The father and son accused of carrying out the Bondi Beach massacre spent a month staying in this shabby £11-a-night (AU$22) one-star hotel in a red-light district in the Philippines in the weeks before the atrocity, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, travelled to the south-east Asian country in November for a break, before allegedly carrying out their atrocity at a Hanukkah event on Sunday which killed 15.

The pair stayed in a cramped twin room in the GV Hotel in Davao City, the country’s second biggest city, in an area filled with neon-lit massage parlours and go-go bars that is frequented by western sex tourists on the island of Mindanao.

Opposite the hotel is a spa called ‘Spring Valley’ which advertises a ‘happy hour’ from 10am to 5pm.

And just yards away is a bar called ‘Ladiestar’ which offers karaoke and ‘massage’.

Along from that, in a poignant coincidence, is a cocktail bar and restaurant named Bondi & Bourke, after the famous beach where the attack took place.

Davao City is a five-hour drive from the Islamic city of Marawi – which is where ISIS sympathisers have been waging a decade-long fight against the Catholic-dominated government.

Security experts have said they believe Sajid and Naveed travelled to the Philippines to undergo military style training, a claim which has been refuted by the troubled nation’s President Marcos.

The father and son accused of carrying out the Bondi Beach massacre spent a month staying in this shabby £11-a-night one-star hotel in a red-light district in the Philippines

The pair stayed in a cramped twin room in the GV Hotel in Davao City, the country’s second biggest city

Opposite the hotel is a spa called ‘Spring Valley’ which advertises a ‘happy hour’ from 10am to 5pm. And just yards away is a bar called ‘Ladiestar’ which offers karaoke and ‘massage’

Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, pictured, allegedly carried out their atrocity at a Hanukkah event on Sunday which killed 15

The 50-year-old father, pictured, from Sydney’s west, was shot dead at the scene by police

Hotel staff showed the Daily Mail their ‘lair’ – room number 315 – on the third floor of the hotel where the men stayed throughout, living on takeaways.

Sparsely furnished with two single beds, an old television and an en-suite bathroom, it is here where they claimed the Akrams spent almost all their time holed up – and would only leave each day to buy food.

Jenelyn Sayson, who works at the hotel, said they ‘arrived with one big piece of luggage and a backpack each’ and cleaners would remove fast-food wrappers from their room.

She said they ate at the popular Jollibee chicken restaurant which is also famous for its spaghetti bolognese.

Unlike other guests, who are friendly and interact with staff as well as other tourists, the men were said to keep to themselves.

When they left the hotel they would walk over to the next street or walk towards the next block of hotels. Staff never saw them catch a cab or get picked up from the hotel.

‘We thought they probably had business here in the city since they would go out and just come back again,’ she added.

‘The longest that they would be outside would be around an hour and they would be just back here in the hotel.’

‘On December 16 officers from the Task Force based in Davao arrived at the hotel and asked if the two suspects checked into the hotel.

‘I was to confirm if I recognised the two men from the photos officers had of them.

‘CCTV at the hotel only remains on the system for a week but military officers came and took the hard drive anyways.

‘When they did leave, the father always wore sunglasses. The son had a big build, fair skinned and had a mole while his father was darker.

‘From the time they arrived to the time they checked out they never left the city because we saw them every day.’

When they left the hotel, pictured, they would walk over to the next street or walk towards the next block of hotels

Pictured: The inside of the GV Hotel. Hotel staff showed the Daily Mail their ‘lair’ – room number 315 – on the third floor of the hotel where the men stayed throughout, living on takeaways

Sparsely furnished with two single beds, an old television and an en-suite bathroom, it is here where they claimed the Akrams spent almost all their time holed up

Jenelyn Sayson, who works at the hotel, said they ‘arrived with one big piece of luggage and a backpack each’

On one occasion, Naveed asked a staff member where he could buy durian, a type of fruit known for its pungent aroma and sweet taste. They were told to go to the Magsaysay Park and the Bankerohan market but are said to have returned with nothing.

The downmarket hotel is located in the city’s Poblacion District – known for its nightlife surrounded by several ‘bikini bars’ – strip clubs which proliferate in the city’s red-light district, where most bars have private rooms at the back that men can rent for just £25 (AU$50).

No documents or further evidence is said to have been found when authorities searched the room.

Sajid and Naveed flew at 11am from Sydney to Manila on November 1, arriving in the capital in the early hours of the morning.

They then took an internal flight to Davao where they checked into the budget GV Hotel around noon that day where they apparently stayed until November 28.

Philippines authorities have shut down the claims that the pair came to the country for terror training.

Armed forces there insist that there was no indication the alleged Bondi killers had trained with terror groups while in the country.

Col Francel Margareth Padilla said: ‘From the field units, the data states that there are no foreign terrorist activities in the area. There are no trainings that are being conducted in the area.’

No documents or further evidence is said to have been found when authorities searched the room

Pictured: A bar near the GV Hotel. Investigations into what the men were indeed doing during their month-long stay in the country continue

However, investigations into what the men were indeed doing during their month-long stay in the country continue.

