Hong Kong is facing difficult questions after a high-rise apartment fire killed at least 156 people at the Wang Fuk Court public housing complex in the Tai Po district. The late-November inferno, the city’s deadliest residential blaze in decades, has triggered anger over suspected construction corruption, weak enforcement of safety rules and failures in government oversight. As residents leave flowers and paper cranes near the blackened towers, frustration has mounted over reports that renovation works relied on hazardous materials and opaque contracting. Police and Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) have together arrested more than 20 people, including scaffolding…
Author: Emily Harper
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The Prada Group has completed its acquisition of Versace in a cash deal worth about $1.375 billion, bringing one of Italy’s most flamboyant fashion houses under the same umbrella as Prada’s more restrained aesthetic and its younger label Miu Miu. The transaction, finalized after regulatory clearances in major markets, ends Versace’s six-year spell under Capri Holdings and ranks among the most closely watched shake-ups in European luxury fashion in 2025. In a brief statement, Prada confirmed that the purchase had closed, while Capri Holdings, which also owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, said it will use the proceeds primarily to…
SpaceX is preparing for another nighttime launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The mission is scheduled for Monday evening and will send a Falcon 9 rocket into low Earth orbit. If conditions allow, residents across California, including San Diego, could catch a glimpse of the bright trail produced by the rocket shortly after liftoff. Space enthusiasts have come to anticipate these launches, as they often illuminate the night sky and are clearly visible from long distances when weather is favorable. The launch is part of SpaceX’s ongoing expansion of its Starlink satellite network. Starlink has grown…
Starbucks has agreed to pay about $35 million to more than 15,000 current and former workers in New York City, resolving a multi-year investigation into claims that the company violated the city’s Fair Workweek scheduling rules. City officials said the deal is one of the largest worker-protection settlements in the city’s history and follows allegations that baristas were routinely denied predictable hours and had their shifts cut without notice. Under the agreement with the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), most hourly employees will receive $50 for every week they worked at a Starbucks store in New York…
Growing Scrutiny Over Strike in the Caribbean A U.S. naval operation in the Caribbean Sea has triggered a rare bipartisan investigation in Congress, after reports emerged that a second strike was carried out against a damaged vessel and killed survivors on board. The incident, linked to an anti-narcotics mission, has raised questions among lawmakers and legal analysts about whether the action complied with domestic and international law. Pressure intensified after reports revealed that the strike may have been authorized verbally by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and executed under his direct operational directive. Senior lawmakers on the House and Senate armed…
Rising Floods Across South and South East Asia Large parts of South and South East Asia are dealing with severe flooding that has caused widespread casualties and displacement. Recent storms have brought extraordinary rainfall to Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, overwhelming infrastructure and isolating entire communities. Indonesia was one of the first countries to feel the full impact when provinces such as North Sumatra received close to a meter of rain in just a few days. Local authorities have struggled to reach residents in rural areas where landslides and washed out roads have cut off access. Thailand has reported widespread…
Deals marketed as some of the strongest of the holiday season are expected to keep shoppers across the United States glued to their screens as Cyber Monday caps the post-Thanksgiving buying rush. Online shopping has become embedded in everyday life, and each year the holiday period pushes spending to new highs. Data from Adobe Analytics suggest that U.S. consumers will spend about $14.2 billion online this Cyber Monday, an increase of roughly 6.3% from 2024. The firm expects activity to crest between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time, when nearly $16 million per minute could be flowing through virtual…
Russia and Saudi Arabia have signed a bilateral agreement to introduce a visa-free travel regime for citizens of both countries, allowing stays of up to 90 days for tourism and business purposes. The deal was announced on 1 December 2025 after officials from the two governments confirmed that the accord had been signed and would take effect once domestic legal procedures are completed. Under the agreement, holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports will be able to enter the partner country without a visa for short-term visits, according to statements released by Saudi and Russian authorities. While the new regime…
Coaching Transition at Ole Miss Ole Miss has moved quickly to secure stability following the departure of Lane Kiffin, selecting defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Pete Golding as its new permanent head coach. The internal promotion marks a significant moment for the Rebels heading into the College Football Playoff, signaling a preference for continuity during a high-stakes period for the program. Golding joined Ole Miss in 2023 and has served as one of the key architects of the team’s defensive system. His coaching background includes a multi-year stint at Alabama, where he held the same dual defensive roles and…
A rediscovered painting by Flemish baroque master Peter Paul Rubens has been sold at auction in France for €2.3 million, far exceeding its expected estimate. The sale took place after the work resurfaced last year in a Paris mansion, where it had remained concealed for more than four hundred years. The final total, including additional buyer fees, reached €2.94 million, confirming intense interest from the international art market and renewed attention to Rubens’ body of work. The painting, dating from 1613, depicts Christ on the cross and stands out for the dramatic style and emotional intensity that defined Rubens’ mature…
