Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.

1. Hong Kong police make arrests as fire death toll reaches 44

Hong Kong police have arrested three men, including two directors and an engineering consultant, on suspicion of manslaughter following a devastating fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex. Authorities suspect that "gross negligence" involving unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used during maintenance work contributed to the blaze, which has killed at least 44 people and left nearly 300 missing.

Firefighters have been working through the night to reach residents trapped on the upper floors of the high-rise blocks in the Tai Po district. While the fire has been brought under control in four of the blocks, rescue operations remain critical, with 45 people currently hospitalised in critical condition and hundreds of residents sheltering in temporary accommodation.

2. U.S. plans troop expansion to combat global drug trafficking

U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has announced plans to expand American military deployments abroad to tackle drug trafficking. Speaking from the Dominican Republic, which has authorised a temporary U.S. presence, Hegseth outlined a model aimed at sending a message to "drug terrorists" by increasing military cooperation with partner nations.

Washington hopes to convince other countries to accept similar deployments of troops and aircraft on their soil. The initiative follows a recent ramp-up of U.S. operations in the Caribbean, where strikes against suspected trafficking vessels have already resulted in dozens of casualties.

3. Pope Leo XIV begins historic first foreign trip to Türkiye

Pope Leo embarks on his first overseas visit on Thursday, travelling to Türkiye to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and appeal for Christian unity. The Pontiff will meet with President Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara before joining Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul. The religious leaders are due to visit Iznik to commemorate the site where the Nicene Creed was formulated, seeking to strengthen ties between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

The tour concludes with a high-stakes visit to Lebanon on Sunday, where the Pope is expected to focus on peace in the Middle East. The arrival comes amid renewed instability after a recent Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed a top Hezbollah official, straining a US-brokered truce. Breaking with recent tradition, the Vatican confirmed that the Pope will deliver his addresses in English throughout the trip.

4. National Guard soldiers critically wounded in ‘targeted’ Washington ambush

Two National Guard soldiers are in critical condition after being shot in downtown Washington, D.C., in what officials are investigating as a targeted terrorist attack. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. during the Kabul airlift in 2021, was apprehended following an exchange of gunfire near the White House.

President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as an "act of evil" and vowed to re-examine the vetting of all Afghans who entered the country during the previous administration. The soldiers were part of a high-visibility patrol when they were ambushed, marking a significant security breach in the capital.

5. Indonesia battles floods and landslides as death toll hits 28

Torrential rain driven by a rare tropical cyclone has caused severe flooding and landslides in Indonesia's North Sumatra province, killing at least 28 people. Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by what officials describe as a "total cut-off" of roads and communications in the hardest-hit areas, including Sibolga and Central Tapanuli.

With approximately 8,000 people evacuated from their homes and 10 individuals still missing, emergency services are relying on helicopters to distribute aid and logistics. The country's meteorological agency has warned that extreme weather is likely to continue, with further flooding expected in the provinces of Aceh and Riau over the coming days.

6. Tashkent hosts major forum to boost EU–Central Asia economic ties

Uzbekistan is hosting the Third European Union–Central Asia Economic Forum in Tashkent, gathering representatives from 32 countries to deepen regional cooperation. Officials highlighted that trade between the EU and the region has quadrupled in the last seven years to €54 billion, with the EU remaining the area's largest investor.

Discussions focused on modernising transport logistics and improving the business climate to attract further European companies. Six bilateral documents were exchanged during the event, covering sectors such as environmental restoration and value-chain development, signalling a move towards an expanded strategic partnership.

Copied