INTERNACIONAL
Hong Kong leader says ‘we must uncover the truth’ after deadly apartment fire, calls for building reform
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Hong Kong’s chief executive said he will establish an independent committee to examine and reform the city’s building-work system as part of efforts to prevent future disasters following the deadly Tai Po fire.
John Lee told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that reforms are urgently needed after at least 159 people were killed when a fire engulfed several high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district in late November.
«We will overcome the obstacles of vested interests and pursue accountability, regardless of who he or she is. We must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, let the deceased rest in peace, and provide comfort to the living,» said Lee.
The Hong Kong leader shared that 13 people were arrested by police for suspected manslaughter and roughly a dozen others were arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption for «corrupt practices which relate to this tragedy.»
TIMELINE OF THE PALISADES FIRE MANHUNT: FROM ALLEGED MIDNIGHT SPARK TO FLORIDA ARREST
Flowers are laid in front of the Wang Fuk Court apartment blocks after the deadly November 26 fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Dec. 3, 2025. (Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images)
The Hong Kong Police Department said Wednesday they have completed searches of all seven fire-damaged buildings and identified 140 of the 159 victims.
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department said it received reports of a blaze breaking out at the Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, a district in the northern New Territories, around 2:50 p.m. on Nov. 26.
The fire was upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, the most severe rating in Hong Kong, by 6:22 p.m.
Photos from the scene showed the bamboo scaffolding of the towers engulfed in flames and thick, dark smoke pouring out of multiple floors.
FIRE TEARS THROUGH HONG KONG HOUSING COMPLEX, KILLING AT LEAST 13 WITH OTHERS REPORTED TRAPPED
Thick smoke and flames rise as a major fire engulfs several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Nov. 26, 2025. (Yan Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)
Chan Kwong-tak, an 83-year-old retiree living in the community, told The South China Morning Post that the fire alarms failed to go off when the blaze broke out, even though the buildings were equipped with them.
«If someone was sleeping then, they were done,» he said.
Lee told reporters the government had «identified failures in different stages,» adding that officials must act decisively to close loopholes and hold those responsible to account.
«The bottlenecks will be addressed. And we will reform the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again,» he said.
People offer flowers for the victims outside Wang Fuk Court following the deadly Nov. 26 fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Nov. 30, 2025.
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Hong Kong’s Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said last week that the Buildings Department will review the safety rules governing scaffolding and protective nets after the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire.
Hon-ho noted that the fire is suspected to have been caused by industry non-compliance rather than from bamboo scaffolding itself, though bamboo structures are less fire-resistant than metal ones.
hong kong,fires disasters,asia,world,disasters
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday touted new momentum toward ending the country’s war with Russia after a high-level call with President Donald Trump’s envoys, pointing to progress on a U.S.-backed security deal.
Zelenskyy announced in an X post that he and his officials had a «positive» conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with talks centered around forging a «dignified peace.»
«We agreed to strengthen security guarantees, and I have already instructed our team to promptly update the documents so that the security guarantees for Ukraine are strong, the prospects for post-war reconstruction are real, and everything is doable,» Zelenskyy wrote.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
WITKOFF AND KUSHNER SCHEDULED TO MEET PUTIN IN MOSCOW
He emphasized Ukraine needs clear agreements so that its citizens understand exactly how international partners will respond to deter any renewed Russian aggression.
«We need strong, shared positions, and Ukraine’s contribution to this strength is unquestionable,» Zelenskyy wrote. «… I expect that the teams will work substantively in the coming days so that we can all feel progress. A trilateral format — a leaders’ format — all of this is necessary.»
Ukranian leaders at a meeting discussing the Ukraine-Russia war Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
TRUMP CONFIRMS HE INVITED PUTIN TO JOIN HIS BOARD OF PEACE: ‘HE’S BEEN INVITED’
In a subsequent video, Zelenskyy reported Russia launched a massive wave of more than 700 drones Wednesday, including «shaheds,» targeting Ukraine’s energy sites, food warehouses and residential buildings across multiple regions.
Although Ukrainian forces intercepted roughly 90% of the incoming drones, Zelenskyy condemned the bombardment as Russia’s direct response to Ukraine’s proposal for an Easter ceasefire.
Leaders meet to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
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He noted that a halt in fighting during the holidays was intended to be a signal that diplomacy could be successful.
Beyond the U.S. and Europe, Zelenskyy said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is working to secure long-term defense contracts with several Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and Turkey.
volodymyr zelenskyy, ukraine, russia, world politics, wars
Las repercusiones económicas de la guerra en Medio Oriente, que se encuentra ya en su quinta semana, están afectando a consumidores y empresas de todo el mundo y elevando el precio de productos básicos como los alimentos y el combustible.
