WORLD NEWS
Photographer ‘locked eyes’ with gunman, as witness describes Bondi ‘warzone’ | World News
Messages were sweeping across Sydney within minutes of the attack at Bondi Beach.
Parents messaged their children and teenagers, who had been enjoying a late afternoon swim at Bondi.
Witnesses said police were on the scene quickly, and the streets of Sydney’s eastern suburbs were full of police cars and ambulances on their way to Bondi.
Follow live: 11 people killed at event celebrating Hanukkah
When we arrived, there were still dozens of people processing what had happened, and everywhere – shock.
Witnesses told us that when the gunfire started some people took cover in the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. Once the threat was over, lifeguards helped the injured and used surfboards to carry them out.
Witnesses tell Sky’s Nicole Johnston of Bondi ‘warzone’
Some people were clearly traumatised and provided graphic detail of witnessing the shooting and seeing people killed in front of them.
More on Bondi Beach Shooting
A photographer, Danny, was covering the Jewish holiday event.
Read more: What we know so far
He said he “locked eyes” with one of the gunmen, who then fired towards him. Danny said he was grazed by a bullet. He kept filming during the shooting, while taking cover.
Sam, from France, was working at Bondi. He went to the scene of the attack and saw almost a dozen people lying on the ground covered in blood. Sam described it as like a “war zone”.
Rabbi Lei Wolff, from Central Synagogue in Sydney, went to Bondi as soon as he heard about the mass shooting. A dear friend of his, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was killed in the attack.
Rabbi Wolff has called on people around the world to stand with Australia’s Jewish community against terrorism.
WORLD NEWS
Flood and ‘do not travel’ alerts issued after half a month’s rain falls in just 24 hours – with more yellow and amber warnings in place
Britain is back on flood watch today as a new amber warning for heavy downpours was imposed after half a month’s worth of rain fell over the weekend.
Rail operators issued ‘do not travel’ alerts after flooding blocked lines across the UK and a slow-moving weather front brings persistent rain throughout the day.
South Wales will be worst hit by the continuing wet weather today while the 18-hour ‘danger to life’ amber warning is in place until 9pm with up to 100mm (4in) set to fall.
Yellow rain warnings have also been activated by the Met Office for South West and North West England, areas of the North East and parts of South and West Wales.
Some 150 flood alerts or warnings were issued, including seven Environment Agency warnings and 78 alerts for England – mostly in western parts of the country.
Elsewhere, Natural Resources Wales activated eight warnings and 41 alerts and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency imposed six warnings and ten alerts.
The Met Office said there was a ‘good chance’ that some communities in South Wales within the amber warning area ‘will be cut off by flooded roads’.
Forecasters added that homes and businesses are likely to be flooded, causing damage to some buildings; while disruption to train and bus services is expected.
Flood water on Hunter Street in Briton Ferry in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, this afternoon
Flood water on Hunter Street in Briton Ferry in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, this afternoon
Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, while ‘power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses likely’.
Fast flowing or deep floodwater was also ‘likely, causing danger to life’ – with the ‘likelihood of impacts’ increased given recent wet weather and saturated ground.
Northern told all rail passengers that it was ‘strongly advising customers not to travel in Cumbria today’ due to severe rainfall over the weekend, which had resulted in seven routes being blocked with no trains or replacement buses running.
The impacted routes were between Carlisle and Whitehaven; Carlisle and Skipton; Corkickle and Barrow-in-Furness; Barrow-in-Furness and Preston; Windermere and Oxenholme; Carnforth and Skipton’ and Lancaster and Morecambe.
Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express both said services north of Preston were likely to be disrupted – including to Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Haymarket, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The heavy rain also caused major rail disruption in Wales, with flooding blocking lines between North Llanrwst and Blaenau Ffestiniog, and between Bridgend and Pyle.
ScotRail said speed restrictions had been imposed due to heavy rain between Glasgow Central and Largs, Androssan Harbour, Carlisle, Kilmarnock, Ayr and Stranraer; between Glasgow Queen Street and Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness; and between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh.
The Environment Agency urged motorists not to drive through flood water, saying it is ‘often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.’
Floods minister Emma Hardy said she was ‘co-ordinating with local authorities and emergency services to keep communities safe’.
The Met Office said yesterday that parts of Cumbria had seen more than 200mm of rain since midday on Saturday, which was around half a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.
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Flood and ‘do not travel’ alerts issued after half a month’s rain falls in just 24 hours – with more yellow and amber warnings in place
An expert has shed some light on the twisted dynamic of Bondi Beach killers Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram – a father son duo who appear to have hidden their dark intentions behind a ‘normal’ facade
16:10, 15 Dec 2025
Father and son crimes of this nature are understood to be rare
On the evening of December 14, hell came to Sydney’s Bondi Beach, in the form of a murderous father-son duo. Now an expert has shed some light on the twisted pair’s “lethal” dynamic, and potential “power imbalance”.
In a horrific attack on Australia’s Jewish community, Sajid Akram, 50, and unemployed bricklayer Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire on what should have been a joyful celebration held to mark the start of Hannukah. At least 16 people died in the antisemitic bloodbath, which has been declared a terrorist incident, while dozens more have required hospital treatment.
Police shot Sajid dead at the scene, while Naveed was arrested by New South Wales Police. At a press conference, police commissioner Mal Lanyon stated that the younger assailant, who reportedly remains hospitalised with critical injuries, is expected to live to face criminal charges.
