Shiffrin closes on World Cup overall title with slalom win

NASA's chief on Tuesday said the US space agency will invest $20 billion to develop a base on the Moon, while suspending its plans to create the lunar orbital space station known as Gateway.

"The agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations," Jared Isaacman said in a statement given during a day-long event at NASA headquarters in Washington.

"Despite challenges with some existing hardware, the agency will repurpose applicable equipment and leverage international partner commitments to support these objectives," he said.

The European Space Agency among other international organizations were partners on the planned Gateway project.

It's the latest shake-up at NASA in the wake of changes to the Artemis program, which aims to send Americans back to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there, paving the way for eventual missions to Mars.

The Gateway orbital lunar station was meant to serve both as a point of transfer for astronauts headed to the Moon as well as a platform for research.

The suspension of the initiative isn't entirely surprising: some had criticized it as wasteful or a distraction from other lunar ambitions.

Isaacman said NASA now plans to spend $20 billion over the next seven years to construct the lunar base over dozens of missions, "working together with commercial and international partners towards a deliberate and achievable plan."

"There will be an evolutionary path to building humanity's first permanent surface outpost beyond Earth, and we will take the world along with us."

- Artemis 2 on deck -

Isaacman, who took the helm of NASA late last year, abruptly announced less than a month ago that it was reshuffling its Artemis program that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, as it aims to ensure Americans can return to the Moon's surface by 2028.

That goal remains unchanged, but the US space agency is shifting its flight lineup to include a test mission before an eventual lunar landing to improve launch "muscle memory," Isaacman said.

That strategic revision came amid repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which was originally due to take off as early as February, but is now targeting early April. It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century.

During his first term, President Donald Trump announced he wanted Americans to once again set foot on the lunar surface.

China is forging ahead with plans for its first crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 at the latest.

The US effort depends in part on the progress of NASA's private partners.

SpaceX and Blue Origin, the respective space companies of dueling billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, are contracted to develop lunar landers used in the Artemis program.

mdo/msp

The National Museum in Prague on Tuesday unveiled a van containing a 3D scanning device that will soon travel to war-ravaged Ukraine to help preserve its cultural artifacts.

The Archa (Ark) III is a Volkswagen van comprising a studio equipped with a robot and three cameras to create precise models of endangered historic items in Ukraine, which has been battling a full-scale Russian invasion since 2022.

"Archa III is a unique mobile digitisation device enabling us to create high-quality 3D images of endangered artifacts and collection items out in the field," National Museum director Michal Lukes told reporters.

He added the scanners could handle both tiny objects and more sizeable items even inside museums.

"In this way, we can create precise digital copies of items that can then serve for documentation and research purposes, but also for restoration, potential reconstruction, or the production of copies," he added.

Museum staff will drive the van to Kyiv in early April and hand it over to Ukrainian partners under the project carried out in cooperation with the foundation of Czech billionaire Karel Komarek.

It follows an Archa I container equipped to conserve and restore books and an Archa II van digitising two-dimensional items, which Prague sent to Ukraine earlier.

The foundation, which worked on the first two "Arks" with other institutions, said they have so far handled almost 40,000 pages of documents, such as historic newspapers retrieved from the Regional Scientific Library in Kherson.

"The van comprises an autonomous robotic system designed for photogrammetry and 3D output," said the museum's IT director Martin Soucek.

Speed is crucial, and the robot moving along three axes can generate thousands of high-quality photographs within minutes.

"It then uses the photographs to create a hyper-realistic model with high detail, a so-called digital twin," Soucek added.

The project also involves expert training and a website on which the scanned artifacts will be exhibited.

Vitalii Usatyi, the charge d'affaires at the Ukrainian embassy in Prague, hailed the van for being able to work across Ukraine, "including regions exposed to risks related to the Russian aggression".

"This is crucial for preserving cultural heritage," he added.

