WORLD NEWS
Masked suspect is seen fleeing Brown University as students remain in lockdown after rampage that left two dead
A masked gunman sparked chaos on the Brown University campus on Saturday evening after opening fire on a classroom of students preparing for a final exam, killing two people and injuring at least nine others.
The horror shooting triggered an urgent manhunt that plunged the Providence, Rhode Island community into lockdown overnight, as terrified students were made to shelter in place for hours.
Over 400 armed law enforcement agents including the FBI and ATF were deployed to the ongoing search, with authorities stressing that ‘every minute counts’ in tracking down the at-large killer.
The shooting unfolded inside the campus’ engineering building at 4:22pm local time, and hours later surveillance footage was released showing the suspect fleeing the scene after unleashing a barrage of bullets on students.
The footage did not reveal the shooter’s face, but showed the stocky suspect fully outfitted in dark clothing and what appeared to be a bomber jacket with black boots, a beanie and gloves.
At a press conference Saturday evening, officials said they believe the gunman was in his 30s, and may have been wearing a dark camouflage mask during the horrific episode.
The identities of the victims have not yet been released, however Brown University President Christina Paxson said all of the victims were students at the university. Six survivors are in stable condition, one in critical condition, and one sustained minor injuries.
During the chaotic aftermath of the shooting, officials released conflicting reports that a suspect had been arrested and a secondary attack occurred blocks away – sparking confusion before both reports were later walked back by authorities.
A gunman, seen on surveillance footage moments after opening fire, plunged Brown University into chaos on Saturday after shooting students preparing for final exams, killing two and injuring nine others
Over 400 armed law enforcement agents including the FBI and ATF were deployed to an ongoing manhunt for the killer
Students seen sheltering in place as the Providence, Rhode Island college was sent into lockdown for hours on Saturday evening following the horror shooting spree
The first reports of shots fired were issued at 4:22pm local time inside the Barus and Holley Engineering Building, where students had gathered to prepare for final exams.
Police arrived minutes later and a huge law enforcement response descended on the scene, but by the time officers swept the building the suspect had escaped onto the adjacent Hope Street.
It was during this getaway that investigators captured the chilling surveillance footage showing the suspect walking briskly away from the carnage left behind.
Chaos overwhelmed the campus as students barricaded doors and desperately texted loved ones, with the campus issuing an emergency alert warning anyone in the area to ‘RUN, HIDE, FIGHT’ if they encounter the killer.
Social media was swept with images from terrified students and faculty, showing desks, chairs and possessions pushed up against doors.
Timothy O’Hara, the deputy Providence police chief, issued a desperate plea for answers from the public as cops released the footage, which did not show the suspect’s face and offered little detail on his identity.
‘If anybody should recognize this person in any way – seen him earlier, recognize his gait – obviously, we want to know about that,’ O’Hara said at a press conference.
A strict police perimeter was maintained across an area of several miles throughout Saturday night, and anyone in the area was urged to shelter in place while the killer remained at large.
Hours after the shooting took place, terrified students remained in lockdown as images surfaced on social media showing barricaded doors while the gunman remained on the loose
Students were told to ‘RUN, HIDE AND FIGHT’ as the active shooter alerts were issued at 4:22pm local time
Law enforcement officials seen on the Brown University campus on Saturday evening
Over 400 heavily armed law enforcement agents were deployed to the ongoing manhunt
Providence mayor Brett Smiley urged anyone with information to contact authorities, as he told reporters: ‘Every minute matters. We know every minute matters.’
Investigators have not yet recovered any weapons used in the shooting, however O’Hara said at the press conference that investigators had recovered key forensic evidence in shell casings from the scene.
A source told the Associated Press investigators believe a handgun was used by the gunman, who fired a barrage of bullets inside a single classroom during the massacre.
The shooting spree unfolded as the campus was in the midst of final exams, and Smiley said the gunman ‘walked right into’ the building because doors were left unlocked for students taking the tests.
Soon after the shooting, horrific witness accounts surfaced from students and faculty swept up in the agonizing scenes.
Law enforcement officers seen escorting students near the Barus & Holley engineering building where the gunman opened fire Saturday
A huge law enforcement presence remained at the campus through Saturday night, as officials appealed to the public for help in in tracking down the at-large gunman
Brown University student Wayne McNamara said he saw two people bleeding outside his dorm room, around a block from where the shooting was reported.
