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El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele responded to allegations by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the conditions at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), the country’s maximum-security prison that has received migrants deported from the United States. 

Bukele was responding to a post on X by Clinton that was accompanied by an 11-minute video of the PBS Frontline documentary titled: “Surviving CECOT.” 

“Curious to learn more about CECOT?” she wrote. “Hear Juan, Andry, and Wilmer share firsthand how the Trump administration branded them as gang members without evidence and deported them to the brutal El Salvadoran prison.”

’60 MINUTES’ POSTPONES SEGMENT ON MIGRANT INMATES FROM EL SALVADOR’S CECOT PRISON

President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. (EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images)

The short documentary tells the story of three Venezuelan men — Juan José Ramos Ramos, Andry Blanco Bonilla and Wilmer Vega Sandia — who were deported by the Trump administration to CECOT, a description of the short film states.

All three men were branded by the U.S. government as Tren de Aragua gang members, which they deny. 

In response, Bukele said his country was ready to cooperate if Clinton thinks people have been tortured in the notorious prison that houses many of the country’s gang members and migrants deported from the U.S. 

“We are willing to release our entire prison population (including all gang leaders and all those described as “political prisoners”) to any country willing to receive them,” he wrote. “The only condition is straightforward: it must be everyone.”

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM ICE CUSTODY

Hillary Clinton criticized the conditions at El Salvador’s CECOT prison, prompting a response from the country’s President, Nayib Bukele. (Getty Images)

“This would also greatly assist journalists and your favorite NGOs, who would then have thousands of former inmates available for interviews, making it far easier to find additional voices critical of the Salvadoran government (or willing to confirm whatever conclusions are already expected),” added Bukele. “Surely, if these testimonies reflect a systemic reality, a much larger pool of sources should only reinforce the claim, and many governments should be eager to offer protection.”

Until then, he continued, El Salvador will continue prioritizing the human rights of the millions of Salvadorans who today live free from gang rule,” Bukele said. 

Bukele solidified his relationship with President Donald Trump by offering to house certain migrants deported from the U.S. at CECOT. The U.S. has deported Venezuelan migrants deemed to be gang members to El Salvador after their home country refused to take them back. 

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A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to provide due process to a class of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador in March, and gave it two weeks to detail how it will do so – setting up another high-stakes clash between the White House and the federal courts.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Serena Williams shared photos from her sister Venus Williams’ wedding to Andrea Preti
• In a heartfelt Instagram caption posted on Tuesday, Dec. 23, Serena said that she “couldn’t be prouder” to stand beside her sister on her special day
• Leading up to the big day, Serena shared that she was busy with “so much planning,” and she’s known as someone who “get things done”

The Williams sisters have each other’s backs on the court — and down the aisle.

In a new Instagram post shared on Tuesday, Dec. 23, Serena Williams gushed about her older sister Venus Williams following Venus’ wedding to actor Andrea Preti. “My sister’s keeper,” Serena, 44, began the lengthy caption. “Venus, where do I even begin?”

Serena went on to describe the way she’s seen Venus lead with “grace, strength, and a heart bigger than any trophy” as the two professional tennis players grew from “backyard courts” to “the biggest stages in the world.”

“Watching you step into this next chapter surrounded by love felt like watching the sun rise…steady, powerful, and full of promise,” she continued.

“You’ve been my built-in best friend, my protector, my teacher, and my reminder to always walk in purpose. Seeing you this happy, this loved, this radiant… it means everything to me. To love, to partnership, to laughter, and to a lifetime of choosing each other every single day. I couldn’t be prouder to stand beside you, not just today, but always,” the caption concluded.

Serena wore a white strapless mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline, flowing cape and detached lace sleeves. Pearl jewelry and pointed-toe heels accessorized the design, as did her old-Hollywood-inspired blonde waves and red manicure.

While usually taboo for anyone but the bride to wear white, the choice seemed intentionally made by Venus, 45, who also had their two other sisters, Lyndrea Price and Isha Price, niece Justus, and mom Oracene dressed in white.

In the months leading up to the wedding, Serena told PEOPLE during the launch of her and Venus’ new podcast, Stockton Street, in September 2025, that she was busy with “so much planning” ahead of her older sister’s wedding. She noted that Venus leaned on her for help as she’s known as someone who can “get things done.”

Serena also recalled one of their recent planning calls, saying her sister wanted her input on “literally 14 hairstyles.” She explained, “So she sent me her options and within 30 minutes I had them not only done, but in a PDF file what hairstyle looked best on everyone.”

Venus Williams and Serena Williams with Champagne Collet & OBC Wines as they celebrate the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Kovac/Getty

“I’m the person that arranges things, I’m like the planner. I plan everything like the event. I’m the person that gets things done,” she added of her role.

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Venus and Preti were first linked in July 2024 when they were seen boating in Nerano, Italy, along the Amalfi Coast. After months of rumors, she finally confirmed the relationship during a post-match interview in July 2025 when she referred to Preti as her “fiancé.”

In 2025, Venus and Preti actually got married twice. The first ceremony came in September, when they tied the knot in Italy. They were wed again on Dec. 19 in a courthouse ceremony in West Palm Beach, Fla., following a full week of festivities before the big day.

Prior to the courthouse ceremony, Venus, Preti, and their guests enjoyed a yacht day, romantic dinner, and a bridal shower.

“For me, the courthouse ceremony was very unique, emotional, and deep,” Preti told Vogue, adding that “it was the second-best day” of his life, after the wedding itself.

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In his own chilling words, would-be terror mastermind Walid Saadaoui boasted of his twisted desire to massacre British Jews, saying he wanted to ‘run rivers of their impure blood’ – with any murdered Christians ‘a bonus’.

The Tunisian-born former hotel entertainer, who was allowed to live in this country after marrying a British holidaymaker, said a knife would not be enough to satisfy his lust for what he saw as ‘revenge’ for Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Telling a fellow extremist known as Farouk that ‘only the automatic gun’ would be capable of inflicting the slaughter he was planning, Saadaoui said: ‘I want to kill as many as possible.