Many questions remain in this case, which has shocked people of all faiths across the world. While little is known so far about the Akrams, the notion of two violent killers, parent and child, attacking together is a startling one. So how could such a terrible thing come to pass?
READ MORE: Bondi Beach shooting: Alleged gunman ‘likely to live’ after 16 killed
The Akrams slaughtered at least 16 people(Image: COURTESY OF TIMOTHY BRANT-COLES/)
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a woman who identified herself as the younger Akram’s mum said her son spoke to family just hours before the rampage, telling the paper: “He rings me up [on Sunday] and said, Mum, I just went for a swim. I went scuba diving. We’re going … to eat now, and then this morning, and we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot,”
She added: “He doesn’t have a firearm. He doesn’t even go out. He doesn’t mix around with friends. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t go to bad places … he goes to work, he comes home, he goes to exercise, and that’s it,” she said. “Anyone would wish to have a son like my son … he’s a good boy.”
The Mirror spoke with psychotherapist Shelly Dar from Therapy Health, who has extensive experience in recognising the psychological patterns behind criminal behaviour.
Ms Dar told the Mirror: “From a psychological perspective, it is quite rare to see a father and son carry out a violent attack together. Most serious violent acts are committed either by individuals acting alone or by peers of a similar age who fuel and reinforce each other’s views. A parent and child acting together is much less common and raises particular concerns about power, influence and identity.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has now confirmed that the younger Akram, who is an Australian-born citizen, had previously come to the attention of the Australian intelligence agency (ASIO) back in 2019. The PM revealed: “He was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.”
Police shot Sajid dead at the scene, while injured Naveed was arrested (Image: @ConservativeeAu/X)
Mr Albanese asserted that, while the men had acted alone and not part of a wider group, they had “clearly” been driven by “extremist ideology”. At the time concerns were initially raised, the younger killer would have still been a teenager. So how was it that his worldview became so warped at such an early age? Furthermore, how was it that the elder Akram was apparently content with his own child being involved with such an atrocity?
Offering some insight into the potential dynamics within the Akram household, Ms Dar suggested: “In any family, parents play a central role in shaping a young person’s values and moral compass. When a parent is involved in planning or leading violence, the child is not a free and equal participant. There is a strong power imbalance, especially if the young person has grown up with rigid beliefs at home, emotional dependence, fear or a strong pressure to be loyal to the parent. This can make it very hard to step back and question what is happening.”
She continued: “In father and son cases, there can be a potent mix of admiration, fear and a wish to prove oneself. Younger people in these situations are often driven less by ideology and more by attachment, obedience and a deep need for approval. If the parent frames violence as justified, necessary or even protective, that message can cut through a young person’s natural hesitation and sense that something is not right.
While the pair had acted alone, it’s said they were ‘clearly’ driven by ‘extremist ideology’
“What stands out in a situation like this is the collapse of the usual protective boundary in parenting. Involving a child in lethal violence is a profound failure of care. It suggests that a parent’s beliefs, grievances or need for control have been placed far above their child’s wellbeing and future.”
Meanwhile, neighbours who thought they knew the “normal” Akrams have been left “shocked” by the recent harrowing events. Lemanatua Fatu, who lived on the same street as the 24-year-old n Bonnyrigg, Sydney, told ABC how she’d seen a large police presence out on the street and outside his home, right throughout the night.
According to Lemanatua: “That’s how we knew. We couldn’t sleep, watching everything – it was so scary.” She added: “They just come and go every day. And they never say hello or anything. They’re just … normal. We thought they were normal people.”
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
READ MORE: Bondi Beach hero gives four word explanation why he risked life to stop killer gunman
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WORLD NEWS
Ukraine drops NATO bid: Will Kyiv get security guarantees from the West? | Russia-Ukraine war News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is prepared to abandon Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership in exchange for tighter Western security guarantees. His comments came as he has been holding talks with United States and European envoys aimed at ending Ukraine’s war with Russia.
US President Donald Trump, who has opposed NATO membership for Ukraine, has been pressuring Kyiv to sign a deal with Russia on terms that experts say favour Moscow.
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The move marks a big shift for Ukraine. Zelenskyy described the latest proposal as a concession by Kyiv, after years of pressing for NATO membership as the strongest deterrent against future Russian attacks.
So will Kyiv be able to get security guarantees from its Western allies? And what would be the parameter of the security deal?
What did Zelenskyy actually say?
In audio messages shared with journalists via a WhatsApp group ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy said that Kyiv now expects alternative security guarantees comparable to those enjoyed by NATO alliance members.
“From the very beginning, Ukraine’s desire was to join NATO; these are real security guarantees. Some partners from the US and Europe did not support this direction,” Zelenskyy said.
“Bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the US, Article 5-like guarantees for us from the US, and security guarantees from European colleagues, as well as other countries – Canada, Japan – are an opportunity to prevent another Russian invasion,” he said.
“These security guarantees are an opportunity to prevent another wave of Russian aggression,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long said that Ukraine’s NATO aspirations are a threat to Russian security.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine, the European Union and the US were reviewing a 28-point plan that could culminate in a ceasefire, though he reiterated that Kyiv was not holding direct talks with Russia.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said “a lot of progress was made” as he and the US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with Zelenskyy in the German capital city of Berlin on Sunday.
The Ukrainian president also stressed that new security guarantees must be legally binding and endorsed by the US government. Looking ahead, he said he was expecting feedback following talks between Ukrainian and American officials in Germany.
