Flash floods from torrential rains have killed at least 21 people in Morocco’s coastal town of Safi.

What do we know about the flooding in Morocco?

An hour of heavy rain on Sunday triggered a deluge of muddy water which inundated dozens of homes and shops, swept away cars and severed access to many roads in the Atlantic coastal city, located around 300 kilometres (186 miles) south of the capital Rabat.

Authorities reported that some 32 people were injured in the floods, most of whom have been discharged from the hospital.

At least 70 homes and businesses in the Safi old city were flooded.

The water levels decreased by Sunday evening as rescue personnel continued  a search for other possible casualties.

Meanwhile, the weather service has predicted more heavy downpour on Tuesday across the North African country.

Morocco is witnessing heavy rain and snowfall on the Atlas mountains after seven consecutive years of a severe drought  left some of the nation’s major reservoirs parched.

Fishing for clouds

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Edited by: Rana Taha

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Person of interest came from FBI tip, police say

Colonel Oscar L. Perez said the FBI acted on a tip to track down the person of interest.

“There was a tip that came in specifically identifying a person of interest, which was this individual,” he told reporters Sunday.

“Our detectives got on it but this specific one was actually picked up by the FBI … They ended up locating this individual of interest,” he added.

“At that point, we did a thorough investigation … drafted some search warrants, came up with some evidence,” Perez said.

But “we didn’t have enough to prosecute anybody so that person was released,” he said.

Alex Woodward15 December 2025 04:55

They survived school shootings. Now these Brown students are angry and in shock after university killings

For two Brown University students, receiving a campus-wide emergency text message of an active shooter triggered memories of school shootings they experienced as children.

Ariana Baio15 December 2025 04:45

Rhode Island Attorney General: ‘Obviously we have a murderer out there’

As officials acknowledged a massive blow to the Brown University, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters Sunday that “sometimes you head in one direction, and then you have to regroup and go in another, and that’s exactly what has happened over the last 24 hours or so.

“Obviously we have a murderer out there, frankly, and so we’re not going to give away the game plan,” he said.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the news of the release of a person of interest — with no suspect in hand — is “likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community.

“We believe that you remain safe in our community,” he added.

Alex Woodward15 December 2025 04:40

Breaking: Manhunt continues as person of interest to be released

The person of interest in the Brown University shooting is being released, according to the mayor of Providence.

“I once again encourage anyone who thinks that they might have relevant information to assist with our ongoing investigation,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a hastily arranged news briefing Sunday night.

Law enforcement officials said “evidence now points in a different direction.”

The manhunt continues for a suspect who killed two people and injured nine others more than 30 hours after the attack.

Alex Woodward15 December 2025 04:22

Victim named in mass shooting attack was from Alabama, church says

Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham said one of its parishioners, Ella Cook, was killed in Saturday’s attack.

“Heartbroken tonight over the news that Ella Cook from Birmingham was killed in yesterday’s shooting at Brown University,” Alabama Rep. Terry Sewell wrote, sharing new

“My prayers are with her family and loved ones,” she said.

Alex Woodward15 December 2025 04:15

Democratic senator says Trump Trump launched ‘dizzying campaign’ of violence after Brown shooting

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy told CNN’s Dana Bash on State of the Union that the president’s rhetoric and actions since returning to the White House made violence “more likely” in America.

“He has been engaged in a pretty deliberate campaign to try to make violence more likely in this country, and I think you’re unfortunately going to see the results of that on the streets of America,” Murphy said.

Brendan Rascius15 December 2025 03:44

‘Person of interest’ in the Brown University mass shooting was detained on Sunday

A “person of interest” in the Brown University mass shooting was detained at hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, early Sunday morning, officials said.

“The people of Providence should breathe a little easier this morning,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said at a Sunday press conference.

Graig Graziosi reports…

Brendan Rascius15 December 2025 03:02

Rhode Island officials say investigation into Brown University shooting remains ‘active and ongoing’

Providence officials announced on Sunday evening that the investigation into the mass shooting at Brown University “remains active and ongoing.”