A recent UNESCO report said that 523 cultural sites had been verified as damaged as of March 11, including 153 religious sites, 273 buildings of historical or artistic interest, 39 museums, 33 monuments, 20 libraries, four archaeological sites and one archive.

frj/jza/pdw

Mikaela Shiffrin extended her overall World Cup lead with an imperious display to win the slalom at the World Cup finals in Lillehammer on Tuesday, although Emma Aicher pushed their title fight into the last race of the season.

Shiffrin powered to her ninth slalom win of the campaign to take an 85-point advantage in the overall standings over Aicher into Wednesday's closing giant slalom.

A sixth title would see her match the record currently held by the great Annemarie Moser-Proell.

It would be a feat which had been put into doubt during injury-hit campaigns in 2024 and 2025, when Laura Gut-Behrami and Federica Brignone respectively took advantage to seize overall glory.

"This is just a symbol of the work that my team has been putting in, and all the support I've had these years, especially the last three years, to get back to have the chance to be at a high level and to win a globe," Shiffrin said after being presented with her ninth slalom season trophy.

"After the injuries and everything, it took a big effort from my team, it's totally something we did together."

German youngster Aicher finished third to keep her hopes alive, although she was pipped to second on the day by Wendy Holdener, denying her a potentially crucial 20 World Cup points.

Aicher had cut Shiffrin's overall lead to just 45 points over the weekend in the speed events, leaving the title up for grabs heading into the slalom and Wednesday's giant slalom.

But American star Shiffrin now only needs to finish in the top 15 in the giant slalom to add the overall globe to her slalom title, after notching her 110th career World Cup win.

She celebrated with her slalom globe, but her focus will be firmly on achieving her main goal on Wednesday.

"I'm actually not confident at all, you saw today anything can happen," Shiffrin said. "I never skied on this slope in GS, it looks not super easy.

"So, I have to have good tactics, a good mentality, to try to have some energy in the muscles, and then to give full gas, like big energy. But nothing is secure, we just breathe and see."

- Dominant Shiffrin -

Aicher has to win the giant slalom and hope Shiffrin slips up to have any chance.

"It's pretty fun, didn't think I would be able to be on the podium again today," said the 22-year-old.

"The first run didn't feel that good. The second run felt better."

Shiffrin, who also won slalom gold at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, was in dominant form in the first run, taking a 1.10sec lead over Holdener to lay down the gauntlet to Aicher who was only fourth-quickest.

Katharina Truppe, fourth in the season slalom standings, managed a second-run time of 59.68secs to put some pressure on the last few skiers.

Aicher, who needed to finish fourth in the event of a Shiffrin win to take the title fight to Wednesday's finale, produced a brilliant second run to secure at least that.

But Switzerland's Holdener edged out Aicher for second by just four hundredths of a second to deal a big blow to her hopes of a remarkable overall crown.

Shiffrin made no mistake when she took to the piste again, winning for the ninth time in 10 slalom races this season to take a big step towards regaining the big crystal globe, by a massive margin of 1.32secs.

jc/dmc

Antoine Griezmann will leave Atletico Madrid for MLS side Orlando City at the end of the season, the two clubs announced on Tuesday.

Atletico's all-time record goalscorer has agreed a two-year deal with Orlando and will become the latest veteran star to move to North America.

"The forward travelled to Orlando, with the club's permission, during the two days of rest granted to the first team, to finalise his contract with the Florida side," Atletico said in a statement.

The 35-year-old Griezmann will be hoping to sign off in style and cap his 10th season as an Atletico player with a second major trophy at the Rojiblancos, after the 2018 Europa League.

Atletico will face La Liga rivals Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals next month and take on Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final on April 18 in Seville.

Griezmann, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, retired from international football in 2024 after scoring 44 goals in 137 caps for Les Bleus.

He has netted 211 times for Atletico, surpassing the previous record of 173 set by Luis Aragones.

Griezmann joined Atletico in 2014 from Real Sociedad and has made 488 appearances for the club, who he left for Barcelona in 2019 before returning two years later, initially on loan.

Griezmann has scored 13 goals in 43 appearances for Diego Simeone's Atletico this season.