‘I have an overwhelming urge. I feel sometimes I will go out and kill them with stones, then I say to myself it will be a waste.’

Thankfully, the plot – which he hatched with fellow migrant and Islamic State supporter Amar Hussein, who claimed to be a former Iraqi soldier – had been infiltrated by police.

Farouk – who Saadaoui believed was sourcing a stash of firearms and over 900 rounds of ammunition – was in reality an undercover operative.

In May last year, Saadaoui drove to the car park of a Lancashire spa hotel for the prearranged handover of the weapons.

Days earlier he and Hussein had scouted out potential targets in North Manchester’s Jewish community, Britain’s largest outside London – including nurseries, schools, restaurants, coffee shops and synagogues.

Seconds later armed officers who had been lying in wait pounced, arresting Saadaoui before he could get his hands on the haul, all of which had been safely deactivated.

Plotters Walid Saadaoui, 38, left, and Amar Hussein planned to slaughter British Jews in a twisted revenge for Israel’s military response to the October 7 attacks

Surveillance image showing Amar Hussein and Bilel Saadaoui walking together in Dover, Kent

His messages, voicenotes and secretly recorded calls would create a damning dossier of evidence again the plotters, who are facing life sentences after being found guilty of preparing a terror attack on Tuesday.

In a message to ‘Farouk’ as he sought to obtain a deadly arsenal, Saadaoui wrote: ‘I can use a knife on [the] operation but this will not be enough to take revenge; only the automatic gun.

‘I want to kill as many as possible.

‘I have an overwhelming urge. I feel sometimes I will go out and kill them with stones, then I say to myself it will be a waste.’

In a voice note on Christmas Day 2023 he said: ‘These matters of running someone over with a car or using a knife is ineffective, what is needed is an automatic gun.

‘We want to do the same as what [Paris attack mastermind Abdelhamid] Abaaoud done, god willing. We must run rivers of their impure blood.’

Later he told Farouk: ‘Here in Manchester, we have the biggest Jewish community.

‘God willing we will degrade and humiliate them (in the worst way possible), and hit them where it hurts.’

Hussein (left) and Saadaoui (right) are seen in Dover at an unknown date. The pair travelled to Dover, Kent, in March 2024 to conduct hostile reconnaissance, their trial heard

A selfie video taken by Amar Hussein during a trip to Dover in Kent

Walid Saadaoui is pictured in Dover on May 8 – the same day he was arrested

Footage issued by police showing the arrest of Walid Saadaoui 

In a subsequent bugged conversation he told ‘Farouk’: ‘The Muslims all over the world, if every brother implements on the Jewish people, honestly they wouldn’t do what they do in Gaza now.’

Then after he and Hussein carried out ‘hostile reconnaissance’ for targets in North Manchester, Saadaoui said: ‘We start with the Jews and if there any Christians caught in the act, that is a bonus but we start with the Jews.

‘We open fire on them, young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot, killing them all.’

Later he told ‘Farouk’: ‘My wish is martyrdom in the cause of Allah, the best thing I like is martyrdom in the cause of Allah. We pledge allegiance to death.’

On the date that he went to collect weapons which he intended to use in a gun attack, his brother Bilel messaged him: ‘May Allah Safeguard you.

‘If you see of them something that displease/disturb you or almost expose you, then dispense or return. This is better for you.’

Bilel Saadaoui denied knowledge of the plot but was found guilty of failing to disclose information about his brother’s plans.

The planned massacre – which police say could have been Britain’s ‘worst ever’ terrorist atrocity had it not been foiled – was a chilling echo of the Bondi Beach attack in which 15 innocent people were killed.

Jewish community leaders said it was another stark reminder of the lethal consequences of rising anti-Israeli rhetoric.

Bilel Saadaoui and his stepson holding swords. Saadaoui’s brother Bilel was found guilty of failing to disclose information about the plan 

A police officer standing guard outside Walid Saadaoui’s house near Wigan after the raids in May 2024

A photo issued by Greater Manchester Police of weapons seized during the arrest of Saadaoui 

A BB gun seized from the property of Saadaoui after his arrest 

Binoculars seized from the home of Saadaoui after he was arrested by police 

Now 38, Saadaoui ‘hero-worshipped’ Abdelhamid Abaaoud, mastermind of the Paris attacks.

His brother Bilel is understood to have gone to school with Seifeddine Rezgui, who gunned down 30 British tourists on a beach in Sousse in 2015.

Walid Saadaoui moved to Clacton-on-Sea, Essex on a spousal visa in 2012 after marrying a British holidaymaker called Jane.

After working at a holiday park, in 2018 the couple bought the Albatross Restaurant in Great Yarmouth for £25,000.

But they later split, selling their house for £169,000 – later using his share to fund his terror plot.

After moving to Wigan and marrying a second British woman, Saadaoui became obsessed with replicating the 2015 atrocity in which 130 people were killed.

He began plotting with Hussein, who claimed to be a former Iraqi soldier and came to Britain in 2007, setting up an electrical appliance business in Bolton.

After working briefly at a discount store, Saadaoui gave up work and claimed Universal Credit.

He came under suspicion in the wake of the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023 due to his hate-filled social media posts.

Footage of weapons sent by undercover operative ‘Farouk’ to Walid Saadaoui 

Saadaoui aimed to smuggle four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns and 900 rounds of ammunition into the UK in what police chiefs said could have been Britain’s deadliest terrorist incident 

A knife found in the car belonging to Hussein following his arrest 

More weapons seized by police during the arrest of Saadaoui 

Cash seized from the home of Saadaoui after he was arrested by police

Having accepted a friend request from ‘Farouk’, Saadaoui said he wanted to ‘kill as many as possible’.

Told that contacts in Morocco could supply Kalashnikov assault rifles, Saadaoui demanded 1,200 rounds and four automatic weapons, saying one firearm was ‘not enough for us’.

