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The terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland has been raised. The move, based on a Security Service (MI5) intelligence assessment, follows a rise in dissident republican activity, including a gun attack last month on a senior police officer. It sees the threat level raised from substantial to severe, meaning the risk of attack or attacks has gone from "likely" to "highly likely". It was announced by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris. Tuesday's announcement reverses last year's downgrade which was the first change in Northern Ireland in 12 years. How do terrorism threat levels work?

At least 20 pilgrims have been killed and 29 others injured in a bus crash in Saudi Arabia, local media report. The bus was transporting the pilgrims to the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Monday when it hit a bridge in the south-western province of Asir, overturned and caught fire. Videos posted on social media showed the vehicle engulfed in flames. Authorities are still investigating the cause, but the newspaper Okaz said there was an issue with the brakes. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya said the victims were of different nationalities but that they included several Saudis. They had reportedly been planning to undertake the lesser Muslim pilgrimage, or Umrah. It includes some of the rituals of the Hajj, but they are shortened and there are fewer of them.

Admittedly it is hard to keep track of North Korea's missile launches these days. Especially when they fire a weapon almost every other day, as we have seen over the past fortnight. The launches in isolation no longer generate the headlines they used to, but if we look at the latest tests all together there is much we can learn. North Korea says it is punishing the US and South Korea for holding their largest military drills in years. The allies have been practising how to defeat the North in the event of an attack. This is not a scenario its leader Kim Jong Un relishes. Only this is not a typical North Korean protest. In the past it has responded to such drills by firing off a mix of short, medium, and long-range missiles, and perhaps some artillery shells. What do we know about North Korea?

Germany and the European Union announced Saturday that they have reached an agreement in their dispute over the future of cars with combustion engines, allowing the registration of new vehicles with such engines even after 2035 provided they use climate-neutral fuel only. EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans tweeted that “we have found an agreement with Germany on the future use of e-fuels in cars.” German Transport Minister Volker Wissing tweeted that the way had been cleared for vehicles with internal combustion engines that only use climate-neutral fuels to be newly registered even after 2035. “We secure opportunities for Europe by preserving important options for climate-neutral and affordable mobility," Wissing wrote.

Leading lawyers say they will refuse to prosecute climate protesters or represent new fossil fuel projects. More than 120 lawyers have vowed to not act against activists from groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil who are "exercising their democratic right of peaceful protest". They have published a "Declaration of Conscience", and face the prospect of disciplinary action. The chair of the Bar Council Nick Vineall KC said it was "disappointing". Barrister Paul Powlesland, who signed the declaration, said: "We're refusing to advise fossil fuel companies on how to dig for new oil and gas, the same way we wouldn't advise a killer how to commit serial murders." The group, who call themselves 'Lawyers Are Responsible', say they will withhold their services supporting new fossil fuel projects and any action against climate protesters who are "exercising their democratic right of peaceful protest".

Should fossil fuel companies face homicide charges for their contributions to climate change? That’s the question explored in a paper set to be published in the Harvard Environmental Law Review next year. Oil and gas companies have faced a wave of litigation in recent years, typically over greenwashing and fraud. In February, environmental law charity ClientEarth even personally sued Shell’s board of directors over their alleged failure to properly manage risks associated with the climate crisis. But does this go far enough? The paper’s authors - Donald Braman, a law professor at George Washington University, USA, and David Arkush, a director at consumer advocacy group Public Citizen - argue that it doesn’t.

Ford is ready to send its electric trucks into hyperspace. The automaker has reconfirmed plans to build an all-new electric pickup at the new BlueOval City manufacturing complex it is building in west Tennessee. The yet to be revealed pickup will be a follow-up to the F-150 Lightning that is currently on sale. The vehicle is being developed under the name Project T3, which Ford says stands for "Trust The Truck."