The MLS will add Griezmann to the ranks of well-known players to have made the switch from Europe in recent seasons, including his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

"He is one of the most gifted, accomplished and influential players of his generation, and his decision to choose Orlando City reflects the mission and culture of our club," said Orlando City owner Mark Wilf.

"Our focus is on consistently building a championship-caliber roster every year, and adding a world-class player like Antoine reinforces that commitment and our belief in what the club can achieve."

Orlando, who have played in MLS since 2015, have never won the MLS Cup and have lost four of their first five games of the 2026 season.

Atletico sit fourth in La Liga this term, but are comfortably placed to qualify for next season's Champions League, with a 13-point lead over fifth-placed Real Betis.

Griezmann will make his move to Orlando in July.

jc/pb

Afghanistan's Taliban government announced the release of a US national on Tuesday who had been detained for more than a year, after a letter from his family requesting his freedom.

The foreign ministry said the family of linguist and researcher Dennis Coyle had written to the supreme leader of Afghanistan, asking that he be released and pardoned for Eid.

"The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate deemed his period of detention sufficient and decided on his release," a statement read.

The announcement came after a meeting of Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, US former special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, the UAE ambassador to Kabul Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, and a member of Coyle's family.

The UAE facilitated the release, the ministry said, adding that the decision was made on humanitarian grounds and as a gesture of "goodwill".

Coyle, 64, appeared relieved at a short news conference at Kabul airport alongside Khalilzad before leaving on an Emirati private jet, an AFP team said.

Khalilzad told reporters that the release was a "very positive development and a good decision... by the authorities".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also welcomed Coyle's release, and urged the Taliban authorities to release all other detainees.

"Dennis joins over 100 Americans who have been freed in the past 15 months," he said, adding that the United States was "still seeking the immediate return of Mahmood Habibi, Paul Overby, and all other unjustly detained Americans".

The family of the last Afghan held at the US high-security prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba meanwhile renewed their call for his release.

Ibrahim Rahim, 29, said he had sent a letter via Khalilzad to US President Donald Trump asking for his father, Muhammad Rahim, to be freed on medical grounds.

Muhammad Rahim arrived at Guantanamo in March 2008 and was accused by the CIA of being a close associate of the al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

"We have written in the letter that we released your detainee here, so you should release our detainee there as well," his son said.

The family last called for his release in November 2023.

- 'Legally working' -

Coyle, from Colorado, was arrested in January 2025, according to the Foley Foundation, which advocates for the release of Americans taken hostage or arbitrarily detained abroad.

The foreign ministry said he was held "due to violations of Afghanistan's applicable laws", without elaborating.

But a website set up by his family, freedenniscoyle.com, said he had been "legally working to support Afghan communities as an academic researcher" when he was detained.

They said he had been held in "near-solitary conditions, requiring permission even to use the bathroom, and without access to adequate medical care".

Coyle first travelled to Afghanistan in the early 2000s "to survey Afghanistan's rich linguistic diversity and help Afghan communities develop resources in their own languages", they added.

"Throughout his years of service, Dennis maintained a home in Kabul and built deep, meaningful relationships with the Afghan people," the website read.

"His love for the Afghan people isn't just professional; it's personal and deeply felt." 

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States had formally placed Afghanistan on its list of countries engaged in "wrongful detentions".

The Afghan authorities called that "regrettable" and pointed to talks between the two sides and previous releases with mediators from Qatar.

In 2025, five American citizens were released in what the Taliban authorities said was a "goodwill gesture".

Two Afghan former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home in February last year, more than 20 years after they were first arrested.

Mahmood Habibi, a telecoms consultant, was abducted in Kabul in August 2022, shortly after a US strike that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Taliban authorities deny any part in his disappearance.

qb-iw/phz/abs

A New Mexico jury began its first full day of deliberations on Tuesday in a trial where social media giant Meta is accused of endangering children by making them vulnerable to predators.

The state of New Mexico is seeking billions of dollars in penalties in one of two major US cases against the company now in jury hands.

A separate jury in California is weighing whether Meta and YouTube should be held liable for harms caused to children on their platforms, including by making them addictive.