For their part, however, many Ukrainians remain sceptical of this latest round of talks. Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine said that “it’s been months and months of false hope when it comes to diplomatic discussions. Many of them have historically fizzled out. So … the reality of peace still seems far away.”
On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “this [NATO] issue is one of the cornerstones and requires special discussion”, and that Moscow is now waiting for Washington “provide us with the concept that is being discussed in Berlin”.
What will be the likely contours of a new security guarantee?
The security guarantees now under discussion would fall short of NATO’s Article 5 – meaning an attack on one is an attack on all. Instead of joining NATO, Ukraine would receive bespoke guarantees from the US and key European powers – set out in bilateral or plurilateral treaties.
These guarantees would likely commit partners to swift and tangible support if Ukraine were attacked again, including military assistance, intelligence sharing, arms supplies, sanctions and financial aid.
Unlike in Article 5, however, the guarantees would not trigger automatic collective defence. Each guarantor’s obligations would be defined separately, potentially with conditions, and without NATO’s integrated command structures.
The final version of the deal, however, would only be known after Kyiv’s Western allies agree on it. It is still unclear how much progress has been made on the issue.
What obstacles still remain?
For months, Washington has tried to balance the competing demands of Russia and Ukraine. Trump has been pushing hard for a conclusion to the war, and is said to be growing increasingly frustrated with delays.
Efforts to find common ground have faced significant hurdles, including the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, much of which is under Russian occupation.
Putin has made it a central condition for peace that Ukraine withdraw its forces from the remaining areas of Donetsk under Kyiv’s control – a demand Ukraine has consistently rejected.
Zelenskyy said the US had proposed that Ukraine pull out of Donetsk and turn the area into a demilitarised free economic zone, an idea he dismissed as impractical. “I do not consider this fair, because who will manage this economic zone?” he said.
“If we are talking about some buffer zone along the line of contact … only a police mission should be there, and troops should withdraw, then the question is very simple. If Ukrainian troops withdraw 5-10 kilometres [3-6 miles], for example, then why do Russian troops not withdraw deeper into the occupied territories by the same distance?”
Calling the matter “very sensitive,” Zelenskyy said a freeze along the existing line of contact would be preferable, adding that “today a fair possible option is we stand where we stand”.
On the flip side, Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told the business newspaper Kommersant that Russian police and national guard forces would remain in parts of Donetsk even if the region were designated a demilitarised zone under a future peace plan.
Ushakov cautioned that reaching a compromise could take considerable time, arguing that US proposals reflecting Russian demands had been “worsened” by revisions suggested by Ukraine and its European partners.
In remarks broadcast Sunday on Russian state television, Ushakov said that “the contribution of Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive”, warning that Moscow would have “very strong objections”.
He also said territorial issues were a major topic when Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin earlier this month. “The Americans know and understand our position,” Ushakov said.
Are other discussions also taking place?
On Sunday, Zelenskyy said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron shortly before meeting Trump’s envoys, thanking him on X for his support and noting, “We are coordinating closely and working together for the sake of our shared security.”
Macron responded, noting that “France is, and will remain, at Ukraine’s side to build a robust and lasting peace – one that can guarantee Ukraine’s security and sovereignty, and that of Europe, over the long term.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has led European support efforts alongside Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said on Saturday that “the decades of the ‘Pax Americana’ are largely over for us in Europe and for us in Germany as well.”
However, he warned that Putin’s objective is “a fundamental change to the borders in Europe, the restoration of the old Soviet Union within its borders… If Ukraine falls, he won’t stop,” Merz said at a party conference in Munich on Saturday.
Putin has denied any intention to reestablish the Soviet Union, or to attack European allies.
However, for years, Putin has decried the expansion of NATO around Russia’s borders. On February 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Putin said in a televised address: “Any further expansion of the North Atlantic alliance’s infrastructure or the ongoing efforts to gain a military foothold of the Ukrainian territory are unacceptable for us.”
What’s happening on the battlefront?
Over the weekend, Ukraine’s air force said that Russia had launched ballistic missiles and 138 attack drones overnight. Of those, 110 were intercepted or destroyed, though missile and drone strikes were recorded at six locations.
Zelenskyy said on Sunday that hundreds of thousands of families in the southern, eastern and northeastern regions of Ukraine remain without electricity, and that officials were working to restore power, heat and water after a large-scale attack the previous night.
He added that Russia had fired more than 1,500 strike drones, 900 guided aerial bombs and 46 missiles of various types at Ukraine over the past week. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 235 Ukrainian drones late Saturday and early Sunday.
In the Krasnodar region, drones struck the town of Afipsky, which houses an oil refinery. Authorities said blasts shattered windows in residential buildings but reported no damage to the refinery.
Fighting has also intensified in the Black Sea. Russian forces recently struck Ukrainian ports, damaging Turkish-owned vessels, including a ship carrying food supplies. An attack on Odesa set grain silos ablaze, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba.
WORLD NEWS
Brown university shooting: hunt for suspect resumes as victims named – live updates | Brown University shooting
Shooting victims named in reports as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook
The two people killed in Saturday’s shooting have been identified as MukhammadAziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook, according to reports.
Aspiring neurosurgeon Umurzokov was identified by his family in a Gofundme page. In a message on the site, they said: “He was incredibly kind, funny, and smart. He had big dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon and helping people. He continues to be my family’s biggest role model in all aspects.
“He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew. Our family is incredibly devastated by this loss.”
The Gofundme appeal had raised nearly $230,000 by Monday morning.
