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.

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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.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

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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Far-right Republican Party candidate Jose Antonio Kast has won Chile’s presidential runoff election, results showed with most of the votes counted.

Contender Jeannette Jara, a member of the Communist Party and former labor minister, conceded defeat to her hard-right rival and said that “democracy spoke loud and clear.” She went on to say in a post on X that she had spoken to Kast to wish him well. 

Kast wins more than 58% of the vote

With more than 95% of ballots counted, Kast garnered 58% of the vote, while Jara managed 41%, a clear indication she was on course to lose.

Leading up to the vote, opinion polls showed Kast leading Jara by a wide margin, with some indicating a lead of more than 10 percentage points.

Kast’s campaign spokesman, Arturo Squella, declared victory from the party headquarters in the capital of Santiago.

“We are very proud of the work we’ve done,” he told reporters. “We feel very responsible for this tremendous challenge of taking charge of the crises that Chile is going through.”

For the first time in over a decade, voting has been made compulsory, with around 15.8 million people eligible to cast ballots. Initial results are expected in the early hours of Monday and the election winner will take office in March 2026.

Kast is a right-wing populist, while Jara represents the Communist PartyImage: Lucas Aguayo Araos/Anadolu/picture alliance

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Kast on his election win in a post on X.

“Congratulations to Chilean President-Elec @JoseAntonioKast on his victory. The United States looks forward to partnering with his administration to strengthen regional security and revitalize our trade relationship,” Rubio said. 

What are the most pressing issues for Chilean voters?

Sunday’s vote marked Kast’s third bid for the presidency, with the 59-year-old having campaigned on a tough-on-crime and anti-migrant platform.

He pledged to seek unity in what he described as a highly polarized country, saying the winner “will have to be the president of all Chileans.” 

Once viewed as one of the safest and most prosperous countries in Latin America, Chile has been disrupted in recent years by the Covid-19 pandemic, violent social protests and an increase in organized crime.

Polls show more than 60% of Chileans consider security the country’s most pressing issue, more so than concerns over the economy, healthcare or education.

Although Chile remains one of the safest countries in Latin America, there has been a rise in crime in certain areas over the past decade, with authorities laying the blame on gangs linked to Venezuela, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.

Chile leftists advance to December’s presidential runoff

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What has Kast said about immigration? 

Migration featured equally prominently throughout campaigning, with migrants now accounting for roughly 10% of Chile’s population.

Many have arrived fleeing violence and poverty elsewhere in South America, particularly from Venezuela.

Kast has pledged to secure Chile’s borders and deport any migrants who do not hold legal status, while building new prisons.

He opposes abortion without exception and has voiced support for former military ruler Augusto Pinochet, who governed Chile from 1973 to 1990.

Some critics have said they worry Kast’s positions could signal a return to authoritarian practices.

He is seen by some voters as similar to Pinochet, who left power after losing a 1990 referendum following 17 years of dictatorship marked by killings, disappearances and widespread torture.

Jara won the first round of the presidential election [FILE: December 10, 2025]Image: Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo/picture alliance

Leftist challenger had led first round

Meanwhile, Jara had led the first round of voting held on November 16, when she won nearly 27% of the vote.

Kast finished second with 24%, but since last month’s vote has consolidated support from other right-wing candidates.

Jara’s candidacy has been tied to the unpopular government of outgoing President Gabriel Boric, whose own four-year term has struggled as many of his efforts to reform the Pinochet-era constitution proved unsuccessful.

Boric, who is constitutionally barred from re-election, cast his vote in Punta Arenas, calling democracy “the best instrument” for resolving differences among Chileans.

Edited by: Karl Sexton

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The rescue operation to extract Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and transport her to Norway in time to accept her Nobel Peace Prize involved a complex series of complications and various components in land, sea and air.   

The mission, dubbed Operation Golden Dynamite, was spearheaded by Bryan Stern, a U.S. special forces veteran and founder of the Tampa-based Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, which specializes in high-risk rescue missions and evacuations, notably from conflict and disaster zones.

Getting her out of Venezuela, where she is considered a fugitive by President Nicolás Maduro, involved disguises, deception, navigating choppy seas and arranging flight options.

“She’s perceived by the Maduro regime the way we perceived Osama bin Laden, like that,” Stern told Fox News. “That level of manhunt if you will.”

US COVERT TEAM LEADER DESCRIBES ‘DANGEROUS’ MISSION TO RESCUE VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gestures at a protest ahead of the Friday inauguration of President Nicolás Maduro for his third term, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 9, 2025.  (Maxwell Briceno/Reuters)

Machado has been hiding out in Venezuela since Maduro won a highly disputed election last year and had not been seen in public in months. 

Stern emphasized that the U.S. government was not involved in the operation. 

His team had been building up a presence in the Caribbean, Venezuela and the neighboring island of Aruba in preparation for operations in the South American region.

The biggest challenge, Stern said, was getting Machado out of the country despite her being a well-known figure there. In order to move her from her house to a “beach landing site,” his team reportedly did “all kinds of things designed to create a little bit of confusion.”

“Anything that we could have possibly think of that we thought could hide her face… was employed.” Stern said. “Anything we could think of, her digital signature, her physical signature. On top of that, we did some deception operations on the ground. We made some noise in some places designed to get people to think something was happening that wasn’t.”

