Three latest attacks in the eastern Pacific Ocean come as the US increases military presence in Trinidad and Tobago, near Venezuela.

Published On 16 Dec 202516 Dec 2025

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The United States has said it killed eight people in new attacks on vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, days after the US military seized a Venezuelan oil tanker amid Washington’s continuing military buildup in Latin America.

In a post on social media, the US Military Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said that “lethal kinetic strikes” targeted three vessels in international waters on Monday, at the direction of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

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Eight people were killed in total, SOUTHCOM said in a statement.

“Three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third,” it said, while claiming without providing any evidence that those killed were linked to drug trafficking.

At least 90 people have been killed in similar US attacks on dozens of vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela since September, in what international law experts have criticised as extrajudicial killings by the US military.

On Dec. 15, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 16, 2025

US lawmakers have questioned Hegseth over his role in the attacks, including whether he personally ordered a second strike on a boat targeting two people who had survived a first attack and were left clinging to the debris in September.

The Pentagon has also deployed warships, a submarine, drones and fighter jets to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, in what it claims are efforts to tackle drug smuggling in the region.

Venezuela said the attacks and US military buildup were aimed at allowing “external powers to rob Venezuela’s immeasurable oil and gas wealth“, even before US forces seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week, with US President Donald Trump telling reporters, “I assume we’re going to keep the oil.”

US military to use Trinidad airports, on Venezuela’s doorstep

The latest attacks on vessels in Latin American waters come as the US continues to build up its considerable military presence in the region surrounding Venezuela, with Trinidad and Tobago saying on Monday that it had authorised US military aircraft to use its airports.

Trinidad and Tobago said it had given the green light for the US military to use its airports “in the coming weeks”, adding that Washington would use them for “logistical” operations, including “facilitating supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations”.

The Caribbean island nation, which is located only 12km (7.4 miles) from Venezuela at its closest point, has been supportive of the US military buildup in the region, in contrast to some other Central and South American leaders.

Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has said she would rather see drug traffickers “blown to pieces” than have them kill citizens of her nation.

In response, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro again said that his country would stop supplying gas to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, according to the Venezuelan state television channel Telesur.

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The United States military said late on Monday that it had carried out strikes on three alleged narco-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific ocean, killing eight people.

“Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking,” US Southern Command said in a statement on social media platform X.

“A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions-three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third,” it added.

The US military did not give any evidence for their drug trafficking allegations.

A video posted with the statement showed a boat moving through the sea waters before exploding.

Criticism mounts for Trump’s counter-narcotics campaign

The US military strikes against alleged drug traffickers, which began in September, have killed at least 90 people so far and destroyed over 20 vessels.

President Donald Trump justifies the attacks as a necessary escalation to stymie the flow of drugs into the US.

Trump has asserted that his country is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

Monday’s statement comes as the Trump administration faces intense scrutiny in the US Congress over its ongoing strike campaign on alleged drug cartel boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Top officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are expected to provide closed-door briefings for lawmakers in the House and Senate.

On September 2, a “double tap strike” triggered accusations of a possible war crime.

The incident saw survivors of an initial boat attack, carried out by the US military, being killed in a second strike on the vessel.

Hegseth maintains he did not order a second strike.

The White House says the follow-up strike was ordered by a navy admiral.

Regional tensions

The Caribbean is also witnessing the largest US military buildup in decades.

The strikes have led to an increased friction between the US and Venezuela.

Washington claims that the drug smugglers have links to Venezuela’s strongman President Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro denies the allegation and claims that the US is “fabricating a new war” to cause a regime change in the South American nation.

The strikes have been seen as the precursor to possible US land attacks, which Trump says are coming soon.

Target Venezuela: Drug war or US power grab?

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Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher

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Australian authorities said Tuesday that the father and son who opened fire on families during a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach had packed their vehicle with improvised explosive devices and homemade ISIS flags, deepening fears that the massacre was part of a broader attack plot than initially believed.

During a press conference, investigators called the father-and-son gunmen, ages 24 and 50, “cowards” who hunted Jewish Australians “in broad daylight.” Fifteen people were killed and more than two dozen were injured in the shootings, which police are now formally describing as an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack.

New South Wales Police confirmed the younger attacker’s vehicle contained IED’s and two homemade ISIS flags, evidence authorities said points directly to extremist inspiration and an apparent intent to carry out a larger, coordinated assault. Forensic teams are still conducting ballistic and chemical examinations of the items.

“This was a barbaric attack against Jewish Australians,” Australia’s federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said. “They were hunted down in broad daylight.”