He used one of his Facebook accounts to join a Jewish community page in order to stalk his targets online and work out when they might be holding gatherings.

He also began to ‘get his affairs in order’ ahead of possible ‘martyrdom’ as the plot developed, police said – making a will, and paying for his wife to have driving lessons.

Meanwhile he withdrew £90,000 from the sale of his business and property, keeping cash in safes, and attended an air rifle range.

In March last year Saadaoui and Hussein drove to Dover to look at the ‘security set-up’, posing as tourists.

The following day Farouk joined the plotters for ‘hostile reconnaissance around North Manchester’ – Saadaoui told him the area was ‘full of Jews’.

Searches after their arrest uncovered two safes at Saadaoui’s home, one containing £15,000 cash and a copy of his will.

A second, concreted into the ground, contained £77,000 cash.

Saadaoui’s younger brother, Bilel, 35, who was granted bail, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about the plan

Bilel Saadaoui was arrested by armed cops while he was working out at a gym

Counter terrorism officers, armed with pistols and wearing bandanas to cover their faces detained Bilel Saadaoui, handcuffing him and walking him out of the gym 

Bodyworn camera footage issued by police showing the arrest of Bilel Saadaoui 

Walid Saadaoui’s will uncovered by police searches, written as he made preparations for his anticipated ‘martyrdom’

During his trial, Saadaoui claimed a senior ISIS operative ‘took advantage’ of his kindness and forced him to plan the attack.

Hussein denied involvement in the plot but refused to turn up for his two-month trial, telling police: ‘Your Government, your Prime Minister has sent weapons to kill our children in Israel.

‘Terrorism is our religion. Koran say terrorism is normal.

‘We are proud, we say terrorism is proud.’

Walid Saadaoui and Hussein were convicted of preparing acts of terrorism between December 2023 and May 2024.

Saadaoui’s brother Bilel, 35, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.

All three will be sentenced in February.

Following the verdicts, Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson condemned the ‘extraordinarily dangerous terrorists’ and their ‘vicious anti-Semitism’.

‘A terrorist attack upon our Jewish friends and neighbours is an attack upon us all, and is an affront to every decent person in our country,’ he added.

Community Security Trust chief executive Mark Gardner warned that since the October 7 attacks, sections of society had ‘turned against Jews’.

Comparing violent Islamic extremists to the Nazis, he said ‘they don’t stop to ask these Jews what their opinion is of Israel… they want to kill Jews, end of story’.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said the plot was ‘a reminder that what happened on Bondi Breach could just as easily have happened here in Britain’.

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Latest Epstein files bombshells in full as email signed ‘A’ asks for ‘inappropriate friends’ – The Mirror

Need to know

The US Department of Justice released its largest drop of files so far today. The massive release includes some 30,000 pages of documents, snaps and material from federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein

A photo of what appears to be a fake passport with Jeffrey Epstein’s picture, released today(Image: DOJ)

Everything you need to know

1. More than 11,000 Epstein files have emerged so far in the latest cache released on Tuesday, with the DoJ warning earlier that this latest release contained “untrue and sensationalist claims” about President Trump.
2. Among them is a 2001 email signed “A” from “Balmoral” to convicted child sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, from an email address titled “The Invisible Man”. Photos show emails from “the invisible man” address asking for Ghislaine Maxwell to arrange meetings with “inappropriate friends”. Last week, thousands more documents from Epstein’s estate showcased the convicted paedophile’s associations with many high-profile figures. Among those pictured included Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Kevin Spacey and Mick Jagger. An image of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly Prince Andrew – was also released, showing him lying across the laps of five people. The former Prince has always denied any wrongdoing.
3. Ghislaine Maxwell asked if “Andrew” could be set up with “fun girls” while on a trip to Peru, according to another email from the Epstein files. The email from convicted child sex offender Maxwell, released in the files, was sent to an unknown recipient asking for help organising visits in the South American country. The email does not indicate any wrongdoing.
4. A letter, released in the tranche and allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein to infamous serial child molester Larry Nassar, in which Epstein writes “Our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls” is a fake, the FBI has said. “The FBI has confirmed this alleged letter from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar is FAKE,” the department wrote in a post on X.
5. An email was sent by an assistant U.S. attorney in January 2020, saying: “For your situational awareness, wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump travelled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware), including during the period we would expect to charge in a Maxwell case.” The lawyer stated there were at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996 in which Trump was a passenger with Maxwell also present on at least four of those flights. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, while his presence on the flights does not indicate wrongdoing.
6. Pictures in the latest release of files appear to show an Austrian passport with a picture of Jeffrey Epstein under the name Marius Robert Fortelni, born 30 July 1954 in Vienna. Epstein was born in 1953 in the United States. The holder’s residence is listed as Saudi Arabia and their nationality as Austrian.
7. One document, dated April 2020, is a formal request from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to British authorities seeking help “to interview H.R.H Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward” relating to the criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. “Prince Andrew may have been a witness to and/or participant in certain events of relevance to the ongoing investigation”, it says. Andrew has consistently and strongly denied any wrongdoing connected to Epstein.

READ THE FULL STORY: The 12 questions FBI wanted to ask ex-Prince Andrew over Epstein allegations

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A trove of newly released Epstein files include emails that appear to involve Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, while another suggests Donald Trump travelled on the billionaire’s private jet “many more times than previously has been reported”.

The US Department of Justice released at least 11,000 more files on Tuesday.

It went on to claim that some of them “contain untrue and sensationalist claims” about President Trump.

Here are some of the latest news lines from this release of Epstein files. Being named in these papers does not suggest wrongdoing.

Who is ‘The Invisible Man’?

Among the documents released is an email sent to Ghislaine Maxwell that speaks about “the girls” being “completely shattered” at a Royal Family summer camp at Balmoral.

