Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg has lashed out at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s intelligence review – declaring it ‘bulls**t’ – and called for the government to launch a royal commission.

Frydenberg has been an outspoken member of the Jewish Australian community since the terror attack at Bondi Beach claimed 15 innocent lives on December 14.

He has repeatedly requested a royal commission into the attack, which saw alleged gunman Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid, target a Jewish festival.

Albanese on Sunday announced a major review into the performance of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and other authorities.

Intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead the investigation into how the agencies acted in the lead-up to the Bondi shooting.

The review will be made publicly available when it is finalised in April, 2026. 

Frydenberg responded to the announcement in a social media post and claimed it wouldn’t go to ‘the heart of the issues’, particularly antisemitism.   

‘To use an Australian colloquialism its bulls**t,’ Frydenberg wrote

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) has slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s intelligence review and repeated the calls for a federal royal commission into the Bondi attack

Two alleged gunmen took the lives of 15 innocent people attending a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach on December 14

‘It’s weak, it’s wrong, it’s an abrogation of your first and fundamental duty to protect all Australian citizens after the deadliest terrorist attack on Australian soil at Bondi Beach.

‘Your departmental review will not go to the heart of the issues and the radicalisation within our country, which has been allowed to explode on your watch.’

The former treasurer asked Albanese, ‘What are you afraid a Commonwealth Royal Commission will uncover?’ and pointed to NSW Premier Chris Minns who already endorsed a royal commission.

‘No one could think that the extremist threat is limited to NSW. These are federal offences, federal responsibilities and failures at the federal level. The threat is national,’ Frydenberg wrote.

‘You yourself (Albanese) have said that this terrorist attack was inspired by the Islamic State. You cannot legitimately conclude that this is a matter to be covered by a state based Royal Commission.

‘Anti-Jew intimidation, harassment and violence has metastasised in our country and must not be allowed to go one day longer. 

‘The tsunami of hate is not just an attack on Jewish Australians, it’s a threat to every Australian. Prime Minister, enough is enough!’

In his announcement on Sunday, Albanese promised the review would examine if intelligence agencies needed more power to prevent terrorism. 

Albanese (right) on Sunday announced intelligence authorities would conduct an internal review of their performance in the lead up to the terrorist attack

Frydenberg told Albanese of the review: ‘It’s weak, it’s wrong, it’s an abrogation of your first and fundamental duty to protect all Australian citizens’ (pictured, a woman visiting the memorial at Bondi Beach on Saturday)

‘The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack,’ he said.

‘The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. 

‘Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond.’

The intelligence review announcement was foreshadowed on Saturday when Albanese backed a ‘state-based royal commission’ after NSW Premier Chris Minns said the ‘powers of a wide-ranging inquiry were needed to determine what went wrong in the lead-up to the events of last Sunday’.

Federal MPs, including Sydney MP Allegra Spender, have led calls for a royal commission, but government ministers played down the need for such an investigation, saying it ‘would take too long and draw resources away from law enforcement’.

Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth takes in Bondi, said a federal investigation ‘should accept public submissions and be developed in consultation with the Jewish community’ but have ‘broad-ranging investigatory powers akin to a royal commission’.

Albanese’s announcement comes off the back of other federal government plans announced in the week since the attack.

The government responses include the biggest gun buyback since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, strict limits on how many guns a person can own and a plan to combat antisemitism.

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Prince Harry once attended Alexandra Palace to watch the darts, and former boss of the PDC, Barry Hearn, made a surprising revelation about the Royal

Prince Harry is known for his love of sports(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)

Barry Hearn once confessed that he felt “quite sorry” for Prince Harry when the Royal attended a darts match at Alexandra Palace. The Duke of Sussex, 41, is known for his love of sports, with a particular interest in polo, rugby and football.

So it was no shock when the Prince made an appearance at the World Darts Championship in 2014 at Alexandra Palace.

Speaking on The Barry Hearn Show, the ex-chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) revealed that fans started chanting Harry’s name when they spotted him in the crowd, leading to an awkward moment for the Prince.

Hearn was taken aback when Harry mentioned he wasn’t permitted to wave back at fans. he said: “He’d just come out of the army and he’s obviously on a bit of a bender, I think. He brought three mates along. They were great fun.