“Aunque la guerra podría influir en la economía mundial de diferentes maneras, todos los caminos conducen a precios más altos y a un crecimiento más lento”, escribieron esta semana los principales economistas del Fondo Monetario Internacional.
El martes, las señales de tensión podían verse en las proyecciones más recientes de un fuerte aumento de la pobreza en todo el mundo árabe, un gran incremento de la inflación en Europa y nuevos máximos de los precios de la gasolina en Estados Unidos.
Los efectos son especialmente onerosos para los países pobres, que disponen de menos recursos. Los países de África, Asia del Sur, America latina y partes de Medio Oriente que importan la mayor parte de su energía se encuentran en una situación especialmente difícil para hacer frente a unos costos desorbitados.
Para estas economías, el efecto es como “un impuesto grande y repentino sobre los ingresos”, explicaron los economistas del FMI.
Sin embargo, aunque los países puedan conseguir los fondos, es posible que no dispongan de suministros de petróleo, gas y muchos otros productos básicos cruciales debido al bloqueo efectivo por parte de Irán del estrecho de Ormuz, una ruta marítima clave, así como a los daños que sufrieron infraestructuras energéticas en toda la región del golfo Pérsico.
Alrededor de un tercio del fertilizante mundial se transporta a través del estrecho de Ormuz. Con el comienzo de la temporada de siembra en el hemisferio norte, la escasez de fertilizantes ahora puede dar lugar a cosechas más pequeñas y a un aumento de los precios de los alimentos más adelante.
La escasez de otros materiales producidos en el Golfo, como el helio, el azufre y solventes que se utilizan para procesar plásticos, puede ralentizar la producción industrial, lo que hundiría el crecimiento de algunos países.
ARCHIVO – Barcos navegan por el golfo Pérsico hacia el estrecho de Ormuz mientras se pone el sol en Emiratos Árabes Unidos, el lunes 23 de marzo de 2026. (AP Foto, Archivo)
Para muchos habitantes de Medio Oriente, el panorama es especialmente inquietante. Un informe reciente de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) estima que la guerra podría llevar a la pobreza a cuatro millones de personas más en todo el mundo árabe y reducir la producción de la región en más de 100.000 millones de dólares.
En Europa, el aumento de los precios de la energía provocado por la guerra contribuyó a elevar la inflación en los 21 países que utilizan el euro, lo que hace temer que los banqueros centrales suban los tipos de interés si los precios siguen disparándose.
Los precios al consumidor en la eurozona subieron a una tasa anual del 2,5 por ciento en marzo, el ritmo más rápido en un año, según informó el martes la agencia de estadística del bloque. El aumento en febrero fue del 1,9 por ciento.
Christine Lagarde, presidenta del Banco Central Europeo, dijo la semana pasada que los responsables de las políticas estaban preparados para subir los tipos de interés si la inflación persistía por encima del objetivo del banco del 2 por ciento.
En Estados Unidos, la gasolina (nafta) superó el martes un promedio de 4 dólares el galón, un umbral que no alcanzaba desde agosto de 2022. Desde finales de febrero, el costo promedio de la gasolina normal ha subido 35 por ciento, según datos del club automovilístico AAA.
Una persona repostando combustible en una gasolinera, el martes 17 de marzo de 2026, en Baltimore. (AP Foto/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Ver la gasolina a más de 4 dólares el galón -cuando hace un mes estaba por debajo de los 3 dólares- podría empujar a los conductores estadounidenses a cambiar sus hábitos de gasto.
Los hogares de ingresos medios y bajos son los que más están notando el apuro. El impacto desproporcionado está haciendo que la economía estadounidense sea aún más asimétrica y dependiente del gasto de los consumidores de ingresos altos, dijo Moody’s en una actualización el martes.
La incertidumbre sobre cuánto durará la guerra y cuán graves podrían ser los daños a la infraestructura energética de la región está inquietando a gobiernos, empresas y consumidores. Algunos funcionarios han tomado medidas para reducir el consumo, como pedir al público y a los funcionarios que utilicen la bicicleta en lugar del coche, que suban por las escaleras en lugar de utilizar el ascensor y que trabajen cuatro días en lugar de cinco.
Hay algunos ganadores en medio del trastorno económico. Los países exportadores de petróleo que pueden suministrar su producto -incluidos Irán y Rusia- están cosechando ganancias inesperadas por la subida de los precios. Ahora que Estados Unidos ha levantado algunas sanciones contra estas dos naciones, ambas pueden utilizar la infusión de fondos para financiar sus esfuerzos bélicos.
The New York Times, data-cc, data-cc-nyt
INTERNACIONAL
ICE pressures Spanberger as Fairfax murder suspects trigger new detainers in ‘sanctuary’ clash
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Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger and local authorities in deep blue Northern Virginia are facing mounting hold requests from ICE after two more illegal immigrants were arrested for murder in Fairfax County this week.
