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Fighting has resumed hours before the countries’ foreign ministers meet in Malaysia to discuss steps to de-escalate hostilities.

Published On 22 Dec 202522 Dec 2025

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Victoria’s police chief will be given sweeping powers to shut down or move on protests in the aftermath of terrorist events, while officers carrying rifles will be deployed to the Boxing Day Test following the Bondi terror attack.

Jacinta Allan on Monday announced Victoria will follow New South Wales by introducing legislation to parliament next year granting the police commissioner the power to “stop or move on a public protest within a certain time following a designated terrorist event”.

The Victorian premier said her government was still receiving legal advice on whether attacks in other states would trigger the powers and how long they would apply but noted the new powers would likely be modelled on the NSW legislation, under which protests can be banned for 14 days.

“We have always defended the right to protest – and we will not allow a return to the undemocratic laws that aim to reduce the power of workers – but the safety of the community is paramount,” Allan told reporters.

“There is a need for there to be calm, for there to be cohesion.”

The move is expected to be welcomed by the police commissioner, Mike Bush, who earlier on Monday said he had been in discussions with the government about being given the power to “veto protests when they’re not appropriate”.

Bush maintained Victoria did not need a protest permit system like in NSW but urged people not to protest after the Bondi attack, saying it would be “very inappropriate”.

He announced the police Critical Incident Response Team (Cirt), carrying long-arm semi-automatic rifles, would be deployed to the Boxing Day Test as an additional security measure after the attack.

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But he stressed the decision was proactive and “based on the current threat environment and not a specific new threat”.

“The reason we’re doing this is to provide reassurance to the public that we are here always to keep them safe but also as a deterrent,” Bush said.

He said the Cirt officers will be “highly visible” across all five days of play, joining an additional 120 officers outside the MCG. He said similar deployments would be considered on a case-by-case basis at other major events over summer, including the Australian Open.

Allan also announced the government would fast-track the civil law aspects of the state’s new anti-vilification laws to come into effect in April 2026, instead of mid-year.

The government will also amend the laws to remove the requirement for consent from the Director of Public Prosecutions before police can pursue criminal vilification charges – a compromise that was reached with the crossbench in order for the bill to pass parliament in April.

Sydney honours Bondi victims on national day of reflection – video

Allan said she was hopeful the Coalition, which voted against the anti-vilification laws, would support the amendment.

She also committed to introducing new laws to “hold social media companies to account” when vilification is carried out by anonymous users.

Allan said a “respected jurist” would be appointed to examine how this could work, including whether platforms could be held liable for civil claims when the owner of an account cannot be identified. The laws could also extend to online forums, including comment sections on news websites, her statement said.

Also included in her “five next steps to combat antisemitism” was a review of Victoria’s gun laws, to be led by the former police commissioner Ken Lay, the release of the state’s new strategy for preventing and countering extremism and the appointment of a commissioner to oversee its implementation, and the establishment of a council of “eminent Victorians” to develop clear, measurable long-term goals to combat antisemitism and implement recommendations from Jillian Segal’s federal review.

Allan said the measures reflected her commitment to “fight” for the safety of Melbourne’s Jewish community, a city she described as once being globally recognised as a “haven for Jews after the war”.

“I cannot fully personally comprehend the unique sadness, pain and fear of Jews in this moment. But I can share in their horror that the worst massacre of Jewish lives since October the 7th took place here – on an Australian beach in the summer, the very backdrop of our gentle, carefree way of life,” she said.

“December the 14th was a direct attack upon Jews, a direct attack upon our way of life. It demands action.”

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A screenshot from a video found on Naveed Akram’s phone shows his father conducting firearms training, police allege

The gunmen who allegedly carried out a deadly attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach last week threw four undetonated explosives at the start of the attack, including a “tennis ball bomb”, according to newly released documents.

Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with dozens of offences including 15 counts of murder over the attack at a Hanukkah celebration on 14 December. Akram, who was shot by police during the attack, was released from hospital on Monday and transferred to a prison.

The second alleged gunman, his father Sajid Akram, was shot dead.

The pair recorded a video manifesto in October in which they sit in front of the Islamic State group flag, according to police documents.

