Fires

At least 432 ebike fires and 147 e-scooter fires recorded in 2025, up 38% and 20% respectively on previous yearEbike and e-scooter fires in the UK reached a record high last year, an investigation has found, renewing concerns over the use of lithium batteries and unregulated marketplaces.Fire brigade figures obtained by the Press Association show there were at least 432 ebike fires recorded across the UK in 2025, up 38% from 313 the previous year and more than five times higher than the 84 recorded in 2021. Continue reading...

Stiff winds ‘spreading the smoke’ as Springs fire bears down on Moreno Valley while smaller Crown fire also burningA pair of wildfires broke out in southern California on Friday, marking the region’s first significant burns in a spring that has seen a major heatwave.The fires started in windy conditions that have caused them to spread quickly. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for parts of southern California through midday Friday, warning of gusts up to 50mph. Continue reading...

• President Trump fired U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 3, 2026, amid frustration over her failure to prosecute his political enemies. • Trump named his former criminal defense lawyer, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, as acting attorney general, marking the second Cabinet firing since retaking the White House after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March. • Bondi, a Trump loyalist, oversaw the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files; Lee Zeldin, current EPA head, is a top contender to replace her permanently.

Bondi earned president’s ire over handling release of Epstein files and failing to prosecute his political enemiesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump has fired Pam Bondi, the attorney general, according to multiple reports, dismissing a loyalist who reshaped the justice department, but still failed to please a president fixated on prosecuting political enemies and frustrated with the politically explosive release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.Bondi presided over a major purging of career justice department staff, shifted focus away from criminal prosecutions toward immigration cases and spearheaded the defense of Trump’s towering stack of executive orders as they faced legal challenges. Continue reading...

Affected cars include models in Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Fiat brands made since 2023The European carmaker Stellantis has issued a recall for 44,000 UK vehicles after discovering a fault that could result in its cars catching fire.The fault has been found in certain models across its Peugeot, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Vauxhall, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Fiat brands, produced between 2023 and 2026. Key vehicles affected by the recall include the Citroën C3, Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Mokka. Continue reading...

Bharat Pankhania shared posts on X suggesting Golders Green arson attack on Jewish volunteer service was staged The Liberal Democrat mayor of Bath has resigned after sharing social media posts that suggested a recent arson attack on Jewish community ambulances was staged by Israel.Bharat Pankhania had shared posts on his personal X account about the attack on the four ambulances run by Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service, in north-west London. Continue reading...

• NASA announced a $20 billion moonbase initiative on March 25, 2026, as part of expanded lunar exploration plans. • Simultaneously, unprecedented wildfires ravaged Colorado, Great Plains, and Nebraska, with one fire scorching over 600,000 acres (240,000 hectares) in days. • The blazes highlight escalating climate-driven fire risks in the US West and Midwest.

Both weapons, fired after Starmer authorised US to carry out further attacks from British bases, failed to hit Chagos Island targetMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIran has reportedly fired missiles towards a joint US-UK base on the island of Diego Garcia after warning that British lives were “in danger” after Keir Starmer backed the US to carry out further strikes from British bases.Tehran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the Chagos Islands but neither hit, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported. Continue reading...

About a quarter of prison places are unsafe, Ministry of Justice admitsThe government has reneged on a pledge to make all prison cells fire-safe or take them out of use by the end of next year, meaning tens of thousands of prisoners in England and Wales will remain at risk.The Ministry of Justice has admitted it has known for almost two decades that about a quarter of prison places are unsafe, putting the people housed in affected cells at risk. Continue reading...

Independent committee to investigate safety standards and whether building practices contributed to worst residential fires in decadesHow the Hong Kong fire unfolded – visual guidePublic hearings in Hong Kong begin on Thursday into a devastating fire that ripped through a housing complex last year, killing 168 people.A judge-led independent committee will investigate whether fire safety standards were inadequate, if construction practices contributed to the fire, and if there were failures on the part of government officers or contractors. Continue reading...