VENEZUELAN DISSIDENT MACHADO CREDITS TRUMP FOR ADVANCING FREEDOM MOVEMENT, DEDICATES NOBEL TO HIM

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro brandishes a sword said to have belonged to independence hero Simon Bolivar during a civic-military event at the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.  (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

The maritime operation started off rough, Stern recounted. Of the two boats deployed for the mission, the vessel that physically extracted Machado reportedly lost its GPS in the turbulent seas and suffered a mechanical hiccup that delayed the operation. The team was forced to continue into the “dead of night” in “pitch-black darkness,” navigating seas so violent that one of Stern’s seasoned operators reportedly vomited for nine hours straight.

Reaching the rendezvous point added another layer of difficulty. Stern’s boat and Machado’s vessel had to find each other in pitch-black seas while maintaining radio silence to avoid detection, ultimately locating one another by flashlight.

Stern said he had to remain cautious, fearing that the approaching boat could have been a trap set by Venezuelan forces. To confirm it was safe to proceed, his larger vessel circled Machado’s boat and shined lights on the crew. 

After Stern physically pulled Machado onto his boat, he then alerted the rest of the team that Machado was secured: “Jackpot, jackpot, jackpot.”

“Now we are on the run with Maria Corina Machado, the most wanted woman in the Western Hemisphere, on my boat,” he said.

“I have the most wanted person in the Western hemisphere that I’m trying to move around,” Stern said. “Personally, she’s a hero of mine. She’s a hero of mine. I’ve been tracking her for years.”

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY AT ‘THRESHOLD OF FREEDOM’ AS NEW MANIFESTO ENVISIONS REGIME CHANGE

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado waves at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, early Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Once in international waters, the new concern was avoiding any appearance that they had kidnapped a Venezuelan, which would have given the government any justification to attack.

“They lie. They could have killed us for any reason,” Stern said. “We’re in the middle of the d— ocean and there’s no one around to see the truth… we are scared, we are nervous, we’re on the run and we floor it getting to the rendezvous.”

Stern ordered his boat captain to drive full throttle and not stop for anything, fearing pursuit by the Venezuelan regime.

“My boat guy, I told him I don’t care, I don’t care who comes,” Stern said. “You don’t stop. You do not stop. I don’t care, I don’t care who. You do not stop at all. Let them chase us if they have to. We have got to get to land.”

At some point during the escape, two F-18 fighter jets reportedly flew overhead. Stern described the moment as a potential complication, since they could not determine whether the jets were hostile or friendly, though he noted it was likely not part of a Navy coordination.

“There’s an aircraft carrier in the Caribbean throwing airplanes off every twenty minutes. I don’t know,” Stern said. “I can tell you that nobody in the Navy said, ‘Don’t worry, brother, we sent two F-18s to cover you.'”

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The maritime team successfully delivered Machado to safety. Stern said his team had also prepared for a possible air extraction, but that plan was abandoned after a last-minute change on Machado’s side. Instead, the final flight to Norway was arranged by her personal network using a friend’s private jet, culminating in her safe arrival.

While Grey Bull Rescue has conducted operations in high-threat environments such as Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Haiti, Stern said the extraction of Machado was uniquely challenging, describing it as “overwhelmingly” the most complicated mission in the organization’s 800-mission history.

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Ultra-conservative José Antonio Kast has secured a decisive victory in Chile’s presidential runoff election, paving the way for the nation’s most right-wing government in 35 years of democratic rule. With over 95 percent of votes tallied, Kast garnered more than 58 percent, triumphing over his leftist rival.

His opponent, communist candidate Jeannette Jara, who served as President Gabriel Boric’s popular labor minister, secured just over 41 percent.

Kast’s campaign resonated with voters through pledges to tackle rising crime, deport hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants and revitalize the economy of one of Latin America’s most stable and prosperous countries.

Following the results, Jara conceded defeat, stating on social media: “Democracy spoke loud and clear,” and confirmed she had called Kast to congratulate him on his successful campaign.

On the surface, the two candidates in this tense presidential runoff could not have been more different, fundamentally disagreeing on weighty matters of the economy, social issues and the very purpose of government. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Kast’s supporters erupted into cheers in the street, shouting his name and honking car horns.

His campaign spokesman, Arturo Squella, declared victory from the party headquarters in Chile’s capital of Santiago.

“We are very proud of the work we’ve done,” he told reporters. “We feel very responsible for this tremendous challenge of taking charge of the crises that Chile is going through.”

Kast’s election represents the latest in a string of votes that have turfed out incumbent governments across Latin America, vaulting mainly right-wing leaders to power from Argentina to Bolivia.

On the surface, the two candidates in this tense presidential runoff could not have been more different, fundamentally disagreeing on weighty matters of the economy, social issues and the very purpose of government.

A lifelong member of Chile’s Communist Party who pioneered significant social welfare measures in Boric’s government and hails from a working-class family that protested against the 1973-1990 military dictatorship, Jara was a dramatic foil to her rival.

Kast, in contrast, is a devout Catholic and father of nine whose German-born father was a registered member of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party and whose brother served in the dictatorship. He had previously struggled to win over moderate voters in two failed presidential bids.

His moral conservatism, including fierce opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion without exception, had been rejected by many in the increasingly socially liberal country. The admiration he has expressed for the bloody military dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet also sparked widespread condemnation in his campaign against President Boric four years ago.

But in the past few years, fears about uncontrolled migration and organized crime have roiled the country. Enthusiasm for a hardline approach to crime spread, dominating the election and boosting Kast’s law-and-order platform.

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