More information will be provided as officials obtain “a clearer and more complete picture of the circumstances involved,” Providence Chief Public Information Officer for Public Safety Kristy DosReis said in statement released at 7:58 p.m.

Brendan Rascius15 December 2025 02:35

Brown student aided shot classmate ‘to keep them from bleeding out’

Amith Chintalapati, a junior at Brown University, told NBC News that he was walking on campus yesterday when he saw victims of the mass shooting on the street.

“I saw some people huddled on the ground, and I realized that two people got shot and had made their way to the street, and people were applying pressure and trying to keep them from bleeding out,” he told the outlet on Sunday.

He said one of the victims was a classmate of his and that he rushed to assist.

“I just kept telling him he was OK and to breathe and just wait for the EMTs to arrive,” Chintalapati said.

Soon after, police arrived and instructed him to take shelter. He hid out in a dorm room for about eight hours and was informed around midnight that his classmate was in stable condition in the hospital.

Brendan Rascius15 December 2025 02:03

Federal agents visited Wisconsin home tied to person of interest in Brown University shooting

Federal agents were observed at a home tied to Benjamin Erickson, a 24-year-old Wisconsin man, who is a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University, according to the Providence Journal.

Agents were seen at the home, located in Cedarburg, around 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Brendan Rascius15 December 2025 01:05

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NEED TO KNOW

• Both Billy Crystal and Larry David were at the home of Rob Reiner shortly after reports of his death
• Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday, Dec. 14
• He collaborated with Crystal on projects including When Harry Met Sally, This Is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride, and made an appearance on David’s hit HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm

Billy Crystal and Larry David were at the home of Rob Reiner shortly after reports of his death in an apparent homicide, PEOPLE confirms.

A source has conformed to PEOPLE that that actors Crystal, 77, and Larry David, 78, arrived separately at the home on the night of Sunday, Dec. 14.

Crystal, 77, and David, 78, were seen at the Brentwood, Calif., home of Reiner on Sunday, Dec. 14 after the news broke that both Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their home. Multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that the couple was killed by their son, Nick.

Crystal “looked like he was about to cry,” a neighbor told ABC 7 Los Angeles.

Reiner collaborated with Crystal on projects including When Harry Met Sally, This Is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. He also made an appearance on David’s hit HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal at the premiere of “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” on September 9, 2025.

Kevin Winter/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

On Sunday at about 3:30 p.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was called to a home in the city’s Brentwood neighborhood to provide medical aid, the LAFD told PEOPLE. Upon arrival, they found a man, 78, and a woman, 68, dead. Sources confirm the victims were Rob and Michele, and others told PEOPLE that they were first found dead by their daughter, Romy.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Rob Reiner and Larry David in 2019.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Reiner is a director, producer and actor whose career includes some of Hollywood’s most beloved films — from his 1984 directorial debut, This Is Spinal Tap, to Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992).

He rose to fame for his role as Mike on the Norman Lear sitcom All in the Family.

Rob and Michele met when Rob directed When Harry Met Sally, and the couple married in 1989 before having three children. Previously, Rob was married to the late Penny Marshall, who died in 2018 at age 75 of complications from diabetes.

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By KYLIE STEVENS, SENIOR BREAKING NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Updated: 23:12 EST, 14 December 2025

At least 16 people are dead after a father and his son allegedy opened fire at Sydney’s famous Bondi beach on Sunday night where a Jewish Hannukkah celebration was underway.

The two gunmen stood on a footbridge connecting Campbell Parade to the Bondi Pavilion, firing shots into a crowd as people screamed and sprinted for cover. 

A number of people could be seen lying injured and unmoving on the grass at North Bondi.

Authorities have confirmed that Naveed Akram, 24, from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s southwest, was one of the alleged shooters. 

Akram is in hospital under police guard after being shot by officers.

His father, aged 50, was shot dead by police. 

Watch the aftermath:

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Update on alleged gunman’s condition

Alleged Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram is expected to survive and will ‘likely’ face criminal charges, police have revealed.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has given an update on Akram, 24, who remains in hospital in a serious condition after being shot by police during the terror attack.

‘Based on his medical condition, it’s likely that person may face criminal charges,’ he told reporters.