It is dated 16 August 2001 and sent by a person referred to only as “The Invisible Man”, but whom Sky News is reporting appears to be the former prince, Andrew.

We have come to that conclusion from reviewing the email address used, which is assigned to the Duke of York in Epstein’s contacts book and the chain of correspondence.

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Andrew pictured laying on women

In the correspondence, “The Invisible Man” asks Maxwell: “How’s LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any allegations against him.

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Watch: What’s in the largest batch of Epstein files?

The Peru trip

Another email appears to show Maxwell arranging “two-legged sight seeing” for “The Invisible Man” during a trip to Peru.

She appears to forward to “The Invisible Man” part of a conversation between herself and another person.

The email says: “I just gave Andrew your telephone no. He is interested in seeing the Nazca lines. He can ride but it is not his favorite sport ie pass on the horses.”

“Some sight seeing some 2 legged sight seeing (read intelligent pretty fun and from good families) and he will be very happy. I know I can rely on you to show him a wonderful time and will only introduce him to friends that you can trust,” Maxwell said.

The context of the email is unclear and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing.

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Epstein survivor speaks to Sky News after latest release of files

Trump on Epstein’s jet?

The latest bunch of files also includes an email from an unidentified prosecutor dated 7 January, 2020, in which President Trump is mentioned.

The email accuses him of travelling on Epstein’s private jet “many more times than previously has been reported”.

It adds that President Trump “is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present”.

The email’s sender and receiver have been redacted. However, at the bottom of the email it says assistant US attorney, Southern District of New York. The name has also been redacted.

President Trump has denied any wrongdoing in relation to his relationship with Epstein, and being on any of Epstein’s flights does not indicate any wrongdoing.

Read more:
Trump defends ‘big boy’ Clinton after Epstein files release
Why Andrew photo in Epstein files is awkward for Royal Family

Limousine driver report about Trump

One of the documents in the release shows a report made to the FBI that was recorded on 27 October 2020.

It includes an unverified claim by a limousine driver that he overheard the US president discussing “abusing some girl” in 1995.

The driver also mentions Trump said “Jeffrey” while on the phone during a journey to Dallas Fort Worth Airport in Texas.

A significant part of the statement, along with the driver’s identity, has been redacted.

The US justice department has said that some of the documents in the latest Epstein files release “contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election”.

“To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already,” it said.

Postcard mentions ‘our president’

Also among the documents is a postcard that claims to have been sent by Jeffrey Epstein, but has been refuted by the justice department.

In it, the sender tells the recipient: “Our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls.”

It’s not clear who “our president” refers to and the context of the postcard is also unclear.

The US justice department initially said it was “looking into the validity” of the postcard but later said on X that the “FBI has confirmed” the postcard is “FAKE”.

It cited reasons including a claim that the writing does not appear to match Epstein’s and another that the letter was postmarked three days after his death.

Row over unreleased documents

It is believed that many files relating to Epstein are yet to be made public.

There has been anger at the justice department’s slow release of the files, with politicians threatening to launch legal action against Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The deadline for the release of all the documents has passed.

“The DOJ needs to quit ⁠protecting the rich, powerful, and politically connected,” Republican congressman Thomas Massie said.

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Other countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Turkiye, have already joined the case in The Hague.

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Belgium has formally joined the case launched by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Tuesday, the ICJ – The Hague-based highest court of the United Nations – said Belgium had filed a declaration of intervention in the case.

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Other countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Turkiye, have already joined the proceedings.

South Africa brought the case in December 2023, arguing that Israel’s war in Gaza violates the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Israel has rejected the allegations and criticised the case.

While a final ruling could take years, the ICJ issued provisional measures in January 2024 ordering Israel to take steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza and to allow unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.

The court’s orders are legally binding although it has no direct mechanism to enforce them.

The ICJ also said Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and its policies amount to annexation.

Israel has continued its assaults in Gaza and the occupied West Bank despite the rulings and growing international criticism while advancing plans to seize large parts of Palestinian territory.

Meanwhile, the United States and several of its European allies continue to provide military and financial support to Israel.

Washington has rejected the merits of South Africa’s case, and US lawmakers have criticised the country and issued threats against it.

The US has also imposed sanctions on members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Belgium was also among a group of countries that recognised the State of Palestine in September. Nearly 80 percent of UN member states now recognise Palestine.

Since a ceasefire began on October 10, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said, Israel has killed at least 406 Palestinians and injured 1,118 in the enclave. Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, the ministry said, at least 70,942 Palestinians have been killed and 171,195 wounded.

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UN experts and 400 prominent women have urged Iran not to execute Zahra Tabari, a 67-year-old electrical engineer and women’s rights activist.

Ms Tabari was arrested in April and accused of collaborating with a banned opposition group, the People’s Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI), according to her family.

In October, she was convicted of “armed rebellion” by a Revolutionary Court in Rasht after a trial via video link that lasted less than 10 minutes. Her family said the verdict was based on extremely limited and unreliable evidence: a piece of cloth bearing the words “Woman, Resistance, Freedom”, and an unpublished audio message.

Iranian authorities have not yet commented on the case.

At least 51 other people are known to be facing the death penalty in Iran after being convicted of national security offences including armed rebellion, as well as “enmity against God”, “corruption on Earth” and espionage, according to the UN experts.

The UN Human Rights Council’s special rapporteurs on human rights in Iran, violence against women and arbitrary executions, as well as the five members of the working group on discrimination against women and girls, warned in a joint statement that Ms Tabari’s case showed “a pattern of serious violations of international human rights law”.

She was arrested during a raid on her home without a judicial warrant, and was interrogated for a month while held in solitary confinement and pressured to confess to taking up arms against the state and to membership in an opposition group, according to the experts.

Ms Tabari was denied access to a lawyer of her choosing and was represented by a court-appointed lawyer, they said, adding that her death sentence was issued immediately after a brief hearing.

