hungarian Policy:
  • Official: “Our migration policy has huge public support in Hungary.” [25:14]
  • Now, almost no legal way to enter or seek asylum.
• Border Patrols:
  • Citizens’ patrols, electric fences, and sensors aim to stem crossings.
• Sweden’s Shift:
  • From most open to among strictest on asylum; “a surging far right blames migrants for rising gang crime.”
  • Abdul Menem (Syrian refugee): Criticizes politicians “only talking about this, encouraging anti-immigrant sentiment and opposing immigration.” [28:26]
• Human Cost: More than 30,000 migrants have died trying to reach Europe in the past decade.

8. Film Festival Standing Ovations: Meaningless or Market Signal?

[29:06–31:56]

• Phenomenon: Films at Venice receive ovations up to 15 minutes (“The Smashing Machine” with Dwayne Johnson tops this year’s record).
• Critic’s View (Leila Lateef):
  • “Some absolute trash has gotten some long standing ovations in the past. I wouldn't view it as a marker of quality.” [29:54]
  • Standing ovation more PR hype than sure sign of success or awards.
• On Awards Influence:
  • “Oscars are not about what the best film is. They're about what's the best Oscar campaigners, in my opinion.” [30:29]
• On the Awkwardness and Hype (Hafa Salaz Ross):
  • “It has become not necessarily about the film, but about the beginning of awards campaigns at times, about the perception.” [31:17]
  • Would only applaud for minutes on end for something “just beautiful”—as with del Toro's “Frankenstein.” [31:50]

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:44 | Eyewitness | "It fell about a meter and a half, made a huge crash. It was packed..." | | 05:37 | Alison Roberts (BBC) | “[Gloria] is really an attraction in its own right...the most visible, the most central...” | | 08:28 | Marina Lacerta (Epstein Victim) | "They have documents with my name on them...could help me put the pieces of my own life back." | | 11:54 | Prof. Dawei | "China...is probably the most peaceful country in the world. We have not launched any war..." | | 13:26 | Prof. Emmanuel Stamatakis | "Here we are talking about incidental physical activity. So strictly speaking, it's not exercise..."| | 15:22 | Rosemary Conley | "I'm absolutely behind the professor here. I think it's wonderful news..." | | 18:50 | Abdel Wahid Mohammed Al Noor | "We call upon them everywhere, every country who really believe in human rights, that those people have right to live."| | 21:33 | Larissa Kojui (HRW) | "People who are homosexual are leaving the country. They live in fear, they close themselves..."| | 25:14 | Hungarian Official | "Our migration policy has huge public support in Hungary." | | 28:26 | Abdul Menem (refugee) | “Politicians only talking about this, encouraging anti immigrant sentiment..." | | 29:54 | Leila Lateef (film critic) | “Some absolute trash has gotten some long standing ovations...I wouldn't view it as a marker of quality.”| | 30:29 | Leila Lateef | "Oscars are not about what the best film is. They're about what's the best Oscar campaigners..."| | 31:17 | Hafa Salaz Ross (film critic)| "It has become not necessarily about the film, but about the beginning of awards campaigns..." |

Episode Flow (Timestamps for Important Segments)

• Headline Rundown: [01:08–01:57]
• Lisbon Funicular Crash, Eyewitness & Analysis: [02:16–07:21]
• Epstein Files/US Congress Rally: [07:21–08:41]
• China’s Victory Parade – Geopolitical Insight: [09:35–12:55]
• Physical Activity Research & Expert Commentary: [12:55–16:28]
• Sudan Landslide Catastrophe: [17:23–20:22]
• Burkina Faso’s New Anti-LGBTQ Law: [20:22–23:25]
• Europe’s Migration Crisis, Then & Now: [23:25–29:06]
• Film Festival Standing Ovations: [29:06–31:56]

Tone and Style

The BBC’s reporting maintains a fact-based, empathetic, and globally oriented tone with an emphasis on clear explanations, local voices, and expert opinions. Thematic threads of consequence—such as public safety, human rights, and changes in global sentiment—run through the reporting. Relations to policy, history, and social context are foregrounded in interviews and expert commentary.

Conclusion

This episode deftly balances breaking tragedy with broader, reflective stories of global consequence. Whether scrutinizing tourist safety in historic Lisbon, seeking transparency in high-profile US cases, weighing national narratives during Chinese military parades, or investigating policy trends from Europe to Africa, the reporting underscores connection, consequence, and the lived realities behind the headlines. It completes with a lighter, cultural discussion, reminding listeners that not all applause is a sign of substance.