“And at one stage, the crowd started chanting. The rules were quite strict. We were allowed to put his face on the big screens just three times during the evening, just a flash.”

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“So he was having a proper night out with his mates, having a few pints, enjoying himself. And the crowd started chanting: ‘Harry, Harry, give us a wave’. And he looked at me and I saw a bit of inquisitiveness in his face – as if to say, ‘What do I do?’

“I looked at him and said, ‘If you stand up now and you wave back to these people, your street credibility is assured for life because you’ve identified with the normal man, the people that form the majority of this country’. And he looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think I’m allowed to’… I thought that was quite sad.”

Prince Harry in the crowd at Alexandra Palace(Image: Getty)

In his autobiography, Hearn, 77, revealed that the Prince and his mates consumed “60 pints of lager” that evening before asking the former darts chief and his son, Eddie, to join them for an afterparty.

“They proceeded to consume dozens of pints of lager and merged in with the crowd rather well. Harry was like any ordinary bloke on a night out with his mates,” he wrote.

“Eddie and I joined them on a table of six and it was clear they were on a bender. I reckon 60 pints of lager went down and I didn’t have much of it.”

Barry Hearn discussed meeting Prince Harry(Image: Getty)

He continued: “At the end, Harry said they were off to a nightclub and would we like to come?’Not us,’ I said. ‘You guys are too dangerous.'”

Hearn Sr took over as PDC chairman in 2001, helping to transform the organisation into the sport’s premier governing body. During his stewardship, darts experienced a surge in popularity throughout the UK, triggering an extraordinary financial boom.

In 2021, he relinquished his role as chairman of the Matchroom Sport Group after almost 40 years and handed over responsibilities to his son, Eddie.

Littler Returns: World Darts Championship Preview 2026

Celebrate the festive season with this special edition previewing the World Darts Championship. Luke Littler became the youngest player to lift the title last year, and the teen is back to defend his crown at a sold-out Ally Pally – although he will be hunted down by rival Luke Humphries.

We hear from both players in a bumper preview which includes features on most of the leading contenders, interviews with Wayne Mardle, Emma Paton, John Part and Polly James, a look at the unknowns who will be in action plus an oche-full of other great content. Buy here

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Australia’s prime minister has announced a review of the country’s police and intelligence agencies a week after the deadly Bondi Beach gun attack.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the review, ‌led by a former chief of Australia’s spy agency, would probe whether federal police and intelligence agencies have the “right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe”.

The review comes as Australia marks a day of reflection to honour those killed and injured by two gunmen at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Authorities invited Australians to light a candle on Sunday evening, the start of the eighth and final day of the Jewish festival of lights, “as a quiet act of remembrance with family, friends or loved ones” of the victims.

Image:
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his wife arrive at a Bondi Beach attack vigil

An evening memorial event at Bondi Beach will take place under a heavy police presence, including officers carrying long-arm firearms, police said in a statement.

A minute’s silence was also held at 6.47pm (7.47am UK time).

Earlier this week, around 700 people on paddle boards and surfboards took to the sea at Bondi Beach, forming a huge circle in a show of solidarity.

Gaps in the system

The attack ‌exposed gaps in gun-license assessments and information-sharing between agencies that politicians have said they want to plug.

Albanese has announced a nationwide gun buyback, while gun safety experts say the nation’s gun laws, among the world’s toughest, are full of loopholes.

Authorities believe the gunmen were inspired by Islamic State.

“The ISIS-inspired atrocity ‍last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation.

“Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond,” Albanese said in a statement, adding that the review would conclude by the end of April.

Albanese has been under pressure from critics who say his centre-left government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since the start of the war in Gaza.

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Bondi beach surf rescuers pay tribute to victims.

The prime minister has since vowed to strengthen hate laws in the wake ‌of the attack.

On Saturday, the government of New South Wales, which includes Sydney, committed to introducing a bill to ban the display of symbols and flags of “terrorist organisations”, including those of Islamic State, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Authorities say Islamic State flags were found in the car the attackers took to Bondi.

One of the alleged gunmen, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene.

His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who was also shot by police and emerged from a coma on Tuesday, has been charged with 59 ‍offences, including murder and terrorism, according to police.

He remains in custody in hospital.

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Australia has swept to an 82-run win in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval to retain the urn with two matches to spare and leave England facing recriminations over another failed campaign.