That case is considered a bellwether that could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies across the United States.

The New Mexico jury began its work following closing arguments and a six-week trial involving testimony from 40 witnesses, including employees turned whistle-blowers, and hundreds of documents, reports and emails.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez filed suit in 2023 against Meta — parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, alleging the company failed to protect children from sexual abuse, online solicitation and human trafficking.

Prosecution attorney Linda Singer told jurors in closing arguments that Meta's algorithms had directed adults toward content posted by teenage users while the company concealed internal findings about the risks to young people.

"Meta failed to explain that the algorithm was designed to maximize teen time spent on the platform," Singer said, according to the Albuquerque Journal. "Meta didn't disclose the likelihood that the algorithm would introduce predators to teens, that it would recommend such sensational and harmful content."

A Meta spokesperson said the state's case was "sensationalist" and based on "cherry-picked" documents. "The State failed to prove its case," the spokesperson said. "We're focused on demonstrating our longstanding commitment to supporting young people."

The state is seeking the maximum civil penalty of $5,000 for each of an estimated 221,000 New Mexico teenagers it says use Facebook and Instagram, a figure that is contested by Meta.

New Mexico's attorneys must prove Meta violated the state's Unfair Practices Act by misleading residents about the safety of its products for children. 

The case, tried before First Judicial District Court Judge Bryan Biedscheid, is among the first involving social media platforms and child safety to reach a jury.

A second phase of proceedings in New Mexico is scheduled for May, when a judge will hear the state's claim that Meta created a public nuisance and should fund programs to address alleged harms to children.

arp/msp

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday in a case to determine at what point an immigrant can claim asylum protections in the United States. 

The case, Noem v. Al Otro Lado, focuses on immigrants who were stopped on the Mexico side of the U.S. Mexico border and denied entry for asylum. The 1990 Immigration and Nationality Act allows an individual who “arrives in the United States” to apply for asylum status and be inspected by an immigration officer. 

An advocacy group argued that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security instituted a policy to prevent migrants from attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Advocates for Al Otro Lado, the immigrant advocacy organization, on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to reverse the Trump administration's policy. 

"We cannot be a country that professes to be one of laws and human rights if we allow a president and administrative policy to dictate who is desirable and who will be allowed in," Nicole Ramos, director of the Border Rights Project at Al Otro Lado, said outside the U.S. Supreme Court building. 

The advocates on the courthouse steps sang songs and chanted in support of the asylum process. Naomi Steinberg, vice president for policy and advocacy at the nonprofit group HIAS, submitted an amicus brief to the high court. 

"We need to say that the Supreme Court does not get to just ignore our immigration laws," Steinberg said. "You cannot turn people back to a place where they will be unsafe, where their lives are at risk. What is at risk is the rule of law, what is at risk is the right to seek protection."

Lawyers for the Trump administration argued immigrants can not be considered to "arrive in the United States" when they have not stepped onto U.S. soil. 

“An ordinary English speaker would not use the phrase ‘arrives in the United States’ to describe someone who is stopped in Mexico,” lawyers for the government said in a brief to the court.

Charles Du Mond, an advocate outside the court, said the asylum process should start when an individual leaves their home country for fear of danger. 

"We should be welcoming people who are at risk wherever they're coming from, and whenever it starts," Du Mond said. "Working out the details of how officially, when someone can be considered for asylum or not, is an unnecessary complication."

The first boat of a flotilla carrying medical supplies, food and solar panels reached Cuba on Tuesday to aid the island as a US fuel blockade deepens its energy crisis.

The Maguro shrimp fishing boat docked in Havana three days later than hoped after battling strong winds, currents and a pesky battery during its journey from Mexico.

As they approached Havana's colonial-era fortification, the international activists stood on the cabin roof of the boat -- symbolically renamed "Granma 2.0" as a tribute to the yacht used by Fidel Castro's guerrilla fighters to launch their revolution in 1956.

They held a sign reading "Let Cuba live" while others waiting for them on the dock chanted "Cuba yes! Blockade no!"