‘People started running and I sprinted downstairs and back outside, took my clothes off and tried my best to stop the bleeding on the two kids by wrapping my clothes around their wounds,’ he told the Boston Globe.
McNamara said one of the people shot was ‘bleeding severely,’ while the other was ‘panting and [was] shot around his shoulder.’
Sophomore Zoe Weissman, who survived the Parkland school shooting in February 2018, described her horror at being plunged back into the chaos of a shooting.
‘I think mentally, you know, I feel like I’m 12 again. This just feels exactly like how I felt in 2018,’ she said while speaking on MS NOW. ‘But honestly, I’m really angry. I’m really angry that this is happening to me all over again, and I’m just in shock.’
Officials urged the public to come forward with any information that could track down the killer
Amid the confusion over a possible suspect in custody during the shooting, President Donald Trump quickly announced that a suspect was in custody soon after university officials did so, before the alert was soon reversed.
‘The Brown University Police reversed their previous statement — The suspect is NOT in custody,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Law enforcement sources told CNN that the conflicting reports were sparked by a ‘confrontation’ with an individual blocks away from the campus, which resulted in gunfire.
The police source said that the connection between the second incident and the suspected shooter was found to be ‘unfounded’, but the ‘confrontation’ was the reason for conflicting reports that a suspect was in custody.
WORLD NEWS
Bondi beach shooting live updates: Australian PM condemns ‘act of evil’ after 11 killed in terror attack
Israeli citizen among those killed, Israeli foreign ministry says
An Israeli citizen was among those killed in the Bondi beach shooting attack, the Israeli foreign ministry has said.
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 14:35
Girl, 12, and rabbi among dead, senior figure in Jewish community tells CNN
A 12-year-old girl and a rabbi are among those killed in the mass shooting at Bondi beach, a senior figure within the Jewish community has told CNN.
Alexander Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told the broadcaster: “I know everyone who was there (at the Hanukkah celebration). That’s an event where I attend with my family every single year,” adding that he only did not this year due to diary conflicts.
Ryvchin told the broadcaster that a rabbi is among the dead, describing him as “one of the kindest and most beautiful human beings I’ve ever known”.
He also told CNN that one of his friends “lost his 12-year-old daughter, who succumbed to her wounds in hospital”.
“We’re a very close knit community, and this event is kind of the gem of our year. It’s something we look forward to every year,” he said.
“The fact that it’s turned into a blood bath, the fact that people plotted, acquired weapons, came there knowing that there would be children there, that there would be elderly people, families, defenseless people, just gathered there in peace, and they slaughtered them in cold blood. This is something that will transform our country.”
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 14:32
‘Jews gathering to celebrate life have yet again been met by death meted out by evil terrorists’
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Jews gathering to celebrate life have yet again been met by death meted out by evil terrorists. We pray for the families of those who have been taken from us in Australia, and for the recovery of those fighting for their lives.
“When people call to ‘globalise the intifada’, this is what they are calling for: dead Jews, terrorism and families shattered forever.
“As the horrific news broke, we were immediately reminded of one atrocity after another, from the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester to the Simchat Torah attack on October 7 in Israel.
“For many Jews, this is increasingly what the world feels like – a place where we are either being vilified, or slaughtered, or sent thoughts and prayers, but never protected.
“The West must stand unequivocally against the evil ideology that wrought this massacre, not just in word but in deed. The guns that today slaughter Jews will tomorrow turn on others.”
Police cordon off an area at Bondi Beach after the shooting (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 14:26
Briton ‘saw people being shot down’ outside his window
A Briton has said he was in his apartment when he heard what he thought were fireworks going off – before seeing people being shot down outside his window.
When he went to his window to see what was going on, Fin Green told the BBC he saw a man “letting shots off” from on top of a white car.
Mr Green told the broadcaster he saw people “running and screaming”, sprinting towards his building to take shelter.
He said he quickly shut his blinds and rushed to hide in his wardrobe.
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 14:09
Eyewitness describes hearing ‘bunch of pops’ while walking to go surfing with friends
An eyewitness has described “a bunch of pops” as he was walking to meet friends to go surfing.
Nico, who is from the US but has lived in Bondi for half a year, told the BBC he then saw people running and his reaction was: “Just run.”
He said the shots “felt really close” and it felt like they were firing for an “eternity”.