‘I’m very mindful of not prejudicing any prosecution of that person put before the court.’

Naveed’s father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram has been identified as the second gunman. He was shot and killed by police.

Lanyon confirmed that Sajid met the eligibility criteria for the category AB firearms licence that he held.

‘He was a member of a gun club and was entitled, by nature of the firearms act, to have a firearms licence issued,’ he added.

NSW Premier Chris Minns added: ‘The firearms registry conduct a thorough examination of all applications to ensure a person is fit and proper to hold a firearms licence.’

Lanyon also called for community calm.

‘Retribution or acts against any part of any community will not be accepted,’ he said.

‘We will have a significant policing presence. This is a time for the community to come together.

‘This is a time that police will take action to make sure the community feels safe.’

Watch the full press conference in the link below.

Woman disrupts vigil with anti-Israel comments

Police have removed a woman from a vigil for the Bondi Beach terror attack after she launched into a pro-Palestine protest and made anti-Israel comments

As officers escorted her away, she shouted accusations that others were politicising the tragedy and demanded Israeli flags be taken down.

The protester, who was wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, was heckled by hundreds in the crowd, with chants of ‘get her out.’

PM flags tougher gun laws

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has proposed stricter gun ownership laws in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre.

They include a stricter limit on the number of guns people could own and introduce periodic licence reviews.

State and territory leaders will discuss the proposal at an emergency national cabinet meeting later on Monday.

‘That is one of the reasons why I’m convening the national cabinet today as a matter of urgency,” Albanese said.

‘We want to make sure, though, that there’s greater uniformity on these issues.

‘If there’s more that can be done, we will do it. We will do whatever is necessary.’

Former cop identified as the latest victim

A retired police officer turned photographer has been identified as the eighth victim of the Bondi Beach massacre.

Randwick Rugby Club first grade team manager Peter Meagher had been on assignment taking photos at Bondi, where he was among the 15 innocent lives lost.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the rugby community and Randwick club, where he had been the first grade manager for the last seven years.

He was also the grandson of Wallabies Hall of Fame member Wally Meagher.

‘Marzo’ as he was universally known, was a much loved figure and absolute legend in our club, with decades of voluntary involvement, he was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby,’ a club statement read.

‘For much of the last decade Marzo has been our trusted first grade manager and this news has already hit our players, coaches, managers, volunteers and supporters extremely hard.

‘Prior to that he was also a highly respected long term referee who was well known and respected in Sydney rugby circles.’

Mr Meagher is the eighth victim to be identified. The youngest was 10-year-old Matilda.

Other victims were British-born Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, French national Dan Elkayam, 27, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, beloved husband and father Tibor Weitzen and Welling street synagogue assistant Reuven Morrison.

Heartbreaking tributes for schoolgirl Matilda

The grieving family of the youngest Bondi shooting victim have shared a heartbreaking tribute.

Matilda, 10, was rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital but died overnight after losing too much blood.

New photos have emerged of a beaming Matilda on family outings, including a trip to Sydney Zoo.

‘Matilda was very friendly, she loves school, has a lot of friends,’ her aunt Lina told the ABC.

‘She’s just a happy kid, always gives me cuddles.’

Matilda’s younger sister escaped uninjured but is struggling with the loss.

‘She’s in absolute shock and stress, she’s missing her sister badly, she was lucky she didn’t get any injuries, but her mental state now,’ her aunt added.

‘Imagine you see your beautiful little sister that you love just being killed in front of you.

‘They were like twins, they’ve never been separated.’

An online fundraiser set up to support Matilda’s mother has raised almost $90,000 within a few hours.

Update on injured victims

NSW Health has issued an update on the injured Bondi Beach shooting victims who remain in hospital.

Of the 27 patients, 12 remain in a critical condition as of 1pm Monday.

They include six patients at St Vincent’s Hospital, five at Royal Prince Alfred, and one at St George.

Another 15 patients are in stable conditions across Sydney, including the Sydney Eye Hospital, Prince of Wales, Royal Prince Alfred, Liverpool and Sydney Children’s Hospital.

