Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has moved into a penthouse suite at the Crown Casino in Sydney after being handed $2.5million for his bravery, as he breaks his silence about disarming one of the massacre gunmen.

Mr Al Ahmed rushed in to wrestle a shotgun from Sajid Akram, 50, when he opened fire on the crowd at a Jewish Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach on the evening of December 14. 

Akram’s son, Naveed, who is accused of killing 15 and injuring dozens more, allegedly shot Mr Al Ahmed several times in the moment of breathtaking heroism.

Footage of the incident saw Mr Al Ahmed hailed a hero across the globe, and sparked an online appeal which raised $2.5million, presented to him in hospital last week.

Now Mr Al Ahmed has finally spoken about his heroics in an interview with a US TV network, set to air overnight. 

‘I did not worry about anything,’ he told Australian CBS News journalist Anna Coren.

‘My target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being – and not killing innocent people.’

On Monday, the father of two was spotted by the Daily Mail living the high life on the 33rd-floor balcony of a lavish suite at the Barangaroo casino’s hotel in Sydney CBD. 

In the footage Mr Al Ahmed is seen disarming the gunman

Mr Al Ahmed was shot during the attack 

He was spotted on the balcony of the Crown Towers hotel 

He was discharged from hospital at the weekend and is recovering from major surgery to save his arm after being repeatedly shot in the terror attack.

Mr Al Ahmed, still wearing a sling on his left arm, has been joined by his family at the suite as he comes to terms with his new wealth and fame after saving the lives of countless others.

Despite being hailed as a hero, Mr Al Ahmed said his thoughts remain with those who did not survive.

‘I know I saved lots of people’s lives, innocent kids and women and men,’ he said. ‘I know I saved lots – but I still feel sorry for the lost.’

Dramatic footage showed him leap from behind a parked car to wrestle Sajid Akram to the ground, successfully disarming him before he was wounded in the crossfire of the firefight between police and the second gunman.

‘I jumped on his back, hit him,’ he said.

‘I hold him with my right hand and start saying a word, you know, like to warn him, drop your gun, stop doing what you’re doing, and it’s come all in fast.

‘And emotionally, I’m doing something, which is I feel something, a power in my body, my brain.

‘I don’t want to see people killed in front of me, I don’t want to hear his gun, I don’t want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help, and that’s my soul asking me to do that.’

Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has been discharged from hospital two weeks after being shot

He was spotted on Monday afternoon soaking up the sunshine on the balcony of his $1250-per-night suite

Mr Al Ahmed, still wearing a sling on his left arm, has been joined by his family at the suite as he comes to terms with his new wealth and fame 

His gripping and emotional TV interview was filmed at the Crown Towers hotel in Barangaroo where Mr Al Ahmed is recovering before returning to his family home.

He was spotted on Monday soaking up the sunshine on the balcony of his $1250-per-night suite with sweeping views of Sydney Harbour.

Last week it was revealed his family, who live overseas, have been granted visas to travel to Australia to support him during his recovery.

While his parents Mohamed and Malakeh were already in Australia on holiday when he was shot, his siblings who are scattered across several countries have been desperate to see him.

The federal government stepped in to grant visas to his brothers and sisters, according to his migration lawyer Sam Issa.

They are expected to travel to Sydney from Germany, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates, while another sister based in Syria is still seeking a visitor visa. 

Doctors removed a bullet from his shoulder and repaired nerve damage during his most recent surgery.

However it is believed he may still suffer permanent damage and could require further surgery.

Mr Al Ahmed was given $2.5million for his heroism 

Naveed Akram (pictured) is accused of killing 15 and injuring dozens more

Mr Al Ahmed took the gun from Sahid Akram before turning it on him and forced him to retreat 

Last week Mr Al Ahmed was handed a cheque for $2.5million after the fundraiser attracted more than 43,000 donations from around the world.

Before the attack, he had planned to sell his tobacco shop in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, and the business was sold while he was recovering in hospital.

According to his lawyer, he has not begun to consider plans for his future because of the extent of his injuries and the long recovery still ahead.

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The passenger said she was flung out of her seat when the plane suddenly dropped – Ryanair has stated the plane was forced to make a U-turn due to air turbulence

A Ryanair flight, which departed from Birmingham Airport on Sunday afternoon, was forced to return to the UK after issuing a general emergency code (file image)(Image: Getty Images)

A passenger aboard the Ryanair flight forced to return to the United Kingdom after a mid-flight emergency has said the experience ‘felt like something out of a horror movie’.

The Boeing 737 MAX, which departed from Birmingham Airport at about 2.50pm on Sunday, December 28, issued a 7700 squawk over Brittany, France, after reaching an altitude of 35,000ft. This code signifies a general emergency.

The Boeing was bound for Tenerife but was forced to return to the UK mid-flight.

“It felt like something you see on a horror movie,” said a 33-year-old passenger from Lichfield, who did not wish to be named.