Supplied

A screenshot from CCTV shows the Akrams carrying ‘bulky items’ hours before the attacks, police allege

The Akrams “meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months”, police alleged. Videos found on Naveed’s phone showed the pair were motivated by “violent extremist ideology” linked to the Islamic State group.

They include one video in which the pair sit in front of an Islamic State flag and detail their motivation for the Bondi attack and condemn “the acts of ‘Zionists'”, police alleged. Naveed also appears to recite a passage from the Quran in Arabic in the video, police alleged.

Another video allegedly showed the pair conducting firearms training in what police believe to be rural New South Wales in October. “The Accused and his father are seen throughout the video firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner,” police alleged.

A temporary suppression order had been made on the fact sheet last week to protect the identities of the survivors of the attack. The order was revoked on Monday after an application to the New South Wales Local Court by media companies although the names of most survivors were redacted.

Supplied

CCTV shows the Akrams carrying out reconnaissance two days ahead of the Bondi Beach attack, police allege

CCTV recorded at Bondi beach two days ahead of the attack also showed the Akrams driving to the area and carrying out reconnaissance, police alleged.

“The Accused and his father, S Akram, are seen to exit the vehicle and walk along the footbridge, being the same position where they attended two days later and shot at members of the public,” police wrote.

CCTV also captured the pair leaving rented accommodation in the Sydney suburb of Campsie hours before the attack “carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets”, police alleged.

Police said the items, which were placed in a car, were three firearms, home-made improvised explosive devices including the “tennis ball bomb” and two Islamic State flags.

They later drove to Bondi where they parked and placed the flags on the inside of the front and rear windows, police alleged. After removing the firearms and homemade bombs from the car, they walked towards the footbridge from where they carried out their attack, police alleged.

Three homemade pipe bombs and the tennis ball bomb were thrown as they approached the bridge, police alleged, but did not explode although they were assessed as “viable”. A fifth explosive device was later found in their vehicle, police had previously said.

Naveed Akram, who was shot in the abdomen and critically injured by police, did not appear at Monday’s court appearing.

Supplied

Police allege a homemade bomb was found in the boot of the Akrams’ vehicle

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 Key points

• Najib Razak is serving time in jail for the diversion of some $9.9 million from a Malaysian investment fund into his personal bank accounts
• He was prime minister during the period when $4.5 billion was stolen from the state 1MDB fund
• The looting of 1MDB is one of the biggest corruption scandals in modern history
• The court rule Najib must stay in prison for the rest of his sentence

A court in Malaysia has dismissed former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s bid to serve the remainder of his jail sentence at home.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled on Monday that a royal order, which would have allowed the measure, was invalid as it wasn’t made in accordance with constitutional requirements.

The court didn’t dispute the existence of the order issued in 2024 by the then-king, but said the king should have consulted with the pardons board first.

This means the 72-year-old will serve the remainder of his sentence for money laundering and abuse of power in prison.

He is scheduled for release in 2028 after his original 12-year-jail sentence was cut in half.

What was Najib’s role in the 1MDB corruption scandal?

Najib is serving time after being convicted on charges linked to the theft of billions of dollars from a Malaysian state fund called 1Malaysia Development Berhad but more commonly known by its abbreviation, 1MDB.

Najib launched 1MDB in 2009, when he assumed office, to promote economic development and investment.

But senior officials and their associates ended up stealing more than $4.5 billion (€3.84 billion) from the fund from 2009 to 2013, according to the US Justice Department. The money was laundered through layers of bank accounts in the United States and other countries.

It’s one of the largest corruption and embezzlement scandals in the world in recent history.

The funds were used on gambling $25 million in Las Vegas casinos, financing a Hollywood movie and extravagant purchases such as a private jet and yacht, art and jewelry.

When police searched properties linked to Najib shortly after he lost the 2018 election, they seized 1,400 necklaces, 567 handbags, 423 watches, 2,200 rings, 1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras, as well as nearly $27 million in cash, worth an estimated $273 million. Most of the jewelry belonged to his wife, Rosmah Mansor.

Najib was sentenced in 2020 for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering. The seven charges related to the diversion of some $9.9 million from a 1MDB subsidiary into his personal bank accounts. 

Separate trial decision expected on Friday

Separately, on Friday, the court will make a decision in a second graft trial against the former prime minister.