‘NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to the families, friends and loved ones of those who died and were injured at Bondi Beach,’ a spokesperson said.

‘Patients continue to be discharged or transferred to other hospitals when required.

‘Some patients have also self-presented at hospitals for care.’

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull pays his respects

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy have visited the tragic scene of the Bondi Beach shooting to lay flowers and pay their respects to the innocent lives lost.

‘I think the response of the Premier and the Prime Minister, you know, and the police commissioner have been appropriate, and they’ve sought to bring the community together,’ Turnbull said.

‘When we’re confronted with this sort of hatred which is designed, you know, murder, designed to create division and, and shatter our resolve and divide our community, we have to respond with love and solidarity above all with love.’

Turnbull was the local federal Wentworth MP for 14 years.

‘I’ve spent my whole life in and around Bondi,’ he told Channel Seven.

‘It’s impossible to believe that this could have happened here.’

As debate about Australia’s gun ownership laws is reignited, he says the most important is not let the terrorists win.

‘What they’re seeking to do is divide us, make us angry and to split us,’ Turnbull said.

‘We are the most successful multicultural society in the world.

‘What we have to do is remember that, we’ve got to put our arms around the Jewish community, show them our love and our solidarity, and not let the terrorists win.

‘This terrible crime is something we must grieve.’

Second rabbi and 10-year-old girl who were killed identified

Sussan Ley offers bipartisan support to the PM

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Sunday night extended the Coalition’s full support to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the wake of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

‘I offered the Coalition’s assurance of support for state and federal agencies in the immediate aftermath of the massacre,’ she told reporters on Monday.

‘In that conversation, I sought an assurance from the Prime Minister that I would receive the necessary security briefings from our agencies and police, and I was told that would happen today.’

She described the terrorist attack on the Jewish community, and on all Australians, as ‘a day burned in the nation’s soul’ and the nation’s darkest day since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Ley refused to be drawn on whether gun control laws should be tightened.

‘There are families waiting by the bedsides of their loved ones across hospitals in Sydney,’ she said.

‘My heart breaks for all of them and, with that in mind, this is not a subject I’m going to discuss today.’

Emotional scenes at Bondi Beach

There were emotional scenes at Bondi Beach hours after Australia’s second deadliest mass shooting.

Hundreds flocked to the world-famous beach on Monday morning to pay their respects and lay flowers for the 15 innocent lives lost.

Many mourners appeared visibly upset and fought back tears as they comforted one another.

Others draped Australian and Israeli flags outside the gates of Bondi Pavilion.

Local federal Wentworth MP Allegra Spender also visited the scene, where she called for the end of anti-Semitism in Australia and for people to ‘come together as a country’.

‘This is an attack on the entire country,’ the Teal MP said.

‘In this country we don’t care about people’s faith, ethnicity or sexuality.

‘People are completely devastated and I’m urging everyone to reach out, person to person, to the Jewish community.’

Man pictured inside cop car during police raid

A man stared at police, reporters, and dozens of neighbours as he was driven away from the Bondi Beach shooter’s house in the back of a paddy wagon.

Police swarmed the Bonnyrigg property in Sydney’s south-west on Sunday night after one of the alleged gunmen Naveed Akram, 24, was taken into custody at the scene of the massacre in the city’s eastern suburbs.

A crowd of up to 30 people surrounded Naveed’s Bonnyrigg home on Sunday night as teams of police descended on the property as part of sweeping raids.

As neighbours came out of their houses in droves, officers pushed the boundaries of the crime scene back by an additional street to steer members of the public away.

While detectives remained inside the home, a man was seen being taken away from the crime scene in the back of a police vehicle.

Daily Mail understands the man was not arrested but is assisting police with the investigation.

Huge response to call for blood donations

Red Cross Lifeblood donation centres across Sydney have been inundated following an urgent appeal from NSW Premier Chris Minns in the wake of the Bondi shooting.

‘If you’re looking for something practical to do, you could give blood,’ he said on Monday.

‘We saw extraordinary scenes from NSW hospitals last night. Emergency departments, at the drop of a hat, were in the process of saving scores of lives.