Chasing a world record 435 runs to win on Sunday, England battled doggedly on day five but folded for 352 with left-armed quick Mitchell Starc taking three wickets and Scott Boland the last dismissal of Josh Tongue before tea.

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“Three-nil is hugely satisfying for many reasons but particularly with how the chat before the series was how equally poised it was going to be,” Australia captain Pat Cummins, who took ⁠six wickets on his return from a back injury, told reporters

“This group’s amazing at just cracking on.”

Much of the talk in the build-up to the Ashes had been the age ​profile of the Australia squad, but Starc said the veterans had proved their worth.

“We do laugh at some of the comments that get back to us about how old we are,” the 35-year-old said.

“I’m sure experience plays a part going through your highs and lows. … That plays a big part in all of this.”

After eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England have now lost the Ashes in three matches for the fourth consecutive tour while losing 16 of their last 18 Tests in the country.

Although two Tests remain, the latest surrender may top the previous tours for sheer disappointment.

There were expectations of a genuine contest, fighting words from England captain Ben Stokes and hope that “Bazball” might win the urn in Australia for the first time since 2010-2011.

All that was swept aside in Adelaide, where England ditched their trademark aggression, reverted to more traditional Test batting and were still beaten convincingly.

“We obviously came here with a goal in mind, and we haven’t been able to achieve it. It hurts, and it sucks,” England skipper Stokes said.

“They’ve been able to outdo us on a much higher level. … I thought we did incredibly well to take us where we did in this fourth innings.

“We couldn’t do what we came here to do, but there was some good stuff to come out of this game.”

England’s Jamie Smith scored 60 and mounted an England comeback on the final day, but it wasn’t enough to save the match – and the series [Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Reuters]

The king of Adelaide

On day five while still needing 228 runs to win, England’s hopes were pinned on all-rounder Will Jacks and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after they resumed on 207 for six.

Jacks turned his ankle when pushing off his crease for a run but battled on for 40 minutes until rain halted play.

England fans cheered, but it was just a passing squall, the ground soon bathed in sunshine.

The Surrey duo brought up a fifty-run partnership with the old ball and were soon spared spinner Nathan Lyon, who came off with a hamstring injury after cutting off a four in the field.

When the second new ball came, Smith attacked with gusto, smashing both Cummins and Starc for back-to-back fours.

But with the deficit trimmed to 150 runs, he threw the bat at a Starc delivery for a third time in succession and was caught for 60 by a ‌back-pedalling Cummins at mid-on.

Jacks played a steadier hand with tailender Carse, who finished 39 not out and hung ⁠tough with the all-rounder for 52 runs.

Home fans shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the pair reduced the deficit to under 100 runs, but Starc returned and Marnus Labuschagne flew in the slips to snuff out the danger.

Jacks, on 47, drove at a Starc ball that moved away off the seam, and Labuschagne dived to his left for another terrific one-handed catch, having removed Ollie Pope with a screamer in the slips on day ‌four.

Jofra Archer then tried to slog Starc but sent the ball down the throat of Jake Weatherald at deep point to leave England one wicket from defeat before Boland had Tongue sending another slips catch to Labuschagne.

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey was named Man of the Match for a first-innings 106 and 72 in the second while Travis Head set up ‍the victory with 170 in the third innings, his fourth consecutive Test ton at Adelaide Oval.

“If he wasn’t before, he’s the king of Adelaide,” Starc said of Head, who also scored a match-winning 123 in Perth.

“He’s not going to have to pay for another beer [here]. I don’t know how he does it, but jeez, it’s bloody good to ‌watch.”

Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, right, shakes hands with England captain Ben Stokes after the third Ashes cricket Test match in Adelaide [William West/AFP]



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South African police say a manhunt is under way after a shooting at a tavern left nine people dead – seven men and two women – and another 10 injured in a township in a gold-mining area near Johannesburg.

They say about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles in Bekkersdal, “opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene”.

The shooting happened at about 01:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT Saturday). The police added that the tavern was licensed.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Sixty-three people were killed every day on average between April and September this year, according to police figures.

Murders are often the result of arguments, robberies and gang violence, but a motive for this killing is not clear.

At the scene, deputy provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the perpetrators, armed with pistols and one AK-47, were “unprovoked”.

