WORLD NEWS
Mom goes in for surgery on giant tumor in her womb when stunned medics uncover full-term 8lb baby boy
A California mother preparing for surgery on a gargantuan ovarian tumor found out she was pregnant – and days later gave birth to a full–term baby boy.
Suze Lopez, 41, was set to have a 22–pound benign cyst on her ovary removed at the Cedars–Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles when doctors had her undergo a required pregnancy test.
Stunningly, it turned out that she was expecting a baby.
‘I was used to very irregular periods and some abdominal discomfort,’ she told the hospital’s website.
‘I could not believe that after 17 years of praying, and trying, for a second child, that I was actually pregnant.’
Three days later, Lopez delivered the news to her husband Andrew while they were at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game.
But what should have been a moment of happiness suddenly turned sour.
Lopez’s abdomen began hurting and she was rapidly taken to Cedars–Sinai with dangerously high blood pressure.
Doctors later diagnosed Lopez with an abdominal ectopic pregnancy, which the hospital said was ‘almost unheard of.’
Suze Lopez, 41, was about to have a 22–pound benign ovary cyst removed when she was told that she was pregnant
A ‘nearly full–term baby boy in a small space in the abdomen, near the liver, with his butt resting on the uterus’ was discovered inside Lopez’s abdomen
‘Suze was pregnant, but her uterus was empty, and a giant benign ovarian cyst weighing over 20 pounds was taking up so much space,’ John Ozimek, the hospital’s medical director of labor and delivery, said.
He said a ‘nearly full–term baby boy in a small space in the abdomen, near the liver, with his butt resting on the uterus’ had been discovered inside Lopez’s abdomen.
The baby was growing behind the ovarian cyst, pushing it forward and making it grow in size.
Ozimek said: ‘It makes sense that she just thought the tumor was getting bigger again, not that she could be pregnant.’
About 30 experts were required for what the hospital called a ‘highly coordinated, complex delivery and surgery’ on Lopez’s extremely rare pregnancy.
The experts involved in the risky delivery included maternal–fetal medicine specialists, gynecological oncologists, nurses, anesthesiologists and surgical technicians.
When the baby was delivered, Lopez immediately began hemorrhaging badly.
Doctors diagnosed Lopez with an ‘almost unheard of’ abdominal ectopic pregnancy, which put her and her baby’s life at risk
Abdominal ectopic pregnancies are extremely rare and can be fatal. They happen outside of the uterus and in the abdominal cavity
‘We were a specially trained team of obstetric anesthesiologists and well prepared, but it was still intense,’ Michael Sanchez, an anesthesiologist at Cedars–Sinai, said.
Abdominal ectopic pregnancies happen outside of the uterus and in the abdominal cavity.
They are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and it is extremely rare for babies to be born from an abdominal pregnancy.
‘In my entire career, I’ve never even heard of one making it this far into the pregnancy,’ Michael Manuel, a gynecological oncologist, said.
Manuel works at the Providence Cedars–Sinai Tarzana Medical Center but was specifically called in to help remove Lopez’s giant cyst.
He said doctors had to figure out how to deliver the baby while doing ‘everything we could to save mom and this child.’
The surgery was a success – and Ryu Jesse Lopez was born on August 18, SFGATE reported. The newborn weighed eight pounds and had a full head of hair when he was born.
Cedars–Sinai said that about 30 experts, some of which were called from other hospitals, were required to operate on Lopez
Ryu Jesse Lopez was born on August 18. He weighed eight pounds and had a full head of hair at the time of his birth
A press release from Cedars–Sinai celebrated Ryu’s birth as a ‘medical miracle.’
Doctors were initially concerned that Ryu’s lungs might not have developed properly, but he was ‘feisty’ shortly after his delivery.
‘The following day we were able to remove the breathing tube,’ Sara Dayanim, a neonatologist with Cedars–Sinai Guerin Children, said. ‘Over the course of his two weeks with us, Ryu quickly reached all of the important benchmarks for surviving well.’
She added: ‘He defied all the odds.’
His father Andrew said that Ryu’s middle name, Jesse, was chosen because it means ‘gift from god.’
‘He is our gift, and Ryu and Suze are my miracles,’ he said. ‘They let me in the operating room, and it was tough to watch what she was going through, and amazing to see Ryu delivered.’