‘They did an incredible job but they need your help.

‘They need blood and if you’re thinking about doing an act of public service in the coming 24 hours, I urge you to contact the Red Cross and do that piece of public-mindedness, that piece of public spiritedness.’

Queues are running out the door at some centres, including Sydney’s Town Hall.

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Police commissioner hints alleged Bondi Beach terrorist may SURVIVE after being shot during capture – as police give major update

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One of the alleged shooters – 24-year-old Naveed Akram – suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard. NSW Police has now given an update on Akram’s condition

Police walk on a street after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Police have issued an update on the condition of the surviving suspected gunman in the Bondy Beach shooting case.

About 6.40pm on Sunday 14 December 2025, emergency services were called to Bondi Beach, following reports of a public place shooting. Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command, surrounding commands and specialist police immediately responded and located two men using guns to fire into crowds of people.

Multiple officers exchanged fire with the two men with two officers – a constable and probationary constable – suffering gunshot wounds. During the incident one shooter – a 50-year-old man – was shot by police and died at the scene.

New South Wales police force commissioner Mal Lanyon speaks to the press(Image: France 24 English)

The other shooter – 24-year-old Naveed Akram – suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has now given an update on Akram’s condition.

Lanyon says the police investigation is ongoing, and that he will only provide limited updates on it.

In a press conference following the horrific events of Sunday, December 14 that left 16 dead, Lanyon said: “What is really important is to say we do have a 24-year-old male in hospital at the moment. Based on his medical condition, it’s likely that person may face criminal charges. I’m very mindful of not prejudicing any prosecution of that person put before the court. Very happy to take questions later on.”

Premier Chris Minns commented at the press conference that gun laws will need to change in the wake of this tragedy. “I think it’s time we have a change to the law in relation to the firearms legislation in New South Wales,” Minns said.

Belongings of members of the Jewish community are seen at the scene of the shooting (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

“But I’m not ready to announce it today. We want to make sure that prospective reform and change in New South Wales has a lasting impact. You can expect action soon.” The Premier explained he is considering recalling parliament to fast-track new gun-legislation.

Multiple investigations are underway following the shooting. These investigations include a joint counterterrorism investigation to be led by the police counterterrorism command and a critical incident investigation.

Police presence in Bondi remains large after the attack, with over 320 officers being deployed and off-duty officers driving to Bondi to support fellow forces.

Follow our live blog for the latest Bondi Beach updates by clicking here.

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Pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of national security offences in Hong Kong.

The media tycoon and British citizen, 78, was arrested in August 2020 after China imposed a national security law following massive anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

Sky News’ Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith, who is at West Kowloon Law Courts Building, said Mr Lai looked “drawn and thin” as he listened to the verdict being delivered.

He had previously been sentenced for several lesser offences during his five years in prison.

Mr Lai, who founded the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, as well as one count of conspiracy to distribute seditious publications.

He has been found guilty of all three charges and could be sentenced later to life in prison.

Image:
Jimmy Lai’s wife Teresa arriving at West Kowloon Law Courts Building. Pic: AP

His trial, heard by three judges approved by the government without a jury present, has been closely monitored by the UK, the US, the European Union and political observers as a barometer of media freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Responding to the verdict, the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation’s UK and Europe director Mark Sabah said in a statement: “This verdict should surprise absolutely no one. The trial against Jimmy Lai has been a show trial masquerading as justice. But what’s actually been on display is the complete and total destruction of Hong Kong’s reputation as a global legal centre.

Image:
People wait to enter the building ahead of the verdict. Pic: AP

“Jimmy Lai is a British citizen. But instead of demanding the release of one of its own, the British government’s response has been years of timid action and kowtowing to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). By abandoning one of its citizens, the British government has sent a clear and shameful message: trade access to the CCP matters more than the rule of law, press freedom, or the safety of British nationals abroad.”

He added: “We now wait for whatever sentence the Hong Kong authorities and the CCP conjure up to bring this five-year charade to an end. But make no mistake, the fight for freedom and justice will go on, not just for Jimmy Lai but for all political prisoners in Hong Kong.”