MukhammadAziz Umurzokov Photograph: GoFundMe
The Providence Journal reports that Cook’s death was announced during a service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, where she was reportedly a parishioner. The Rev Craig Smalley said in livestreamed remarks: “Many of you heard about the tragedy … And sadly, tragically, one of those people is one of our parishioners.”
Ella Cook Photograph: GoFundMe
Smalley said Cook was a “bright light”, “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful”.
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Updated at 16.11 CET
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Authorities ask public for tips as manhunt for shooter continues
As the investigation continues, authorities in Rhode Island are asking “anyone with relevant information, including video or photo evidence, to submit it by phone or through the FBI tip line”.
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Updated at 16.19 CET
Alabama senators have paid tribute to Ella Cook, one of the victims of the shooting, who was from Alabama.
“I am heartbroken to hear that Mountain Brook’s Ella Cook was among those killed over the weekend at Brown University” Senator Tommy Tuberville said. “Our hearts and our prayers are with the Cook family and everyone impacted by this senseless killing.”
In another post, Senator Katie Britt said that she joins the “Mountain Brook community and all of Alabama in mourning the heartbreaking loss of one of our own, Ella Cook, who was senselessly killed over the weekend on Brown University’s campus.”
“There are no words that can ease the pain Ella’s family and friends are enduring right now” she said.
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Updated at 16.09 CET
The University of Rhode Island said that it will not hold in person exams today.
Online exams, the school said, will proceed as scheduled.
“Importantly, there is no known threat to our campuses” the university said. “This decision follows consideration of concerns shared by members of our community.”
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Providence mayor says search for shooter continues after person of interest released
Providence mayor Brett Smiley appeared on Good Morning America this morning, and said that after authorities reviewed the evidence in the case, it was “determined that this person of interest needed to be released”.
“We continue with our investigation” Smiley said. “To be clear, we’ve never stopped our investigation. Providence police and our partners at the State Police, the FBI and others have continuously run down leads and worked this case beyond the person of interest who had been detained.”
“As you have seen many times, we do have a short small clip of video footage that we do believe is the person that we’re looking for” he said. “And right now we don’t have any evidence to suggest that it was more than that individual which has been seen in that video.”
The mayor said that there is currently enhanced police presence both on campus at Brown and throughout the city of Providence.
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Updated at 16.17 CET
Ella Cook called ‘an incredible light’ in tributes after shooting
One of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting has been identified as student Ella Cook, who was from Alabama.
Her name was announced during a church service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, where the Reverend said she attended.
“Tragically, one of our parishioners, Ella Cook, was one of those who was killed yesterday,” Reverend Craig Smalley said during the service on Sunday, which was live streamed. “And those of you who knew her, those of you who know her, she was an incredible, grounded, faithful bright light.
“Not only here growing up here at the Advent in the myriad ways in which she served faithfully and the ways in which she encouraged and lift up those around her, but at Brown University she was an incredible light in that particular place,” Smalley said.
The New York Young Republican Club also put out a statement on Sunday expressing their “deepest condolences to the family of Ella Cook” who they said was “the Vice President of the College Republicans at Brown University.”
In another statement, Martin Bertao, the president of the College Republicans of America, said that “we are devastated to learn of the loss of our Brown College Republicans Vice President, Ella Cook.”
“Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates” they added.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted the College Republicans of America post, and wrote: “There are no words. Thinking of her family and friends, especially her parents. God please bless them.”
Ella Cook Photograph: GoFundMeShare
Updated at 16.15 CET
Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov remembered for ‘sharp intellect, kind heart’
More tributes to Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov came from the American Uzbekistan Association, who said he “was known for his sharp intellect, kind heart, and quiet willingness to help anyone in need”.
The association wrote on Instagram, praising his “humility and compassion” as well as his “curiosity, discipline, and generosity”.
The statement added:
More than a gifted student, Aziz was a beloved son, brother, and friend. He had a future filled with promise, and his life was cut short far too soon. His passing has left an immeasurable void in the hearts of his family, friends, classmates, and the broader Uzbek American community.
On behalf of the American Uzbekistan Association, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Mukhammad Aziz’s family during this time of unimaginable grief. We stand with them in mourning and are grateful to all who have offered prayers, messages of support, and solidarity.
Mukhammad Aziz will be remembered for his kindness, his potential, and the light he brought into the lives of others. His memory will endure.
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Updated at 16.13 CET
One of the nine people injured in the shooting was named as Kendall Turner in media reports.
The Raleigh News & Observers reported Turner, from Durham, North Carolina, was among those wounded in the mass shooting on Saturday.
“We were saddened to learn that Kendall Turner ‘25, a beloved Durham Academy alumna, was wounded in the mass shooting that occurred at Brown University yesterday,” the publication quotes Michael Ulku-Steiner, who leads the school, as saying. “Her family has informed us that she is currently in critical but stable condition and is receiving care at a local hospital. Her parents are with her. We hope for her continued strength and recovery.”
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The US ambassador to Uzbekistan paid tribute to Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov.
In a statement, Jonathan Henick said: “I am deeply saddened by reports of the tragic death of Brown University student Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov on December 13. We extend our sincere condolences to Mr. Umurzokov’s family, friends, and fellow students and mourn the loss of his bright future.”
MukhammadAziz Umurzokov Photograph: GoFundMeShare
Updated at 15.13 CET
Shooting victims named in reports as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook
The two people killed in Saturday’s shooting have been identified as MukhammadAziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook, according to reports.