JOHN FETTERMAN BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS, SLAMS PARTY’S PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD STANCE AS ‘ABSOLUTE BETRAYAL’

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stand behind NSW Premier Chris Minns as he speaks during a press conference at NSW Police headquarters, following a deadly shooting incident during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025.  (REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

Authorities said they are still working to determine whether the devices were functional or intended for secondary targets.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett, NSW Premier Chris Minns, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, Minister for Police and Counter-Terrorism Yasmin Catley, attend a press conference during a visit to NSW Police headquarters, following a deadly shooting incident during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025.  (REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

Mal Lanyon, the Police Commissioner for New South Wales state, said the suspects traveled to the Philippines last month. Their reasons for the trip and where in the Philippines they went would be probed by investigators, Lanyon said.

The region has long been home to ISIS-linked networks. Groups of Muslim separatist militants, including Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines, once expressed support for ISIS and have hosted small numbers of foreign militant combatants from Asia, the Middle East and Europe in the past.

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Decades of military offensives, however, have considerably weakened Abu Sayyaf and other such armed groups, and Philippine military and police officials say there has been no recent indication of any foreign militants in the country’s south.

A woman kneels and prays at a flower memorial to shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a day after a shooting. (Mark Baker/AP Photo)

Officials said there is currently no evidence that additional attackers or facilitators were involved in Sunday’s massacre but officials cautioned that this assessment could change as investigators review digital devices, travel records and thousands of seized documents.

Tuesday marked the first time that officials confirmed their beliefs about the suspects’ ideologies.

DAVE PORTNOY SAYS AUSTRALIA TERROR ATTACK ‘BORDERLINE INEVITABLE’ AS HATRED TRENDS INTO ‘MAINSTREAM’ CULTURE

There are more than two dozen people, ranging in ages from 10 to 87, still being treated in hospitals after Sunday’s massacre. Ten of them, including three who are patients in a children’s hospital, are in critical condition.

Among the injured is Ahmed al Ahmed, a 42-year-old Syrian-born fruit shop owner who was captured on video tackling and disarming one assailant, before pointing the man’s weapon at him and then setting it on the ground. He had surgery scheduled on Wednesday for shotgun wounds to his left shoulder and upper body.

People gather around a tribute for shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a day after the shooting.  (Mark Baker/AP Photo)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who met earlier with Ahmed, hailed him as “a true Australian hero.”

GAL GADOT, ASHTON KUTCHER CONDEMN ANTISEMITIC TERROR ATTACK AT BONDI BEACH HANUKKAH EVENT

“We are a brave country. Ahmed al Ahmed represents the best of our country. We will not allow this country to be divided. That is what the terrorists seek. We will unite. We will embrace each other, and we’ll get through this,” Albanese added.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attend a press conference at NSW Police headquarters, following a deadly shooting incident during a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025. (REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

The older gunman was shot dead while his son was also being treated at a hospital on Tuesday.

Albanese and the leaders of some of Australia’s states have pledged to tighten the country’s already strict gun already strict gun laws in what would be the most sweeping reforms since a shooter killed 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania in 1996. Mass shootings in Australia have since been rare.

Officials divulged more information as public questions and anger grew on the third day following the attack about how the suspects were able to plan and enact it and whether Australian Jews had been sufficiently protected from rising antisemitism.

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Albanese announced plans to further restrict access to guns, in part because it emerged the older suspect had amassed his cache of six weapons legally.

“The suspected murderers, callous in how they allegedly coordinated their attack, appeared to have no regard for the age or ableness of their victims,” Barrett said. “It appears the alleged killers were interested only in a quest for a death tally.”

Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more. 

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European leaders push for ‘multinational force’ to secure peace in Ukraine

European leaders gathered in Berlin said they and the US committed to work together to provide “robust security guarantees,” including a European-led “multinational force” in Ukraine supported by the US.

They said the force’s work would include “operating inside Ukraine” as well as assisting in rebuilding Ukraine’s forces, securing its skies and supporting safer seas.

They said Ukrainian forces should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000.

German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the guarantees by the US are “truly remarkable” and a “very important advancement” that he greatly welcomes.

(Getty Images)

Arpan Rai16 December 2025 03:20

Trump hints at Nato-style security guarantees for Ukraine

The United States has offered to provide Nato-style security guarantees for Kyiv as US and European negotiators reported progress in talks to end the war with Russia.

Envoys sent by US president Donald Trump made the unprecedented offer at talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, US officials said, but warned such a deal would not be on the table forever.