Meanwhile, Lopez deemed her son’s birth and life ‘an example to the world that God exists.’
‘I appreciate every little thing,’ she said. ‘Every day is a gift and I’m never going to waste it.
Exiled punk band says its members are proud to be branded ‘extremists’ and hits back at Putin as an ‘aging sociopath’.
A Moscow district court has designated Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot as an extremist organisation, according to the state TASS news agency.
The exiled group’s lawyer, Leonid Solovyov, told TASS that Monday’s court ruling was made in response to claims brought by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and that the band plans to appeal. According to TASS, the case was heard in a closed session at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
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The court said that it had upheld prosecution submissions “to recognise the punk band Pussy Riot as an extremist organisation and ban its activities on the territory of the Russian Federation”, the AFP news agency reports.
An official Pussy Riot social media account shared a statement, responding defiantly to the ruling, saying the band’s members, who have lived in exile for years, were “freer than those who try to silence us”.
“We can say what I think about putin — that he is an aging sociopath spreading his venom around the world like cancer,” the statement said.
“In today’s Russia, telling the truth is extremism. So be it – we’re proud extremists, then.”
The group’s designation will make it easier for the authorities to go after the band’s supporters in Russia or people who have worked with them in the past.
“This court order is designed to erase the very existence of Pussy Riot from the minds of Russians,” the band said. “Owning a balaclava, having our song on your computer, or liking one of our posts could lead to prison time.”
According to TASS, earlier reports said that the Prosecutor General’s Office had brought the case over Pussy Riot’s previous actions, including at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February 2012, and the World Cup Final in Moscow in 2018.
Today Russian court designated Pussy Riot as an extremist organization.
And yet, we’re freer than those who try to silence us. We can say what I think about putin — that he is an aging sociopath spreading his venom around the world like cancer. In today’s Russia, telling the… pic.twitter.com/ymz3BbApTo
— 𝖕𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖞 𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖙💦 (@pussyrrriot) December 15, 2025
The band’s members have already served sentences for the 2012 protest at the cathedral in Moscow, where they played what they called a punk prayer, “Mother of God, Cast Putin Out!”
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, who were jailed for two years on hooliganism charges over the cathedral protest, were released as part of a 2013 amnesty, which extended to some 26,000 people facing prosecution from Russian authorities, including 30 Greenpeace crew members.
In September, a Russian court handed jail terms to five people linked with Pussy Riot – Maria Alyokhina, Taso Pletner, Olga Borisova, Diana Burkot and Alina Petrova – after finding them guilty of spreading “false information” about the Russian military, news outlet Mediazona reported. All have said the charges against them are politically motivated.
Mediazona was founded by Alyokhina alongside fellow band member Tolokonnikova.
The news outlet says that it is continuing to maintain a verified list of Russian military deaths in Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
“We have confirmed 153,000 names, each supported by evidence, context, and documentation,” Mediazona said on Monday.
US President Donald Trump has sued the BBC for defamation over a documentary that contained edited clips of his speech to supporters, ahead of the 2021 Capitol riots.
Trump is seeking up to $10 billion (€8.5 billion approximately) in damages from the British public broadcaster.
His lawsuit alleges that the BBC violated a Florida law that prohibits unfair trade practices.
The US leader accused the BBC of defaming him by splicing two separate excerpts from his January 6, 2021 speech, giving the impression that he was inciting the riot.
The allegations led to the resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and Chief Executive of News Deborah Turness last month.
What does Trump’s lawsuit against BBC say?
The lawsuit — which includes 33 pages — was filed in the Miami federal court on Monday.
It alleges that the BBC had broadcast a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump.”
Trump’s lawsuit accuses the BBC of “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 US presidential election.
It seeks damages in an amount “not less than $5billion” (€4.2 billion approximately) each, for two counts — alleged defamation and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
BBC’s response to the Trump documentary controversy
The BBC has apologized to Trump, admitting an error of judgment.
It accepted that the edit of the clips mistakenly gave the impression that Trump had made a direct call for violence ahead of the riots.
However, the broadcaster has said that there is no legal basis to sue.
Trump’s lawsuit says that despite its apology the BBC “has made no showing of actual remorse for its wrongdoing nor meaningful institutional changes to prevent future journalistic abuses.”