“We were smooth cruising then out of nowhere all of a sudden the plane jerked to the left extremely quickly and then to the right, it felt like a loss of control, and then we plummeted down and we were flung out of our seats,” the passenger said.

Ryanair flight in mid-air emergency and diverts to UK (Image: Flight Radar)

Passengers informed The Aviation Herald that flight FR1121 experienced turbulence, resulting in injuries to several individuals while cabin service was underway. The flight then made a U-turn and descended to FL100 (flying at 10,000ft).

The aircraft safely touched down back at Birmingham around one hour and 32 minutes after take-off. According to AirLive, it was parked on a remote stand at the airport for paramedics to attend to passengers. The severity of the passengers’ injuries is yet to be determined.

“I came out physically unharmed but the mental toll this has taken it awful… this has really traumatised me,” the woman said.

“The cabin crew said within their 10 years as cabin crew they’ve never experienced anything like it.”

She said other passengers claimed to see a fighter jet pass the Boeing before the incident, but this has not been confirmed.

Ryanair said in a statement: “”FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife on 28th December returned to Birmingham Airport shortly after take-off due to air turbulence.

“The aircraft landed normally before passengers disembarked and returned to the terminal, where a small number of passengers were provided with medical assistance. This flight continued to Tenerife at 21:06 local.”

The Mirror has reached out to the airline for further comment.

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Not going backwards is a win. Given Donald Trump’s fraught relationship with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that’s important.

The Mar-a-Lago meeting did not materially move things forward but nor was there a bust-up like that Oval Office moment in February.

There were however some notable takeaways.

First, Zelenskyy‘s facial expressions.

Image:
Pic: AP/ Alex Brandon

At times he looked exasperated – like when Trump made light of a profoundly important negotiation by talking about the Mar-a-Lago food and the physique of the Ukrainian leader’s generals. Playground stuff.

There was a memorable moment when Zelenskyy’s poker face fell away. He shrugged, then laughed as Trump said: “Russia wants Ukraine to succeed.”

What a profoundly stupid thing for the American president to say. Look at Vladimir Putin’s actions. Listen to his words.

It’s hard to know sometimes whether Trump is just ignorant, tuned out of the detail, or actually in Putin’s pocket. Zelenskyy probably has a view but managed, just, to hold his decorum.

Image:
Pic: AP/ Alex Brandon

Beyond the spectacle of Zelenskyy’s face, there were some other important moments – if only because they will act as markers when Trump shifts his position, as he has so many times.

On US security guarantees, Zelenskyy seemed reassured that Trump’s America would provide some sort of military backdrop – to counter renewed Russian aggression in the future. But neither leader spelled out what that would look like.

Ukrainian sources have told me that Trump’s commitment to back his support for Ukraine with security guarantees is a key point (never mind the fact that Trump did this months ago and then backtracked).

Image:
Pic: Reuters

The same sources have also said that Trump’s apparent willingness to go to Ukraine and address parliament there, which he articulated today for the first time, is a positive commitment.

Let’s see if he sticks to it, or shifts again, and on the security guarantees.

The most articulate moment from the meandering and confused news conference came from Zelenskyy when he charted progress with percentages.

He said:

• “20-point peace plan, 90% agreed”
• “US-Ukraine security guarantees, 100% agreed”
• “US-Europe-Ukraine security guarantees, almost agreed”

So, that confirms Zelenskyy has accepted US commitments on security guarantees but shows that more work is required to pin down some elements in US-Europe security co-operation.

That’s key because it involves the prospect of European troops on the ground in Ukraine. It’s a Russian redline – and Trump knows that.

It’s easy to get lost in all this: the progress, the positions, the multi-point plans and the spin.

But remember a few fundamentals. First, Trump may want this war to end, but he doesn’t care how it happens. Second, Putin has shown no genuine signals that he wants the war to end. Third, Ukraine doesn’t want to be forced into a subjugating surrender.

A few weeks ago the Americans produced a 26-point plan. It amounted to a Russian wish-list.

Since then, the Ukrainians, with the Europeans and co-ordinating with the Americans, have refined it. It’s 20 points now, and within it are plenty of Ukrainian concessions.

Europe and Ukraine now expect Trump to focus the pressure back on Moscow and to engage Vladimir Putin in a way that moves him.

Don’t hold your breath.

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Mexico’s Navy says the train was carrying 250 people when it derailed partially near the town of Nizanda in Oaxaca.

Published On 29 Dec 202529 Dec 2025

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A train carrying 250 people has derailed partially in southern Mexico, killing at least 13 people and injuring 98, according to officials.

The Mexican Navy said that the Interoceanic Train linking the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz went off the rails on Sunday as it passed a curve near the town of Nizanda.

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It said that 98 people were injured and that, “unfortunately, 13 people lost their lives”.

The train was carrying nine crew members and 241 passengers at the time of the accident. Of those on board, 139 were reported to be out of danger, while 36 of the 98 injured were still receiving medical assistance.

