Overview
- Hong Kong authorities say 128 people were confirmed dead in the Tai Po high‑rise blaze, with about 200 listed missing and 89 bodies still unidentified as search and forensic work continue.
- The anti-corruption agency reported eight arrests tied to exterior repair works as investigators examine scaffolding, green mesh and foam panels suspected of accelerating the fire’s spread.
- More than 2,300 responders battled the blaze for roughly a day, one firefighter died, 79 responders were injured, and citywide checks of repair materials were ordered.
- Weapons analysts, citing eyewitness video and Sentinel‑2 images, say a Sarmat missile test appears to have failed at Russia’s Yasny base, leaving a crater about 70 meters wide near the launch site and raising concerns about delays to strategic modernization plans.
- Mongolia’s prime minister defended a 2.2 trillion tugrik spending cut as anti‑inflationary and flagged an Economic Freedom bill, while Ulaanbaatar detailed winter measures including insulation for 5,000 homes, 117,000 carbon monoxide detectors deployed, half‑coke fuel for roughly 170,000 households, a plan to shift 50,000 homes to gas in 2026, a sharp cold snap forecast for Nov. 30, and flu advisories urging precautions.