“The poor patrons were just enjoying themselves when people came and shot.”

Two of the victims were shot outside the tavern as they tired to flee and a third was a taxi driver who had dropped off a passenger nearby, Maj-Gen Kekana added.

Earlier this month, at least 11 people – including a child – were shot dead at a hostel near Pretoria.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Norwegian man Ole Fredrik Sveen was told he won nearly $130,000 in an official text from the local lottery
• However, the company had made an error, and he was actually one of thousands of people who had been incorrectly informed they won a large jackpot 
• He described the experience as “a crushing disappointment”

A man was told he won nearly $130,000 in the lottery, only to be informed that it was all a big mistake.

Ole Fredrik Sveen of Kløfta, Norway, recently told his story to The Guardian in a profile on his experience. In the piece, Sveen said that he had always dreamed of winning the lottery, and he often played every few weeks even though he never won more than a few dollars.

But his luck seemed to change this past summer.

“In June, I was on holiday in Greece with my girlfriend. We’d had the most amazing day and were watching the sunset with a glass of wine. Earlier in the day, we had discussed buying a holiday home there. ‘I’d need to win the lottery first!’ I joked,” he told the outlet.

Lottery tickets (stock image).

Joe Raedle/Getty

He went on to say that “suddenly” his phone buzzed, and he saw that he had received a text from Norsk Tipping, the Norwegian lottery corporation. The text informed Sveen that he had won the Eurojackpot. 

“My hands were starting to shake as I logged into the app and saw a notification saying I had won $128,360,” he recalled.

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Sveen said that his “heart skipped a beat” and he became “light headed” with the news. He recalled that his mind began to “spin with possibilities,” and he even called his mom and excitedly told her he had won.

However, Sveen said that he soon began to feel “that something wasn’t right.”

Lottery card (stock image).

Getty

“I checked the winning numbers and compared them with mine. I’d only matched two main numbers and one bonus number. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. There was no way I could have won so much money,” he explained.

He said by that point, a number of news stories about the major error had already begun to circulate online. He learned that the lotto company had wrongly informed thousands of people that they had won the jackpot.

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“It was a crushing disappointment,” he recalled. “The holidays, the plans I’d made in my head all disappeared. I had to call my mom and tell her I hadn’t actually won any money. My girlfriend broke down in tears.”

“The rest of the evening felt very subdued,” he added. “We were both drained. You can’t miss what you never had, but we felt so angry they could get people’s hopes up like that. The next day, I was even more annoyed that nobody from Norsk Tipping had been in touch to confirm we hadn’t won and apologize. It was two or three days before we were able to stop thinking about what could have been. It took the shine off what had been a wonderful holiday.”

Sveen said that he didn’t receive any formal communication about the error from Norsk Tipping until several days later.

“I’m glad I had my wits about me and realized quite quickly there was an error, because if I thought I’d won for a whole weekend, I might have already spent a lot of money,” he continued, adding that “getting the confirmation in writing felt like the first blow all over again.”

Sveen says he no longer plays the lottery as it feels “tainted” for him now, though he noted that he continues to try to focus on the positives in his life.

Norsk Tipping formally apologized for the error in a statement shared on their website on June 27, citing a “manual error” that caused the prize amounts to be multiplied by 100 instead of divided by 100.

“Norsk Tipping sincerely apologizes to everyone who was notified of an incorrect prize amount,” they added

PEOPLE reached out to Norsk Tipping for comment on Friday, Dec. 19, but did not receive an immediate response.

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By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 03:35 EST, 21 December 2025 | Updated: 03:42 EST, 21 December 2025

Thousands of people have gathered at Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice – as huge crowds formed to witness the sunrise on the shortest day of the year.

Families and friends were heard cheering as they watched the spectacle this morning in Wiltshire.

Onlookers braced the chilly weather and drizzle amid the brightening skies – with folk dancers and pagan revelers also turning out for the occasion.

One pair celebrating – Kim Tester and Paul Ransom – said they were returning to the ancient monument again this year to ‘recharge’.

Ms Tester told the BBC: ‘We’re coming out of the darkness and then into the light again, so for me, it’s about rebirth.

‘We just love the atmosphere, it’s beautiful.’

Mr Ransom added it was an ‘honour’ to be so close to the stones themselves which he was ‘grateful’ for.