In a statement posted on X, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that at least five of those injured were in “serious” condition.

Sheinbaum said she has directed the secretary of the navy and other senior personnel to travel to the area and assist the families of those affected. She added that the Ministry of Interior is coordinating the response to the incident.

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said it was opening an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

Uno Noticias Television, a Mexican channel, reported that emergency units were near the site of the accident but faced difficulty in accessing the area.

Images circulating on social media and posted by Mexican news outlets showed one of the carriages of the train on its side, while another was completely separated from the train tracks.

Translation: Passenger train derailed. Interoceanic in the Isthmus. This Sunday, the Interoceanic passenger train derailed, 5 kilometres south of Nizanda, belonging to Asuncion Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca. Injuries have been reported; the train had departed from Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and was heading to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. Emergency units are near the area, but the difficult access to the site is complicating rescue efforts.

Video clips posted online also showed some of the passengers trapped in the derailed carriages.

A passenger was quoted by Mexico’s La Razon newspaper as saying that before the derailment, the train “was coming very fast”.

“We don’t know if it lost its brakes,” the passenger told La Razon.

In a statement posted on X, Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara Cruz expressed his government’s “heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate accident”.

The train runs between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and carries both passengers and freight.

On December 20, a train on the same route collided with a cargo truck attempting to cross the tracks, although the incident did not result in any deaths.

The line was inaugurated in 2023 as a major infrastructure project under then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to develop southeast Mexico.

The initiative was designed to modernise the rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a land bridge connecting Mexico’s Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast.

The Mexican government has sought to develop the Isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.

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China has launched live-fire military drills around Taiwan, in what it calls a warning to “separatist” forces in Taiwan and “external interference” by foreign parties.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – the military wing of the ruling Communist party in China – said it had sent naval, air force and rocket forces to surround Taiwan on Monday morning.

The exercise, named Justice Mission 2025, was a “a stern warning against ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces”, said a spokesperson for the PLA’s eastern theatre command, Col Shi Yi.

“It is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity.”

On Monday morning Taiwan’s defence ministry accused Beijing of escalating tensions and undermining regional peace. It “strongly condemned” the activity, saying it dispatched “appropriate forces” to respond and conduct counter combat-readiness exercises of its own.

“Defending democracy and freedom is no provocation, and the existence of the Republic of China [Taiwan’s formal name] is not an excuse for aggressors to disrupt the status quo,” the ministry said.

Beijing claims Taiwan is a Chinese province and is preparing to annex it. It is undergoing a massive military modernisation and expansion drive, with the aim of being capable of invasion by 2027, according to US intelligence from several years ago.

The Chinese Communist party (CCP) and its leader, Xi Jinping, have urged Taiwan to accept “peaceful reunification”, deploying a range of encouragements but mostly threats and coercive actions that have intensified in recent years. However, the vast majority of Taiwan’s parliament and people reject the prospect of CCP rule, and Taiwan is boosting its own military defences in resistance.

The PLA’s drills – its first targeting Taiwan since April – come amid weeks of spiralling relations with Japan after its prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said her country would likely become militarily involved if China attacked Taiwan. It also follows an approval by the US government for $11bn in weapons sales to Taiwan, and recent speeches by Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, vowing to boost Taiwan’s defences and achieve a “high level of combat preparedness” by 2027.

All drew furious reaction from Beijing.

In a statement announcing the drills, China’s eastern theatre command said: “The vessels and aircraft will approach the Taiwan Island in close proximity from different directions to test the capabilities of the troops to conduct rapid manoeuvres, form all-dimensional posture, and execute systemic blockade and control.”

The announcement included maps indicating air and maritime areas to avoid, in three large zones around the southern point of Taiwan, and two to its north and north-west.

Justice Mission 2025 is the sixth major PLA military exercise targeting Taiwan since it launched major exercises in 2022 in retaliation for the then US speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting the island. In April it held a two-day operation dubbed Strait Thunder-2025A, prompting speculation there would be a “B” before year’s end.

Taiwanese national security officials have been warning of the likelihood of large-scale drills as part of its pressure campaign against Tokyo following Takaichi’s remarks, said William Yang, senior Northeast Asia analyst for the International Crisis Group. Yang also noted it was the first major exercise during the second term of the US president, Donald Trump, who met with Xi in October but didn’t discuss Taiwan.

Yang said: “Beijing will likely take into account the response from the US [to these drills] and carefully determine how it should formulate and plan the PLA’s military operation.”

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Reuters

Since 2022 Beijing has ramped up military drills in the Taiwan Strait

China is holding military drills around Taiwan simulating the seizure and blockade of the island’s key areas, as a warning against “separatist forces”.

The army, navy, air force and rocket force have been dispatched for the drills which include live-fire exercises, the Chinese military said.