This week, ICE lodged two detainers — requests to hold — for illegal immigrants charged with murder in Fairfax County. One detainer was lodged against 28-year-old Guatemalan national Misael Lopez Gomez, who is charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse after allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death. The agency lodged another detainer for a Guatemalan national, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, following his arrest by local authorities for second-degree murder in a machete stabbing.
The Department of Homeland Security has personally appealed to Spanberger and «Fairfax County sanctuary politicians» to not release Chavarria Muy.
These cases are the latest in a string of high-profile crimes involving illegal immigrants in Northern Virginia that have rocked the community.
ILLEGAL ALIEN ALLEGED GROPING OF MINOR GIRLS AT HIGH SCHOOL BEING INVESTIGATED BY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is facing criticism for rejecting a warrantless ICE detainer on a criminal illegal immigrant charged with murder, and days later, Virginia Democrats are continuing to push anti-ICE cooperation laws.
This comes after one of Spanberger’s first actions as governor was to issue an executive order barring state and local authorities from cooperating with federal authorities for immigration enforcement.
Here are some of the latest high-profile cases that have outraged Northern Virginia residents:
Misael Lopez Gomez – Infant murder
Two ICE sources told Fox News that Misael Lopez Gomez, who was recently arrested for allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death in Fairfax County, is a Guatemalan illegal alien. The sources said Lopez Gomez is believed to have entered the U.S. as a got-away during the Biden administration in July 2023.
Fox News has learned ICE placed a detainer request on Lopez Gomez with Fairfax County law enforcement. According to local outlet WUSA9, the infant died from blunt-force trauma. The outlet reported Tuesday that Lopez Gomez is currently jailed without bond and is facing second-degree murder and felony child abuse charges.
Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy – Machete Stabbing
On Tuesday, ICE lodged a detainer request for Fairfax County to not release Chavarria Muy following his arrest in connection with a fatal stabbing on Sunday. DHS said that the killing was carried out using a machete.
WUSA9 reported that officers responding to a call in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia, found a man inside a home with multiple stab wounds. The victim was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the outlet.
Chavarria Muy was later arrested for the stabbing and charged with second-degree murder. According to DHS, he is in the U.S. illegally and entered at an unknown place and time.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis called the case «another preventable tragedy» caused by open borders policies.
FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR CHALLENGES SPANBERGER TO DEBATE HER REDISTRICTING FLIP-FLOP
Left to right: Misael Lopez Gomez, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, Israel Flores Ortiz and Abdul Jalloh. (Fox News; DHS; Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office; DHS; Steve Helber/AP Photo)
Israel Flores Ortiz – Minor groping
Fairfax County has also been rocked by a case involving 18-year-old Salvadoran illegal alien Israel Flores Ortiz, who is accused of sexually assaulting a dozen girls at a local high school he was attending.
ICE has also lodged a detainer for Flores Ortiz following his arrest for allegedly groping a dozen female high school students at a Fairfax County high school he attended. Like Chavarria Muy, DHS has asked Spanberger to intervene to prevent local authorities from releasing Flores Ortiz back into the public.
Flores Ortiz is facing 13 counts of assault and battery. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
According to DHS, Flores Ortiz is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration in 2024. His case has elicited disgust, outrage and fear from Fairfax County parents about the safety of schools in the area.
Abdul Jalloh – Neck stabbing
In late February, ICE lodged a detainer for another illegal alien, Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh, charged with murder in connection with the fatal neck stabbing of a woman at a bus stop.
The victim, Stephanie Minter, 41, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was found dead at a local bus stop on Feb. 23 with multiple stab wounds to the upper body.
DHS said that Jalloh entered the U.S. illegally in 2012. He has an extensive criminal history that includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pick-pocketing.
ILLEGAL ALIEN MURDER SUSPECT AVOIDED SYSTEM AS ICE PUSHES DEM GOVERNOR TO KEEP HIM LOCKED UP
Fairfax County Public Schools bus is seen outside of Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Virginia, Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Commenting on the most recent detainer being lodged for Chavarria Muy, DHS lamented «yet another life lost in a sanctuary county at the hands of a criminal alien who should have never been here in the first place.»
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The agency decried Fairfax County’s policies, saying it «has a history of refusing to honor immigration detainers.» DHS asked, «When will sanctuary politicians wake up and begin putting American lives FIRST?»
The White House’s rapid response social media account also chimed in, commenting, «Meanwhile, Democrats continue to block funding for [DHS], demanding changes to make ICE less effective in finding and arresting these criminals. Insane.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office and Fairfax County officials for comment.
sanctuary cities, illegal immigrants, abigail spanberger, virginia, migrant crime, enforcement, homeland security
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