The documentary at the centre of Trump’s legal action was aired by the BBC’s flagship Panorama program.
It triggered one of the biggest crises that the publicly funded broadcaster has witnessed in its 103-year history.
The documentary came under scrutiny after a leaked internal dossier raised concerns about its editing and formed part of a broader investigation into potential political bias at the broadcaster.
The documentary was not broadcast in the United States and the BBC said it has no plans to re-run the documentary on any of its platforms.
Trump’s public media cuts hit rural outlets hard
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Edited by: Kieran Burke
WORLD NEWS
Bondi Beach shooting live updates: ‘Cold-blooded’ attack was motivated by Isis ideology, Albanese says
‘My son is a hero’- Father praises man who stopped gunman in Bondi Beach terror attack
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The fatal shooting at Bondi Beach appears to have been driven by extremist beliefs, Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has said.
“It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology,” Albanese told ABC Sydney.
One of the gunmen involved in the Bondi Beach mass shooting had previously been investigated over links to a Sydney-based Isis terrorist cell, he said.
Naveed Akram, 24, had been investigated for six months in 2019 by ASIO, the country’s domestic intelligence agency, according to ABC. It found no evidence that he had planned or considered planning any act of violence.
Counter-terrorism police believe Akram and his father, Sajid, 50, had pledged allegiance to the terror group, according to the broadcaster.
Two Isis flags were reportedly found in their car.
At least 15 people were killed in the antisemitic terrorist attack at an event called Chanukah by the Sea on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
Sajid Akram was killed at the scene, while Naveed Akram suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.
Chris Minns defends police response to the attack
NSW premier Chris Minns defended the police response to the attack, rejecting claims that officers failed in their duty and calling such criticism disrespectful to those who risked their lives.
He, however, acknowledged that mistakes could be reconsidered in hindsight but said the focus now must be on improving future security and rebuilding trust, particularly with the Jewish community.
“The New South Wales police acted with bravery and integrity. They engaged the gunmen on the footbridge with handguns. They didn’t take a backward step.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, right, and Kellie Sloane, leader of the opposition, the New South Wales Liberal Party, lay wreaths at a tribute for shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Monday,15 December 2025, a day after a shooting (Associated Press)
“The offenders had long-range rifles and New South Wales police officers were responsible for killing one of them and shooting the other one and as a result saving many people’s lives.
“There are two officers in critical care in New South Wales hospitals at the moment. They weren’t shot in the back as they were running away. They were shot in the front.
“I’m sorry to be graphic about it, but if there is any suggestion that New South Wales police didn’t live up to their responsibilities to the people of this state, it should be rejected because it is not consistent with the facts.”
Maroosha Muzaffar16 December 2025 03:23
Bondi beach attack motivated by Isis ideology, Albanese says
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said the fatal shooting at Bondi Beach appears to have been driven by extremist beliefs.
“It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology,” he told ABC Sydney.
He continued: “The ideology that has been around for more than a decade that led to this ideology of hate, and in this case, a preparedness to engage in mass murder.”
He said the attack was “meticulous, calculated, cold-blooded”.
Maroosha Muzaffar16 December 2025 02:54
British Transport Police to increase patrols in wake of Bondi Beach attack
British Transport Police will increase the number of officers on the network over the coming days and weeks following the Bondi Beach attack.
Assistant chief constable Sean O’Callaghan said: “Horrific events like this impact communities here in Great Britain, and we recognise the concerns that many people will be feeling, especially in our Jewish communities and in light of the terror attack on the Synagogue in Manchester in October.”
The force said it was “dedicated to keeping the public safe and providing reassurance to everyone travelling.”
“With events taking place across the country during the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, many of our patrols will be targeted to these locations, as well as in areas where Jewish communities live and work.
“We urge passengers to remain vigilant and not to hesitate to speak to our officers when you see them about across the network. They are there to keep you safe, but please don’t forget we need your help too.”
Harriette Boucher16 December 2025 02:00
In pictures: Flowers laid at the scene of mass shooting
(AFP via Getty Images)
(Reuters)
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Harriette Boucher16 December 2025 00:59
Jewish people fear they could be attacked again in UK, says Campaign Against Antisemitism chief executive
The chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism told a London vigil for the Bondi Beach victims that Jewish people fear they could be attacked again in the UK.