Codenamed “Justice Mission 2025”, the drills are taking place days after the US announced the sale of one of its largest weapons packages to Taiwan worth $11bn (£8.2bn). That move drew sharp protest from Beijing which in turn sanctioned US defence firms.

Taiwan’s push to ramp up its defence this year has also angered Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory.

Taiwan’s presidential office has criticised the upcoming Chinese drills, calling them a challenge to international norms.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said that they detected Chinese aircraft and ships around Taiwan on Monday morning, and have deployed their own forces and missile systems to monitor the situation. Its forces are on “high alert” to defend Taiwan and “protect our people”, the ministry said.

In a post on Weibo, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command – in charge of the Taiwan Strait – described the upcoming military exercise as a “shield of justice”.

“All those plotting independence will be annihilated upon encountering the shield!” the post read.

While some initial drills have begun, the military said it will conduct a major exercise from 08:00 to 18:00 local time on Tuesday.

While China has long called for the “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan, it also has a law stating it will resort to “non-peaceful means” to prevent the island’s “secession”.

Beijing has accused Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te of pursuing “Taiwan independence”. The president maintains Taiwan is already a sovereign nation and therefore has no need to formally declare independence.

On Sunday, Lai said in a local television interview that Taiwan needed to “keep raising the difficulty so [China] can never meet the standard” for an invasion.

He also said that his administration was committed to “maintaining the status quo” and would not provoke China – though he added that peace relies on “real strength”.

Polls consistently show that most Taiwanese people want the “status quo”, meaning they neither want to unify with China, nor to formally declare independence.

CCTV

Chinese state media published a map released by the military showing Tuesday’s drill locations around Taiwan

Since 2022 Beijing has ramped up military drills in the Taiwan Strait, usually in response to what it deems as threats such as former US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022 and Lai’s inauguration in 2024.

China’s last live-fire exercise in the Taiwan Strait, held in April, simulated strikes on key ports and energy facilities, the People’s Liberation Army said at the time. Along with the drills, the Chinese military released a series of cartoons depicting Lai as a “parasite”.

This week’s military drills are the first to be held under Yang Zhibin, the new chief of the Eastern Theater Command who assumed his role in October.

Taiwan holds military exercises of its own, both to prepare its population for an attack and showcase its defences to Beijing. This year’s Han Kuang exercise, which took place over 10 days, was the largest and longest one yet.

Since taking office, Lai has vowed to boost defence spending and enhance the island’s defence capabilities in the face of increasing tensions with Beijing.

In October, the Taiwanese president announced the building of a dome-like air defence system to guard against “hostile threats” – though he did not explicitly mention China.

The drills this week in the Taiwan Strait would also aim at deterrence “outside the island chain”, China’s military said.

China’s ties with Japan have plunged to their iciest in years after Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi suggested last month – in response to a question asked in parliament – that Japan’s self-defence forces could step in if China attacked Taiwan.

China has lodged heated protests and issued warnings to its citizens to avoid travel to Japan. Earlier this month, Japan protested after Chinese fighter jets locked radars on Japanese aircraft while Beijing accused Tokyo of “harassing” its forces during a training exercise.

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China announced “major” military exercises around Taiwan on Monday amid rising tensions with Japan over the status of the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory.

The military exercises, named “Just Mission 2025,” will involve live-fire drills starting on Tuesday, China’s military said.

“This serves as a serious warning ​to ‘Taiwan ​Independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” Shi Yi, a spokesperson for China’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement.

“The exercise focuses on training for maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, gaining integrated control, sealing off key ports and areas and conducting multi-dimensional deterrence.”

Taiwan vows to protect ‘democracy, freedom and sovereignty’

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te urged China “not to misjudge the situation and become a troublemaker in the region.”

“In response to the Chinese authorities’ disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries, Taiwan expresses its strong condemnation,” presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement.

China’s Eastern Theater Command published a diagram showing where drills would be conducted around TaiwanImage: Meng Lijing/Xinhua/picture alliance

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Monday morning that it had detected two Chinese planes and 11 Chinese ships operating around the island in the past 24 hours. China confirmed its Eastern Forces Command was operating in the Taiwan strait.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry also said it had set up a rapid response center and vowed to “protect democracy, freedom, sovereignty and safety” on the island.

“A response centre has been established, and appropriate forces have been deployed,” the Taiwanese military said, adding that its armed forces “have carried out a rapid response exercise.”

Rising tensions between China and Japan

Democratic Taiwan has governed itself for decades but China considers it to be a separatist province and has long vowed to retake it by force if necessary.

Monday’s announcement comes after Beijing expressed anger over comments by Japan’s new nationalist Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that any Chinese action against Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” — a designation under Japanese law that opens the door to military intervention.

US riles China with $11 billion arms deal for Taiwan

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It also comes after the United States announced its largest-ever weapons sale to Taiwan, with a package valued at $11.1 billion (€9.4 billion).

While China’s military has conducted live-fire drills and practiced port blockades around Taiwan in the past, Monday’s announcement was the first time it publicly stated that drills were aimed at “deterrence” of outside military intervention.