The High Court will rule on four charges of abuse of power to obtain over $700 million from 1MDB that went into Najib’s bank accounts, and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.

If found guilty, Najib faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of abuse of power and up to five years for each of the money laundering charges.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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Zelensky reports ‘constructive engagement’ in Florida on peace talks

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Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy official has rejected the latest amendments to a Donald Trump-backed peace plan – despite admitting that he hasn’t actually read them.

Yuri Ushakov, who played a key role in drafting the original version of the plan that was widely dismissed as being too pro-Russia, also played down the prospect of a three-way summit between the US, Moscow and Kyiv

“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,” Yuri Ushakov said.

The senior Kremlin official said he had not seen the exact proposals and that his criticism was “not a forecast”.

His remarks came after Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he held “productive and constructive” talks in Florida over the weekend with Ukrainian and European negotiators.

“Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine’s recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity.

Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future,” Trump’s envoy said.

French presidency welcomes Kremlin’s willingness to hold talks

The French presidency has welcomed Russia’s willingness to hold talks with Emmanuel Macron.

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s willingness to speak with Macron is “welcome”, the Elysee Palace said, adding that Paris will decide on the details “in the coming days”, reported French broadcaster BFMTV.

The remarks came shortly after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Saturday said Putin is ready to engage in dialogue with Macron.

On Friday, Macron had said it would “become useful again” for him and the Europeans to speak with Putin.

“I think that we, Europeans and Ukrainians, have an interest in finding a framework to re-engage in these discussions properly. Otherwise, we end up talking among ourselves, with negotiators who go off on their own to talk with the Russians, which is not optimal,” Macron said.

French president Emmanuel Macron welcomes Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris (Reuters)

Arpan Rai22 December 2025 05:22

Watch: Zelensky reports ‘constructive engagement’ in Florida on peace talks

Zelensky reports ‘constructive engagement’ in Florida on peace talks

Arpan Rai22 December 2025 05:10

Orban says Ukraine’s collapse would be a disaster for Hungary

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has said Ukraine’s collapse would be a disaster for his country, as he made a rare statement in support of Kyiv.

Orban was speaking during his “Country tour” rally yesterday, at a time when he faces staunch opposition ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.

“Make no mistake: Ukraine’s collapse would be a disaster for Hungary. So the collapse of Ukraine is not only in Hungary’s interest, but we must do a great deal to prevent it from happening,” he said.

“Countryside people – and real estate speculators – understand perfectly that the value of your piece of land is influenced not only by the condition of that land, but also by the condition of the neighbouring piece of land, and also by who lives there,” Orban said, addressing the city of Szeged.

Arpan Rai22 December 2025 04:55

What are the main sticking points in negotiations?

The talks between Ukraine and the US have centred on Kyiv’s insistence that it needs security guarantees to end the war.

Ukraine also says it will not and legally cannot give up territory seized by Russia.

Moscow has shown no signs of backing down from its demands, however.

Russia opposes Europe putting boots on the ground to uphold peace in Ukraine when the war ends. That makes it tricky for Europe to offer tangible security guarantees.

Ukraine’s allies in Europe continue to push for security guarantees (AFP/Getty)

Russia has gone into talks this week publicly refusing to budge on claims to the Donbas, Crimea and land in the south.

The two sides are stuck in gridlock with Trump pressuring Kyiv to give up land for a peace deal, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Ukraine’s leverage comes from Europe, which continues to offer funding and work on ‘security guarantees’.

James Reynolds22 December 2025 04:30

Ukrainian forces battle Russian breakthrough in Sumy

The Ukrainian army said it was battling an attempted Russian breakthrough in the Sumy region after Moscow claimed to have forcibly removed 50 people from a border village.

“Fighting is currently ongoing in the village of Grabovske,” Ukraine’s joint taskforce said and said their troops were “making efforts to drive the occupiers back into Russian territory”.

Russian forces have crossed the border with Ukraine in the northeastern Sumy region and taken about 50 residents of a Ukrainian border village into Russia, Ukrainian media quoted the military as saying yesterday.

Most of the local residents captured from the village were elderly people, the media said.

Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne and the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet said Russian forces entered Ukrainian territory on Saturday night in the area of the village of Hrabovske.