Gideon Falter was speaking at a memorial event and Hanukkah celebration on Monday night for those killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack.
He said: “Celebrating Hanukkah is just an act of celebration, but tonight it feels like an act of defiance.
“Unfortunately, Jews have been warning about the dangers of extremism and radicalism running amok in our country for years and time has run out.
“It is time not for thoughts and prayers or words of solidarity, but action from our politicians, action from our Government.”
Harriette Boucher16 December 2025 00:02
‘I went down to save lives’: Hero fruit seller who tackled gunman thought he was going to die
A fruit shop owner who tackled one of the Bondi Beach gunmen told his cousin to tell his family he “went down to save people’s lives” before he stepped in to act.
Ahmed al-Ahmed, a father-of-two from Sydney, was seen tackling one of the gunmen before wrestling his weapon away from him during an antisemitic terrorist attack at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in Sydney on Sunday.
Video footage of Mr Ahmed intervening circulated widely on social media following the attack.
He was at the beach with his cousin Jozay Alkanj, who told the Sydney Morning Herald that Mr Ahmed asked him to pass a message to his family before he acted.
Mr Alkanj said Mr Ahmed told him: “I’m going to die – please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people’s lives.”
Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 23:30
Relative of murdered Rabbi says ‘root causes’ of antisemitic violence must be confronted
Tory shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson, a relative of British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Bondi Beach shooting, has stressed the need to tackle extremism driving violence.
Speaking in Parliament, Lord Wolfson said the debate on Jewish security must move away from being about higher walls around synagogues and more guards outside schools and focus on the root causes of antisemitic violence.
Referring to a charity which provides protection for Jewish communities in the UK, the Conservative peer said: “While we are always grateful for support for the Community Security Trust, the debate about Jewish security needs to move away from being about higher walls around our synagogues and more guards outside our schools, and on to the root causes of why we actually need such security.
“So will the minister explain what the Government is actually doing, in practical terms, to counter the extremist ideologies which are driving this antisemitic violence, and to remove them and their proponents from our social media, out of our universities and off our streets?”
Lord Wolfson (UK Gov)
Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 23:00
Australia has a reputation for strict gun laws. How did the Bondi Beach shooting happen?
In response, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese held an emergency national cabinet meeting to discuss whether gun laws need to be changed.
After the meeting, all states and territories have agreed to strengthen gun laws. Ideas for reform include limiting how many guns one person can own, the types of guns deemed legal and making Australian citizenship a condition of holding a licence.
There will also be consideration of restrictions on the importation of guns, including 3D-printed weapons.
Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 22:31
Watch: Labour minister Ashley Dalton heckled at Bondi Beach vigil
Labour MP Ashley Dalton was heckled at a memorial event and Hanukkah celebration for those killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack, as she told the crowd she was “standing with the Jewish people”.
She said: “We are here to stand together against the hatred and vitriol from wherever it comes. The Government does not and will not tolerate antisemitism.”
But the West Lancashire was interrupted by the crowd, with calls to “stop the marches” and “we want action not words”.
She was able to continue speaking after a rabbi stepped onto the stage and called for the listeners to be “ambassadors of light” and allow her to speak.
Labour minister Ashley Dalton heckled at Bondi Beach vigil
Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 22:01
Bondi attack ‘cruelly marred’ first day of Hannukah, says Swinney
The attack on a Jewish community in Australia was an “unspeakable act of hatred and violence” which “cruelly marred” the first day of Hannukah, John Swinney has said.
The attack has caused concern in Jewish communities across the world, but First Minister John Swinney has said the Government is engaging with police to ensure the safety of Jews in Scotland.
“I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific terror attack that happened at Bondi Beach, on the first night of Chanukah,” the First Minister said in a statement on Monday.
“What should have been a celebration of light and hope was cruelly marred by an unspeakable act of hatred and violence.
“I know that the Jewish community here in Scotland will be facing unimaginable grief and anxiety in the wake of this senseless attack.”