Photos from this morning show revelers dressed in bright red outfits as well as Brits who have come with the chilly weather in mind – donning thick hats and scarves.

Thousands of people have gathered at Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice – as huge crowds formed to watch the sunrise on the shortest day of the year

Folk dancers were also pictured performing this morning in traditional outfits

Folk dancers were also seen performing  in traditional outfits with some sporting flower crowns and a full face of paint.

Will Scutt, from English Heritage, confirmed visitors would be allowed to gather closer to the stones than ever before – but urged for people to treat them delicately.

He said: ‘We’ve got really rare lichens on them and incredible carvings on them, so I’m hoping that people will respect the stones.’

On average, Brits will receive just 7.5 hours of light, although the exact duration will vary based on how far north or south someone is.

While temperatures will continue to drop, the hours of sunshine will increase from today. 

The word ‘solstice’ comes from the Latin words ‘sol’ (sun) and ‘sistere’ (to stand still)

As well as marking the shortest day of the year, today also marks the first day of winter in the astronomical calendar.

This calendar is based on the tilt of the Earth, and sees winter begin on 21 December 2025 before ending on 20 March 2026.

In contrast, the meteorological calendar always has the first day of winter as 1 December, ending on 28 (or 29 during a Leap Year) February.

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Thousands gather at Stonehenge to celebrate winter solstice: Crowds gather at historic monument for sunrise on shortest day of the year

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Putting embarrassment to one side and seeking medical attention is extremely important

If it’s cancer, the quicker it is caught the better the outcome(Image: Ridofranz/Thinkstock)

A leading doctor has answered several common questions about prostate cancer in an effort to separate facts from fiction. His insights arrive as more than 63,000 men are diagnosed each year, according to Prostate Cancer UK, making it the most prevalent type among men.

While Dr Martin Thornton, Chief Medical Officer at Bluecrest, said that many people feel ‘too embarrassed’ to research this health issue, he stressed that early intervention is always preferable. In light of this, he’s addressed three key queries about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment to save you from Googling.

Speaking to the Mirror, he said: “Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men in the UK. The good news is that when it is found early, treatment is often very successful. The challenge is that many men feel too embarrassed to ask the questions they really want answers to. Here is what you may have been too nervous to Google.”

PSA tests are frequently used to detect prostate problems(Image: Wladimir Bulgar/Science Photo Library/Getty Images)

1. How does a doctor check for prostate cancer?

PSA tests measure the level of prostate-specific antigen in the blood and are frequently used by the NHS to detect prostate problems. These check-ups are not routinely provided by the health service and are not included in a national screening programme, but will be offered in certain situations.

“Most will find that the best place to start is a PSA blood test,” Dr Thornton said. “If the level is raised or if you have symptoms, a doctor may also do a prostate exam. If we need a clearer picture, the next step might be an MRI scan or sometimes a biopsy.

“Many men never need anything beyond the first simple tests because the results are reassuring.” Usually, PSA tests take no more than a few minutes and results with the NHS are generally issued within one or two weeks.

Beyond this, a medical professional will sometimes also conduct a rectal examination with their finger, but Dr Thornton insists that it isn’t as scary as it sounds. He continued: “The prospect of a digital rectal exam may sound scary or embarrassing, but it is usually over in less than ten seconds. We talked about prostate cancer clues, and sometimes a physical exam can confirm or discount a flag in a PSA test.

“In terms of the process, a doctor puts on a glove, uses a little gel and gently feels the prostate from the back passage to check for anything unusual. Doctors do this every day, and the exam is over quickly.”

He added: “A PSA test is a simple blood test that measures a protein made by the prostate. A higher number does not automatically mean cancer but it tells us to look more closely. A prostate exam is a quick physical check to feel whether the prostate is enlarged, tender or has any lumps. They give different information and we sometimes do both.”