Aspiring neurosurgeon Umurzokov was identified by his family in a Gofundme page. In a message on the site, they said: “He was incredibly kind, funny, and smart. He had big dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon and helping people. He continues to be my family’s biggest role model in all aspects.
“He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew. Our family is incredibly devastated by this loss.”
The Gofundme appeal had raised nearly $230,000 by Monday morning.
MukhammadAziz Umurzokov Photograph: GoFundMe
The Providence Journal reports that Cook’s death was announced during a service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, where she was reportedly a parishioner. The Rev Craig Smalley said in livestreamed remarks: “Many of you heard about the tragedy … And sadly, tragically, one of those people is one of our parishioners.”
Ella Cook Photograph: GoFundMe
Smalley said Cook was a “bright light”, “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful”.
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Updated at 16.11 CET
The FBI director, Kash Patel, said on Sunday that the FBI had activated its “cellular analysis survey team to provide critical geolocation capabilities” to aid with the investigation.
“We have deployed local and national resources to process and reconstruct the shooting scene – providing HQ and Lab elements on scene” he said, adding that the agency said also “set up a digital media intake portal to ingest images and video from the public” related to the shooting.
The FBI’s victim specialists are also “fully integrating with our partners to provide resources to victims and survivors of this horrific violence” he said. “This FBI will continue an all out 24/7 campaign until justice is fully served”.
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Brown University cancels ‘all remaining in-person exams’ for the semester
On Sunday, Brown University said that the school has cancelled “all remaining in-person exams” for Fall 2025 courses in the wake of the shooting.
In a statement, the university’s provost said that “we must balance the importance of providing clear guidance on educational assessment with our responsibility to ensure the thriving of every member of our community.”
“We have decided to cancel all remaining in-person exams for Fall 2025 courses at all schools, with the exception of the Warren Alpert Medical School and the IE Brown Executive MBA program in the School of Professional Studies (SPS)” they added.
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Updated at 16.13 CET
Brown University has told the university community that despite individual that was detained being released and as law enforcement continues to investigate, they do not “believe there is any immediate threat to Brown or the local community.”
In a statement on Sunday night, the university added that “as Providence police continue to lead this investigation, they have informed Brown that they are continuing their search efforts, which includes ongoing coordination with multiple agencies.”
The school said that its Department of Public Safety has more than doubled its staffing, and that there “continues to be a heightened amount of local, state and federal police activity in the area”.
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Updated at 16.10 CET
The Providence Police have said that investigation is ongoing and remains fully active between all agencies.
The police announced on Sunday night that the person of interest was being released and said that since the first call to 911, they have “not received any specific threats to our community.”
They asked that any and all video and photo evidence be submitted via phone or via the FBI tip line.
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Brown University announced on Sunday that it was temporarily delaying the release of admissions decisions for applicants who were meant to find out today whether they had been admitted to the school.
“The Brown University community suffered an unthinkable tragedy on Saturday evening” the school said in a post. “We are faced with the reality of mourning the loss of members of our community taken from us from a terrible act of violence, even as we acknowledge that we’re on the eve of a very important day for our many talented applicants to Brown.”
The school added: “While we remain excited about the dedicated students eager to join Brown, we are prioritizing care and support for our community and anticipate a brief delay in the release of admission decisions. We are going to delay notifications for up to 48 hours and appreciate your patience and understanding as we grieve, heal, and begin to move forward together.”
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‘Person of interest’ detained over Brown University shooting is to be released, officials say
The hunt for a gunman who killed two people and injured nine others at Brown University continued on Monday after authorities released their sole person of interest on Sunday.
The person in their 20s was released after the investigation ended up going in a “different direction”, according to the mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley.
“We have not yet solved this case, but I am confident we are going to do that in the near future,” Rhode Island attorney general Peter Neronha said, adding there was only a “quantum of evidence which justified detaining this person as a person of interest”.
Students stand in front of the Van Wickle Gates after placing flowers following the shooting at Brown University. Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters
The Providence police department said the investigation is “active and ongoing”, with local officers working with state police, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
A gunman – dressed in black – opened fire at the Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island, during final exams at one of America’s most prestigious colleges on Saturday.
Authorities are now searching for additional video evidence that could help them track down the suspect.
Brown University said in a statement that local police “have advised they do not believe there is any immediate threat to Brown or the local community.”
The identities of the two people killed have not yet been released, but the university has confirmed they were both students.
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The fight over California’s new congressional map designed to help Democrats flip congressional House seats will go to court Monday as a panel of federal judges considers whether the district boundaries approved by voters last month can be used in elections.
The hearing in Los Angeles sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Trump administration and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s been eyeing a 2028 presidential run. The lawsuit asks a three-judge panel to grant a temporary restraining order by Dec. 19 — the date candidates can take the first official steps to run in the 2026 election.
Voters approved California’s new U.S. House map in November through Proposition 50. It’s designed to help Democrats flip as many as five congressional House seats in the midterm elections next year. It was Newsom’s response to a Republican-led effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump.
The redistricting showdown between the nation’s two most populous states has spread nationally, with efforts aiming to determine which party controls Congress for the second half of Trump’s term. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage.
Some plans are facing legal challenges, but the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month to allow Texas to use its new map for the 2026 election. The Justice Department has only sued California.
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The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month to allow Texas to use its new map for the 2026 election. The Justice Department has only sued California (Getty Images)
The U.S. Justice Department, joining a case brought by the California Republican Party, has accused California of gerrymandering its map in violation of the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters. Republicans want the court to prohibit California from using the new map. Voters approved the map for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. State Democrats said they’re confident the lawsuit will fail.
