 "Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), take part in a protest demanding Khan's release from prison. The speculation around the health of the former Pakistan PM has refused to die down. File photo/Reuters")
It’s been a week grimmer than most. The images of the blaze in Hong Kong that ravaged high-rise buildings and claimed hundreds of lives have sent shockwaves throughout the world. It’s the deadliest fire the financial hub has seen in more than seven decades.
Could it have been avoided? Many questions remain unanswered.
Meanwhile, the peace talks to end the Ukraine war were overshadowed by a leaked phone call by Trump’s aide Steve Witkoff, who seemed to be coaching the Kremlin on how to impress the US president. It’s uncertain who was behind the exposure. Amid this, Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken his silence on the peace plan, doubling down on demands for Ukrainian territory. It is something Voldomyry Zelenskyy will be unwilling to part with . It remains to be seen what happens next.
In the US, the shooting of two National Guard members near White House has left Donald Trump seething. After the suspect was identified as an Afghan national, the US halted the processing of immigrants from the country immediately. However, that’s not all. On Thanksgiving (November 27), the President pledged that he would permanently pause migration from all “Third World countries” to allow the US to fully “recover” and “heal”.
In Pakistan, protests have intensified outside Adiala jail, where former Prime Minister Imran Khan is lodged. Rumours about his death have been rife, with his family demanding ‘proof of life’, as they have been unable to contact the PTI leader. This comes as Asim Munir is elevated to the country’s first chief of defence forces, making him the most powerful military chief in the country’s history.
We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup.
1. The deadly blaze in Hong Kong that ripped through seven high-rises in Wang Fuk Court claimed more than 100 lives, with many missing. It took more than 24 hours for the fire to be controlled. On Friday, Hong Kong Security Chief Tang Ping-Keung attributed the rapid spread of the fire to Styrofoam placed outside the windows of the apartment blocks, which were undergoing a renovation. Yet, many questions remain unanswered .
Quick Reads
View All2. This week, we saw hectic developments around the Ukraine peace plan. Amid this came a bombshell – the Bloomberg scoop on how Trump’s aide Steve Witkoff instructed top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on the best way to placate the president. The story also mentions another call between Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, who has been involved in negotiations with the Trump administration. The Bloomberg story was published without a byline, possibly not to provide any clues that could lead to the source. But who could have been behind the leak? We look at the possibilities.
3. The US witnessed yet another shooting this week. Two National Guard members were targeted near the White House. While one succumbed to her injuries, another is battling for life in a hospital. The suspect has been identified as Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who had links to the CIA. Here’s what we know about the victims and the gunman.
4. Donald Trump called the Washington, DC, shooting an “act of terror” and demanded the review of all Afghan refugees admitted under the Biden administration. On Friday (November 28), he went a step ahead and announced that he will “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries”. He has also ordered a re-examination of all green cards issued to immigrants belonging to the “countries of concern”. Which nations are likely to be affected?
5. Is Imran Khan dead? It’s a question that has been doing the rounds for several days now. Rumour mills have been in overdrive about the health of the former Pakistan prime minister, who is lodged in Adiala jail. After the PTI leader’s sisters complained that they’ve been barred from meeting him, his son, Kasim, expressed concern. “My father has been under arrest for 845 days,” he wrote. “For the past six weeks, he has been kept in solitary confinement in a death cell with zero transparency.” So what’s really going on?
6. There have been reports on the wealthy leaving the UK. This comes as the country has targeted the richest households with a £26bn tax-raising budget to fund scrapping the two-child benefit policy and cutting energy bills. Amid this, one of the country’s prominent businesspersons, Lakshmi Mittal, has reportedly left the country . The steel magnet is shifting his primary residence to Dubai and Switzerland.
7. Our last story is about Erika Krik, the widow of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk. Since his assassination, the former beauty queen, who has turned into an influential voice in conservative circles, has been in the spotlight. The latest rumour about Erika Kirk was that she was eight weeks pregnant. But is there any truth to it? We check the facts .
That’s all from us, folks. Hope our reading list helps you catch up on the news you missed. If you like the way we explain and analyse the news, bookmark this page .