The initial police investigation showing that they stayed exclusively in the city of Davao and did not leave would be a version of events the Philippine government would be happy with.

The country’s national security advisor Eduardo Año told journalists the country is working with Australia to gather intelligence on the two men and establish their reason for travelling to the Philippines.

Mr Año confirmed the dates of entry into the country, adding that Sajid had travelled on an Indian passport while his son Naveed travelled on an Australian passport.

It is understood detectives are now tracing the men’s credit cards and local SIM cards to track down their exact movements.

It has been suggested that they used Davao as an entry point to then access by car the city of Cagayan de Oro and later Marawi.

Marawi is widely known as a no-go-zone for tourists and locals alike with the Filipino government even issuing a category four warning to its civilians to not travel to the region under any circumstances.

Civilians travelling there face risk of death due to the ongoing violent clashes between terrorist groups and the Filipino armed forces.

The area was taken over by an offshoot of IS – called the Maute Group – in 2017 which led to the displacement of 350,000 from the area of the country, which is predominantly Catholic.

Following the attack on Sunday, in which Jews were shot dead in Sydney who had been celebrating the beginning of Hannukah, officers in Australia uncovered two homemade ISIS flags from Naveed’s vehicle. Two bombs were also found in the car.

New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed on Tuesday that both men had travelled to the Philippines but said at this time the reason is still unknown.

Davao City, pictured, is five hours from the Islamic city of Marawi – where ISIS sympathisers are waging a fight against the Catholic-dominated government

Meanwhile immigration spokeswoman Dana Sandoval told The Australian: ‘Sajid Akram, 50, an Indian national (Australian resident) and Naveed Akram, 24, Australian national, arrived in the Philippines together last November 1, 2025, from Sydney Australia.

‘Both reported Davao as their final destination. They left the country on November 28, 2025, on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.’

Sajid was shot after the attack on Sunday, which also injured 42 other people.

Meanwhile his son, a bricklayer who survived the police shootout and was taken to hospital, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act in what investigators allege may have been ‘inspired by Isis’.

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Thames Valley Police have launched an urgent search for a 33-year-old High Wycombe woman who has vanished from her home late at night



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Huge US arms package for Taiwan includes HIMARS rocket systems, howitzer artillery, antitank missiles, and drones.

Published On 18 Dec 202518 Dec 2025

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The United States has approved $11.1bn in arms sales to Taiwan, one of Washington’s largest-ever weapons packages for the self-ruled island, which Beijing has promised to unify with mainland China.

The US State Department announced the deal late on Wednesday during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump.

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Weapons in the proposed sale include 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS – worth more than $4bn – defence systems that are similar to what the US had been providing Ukraine to defend against Russian aerial attacks.

The deal also includes 60 self-propelled howitzer artillery systems and related equipment worth more than $4bn and drones valued at more than $1bn.

Other sales in the package include military software valued at more than $1bn, Javelin and TOW missiles worth more than $700m, helicopter spare parts worth $96m and refurbishment kits for Harpoon missiles worth $91m.

In a series of separate statements announcing details of the weapons deal, the Pentagon said the sales served US national, economic and security interests by supporting Taiwan’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a “credible defensive capability”.

Taiwan’s defence ministry and presidential office welcomed the news while China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Reuters news agency.

Washington’s huge sale of arms to Taiwan will likely infuriate China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.

“The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defence capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power,” Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a statement.

Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said Taiwan would continue to reform its defence sector and “strengthen whole-of-society defence resilience” to “demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves, and safeguard peace through strength”.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday that it opposed efforts by the US Congress to pass bills “related to Taiwan and firmly opposes any form of military contact between the US and Taiwan”.

“We urge the US to abide by the one China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiques : Stop ‘arming Taiwan’, stop reviewing relevant bills, and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs,” the office’s spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said in a statement.

Zhu said Taiwan’s political leaders were pursuing “independence”, and were “willing to let external forces turn the island into a ‘war porcupine’,” which could result in the population becoming “cannon fodder” and “slaughtered at will, which is despicable”.

Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te last month announced a $40bn supplementary defence budget, to run from 2026 to 2033, saying there was “no room for compromise on national security”.

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Skip next section Welcome to our EU summit coverage12/18/2025December 18, 2025

Welcome to our EU summit coverage

Good morning and thank you for joining us as we launch our blog on the two-day EU leaders summit.

The talks will be particularly important for Ukraine, with the EU looking to take on more responsibility for funding the country in its defense against the nearly four-year-long full-scale Russian invasion.

The bloc is seeking funds to cover Ukraine’s economic and military needs for the next few years.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to join the EU leaders as a guest.

Keep reading for more on this and other issues being discussed at the summit.

https://p.dw.com/p/55Zta

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Trump says US was ‘absolutely dead’ before he turned it into ‘hottest country anywhere in the world’

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President Donald Trump touted his accomplishments during the past 11 months as he addressed the nation, following frustration from Americans over his handling of the economy.