Harriette Boucher15 December 2025 21:31
NEED TO KNOW
- Angelina Jolie reveals why she’s showing her mastectomy scars for the first time
- The award-winning actress underwent a double mastectomy in 2013 after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer
- “I share these scars with many women I love,” Jolie said
Angelina Jolie publicly showed her mastectomy scars in a new interview.
The Oscar winner, 50, told TIME France why she is now showing the world the results of her double mastectomy more than a decade after she underwent the preventive procedure in 2013.
“I share these scars with many women I love,” she told the magazine. “And I’m always moved when I see other women share theirs.”
Angelina Jolie in September 2025.
Sonia Recchia/Getty for World Class Canada & Audi
The Maria actress added, “I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer.”
Jolie’s mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died at age 56 in 2007 after being diagnosed with cancer. In a May 2013 New York Times op-ed piece called “My Medical Choice,” Jolie said doctors told her tests found she had a “faulty gene,” BRCA1, which significantly increased her risk of breast cancer.
“I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy,” Jolie wrote in 2013. “But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.”
In March 2015, Jolie said she also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventive measure against developing ovarian cancer.
In the new interview, Jolie advocated for making BRCA screenings available to every woman.
“Every woman should always be able to determine her own healthcare journey and have the information she needs to make informed choices: genetic testing and screening should be accessible and affordable for women with clear risk factors or a significant family history,” Jolie told TIME France.
“When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed choices,” the actress continued. “Healthcare decisions must be personal, and women must have the information and support they need to make those choices. Access to screening and care should not depend on financial resources or where someone lives.”
Jolie stars in the upcoming Alice Winocour-directed film Couture, set to be released in France in February 2026. In the “very personal story,” she plays Maxine Walker, an American filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer.
Jolie told TIME France that she’s “always admired Alice’s work,” calling her “a brilliant director” with a “unique” approach to illness.
“Too often, films about women’s struggles — especially cancer — talk about endings and sadness, rarely about life,” the Maleficent actress said.
Angelina Jolie, 2025 Critics Choice Awards.
Frazer Harrison/Getty
She added that the French screenwriter and director handled Couture’s sensitive subjects “with such delicacy.”
“Hardships, illnesses, and pain are part of our existence, but what matters is how we face them,” she said.
“My mother was ill for years. One evening, when she was being asked about her chemotherapy, she became very emotional and told me she would have preferred to talk about something else; she felt as though the illness was becoming her entire identity,” she continued.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I love this film because it tells a story that goes far beyond the journey of a sick person: it shows life. It was this luminous perspective that touched me and made me want to play this role,” Jolie said.
The full interview, with photos of Jolie’s double mastectomy scars, will appear in the first issue of TIME France, available on Dec. 18.
A black ISIS flag draped across the car used by the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen has been seen for the first time.
The flag could be seen draped across the car in new footage shared on social media, confirming witness reports that police had refused to comment on.
The clip shows the 2001 silver Hyundai Elantra parked on Campbell Parade, next to the footbridge where Sajid Akram, 50, and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, allegedly fired upon victims, killing 15 and injuring dozens more.
The car was towed away on Monday morning and taken to Surry Hills Police Station where it is expected to be examined.
The footage, which was filmed from inside a car driving past the scene, also showed the horrifying moment a couple tried to stop the alleged gunmen.
A man can be seen falling to the road beside Sajid, holding the gun he had just wrested from him. A woman stands nearby.
‘Many people may not know that at the very beginning of the incident, two individuals were among the first to identify the gunman and bravely attempted to disarm him,’ a social media user said.
‘Tragically, they were shot and killed in the process. They were heroes too. They stepped forward in the face of extreme danger.’
The ISIS flag can be seen draped over the windscreen as the gunmen begin their attack
A witness has described the man as a ‘hero’ after watching the struggle unfold.
More to come.
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Disturbing detail on car confirms worst fears about alleged Bondi Beach gunmen
Fraser Ross branded Meghan Markle a “holiday hypocrite” and depicted the Duchess of Sussex as “a villain” on a display at his department store, Kitson, in Los Angeles
Meghan Markle has faced the music(Image: YouTube)
Meghan Markle fans have jumped to her defence after a business owner branded her “villain of the year” in a scathing attack.
Supporters of the Duchess of Sussex have reportedly rang Kitson department store to express their fury, after its owner, Fraser Ross, put her in a “holiday hypocrites” gallery in the window in Los Angeles, California.