Finding it difficult to pee is among several potential symptoms of prostate cancer(Image: Boonchai Wedmakawand/Getty Images)

2. When should someone get tested?

While prostate cancer often has no symptoms at first, there are several red flags that men are advised to look out for. According to the NHS, this may include the following:

• Finding it difficult to start peeing or straining to pee
• Having a weak flow of urine
• ‘Stop start’ peeing
• Needing to pee urgently or often, or both
• Feeling like you still need to pee when you’ve just finished
• Peeing during the night
• Erectile dysfunction
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Lower back pain
• Unexplained weight loss

These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have prostate cancer, but they are always worth discussing with a doctor. Dr Thornton also added: “We usually recommend one if your PSA level is higher than expected, if it has changed compared to a previous result, if you have symptoms like peeing more often or a weak stream, if you ever see blood in urine or semen, or if you are in a higher risk group such as Black men or men with a close family history. It is never automatic but based on your symptoms and risk.

“Knowledge is power, if you are 45 or over, it is sensible to start a conversation about having a PSA test. Certain factors may mean you might need to consider these tests earlier, for example, if you are Black, or if your father or brother has had prostate cancer. It’s important to know that you don’t need symptoms to get tested, and many who are diagnosed show no symptoms at all until it’s too late.”

3. What is the biggest mistake men make with prostate cancer?

Dr Thornton warned that ignoring symptoms and delaying doctors’ appointments are among the worst approaches you can take with potential cancer cases. Even if it feels embarrassing, a straightforward test could potentially avoid a lot of future stress.

The expert added: “Ignoring warning signs, waiting too long or hoping that symptoms disappear is not a long-term health plan. If something feels new or unusual for you, do not sit on it. Early and regular assessments are simple and could save your life.”

Official guidance from the NHS also summarises: “You may be offered a PSA test if a doctor thinks you have symptoms that could be prostate cancer. If you’re having treatment for a prostate condition you may be offered regular PSA tests to check how the treatment is working.

“Men aged 50 or over can ask their GP for a PSA test, even if they do not have symptoms. Anyone aged 50 or over with a prostate can ask for a PSA test.”

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Victims of Jeffrey Epstein have criticised the United States government after it released a partial trove of documents from cases against the late convicted sex offender with heavily redacted pages and blacked-out photos.

The growing outcry on Saturday came as US media reported that at least 16 files from the tranche, which were published online, had disappeared from the public webpage.

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The deleted files included a photograph showing President Donald Trump.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) began releasing the trove on Friday to comply with a law overwhelmingly passed by Congress in November that ⁠mandated the disclosure of all Epstein files, despite Trump’s months-long effort to keep them sealed.

It said it plans to release more records on a rolling basis, blaming the delay on what it said was a time-consuming process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information.

But the tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years. They also omitted some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal DOJ memos on charging decisions.

Meanwhile, a 119-page document titled “Grand Jury-NY”, likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations that led to the charges against Epstein in 2019, was entirely blacked out.

One of Epstein’s victims, Marina Lacerda, reacted angrily to the large number of redactions and unreleased documents.

“All of us are infuriated by this,” she told the news outlet MS NOW on Saturday. “It’s another slap in the face. We expected way more.”

Lacerda, who said Epstein abused her when she was 14 years of age, was a crucial witness in the 2019 investigation that led to the filing of sex trafficking charges against the late financier.

Epstein killed himself in jail that year shortly after his arrest.

Lacerda told The New York Times in a separate interview that she felt let down.

“So many of the photos are irrelevant,” she said.

Another survivor, Jess Michaels, told the news outlet CNN that she spent hours searching through the released files for her victim’s statement and records of her call to an FBI tipline, but found neither.

“I can’t find any of those,” she said. “Is this the best that the government can do? Even an act of Congress isn’t getting us justice.”

Marijke Chartouni, who said she was abused by Epstein when she was 20 years old, decried a lack of openness.

“If everything is redacted, where is the transparency?” she said on Friday in an interview with The New York Times.

Some lawmakers also expressed frustration.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who helped spearhead the legislative push, accused the White House of failing to comply “with both the spirit and the letter of the law that Donald Trump signed just 30 days ago” in a social media post on Friday.

That law required the government’s case file to be posted publicly by Friday, constrained only by legal and victim privacy concerns.

Meanwhile, the unexplained 16 missing files led to speculation online about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding longstanding intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”

“If they’re taking this down, just imagine how much more they’re trying to hide,” said senior Democrat Chuck Schumer. “This could be one of the biggest cover-ups in American history.”

The Trump administration, however, denied that it was not being forthcoming with the released materials. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a TV interview with ABC that there was no attempt “to hold anything back” to protect Trump.