Trump began his address Wednesday night from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House on familiar ground— by blaming his predecessor Joe Biden.

“When I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years, and some would say in the history of our country, which caused prices to be higher than ever before, making life unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans,” Trump said. “This happened during a Democrat administration.”

He also unveiled a “warrior dividend” for more than 1,450,000 military servicemembers and said they would each receive $1,776, which he claimed would be paid for in part by his tariffs.

“Wages are up, prices are down. Our nation is strong. America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before. We are poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen,” Trump said.

Critics pointed out that the president used the national address to repeat “oft-debunked” claims, including that he “settled eight wars in 10 months” and that grocery prices were falling “rapidly.”

Others commented that Trump appeared to be “shouting” into the microphone during the address, which was carried live by several networks.

Recap: What did Trump say in his address to the nation?

• President Donald Trump used a nationally-televised address to deliver a campaign-style rant that lasted just under 20 minutes.
• He blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the economic woes Americans are feeling a year into his presidency, while offering little in the way of proposals to address the higher prices caused, in large part, by the massive tariffs he has placed on almost all American imports.
• Speaking from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Trump opened by claiming to have “inherited a mess” that he was now “fixing.”
• What followed was a partisan rant indistinguishable from the signature rallies that have been the centerpiece of his political movement.
• He rattled off a list of grievances while blaming Biden for the state of the country nearly a full year after he took the oath of office.
• The president announced a $1,776 dividend for 1.45 million servicemembers.
• Trump repeated the claim that he has “settled eight wars in 11 months,” including “ending the war in Gaza.”
• He claimed he had negotiated a deal to cut drug and pharmaceutical prices by 400, 500 and 600 percent.
• He claimed grocery prices were “falling rapidly”
• Trump claimed a national average gas price of $2.50 per gallon, though the AAA average nationally is $2.90.
• Without providing evidence, Trump also said household energy costs have dropped by $3,000.
• Trump also claimed he has secured “an $18 trillion investment into the United States,” a figure fact-checkers have disputed and that appears to contradict the White House’s own figure of $9.6 trillion, which is also disputed.

Andrew Feinberg, Rhian Lubin, Rachel Dobkin18 December 2025 05:30

Trump claims checks are ‘on the way’ to military service members for Christmas ‘warrior dividend’

President Trump claims checks are “on the way” to military service members for a Christmas “warrior dividend” of $1,776.

He announced the initiative during his prime time address to the nation Wednesday night. More than 1,450,000 military service members will receive the checks, according to the president.

“In honor of our nation’s founding in 1776, we are sending every soldier $1,776 and the checks are already on the way,” Trump said, adding, “Nobody understood that one until about 30 minutes ago.”

The White House clarified who in the military will receive a check: “Active-duty Service members in the pay grades of 0-6 and below and on active duty as of November 30, 2025, as well as reserve component members on active-duty orders of 31 days or more as of November 30, 2025.”

The estimated total cost of the checks is nearly $2.6 billion. It’s unclear how these dividends will be funded. Congress has the power of the purse, meaning federal spending cannot be allocated without its approval.

Trump credited tariffs for bringing money in for the country but he didn’t say directly how the military checks would be funded.

Rachel Dobkin has more …

Trump announced during his national address Wednesday night that more than 1,450,000 military service members will receive checks (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Rachel Dobkin18 December 2025 05:15

‘Old man yells at cloud’: The internet reacts to Trump’s frustrated national rally style speech in prime time

Trump delivered a loud and seemingly angry speech, something viewers at home picked up on.

One social media user summed up the presidential address with a photo from the cartoon sitcom The Simpsons that showed a newspaper article with the headline, “Old man yells at cloud.”

Rachel Dobkin rounds up the reaction…

Rachel Dobkin18 December 2025 04:50

Trump promises ‘economic boom’ in 2026 following grim polling on the economy

President Donald Trump promised an “economic boom” in 2026 during his Wednesday night address to the nation.

“We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen,” Trump said as he brought his White House remarks to a close.

The pledge followed grim polling for his administration that found Americans are growing frustrated with his handling of the economy.

The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist survey found that 57 percent of respondents disapprove of Trump’s economic management, compared with 36 percent who approve — the lowest rating on this issue across his two terms in office.

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 04:31

Democrats troll Trump over imminent Epstein files release

The Democrats bluntly delivered their verdict on President Donald Trump’s speech tonight and simultaneously trolled him over the imminent release of the Epstein files.

The files are due to be released sometime Friday, which marks the end of the 30-day deadline the Justice Department was given last month.

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 04:15

Trump entourage in the room during his speech as president sipped Diet Coke

President Donald Trump’s entourage was in the room watching him make his national address, according to reporters in the White House press pool.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, director of communications Steve Cheung, chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, and aide Natalie Harp were all watching Trump speak from the Diplomatic Reception Room.

Right before the remarks started, an usher brought in three Diet Cokes and ice and the president took a sip of his favorite beverage right before the speech started.

The group of advisors stood in the back corner during the remarks.