In the picture, Meghan, 44, is wearing a Santa hat with “Montecito Diva” emblazoned across it. The Duchess of Sussex is featured alongside other “villains” including California governor Gavin Newsom, George Clooney and Katy Perry.
But Meghan’s supporters are irate, including one who has called Kitson multiple times in one day this week to talk to Mr Ross. The business owner said: “One called the store 20 times to say we ‘weren’t nice’. She was deranged.”
Mr Ross, though, has doubled down on his decision to include the Duchess of Sussex in the mix. He said: “Two months ago we asked our followers who should be on the windows and Meghan’s name [repeatedly] came up and they stated reasons.”
READ MORE: Meghan Markle’s two strict conditions before she heals bitter rift with dadREAD MORE: Meghan Markle blasted for her ‘hypocrisy’ as her father is rushed to hospital
Meghan Markle’s fans defended the duchess(Image: Netflix)
Meghan’s fans expressed their sympathy for the star this month after her father was rushed to hospital and needed surgery. She eventually reached out to Thomas, the former TV lighting director, amid growing support from her following.
And her following has continued to show support amid Meghan’s latest challenges, despite Mr Ross’ insistence her place on the gallery is justified. He told the Daily Mail: “We have been getting harassed by Meghan Markle fans. We told them we do this every year and she won one of the spots. Hopefully a retail store can knock some sense into Meghan because her “yes people” are making people dislike her more.”
The business owner said customers cited their disdain for Meghan and Prince Harry’s criticism of the Royal Family as reasons to include her on the gallery, which also features George Clooney and Katy Perry.
After Harry and Meghan quit their royal duties in 2020 and relocated to America, Kitson, which is in Robertson Blvd, started offering up ‘Team Harry & Meghan’ and ‘Team William & Kate’ t-shirts so buyers could back their favourite royal couple.
And the shop has taken fire at the Duchess of Sussex again as disparaging headlines plastered alongside the former actress criticise her decision “not to let go of her royal status”.
The scathing headline beside Katy Perry condemns her decision to date “the man who made a whole country hate him” — a nod to the end of her new partner Justin Trudeau’s premiership in Canada this year.
Key points
- No evidence that the two gunmen, a father and son, belonged to a terrorist cell
- But they appear to have been by radical Islamist ideology, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said
- Hero Ahmed al Ahmed who disarmed gunmen has ‘no regrets’ over his actions
- People continue to pay tribute to the victims at Bondi Beach
- Sydney Opera House lit up with menorah candles on second day of Hanukkah
The two Bondi beach shooters appeared to be driven by “Islamic State ideology” when they opened fire on Sunday evening, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Albanese had previously said there was no evidence that the father and son were part of a so-called “Islamic State” (IS) cell.
But in an interview with national broadcaster ABC on Tuesday morning, he said “it would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology.”
The 24-year-old son was investigated by Australia’s intelligence agency, ASIO, in 2019. But ASIO didn’t put him on a watch list.
“He was drawn to their attention because of his association with others,” Albanese said. “Two of the people he was associated with were charged and went to jail, but he was not seen at that time to be a person of interest.”
Two IS flags were found in the shooter’s car at Bondi Beach, according to ABC.
Police have yet to provide a motive for Sunday’s mass shooting. But they say it was clearly an antisemitic, terrorist act on Sydney’s Jewish community. They have also not officially named the two shooters, although Australian media have identified them.
The 50-year-old father was shot dead by police at the scene. The son is in a critical but stable condition in hospital under police guard.
Australia mourns after Bondi Beach terror attack
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Communities grieve victims of the Bondi shooting
Dozens of people lined up on Bondi beach on Tuesday morning to mourn the 15 killed and others injured in the terrorist attack.
Among them was 25-year-old Olivia Robertson who visited the memorial before work.
“This is the country that our grandparents have come to for us to feel safe and to have opportunity,” she said. “My heart is torn apart … it is insane.”
Their tributes and messages added to the enormous mound of flowers outside the iconic Bondi Pavilion near the scene of the shootings.
Players from the Sydney Swans, a popular Australian rules football club, were among those laying flowers at Bondi Beach on TuesdayImage: David Gray/AFP
More than 1,000 people gathered outside the pavilion on Monday evening.