Under the deal being discussed in Berlin, Ukraine would receive security guarantees similar to those provided in Article 5 of the Nato treaty, which requires the alliance to come to the defence of any member that comes under attack, a US official aware of the matter said.

Another US official said Russia was open to Ukraine joining the European Union and that Trump wanted to prevent Russia from encroaching further westwards in Europe.

One official said security guarantees, including deconfliction and oversight of any deal, were the major focus of Monday’s talks and that an Article 5-like guarantee was something Trump believed he could get Moscow to accept.

Working groups are expected to meet in the US during the coming weekend, possibly in Miami, one of the officials said. “Are we prepared to go to Russia if needed? Absolutely,” the official added.

(AFP/Getty)

Arpan Rai16 December 2025 03:03

Ukraine will ask US for long-range weapons if Russia rejects peace effort, says Zelensky

Ukraine will ask the US for more sanctions pressure on Russia and additional weapons, including long-range, if Moscow rejects diplomatic efforts to end the war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukraine supports the idea of a ceasefire, in particular for energy strikes, during the Christmas period, he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat.

Arpan Rai16 December 2025 02:52

What is Ukraine looking for if not Nato membership?

Russia has long opposed the idea of Ukraine joining Nato, warning against the perceived ‘enlargement’ of the military alliance on its border. Crucially, this is also opposed by the Trump administration.

Ukraine’s president Zelensky said on Sunday it was willing to give up on Nato membership – if Europe and the United States can offer tangible security guarantees to ward off future invasion.

These will have to be clearly defined and binding; Ukraine was offered security assurances before, in 1994, when it gave up its nuclear weapons. Russia then annexed Ukrainian territory in 2014.

Zelensky has asked for Article 5-style guarantees without Nato membership as part of a potential peace deal. Nato’s Article 5 clause commands all members to treat an attack on any Nato ally as an attack on all.

This would not necessarily require all members to attack Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine.

James Reynolds16 December 2025 02:00

The Independent View: How the West can still win

“Thanks to the growing Russian threat against Europe and Nato – at a time when AI is changing the very nature of warfare – the new head of MI6 is right to caution that ‘the front line is everywhere’. The appropriate response can be summed up in one word: deterrence.”

How the West can still win

Editorial: Thanks to the growing Russian threat against Europe and Nato – at a time when AI is changing the very nature of warfare – the new head of MI6 is right to caution that ‘the front line is everywhere’. The appropriate response can be summed up in one word: deterrence

Bryony Gooch16 December 2025 01:00

Armed forces chief says ‘whole nation must step up’ amid Russia threat

Russia is a growing threat to the UK and the nation’s “sons and daughters” must be ready to fight in the event of an attack, the head of the British armed forces has warned.

Making the case for a society-wide approach to “defence and deterrence”, chief of defence staff Sir Richard Knighton said the situation is “more dangerous than I have known during my career”.

He called on “people who are not soldiers, sailors or aviators to nevertheless invest their skills – and money” on building up national resilience.

Sir Richard said: “Sons and daughters. Colleagues. Veterans. …will all have a role to play. To build. To serve. And if necessary, to fight. And more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means.

“That is why it’s so important we do explain the changing threat and the need to stay ahead of it.”

Bryony Gooch16 December 2025 00:00

In pictures: European leaders meet with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner

(Getty Images)(Getty Images)

Bryony Gooch15 December 2025 23:00

As US offers Nato-style guarantees, territorial concessions remains a ‘painful’ topic

The United States has offered to provide NATO-style security guarantees for Kyiv as US and European negotiators reported progress in talks on Monday to end the war with Russia, but a deal on territorial concessions remained elusive.

Envoys sent by US president Donald Trump made the unprecedented offer at talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, US officials said, but warned such a deal would not be on the table forever.

The talks in the German capital have sparked some optimism from European leaders on a path to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two. However, Moscow is yet to agree to any of the changes discussed in Germany and has not indicated any willingness to do so.

“We’re trying to get it done,” Trump said of an agreement to end the war, speaking at the White House after he called into a dinner involving the key officials in Berlin. “We had numerous conversations with President Putin of Russia, and I think we’re closer now than we have been ever and we’ll see what we can do,” Trump added.

The US is also leaning on Ukraine to withdraw its forces from the eastern Donetsk region, an official familiar with the matter said, in what would be a massive concession that could cause a ferocious backlash in Ukraine.