Their live reactions were limited and there was some head nodding when the president talked about wages going up.

Harp reportedly had a smile on her face for the entirety of the speech while Leavitt watched much of it on the monitor, viewing how it looked on TV.

When the remarks wrapped and the president was given the all clear, he turned to the press and said, “You think that’s easy?” and then took a swig of Diet Coke.

To photo pooler Doug Mills, he said, “I’d rather be doing your job, just click click.”

He turned to his staff and asked how he did. They all responded with some version of “great.”

President Donald Trump’s entourage was in the room watching him make his national address (AP)

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 03:55

Trump made 16 mentions of Biden and Democrats during 20 min speech

During his relatively short address tonight, President Donald Trump mentioned his predecessor Joe Biden seven times and the Democrats nine times, according to a transcript.

Trump spoke for just under 20 minutes, which is much shorter than most of his speeches.

The president had previewed that he intended to talk about how he had “inherited a mess” from the previous administration and he delivered on that.

He told the press pool after the address that he was told by chief of staff Susie Wiles that he must deliver the speech in 20 minutes.

“I told you 20 minutes, and you were 20 minutes on the dot,” Wiles said.

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 03:40

Trump omits mention of Venezuela as Hegseth orders another strike on vessel

President Donald Trump made no mention of the rapidly growing tension with Venezuela during his speech tonight, despite speculation that he would address it.

On the same evening, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. military carried out another lethal strike on a vessel in the Pacific at his direction, killing four people.

So far, the administration’s strikes have killed at least 99 people.

“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the U.S. Southern Command X account said. “A total of four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no U.S. military forces were harmed.”

The strike followed Trump calling for a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 03:25

President touts his TrumpRx website on prescription drugs

President Donald Trump touted his TrumpRx website during his Wednesday night address to the nation, part of his plan, he says, is to save Americans money on prescription drugs.

“The first of these unprecedented price reductions will be available starting in January through a new website, TrumpRx.gov,” he said. “And these big price cuts will greatly reduce the cost of health care.”

He first announced the plan back in October.

Katie Hawkinson has the details.

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 03:05

Survivor fans complain about missing parts of finale for Trump’s address

Fans of Survivor are complaining online about missing parts of the show’s three-hour finale Wednesday night, which was put on hold for the duration of the president’s address to the nation.

“I’d rather be watching Survivor,” one X user claimed. Another said, “Why is my Survivor finale being interrupted by that orange felon…I’M CANADIAN.”

“Someone tell me when he’s done yapping so I can go back to watching the finale,” said another.

CBS announced that the 3-hour finale would begin at 8 p.m. ET and “will resume where it left off immediately following the president’s address for Eastern and Central Time Zone viewers.”

Rhian Lubin18 December 2025 03:03

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NEED TO KNOW

• James Van Der Beek and Craig Melvin are all smiles in new photos posted to social media
• The Dawson’s Creek alum will sit down with the Today show co-host to discuss his cancer journey and his faith
• Van Der Beek revealed his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis exclusively to PEOPLE in November 2024

James Van Der Beek is a beaming “ray of positivity” ahead of his upcoming Today show appearance.

In a social media post shared on Instagram Wednesday, Dec. 17, Today show co-host Craig Melvin posed alongside the Dawson’s Creek star, 48, for a photo on the set of their interview. 

“Spent the day in TX on James Van Der Beek’s ranch,” the 46-year-old NBC broadcaster captioned his three-photo carousel. 

For their first picture, they stood next to each other, both smiling indoors, facing the camera.

“Overcast and dreary outside but James is quite the ray of positivity these days. It was refreshing and inspiring,” Melvin added in the caption before sharing a glimpse of his and Van Der Beek’s conversation. “We talked about where he is on his journey, the importance of cancer screenings, and how he’s finding joy in family and faith.”

He added that the pre-taped interview would air Friday, Dec. 19. 

Van Der Beek revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he told PEOPLE at the time. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”

However, he started experiencing bowel movement symptoms in the summer of 2023, but initially assumed it was just his diet that he needed to change.

“I thought maybe I needed to stop coffee,” he recalled. “Or maybe not put cream in the coffee. But when I cut that out and it didn’t improve, I thought, ‘All right, I better get this checked out.’”

Van Der Beek admitted that when a gastroenterologist told him they found cancer, “I think I went into shock.”

James Van Der Beek at the FOX Winter Press Day on November 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

JC Olivera/Variety via Getty

The Varsity Blues actor, who shares six kids — Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah — with his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek, had planned to appear on the Today show earlier this month, but had to postpone due to a case of pink eye.

“Tell me you have kids without telling me you have kids,” Van Der Beek wrote in text over an outdoor photo of himself and one of his daughters. “Having to postpone a @today show appearance because of pink eye 😂.”

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.

He added, “Sorry @today @craigmelvinnbc for having to push,” he wrote. “Pink eye(s) almost cleared up. See you Dec. 17 😊.”