The DOJ also issued a statement on X late on Saturday. “Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information,” it said.

Separately, celebrities who appeared in photos made available as part of Friday’s release include former President Bill Clinton, late news anchor Walter Cronkite, singers Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, British entrepreneur Richard Branson and the ⁠former Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

There were also photos of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey.

Many of the photos were undated and provided without context, and none of those figures has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor also appears in one photo lying across the laps of several women. The former duke of York, who was stripped of his royal title over his ties to Epstein, has denied any wrongdoing.

Notably missing were references to Trump himself, despite his frequent inclusion in previous releases of Epstein-related documents. Trump and Epstein were friends in the 1990s and early 2000s and had a falling out before Epstein’s first conviction in 2008.

Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing and has denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes.

Amid the outcry, the DOJ sought to draw attention to Clinton, with two agency spokespeople posting on social media images that they said showed him with Epstein victims.

Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said in a statement that the White House was attempting to “shield themselves” from scrutiny by focusing on the former president.

“They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they ‌want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton,” he wrote.

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It smells like Christmas in the countries that celebrate: In Germany, for example, scents of fresh pine, sugar cookies, mulled wine waft through the air. And they are likely to trigger emotions or memories in many people’s minds.

“When you smell [this familiar] scent again, you’re back in the memory — in grandma’s kitchen baking Christmas cookies,” said Olaf Conrad, a doctor of otorhinolaryngology at Erlangen University Hospital. 

Otorhinolaryngology is a branch of medicine that specializes in the head and neck, often called ear, nose and throat medicine.

Scents don’t only trigger Christmas memories, of course. My grandmother used to come by once a week when I was growing up to make pancakes for me after school. She has been dead for years, but whenever I smell pancakes, I immediately think of her. And the memory is stronger than what I feel when looking at old photos. I have often wondered why that’s the case.

Scents — a powerful catalyst for memories

Smells are processed in the oldest part of our brain, the paleocortex. Olfactory processes happen close to the amygdala, which is in charge of our emotional responses, and the hippocampus, which is crucial for forming memories, Conrad explained. No wonder, then, that scents and memories are so closely connected!

“Tests have shown that our sense of smell is the strongest sensory impression when it comes to triggering memories,” Conrad told DW. “And that’s true for negative memories as well. People returning from war or children who’ve grown up in a warzone are triggered by the smell of gunpowder, for example.”

The reason why the connection between scents and formative memories is so intense is that important, stand-out memories are “saved in the brain without a time-stamp,” Conrad said.

In other words: When a smell connected to a formative memory hits us, our brain doesn’t supply the crucial information that what we’re experiencing is something from the past. That goes for traumatizing experiences as well as Christmas traditions or memories of a loved one.

A highly sensitive sense of smell can be painful

Most people will experience the connection between a smell and a memory or an emotion at some point. But a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) experiences sensory stimuli on a much greater level than the average person.

For many Highly Sensitive Persons, that means they smell things people without the condition don’t even register — or that smells are much more intense to them. Scents can make HSPs feel physically ill, throw them into emotional turmoil, or prevent them from concentrating.

What our noses do

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Daphne, a young entrepreneur from Germany, is an HSP. For her, the scent of the perfume her mother used to wear is a strong emotional trigger.

“I have this problem with Chanel No. 5,” Daphne told DW. “When I smell it, I am thrown right back into the pain I felt with the [death of] my mom.”

She said the difference between HSP and people with a regular level of sensory sensitivity is that once the scent throws her back into the memory of her mother’s passing, she would stay in the memory for long stretches of time, unless she didn’t “make an active effort to bring myself out of it.”

“The world fades in a matter of seconds, and you feel the exact same thing you did back then,” Daphne said.

How smells are used in medicine

The strong link between smells and emotions can be put to good use.

“Professionals in palliative care have recognized how much calm aromatherapy can provide,” Conrad said.

While smells can’t help with the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, the sense is an indicator of the neurodegenerative illness. Parkinson’s makes patients lose their sense of smell.

“There’s no one in the early stages of Parkinson’s who can still smell well,” said Conrad.

As for the connection between smells and Christmas memories, Conrad told DW about his personal experience with it.

“The big moment in our house was when we put up the tree, that was always too big for the small room it was in,” he said. “The smell of fresh pine always put me in a Christmas mood.”

Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany

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