Calling the issue of territorial concessions “painful”, Zelensky told reporters later: “Frankly speaking, we still have different positions.” But he said he believed US mediators would help find a compromise.

Bryony Gooch15 December 2025 22:30

Ukraine hits Russian submarine in first-ever underwater drone attack

Bryony Gooch15 December 2025 22:00

Trump issues update following European leaders dinner

Donald Trump gave an update as US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner attended a dinner with European leaders, which the US president called into.

“I had a long talk with President Zelensky. Also, I spoke with the heads of Germany, Italy, NATO, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. We had very long and very good talks. And again, I think things are going along pretty well.

“27,000 soldiers were killed last month. Shouldn’t happen. Should have never happened. Should have never started that war should have never ever started, but it did and we’re trying to get it solved — that was Biden’s situation which I’m to get it done, and I think we’re closer now —and they, they will tell you that they’re closer now.

“We had numerous conversations with President Putin of Russia, and I think we’re closer now than we have been ever and we’ll see what we can do. We want to save a lot of lives. You know, we sell equipment to NATO. We don’t spend any money, but we do want to see if we can save a lot of lives when you’re losing 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers, mostly soldiers, so other people too, from towns then, like places like Kiev, various other places throughout Ukraine, it’s pretty bad. Nobody’s seen anything like it actually since World War Two.

ESP-GEN TRUMP-ROB REINER (AP)

“But we’re getting closer. We’re having tremendous support from European leaders. They want to get it ended also, and at this point, this moment, Russia wants to get it and the problem is, they’ll want to get it ended and then all of a sudden they won’t and Ukraine will want to get it ended and all of a sudden, they won’t. So we have to get them on the same page. But I think that’s working along. Very good talk.”

Bryony Gooch15 December 2025 21:30

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NEED TO KNOW

• A 14-year-old student at Community Trails Middle School in Collin County, Texas is suspected in the fatal shooting of Romeo English
• English was 24, and the pair allegedly got into an altercation at “a small ‘pop up’ gathering at a local residence
• He is suspected of shooting the victim “multiple times at close range” and is now in police custody

A middle school student has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old Texas man.

Lavon Police confirmed in a press release on Monday, Dec. 15 that the 14-year-old juvenile was “taken into custody in Dallas, Texas without incident.” The suspect has not been publicly identified because they are a minor.

“The Lavon Police Department would like to thank the community and the law enforcement agencies who assisted in the investigation and apprehension of this suspect,” police said in a statement. “In partnership with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Louisiana State Police, Collin County Sheriff’s Office, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff s Office, Shreveport Police Department, Community Independent School District Police Department, Wylie Police Department, Josephine Police Department, Lavon Fire Department, Wylie ETMC, and Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office we have been able to bring the suspect into custody without further violence in less than 48 hours.”

An earlier press release issued Monday that the 14-year-old was wanted as a suspect in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Romeo English. Police say that the two were involved in an altercation on Dec. 13 at a “small ‘pop up’ gathering at a residence in the 700 block of Wellington Drive in Lavon,” per the press release.

The suspect and victim [were] both at the gathering when a verbal altercation took place which turned physical,” police said. “The resident of the home broke up the physical altercation.”

Police say that shortly after the altercation, the suspect “brandished a firearm and shot the victim multiple times at close range” as the victim was preparing to leave the residence.

Upon investigation, the LPD learned that the suspect, who stands at approximately 5’8″ and weighs 150 pounds, was involved in the incident.

“We believe this to be an isolated and targeted incident and do not believe there to be a continued threat to the public, however we advise anyone that sees the suspect to call 911 immediately and not to approach him,” the press release added.

Authorities initially discovered English with multiple gunshot wounds. He was brought to a hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries, Fox 4 reports.

Community Independent School District confirmed on Sunday, Dec. 14 that the alleged shooter has been identified as a student at Community Trails Middle School, a representative for the school confirmed to PEOPLE. Community ISD confirmed the 14-year-old last attended school on Nov. 11, and that the shooting of English appears to have been a targeted act, indicating that there is no active threat against the students in the district.

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

“While the District does not believe this student poses a threat to any campus, we take the safety and security of our students and staff seriously,” Community ISD said in a statement. After the teen was arrested, the school issued another statement.

“For at least the morning of Tuesday, December 16, our campuses in Lavon – NeSmith Elementary, Dodson Elementary, and Community Trails Middle School – will remain closed to visitors. We will also continue to have an increased security presence on those campuses on Tuesday,” a representative for Community ISD confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE.

Anyone with further information pertaining to this investigation is encouraged to email cid@lavontx.gov or call dispatch to connect with an on-duty officer at 972-547-5350.