The CSI: Cyber alum shared an update on his health with Today in July, saying, “I’m feeling great. It’s been a journey. There are just so many ups and downs and so many unknowns. Cancer is — I call it a full-time job … It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.”

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By CAITLIN POWELL – NEWS REPORTER and KYLIE STEVENS, SENIOR BREAKING NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Updated: 00:27 EST, 18 December 2025

A father-of-four has been confirmed as the 14th victim in the devastating Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

Adam Smyth, 50, was walking on the beach with his wife on Sunday evening when they found themselves in the middle of the shooting.

Other victims included British-born Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, 39, French national Dan Elkayam, 27, Wellington Street synagogue assistant Reuven Morrison, Slovak citizen Marika Pogany, 82, retired NSW Police detective sergeant Peter Meagher, 61, Edith Brutman, Boris Gurman, 69, and his wife Sofia, 61, and Soviet immigrant Boris Tetleroyd.

It comes as the passport photos of alleged gunmen Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father, Sajid, were shared online on Thursday. 

The passports were used during their trip to the Philippines just weeks before the attack, sparking concerns they were meeting with Islamist extremists.

It comes after Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences at his hospital bedside on Wednesday.

They include 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder.

He did not appear or apply for bail during a brief bedside court hearing and the case was adjourned until April. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also announced reforms to crack down on hate speech following the incident, including targeting hate preachers. 

He is yet to attend any funerals, including that of 10-year-old Matilda, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, 87, and Tibor Weitzen, 78, who will be farewelled later today. 

Bondi resident identified as 14th victim

Beloved father-of-four Adam Smyth has been confirmed as one of the victims of the Bondi Beach massacre.

‘We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Adam Smyth, 50, father of four children and husband to Katrina,’ his family said in a statement via NSW Police.

‘Adam and Katrina were walking at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening when they found themselves in the middle of the horrific and devastating attack.

‘We are all trying to come to terms with the senseless shooting, of which Adam was a victim.

‘No words can describe the pain of our loss.’

The family wrote that Adam and Katrina were ‘living their best lives together’, with a shared love of family and friends, travel and sport – if not always the same team.

‘Adam’s loves in life were his English Premier League football team Liverpool, his AFL team the Sydney Swans, the NRL’s Manly Sea Eagles and his beloved pets,` they said.

‘We will forever cherish the time we have had with him. Adam was a generous and kind person who will be dearly missed and is forever irreplaceable.

‘You’ll never walk alone (YNWA).’

Passport photos of Sajid and Naveed Akram revealed

The passports used by the alleged Bondi Beach attackers for their mysterious trip to the Philippines have emerged online.

The images of Sajid Akram’s Indian passport and his 24-year-old son Naveed’s Australian passport were posted on X on Thursday morning.

‘Officials stated that the attackers used exact passports to travel Philippines and other countries,’ the user claimed.

It was revealed earlier this week the par had visited the country just weeks before the attack, sparking concerns they were meeting with Islamist extremists.

Australian authorities are probing Naveed and Sajid’s alleged links to Islamic extremism after explosives and homemade IS flags were found in a car registered to Naveed at the scene of the shooting.

Aussie slams people spotted taking photos on the Bondi massacre footbridge: ‘Delete them’

People have been seen taking photos on the doomed footbridge used by the gunmen accused of opening fire on a crowd gathered to celebrate Hanukkah.

On the day of the attack, multiple videos posted to social media showed two figures standing on a footbridge connecting Campbell Parade to the Bondi Pavilion.

Police had closed the popular tourist destination during their investigation, but it was reopened to the public earlier on Thursday.

Hours later, crowds of people were spotted walking across the bridge, some pausing to reflect on the tragedy that unfolded just days earlier.

Many were seen taking out their phones to snap a photo.

One Aussie was quick to slam the ‘ridiculous’ behaviour in a TikTok video.

‘Everyone is getting f***ing photos by the park and the bridge where it happened.

‘Why the f*** are you getting photos. This is not a f***ing joke.

‘This is a serious issue, if you’re in Bondi getting f***ing photos by the bridge and by the park where it happened like “look at me” this is not a photography session.

‘I’m actually in shock. Go get photos somewhere else.’

Ley: ‘Not the time for excuses’

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has demanded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recall parliament in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre.

‘Australians watching their prime minister today are angry. This is not the time for excuses,’ she told reporters.

‘I don’t have faith in the prime minister. This is the prime minister who is allowing a self-managed return of ISIS members.

‘We call on the prime minister to immediately recall, bring back the parliament to pass legislation to eradicate antisemitism and to strengthen Australia’s counter-terrorism laws.’

Ley also claimed Albanese’s five sweeping changes to address hate-driven violence in Australia should have been announced two years ago.

The measures include a new aggravated hate speech offence targeting preachers and community leaders who incite violence, as well as tougher penalties for hate speech that actively encourages violent acts.

Ley announced a series of plans to tackle antisemitism in Australia, including giving powers to the immigration minister to refuse visas on those grounds.

She said the Coalition would pass laws to give effect to special envoy Jillian Segal’s plan to tackle antisemitism.