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 14:02
Survivor of Hamas’ 7 October attack reportedly among those injured in Bondi beach shooting
A man who survived Hamas’ 7 October attack in Israel is reportedly among those injured in the mass shooting at Bondi beach.
Describing the attack as “a bloodbath, it was an absolute massacre”, he told Australian outlet 9News: “I was here with my family, it was a Hanukkah celebration, there were hundreds of people, there were children, there were elderly, families enjoying themselves.”
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 13:58
Ex-England cricket captain Vaughan ‘took shelter in Bondi restaurant’ during attack
Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has said he was among the people who fled Bondi beach during the mass shooting.
Vaughan, who is in Australia covering the ongoing Ashes series, said in a post on social media: “Being locked in a restaurant in Bondi was scary. Now home safe.
“But thanks so much to the emergency services and the guy who confronted the terrorist.
“Thoughts with all who have been affected.”
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 13:55
US condemns mass shooting at Bondi Beach
The United States “strongly condemns” the attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on Sunday.
“Antisemitism has no place in this world. Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia,” Rubio wrote in a post on X.
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 13:44
Green Party leader says ‘our community is once again mourning’
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, said “our community is once again mourning”.
“I’m on my way to a Chanukah event. It should be a celebration, but instead our community is once again mourning,” he said.
“I will be thinking of everyone in Australia and those around the world in the Jewish Community who know this fear and loss.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, said ‘our community is once again mourning’ (PA)
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 13:42
Watch: Bondi Beach shooting bystander hailed as ‘hero’ after tackling suspect to the ground
Bondi Beach shooting: Bystander hailed as ‘hero’ after tackling suspect to the ground
Tara Cobham14 December 2025 13:10
NEED TO KNOW
- The classic Grinch animated TV special aired in 1966, nearly a decade after the book was released
- Jim Carrey and Benedict Cumberbatch have played the Christmas cynic
- All three versions of the Grinch are available to stream
The holidays mean green Christmas trees and the green “mean one” — the Grinch.
Every December, the Grinch movies are at the top of the list of favorite classic Christmas watches. Inspired by Dr. Seuss’ 1957 book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, all three of the cinematic films bring their own charm to the story.
The first — and shortest — of the three versions was released on the CBS network as a TV special in 1966 titled How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Two more variations followed: The Jim Carrey-led live-action film How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000 and the animated movie The Grinch in 2018.
All of the films follow the Grinch, a bright green cynic, as he sets out on a mission with his dog, Max, to ruin the Christmas season for the citizens of Whoville. Cindy Lou Who, a young Who, believes the Grinch may have some goodness in his heart and helps him learn the true meaning of Christmas.
Taylor Momsen, who starred as Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), told Today in 2020, “I think that people love The Grinch just simply because the core of the story is so sweet and it’s so heartwarming and it has such a good message.”
Here’s everything to know about each film’s take on the iconic narrative and where to watch every Grinch movie this holiday season.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (1966).
Courtesy Everett
The first and shortest feature to bring Dr. Seuss’ book to life came in 1966 and introduced the infamous song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft.
Narrated by Boris Karloff, this version of the Grinch sparked the start of the holiday icon’s popularity.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is available to rent or buy on Google Play, Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home. The film is also streaming on Peacock.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
‘Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (2000).
Universal/courtesy Everett Collection
The live-action version was created 34 years after the 1966 special was introduced. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Carrey as the Grinch, it has a darker feel compared to the original animation, thanks to the grim setting of the Grinch’s cave on Mt. Crumpit and the eerie prosthetics and makeup applied to Carrey, which took around two and a half hours to complete for each day of filming, per Entertainment Weekly.
Momsen was 7 years old when she portrayed Cindy Lou Who, and was one of the few characters who didn’t sport the infamous Who citizen nose in the film. Speaking to Today, she shared, “I was too young to wear the prosthetics, so they wrote a line into the film, ‘She hasn’t even grown into her nose yet,’ so they just put full blush on my nose.”
This rendition also delves deeper into the Grinch’s reasoning for disliking the Christmas season, including his time spent in an orphanage and his negative experiences in elementary school with his fellow Who classmates.
Rent or buy How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Apple TV, Google Play or Fandango at Home. It is also available to stream on Prime Video and Peacock.
The Grinch (2018)
‘The Grinch’ (2018).
Illumination/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Despite being the villain of the feature film, the Grinch is tough to dislike in the 2018 title. The bright and friendly animations bring an overall joyful tone to the movie.