PEOPLE has reached out to LPD and Community ISD for comment.

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By CAITLIN POWELL – NEWS REPORTER and NICHOLAS WILSON

Published: 22:49 EST, 15 December 2025 | Updated: 23:31 EST, 15 December 2025

Brittany Higgins’s husband David Sharaz has been declared bankrupt in the federal court in Perth.

It comes just days after his wife was declared bankrupt following a bitter court battle with her former boss Linda Reynolds.

The ex-Liberal Senator launched the legal action after winning a defamation case against Ms Higgins earlier this year.

Reynolds’ high-profile defamation victory centred on a series of social media posts the former Defence Minister said damaged her reputation.

She was awarded $315,000 in damages plus $26,109 interest after WA’s Supreme Court ruled in August that some posts were defamatory.

Mr Sharaz, who chose not to defend the legal action, was ordered to pay $85,000, ABC News reported on Tuesday.

‘I am satisfied the debtor committed [the] act of bankruptcy,’ Registrar Camille Goucke said in the Federal Court.

She has ordered Mr Sharaz’s estate to be sequestrated under the bankruptcy act and costs of $5,690 to be paid.

Brittany Higgins’s husband David Sharaz has been declared bankrupt

Ms Higgins was declared bankrupt last week after a bitter court battle with her former boss Linda Reynolds (pictured)

The couple declined to comment on their respective rulings when contacted by the Daily Mail.

Reynolds is now pursuing Ms Higgins for damages and legal costs arising from the defamation suit, with the bill estimated to be well in excess of $1million. 

In a statement last week, the ex-Senator said she did not see her former staffer’s bankruptcy outcome as a victory.

‘Rather it is the inevitable consequence of a failure by Ms Higgins to pay the damages she was ordered to pay by the court,’ she said.

‘The fact of the matter is that I was put to the cost of an expensive Supreme Court trial to prove Ms Higgins egregiously lied about my conduct and to put an end to the continuation of these lies.

‘I was successful at that trial and Ms Higgins has failed to pay any of the damages she was ordered to pay.’

The former politician’s high-profile defamation victory over Ms Higgins centred on a series of social media posts the former Defence Minister said damaged her reputation. 

Ms Higgins alleges former colleague Bruce Lehrmann raped her in Reynolds’ ministerial suite at Parliament House in 2019.

Ms Higgins alleges former colleague Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) raped her in Reynolds’ ministerial suite at Parliament House in 2019 

Lehrmann maintains his innocence and has not been found criminally liable, after a 2022 trial was aborted due to juror misconduct.

In a separate civil case, a Federal Court judge found Lehrmann had raped Higgins on the balance of probabilities.

Earlier this month, he lost his appeal bid but signalled plans to take the case to the High Court.

‘Finally, it feels like I can breathe again,’ Ms Higgins said in a statement following the decision.

‘While on the face of it this was a defamation case against a media outlet, in reality it was once again a rape trial.’

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Brittany Higgins’s husband David Sharaz declared bankrupt in the federal court in Perth

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Ana Walshe, an estate agent, vanished after a New Year’s Eve dinner at her family home she shared with husband Brian, who was later arrested and charged with murder

Brian Walshe, right, stands after being found guilty(Image: AP)

A dad killed his wife and dismembered her body in a gruesome murder.

Brian Walshe, 50, remained stone-faced when he was found guilty of first-degree murder yesterday after a court heard he made grisly online searches, such as as “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body,” “how long before a body starts to smell” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember”.

He killed wife Ana, 39, but still hasn’t told authorities where her body parts are. Nevertheless, Ana’s sister said “justice had been served” after Walshe’s conviction at Norfolk Superior Court jury in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Ana, who was an estate agent, vanished after a dinner on New Year’s Eve 2022 at her family home she shared with Walshe and their three young children. A subsequent search of a recycling centre near Walshe’s mother’s home uncovered bags containing a hatchet, hammer, sheers, hacksaw, towels and a protective Tyvek suit, cleaning agents, a Prada purse, boots like the ones Ana was last seen wearing and a COVID-19 vaccination card with her name.

READ MORE: Man charged with murder after ‘loving’ boy, 15, fatally stabbed in LondonREAD MORE: Heartless mum watched on as boyfriend tortured daughter, 6, to deathAna Walshe’s family and friends listen during the trial in Dedham, Massachusetts(Image: AP)

Walshe was swiftly arrested despite the body never being found. He had pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of misleading police and illegally disposing of her body but a jury convicted him of murder yesterday.