‘In the arts, we will legislate a no-funding trigger to terminate funding agreements made under the Creative Australia Act 2023, where the funding supports antisemitic activities,’ she said.

‘The Coalition will move to strengthen the Australian Citizenship Act, currently allowing the minister for immigration to apply to a court to cancel the citizenship of dual citizens, to cover a wider range of terrorist-related conduct such as overseas military-style training and the committing of hate crimes outlawed under the Criminal Code.’

A heartbroken woman has claimed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ‘blood on his hands’ outside a funeral for the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach shooting.

With an Australian flag draped over her shoulder, Chana Friedman said Albanese ‘must resign’ in an emotional interview outside the funeral of 10-year-old Matilda.

Asked whether there was a place for the Prime Minister at the ceremony, Ms Friedman sobbed: ‘No, because he has that girl’s blood on his hands.’

‘You’re all going to celebrate Christmas very soon, right? Jesus was a Jew. He would have looked like a rabbi that was killed last week,’ she told a reporter at the scene.

‘We have all failed her…she’s this ray of sunshine. Her friends describe her as the most friendly, most beautiful, happy child.’

When asked about his response to antisemitism earlier today, Albanese said the government could have ‘always done more’.

‘Of course more could have always been done. Governments aren’t perfect. I’m not perfect. We have engaged in a constructive way,’ he told reporters.

Victims’ funerals to be paid for by government

A joint federal and state funding package has been confirmed for those affected by the horrific shooting at Bondi Beach.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told The Sydney Morning Herald victims and families of those who were killed would receive $75,000.

The government will cover funeral and burial arrangements.

He said Jewish community organisations will receive $2 million to support victims’ families.

Six recovery officers will also work with families under a $3.6 million package.

Small businesses close to where the terror attack took place can also receive a maximum of $25,000 via grants.

Mookhey is providing about $1 million each to Legal Aid and Disaster Response Legal Services, Jewish organisations providing mental health support, and Waverley Council.

There will also be a $1.5 million boost will be provided for security at Jewish community locations.

Premier Chris Minns wears kippah out of respect at funeral for Tibor Weitzen

Mourners have gathered to honour grandfather Tibor Weitzen at the Chabad of Bondi synagogue.

Mr Weitzen, who was born in the Soviet Union, died trying to shield a friend from bullets during the Bondi Beach shooting.

The 78-year-old has been remembered as the ‘lolly man’ because he gave sweets to children to keep them quiet during events.

Among the crowds entering the memorial, NSW Premier Chris Minns could be seen being patted down by security while wearing a kippah as a mark of respect.

NSW Opposition leader Kelly Sloane was also in attendance.

There was a large security presence at the site, with some officers accompanied by police dogs.

Protester escorted out of Bondi Pavilion memorial

A Jewish man has been escorted from Bondi Beach by police after allegedly yelling ‘anti-Zionism is the problem’ at a memorial.

NSW mayors were placing wreaths at the pavilion when the man made the claim that people were ‘pretending Zionism is a problem’ while standing in the crowd.

He also said he was ‘frustrated at seeing council staff’ at the memorial.

‘These poor people are grieving and the councils come along having done nothing for two years,’ he said.

Bloodied and bandaged Bondi victim returns to the beach for the first time since the massacre

Arsen Ostrovsky, an international human rights lawyer, was out with his family alongside hundreds of other people when shots started ringing out at Bondi.

A photo of him bloodied and bandaged quickly went viral on social media.

Mr Ostrovsky visited the flower memorial at Bondi Beach for the first time on Thursday after he was hospitalised for his injuries.

He previously revealed that his survuval at Bondi came after he lived through the horrors of Hamas’s massacre at the Nova music festival in Israel.

‘I lived through October 7th. Never imagined I’d see this horror in Australia,’ he said.

‘Bullet grazed my head. Doctors said it was a miracle I survived, but I will make a recovery.’

‘She’s waltzing with the angels’: Matilda remembered by loved ones, Minns

A rabbi has read a statement on behalf of Matilda’s school community as emotions ran high at he funeral on Thursday.

The 10-year-old was remembered as ‘genuinely the most caring, kind, compassionate young girl, who brightened everyone’s day’.

They recalled how Matilda was stunned to win a language award at school just days before the Bondi Beach massacre.

‘Her smile was shining brighter than ever,’ they said of the special moment.

NSW Premier Chris Minns read a poem, Ode to Matilda, at the service.

‘From darkness they struck to where candles glowed bright. A child of celebration was lost to terror’s night,’ she said.

‘Yet in the harshest sorrow, her memory will shine, a beacon of her love though her earthly light has gone.

‘She bore the name Matilda, to honour this great land, Australia’s heart and spirit, forever hand in hand.’

Matilda’s small white coffin was later seen being carried out of the funeral home as mourners watched in silence.

Anthony Albanese admits: ‘I’m not perfect’

Anthony Albanese has admitted his government could have done more to combat rising antisemitisim in the wake of the horror Bondi Beach massacre.

