Hong Kong:Hong Kong's Housing Chief, Winnie Ho, has resigned following the government's acknowledgment of "decades of failure" that contributed to a devastating fire in 2025.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, an independent committee's report on the incident, which resulted in the deaths of 168 people, identified significant failings by the renovation contractor, project consultant, and inspector. The report also held four government agencies accountable for their roles in the tragedy.

The report detailed that non-fire-retardant materials, such as scaffolding nets and foam boards, along with breaches in escape staircases, exacerbated the fire's spread. The Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit was singled out for its lack of oversight of renovation work at Wang Fuk Court, bearing the most responsibility among the agencies involved.

Additionally, the Fire Services Department, the Buildings Department, and the Labor Department were criticized in the report. In response to these findings, the government plans to introduce legislation to criminalize bid-rigging and reform contractor supervision, overseen by a high-level steering committee led by the chief secretary. Authorities also intend to investigate approximately 50 civil servants regarding their administrative responsibilities.