WORLD NEWS
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left ‘furious’ over unexpected Christmas ‘snub’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reportedly ‘tipped over the edge’ during the final Christmas with the Royal Family, leaving them certain they needed to make their ‘own path’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven’t had a Christmas with the Royal Family since 2018(Image: Getty Images)
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last celebrated Christmas as part of the Royal Family, they were reportedly left ‘furious’ over a snub by the late Queen Elizabeth in her annual address. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sensationally quit their royal duties in January 2020, after one particular moment was the “final straw” for them just weeks earlier.
In 2019, Harry and Meghan, with seven-month-old Prince Archie in tow, spent the festive period in Canada with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland and they were allegedly ‘tipped over the edge’ during the late Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas broadcast. As the monarch addressed viewers, family portraits were clearly visible on her desk, however, one was missing as there was no picture of Meghan and Harry with their then-newborn son.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were ‘furious’ at the late Queen during their last Christmas with the royals
In the book Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claimed the Sussexes believed the Royal Family were “conspiring against them” with the move, as they said the couple felt they had “long been sidelined by the institution and were not a fundamental part of its future”.
They wrote: “One didn’t have to look further than the family photos displayed during the Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day. In the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, where the Queen delivered her address, viewers glimpsed photos of the [Waleses] and their children, Charles and Camilla, Prince Philip, and a black-and-white image of George VI.
Harry and Meghan’s photo was not on display during the late Queen’s 2019 Christmas address(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“Noticeably absent was a photo of Harry, Meghan, and their new baby, Archie.” The authors explained the Palace’s reasoning behind the snub, as royal sources insisted the photos were chosen to represent the “direct line of succession”. However, Omid and Carolyn said Harry and Meghan felt it was “yet another sign that they needed to consider their own path.”
During the 2019 Christmas period, the royal couple missed the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace and were not present for the traditional royal family gathering at the monarch’s private Sandringham estate on Christmas Day.
It was the second time Prince Harry has missed spending December 25 with his immediate family, the first being when he was on a tour of Afghanistan while in the Army in 2012.
In 2020, the couple decided to step back from life as senior royals and moved overseas to America, where they still live today with their children Archie and Lilibet.
Harry and Meghan relocated to the US in 2020(Image: MLB Photos via Getty Images)
A year later, the couple sat down with Oprah Winfrey in a 2021 bombshell interview where they discussed their reasons for quitting royal life, while also hurling damning revelations and accusations at the Royal Family.
Since then, relationships between the Sussexes and the Royal Family have been fractured, especially after the release of their Netflix docuseries in 2022, followed by Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023, and a string of candid jabs at the Firm during public appearances over the years.
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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.”
NEED TO KNOW
- A suspect is in custody in relation to the shooting at Brown University that left at least two people dead and nine others injured on Dec. 13
- The gunman’s identity has not yet been made public, nor have any charges
- A shelter-in-place order for the Rhode Island college has been lifted as of Dec. 14
A suspect is in custody following the deadly mass shooting at Brown University.
PEOPLE can confirm that the Providence Police Department (PPD) has detained “a person of interest” in connection with the tragedy, which left at least two people dead and nine others injured.
Josh Estrella, the communications director for the mayor of Providence, tells PEOPLE that the shelter-in-place order for the Rhode Island college has also been lifted.
According to NBC News, the suspect, a man, had “a unique characteristic” on the gun used in the shooting. The weapon was found when he was taken into custody, the outlet reported.
The suspect’s identity has not yet been made public, nor have any charges.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Brown University.
Getty
Brown, an Ivy League school, first announced that there was an active shooter near Barus & Holley, a computer lab and engineering building on campus, shortly after 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Shortly after, officials falsely stated that a suspect was in custody, but said in a follow-up alert minutes later that no suspects had been apprehended.
Police previously provided a description of the suspect, saying he was “a male dressed in black,” and later released security footage of the man believed to be the shooter.
Commander Timothy O’Hara said it is “unknown” how the suspect entered the building where the shooting took place, but police had been “utilizing every resource possible” to find the perpetrator.
Brown University after the shooting on Dec. 13.
Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty
Of the nine people injured in the incident, one was in critical condition, six were in critical but stable condition and two were stabilized, a Brown University Health spokesperson said, per NBC News.
The identities of the deceased and injured have yet to be made public as of Dec. 14.
Despite the shelter-in-place order being lifted, Brown said in a message on its website, “Police activity continues in areas that are still considered an active crime scene.”
“Be advised that access to these areas of campus continues to be limited,” the school continued, adding that “community members who leave those buildings will be unable to return.”
University President Christina H. Paxson described the tragedy as “a day that no university community is ever prepared for.”
WORLD NEWS
Brown University shooting suspect is ARRESTED after 10 hours on the run as two killed and 9 injured on campus
A suspect has been arrested after two people were killed and multiple were injured at a shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island.
Police confirmed that a ‘person of interest’ is in custody, as of 6am Sunday morning.
Shots fired at Brown’s prestigious engineering building at 4.05pm on Saturday afternoon, in the midst of students’ end of semester exam season.
Late on Saturday night, police released a short clip of a person of interest walking as he turns the corner on Waterman Street. It’s unclear if the same person has been arrested.
Police are holding a press conference at 7am Sunday.
This is a breaking news story.