Most notably known for Tyler, The Creator’s version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” the song maintains the familiar sound of Ravenscroft’s original tune but adds a fun twist, synonymous with the film’s lightheartedness and modern animations.
Cumberbatch and Cameron Seely voice the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, while Kenan Thompson’s take on Bricklebaum, an extra cheerful Who, adds a comedic element to the film. Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams and Angela Lansbury also star.
The Grinch is available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and Fandango at Home. It can also be streamed on Peacock.
WORLD NEWS
Special delivery! Postman dressed as Father Christmas hailed after saving homeowner’s door keys from thieves
This is the feel-good moment a Father Christmas-clad postman became a festive hero after spotting a homeowner’s keys still in the front door.
Wholesome Ring doorbell clip captured his local postie going above and beyond, complete with Santa hat, sharp eyes and Yorkshire banter.
Reece Holmes posted the footage online with the caption: ‘He’s the man my local postie,’ after the delivery driver patiently waited at his door rather than walking off, and then spotted something seriously wrong.
Answering the alert on his phone, Reece said: ‘Y’alright pal?’
The postman replied: ‘Ey’up, y’alright mucker? You’ll never guess what? There’s door keys left in the door here.’
Realising his mistake, Reece responded: ‘Oh f****** h***. I’m two minutes away now, so I’ll grab it.’
With Christmas humour in full flow, the postie joked: ‘Alright. Well, can I pop the parcels in and make a cup of tea?’
A laughing Reece replied: ‘Just open the door, chuck it in.’
Wholesome Ring doorbell clip captured his local postie going above and beyond, complete with Santa hat, sharp eyes and Yorkshire banter
The banter continued as the postman asked: ‘What’s in the fridge, like?’ before using the forgotten keys, staring into the Ring camera and declaring: ‘Ey’up, I’m in!’
The banter continued as the postman asked: ‘What’s in the fridge, like?’ before using the forgotten keys, staring into the Ring camera and declaring: ‘Ey’up, I’m in!’
Reece laughed again, relieved he wouldn’t be trekking to the parcel shop days before Christmas, replying simply: ‘Nice one.’
As he headed inside, the postman quipped about wearing his ‘Grinch thong on an’all’, prompting Reece to reply: ‘Oooh, lovely,’ before the postie locked up and said: ‘Sorted!’
He even checked whether to leave the keys in the door, with Reece reassuring him he was ‘literally around the corner’.
The video, reported by YorkshireLive, struck a chord with users online with some taking the time to share their own tales of their encounters with their postmen.
Someone wrote: ‘I give my postman a £50 note every year at Christmas. He’s brilliant and knows all year round to stick my parcels in my shed when I’m not in’.
Another praised the man from the video, sharing: ‘Proper legend him have a reyt chin wag with him wen I see him on job’.
A woman said: ‘Love it! What a great comedy duo! Makes a lovely change from doom and gloom, and people being nasty! Well done, guys, have a great Christmas’.
‘He deserves a good Christmas present,’ A Facebook user said, because he’d been so funny and pleasant, and had also done a good deed for the homeowner.
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Special delivery! Postman dressed as Father Christmas hailed after saving homeowner’s door keys from thieves
At least 12 people were killed and 29 others injured in the shooting at Bondi Beach, including two police officers and a child
Emma O’Neill Content Editor
13:04, 14 Dec 2025
Harrowing footage captured the moment hundreds of people ran for their lives on Bondi Beach, after gunmen opened fire during what police have confirmed was a terrorist attack.
In the footage, a steady stream of gunshots can be heard ringing out across the beach as crowds scatter in panic. People can be heard screaming as they flee the area, with police sirens wailing in the background while officers rush towards the scene.
The attack unfolded at around 6.47pm local time on Sunday in the Archer Park area of Bondi Beach, where more than a thousand people had gathered to celebrate Hanukkah. New South Wales Police said two individuals armed with guns opened fire on families attending the Jewish celebration on the first day of the festival of lights.
At least 12 people were killed and 29 others injured in the shooting, including two police officers. One of the alleged gunmen was shot dead at the scene, while the other is in police custody.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described the incident as a targeted antisemitic attack, telling a press conference that what should have been a peaceful and joyful evening had been “shattered by this horrifying evil attack”.
He said the shooting was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community and praised the bravery of police and members of the public who helped others escape despite the danger.