Edited by: Rana Taha

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NEED TO KNOW

• A woman asked her future mother-in-law to wear a satin dress at her wedding, and received backlash from her fiancé’s sister
• The sister told her that “their mom hates satin and will be miserable all day,” the bride-to-be shared in a Reddit post
• Users on the platform said the bride’s request was out of line, and criticized her behavior

A bride-to-be has ruffled some feathers over an unusual request for her soon-to-be in-laws — especially her future mother-in-law.

The young bride asked her fiancé’s mom to wear a fabric she “hates” to her wedding, upsetting some of her future in-laws in the process, and decided to share her side of things in a post on Reddit’s “Am I the A——” forum. The post gained traction on the platform, where users seemed to agree that the bride was being out of line.

In the post, the 21-year-old woman explained that she is getting married in February, and has spent the last year planning the ceremony. Among the planning was a unique request for her future mother-in-law. As a result, the woman said, “her future sister-in-law accused me of not considering my fiancé’s family throughout this process.”

Months earlier, the woman and her fiancé “decided that we liked a specific shade of blue and stretch satin material” from a bridal brand that she described as “relatively affordable.” The couple then decided to ask not only the bridesmaids, but also all of their moms, sisters and grandmas to pick their dress from the website in that exact shade and material.

Stock image of an upset bride.

Getty

“We are being pretty specific about the material because even if you order the same color in a different material, it will look completely different,” the bride-to-be wrote. But people were not happy with the request.

While discussing wedding planning, the woman wrote, “my future sister-in-law accused me of being inconsiderate of my fiancé’s family.”

“She also said that their mom hates satin and will be miserable all day and I’m inconsiderate for not asking her (the mom) if she likes satin” prior to deciding on the fabric, the bride wrote, noting that she and her fiancé made the decision together.

The bride-to-be also noted in her post that she’s “tried my best to be mindful of their family so that we all have a great time.” She cited changing her wedding destination from overseas due to her future in-laws’ “legal status,” accommodating their “very large immediate family,” and working to include aspects of the ceremony in Spanish, which is their dominant language.

“So,” she concluded the post, “[am I the a——] for wanting my mother-in-law to wear a satin dress to the wedding and [having] been inconsiderate of my fiancés family during my wedding planning process?”

Stock image of an adult woman in a satin gown.

Getty

Most users who responded to her post agreed that she is, in fact, in the wrong — and out of line — and defended her future mother-in-law.

Several pointed out that her request is “not customary,” and argued that satin is not a preferred fabric for many people due to both its fit and the fact that it can be uncomfortable to wear. One user even wrote that they looked at the dresses from the company the bride selected, and argued that “there is not one single dress that is appropriate for a middle-aged woman.”

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The user with the top-voted response wrote, “People are considered guests for the wedding, not props for the color matching. Unless it’s silk, satin is pretty uncomfortable, and expecting people to shell out money for something they’ve no choice in is not appropriate.” Another agreed, arguing that the bride’s future mother-in-law “is not a prop to make your wedding look a certain way.”

“She’s not a bridesmaid and should not be dictated to on what to wear,” another user echoed, suggesting the bride “provide a swatch and the mother of the groom should be free to buy her dress wherever she wants and wear what is comfy.”

“You care more about your vision over her comfort,” the same user wrote, adding that the mother-in-law “doesn’t need you dictating the fabric she puts on [her] body.”

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One of Australia’s most scenic mountain trails is set to be reopened after it was closed to the public for five years. 

Mount Warning – also known as Wollumbin – near Murwillumbah, in the NSW Northern Rivers, has been off-limits to the public after it was ‘temporarily’ closed during the Covid pandemic in 2020. 

The closure was extended numerous times, for a period of almost five years, to protect the site’s Indigenous heritage. 

Many feared the popular trail would remain closed amid claims the area had cultural significance and sensitivities for the local Indigenous people. 

The controversial ban left many Aussies outraged and had spurred protests from hikers, led by NSW Upper House MP John Ruddick and Marc Hendrickx, who is a member of advocacy group Right to Climb. 

Last year, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service extended the closure until December 31 to allow ‘additional time for careful consideration of the site’s future’. 

On Monday, NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe announced the closure would be overturned.

However, hiking enthusiasts will have to wait until July 2027 before the trail is reopened to the public.   

One of Australia’s most scenic mountain trails is set to be re-opened after it was closed to the public for five years

Sharpe explained the period before the trail is reopened to the public would allow time for a thorough resolution to any issues. 

‘Over the past year, I continued constructive discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including user groups, councils, the Wollumbin Consultative Group and other community members,’ she said. 

‘These conversations highlighted Wollumbin’s significance to Aboriginal communities and the wider public.  

‘I understand extending the temporary closure will disappoint some visitors. 

‘However, a number of practical challenges – such as ensuring safe access – must still be addressed.