"I wish everyone would unite, even Cubans abroad, and come and do the same because it is the people who are suffering," said Amado Rodriguez, a 59-year-old driver walking near Havana Bay.

The first shipments arrived by plane from Europe, Latin America and the United States last week as part of an air and sea mission, dubbed Our America Convoy, to bring some 50 tonnes of aid to Cuba.

Two more ships are due to arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.

Activists say the mission, which had the support of the government, aims to bring relief to Cubans amid a de facto US oil blockade that President Donald Trump launched in January.

Critics have slammed the effort as benefiting the communist government more than ordinary people.

Convoy organizer David Adler, a US citizen, told AFP the mission brought urgently needed aid directly to Cubans and showed the world "the human costs of Trump's siege on Cuba."

"It demonstrated that international solidarity can triumph over forced isolation," said Adler, coordinator of global left-wing group Progressive International.

The country has suffered seven nationwide blackouts since 2024 -- two of them this past week -- due to aging thermoelectric plants and oil shortages.

The situation has deteriorated since Trump ordered a military operation to capture Cuba's chief regional ally, Venezuelan socialist leader Nicolas Maduro, in January -- depriving the island of its main oil supplier.

Trump subsequently threatened to slap tariffs on any country shipping oil to Cuba.

- Trump's 'greed' -

The Maguro left from Mexico's Yucatan peninsula Friday carrying 32 people, including activists from Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Italy, Mexico and the United States, and AFP journalists.

As the boat motored across the sea, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said other nations should come to Cuba's aid.

"We cannot allow the world and international law to be buried under the greed of Donald Trump," Avila told AFP.

"That's why we are here, that's why people decided to mobilize for this and decided to donate."

Avila was among the organizers of a flotilla that had tried to bring aid to Gaza last year despite a naval blockade. That effort was intercepted by Israeli forces.

Fellow Brazilian activist Lisi Proenca said the group was applying the experience it gained from the Gaza flotilla to bring aid to Cuba.

"The interesting thing is that we're able to carry much larger items, like solar panels," she told AFP.

- 'Political sideshow' -

In addition to daily outages, fuel prices have soared, public transport has become rare and trash is piling up as garbage trucks are no longer running.

Cuba has blamed Washington for the country's hardship, pointing to the fuel blockade and a decades-old trade embargo.

Cuban exiles and other critics, who say the communist government is to blame for the economic crisis, said the convoy is giving political support to Havana.

"All of this is nothing more than a political sideshow," Luis Zuniga, a former Cuban political prisoner now based in Miami, told AFP.

"The electricity crisis in Cuba does not stem from the oil embargo imposed by (Trump). It dates back to long before that," Zuniga said.

bur-lt/mlm

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Islamabad talks offer -

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad is prepared to host negotiations to stop the US-Israeli war with Iran, after mounting speculation it could act as a mediator.

- G7 war discussion -

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet G7 counterparts in France on Friday to discuss the war, the State Department said.

While all G7 nations are close US allies, none has unambiguously offered support for the offensive on Iran, angering President Donald Trump. 

Trump has since announced his government is speaking with Iran, a claim denied by Tehran.

- Iran arrests - 

Iranian authorities said that 466 people have been arrested, accused of seeking to destabilise the country through their online activity. 

The exact nature of the online activity nor the dates of the arrests were provided. Internet has been shut down in Iran since the start of the war on February 28.

- Iran security chief -

Iran named a former Revolutionary Guards commander, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, as head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, succeeding Ali Larijani, who was killed last week in an Israeli strike.

- Gulf 'breakdown' -

The Gulf states will need to re-evaluate their shared security after the war, which has resulted in a "breakdown of the security system," a Qatar foreign ministry spokesman said.

- Iran envoy out -

Lebanon withdrew the accreditation of Iran's ambassador and gave him until Sunday to leave the country.

The move came after Beirut accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of commanding the operations of the Tehran-backed Hezbollah in its war against Israel.