The court was told Walshe claimed Ana, who immigrated from Serbia, was having an affair. Prosecutors told the jury the dad searched online for “how long for someone missing to inherit,” “how long missing to be dead,” and “can you throw away body parts,” in the weeks before Ana disappeared in Cohasset, Massachusetts.

Speaking after the conviction, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said: “It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about getting the right answer and this was the right answer. We don’t look at cases as wins or losses. We look at getting justice for someone, so let’s not lose sight of that fact.”

READ MORE: Mum arrested over six-year-old son’s death ‘after starting GoFundMe’CCTV shows Walshe at a DIY store where he bought a hatchet, a hammer and other items(Image: BH)

Investigators also found Walshe read an online article titled “is it possible to clean DNA off a knife,” a search for “best way to dispose of body parts after murder,” and saw websites and searches about “cleaning blood with ammonia, bleach and hydrogen peroxide”.

Surveillance video also showed a man resembling Walshe throwing what appeared to be heavy rubbish bags into a dumpster not far from their home in Cohasset.

Prosecutors told the jury that the Massachusetts State Crime Laboratory examined some of the items for DNA and found Ana and Walshe’s DNA on the Tyvek suit and Ana Walshe’s DNA on the hatchet, hacksaw and other items.

Walshe, who faces life in state prison without parole, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.

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Exiled punk band says its members are proud to be branded ‘extremists’ and hits back at Putin as an ‘aging sociopath’.

A Moscow district court has designated Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot as an extremist organisation, according to the state TASS news agency.

The exiled group’s lawyer, Leonid Solovyov, told TASS that Monday’s court ruling was made in response to claims brought by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and that the band plans to appeal. According to TASS, the case was heard in a closed session at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

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The court said that it had upheld prosecution submissions “to recognise the punk band Pussy Riot as an extremist organisation and ban its activities on the territory of the Russian Federation”, the AFP news agency reports.

An official Pussy Riot social media account shared a statement, responding defiantly to the ruling, saying the band’s members, who have lived in exile for years, were “freer than those who try to silence us”.

“We can say what I think about putin — that he is an aging sociopath spreading his venom around the world like cancer,” the statement said.

“In today’s Russia, telling the truth is extremism. So be it – we’re proud extremists, then.”

The group’s designation will make it easier for the authorities to go after the band’s supporters in Russia or people who have worked with them in the past.

“This court order is designed to erase the very existence of Pussy Riot from the minds of Russians,” the band said. “Owning a balaclava, having our song on your computer, or liking one of our posts could lead to prison time.”

According to TASS, earlier reports said that the Prosecutor General’s Office had brought the case over Pussy Riot’s previous actions, including at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February 2012, and the World Cup Final in Moscow in 2018.

Today Russian court designated Pussy Riot as an extremist organization.

And yet, we’re freer than those who try to silence us. We can say what I think about putin — that he is an aging sociopath spreading his venom around the world like cancer. In today’s Russia, telling the… pic.twitter.com/ymz3BbApTo

— 𝖕𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖞 𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖙💦 (@pussyrrriot) December 15, 2025

The band’s members have already served sentences for the 2012 protest at the cathedral in Moscow, where they played what they called a punk prayer, “Mother of God, Cast Putin Out!”

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, who were jailed for two years on hooliganism charges over the cathedral protest, were released as part of a 2013 amnesty, which extended to some 26,000 people facing prosecution from Russian authorities, including 30 Greenpeace crew members.

In September, a Russian court handed jail terms to five people linked with Pussy Riot – Maria Alyokhina, Taso Pletner, Olga Borisova, Diana Burkot and Alina Petrova – after finding them guilty of spreading “false information” about the Russian military, news outlet Mediazona reported. All have said the charges against them are politically motivated.

Mediazona was founded by Alyokhina alongside fellow band member Tolokonnikova.

The news outlet says that it is continuing to maintain a verified list of Russian military deaths in Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

“We have confirmed 153,000 names, each supported by evidence, context, and documentation,” Mediazona said on Monday.

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US President Donald Trump has sued the BBC for defamation over a documentary that contained edited clips of his speech to supporters, ahead of the 2021 Capitol riots.

Trump is seeking up to $10 billion (€8.5 billion approximately)  in damages from the British public broadcaster.

His lawsuit alleges that the BBC violated a Florida law that prohibits unfair trade practices.

The US leader accused the BBC of defaming him by splicing two separate excerpts from his January 6, 2021 speech, giving the impression that he was inciting the riot.