‘The additional time will help us create a clear plan for the future of this special place that respects cultural responsibilities and safeguards visitor safety.’

Mr Hendrickx welcomed the news, but said he had some reservations as to the conditions of its reopening. 

‘We will need to see what conditions are attached,’ he told The Courier Mail.

Mount Warning – also known as Wollumbin – near Murwillumbah, in the NSW Northern Rivers, has been off-limits to the public after it was ‘temporarily’ closed during the Covid pandemic in 2020

‘If people can visit the summit without having to pay exorbitant fees or be forced to join a tour then that’s great news.’

Mr Hendrickx has lobbied the NSW government for years to reopen the trail after the summit was shut down in 2020. 

Once visited by 120,000 visitors visitors every year, Mount Warning is the highest peak at Australia’s most easterly point and is the first part of the nation each day to get sunlight.  

The summit trail was shut down in 2020 after the Wollumbin Consultative Group successfully petitioned the then Liberal state government to ban access to non-Aboriginal Australians.

The group, made up of Indigenous families and community organisations, stated the trail has cultural and spiritual significance to the Bundjalung men.

The group also claimed allowing females – including those of indigenous heritage – on the site would ruin its cultural significance.  

Mr Hendrickx, who authored A Guide to Climbing Mt Warning, was among dozens of protesters who climbed the mountain on Australia Day this year. 

Three months later, the prominent activist became the first person to be fined for climbing the mountain since the hiking ban was enacted.

Mr Hendrickx copped a $300 fine for breaching the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019 for entering ‘a park that is closed to the public’. 

The engineering geologist previously told Daily Mail the move to ban visitors to the site goes against the values Australians uphold. 

‘Access to these wonderful natural places is part of what really underlies and builds our Australian character,’ Mr Hendrickx said.  

‘If we were unable to access these places, then really it’s like an attack on being Australian.’

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The Interoceanic Train, which links Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts, has derailed in Asunción Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca leaving almost 100 people needing hospital treatment

01:55, 29 Dec 2025Updated 02:07, 29 Dec 2025

Mexican Army soldiers and Civil Protection members rescue passengers from the Interoceanic train(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

At least 13 people have died and 98 were injured after a train derailed in Mexico on Sunday, according to the Mexican Navy.

The train derailed on Sunday December 28 in Asunción Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca, on the train’s main line between Veracruz and Salina Cruz. There were reportedly 250 on board at the time.

In a press release released at 6pm local time, Mexico’s navy said, “Regrettably, 13 people have been confirmed dead,” adding, “98 people have been injured, and 36 of them are being hospitalized.”

Mexican Army soldiers and Civil Protection members at the scene(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

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Mexico’s Navy (SEMAR) said on X (X, formerly Twitter) that “a train deviated off the track on the railway line Z passing through the Isthmus of Teuantepec,” adding, “We are cooperating with local authorities to support passengers and deal with the accident.”

Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, also addressed the incident, taking to X to confirm: “The Secretariat of the Navy has informed me that in the Interoceanic Train accident, unfortunately 13 people died; 98 are injured, five of them seriously.

“The injured are in IMSS hospitals in Matías Romero and Salina Cruz, as well as in IMSS-Wellbeing hospitals in Juchitán and Ixtepec. I have given instructions for the Secretary of the Navy and the Deputy Secretary of Human Rights of the Secretariat of the Interior to travel to the site and personally attend to the families; also the delegates of IMSS and IMSS-Wellbeing.

“The Secretary of the Interior will coordinate the efforts. I appreciate the support of the Governor of Oaxaca and his team. We will continue to provide updates.”

Managed by Mexico’s Navy, the Interoceanic Train links Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts.

An investigation will be opened to determine the cause of the derailment, Mexico’s Attorney General Ernestina Godoy said in a post on X.

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At least 13 people have died and dozens more are being treated for their injuries after a train derailed in Mexico, authorities have said.

The ⁠accident happened between the ‌towns of Chivela ‍and Nizanda in the ​southern state ​of Oaxaca, on a line connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico, on Sunday.

Some 250 people, including 241 passengers and nine crew members, were on board, according to details released by the Mexican Navy, which controls the route.

At least 13 people were killed, the navy said, with 98 injured – including 36 who needed hospital medical assistance. President Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that five of the injured are in a critical condition.

Image:
Passengers gathered by tracks after the train derailment in Oaxaca state, Mexico. Pic: Social media video via Reuters

During extensive search and rescue operations, the navy said it deployed a total of 360 personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and one tactical drone.

An investigation into the incident has already been opened, Attorney General ​Ernestina Godoy Ramos said in a post on social media.

The interoceanic train launched in 2023 under the country’s former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

It forms part of the broader Interoceanic Corridor project, designed to modernise the ‌rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec – ⁠connecting the Pacific port of Salina Cruz with ‌Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast, covering a distance of approximately 180 miles (290km).