‘Look, of course more could have always been done,’ he told reporters.

‘Governments aren’t perfect. I’m not perfect.’

The Prime Minister has unveiled a series of major reforms to combat hate speech, division, and radicalisation following the attack on Sunday.

He announced the National Security Committee has approved five sweeping changes to address hate-driven violence in Australia.

The measures include a new aggravated hate speech offence targeting preachers and community leaders who incite violence, as well as tougher penalties for hate speech that actively encourages violent acts.

Hate will also become an aggravating factor in sentencing for online threats and harassment, ensuring offenders face stiffer consequences.

The PM is pictured speaking at an interfaith memeorial service on Wednesday.

Bondi starts to reopen after horror shooting

The crime scene at Bondi Beach has been lifted, which means the area is no longer closed to the public.

NSW Police had cordoned off Archer Park and the surrounding areas after the horrific shooting on Sunday.

The operation concluded about 11.15am today following an ‘extensive examination and analysis of the site’, police said.

Motorists can now return to collect their vehicles.

Queen Elizabeth Drive carpark and southbound lanes of Campbell Parade will remain closed until further notice.

‘Police would like to thank the community for their patience while the crime scene was in place,’ a statement said.

‘Police will remain in the Bondi area to support the community.’

A flower memorial is seen at Bondi Pavilion on Thursday

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Bondi Beach shooting LIVE updates: Aussie loses it at despicable act just moments after Bondi Beach was reopened following mass shooting that killed 15 innocent people

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Violet Barron-Clarke, 14, from Anglesey suffered a severe allergic reaction causing her face to swell up after using Primark PS micellar cleansing water, her family claim

05:14, 18 Dec 2025Updated 05:15, 18 Dec 2025

Violet Barron-Clarke’s family say she suffered a reaction after using Primark micellar water

The family of a teenage girl from Anglesey allege she experienced a severe allergic reaction after using a face cleanser from Primark.

Aiyeesha Barron-Clarke took her 14 year old daughter Violet to the Trafford Centre in Manchester for a shopping trip last weekend. The pair were enjoying some Christmas shopping as a birthday treat, and among their purchases was Primark’s PS micellar cleansing water.

Aiyeesha revealed that her daughter used the product on Sunday evening, marking the first time she had tried this specific item. However, by Monday morning, Violet’s face had swollen so much that she could barely open her eyes, according to Aiyeesha.

A picture of Violet Barron-Clarke, 14, of Holyhead before her face swelled up

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The Holyhead-based family described her as “unrecognisable” and promptly dialled 999. An ambulance crew responded and administered medication to alleviate the swelling. Violet has since been taking strong antihistamines , reports NorthWales Live.

The family have reached out to Primark, who have assured them they are “fully investigating” the incident and stated all their products “meet strict safety standards”.

Mum Aiyeesha said: “I just want to prevent this happening to anyone else as the whole ordeal has been such a scary experience. From something that claims to be gentle and suitable for all skin types, my daughter has never had a reaction like this prior. My daughter also wants to prevent it happening again to other people.”

Violet Barron-Clarke suffered a reaction after using Primark micellar water

She continued: “She was very excited to buy some new products and was petrified with what has happened, resulting in us dialling 999 and having an ambulance crew arrive to our house. I woke my daughter up this morning to her face swollen and unrecognisable she couldn’t open her eyes or see properly.”

The family revealed she remained with a puffy face and impaired sight well into Monday afternoon and Tuesday. Aiyeesha went on: “She is on very strong antihistamines from the doctor to try and reduce the swelling.”

A Primark representative commented: “We take the safety and quality of our products very seriously and work closely with our suppliers and quality team to ensure they meet strict safety standards. As well as this, all of our cosmetic products are assessed by qualified safety experts before going on sale. We’re sorry to hear about the experience of this customer and are in touch with them to fully investigate this.”

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The Bondi terror attack suspects spent their entire four-week visit to the Philippines in Davao City and rarely left their hotel for more than about an hour at a time, according to a member of staff.

Hotel worker Jenelyn Sayson told Sky News she was on duty at GV Hotel when Naveed and Sajid Akram checked in on 1 November.

Ms Sayson said they initially booked a seven-night stay online, but on 8 November, the pair told hotel staff they would extend their stay for another week and paid in cash.

The father and son continued to extend their stay before finally checking out on 28 November.

The mass shooting at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach happened just over two weeks later, on 14 December.

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The hotel has been part of an investigation into the shooting

Sajid, 50, entered the country on an Indian passport and his son, 24, on an Australian passport.

During their stay, Ms Sayson noted the two mostly remained inside their room – a small, sparse space, with two single beds and a TV.

“Their daily routine consisted of in and out of the hotel, with the longest time spent outside being about one hour,” she said.

“Based on our observations, they did not travel outside Davao and were seen here in the hotel every day.”

Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 counts, including 15 of murder and one of terror, in Australia. His father was shot dead by police during the attack.