“The severe procedural violations in this case – including the unlawful deprivation of her liberty, the denial of effective legal representation, the extraordinarily brief trial, the lack of adequate time to prepare a defence, and the use of evidence that appears insufficient to support a charge of [armed rebellion] – render any resulting conviction unsafe,” they said.

They also noted that international law restricted the death penalty to the most serious crimes, meaning intentional killing.

“To execute Tabari under these circumstances would constitute arbitrary execution,” the experts added. “Criminalising women’s activism for gender equality and treating such expression as evidence of armed rebellion constitutes a grave form of gender discrimination.”

More than 400 prominent women – including several Nobel laureates, the former presidents of Switzerland and Ecuador, and former prime ministers of Finland, Peru, Poland and Ukraine – also signed a public appeal for Ms Tabari’s immediate release on Tuesday.

“Iran is today the world’s number one executioner of women per capita. Zahra’s case lays bare this terror: in Iran, daring to hold a sign declaring women’s resistance to oppression is now punishable by death,” it said.

The appeal was organised by Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran, a UK-based group that represents the families of the thousands of political prisoners who were executed in Iran three decades ago.

Another Iranian woman, Kurdish rights activist and social worker Pakhshan Azizi, is also facing the death penalty on the same charge as Ms Tabari.

UN experts have previously said Ms Azizi’s sentencing appeared to be “solely related to her legitimate work as a social worker, including her support for refugees in Iraq and Syria”.

According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 1,426 people – including 41 women – were executed in Iran in the first 11 months of 2025 – a 70% increase on the same period last year.

Almost half of those put to death as of the end of November were convicted of drug-related offences, while 53 were convicted of national security offences, the Norway-based group said.

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Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah on Tuesday confirmed the death of Libyan military chief Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad and four others in a plane crash in Turkey. 

Turkey’s interior minister said earlier that air traffic controllers lost contact with a Dassault Falcon 50-type jet carrying the Libyan military chief and others home after a visit to Turkey.

The plane departed from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 8:10 p.m. local time, Ali Yerlikaya posted to X. Contact with the jet was lost 40 minutes after, he said.

Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish presidency’s communications directorate, said the private jet had reported a technical failure, requesting an emergency landing as a result.

The plane then lost contact with air traffic control before crashing 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) south of Ankara.

A security camera caught the private jet’s explosion when it hit the ground near AnkaraImage: AA/Anadolu/picture alliance

Ankara holds close relations with the UN-backed Libyan government, and provides the Tripoli-based administration with military support.

Libya’s prime minister confirms death of country’s military chief

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah said in a statement on Facebook that the “tragic accident” took place as the Libyan delegation was “returning from an official trip to Ankara.”

Libya’s Minister of State Communications and Political Affairs Walid Ellafi named the other four passengers on board as Al-Haddad’s advisor Mohammed Al-Assawi, Major General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, Major General Mohammed Jumaa, and their escort, Mohammed Al-Mahjoub.

The privcate jet carrying Libya’s military chief Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad took off from Ankara’s Esenboga AirportImage: Tunahan Turhan/REUTERS

Libya has been ravaged by a civil war since the fall of Moammer Gadhafi in 2011.

The North African country has suffered from inner power struggles, also involving foreign states, with Dbeibah’s government being based in the west, while Prime Minister Osama Hammad’s rival government, which has Russia’s support, being located in the east.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar

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Airspace over Turkey’s capital was shut down Tuesday night after a business jet carrying Libya’s top military commander crashed south of Ankara shortly after takeoff, prompting flight diversions, an emergency security response, and an ongoing investigation in a NATO member state.

The Falcon 50 business jet was carrying Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s armed forces Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and four others when it lost contact roughly 30 minutes after departing Esenboga International Airport, according to Turkish officials cited by Al-Monitor. Libyan and Turkish authorities have since confirmed Al-Haddad’s death.

The temporary shutdown of airspace over Ankara elevated the incident beyond a routine aviation accident. Such measures are typically reserved for situations involving unresolved security risks or the need to secure the nation’s capital while authorities assess potential follow-on threats.

TRUMP EYES LIFTING SANCTIONS, POTENTIAL SALE OF PRIZED FIGHTER JET TO TURKEY

Libya’s army chief of staff, Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, shaking hands with Turkish chief of general staff, Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. Turkish Defense Ministry via Reuters (Reuters)

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said contact with the aircraft was lost at 8:52 p.m. local time after it transmitted an emergency landing notification near Haymana, approximately 75 kilometers south of the capital. The jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, had taken off at 8:10 p.m. bound for Tripoli.

Following the loss of contact, Turkish authorities closed Ankara’s airspace as a precaution and diverted multiple commercial flights away from Esenboga Airport, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV and flight tracking data cited by TRT. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the suspected crash area.

The crash came just hours after Al-Haddad concluded an official visit to Ankara. Turkey’s Defense Ministry had earlier announced that the Libyan army chief met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and other senior commanders as part of ongoing military and security coordination between Turkey and Libya, according to TRT.

US GENERAL WARNS OF KREMLIN INTERFERENCE IN LIBYA AMID REPORTS OF RUSSIAN MERCENARIES

Falcon 50 sent emergency signal after takeoff from Ankara; search underway near Haymana, Turkey. Photo: Anadolu Agency Video via Reuters. (Anadolu Agency Video via Reuters)

Türkiye Today reported that the visit underscored deepening defense ties between Ankara and Libya’s Tripoli-based government, adding sensitivity to the incident given the seniority of those aboard the aircraft and the timing immediately following high-level meetings.

The prime minister of Libya’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, said he had received news of the death of Libya’s army chief of staff after Al-Haddad’s plane lost radio contact above Turkey’s Ankara, Reuters reported.

Dbeibah, who said he was mourning Al-Haddad’s death, added that the army chief had been accompanied by others on board the aircraft, including military officials. No additional details about the other passengers’ identities or conditions were immediately released.

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Ankara Airport, Turkey, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo)

Turkish officials have not yet publicly detailed the cause of the crash. No official statements have indicated sabotage or hostile fire, and any conclusions beyond a reported in-flight emergency remain pending verification.