Image:
The derailment happened on an interoceanic route connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico, in the southern state of Oaxaca

The Mexican government ‍has been working to develop the strip of land into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.

In a statement, the Mexican Navy expressed condolences to the families of those “who lost their lives in this tragic accident”.

The governor of Oaxaca, Salomon Jara Cruz, also sent condolences to the families of those killed and said state authorities were coordinating with federal agencies to assist those affected.

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These are the key developments from day 1,404 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Published On 29 Dec 202529 Dec 2025

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Here is where things stand on Monday, December 29:

Diplomacy

• United States President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and said the two leaders were “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
• Trump and Zelenskyy reported progress on two of the most contentious issues in the peace talks: security guarantees for Ukraine and the division of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region that Russia has sought to capture.
• On security guarantees, Zelenskyy said that a deal had been reached, while Trump said they were 95 percent of the way to such an agreement.
• Both Trump and Zelenskyy said that the future of the mostly Russian-occupied Donbas had not been settled, though the US president said discussions were “moving in the right direction”. “It’s unresolved, but it’s getting a lot closer. That’s a very tough issue,” Trump said.
• The two leaders did not offer further details or a deadline for completing the deal, but Zelenskyy said any peace agreement would have to be approved by Ukraine’s parliament or by a referendum.
• Shortly after the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, wrote on X that the “whole world appreciates” Trump and his team’s peace efforts.
• Ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump and Putin spoke for more than two hours on the telephone. The US president described the call as “excellent” and “productive”.
• Trump said he would call Putin again after the meeting with Zelenskyy.
• Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov said the initial call was “friendly” and that Putin had told Trump that a 60-day ceasefire, proposed by the European Union and Ukraine, would simply prolong the war.
• Ushakov said that a “bold, responsible, political decision is needed from Kyiv” on the Donbas region and other disputed matters for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.
• European leaders, including those from Finland, France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom, joined at least part of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting by phone.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that Europe was ready to keep working with Ukraine and the US, and that having ironclad security guarantees would be of “paramount” importance.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said that progress had been made on security guarantees at the meeting. Macron said that countries in the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” would meet in Paris in early January to finalise their “concrete contributions”.
• Zelenskyy said that Trump had agreed to host European leaders again, possibly at the White House, sometime in January. Trump said the meeting could be in Washington, DC, or “someplace”.
• Earlier on Sunday, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov warned that any European troop contingents deployed to Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russia’s forces. Lavrov also accused European politicians of being driven by “ambitions” in their relations with Kyiv, and disregarding the people of Ukraine and of their own nations.

Fighting

• Russian forces attacked a heating plant in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, wounding one person and causing “significant damage” to the facility, state oil and gas firm Naftogaz said.
• Ukraine’s leading private energy provider, DTEK, said it had restored power to more than a million households in and around Kyiv a day after a massive Russian air attack had forced emergency outages.
• Ukraine’s military said it had struck the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region in a drone attack. The strike caused a fire, and damages were still being assessed, the army said in a statement.
• The military also said that only part of the southeastern town of Huliaipole was under Russian control, contradicting an earlier claim by Moscow that it had been captured. It added that fighting was also still under way for Stepnohirsk, another town in the southeastern Zaporizhia region that Russia claimed it had captured.
• Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement that its troops had taken control of four other settlements in the Donetsk region. It identified them as Myrnohrad, Artemivka, Rodynske and Vilne.

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South Australian police hold grave fears for a woman missing in the outback for 16 days and have renewed search efforts near where her car was found abandoned.

Trisha Graf was last seen in the early hours of Friday 12 December in the Roxby Downs area, 510km north of Adelaide.

The 41-year-old Andamooka woman was driving a white 2012 Ford Territory, with SA registration S254BCX, which was found abandoned and unable to be driven near Blue Dam, east of Andamooka, on 13 December.

Police conducted an extensive air and ground search operation, including specialist dive teams, which failed to locate any sign of Graf.

On Monday, police were undertaking a further aerial search focusing on an area between Blue Dam and Andamooka, 32km from Roxby Downs, expanding the area already covered during extensive ground searches.

Trisha Graf’s car was found abandoned and unable to be driven near Blue Dam, east of Andamooka, on 13 December. Photograph: South Australia police

Police said they hold “grave concerns” for Graf’s welfare.

Anyone with information about Graf’s whereabouts or her movements leading up to her disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au.

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The Albanian nationalist Vetevendosje party has won a landslide victory in Kosovo’s parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results.

With 90% of the votes counted, the party, whose name means “self determination”, was on 50.8%, meaning a third term in power for its leader, Albin Kurti.

The two main opposition parties, the centre-right Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), were on 20.98% and 13.89%, respectively.

Vetevendosje won elections in February, but without a majority, and Kosovo has been without a functioning government since then.

The impasse meant there was one big question hanging over this second parliamentary election of the year.

Would voters punish Kurti for the long months of deadlock in the country’s National Assembly – or the opposition parties who refused to countenance a coalition with Kurti’s left-wing movement?