“In letting Texas use its gerrymandered maps, the Supreme Court noted that California’s maps, like Texas’s, were drawn for lawful reasons,” Newsom’s spokesperson Brandon Richards said in a statement. “That should be the beginning and the end of this Republican effort to silence the voters of California.”
New U.S. House maps are drawn across the country after the Census every 10 years. Some states like California rely on an independent commission to draw maps, while others like Texas let politicians draw them. The effort to create new maps in the middle of the decade is highly unusual.
Paul Mitchell, a redistricting consultant who drew the map for Democrats, is expected to offer testimony. The Justice Department alleges that Mitchell and state leaders admitted that they redrew some districts to have a Latino majority.
The lawsuit cites a news release from state Democrats that says the new map “retains and expands Voting Rights Act districts that empower Latino voters” while making no changes to Black majority districts in the Oakland and Los Angeles areas. The federal Voting Rights Act, passed in the 1960s, sets rules for drawing districts to ensure minority groups have adequate political power. The lawsuit also cites a Cal Poly Pomona and Caltech study that concludes the new map would increase Latino voting power.
“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50 — the recent ballot initiative that junked California’s pre-existing electoral map in favor of a rush-job rejiggering of California’s congressional district lines,” the lawsuit said.
House Democrats need to gain just a handful of seats next year to take control of the chamber, which would imperil Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his term and open the way for congressional investigations into his administration. Republicans hold 219 seats, to Democrats’ 214.
Rob Reiner has died at the age of 78. He and his wife, Michele, were found dead by apparent homicide inside their Brentwood, Calif., home on Dec. 14, TMZ first reported. According to multiple sources, the couple were killed by their son Nick, and their bodies were discovered by their daughter Romy.
Around 3:30 p.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call to provide medical aid, the LAFD told PEOPLE. When they arrived, they found a man, 78, and a woman, 68. Both were dead at the scene. Sources confirm the deceased were Rob and Michele.
CBS via Getty; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty
The Reiners had been married since 1989.
Reiner became famous for his role as Mike — a.k.a. Meathead — on the 1970s classic Norman Lear sitcom All in the Family. After leaving the series, he became a successful director, with iconic movies including This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally… and A Few Good Men.
Reiner was born in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1947. His father was legendary comedian Carl Reiner and his mother was actress and singer Estelle Lebost.
Rob Reiner in 1977.
20th Century Fox/Archive Photos/Getty
Reiner didn’t know at the time that his future wife, Penny Marshall, was living across the street. She told PEOPLE in 1976 that the one time they came close to meeting was when she got Carl’s autograph in a grocery store; she kept it.
The Reiners moved to Beverly Hills when Rob was 12. “Rob was independent very early, maybe too early,” Carl told PEOPLE in 1976. “He was racing to be me, I guess. I rocked him and I diapered him, but I didn’t give him enough of myself. He has a strong sense of making it on his own.”
He attended Beverly Hills High School, where his classmates included Richard Dreyfuss and Albert Brooks. Then he attended film school at UCLA.
The cast of ‘All in the Family’: (from left) Rob Reiner, Jean Stapleton, Carroll O’Connor and Sally Struthers.
CBS via Getty
By the late ‘60s, Reiner was making appearances on TV, with guest spots on That Girl, Batman, The Andy Griffith Show and The Partridge Family. He was hired as a writer for The Smothers Brothers show; one of his coworkers in the writers’ room was a young Steve Martin.
In Los Angeles, he met Marshall, whose brother was director Garry Marshall. They fell in love and married in 1971. PEOPLE called the couple “Hollywood’s Hapsburgs” because of how many of their family members were in the business. Reiner also adopted Marshall’s daughter Tracy from a previous marriage.
Julie Kavner and Rob Reiner with their Emmys in 1978.
AP Photo
Marshall and Reiner both auditioned for All in the Family, though only Reiner booked a role. The sitcom, which ran for nine seasons, became an enormous hit; for seasons 2 through 6, it was the No. 1 show on television. Reiner received five Emmy nominations for his role as Meathead, winning twice.
“The show was a total collaborative effort,” Reiner told PEOPLE about the series, whose ensemble cast included Carroll O’Connor as Archie, Jean Stapleton as Edith and Sally Struthers as Gloria.
Just as All in the Family fell from its perch, a new show rose: Laverne and Shirley, starring Marshall as Laverne. “I love it!” Reiner told PEOPLE in 1976. “I’d like my family to be in control of the airwaves as long as possible.”
Rob Reiner in 1987.
George Rose/Getty
Reiner and Struthers left the show in 1978 after its penultimate season. Reiner was focused on developing his own projects as a writer and director.
He and Marshall also ended their marriage. She told PEOPLE in 1980 that it wasn’t a dramatic end. “We just asked each other, ‘Is this it? Are we happy? I don’t think so.’ So we decided to try a separation.” Their divorce was finalized in 1981. They remained on good terms until Marshall’s death in 2018.
Rob Reiner on the set of ‘The American President’ in 1995.
Universal/Getty
Reiner made his directorial debut with 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, the mockumentary about a fictional rock band. The film was critically acclaimed, though it was not a box-office success. Once it was released on VHS, it became immensely popular. It was chosen for the National Film Registry in 2002.
Reiner’s next films were 1985’s The Sure Thing and 1986’s Stand By Me. The latter became one of the most iconic of the ’80s and featured future stars like Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Kiefer Sutherland. Richard Dreyfuss also appeared in a small role.
