A look back at the weekend’s biggest stories

If you missed out on the news this weekend, here’s a summary of the top global headlines with links to some of our best journalism.

US halts all asylum decisions after shooting of National Guard members

The Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions and paused issuing visas for people traveling on Afghan passports, seizing on the National Guard shooting in the nation’s capital to intensify efforts to rein in legal immigration.

Read our story about the suspect. And read about how her community in West Virginia remembers the slain National Guard member.

Rubio says US-Ukraine talks on Russia war were productive but much work remains in search of a deal

U.S. and Ukrainian officials completed roughly four hours of talks Sunday aimed at finding an endgame to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The high-level negotiations in Florida came days before President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will be in Moscow to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

In other developments, Russian attacks kill 3, and Ukraine’s naval drones strike Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea.

Grateful to be alive, residents who escaped the Hong Kong apartment blaze wonder what comes next

It was just after 3 p.m. when William Li received a call from his wife, who was at work, saying she’d heard from a friend that their building was on fire. There were no alarms and no burning smell to give a sense of urgency, so the 40-year-old who was home on a day off decided to change from his pajamas before heading outside.

Read about the aftermath of the Hong Kong fire that killed at least 146 people. Look at our best photos from the scene. And here are the latest updates. Separately, over 600 people are dead in floods and landslides in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

… and away from the headlines

AI country hit ‘Walk My Walk’ built on Blanco Brown’s sound sparks questions. The British playwright Tom Stoppard, beloved by theater audiences and moviegoers alike, has died. And AI-assisted shop assistants are the talk of the holiday shopping season.