The electorate has given a clear answer. This will not be quite enough to deliver enough seats for Kurti to govern without coalition partners. But he should not find it difficult to find support among the MPs from the ethnic minority parties who are guaranteed 20 of the 120 seats in the National Assembly.

It is the fourth successive victory in parliamentary elections for Vetevendosje. The result is vindication after the opposition parties blocked his attempts to form a government following the previous polls on February 9.

Kurti claimed it was “the greatest victory in the history of the country” – and said he expected opposition parties to cooperate, rather than frustrate, this time around.

Arben Gashi, of the third-placed Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), indicated that could be possible. “When voters speak, the result cannot be ignored,” he posted on social media. “Reflection and responsible action are required,” he added.

There is plenty at stake. Kosovo has missed out on hundreds of millions of euros’ worth of European Union funds because of the lack of a functioning government. Kurti also cited potential agreements with the World Bank which would bring the total sum to more than €1bn.

Repairing relations with Kosovo’s strongest international supporters, the EU and the US, should also be on the agenda. Kurti angered Brussels and Washington by repeatedly targeting institutions serving Kosovo’s Serb minority – from post offices to healthcare facilities. This increased tensions in majority-Serb north Kosovo.

The EU has finally agreed to remove the punitive measures it imposed in 2023. But it will be looking for Kurti to take a pragmatic approach to the long-stalled normalisation dialogue with Serbia, rather than stick to his usual dogmatic line. Given his frosty relations with Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, this may be a vain hope.

The fact that Kosovo’s voters have resoundingly endorsed such a polarising figure reflects their jaundiced view of the alternatives. Parties connected to the Kosovo Liberation Army dominated government in the decade following 2008’s unilateral declaration of independence – but failed to deliver on their promises of prosperity.

One analyst, Artan Muhaxhiri, noted Vetevendosje’s “countless violations of the constitution, the lack of economic development and the breakdown of relations with allies” over its years in power.

But he concluded that “despite all the shortcomings, citizens have considered the opposition to be more harmful”.

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Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti won a clear victory in Kosovo’s second parliamentary election in 2025 with some 49.3% of the vote, results suggested on early Monday, with most of the votes counted.

His left-wing Self-Determination party fell just short of an absolute majority. But it remains to be seen whether he will need a coalition in order to form a government.

“After fair, democratic and free elections, we are even more victorious today than we were at the beginning of February,” Kurti said in a short speech broadcast on television.

“Once the results will be ⁠certified we should swiftly constitute the parliament and then form immediately a new government,” he added, calling on the opposition to support his international loan deals, which would need a two-thirds majority to pass.

What else do we know about the preliminary election results?

The Democratic Party of Kosovo came second with (PDK) 21% of the vote, followed by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with 13.6% and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) with 5.7%, as per results after 99% of the votes were counted.

Kosovo has been mired in political paralysis for most of the year, after Kurti’s leftist party lost the absolute majority it had won in 2021 and failed to secure the support of any other party to form a government.

Months of unsuccessful coalition talks led to President Vjosa Osmani dissolving the parliament in November and calling an early election.

Since then, Kosovo’s legislature has been unable to agree on its leadership, leaving the body effectively paralyzed and unable to function.

Why Kosovo’s upcoming parliamentary election matters

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High stakes for Kurti and rivals

Kurti, who has governed since 2021, was hoping for a decisive result similar to his 2021 victory, when he was able to form a government largely on his own. His reform agenda has produced mixed results so far.

Opposition parties have repeatedly refused to govern with Kurti, criticizing his handling of relations with Western allies and his policies toward Kosovo’s ethnically divided north, where a Serb minority lives.

Kurti, in turn, has blamed the opposition for the ongoing impasse.

Bedri Hamza, a former finance minister and new head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), was Kurti’s strongest challenger.

Hamza blends national values with liberal economic policies championing free markets, economic growth, a stronger private sector and social protection.

Voters in Kosovo cast ballots in an early parliamentary electionImage: Florion Goga/REUTERS

Funding and institutional deadlines loom

Failure to form a government would prolong the crisis at a critical moment. Lawmakers must elect a new president in April and ratify around €1 billion ($1.2 billion) in loan agreements with the European Union and the World Bank, which are set to expire in the coming months.

Kosovo has also faced financial pressure following tensions with Serbia in 2023, which prompted the EU to impose sanctions.

The bloc has said it will lift the measures after ethnic Serbian mayors were elected in northern municipalities, though the sanctions are believed to have cost Kosovo hundreds of millions of euros.

Campaign promises and voter disillusionment

During the campaign, Kurti pledged an extra month of salary per year for public sector workers, one billion euros annually in capital investment and the creation of a new prosecution unit to combat organized crime.

Opposition parties focused on promises to improve living standards. Many voters say they are disillusioned.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse, Saim Dušan Inayatullah, Rana Taha

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