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Firefighters battle huge blaze near Los Angeles as winds pick up

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Firefighters are battling a fast-moving blaze in southern California that has swelled over the past day, with authorities warning that Thursday is “the period of greatest concern”.

The Hughes fire, about 45 miles (72 km) north of Los Angeles, grew to more than 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares), forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate a region already reeling from the most destructive fires in its history.

Forecasters warned that powerful winds were expected to pose further challenge for firefighters, who have so far brought 14% of the fire’s perimeter under control.

The blaze is north of the two ongoing mammoth blazes that have killed at least 28 people and destroyed a number of neighbourhoods in Los Angeles County.

The National Weather Service extended a red-flag warning until Friday morning for most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties as winds push through the area.

“Dangerous fire weather conditions will persist through Friday as fuels remain extremely dry and ready to burn, with Thursday the period of greatest concern,” an advisory said. “Any fire that starts can grow fast and out of control. Have a plan, especially if you are in a high fire risk area.”

More than 31,000 people were evacuated on Wednesday as the fire sent huge flames and plumes of smoke over a hilly terrain in the Castaic Lake area that borders several residential areas and schools.

Local news showed residents near the Hughes fire hosing down their homes and gardens with water and others rushing to evacuate.

Winds in the area were blowing at about 20-30mph (32-48km/h), but could pick up, which would fan the blaze and make it harder for air crews to operate.

Climate change has made the grasses and shrubs that are fuelling the Los Angeles fires more vulnerable to burning, scientists have said.

Rapid “whiplash”-style swings between dry and wet conditions in the region in recent years have created a massive amount of tinder-dry vegetation that is ready to catch fire.

[BBC]



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Foreign News

US top court orders Trump to return man deported to El Salvador in ‘error’

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The Supreme Court refused to block a judge's order requiring the Trump administration to facilitate Mr Garcia's return (BBC)

The US Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of a Maryland man, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador’s notorious mega-jail.

The Trump administration had conceded that Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported by accident, but appealed against a federal court’s order to return him to the US.

On Thursday, in a 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court declined to block the lower court’s order.

The judge’s order “requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent”, the justices ruled.

(BBC)

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Woman jailed over £39 donation to Ukraine freed in US-Russia prisoner swap

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Ksenia Karelina was detained in Yekaterinburg in 2024 [BBC]

A Russian-American citizen has been released in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington.

Amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina, a Los Angeles resident, had been in prison in Russia for over a year, after being arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg in early 2024.

She was found guilty of treason for donating money to a US-based charity providing humanitarian support to Ukraine and was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony.

In exchange, the US reportedly freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen arrested in Cyprus in 2023. He was accused of illegally exporting microelectronics to Russia for manufacturers working with the Russian military.

[BBC]

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Nationwide strike for better pay brings Greece to standstill

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Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest, marking a 24-hour strike over low wages, in Athens, Greece, April 9, 2025 [Aljazeera]

A nationwide general strike disrupted public services across Greece, with ferries tied up in port, flights grounded and public transport running only part-time as labour unions press for higher wages to cope with rising living costs.

The 24-hour strike on Wednesday was called by the two main umbrella unions covering the public and private sectors, seeking a full return of collective bargaining rights which were scrapped as part of international bailouts during Greece’s financial crisis.

Greece has emerged from a 2009-18 debt crisis, which saw rolling cuts in wages and pensions in turn for bailouts worth about 290 billion euros ($319bn) and economic growth seen at 2.3 percent this year, outpacing other eurozone economies.

Tapping on the country’s progress, the conservative government increased the monthly minimum wage by a cumulative 35 percent to 880 euros ($970). But many households still struggle to make ends meet amid rising food, power and housing costs, the labour unions say.

The country braces for further global financial turmoil triggered by US tariffs.

[Aljazeera]

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