Search and recovery efforts were continuing, and Turkish authorities said further information would be released as it is confirmed.

Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Khalen Saunders did his best to recreate his brother Kameron’s dance moves from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in honor of her fans donating money to his charity
• “When the Swifties loaded your foundation so you gotta learn your brother’s solo on Bejeweled,” he captioned a video on Instagram
• Kameron commented on the video, “Khalen! I’m blocking you!”

Khalen Saunders is dancin’ all night!

The NFL star, 29, did his best to recreated his brother Kameron’s dance moves from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in honor of her fans donating money to his charity. 

Khalen, who previously played with Swift’s fiancé Travis Kelce on the Kansas City Chiefs, and Kameron, who was one of the popstar’s backup dancers during her two-year Eras Tour, were already beloved by Swifties. But after Kameron revealed he had to ask Khalen to pay for his plane ticket to audition for the tour in the second episode of Taylor Swift: The End of an Era, her fans flooded the NFL player’s charity with donations.

“When the Swifties loaded your foundation so you gotta learn your brother’s solo on Bejeweled,” he captioned a video on Instagram on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Khalen Saunders.

Khalen Saunders/Instagram

Khalen had a surprised look on face as a screenshot of recent donations to his foundation, Original Element, appeared on the screen. The organization promotes inclusion in football, and recently saw the New York Jets player host an LGBTQ+ friendly youth football summer camp.

The screenshot showed that Original Element had received $21,156 in donations. 

The video, set to Swift’s single “Bejeweled” from her 2022 album Midnights, continued to show the defensive tackle recreate Kameron’s dance moves — including a portion of the dance where he lays on the floor and kicks up his leg. 

“I feel like it was the least i could do,” Khalen captioned the post. “You can barely tell the difference from me and @kamnsaunders tbh.” 

Kameron would beg to differ, however. The professional dancer, 33, commented on the video, “Khalen! I’m blocking you!”

The football player teased his brother in the comments section, writing back, “When I tell you I [have] been rolling at this video for at least an hour cuz i knew you’d hate it 😂😂😂.”

Kameron, in response, gave Khalen a few pointers. “The leg in the dip! 😂😂😂 and how you eased yourself down!! Enough,” he wrote. 

Last December, the dancer reflected on his time on the record-breaking Eras Tour in an emotional Instagram post. He was often seen besides Swift during several key moments on stage, including her songs “Bejeweled,” “22,” “Karma” and the transition into “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”

“Babe, I would follow you anywhere at any time in any universe in EVERY lifetime. It has been the honor of my life to have been at your side night after night,” Kameron wrote in part.

He also shared a video of his “very last” Bejeweled solo onstage, writing to Swift, “​​This is one, of many, of my favorite moments of ours in the Eras Tour.”

Kam Saunders and Taylor Swift during the July 9, 2024 Eras Tour show in Zurich.

Noam Galai/TAS24/Getty

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Learning Kameron’s special dance wasn’t the first time the siblings have ventured into each other’s interests. Back in November 2024, the younger brother told PEOPLE he and Kameron enjoy sharing their respective sports with one another. 

“Back in the day, he’d be educating…he’d be like, ‘Oh that was a pirouette,’ and telling us whatever they’re doing in the class,” he said of Kameron teaching him different dance moves.

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Yulia Nikitina, 34, was accused of making “sexually provocative” stunts while riding a motorbike on public roads and authorities have launched an investigation into the case

Yulia Nikitina appeared to flash her underwear while performing the stunt (Image: east2west news)

A female Russian tourist faces criminal charges in Vietnam over ‘scorpion-style’ motorcycle stunts that sparked public outrage.

Yulia Nikitina, 34, was hauled in by police for questioning after videos showing her performing “dangerous and sexually provocative” acts on public roads. She was allegedly seen on social media lying flat on a moving motorbike, lifting her legs into the air in a so-called “scorpion” pose exposing her underwear while riding in traffic.

The “influencer-style” stunts, filmed on highways around resort Nha Trang, were widely condemned by Vietnamese social media users. They were seen as reckless, offensive and disrespectful in a country where road safety and public behaviour are treated seriously.

The Russian influencer was accused of offensive behaviour(Image: east2west news)READ MORE: Putin’s invading troops ‘turn to cannibalism’ amid ‘shortage of rations’READ MORE: Vladimir Putin ‘in plan to wage World War 3 in a year’s time’

Following a public outcry, the regional Traffic Police Division launched an urgent investigation, tracing the motorcycle used in the videos through multiple owners before establishing that it had been gifted to Nikitina by another Russian national.

When questioned by police, the woman admitted performing the manoeuvres on public roads earlier this year, according to reports. Officers said her actions violated traffic safety laws and showed signs of the criminal offence of “causing public disorder.”

The case has now been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division for further handling. Vietnamese law allows prison sentences of up to seven years in serious public-order cases, particularly where behaviour endangers others or causes widespread public alarm.

Yulia was questioned by police(Image: Yulia Nikitina/east2west news)

Even if prosecutors opt for a lesser charge, administrative penalties could still include heavy fines, confiscation of the vehicle, and forced departure from the country.

Vietnamese media and commenters highlighted the perceived sexualised nature of the stunt, noting that the rider was wearing a short skirt and exposing her underwear while performing manoeuvres in traffic.

In Vietnam, such behaviour is seen as disrespectful to local culture and an insult to public decency, particularly when carried out by a foreign visitor.

Viral stunts designed for social media fame will be dealt with strictly, say reports. Local police in the communist state urged all residents and visitors to “strictly comply with road traffic safety laws”, warning that dangerous or offensive acts would be punished to ensure a “safe and civilised traffic environment”.

The Russian woman has not commented on the outcry over her social media content. She is believed to be currently living in Vietnam, which has become a popular destination for Russians during the war with Ukraine.

