Former President Donald Trump has demanded a comprehensive review of all Afghan refugees admitted to the United States during Joe Biden's administration, following a shooting in Washington that left two National Guard members critically injured.
Washington Shooting Investigation
The incident occurred near the Farragut West metro station, close to the White House, amid the controversial deployment of troops to Washington DC. Authorities have identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US following the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
According to Department of Homeland Security records and CNN reports, immigration authorities granted Lakanwal asylum earlier this year. The two injured National Guard members remained in critical condition overnight following the shooting, which Trump described as an "act of terror".
Hong Kong Fire Tragedy
In separate developments, Hong Kong authorities have blamed a construction company's "gross negligence" for a devastating fire that has killed at least 65 people - making it the territory's deadliest blaze in decades.
The fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, with firefighters struggling to reach people trapped on upper floors due to intense heat and thick smoke. Police allege that unsafe construction materials used during maintenance work contributed to the fire's rapid spread.
More than 250 people remain missing while 45 others have been hospitalised in critical condition. Authorities have arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from the construction company responsible for the maintenance work.
Potential New Sanctions Against Russia
Meanwhile, research from US civil society group Dekleptocracy suggests Western nations are overlooking crucial sanctions that could significantly impair Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
The study identifies chemicals used in mechanical lubricants and military-grade tires as a key vulnerability that US, UK and EU policymakers have failed to target. According to the research, a lubricant shortage "would seriously damage Russia's war machine" by affecting military equipment maintenance.
Russia currently lacks domestic production capacity for many key chemicals, prompting Moscow to launch a new initiative this year to develop domestic chemical manufacturing - further evidence that this sector represents a significant weakness in their war economy.
In other news, Georgia's state prosecutor has confirmed the last criminal case against Donald Trump is "over" after a superior court judge dismissed the 2020 racketeering case. Additionally, global incarceration rates show women prisoners are increasing at nearly three times the rate of men, with women disproportionately jailed for petty crimes linked to poverty.