The allegations led to the resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and Chief Executive of News Deborah Turness last month.

What does Trump’s lawsuit against BBC say?

The lawsuit — which includes 33 pages — was filed in the Miami federal court on Monday.

It alleges that the BBC had broadcast a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump.”

Trump’s lawsuit accuses the BBC of “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 US presidential election.

It seeks damages in an amount “not less than $5billion” (€4.2 billion approximately) each, for two counts —  alleged defamation and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

BBC’s response to the Trump documentary controversy

The BBC has apologized to Trump, admitting an error of judgment.

It accepted that the edit of the clips mistakenly gave the impression that Trump had made a direct call for violence ahead of the riots.

However, the broadcaster has said that there is no legal basis to sue.

Trump’s lawsuit says that despite its apology the BBC “has made no showing of actual remorse for its wrongdoing nor meaningful institutional changes to prevent future journalistic abuses.”

The documentary at the centre of Trump’s legal action was aired by the BBC’s flagship Panorama program.

It triggered one of the biggest crises that the publicly funded broadcaster has witnessed in its 103-year history. 

The documentary came under scrutiny after a leaked internal dossier raised concerns about its editing and formed part of a broader investigation into potential political bias at the broadcaster.

The documentary was not broadcast in the United States and the BBC said it has no plans to re-run the documentary on any of its platforms.

Trump’s public media cuts hit rural outlets hard

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Edited by: Kieran Burke

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‘My son is a hero’- Father praises man who stopped gunman in Bondi Beach terror attack

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The fatal shooting at Bondi Beach appears to have been driven by extremist beliefs, Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has said.

“It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology,” Albanese told ABC Sydney.

One of the gunmen involved in the Bondi Beach mass shooting had previously been investigated over links to a Sydney-based Isis terrorist cell, he said.

Naveed Akram, 24, had been investigated for six months in 2019 by ASIO, the country’s domestic intelligence agency, according to ABC. It found no evidence that he had planned or considered planning any act of violence.

Counter-terrorism police believe Akram and his father, Sajid, 50, had pledged allegiance to the terror group, according to the broadcaster.

Two Isis flags were reportedly found in their car.

At least 15 people were killed in the antisemitic terrorist attack at an event called Chanukah by the Sea on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.

Sajid Akram was killed at the scene, while Naveed Akram suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.

Chris Minns defends police response to the attack

NSW premier Chris Minns defended the police response to the attack, rejecting claims that officers failed in their duty and calling such criticism disrespectful to those who risked their lives.

He, however, acknowledged that mistakes could be reconsidered in hindsight but said the focus now must be on improving future security and rebuilding trust, particularly with the Jewish community.

“The New South Wales police acted with bravery and integrity. They engaged the gunmen on the footbridge with handguns. They didn’t take a backward step.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, right, and Kellie Sloane, leader of the opposition, the New South Wales Liberal Party, lay wreaths at a tribute for shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Monday,15 December 2025, a day after a shooting (Associated Press)

“The offenders had long-range rifles and New South Wales police officers were responsible for killing one of them and shooting the other one and as a result saving many people’s lives.

“There are two officers in critical care in New South Wales hospitals at the moment. They weren’t shot in the back as they were running away. They were shot in the front.

“I’m sorry to be graphic about it, but if there is any suggestion that New South Wales police didn’t live up to their responsibilities to the people of this state, it should be rejected because it is not consistent with the facts.”

Maroosha Muzaffar16 December 2025 03:23

Bondi beach attack motivated by Isis ideology, Albanese says

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said the fatal shooting at Bondi Beach appears to have been driven by extremist beliefs.

“It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology,” he told ABC Sydney.

He continued: “The ideology that has been around for more than a decade that led to this ideology of hate, and in this case, a preparedness to engage in mass murder.”

He said the attack was “meticulous, calculated, cold-blooded”.

Maroosha Muzaffar16 December 2025 02:54

British Transport Police to increase patrols in wake of Bondi Beach attack

British Transport Police will increase the number of officers on the network over the coming days and weeks following the Bondi Beach attack.

Assistant chief constable Sean O’Callaghan said: “Horrific events like this impact communities here in Great Britain, and we recognise the concerns that many people will be feeling, especially in our Jewish communities and in light of the terror attack on the Synagogue in Manchester in October.”

The force said it was “dedicated to keeping the public safe and providing reassurance to everyone travelling.”

“With events taking place across the country during the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, many of our patrols will be targeted to these locations, as well as in areas where Jewish communities live and work.