Arpan Rai22 December 2025 04:10

Kremlin dismissed new peace plan proposals – without actually seeing them

Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy official has accused Europe and Ukraine of prolonging the conflict with their proposals.

“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,” Yuri Ushakov said.

The senior Kremlin official said he had not seen the exact proposals and that his criticism was “not a forecast”.

He also denied that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US were under discussion, after Zelensky said Washington had proposed the idea of three-way discussions.

“At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge it is not being prepared,” he said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and his foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov attend talks in Moscow (Sputnik)

Arpan Rai22 December 2025 03:19

Ukrainian drone attack damages two vessels in Russia’s Krasnodar

At least two vessels and two piers were damaged as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Krasnodar region, authorities in the southern Russia region said today.

All crew on the ships at the Volna terminal in the region have been safely evacuated, the Krasnodar region’s operational headquarters said on the Telegram messaging app. The damage led to a fire spreading across up to 1,500 square metres (1,794 square yards), the authorities added.

Arpan Rai22 December 2025 02:56

‘I was a British PoW tortured by Russia; this is how Ukraine and the West can win this war’

Aiden Aslin, a British volunteer who joined Ukraine’s marines, was captured and tortured by Putin’s forces in 2022 and is now back fighting the Kremlin. He tells his story to the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley in eastern Ukraine:

James Reynolds22 December 2025 02:00

In pictures: Aftermath of Russian strikes on Odesa

A firefighter works at the site of a Russian missile and drone strike in Odesa (via REUTERS)A truck burns at the site of a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region (via REUTERS)

James Reynolds21 December 2025 23:55

Sanctioned Russian freighter boarded in Swedish waters overnight

Swedish authorities boarded a sanctioned Russian freighter that anchored in Swedish waters with engine problems overnight, the country’s customs service said on Sunday.

Sweden carried out an inspection of the cargo aboard the Adler, which is subject to both EU and US sanctions. Authorities declined to say what they found on board the ship.

The owners are also on the EU’s sanctions list, a spokesperson for the customs authority said.

James Reynolds21 December 2025 23:10

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Sister Wives, season 20, episode 13.

NEED TO KNOW

• Meri Brown is about to face her ex, Kody Brown, in an intense sit-down in next week’s episode
• The Dec. 21 episode ending with a clip of their heated conversation
• Sister Wives airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC

Meri Brown is about to have a very tense confrontation with ex-husband Kody Brown when they sit down together for her leg of his apology tour.

In a preview of next week’s episode of Sister Wives, Kody insisted he was “just here to apologize” to his ex-wife, but Meri seemingly wasted no time shutting him down.

“No, I’m going to tell you this Kody,” Meri snapped, interrupting Kody’s train of thought. “You’re not going to shut me down anymore.”

In a confessional, Meri doubled down. “If it gets [to be] any more than this, I’m out!” she exclaimed.

Meri Brown speak with her friends Jenn and Amber about her upcoming conversation with Kody.

TLC

On the latest episode of Sister Wives, Meri informed her friends Jenn and Amber that she would be having a conversation with Kody the next day in Cedar City, Utah. But both friends quickly raised red flags.

Meri was not without her own concerns, noting that Kody “didn’t even acknowledge my presence” during their recent meet-up at Coyote Pass with is other ex-wife Janelle and current wife Robyn.

“The last time I saw Kody, we didn’t even look at each other. It was what it was,” Meri said in a confessional. “So I’m going to go into this conversation very guarded, I think.”

Speaking with Jenn and Amber, Meri said she was “very curious to know” what Kody had up his sleeve, but was not sure how sincere Kody’s gesture was.

When asked what her best-case scenario would look like, Meri said she had already explored that option when she asked Kody via text message if they could “move forward in kindness” following their separation.

Instead of agreeing, however, Meri said Kody called her “immediately” and was instantly “defensive” about her decision to split. Though he ultimately “simmered down,” Meri felt the best-case scenario had been tossed out the window.

Kody Brown apologizes to his ex-wife Christine following their divorce.

TLC

“There have been times when I’ve had conversations with Kody and I definitely see the sincerity,” Meri said in a confessional. “And then there’s times when I’m like, are you just saying this? Is this lip service? And why?”