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The alleged gunmen’s hotel room

The receptionist said Philippine police from Task Force Davao visited the hotel on Wednesday afternoon and asked about an Indian national who may have stayed there.

They showed her a photo, which she immediately identified as one of the two guests.

The authorities also requested CCTV footage, she said, but the recordings from November had already been automatically deleted.

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Gunmen ‘must never have had love’

What are police investigating?

Police Major Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-11), confirmed a multi-agency investigation is ongoing to verify the movements of the two suspects.

“The investigation will determine whether they indeed arrived in Davao, where they stayed, and who they may have met, or whether they only passed through the city or stayed elsewhere,” she said.

Despite the link to an overseas terror-related incident, the police major assured the public the Davao region remains peaceful.

“We have maintained this status throughout the year,” she added.

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Bondi church where people took shelter

What is the Philippines’ link to terrorism?

Terrorism in the Philippines has declined in recent years.

But many Islamic militant groups remain active and armed in more remote regions, with some willing to train foreign fighters who have long flocked to the Southeast Asian nation.

Davao City sits in Mindanao, an island which has historically been fertile ground for Islamic jihadists.

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Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the alleged Bondi gunmen travelled outside of Davao City.

A military source previously told Sky News the men may have visited Marawi, Lanao del Sur.

Exactly what they did and who they met in the Philippines is now the focus of an expanding police investigation in the Philippines and Australia.

Funeral held for 10-year-old victim

It comes as funerals for the 15 victims continue to take place, including for a 10-year-old girl named Matilda.

The youngest person to be killed in the shooting, yellow toy bees topped her coffin as mourners remembered a “ray of sunshine” who loved animals and dancing.

Image:
A photo of Matilda. Pic: Reuters

Her middle name was Bee, which inspired attendees to wear bee stickers, and bee-themed toys and balloons, while some mourners wore yellow.

Rabbi Yehoram Ulman said: “The tragic, so totally cruel, unfathomable murder of young Matilda is something to all of us as if our own daughter was taken from us.”

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Philippine official said ‘a mere visit’ to the country does not support claims the men underwent ‘terrorist training’.

There is no evidence the suspected gunmen in the deadly Bondi Beach attack received military training in the southern Philippines, Manila’s national security adviser has said, as Australia announced plans to introduce measures to tighten the country’s hate speech laws.

In a Wednesday statement, Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano confirmed the two suspects in Sunday’s attack in Sydney, Australia – which saw 15 people killed after gunmen opened fire at a Jewish event – were in the country from November 1 to 28 this year.

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Ano said immigration records showed that 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram travelled via the Philippine capital Manila to Davao City on the southern island of Mindanao. He added that Sajid had entered the country on an Indian passport, while Naveed entered on an Australian one.

Ano added that there was “no evidence” that the men had received “any form of military training” while in the country.

“A mere visit does not support allegations of terrorist training, and the duration of their stay would not have allowed for any meaningful or structured training,” he said.

The men mostly stayed in their hotel rooms when in Davao, according to a report by local news outlet MindaNews. Staff at the hotel said the pair checked in on November 1 and rarely went out for more than an hour at a time during their almost monthlong stay.

Australian authorities announced on Wednesday that Naveed Akram had been charged with 59 offences for his role in the attack, including murder and terror charges, when he woke from his coma. Sajid Akram, his father, was shot dead by police at the scene.

Ano also suggested that reports describing Mindanao – a Muslim-majority region in the Catholic-majority country, plagued by a decades-long secessionist conflict – as a “hotspot for violent extremism or Islamic State ideology” were “outdated and misleading”.

“Since the 2017 Marawi Siege, Philippine security forces have significantly degraded ISIS-affiliated groups in the country,” he said, referring to a five-month battle in which the ISIL-inspired Maute group seized the southern city and fought government forces.

“The remnants of these groups have been fragmented, deprived of leadership, and operationally degraded,” Ano added.

A 2014 peace agreement, which saw rebels drop their secessionist aspirations in exchange for a more powerful and better-funded Muslim autonomous region called Bangsamoro, has also brought a degree of calm to Mindanao.

But smaller rebel groups continue to carry out sporadic, deadly attacks across the restive southern Philippines’ region.

‘Also an attack on the Australian way of life’: Anthony Albanese

On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to introduce new legislation cracking down on hate speech in response to the Bondi Beach attack, as he acknowledged that Australia had witnessed an increase in anti-Semitism since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, and Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Announcing the new measures at a news conference, Albanese said his government will seek to introduce legislation making it easier to charge people promoting hate speech and violence – including religious preachers – while new powers will be created to cancel or reject visas of people who spread “hate and division”.

The legislation would also develop a regime to target organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech, Albanese added.

Albanese said rising anti-Semitism “culminated on Sunday in one of the worst acts of mass murder that this country has ever seen”.

“It was an attack on our Jewish community – but it was also an attack on the Australian way of life. Australians are shocked and angry. I am angry. It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge, much more,” he said.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said on Wednesday he would recall the state parliament next week in order to pass urgent reforms on gun laws.

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