“We urge passengers to remain vigilant and not to hesitate to speak to our officers when you see them about across the network. They are there to keep you safe, but please don’t forget we need your help too.”

Harriette Boucher16 December 2025 02:00

In pictures: Flowers laid at the scene of mass shooting

(AFP via Getty Images)(Reuters)(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Harriette Boucher16 December 2025 00:59

Jewish people fear they could be attacked again in UK, says Campaign Against Antisemitism chief executive

The chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism told a London vigil for the Bondi Beach victims that Jewish people fear they could be attacked again in the UK.

Gideon Falter was speaking at a memorial event and Hanukkah celebration on Monday night for those killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack.

He said: “Celebrating Hanukkah is just an act of celebration, but tonight it feels like an act of defiance.

“Unfortunately, Jews have been warning about the dangers of extremism and radicalism running amok in our country for years and time has run out.

“It is time not for thoughts and prayers or words of solidarity, but action from our politicians, action from our Government.”

Harriette Boucher16 December 2025 00:02

‘I went down to save lives’: Hero fruit seller who tackled gunman thought he was going to die

A fruit shop owner who tackled one of the Bondi Beach gunmen told his cousin to tell his family he “went down to save people’s lives” before he stepped in to act.

Ahmed al-Ahmed, a father-of-two from Sydney, was seen tackling one of the gunmen before wrestling his weapon away from him during an antisemitic terrorist attack at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in Sydney on Sunday.

Video footage of Mr Ahmed intervening circulated widely on social media following the attack.

He was at the beach with his cousin Jozay Alkanj, who told the Sydney Morning Herald that Mr Ahmed asked him to pass a message to his family before he acted.

Mr Alkanj said Mr Ahmed told him: “I’m going to die – please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people’s lives.”

Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 23:30

Relative of murdered Rabbi says ‘root causes’ of antisemitic violence must be confronted

Tory shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson, a relative of British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Bondi Beach shooting, has stressed the need to tackle extremism driving violence.

Speaking in Parliament, Lord Wolfson said the debate on Jewish security must move away from being about higher walls around synagogues and more guards outside schools and focus on the root causes of antisemitic violence.

Referring to a charity which provides protection for Jewish communities in the UK, the Conservative peer said: “While we are always grateful for support for the Community Security Trust, the debate about Jewish security needs to move away from being about higher walls around our synagogues and more guards outside our schools, and on to the root causes of why we actually need such security.

“So will the minister explain what the Government is actually doing, in practical terms, to counter the extremist ideologies which are driving this antisemitic violence, and to remove them and their proponents from our social media, out of our universities and off our streets?”

Lord Wolfson (UK Gov)

Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 23:00

Australia has a reputation for strict gun laws. How did the Bondi Beach shooting happen?

In response, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese held an emergency national cabinet meeting to discuss whether gun laws need to be changed.

After the meeting, all states and territories have agreed to strengthen gun laws. Ideas for reform include limiting how many guns one person can own, the types of guns deemed legal and making Australian citizenship a condition of holding a licence.

There will also be consideration of restrictions on the importation of guns, including 3D-printed weapons.

Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 22:31

Watch: Labour minister Ashley Dalton heckled at Bondi Beach vigil

Labour MP Ashley Dalton was heckled at a memorial event and Hanukkah celebration for those killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack, as she told the crowd she was “standing with the Jewish people”.

She said: “We are here to stand together against the hatred and vitriol from wherever it comes. The Government does not and will not tolerate antisemitism.”

But the West Lancashire was interrupted by the crowd, with calls to “stop the marches” and “we want action not words”.

She was able to continue speaking after a rabbi stepped onto the stage and called for the listeners to be “ambassadors of light” and allow her to speak.

Labour minister Ashley Dalton heckled at Bondi Beach vigil

Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 22:01

Bondi attack ‘cruelly marred’ first day of Hannukah, says Swinney

The attack on a Jewish community in Australia was an “unspeakable act of hatred and violence” which “cruelly marred” the first day of Hannukah, John Swinney has said.

The attack has caused concern in Jewish communities across the world, but First Minister John Swinney has said the Government is engaging with police to ensure the safety of Jews in Scotland.

“I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific terror attack that happened at Bondi Beach, on the first night of Chanukah,” the First Minister said in a statement on Monday.

“What should have been a celebration of light and hope was cruelly marred by an unspeakable act of hatred and violence.

“I know that the Jewish community here in Scotland will be facing unimaginable grief and anxiety in the wake of this senseless attack.”

Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 21:31

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