Mexico City, Sept 11 Three people died and 67 were wounded when a gas truck exploded in Mexico City on Wednesday, causing widespread damage, municipal officials said.
The vehicle blew up on a bridge in the densely populated Iztapalapa district in the capital’s east, leaving 19 people with second- and third-degree burns, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said. She later announced that three people had died and 67 injured people were being treated in area hospitals, including several children.
Images distributed on television and social networks show the moment of the powerful explosion.
People can be seen with what appear to be serious burns, while others near the disaster zone flee fast-spreading flames that were later brought under control by firefighters.
Several other vehicles were damaged in the explosion, the causes of which are not yet known.
Images showed the burning truck, which was transporting 49,500 liters of gas, overturned on the road.
The smoke from the inferno reached a nearby trolleybus station, one of the main modes of transport in the city of 9.2 million inhabitants.

Frankfurt, Germany, Sept 11 France’s political crisis will likely take centre stage at a European Central Bank meeting Thursday, with turmoil in the eurozone’s second-biggest economy causing a fresh headache for policymakers.
The ECB is expected to hold its key interest rate steady at two percent for its second straight meeting, with inflation under control and trade tensions having eased since an EU-US deal was agreed in July.
But the latest French political crisis has thrown a new curveball at the central bank for the 20 countries that use the euro.
Francois Bayrou quit as prime minister on Monday following his defeat in a confidence vote over an austerity budget, and was replaced just 24 hours later by Sebastien Lecornu — France’s third prime minister within a year.
The turmoil sent France’s borrowing costs, a measure of investor confidence, surging above those of traditional eurozone debt laggard Italy.
ECB President Christine Lagarde is certain to face questions about the ructions in France, although she will likely stress that she does not comment on politics in individual eurozone member states.

Warsaw, Sept 11 Poland on Thursday said it would restrict air traffic in the eastern part of the country, a day after it shot down reported Russian drones over its territory.
Air traffic along Poland’s border with Belarus and Ukraine will be closed to civilian flights, with rare exceptions, until December 9, the PAZP air traffic control agency said in a statement.
The measure “is being put in place to assure national security”, it said.
Polish authorities said on Wednesday that the NATO and EU member’s airspace was violated 19 times on Wednesday, with at least three drones shot down as Poland and NATO allies scrambled jets.

UAE, Sept. 10 “Land Aircraft Carrier,” a flying car developed by Chinese flying car company XPENG AEROHT, on Wednesday received a special flight permit in Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The certification ceremony was attended by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and member of the UAE Supreme Council, Zhang Yiming, Chinese ambassador to the UAE, and other senior officials.

The special flight permit was presented to Zhao Deli, founder of XPENG AEROHT, who said the UAE’s open innovation environment provides an ideal platform for validating flying car technology.

During the event, the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with XPENG AEROHT to collaborate on flight testing certification and scenario applications, and to promote flying cars in such fields as government transport, tourism and emergency rescue.

Esmaeel Al Blooshi, director general of the transport authority, said that integrating Chinese flying vehicle technology enhances the UAE’s position in global smart mobility and low-carbon transportation, serving as a demonstration for the Middle East.

The “Land Aircraft Carrier” is a fully electric aircraft equipped with an intelligent large display and a single-stick control system. It supports both automatic and manual operation modes. Its advanced flight control system enhances operational safety, and its low noise levels along with environmentally friendly features make it well-suited for urban applications.

The UAE has been actively promoting low-altitude economic development and implementing policies to attract global companies in the smart transportation sector.

ABU DHABI, Sep 11 Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, met with the Italian Business Council in the UAE to discuss strategies for increasing trade, investment, and private sector collaboration between the two countries. The meeting underscored the UAE’s commitment to strengthening its economic ties with Italy, a key partner within the European Union.

During the discussions, Al Zeyoudi emphasised the importance of the UAE-Italy economic relationship and noted the substantial growth in trade between the two countries, with non-oil bilateral trade reaching US$14 billion in 2024—a significant increase of 19.7% from 2023 and a 22.2% rise since 2022. In the first half of 2025, bilateral trade amounted to US$7.9 billion, marking a 14.6% year-on-year increase compared to H1 2024 and a 12.3% rise from H2 2024. In 2024, Italy stood as the UAE’s leading partner in non-oil trade among EU countries and 12th globally, making up 1.7% of its total global trade.

“The UAE is committed to further enhancing our economic partnership with Italy which has witnessed non-oil trade flows increase at a consistent rate over the last five years,” Al Zeyoudi stated. “Today’s discussions focused on expanding avenues for private sector collaboration that will be mutually beneficial. We are particularly eager to explore projects in technology, renewable energy, healthcare, and infrastructure that can drive growth for both our nations.”

Reflecting on the significance of the meeting, Al Zeyoudi remarked, “By working together, we continue to unlock new opportunities that not only drive economic growth but also contribute to the sustainable development of both our nations.”

The meeting served as a platform to discuss various ongoing initiatives and agreements aimed at leveraging the existing trade and investment framework for mutual benefit. Al Zeyoudi emphasised the importance of investing in sustainable and innovative projects that create jobs and generate lasting economic value in both countries. The UAE’s relationship with Italy has been on a positive trajectory, with both nations keen on fostering partnerships that lead to sustainable growth and technological advancements.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to further explore collaborative projects that will enhance trade relations and economic ties between the UAE and Italy, paving the way for a prosperous future for both countries.