- Isfahan strikes -

Israel's military said that it had completed a "large wave of strikes in Isfahan". 

- 'Security zone' - 

Israel said it military will seize control of an area 30 kilometres (20 miles) into Lebanon a "security zone", as it presses its fight against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told AFP that Israel should "refrain" from that measure, warning it would have "major humanitarian consequences".

- UN rights meet -

The UN Human Rights Council said it will hold an urgent meeting on Wednesday on Iran's strikes on countries in the Gulf region.

- Iran energy sites hit -

Iranian media reported on Tuesday that Israeli-US strikes targeted two gas facilities and a pipeline, hours after US President Donald Trump stepped back from his threat to attack power infrastructure.

In an interview with state TV, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said that Iran was less vulnerable to attacks on energy infrastructure because it was spread out, with 150 power plants across the country. 

- Iraqi Kurdistan targeted - 

A rocket attack in Iraq's north killed six fighters from the Peshmerga armed forces of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, officials said. 

The region's armed forces ministry blamed Tehran, saying "six Iranian ballistic missiles targeted" the troops in two attacks.

- Wounded in Tel Aviv - 

Four people were wounded in Tel Aviv, where police reported several impact sites after the military warned of incoming missiles from Iran.

The city's mayor said the hit in an upscale neighbourhood in the north was a "direct strike".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to conduct "heavy missile and drone strikes" in what it said was support for Palestinian and Lebanese civilians hit by Israeli fire.

- Two killed near Beirut -

An Israeli strike on Bshamoun, a town south of Beirut which lies outside the traditional strongholds of Iran-backed Hezbollah, killed at least two people, Lebanon's health ministry said.

- Iraq deaths -

A strike in western Iraq on Tuesday killed 15 fighters, including Saad Dawai al-Baiji, provincial commander and head of operations in Anbar for the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).

The PMF is now part of Iraq's regular army but also includes some pro-Iranian groups. It has blamed the attack on the United States.

burs/rmb

Survivors who escaped the massive blaze that killed 168 people at a Hong Kong housing estate last year told a public hearing Tuesday they still blame themselves for failing to save their neighbours.

The November 26 fire at Wang Fuk Court, a high-rise complex in the financial hub's Tai Po district, was the world's deadliest residential building fire since 1980 and Hong Kong's worst since 1948.

The inferno swept through seven of the estate's eight towers, which were under renovation and wrapped in bamboo scaffolding, netting and foam boards -- materials that may have accelerated the spread of flames.

Three residents delivered emotional testimonies before an independent committee of investigators, saying they did not hear any fire alarms that day.

Tse Yuk-wa, who lived on the third floor near where the fire is believed to have started, said smoke wafted into her kitchen but she initially assumed it was dust from the construction.

A member of the building's management staff knocked on her door to warn her. 

"I thought that it can't be," she said. "I didn't hear the fire alarm."

She managed to flee with her two cats, but when she turned back she saw smoke rising above the complex. "The roof was like a stove," she said.

"I blame myself because I wasn't able to go back up and warn (my neighbours)," she added, breaking into tears. "I could only stay there and watch the fire burn."

Tse's account moved reporters to tears, with some wiping their faces as she spoke.

Fire alarms in seven of the estate's eight blocks had been turned off, the committee's counsel said in opening remarks.

Another resident, Ko Yee‑lui, said she escaped by lift after spotting smoke in her building. 

Ko said she felt "lucky" she was able to escape.

"I can't imagine how helpless people must have been," she said between heavy sighs, adding: "I really regret that I didn't knock on a single door."

And resident Leung Ho-hin said he saw two neighbours try to use a fire hose, but "no water" came out.

Judge David Lok, the committee's chair, urged the survivors not to "overly blame yourself". "A lot of things happened in an instant," he said. 

The government's counsel, Jenkin Suen, told the inquiry that authorities would not shirk responsibility and pledged "systemic reforms".

Evidence presented at hearings last week showed that government departments failed to effectively address residents' complaints about construction workers smoking on site and the use of combustible building materials during renovations.

cla/mya/abs