The UK government has not yet commented on the verdict.

Solitary confinement

Mr Lai has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement. His family say his health has worsened as a result and that he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and heart palpitations.

In August, Mr Lai’s son, Sebastien, told Sky News that unless the British government (of which Mr Lai is a citizen) intervenes, his father “is most likely going to die in jail”.

Image:
Lai arriving at court in 2020. Pic: AP

Sebastien said his father’s death would not just be a personal tragedy, but a huge problem for both the Hong Kong authorities and Beijing’s government.

“You can’t tell the world you have the rule of law, the free press and all these values that are instrumental to a financial centre and still have my father in jail,” he told Sky News.

“And if he dies, that’s it, that’s a comma on Hong Kong as a financial centre.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A 1,000-strong “dark fleet” of rogue oil tankers skirting sanctions has emerged as a new target for the U.S. and Ukraine, a senior maritime intelligence analyst claims.

Michelle Wiese Bockmann warned the aging fleet poses geopolitical risks and threats of $1 billion oil spills, with the recent U.S. seizures in Venezuela and Ukrainian drone strikes in the Black Sea marking a turning point for both nations in their efforts.

“There are about 1,000 vessels worldwide that are trading sanctioned crude tankers containing sanctioned Iranian, Venezuelan and Russian oil,” Bockmann told Fox News Digital.

“These vessels are a lifeline for these regimes, because they’re used for shipping oil to fund the war in Ukraine, and also give money to the illicit Maduro regime,” she added.

IRAN BACKS MADURO TO KEEP LATIN AMERICA FOOTHOLD AS TRUMP INCREASES PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA

U.S. seized the Skipper, a Venezuelan oil tanker.  ( Planet Labs PBC/Reuters)

“This is a brand-new problem for the U.S., and now Ukraine has signaled they are going to target these vessels the same way,” she said. “There is a new strategy to deal with this dark fleet, which is the lifeline of sanctioned oil revenues, and now under attack by the U.S. and Ukraine. The strategy is all to counter what we call gray-zone aggression.”

US ESCALATION WITH MADURO HALTS DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO VENEZUELA

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned about the U.S. seizing an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. (Planet Labs PBC/Handout via Reuters )

Recent Ukrainian naval drone strikes have disabled several tankers in the Black Sea, including the Dashan, part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet that Ukraine says helps Moscow export oil in defiance of sanctions, according to Reuters.

“It is dangerous and could be interpreted as a form of gray-zone aggression in order to continue to keep oil revenue flowing,” Bockmann said.

“This is all a billion-dollar oil spill catastrophe waiting to happen,” she added, pointing to the environmental and navigational risks posed by poorly maintained, uninsured ships.

VENEZUELA MOBILIZES TROOPS, WEAPONS IN RESPONSE TO US WARSHIP BUILDUP IN CARIBBEAN

Footage of the Dashan tanker, purportedly part of the Russian shadow fleet hit by Ukraine. (Security Service Official/Handout via Reuters)

She said a subset of “about 350 to 400 vessels at any one time are not only sanctioned but falsely flying flags, which is dangerous,” because false registration leaves vessels stateless and uninsured, putting crews at risk.

“This is a huge issue for maritime safety, it’s a menace to the environment, and it entails crew welfare,” Bockmann said.

These vessels, she said, are typically “elderly” and used solely for sanctioned oil trades. Many also “manipulate AIS” to show they are in one place when they are actually elsewhere.

TRUMP SENDS WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL WARSHIP TO LATIN AMERICA — HISTORIC ECHOES OF REGIME CHANGE

Dashan, a tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet, transits the Bosphorus en route to the Black Sea in Istanbul. (Yoruk Isik/Reuters)

“They use false flagging, but also spoofing and manipulating its AIS to show it’s in one place when it’s not. These vessels have also gone to fraudulent registries that don’t exist, which means they have no insurance,” she said. “Their certificates of seaworthiness are invalid, and they have relied on international maritime conventions to have what’s called the ‘right of innocent passage’ so they can’t get intercepted.”

Bockmann said U.S. forces have used legal tools including Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which allows boarding of stateless vessels, to stop these ships.

