Prison fire
The week's news at a glance.
Riyadh
Nearly 100 inmates died in a massive fire at a prison in the Saudi capital this week. Dozens of cell blocks were incinerated to ash, and the prisoners’ bodies burned beyond recognition. An initial investigation blamed the fire on an electrical malfunction, but Saudi police said they had not ruled out sabotage. It was unclear whether the prison housed any of the hundreds of Islamic militants and al Qaida members who have been arrested over the past few months. International human-rights activists have not been allowed to visit Saudi prisons, which are believed to be horribly overcrowded. Reports of torture are common.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day