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Earth Intelligence

04 Sep 2025 — 5 min read

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On September 3, 2025, Lisbon's historic Elevador da Glória funicular derailed during the evening rush hour, leading to at least 15 deaths and 18 injuries, including five in critical condition, one of whom was a child. The incident involved one of the two yellow tram-like cars losing control, potentially due to a cable failure, and crashing into a building near the bottom of the track in the Bairro Alto district. The other car at the bottom was undamaged but jolted, causing passengers to evacuate. Emergency responders arrived quickly, and the victims included foreign nationals, though specific identities were not disclosed.

The Glória funicular, in operation since 1885 and a major tourist draw carrying about 3 million passengers each year, is operated by Carris, which confirmed adherence to all maintenance protocols, including daily inspections. Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas called it a tragedy for the city, and Portugal's president offered condolences while urging a rapid investigation. A national day of mourning was declared for September 4, and a formal inquiry involving police, transport officials, and the operator is underway to determine causes such as mechanical issues or other factors.

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Geopolitics & Military Activity:

On September 3, 2025, Israeli forces carried out multiple airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting areas including Ansariya, Yater, and other locations near the border. Reports from Lebanese health officials and media indicated between three and five fatalities, including a Syrian worker and at least one Lebanese civilian, with several others injured, among them children. The strikes focused on facilities such as a bulldozer repair hangar, which Israeli sources described as sites linked to Hezbollah activities violating ceasefire terms. Over 10 airstrikes were documented, with secondary explosions observed, suggesting possible munitions storage. Additionally, Israeli drones dropped grenades near UN peacekeepers in the region, an action condemned by the UN as a violation endangering international personnel.

The incidents escalated tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, occurring amid ongoing ceasefire violations since a November agreement. Israeli military statements justified the operations as responses to threats from Hezbollah-linked operatives, claiming two such individuals were eliminated. Lebanese and international sources, including France and the UN, criticized the strikes for risking civilian lives and undermining stability. The events drew widespread media coverage, with videos showing fires and damage to homes, highlighting the fragile security situation and potential for further escalation in the area.

Environment & Weather:

Space:

On September 3, 2025, SpaceX carried out two Starlink satellite launches. The first, designated Starlink Group 17-8, occurred at 03:51 UTC from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, placing 24 satellites into orbit with a new Falcon 9 rocket. This was the 109th Falcon 9 launch of the year, and the rocket's first stage landed on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean. The second launch, Starlink Group 10-22, took place at 11:56 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, deploying 28 satellites using a Falcon 9 booster on its 14th flight.

These missions added to the Starlink network, which is designed to offer internet access worldwide and currently includes over 8,000 satellites. SpaceX has authorization to conduct up to 122 launches per year from Florida. The events were broadcast live and support the company's plans for regular launches to maintain and expand its satellite operations, as well as other initiatives like crewed spaceflights.

Statistic:

Largest public tobacco companies by market capitalization:

🇺🇸 Philip Morris International: $254.06B
🇬🇧 British American Tobacco: $120.95B
🇺🇸 Altria Group: $111.93B
🇮🇳 ITC: $59.03B
🇯🇵 Japan Tobacco: $56.41B
🇬🇧 Imperial Brands: $33.63B
🇨🇳 Smoore International Holdings: $14.98B
🇰🇷 KT&G (Korea Tobacco): $10.50B
🇮🇩 Sampoerna: $3.78B
🇨🇳 RLX Technology: $3.09B

History:

Tobacco has been used for thousands of years, first cultivated by Indigenous peoples of the Americas as early as 6,000 BCE for ceremonies, healing, and social exchange. Europeans encountered it in 1492 when Columbus’s crew observed its use, and by 1560 French diplomat Jean Nicot introduced the plant to France—his name later lending itself to “nicotine.” While tobacco refers to the plant (Nicotiana tabacum) and its processed leaves, nicotine is the specific alkaloid that stimulates the nervous system and drives addiction. This distinction became clear in 1828 when German chemists Wilhelm Posselt and Karl Reimann isolated nicotine as the active compound. Over the centuries, tobacco’s global role grew, driving colonial economies and shaping cultures, but the scientific separation of nicotine from tobacco eventually transformed both medicine and industry.
By the late 19th century, the invention of the cigarette-rolling machine (1880s) enabled mass production, fueling an explosion in smoking worldwide. The mid-20th century brought reckoning: 1950 epidemiological studies linked tobacco smoking to lung cancer, and in 1964 the U.S. Surgeon General confirmed its health dangers. While tobacco smoke contains carcinogens and tar, nicotine itself—though highly addictive—was not the direct cause of cancer. This realization led to nicotine replacement therapies in the 1980s, vaping in the early 2000s, and, more recently, nicotine pouches like Zyn (launched in Sweden in the 2010s and popularized in the U.S. by the late 2010s). Unlike traditional chewing tobacco or cigarettes, these pouches deliver nicotine without combustion or tobacco leaf, appealing to consumers seeking discreet, smoke-free alternatives. Today, nicotine has expanded beyond its tobacco roots, standing at the crossroads of public health, innovation, and a multibillion-dollar global industry grappling with harm reduction versus addiction.

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