“That’s the one that means the most to me, that has the most emotional connection for me of all the films I’ve made,” Reiner told Slash Film in 2023. “I don’t know if it’s my best, but it’s the one that means the most to me.”
Carl, Estelle and Rob Reiner in 2002.
Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock
In 1987, Reiner directed The Princess Bride, another modern classic. It included Reiner’s good friend Billy Crystal in a supporting role. Reflecting on the tongue-in-cheek fairytale and its legacy, Reiner told PEOPLE in 2007, “At the end of the day, The Princess Bride is about true love conquering all, and that’s timeless.” The movie joined the National Film Registry in 2016.
Then, in 1989, came When Harry Met Sally…. “I wanted to make a movie about what men and women go through,” he told PEOPLE in 2019. “I had been single for 10 years and was making an utter mess of my personal life. I always figured I would have to have a female voice for it, and what better than the most brilliant, incisive, observant female voice in America?”
Rob Reiner.
Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty
Nora Ephron signed on to write the script. “Sally became an extension of Nora, and Harry was like an extension of me,” Reiner explained. For Sally, they cast relatively unknown actress Meg Ryan. Rob had a harder time casting Harry.
He did not want to cast Crystal at first. “Whenever you do something this personal and you’re best friends, if it doesn’t work, it’s like, ‘Oy!’” Reiner told PEOPLE in 2019. “Finally, I said, ‘Aw, f— it; he’s perfect!’”
Reiner loved putting his family members in his films. His mother utters one of When Harry Met Sally…’s most famous lines: “I’ll have what she’s having.” His daughter Tracy plays one of Harry’s girlfriends, Emily the baker.
Rob Reiner in 2017.
Neilson Barnard/Getty
When Harry Met Sally… initially ended with Harry and Sally parting ways; Reiner changed the ending, in part, because he had met and fallen for Michele Singer during filming, changing his own attitude about romance. They married in 1989.
When Harry Met Sally… was added to the National Film Registry in 2022. Ephron would go on to direct her own movies, and Reiner had a role in Ephron’s Sleepless in Seattle as Tom Hanks’ friend.
His next films included 1990’s Misery, 1992’s A Few Good Men, 1995’s The American President, 1999’s The Story of Us, 2005’s Rumor Has It… and 2007’s The Bucket List. In 2024, he began filming Spinal Tap II. Reiner also appeared in films as an actor, including 1990’s Postcards From the Edge, 1996’s The First Wives Club and 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street. On TV, he cameoed as himself on It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, The Larry Sanders Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Simpsons, Hannah Montana and 30 Rock. On New Girl, he played the father of Zooey Deschanel’s character.
Reiner and Singer welcomed three children together, Jake, Nick and Romy.
Rob and Michele Reiner in 2014.
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
His mother Estelle died in 2008, and his father Carl died in 2020. “He was my guiding light,” Reiner wrote in a tribute for his dad at the time.
“I was lucky to have a man in my life who conducted his career in a way that was very honorable and decent,” he told The New York Times in 2024. “I saw how he treated other people, and I saw how he handled his fame. People have always asked me, ‘Did he sit down and give you advice?’ And I said, ‘No, he never gave me any advice. He just lived a certain way, and that was the best advice I could have gotten.’”
Reiner was an active voice for liberal causes. He co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which initiated the court challenge against California’s Prop 8, campaigned for higher taxes on cigarettes and was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump.
Talking about his philosophy as a director, he told The Guardian in 2018, “I want everyone around me to feel comfortable and happy. And then I can come into work and be like: ‘Hey, I get to spend today with these people today! Isn’t that great? Aren’t I lucky?’”
WORLD NEWS
Nobel Peace Prize winner is treated in Norway after suffering fractured vertebra during her escape from Venezuela in small fishing boat
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has suffered a fractured vertebra after escaping the country via fishing boat.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was said to have sustained the injury last Monday during a high-risk sea crossing to Norway.
It comes a day after Ms Machado voice support for Washington’s pressure campaign against president Nicolas Maduro.
She had said in an interview she ‘absolutely supports President Trump’s strategy’ adding Venezuelan people are ‘very grateful to him’ as he is a ‘champion of freedom in this hemisphere’.
The injury to Ms Machado reportedly occurred due to severe weather onboard the vessel, including strong winds and large waves.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado (pictured) has suffered a fractured vertebra after escaping from Venezuela via fishing boat
This is a breaking news story. More to come
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Nobel Peace Prize winner is treated in Norway after suffering fractured vertebra during her escape from Venezuela in small fishing boat
Tensions were high in the North East on Sunday, as Sunderland and Newcastle clashed in the first Tyne-Wear derby to be played in the Premier League for almost a decade
14:20, 15 Dec 2025
A brawl broke out after the match(Image: X)
Shocking footage has emerged of a mass brawl breaking out inside a packed bar following Sunday’s Tyne-Wear derby. Bitter rivals Sunderland and Newcastle faced off in the Premier League for the first time in nearly a decade.
An own goal from Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade gave Sunderland all the points at the Stadium of Light, sending the home fans wild with happiness. But there were ugly scenes at a bar where the match was screened.
Violence broke out shortly after the full-time whistle, as a video which has gone viral on social media shows around 15 people fighting with one another. The screams of women and children could be heard as things turned ugly.
A man can be seen falling over a table and onto the floor after a chair was thrown overhead. A woman wearing a Newcastle shirt then desperately scrambles away on her knees, as a wave of bodies comes towards her.
