Recent incidents highlight the risks associated with railway travel despite an overall safety record.

A recent head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train in Greece has resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, serving as a stark reminder of the dangers inherent in rail travel in Europe. Although train journeys are generally considered safe and convenient, the following examples illustrate some of the most devastating rail disasters in recent history.

Funicular Fire in Kaprun (2000)
In November 2000, a fire broke out in a funicular railway cable car within a mountain tunnel in Kaprun, Austria, leading to the tragic loss of 155 lives, primarily those of skiers and snowboarders heading to the Kitzsteinhorn mountain.

Eschede Train Disaster (1998)
In June 1998, a high-speed train in Germany collided with a bridge at Eschede, causing it to collapse. This catastrophic event resulted in the deaths of 101 people and over 100 injuries, marking it as the deadliest rail disaster in post-war Germany.

Santiago de Compostela Train Derailment (2013)
In July 2013, a commuter train derailed near Santiago de Compostela, Spain, while travelling at 179 km/h in a zone with a speed limit of 80 km/h. The incident claimed 80 lives and injured 145 individuals. Legal proceedings against the train driver and a former railway security director are currently ongoing.

Valencia Subway Crash (2006)
In July 2006, a subway train in Valencia, Spain, crashed while travelling at excessive speed in an underground tunnel, resulting in 43 deaths and numerous injuries. It took 13 years for a court to convict four subway system managers of negligent homicide for their failure to implement necessary safety measures.

Montenegro Train Tragedy (2006)
In January 2006, a train derailed and fell into a ravine near Podgorica, Montenegro, due to a braking system failure, killing 45 people, including five children. This incident remains the worst train disaster recorded in Montenegro’s history.

Viareggio Station Explosion (2009)
In 2009, a freight train carrying gas derailed at the station in Viareggio, Tuscany, causing an explosion that killed 32 individuals. Investigations attributed the disaster to poorly maintained train axles.

Paddington Rail Crash (1999)
The most severe rail accident in the UK in three decades occurred in October 1999 when a train leaving London’s Paddington station ran a red light and collided with a high-speed train, resulting in 31 fatalities and approximately 400 injuries.

Puglia Commuter Train Collision (2016)
In July 2016, two commuter trains in southern Italy collided head-on, leading to 31 deaths and a significant number of injuries. An investigation revealed a lack of communication between the two stations from which the trains had departed.

Brussels Commuter Train Crash (2010)
On 15 February 2010, during the morning rush hour, two commuter trains crashed near Brussels after one ran a red light. This tragic incident resulted in 19 deaths and 171 injuries, marking it as Belgium’s worst train disaster, compounded by previous incidents where promised safety upgrades were not implemented.

These tragic events underscore the potential hazards of rail travel, even in a region renowned for its railway safety standards.

Investigation reveals lavish purchases amid ongoing scrutiny of the Russian president’s finances.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, 70, is accused of funnelling millions of illicit funds into high-end properties for his girlfriend, Alina Kabaeva, a 39-year-old Olympic gold medalist. An investigation by Project, a Russian opposition website banned by the Kremlin, claims that Putin purchased the largest apartment in Russia and a luxurious wooden mansion for Kabaeva.

The report details a lavish 2,600 square meter penthouse located in Sochi, the resort city on the Black Sea that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Registered under the name of Oleg Rudnov, a known ally of Putin, the penthouse boasts 20 rooms, a private cinema, swimming pool, rooftop helipad, spa zone, and a Japanese relaxation courtyard.

Additionally, Kabaeva’s relatives are said to own multiple properties, including a three-storey manor near Moscow valued at nearly £10 million. A wooden mansion, reportedly constructed on Putin’s orders, is located near another property owned by the president and is believed to be where Kabaeva and their children spend much of their time. Satellite imagery indicates that the property features a go-kart track and a large playground.

The mansion is alleged to be registered to a company controlled by Yury Kovalchuk, a billionaire closely linked to the Kremlin and known as Putin’s banker. Reports suggest that Putin travels to this property aboard an armoured train from a secret station in Moscow.

Kabaeva, who has publicly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, served as a member of Putin’s ruling United Russia party from 2007 to 2014 and later became the head of the National Media Company, earning an annual salary of £7.7 million despite lacking media experience. In August 2022, she was sanctioned by the U.S. government due to her ties with Putin amid the Ukraine conflict.

The investigation also included leaked photographs purportedly showing the interior of one of Putin’s hideaways in northern Russia, near Kabaeva’s mansion. These images depicted extravagant features, including a bedroom and study adorned with luxurious decor.

In 2021, allies of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny claimed that state funds were misused to lease and renovate this property. The investigation further revealed the alleged ownership of an offshore company, Ermira Consultants, registered in Cyprus. Although officially owned by a Russian lawyer, sources indicate it is linked to Putin.

The Cypriot company reportedly holds accounts at Rossiya Bank, associated with Svetlana Krivonogikh—who amassed considerable wealth after a rumored affair with Putin—and at SMP Bank, founded by Arkady Rotenberg, a long-time friend of the president.

In 2008, a Moscow newspaper was shut down shortly after publishing allegations about Kabaeva’s relationship with Putin, which he has consistently denied.

Historic moment as Jackson’s unanimous opinion addresses state dispute over unclaimed funds.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has made history by writing her first majority opinion for the Supreme Court. Released on Tuesday, the opinion addresses a dispute between states regarding unclaimed money and is one of several she is expected to write before the court concludes its session in late June. While the decision was unanimous, not all justices signed on to the entire opinion.

Typically, each justice authors at least one opinion from the court’s seven separate two-week argument sessions running from early October to late April. However, due to a limited number of argued cases—only seven in January and February—there aren’t always enough cases for every justice to write an opinion.

Justice Jackson joined the Supreme Court on June 30, following the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer. At 52, she is the first Black woman to serve as a justice and only the third Black person to hold this position, alongside Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Previously, Jackson authored her first dissenting opinion in November, supporting death row inmate Davel Chinn, who sought Supreme Court review of his case. Jackson argued that the state had suppressed evidence that could have influenced the trial’s outcome, and she expressed her belief that lower courts should reconsider the case. Only Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined her in that opinion.