“It’s my belief that they used Article 110, and they got on board that vessel, and they were absolutely entitled to remove that vessel from global trade,” she said.

VENEZUELA ACCUSES US OF ‘PIRACY’ AFTER SEIZING MASSIVE OIL TANKER

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a roundtable meeting on Antifa with President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room at the White House, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Evan Vucci/AP)

In the Caribbean, U.S. forces recently seized the tanker Skipper, sanctioned in 2022 and found to be masking its location, under a federal warrant as part of a broader campaign to disrupt illicit oil shipping.

“The recent Venezuelan tanker was carrying 1.8 million barrels of oil uninsured, so that’s a billion-dollar maritime disaster waiting to happen,” Bockmann said.

As reported by Fox News Digital, Dec. 12 saw Attorney General Pam Bondi frame the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan crude tanker as a sanctions-enforcement action rooted in a federal court warrant.

Meanwhile, in the Black Sea, Ukraine targeted multiple alleged “shadow fleet” tankers with sea drones, according to Reuters.

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“The three tankers that have been targeted by Ukraine are all in ballast, which means that they weren’t carrying oil,” Bockmann said.

“That was carefully chosen, and they were also falsely flagged, just like in the recent case of the three tankers attacked in Ukraine. That flag was Gambia. In the U.S. case of Skipper, the flag was Guyana,” Bockmann said.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture. 

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NEED TO KNOW

• Two people, a man and a woman, were found dead at Rob Reiner’s Los Angeles mansion on Dec. 14
• The man is approximately 78 years old, and the woman is believed to be 68 years old, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) confirms to PEOPLE, but their identities have not yet been shared publicly
• TMZ confirmed that the home belongs to Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, and neighbors also confirmed homeownership to NBC Los Angeles

Two people were found dead at Rob Reiner’s Los Angeles mansion.

On Sunday, Dec. 14, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was called to the home at around 3:30 p.m. local time to provide medical aid, and upon arrival, they found a man and a woman dead, the LAFD confirms to PEOPLE.

The man is approximately 78 years old, and the woman is believed to be 68 years old, per the LAFD, but their identities have not yet been shared publicly.

TMZ confirmed that the home belongs to Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, and neighbors also confirmed homeownership to NBC Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded shortly after the LAFD arrived, and authorities have opened an investigation into the deaths, per TMZ.

The LAPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Dec. 14, nor did a representative for Reiner.

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Rob Reiner (left) and Michele Singer Reiner (right) in July 2018.

 Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

This is a developing story.

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Matilda Poltavchenko, just 10 years old, was named as the youngest of the Bondi shooting victims known to date. Heartbroken relatives described her as a “bright, joyful and spirited” child

Matilda Poltavchenko, 10, was shot while taking part in the Hanukkah gathering

A child killed in the Bondi Beach shooting yesterday has been identified and remembered by loved ones as a “bright, joyful and spirited child”.

At least 16 people, including one gunman, are dead and 40 others remain in hospital with injuries following a mass shooting on Australia’s Bondi Beach. Gunmen opened fire at a Jewish festival on the beach with a much-loved British Rabbi and a 10-year-old girl, caught up in the horrific terror attack.

Police have declared the attack a “terrorist incident” and confirmed that a 50-year-old gunman is also dead. Officers also discovered “several” explosive devices at the beach, believed to be linked to the dead gunman. A second attacker, identified by a senior law enforcement official as Naveed Akram, has been injured and is in police custody. Police said the attackers were father and son.

Matilda Poltavchenko, 10, was shot while taking part in the Hanukkah gathering

The identities of the victims tragically killed in the terror incident are starting to be shared hours after the fatal attack. One of the latest to be identified is a 10-year-old girl who was on the beach celebrating Hanukkah.

Matilda Poltavchenko, just 10 years old, was named as the youngest of the victims known to date. Heartbroken relatives described her as a “bright, joyful and spirited” child. She was shot while taking part in the Hanukkah gathering.

Her aunt Lina confirmed the devastating news on social media, writing: “Yesterday my beloved niece Matilda was killed during a terrorist attack in Bondi Beach. I don’t know how we survive such grief,” according to MailOnline.