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Nigeria seal a 2-1 win against a plucky Tanzania to open their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 account with a win in Fez.

Published On 23 Dec 202523 Dec 2025

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Ademola Lookman has secured a 2-1 win for a wasteful Nigeria against Tanzania in Fez, Morocco, in their opening Africa Cup of Nations match.

After the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle would have hoped for more goals given the opportunities his side created on Tuesday.

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Star striker Victor Osimhen was among the culprits. He failed to score but could have claimed a hat-trick with better finishing.

Nigerian centre half Semi Ajayi opened the scoring in the first half before Charles M’Mombwa levelled soon after half-time.

However, Atalanta attacker Lookman struck the winning goal shortly after the equaliser to spare Nigeria’s blushes.

The first half followed a predictable pattern with three-time champions Nigeria pressing and Tanzania soaking up the pressure as they sought a first win after three draws and six losses in three previous AFCON appearances.

Tanzania goalkeeper Zuberi Masudi suffered a facial injury after advancing off his line to block a shot by Akor Adams.

From the resultant corner, Sevilla striker Adams came close as his near-post header hit the top of the crossbar.

The East Africans threatened for the first time on 14 minutes with an acrobatic shot from Saimon Msuva comfortably saved by Stanley Nwabali.

As rain began to fall in Fez, Nigerian frustrations surfaced with 2023 African player of the year Osimhen upset after being fouled by Ibrahim Hamad.

Nigeria’s forward Victor Osimhen during the Africa Cup of Nations match against Tanzania [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP]

Osimhen then became the focal point of the Nigerian attacks, threatening to score twice before another attempt was cleared off the line by Bakari Nondo.

That set piece led to the Super Eagles taking the lead as the ball was played back to Alex Iwobi, whose cross was nodded into the corner of the net by Ajayi for his second international goal.

Samuel Chukwueze had a chance to increase the lead just before half-time, but his close-range shot was tipped over by Masudi.

The opening seven minutes of the second period were dramatic as an Osimhen goal was ruled offside before M’Mombwa equalised on 50 minutes and then 2024 African player of the year Lookman restored Nigeria’s lead two minutes later with a rising shot from just outside the box.

Chelle introduced veteran Moses Simon for Adams in the vain hope of building a wider lead before what is likely to be their toughest Group C match – against Tunisia in Fez on Saturday.

Tanzania squandered a chance to equalise with three minutes of regular time remaining as a Mohamed Hussein cross evaded Nwabali, but substitute Kelvin John failed to connect with the ball.

After facing Tunisia, Nigeria will play Uganda in their final group fixture on December 30.

Tanzania face Uganda on Saturday while they end their group phase with a meeting with Tunisia on December 30.

Group C action continues on Tuesday with Tunisia taking on Uganda in Rabat.

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Sabra Lane signs off as host of AM after 8 years

The ABC journalist Sabra Lane has signed off as the host of flagship radio current affairs program AM after more than eight years in the role.

In her final broadcast as host a few moments ago on ABC Radio National, Lane said it was “time to turn off the early morning alarm”.

“Today’s program is my last hosting AM. I’m taking a long break over summer and I’ll be back next year in a different role.”

Lane took over as the host of AM in January 2017, and leaves a year shy of the program’s 60th anniversary.

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Former federal MP Katie Allen dies aged 59

Former federal Liberal MP Katie Allen has died aged 59, her family has announced.

Allen served as the member for the former seat of Higgins in Victoria from 2019 to 2022.

Katie Allen, former federal Liberal MP for Higgins. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Allen, who worked as a paediatric allergist and gastroenterologist at the Royal Melbourne hospital before her career in politics, revealed she had a rare form of cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma earlier this year.

In a statement posted to Allen’s Facebook account yesterday, her family announced the passing of “our beloved Katie (Mum)“

She spent her life caring for others as a mother, doctor, professor, MP and friend. She is deeply loved.

She passed in peace surrounded by family and lived a full, beautiful life, all the way to the end.

We love you so much.

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Updated at 21.32 CET

Israel’s president to make state visit to Australia in the new year

The Israeli president, Issac Herzog, will visit Australia early in the new year as a formal state visit.

In a post on X last night, the office of the Australian prime minister said Anthony Albanese had called Herzog earlier that day and “expressed his profound shock and dismay over the terror attack against the Australian Jewish community in Sydney last week, and conveyed his deep sorrow to the families of the victims”.

Prime Minister Albanese advised President Herzog that, upon the recommendation of the Australian government, the Governor-General of Australia will issue an invitation in accordance with protocol to President Herzog to visit Australia as soon as possible. President Herzog said that he would accept the invitation and mentioned that the President of the Zionist Federation of Australia also sent him an official invitation expressing their wish for him to visit, and he intends to do so.

Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog. Photograph: Abir Sultan/AP

The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) welcomed the news, which its president, Jeremy Leibler, said was an important moment of solidarity and healing:

In the days after Bondi, our community reached out directly to President Herzog because this was not only an attack on individuals – it struck at the deepest sense of safety Jewish Australians have carried for generations.

We are grateful that the Australian government has now taken up that call and, in accordance with protocol, will extend the formal invitation for a state visit. That matters – because it shows, at the highest national level, that Australia stands with its Jewish citizens, and Australia stands with Israel, against terrorism and hatred.

President Herzog’s presence will bring comfort to those who are grieving and reassurance to a community living with fear. It will also honour the victims and the courage shown on the day – including Gefen Bitton, who remains critically ill – and reaffirm the shared resolve of two democracies to confront antisemitism, hate and violence with clarity and strength.

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Updated at 21.28 CET

Krishani Dhanji

Sussan Ley says this Christmas a time of ‘deep sorrow and reflection’

Christmas comes at a moment of “deep sorrow and reflection”, says the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, as the Jewish and Australian community mourns the death of those killed in the Bondi terror attack.

In her Christmas message to the nation, the opposition leader says it is moments like this that “test us”.