Rabbi Yossi Shuchat addressed the crowd and lit the candles of the Menorah for the second day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.
“Lightness will always persevere; darkness cannot continue where there is light,” he said.
The Sydney Opera House also had a menorah projected onto it to pay tribute to the victims.
What do we know about ‘hero’ Al Ahmed, others injured?
The state health authority, NSW health, has given an update on the injured.
It said that 25 people were still receiving care at eight different hospitals throughout Sydney, including three children, as of Tuesday morning local time.
Ten of those in hospital are in critical condition.
Two police officers are among the injured. One of the officers has had surgery on his eye and shoulder, local Nine News reported.
Ahmed al Ahmed, the Syrian-Australian civilian who tackled one of the gunmen and seized his rifle, is one of those still in hospital.
Al Ahmed, who has two daughters, suffered several gunshot wounds and lots a lot of blood.
“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again,” Sam Issa, Ahmed’s migration lawyer,told the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday night.
“But the pain has started to take a toll on him,” Issa said after visiting him.
Al Ahmed came to Australia in 2006 from Idlib in Syria, where according to his parents, he worked as a security officer.
He has been hailed as a hero across the world for his actions, and a GoFundMe in his name has raised nearly $2 million by Tuesday morning.
New South Wales State Premier Chris Minns visits Ahmed al Ahmed in hospitalImage: @ChrisMinnsMP/X/REUTERS
Edited by: Kieran Burke
Sydney’s Newtown synagogue leader Rabbi Eli Feldman has paid tribute to British-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Bondi Beach shooting on Sunday December 14.
Schlanger, 41, served as an assistant rabbi at Chabad, the Jewish cultural group that hosted the Chanukah by the Sea event at Archer Park. He grew up in Temple Fortune, north London, and is a father of five, according to Jewish News.
Speaking to media on Tuesday, Rabbi Feldman described Schlanger as “like a brother to me”.
“I knew him for 25 years. I studied together with him when we were teenagers,” he said.
“ He’s got a widow, he’s got children who don’t have a father today,” adding, “What he would say right now is add in light.”
NEED TO KNOW
- Madonna and Guy Ritchie joined forces in London to support their son Rocco, 25, at his art exhibition
- Rocco said he was “proud” to have “both of my parents together in one room supporting me”
- The photo comes 10 years after the former couple’s custody battle over Rocco
Madonna and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie have reunited for a good cause: their son Rocco Ritchie’s blossoming art career.
Rocco, 25, hosted an art exhibition in London on Dec. 12, and both of his famous parents turned out to show their support, as seen in a family photo Rocco shared to Instagram.
In the photo, Rocco smiled while standing between Madonna, 67, and Ritchie, 57, in front of two of his portrait paintings — and in a caption, he expressed his gratitude toward his parents for being there.
“It’s obvious why some people might hold judgement against me, I don’t blame them,” he captioned he post on Monday, Dec. 15. “However, I am proud to be who I am, but I’m even prouder to have both of my parents together in one room supporting me. The work should speak for itself, that’s why the show was called ‘Talk Is Cheap.”
The “Material Girl” singer and the British director were married from 2000 to 2008, and the outing marks a rare joint appearance for the former couple.
Rocco Ritchie, Madonna, Guy Ritchie and Lourdes Leon in London in January 2007.
Dave M. Benett/Getty
In September, Madonna appeared on an episode of Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, and talked about the “painful,” months-long custody battle she and Ritchie endured over Rocco in 2015 as they sorted out where the then-15-year-old would live.
“Even though my marriage didn’t work out, I mean, a lot of people’s marriages don’t work out,” she said. “They marry the wrong people, they’re not aligned, they’re not meant for each other. Someone trying to take my child away from me was like…they might as well just kill me. That’s really how I was thinking.”
Madonna has previously shown support for Rocco’s artistry, and attended an exhibition he put on in Miami in April 2024.
“So happy to have the night off to enjoy my son Rocco’s’s latest collection of paintings called ‘Pack A Punch’ inspired by Muay Thai fighters,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “So Proud ! ♥️♥️♥️. @miamidesigndistrict.”
Rocco opened up about his passion for painting last year in an interview with Whitewall, and explained that his parents influenced his career path.