Emergency services at the scene(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

A GoFundMe page set up to support Matilda’s mother, Valentina Poltavchenko, had raised more than $10,000 by Monday morning.

The fundraiser was organised by Matilda’s language teacher, Irina Goodhew, who said: “I knew her as a bright, joyful and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her. While celebrating Hanukkah, her young life was tragically taken. Her memory will live on in our hearts.

“Mailda’s mother, Valentina Poltavchenko, is the beneficiary of this fundraiser. All donations will be transferred directly to her to support the family during this incredibly difficult time. Donations are made in loving memory of Mailda.”

You can donate to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.

Follow our live blog for the latest Bondi Beach updates by clicking here.

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Earlier this month Jimmy Lai’s children voiced new alarm over the incarcerated tycoon’s health, describing his dramatic weight loss, teeth rotting and nails falling off.

The report quoted them saying that Lai – was is 78 and has diabetes – had been kept in solitary confinement without air conditioning in a jail where summer temperatures rise to 44C (111F).

“He has lost a very significant amount of weight, visibly, and he is a lot weaker than he was before,” said his daughter Claire Lai, who left Hong Kong after seeing her father several months ago.

His nails turn almost purple, grey and greenish before they fall off, and his teeth are getting rotten.

You can read that story here:

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Updated at 02.21 CET

Our correspondent Helen Davidson has posted video footage on Bluesky of scenes outside the West Kowloon law courts ahead of the verdicts being handed down on Jimmy Lai.

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Updated at 02.09 CET

Helen Davidson

As has become usual with these national security cases, there is a large police presence outside the West Kowloon district court.

It’s about two hours from the verdict hearing beginning, and there are officers in plain clothes and uniform everywhere, as well as a massive press pack. Smaller than I have seen before, however, is the queue for the general public.

The day Lai gave testimony, and big days for other cases like that of the Hong Kong 47, have drawn hundreds of people wanting to attend. But today there is perhaps fewer than 100. At least half of them were here last night, when I came by around 10pm.

Police stand guard outside the West Kowloon courts on Monday ahead of the Jimmy Lai verdict. Photograph: Leung Man Hei/AFP/Getty Images

Some passers-by alleged those people were paid by pro-Beijing groups to sit in the queue and reserve seats that might otherwise be taken by supporters of the defendants, or foreign diplomatic observers. I tried to ask them why they were here, but they all refused to speak to me, and hid behind umbrellas or blankets.

One man, Simon, said he wanted to “give some support to Jimmy Lai and his wife”.

“I believe this will be a bad result,” he said.

They want to put him in prison.

Simon didn’t stay overnight but was back again around 6am this morning. He and a friend are holding bright red apples, to represent the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper that Lai founded and which stands as his co-accused.

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Updated at 01.47 CET

It’s now 8.35am in Hong Kong and its high court is set to begin delivering its verdict on the national security charges against Jimmy Lai at 10am (2am GMT).

The three judges delivering the ruling are Esther Toh, Alex Lee and Susana D’Almada Remedios.

If Lai is found guilty, the incarcerated media tycoon will probably be sentenced at a later date and can appeal against the verdict.

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Updated at 01.46 CET

Opening

Welcome to our live coverage of the final stages of the trial of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media mogul and pro-democracy activist. Today, we are expecting a verdict on national security charges following a trial that has stretched for more than two years.

The 78-year-old has been in jail since late 2020, on remand and serving several protest-related sentences totalling almost 10 years. He may face a life sentence if found guilty.

Lai had been charged with one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications and two counts of conspiracy to foreign collusion, charges brought under the city’s punitive national security law, introduced in 2020, and a British colonial-era sedition law that has seen renewed use in recent years by authorities.

Lai countered that he had never tried to influence other countries’ foreign policies on Hong Kong and China through his overseas contacts.

He also distanced himself from violence and separatism, saying that Apple Daily represented Hongkongers’ core values such as “rule of law, freedom, pursuit of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly”.

We will bring you today’s developments as they happen.

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Updated at 01.51 CET

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