“They ask who we are as a people and what we choose to stand for. Hatred and extremism have no place in Australia. Antisemitism has no place in Australia. Our strength as a nation lies in our decency, our courage and our willingness to stand together, especially when it is hard.”

Ley says it has already been a difficult time for many families struggling with the cost of living.

She also thanks all those who will be working through the holiday period – nurses, doctors, paramedics, police, firefighters, defence personnel, aged care and disability workers.

The cost of living has placed real strain on families and, for some, this Christmas will feel heavier than it should. If you are doing it tough, please know that you are not alone. Your community matters, and you deserve leadership that listens and acts.

This Christmas, we remember those we have lost. We stand with those who are hurting. And we hold fast to the values that bind us together as Australians.

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Updated at 21.25 CET

Penry Buckley

Good morning

Good morning everyone, I’m Penry Buckley and I will be here with you for our live coverage this morning.

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Albanese says Australia grieves Bondi terror attack victims in Christmas message

Anthony Albanese says Christmas “will feel different this year” after the Bondi terror shooting, paying tribute to victims and heroes of the antisemitic attack in a holiday message to Australians.

The prime minister said:

After the terror inflicted on Jewish Australians celebrating Chanukah at Bondi Beach, we feel the weight of sorrow in our hearts. As Christmas brings its message of love and compassion, we grieve those whose lives were stolen – and those whose lives were changed forever.

Together, we give thanks for the extraordinary courage that shone so brightly through the darkness. A powerful reminder that, in the worst of times, we see the very best of the Australian character. It is in that spirit that Christmas brings Australians together to celebrate all that we have and all that we share.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Dominic Giannini/AAP

Albanese said also paid tribute to “everyone who gives up their Christmas for the sake of others”.

We give thanks to our emergency personnel, our medical workers, our hospitality and charity workers – and so many more. Likewise the volunteers who spend the season of giving devoting their time and energy to serving those in need, exemplifying the Australian spirit of kindness, generosity and compassion.

We also thank our Defence Force personnel, who forgo the comforts of home and family to defend our nation. To each and every Australian, I wish you a Christmas of peace, safety and love. A Christmas where we stand together, united. A Christmas of healing and one of hope.

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Updated at 21.29 CET

Twelve victims of Bondi terror attack still in hospital

Twelve victims of the Bondi mass shooting remained in hospitals in Sydney as of 8pm last night.

Seven are in a stable condition, across the Prince of Wales, St George, Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore hospitals. Five are in a critical but stable condition, in St George and St Vincent’s hospitals.

That’s a worsening in the condition of one patient, from the 8am update yesterday when there were only four people listed as being in a critical but stable condition and eight in a stable condition.

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Updated at 21.11 CET

Database launched to log everyone charged with hate crimes

Sarah Basford Canales

A national database of individuals charged with offences under hate crimes legislation across all Australian jurisdictions has been launched today after the Bondi shooting.

The National Hate Crimes and Incidents Database will register the hate crime offences across the country that target race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality, ethnic origin, or political opinion.

The initiative was first agreed upon at a national cabinet in January 2025 and will be available on the Australian Institute of Criminology’s website. The federal government said it was an important step toward strengthening its ability to monitor, analyse and respond to hate crimes.

Marking its launch on Christmas Eve, the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said:

The appalling attack on the Jewish community at Bondi Beach must never be allowed to happen again.

Every Australian has the right to be safe and feel safe, no matter your heritage, what you believe or who you love.

I urge every Australian: if you witness or experience a hate crime, report it. Accurate reporting is essential to ensure these crimes are investigated and captured in the database, to enable evidence-based action.

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Updated at 20.59 CET

NSW parliament passes new gun and protest laws

The New South Wales Minns Labor government has passed controversial changes to gun laws and new powers for police to ban street protests for up to three months, after a marathon debate in the upper house.

The laws, which were drafted in response to the 14 December massacre at Sydney’s Bondi beach in which two gunmen fired on a Hanukah event, killing 15 people, were voted through at 2.51am on Wednesday.

The omnibus bill passed with 18 votes in favour and eight against. The Liberals joined the Labor government members in voting for the bill, while the Nationals and Shooters voted against. The Greens members abstained.

Read our full story here:

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Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Penry Buckley with the main action.

After a marathon debate, the upper house of the New South Wales parliament voted at 2.51am to pass the controversial omnibus bill bringing in tougher laws to limit gun ownership and to restrict the right to protest after terror attacks. The reforms, drafted in response to the Bondi terror attacks, passed by 18 votes to eight. More coming up.

A national database of individuals charged with offences under hate crimes legislation across all Australian jurisdictions has been launched today after the Bondi shooting.

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The Libyan army chief has been killed in an air crash in Turkey, Libya’s prime minister has said.

Gen Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad and four others were on board a Falcon 50 aircraft flying out of the Turkish capital, Ankara.

In a post on X, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said signal with the business jet was lost at 20:52 local time (17:52 GMT) – about 42 minutes after it took off from Ankara’s airport.

The Tripoli-bound jet had issued an emergency landing request before contact was lost.

Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, the prime minister of Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Unity, said he had received news of the death of Gen Haddad.

The prime minister added that other Libyan military officials were on board the jet.

Gen Haddad and his team had been in Turkey for talks aimed at further strengthening military and security co-operation between the two countries.

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Turkey’s interior minister said air traffic controllers lost contact with a Falcon 50 private jet carrying the Libyan military chief and four other people home after a visit to Turkey.

The plane departed from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 8:10 p.m. local time, Ali Yerlikaya posted to X. Contact with the jet was lost 40 minutes after, he said.

The plane issued an emergency landing signal near Haymana, a district south of Ankara, before all communication ceased, Yerlikaya said. 

Libya’s prime minister confirms death of country’s military chief

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the death of Libyan military chief and four others in a plane crash.

The prime minister said in a statement on Facebook that the “tragic accident” took place as the Libyan delegation was “returning from an official trip to Ankara.”

More to follow.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar

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