(Image: UGC/AFP via Getty Images)
Police later declared the incident a terrorist attack and confirmed that several improvised explosive devices were found in a vehicle linked to the deceased gunman on Campbell Parade, close to the beach. Bomb disposal units were deployed as a precaution while officers worked to rule out the involvement of any further suspects.
Malcolm Lanyon, commissioner of New South Wales Police, said those taken to hospital were in a range of conditions, some serious, and urged calm in the wake of the attack as investigations continue.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the shooting as “an act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism”, saying an attack on Jewish Australians was an attack on the entire nation. Authorities have asked anyone with information or footage of the incident to contact police as enquiries remain ongoing.
A senior law enforcement official has confirmed that one of the Bondi Beach gunmen was Naveed Akram from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-west. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Akram’s home in Bonnyrigg is currently being raided by police, ABC News Australia reported.
It is understood that Akram is currently in police custody. The identity of the other gunman has not yet been confirmed.
WORLD NEWS
Thailand destroys bridge as fighting with Cambodia over disputed region continues | World News
Thailand has announced a curfew as fighting with Cambodia spread to more areas of a disputed border region.
Renewed conflict between the southeast Asian neighbours has stretched into a second week, despite claims of a ceasefire by would-be peacemaker, US President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, Thailand’s government said a rocket attack from Cambodia killed a 63-year-old villager, its first civilian death reported as a direct result of combat over the past week.
Fighting has flared up several times this year since a Cambodian soldier was killed in a May skirmish, as decades-old tensions over the border territory persist.
Thailand and Cambodia have exchanged heavy-weapons fire at multiple locations along their 508-mile border since Monday.
Thai forces said on Saturday that they had destroyed a bridge that Cambodia used to deliver heavy weapons and other equipment to the region.
Meanwhile, Cambodia accused Thailand of striking civilian infrastructure.
Suang Sreang, 27, who is due to give birth within days, at Wat Por Sovannaram refugee camp in Cambodia. Pic: Reuters
Thailand’s curfew covers five districts of Trat province that neighbour Koh Kong, excluding the tourist islands of Koh Chang and Koh Kood.
This is in addition to the curfew the military previously imposed in the eastern Sakeo province, which remains in force.
Around two dozen people have been killed in the past week, according to official reports.
Read more:
Tens of thousands flee fresh fighting
The renewed fighting ended a July ceasefire that was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through under pressure from Mr Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless the two sides agreed.
On Friday, Mr Trump said the two countries “agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me” on his Truth Social platform.
However, fighting has continued this weekend.
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Simmering conflict between Cambodia and Thailand
Why are Thai and Cambodian troops fighting?
The roots of the Thai-Cambodian border conflict lie in a history of enmity over competing territorial claims.
These claims largely stem from a 1907 map created while Cambodia was under French colonial rule, which Thailand argues is inaccurate.
Tensions were heightened by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded sovereignty to Cambodia, which still angers many Thais.
Published On 14 Dec 2025
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At least 11 people have been killed and more than two dozen wounded in a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Australian officials said, adding that one of the suspected attackers was killed while another one was in critical condition.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said on Sunday, 29 people were injured, including two police officers, in what he declared a “terrorist incident”.
The shooting occurred at about 6:47pm (07:47 GMT) near the Bondi Pavilion during a Hanukkah celebration attended by more than 1,000 people, Lanyon said.
“I’ve also authorised special powers under Section 5 and Section 6 to ensure that if there is a third offender – and we are currently investigating that at the moment – we will make sure that we prevent any further activity. Section 6 allows us to investigate today’s incident,” he said.
In a televised news conference, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the deadly shooting a “targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah”.
Albanese said the “evil” that was unleashed at Bondi Beach is “beyond comprehension”.
“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian, and every Australian tonight will be – like me – devastated by this attack on our way of life.”
One of the world’s most famous beaches, Bondi is typically crowded with locals and tourists, especially on warm weekend evenings.
WORLD NEWS
Australia had the ‘gold standard’ on gun control. The Bondi beach terror attack will force it to confront its surging number of weapons | Bondi beach terror attack
For almost three decades, Australia’s gun laws have been recognised as among the most stringent – and effective – in the world.
After the horror of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people in Tasmania, Australia’s then conservative government stared down the gun lobby to introduce restrictions that led to a dramatic decrease in the number of guns.