The same man picks up a table in retaliation, hurling it at two others men in tracksuits. Punches are then thrown as chairs fly across the room.
READ MORE: Newcastle owners’ stance on SACKING Eddie Howe as Sunderland loss sparks inquestREAD MORE: Alan Shearer blasts ‘rotten, pathetic’ Newcastle as Eddie Howe called out over Sunderland blow
Eventually, the chaos stopped. Some revellers left the room while went to the other side for safety, with the wails from the horrified children still going.
Mirror Football has contacted Northumbria Police for comment.
That was a stark contrast to the jubilation at Sunderland’s ground, as the hosts extended their unbeaten run in league derbies against Newcastle to 10 games. The match was, unsurprisingly, a fiery affair, with little goalmouth action but plenty of thunderous challenges.
“Proud and happy,” Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris told Sky Sports. “It was a derby and we were expected [to win] by our fans. This win is well deserved, we were mature and the lads were incredible.
A woman had to scramble away on her knees(Image: X)
A man fell over a table after a chair was hurled(Image: X)
“During the first half tactically it was really good, just small details about the shape, then it was a question of being more clinical in the final third. We had good control and some times were more patient. It was a good level of maturity, so happy for the lads and it is good for our fans. It’s good for the region, the club, the fans
“We knew before it was a special game but we have to reset quickly as we have another tough challenge in Brighton in one week so let’s go again.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, meanwhile, apologised for his team’s performance, adding: “It’s a horrible feeling, it’s very painful. It was not our finest game.
Punches were thrown between revellers(Image: X)
The same man threw a table at two young men(Image: X)
“It’s so disappointing, we know our performance was not what it needed to be. But, no, I don’t think it will define our season. Nothing is lost today.
“It was a game of very few chances settled by a freak goal and we couldn’t create the openings we wanted. The effort was there but the quality wasn’t.
“We were disappointed with our creative output. We haven’t delivered. It’s difficult to take.”
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A father and son have been identified as the suspected shooters in the terror attack on a Jewish event in Bondi Beach which killed at least 15 people.
More than 1,000 people were celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on the beach on Sunday evening when two people opened fire on them.
Those killed in the attack range from 10 years of age to 87, including a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, while 38 others have been injured.
One of the alleged gunmen has been named by New South Wales (NSW) police as 24-year-old Naveed Akram, while the other has been identified as his 50-year-old father Sajid Akram.
How did they carry out the attack?
Footage shows the gunmen start firing into the crowd from a footbridge that leads over a car park to the beach.
Sky News has identified from the footage that the younger gunman was using a rifle, while the older one was using a semi-automatic shotgun.
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What’s been said about the gunmen
Police commissioner Mal Lanyon said officers searched two properties in connection with the suspects and found that the father had six firearms licenced to him.
Follow live: 15 people and gunman killed in shooting
He said they were confident that those firearms were the six found at the scene of the shooting.
More footage from the scene showed that a man, later identified as 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen, believed to be the son Naveed, before pointing his own weapon at him, which was empty.
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Moment ‘hero’ disarmed gunman
The footage then showed the disarmed shooter running towards where Sajid was located. Mr Ahmed was shot twice in the incident and required surgery, his family said.
The shooting is estimated to have gone on for roughly 10 minutes from 6.47pm. Eventually, the police took down the gunmen 75 seconds apart on the bridge.
Read more:
The victims of Bondi terror attack
Eyewitness accounts of ‘utter panic and chaos’
The father was killed at the scene by police, while the son was shot and wounded.
He is being treated at a hospital, according to police. Mr Lanyon said he “may well” face criminal charges.
In an update on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC that the suspect was in a coma.
He also said there were a range of IEDs and “explosive devices” in their car that they intended to use to “cause further damage”.
What do we know about their backgrounds?
Sajid Akram arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa and transferred to a partner visa three years later, before becoming a permanent resident, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. Officials have not disclosed what country he migrated from.
He had his gun licence for approximately a decade and held a gun club membership, Mr Lanyon said.
The younger suspect was an Australian-born citizen who first came to the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in October 2019, Mr Albanese told reporters.
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Younger gunman was part of 2019 ‘investigation’
“He was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence,” Mr Albanese said.
Mr Albanese said the suspect was investigated for six months over his connections to two people who later went to jail, one man for planning terror attacks.
He said he was not put on a watch list because the investigation uncovered no evidence that he was planning or considering any act of antisemitic violence.
Neither the father nor son have been on the ASIO’s radar since the 7 October Hamas attacks, he added.
What do we know about the motives?
New South Wales Police designated the attack a terrorist incident, and Mr Lanyon said a “significant investigation” would be led by counterterrorism and that “no stone will be left unturned”.
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Community mourns after attack
“When I asked for calm, that is really important,” he said. “This is not a time for retribution. This is a time to allow the police to do their duty. So police are responding to make sure that all of the community is safe.”
Mr Albanese called the massacre an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation.
On Monday, he said the attackers were “two evil people… driven by ideology” whose actions were the result of an “extreme perversion of Islam”.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said after the attack: “This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah. What should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community with families and supporters has been shattered by this horrifying, evil attack.”
NewsFeed
Australia’s spy agency has revealed that one of the men who carried out the country’s worst massacre in three decades was investigated for links to ISIL. Police say Naveed Akram and his father Sajid targeted Jewish Australians celebrating Hanukkah at the country’s most famous beach.
Published On 15 Dec 2025
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