“I’ve been painting since I was a kid, as you may well know I grew up in a household with creativity on steroids,” he said. “My mum didn’t really give us the choice, which I’m so grateful for now, but she made us try all the creative paths.”
In a recent interview with Fantastic Man, he added that his pop star mom often tells him stories about legendary artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, whom she once dated, and Keith Haring.
At his London exhibition, Rocco included a portrait of his 13-year-old twin sisters Stella and Estere, whom Madonna adopted in 2017.
He shared a photo posing with the girls to his Instagram Stories, writing, “Sisters were not very impressed with [their] portrait 😂❤️.”
Madonna’s longtime BFF Debi Mazar commented on the photo Rocco shared with his parents, writing, “Boom 💥 Congratulations 💋.”
WORLD NEWS
Brave moment Bondi beachgoers walking past gunmen’s car try to disarm the evil terrorist before he started shooting – and lost their lives in the struggle
Two victims of the Bondi Beach shooting have been pictured moments before their tragic deaths trying to stop one of the gunmen.
Fifteen innocent people were killed during Australia’s second-worst mass shooting.
Police allege Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, stood on a footbridge connecting Campbell Parade to the Bondi Pavilion on Sunday night, firing shots into a crowd celebrating Hanukkah on the beach.
A photo has emerged on social media of a man sitting on the road a metre away from Sajid, holding the weapon after wrestling it from him. A woman stands nearby.
‘Many people may not know that at the very beginning of the incident, two individuals were among the first to identify the gunman and bravely attempted to disarm him,’ a social media user said.
‘Tragically, they were shot and killed in the process.
‘They were heroes too. They stepped forward in the face of extreme danger.’
A witness has described the man as a ‘hero’ after watching the struggle unfold.
A man (right) could be seen trying to disarm gunman Sajid Akram (left) before he started his shooting rampage on Sunday
The brave pair were later photographed lying motionless near the terrorist’s car
Emergency services treating victims at Bondi Beach
‘We saw this man heroically try to disarm this evil terrorist. His family needs to know he (was) trying to save lives. He is a hero,’ they wrote.
Nine of the 15 innocent people who lost their lives have been identified, including the youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda.
Other victims included British-born Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, French national Dan Elkayam, 27, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, beloved husband and father Tibor Weitzen, Wellington Street synagogue assistant Reuven Morrison, Slovak citizen Marika Pogany, 82, and retired NSW Police detective sergeant Peter Meagher.
Twelve people injured in Sunday night’s attack remain in a critical condition, while a further 26 patients are in various conditions across seven hospitals in Sydney.
Among them is Ahmed Al-Ahmed, the hero who tackled and confronted one of the Bondi Beach terrorists during the attack.
Incredible footage captured the moment the 43-year-old father of two daughters, aged six and seven, grabbed terrorist Sajid Akram from behind and wrestled away the man’s firearm.
The gunman then fell backward to the ground as Mr Al-Ahmed lifted the rifle, aiming its barrel toward the disarmed shooter but not shooting.
Akram then backed away as Mr Al-Ahmed rested the firearm against a tree before a second bystander rushed the shooter and threw an object at him.
Ahmed Al-Ahmed was seriously injured after he tackled and confronted terrorist Sajid Akram
Heart-stopping footage captured the moment Mr Al-Ahmed (pictured in a white shirt) wrestled a gun from the shooter before turning it against him
The altercation took place in view of the second alleged gunman, Naveed, who looked on from a nearby footbridge, gun in hand.
Naveed was rushed to hospital under police guard with critical injuries, while his father was shot and killed by police at the scene.
Mr Al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born tobacconist owner, has been widely praised for his heroism, but it came at a significant personal cost.
He was shot in the shoulder and arm while hiding behind a tree after confronting the gunman and remains in care at St George Hospital.
The Prime Minister confirmed that he will meet Mr Al-Ahmed following a hospital visit from NSW Premier Chris Minns on Monday night.
‘I spoke to the premier after he visited, he told me he’s a great character, and he asked about whether I’d be visiting him – he’s a hero,’ Albanese told radio station Nova on Tuesday.
The PM also hinted at a reward, adding that the bystander’s heroism ‘needs to be recognised.’