In an almost unprecedented display of national collaboration, the federal government worked with the states to restrict semiautomatic weapons, toughen up licensing requirements and introduce a new requirement for gun holders to demonstrate a “genuine reason” for ownership.
Australians have been rightly proud of these reforms, confident that the community remains relatively safe from gun violence and far from the American reality of frequent mass shootings.
Sunday’s Bondi attack will shake that confidence and may force the country to again grapple with its gun laws.
While the details of the weapons used in the shooting are unknown, including whether they were legally obtained, there has been growing concern among gun control advocates that firearms remain far too easy to access despite the country’s “gold standard” framework.
Gun safety experts have been warning of complacency, pointing to booming gun numbers and weaknesses across state and territory laws that can be easily exploited, or see lawful weapons end up in criminal hands.
At the same time, new threats such as 3D-printed weapons and a growing sovereign citizen movement are posing new challenges to law enforcement when it comes to gun control.
While the well-intentioned reforms of 1996 have immense public and political support, in reality there are elements of the so-called national firearm agreement that have still not yet been fully implemented.
A promised national register, for example, is still not a reality and, instead of nationally harmonised laws, Australians have different laws in different states, all of which are inconsistently regulated.
Immediately after the Port Arthur massacre, a national amnesty saw the number of firearms in the community plummet but there are now more than 4 million guns in Australia – almost double the number recorded in 2001.
Yes, the population has increased at the same time but there is now a larger number of guns in the community per capita than in the aftermath of Port Arthur, with at least 2,000 new firearms lawfully entering the community every week.
It is these figures that has the gun lobby boasting that it is “winning” the fight against Australia’s longstanding crackdown, calling for gun owners to become more politically active to further enable their industry.
The lobby has been particularly alarmed by new laws introduced in Western Australia last year, which have – among other measures – limited the number of guns that an individual licence holder can own and tightened mental health checks for licence holders.
The West Australian police have suggested the new laws should be a “beacon” for other states to follow, saying it sets a new, higher bar for community safety.
A person of interest has been detained in connection with a US shooting at Brown University that left two people dead, police said.
Nine others were injured when a gunman opened fire at the university in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday.
Police confirmed on Sunday a person had been detained, and an earlier order for people on the Brown campus and surrounding areas to shelter had been lifted.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said seven people remained in stable condition, one of them was in critical but stable condition, and another was discharged.
The gunman opened fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Saturday at the Holley engineering building at the eastern end of Brown’s campus, according to officials.
The identities of those killed or injured have not yet been released, but Brown University President Christina Paxson told reporters in a press briefing on Saturday that all the victims, including those killed and wounded, were students.
Police had earlier released CCTV footage of a male suspect walking away from the scene wearing all black clothing. Officers said a firearm was not found in a sweep of the building.
After the person was detained on Sunday, police chief Oscar Perez confirmed officers were not looking for anyone else and were working with prosecutors to collect evidence.
Smiley said the city should be able to “breathe a little easier” after the shelter order was lifted.
“We have trained for this moment, but this is not something that any community should have to train for,” he added.
Brown’s university President Christina Paxson said the city had a “long recovery ahead”.
Germany’s international public broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, has been declared an “undesirable organization” in Russia, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced on Sunday.
Authorities have been able to designate organizations “undesirable” after a 2015 law declared that any noncommercial body with foreign connections or funding that could allegedly constitute a threat to Russia’s constitutional order could be shut down. The law was used mainly to shut down foreign nongovernmental organizations and included the Moscow offices of Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other NGOs.
In July 2024, Russia’s parliament passed amendments to the law that declared that any organization with founders or participants who are foreign government agencies could be designated “undesirable.” This broadened which organizations could fall into that category, and since then a number of international media, research and civil society organizations have been designated “undesirable.” By August 2024, members of the lower house of the Duma announced their intent to deem DW “undesirable.”
DW, which was classified as a “foreign agent” by Russia’s government in 2022, is funded by Germany’s federal budget. Though the Moscow bureau was closed in 2022, the “foreign agent” label has since been extended to individual DW reporters working in Russia.
The broadcaster joins a list of more than 280 organizations that have already been declared “undesirable.” This includes Russian-language media outlets such as the television channel TV Rain and online publications Novaya Gazeta and Meduza.
