Fire, then fury: Hong Kong's deadly blaze

香港惨烈火灾

The Intelligence from The Economist

2025-11-28

28 分钟
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The dead are still being found; the displaced huddle in public spaces. Who or what will be blamed, and what policies will change after the tragedy? We visit Georgia, where protests have now lasted a year, probing the differences between popular uprisings that succeed and those that fail. And remembering He Yanxin, last natural inheritor of China's ancient women-only language.  Additional audio courtesy of Zhao Ke'er from the documentary "Heart of Gold".
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  • The Economist.

  • Hello and welcome to The Intelligence from The Economist.

  • I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

  • Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

  • In Georgia, protests have now been aired for a full year, railing against the ruling party,

  • which has turned away from the EU and towards Russia.

  • Our correspondent returns,

  • speaking to weary, fearful protesters about what it'll take to tip the scales in their favor.

  • And in China, Nüshu translates as women's script.

  • It's an ancient language spoken, actually sung, only by women.

  • Our obituaries editor reflects on the life of He Yanxin, the last person to learn Nüshu naturally.

  • But first,

  • This morning, officials in Hong Kong updated the death toll from a fire that's consumed seven high-rise residential blocks.

  • As of Friday afternoon in the city, 128 people are known to have died.

  • Thousands more have been displaced, many sheltering in a local mall.

  • This 84-year-old man said the wind was so strong, one block by one block goes up in a flash.

  • As soon as one is finished burning, the next catches fire.

  • The blaze has at last been contained.

  • Public fear and outrage are far from it.

  • It's a tragedy that sparks lots of questions about the Hong Kong of today.