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Brown University shooting suspect is ARRESTED after 10 hours on the run as two killed and 9 injured on campus
Laura Woods made clear her stance on social media and came in for backlash as a result
Fasika Zelealem Senior Sports Reporter
11:27, 14 Dec 2025
Laura Woods made sure her voice was heard on social media(Image: Neal Simpson/Allstar, Getty Images)
Laura Woods has shared her fears of facing backlash when she voiced her opinion on the gender controversy that overshadowed the 2024 Olympic Games. The issue centred around Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s participation and subsequent gold medal win in the women’s welterweight boxing division at the Paris Olympics.
Khelif, along with China’s Lin Yu-ting, had been disqualified from the World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) a year earlier. The IBA, a discredited world governing body backed by Russia, claimed that blood test results proved Khelif was ineligible to compete against females.
However, they failed to provide any documented evidence to support their claims. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) deemed the tests not credible and cleared both athletes to compete at the Games.
Amidst the controversy, Woods, a presenter for TNT Sports, publicly praised a Telegraph article on social media. The piece argued that the IOC’s decision to allow Khelif – who has previously been wrongly labelled as transgender – and Lin to compete put biological women at risk.
Over a year after endorsing the article, Woods spoke to the newspaper, revealing her concerns that speaking out could have led to her being cancelled. Woods, 38, expressed her frustration, saying: “I remember just almost screaming internally, because I felt there was such an injustice going on in front of our eyes.
READ MORE: Olympic gender-row boxer knocks out opponent in just 94 SECONDS on controversial returnREAD MORE: Laura Woods’ huge Champions League wages, ‘death threats’ fiasco, no regrets over split
“I was so angry that everyone who wanted to talk about it openly was gaslighted into thinking that what they were saying was wrong.
“It still annoys me now, because there was so much sympathy given to Khelif, and such a lack of it to the women around that athlete.
Imane Khelif earned a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games(Image: Getty)
“It felt so disproportionate. I couldn’t believe that even questioning it out loud was worthy of cancellation.” Since defeating Yang Liu in last year’s final, Algerian boxer Khelif has vowed to compete at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
This is despite President Donald Trump’s promise to ban biological men from competing in women’s sports, and his false implication that Khelif was born male. The boxer responded to these claims earlier this year.
In an interview with ITV Sport, Khelif stated: “The US President issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.”
Laura Woods was an outspoken figure on the controversy(Image: Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
She confessed that the scrutiny she faced last year had a significant impact on her mental and emotional wellbeing. “I was deeply affected mentally and felt discouraged, but I remained aware of what was happening,” she added.
“Even during the Paris Olympics, I had a team of specialist doctors who provided me with support and assistance. Without their support, I might have fallen into a spiral of depression.”
It was after Khelif’s second round victory over Italy’s Angela Carini that sparked mass backlash sent the Algerian’s way. She defeated the Italian in only 46 seconds, with Carini reportedly saying, “It’s not fair,” after receiving a punch from Khelif.
At least 12 people have been killed after a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
Here is what we know so far about what happened.
Latest updates on shooting
How many people were killed or injured?
In addition to 12 fatalities, at least 29 people have been injured, including a child and two police officers.
A man believed to be one of the gunmen was killed and another suspect is in custody in a critical condition.
A person on a stretcher is treated by emergency workers. Pic: AP
How did the shooting unfold?
Police were called at about 6.47pm on Sunday (7.47am UK time), responding to reports of shots being fired at Archer Park, Bondi Beach.
Officers have declared it a “terrorist incident”.
Details are still emerging about exactly what happened.
One video shows two gunmen appearing to open fire from a small bridge overlooking the beach.
Another video shows crowds of people on the beach running away as they fled the scene.
Attack ‘targeted Jewish people’
More than 1,000 people had been attending an event on Bondi Beach celebrating the Jewish holy festival of Hanukkah at the time of the shooting, police said.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said: “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.”
The leader of Australia’s opposition Sussan Ley said the attack took place as “our Jewish community came together at the Chanukah by the Sea celebration”.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Jewish people who had gone to light the first candle of the Hanukkah holiday on the beach had been attacked by “vile terrorists”.
People and emergency workers after the incident on Bondi Beach. Pic: AP/Mark Baker
What have witnesses said?
Witnesses have described the terror and confusion as masses of people fled the beach.
“Thousands of people just like running. And I opened up the back gate to my friend’s cafe and just let everyone in,” one witness told 9News.
“Pregnant women, women with kids, just everyone’s running and just running.
“Like the whole it was just panic. It was pandemonium.”
Harry Wilson, who witnessed the shooting, told the Sydney Morning Herald: “I saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere.”
Another witness, called Phil, told 9News: “We just heard what sounded like fireworks. The beach was absolutely packed. And then there were a lot of fireworks going off.
“Then suddenly we saw thousands of people just running this way. So we all just went inside, holed up in the toilets.
“I’ve got a friend that’s holed up in a basement now. Everybody went inside.”
Phil said he soon realised the sounds of fireworks were “more than that”.
“We’re a bit shaken,” he added.
‘Suspicious items located’
Police said their operation was “ongoing” and a “number of suspicious items located in the vicinity” were being examined by specialist officers. An exclusion zone was in place, they added.
How have politicians reacted?
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the scenes in Bondi were “shocking and distressing”.
He said in a statement: “Police and emergency responders are on the ground working to save lives.
“My thoughts are with every person affected.”
Opposition leader Sussan Ley said: “The loss of life from this attack is significant and I join with the prime minister in urging all Australians to follow official advice from police and relevant authorities.”
Quotable
Myles Caggins, former US military spokesman for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, talks about the attack in Syria that resulted in the killings of three Americans.
Published On 14 Dec 2025
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