End of Ukraine war won’t secure peace in Europe: Ischinger
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DW’s ‘undesirable’ designation
Legal problems for DW viewers, listeners and followers in Russia begin if authorities define an individual’s behavior as “participation in the activities of an undesirable organization,” said Ivan Pavlov, a Russian lawyer-in-exile and founder of the legal group, Pervy Otdel (First Department).
This could include reposting broadcast or written material on social networks.
“Even an old long-standing link to a publication by such a media outlet on someone’s page can become grounds for initiating an administrative case,” Pavlov told DW. “And, later, if something else is found after an administrative penalty, a criminal case.”
Even mentioning an “undesirable” organization in a public chat or on a website could lead to prosecution. People deemed to be participating in the activities of “undesirable” organizations may be penalized with fines that range from 5,000 to 15,000 Russian rubles (€53-€160/$63-$190).
There may be grounds for criminal prosecution. “If, after an administrative penalty, the ‘offense’ is repeated within a year, criminal liability applies,” Pavlov said.
Working for such an organization would bring even more serious consequences. Managers of “undesirable” organizations face immediate criminal prosecution, as do people who finance them through, for example, donations. Individuals who participate in the output of an “undesirable” organization — say, by commenting for a written story or taking part in a broadcast — could also be prosecuted, he said.
As for social media, there hasn’t been a regular practice of prosecuting a person for simply “liking” something relating to an “undesirable” organization. “But, if there’s a will,” Pavlov said, “one could probably make it fit.”
Subscribing to media pages declared “undesirable” on social media networks and reading or viewing their publications without reposting anything is still considered safe, Pavlov said.
As for videos broadcast by “undesirable” organizations on a platform such as YouTube, Pavlov said, “watching is allowed; touching — meaning distributing — is not.”
Based on what he and his colleagues have observed in similar cases, Pavlov said: “A repost, a hyperlink, a comment — all of this may be interpreted as participation in the activities of an ‘undesirable’ organization. Any payment to a media outlet designated ‘undesirable’ — for example, a donation or payment for advertising — will also be considered a criminal offense.”
There are still ways of safely interacting with an organization designated “undesirable” in Russia. These include installing a media outlet’s dedicated app on a smartphone, listening to podcasts and reading publications on the website, and usually using a virtual private network, or VPN, so that one’s location remains private.
This article was originally written in Russian.
WORLD NEWS
Bondi Beach shooting: World reacts to Australian terror attack that left at least 12 dead
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Twelve people were killed and dozens wounded when gunmen opened fire during a Jewish holiday event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, Australian officials said.
Following are comments from world leaders in the wake of the deadly shooting:
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia
“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith.
“At this dark moment for our nation, our police and security agencies are working to determine anyone associated with this outrage.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference following a shooting at Bondi Beach, at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia (via REUTERS)
Sussan Ley, Opposition Leader of Australia
“Australians are in deep mourning tonight, with hateful violence striking at the heart of an iconic Australian community, a place we all know so well and love, Bondi.”
Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister
“Deeply distressing news from Australia. The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi Beach.”
Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand
“Australia and New Zealand are closer than friends, we’re family. I am shocked by the distressing scenes at Bondi, a place that Kiwis visit every day.”
“My thoughts, and the thoughts of all New Zealanders, are with those affected.”
Gideon Sa’ar, Foreign Minister of Israel
“I’m appalled by the murderous shooting attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia.”
“These are the results of the anti-Semitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, with the anti-Semitic and inciting calls of ‘Globalise the Intifada’ that were realized today.”
Ursula Von Der Leyen, European Commission President
“Shocked by the tragic attack at Bondi Beach. I send my heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.”
“Europe stands with Australia and Jewish communities everywhere. We are united against violence, antisemitism and hatred.”
Jose Manuel Albares, Spanish Foreign Minister
“Horrified by the terrorist attack in Australia against the Jewish community. My solidarity with the victims and their loved ones, with the people and government of Australia.”
“Hate, antisemitism, and violence have no place in our societies.”
Jonas Gahr Stoere, Prime Minister of Norway
“I am shocked by the horrific attack at Bondi Beach, Australia, during a Jewish Hanukkah event.”
“I condemn this despicable act of terror in the strongest possible terms. My deepest condolences to all those affected by today’s tragic attack.”
Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden
“Appalled by the attack in Sydney, targeted against the Jewish community.”
“My thoughts are with the victims and their families. Together, we must fight the spread of antisemitism.”