This time, Meri had no clue what to expect from her ex-husband. “I don’t know what Kody I’m going to get because I don’t know Kody anymore,” she said.

In a separate confessional, Kody acknowledged that his apology to Meri could “go bad very quickly.” His strategy, he noted, was to “not escalate” with his ex-wife.

“I will persevere until I can reach her, until she hears me,” Kody said.

But Meri told Jenn and Amber that she had completely lost trust in her ex-husband after several attempts to be civil with him. Instead, she said, he went on the “attack,” both on her and her friends.

“If you go on the attack on me or my best friend, then I will definitely go on the attack back,” Meri said in a confessional. Later, she revealed her own strategy for the one-on-one meeting.

Jenn, left, and Amber, right, talk with Meri about her upcoming conversation with Kody.

TLC

“I’m going to go into this conversation with Kody with very strong boundaries,” Meri explained. “His energy f—- with my energy. It just does.”

Considering the ugliness that emerged during her attempt to have a “decent divorce,” Meri had no clue what to expect from her conversation with Kody.

“Does he have some ulterior motive? I don’t even know,” she asked herself, echoing Jenn’s concern that Kody’s apology would be a “manipulative” tactic. “I’m just going to go in very open and curious.”

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.

Kody has apologized in previous episodes this season to his other ex-wives, Janelle and Christine.

“For how we broke up, for how it all went down, I want to apologize for being angry about it,” Kody told Christine, referring to their 2021 split after 25 years of marriage. “I want to apologize for the struggles.”

He said something similar to Janelle. “I just wanted to come and say that I apologize,” Kody said, mentioning that he had a list of apologies. “I just love to apologize for, the first thing is, I want to kind of go backwards. I want to apologize for just being so angry and so bitter over the family breakup, and just nobody deserved to have me be that angry.”

Sister Wives airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.

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She then called the Vice President an “assassin” in front of the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in an awkward attempt to describe JD Vance’s political style.

04:05, 22 Dec 2025Updated 04:17, 22 Dec 2025

Nicki Minaj makes EXTREMELY inappropriate assassin gaffe to Erika Kirk’s face at America Fest

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Nicki Minaj has made a surprise appearance at a political convention run by the widow of Charlie Kirk, with the rapper singing the praises of Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Minaj, real name Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, called the US President and Vice-President “role models” for young men after she arrived at the Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference hand-in-hand with Erika Kirk, the wife of political activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA and was the not-for-profit organisation’s leader up until his death. His widow, Erika, now runs the conservative activist group.

Rapper Nicki Minaj (R) and Erika Kirk, the wife of political activist Charlie Kirk, at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest convention.(Image: AP)

The rap star was interviewed at the Arizona event by Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, about her newly found support for Trump — someone she had condemned in the past — and about her actions denouncing violence against Christians in Nigeria.

Minaj told the crowd of gathered Republicans: “This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them. Our vice president, he makes me … well, I love both of them. Both of them have a very uncanny ability to be someone that you relate to.”

Then, in a horror gaffe, the 43-year-old rapper called JD Vance an “assassin” in front of Kirk’s widow. She was attempting to describe JD Vance’s political style at the time.

Minaj appeared to freeze up, seemingly regretting her words. The crowd murmured as Kirk appeared to wipe a tear from one of her eyes, with Minaj putting a hand over her own mouth, things seemed to go from bad to worse.

Nicki Minaj makes EXTREMELY inappropriate assassin gaffe to Erika Kirk’s face at America Fest

RSBN

Kirk’s widow took the slip-up with grace, however, telling the crowd that had gathered in tribute of her late-husband: “If the internet wants to clip it, who cares? I love this woman.”

Minaj said she was tired of being “pushed around,” and she said that speaking your mind with different ideas is controversial because “people are no longer using their minds.”

Vance also received an endorsement from Erika Kirk during the Arizona event, even though he has not disclosed if he will run for the White House at the next election.

At one point, Kirk thanked Minaj for being “courageous,” despite the backlash she received from the entertainment industry for her support for Trump. Minaj replied with: “I didn’t notice.”

Last month, the rapper took to social media to reveal herself as a fan of Trump and his polices. She shared a message that was originally posted by the US President about Christian persecution in Nigeria.

Trump had floated the idea of implementing sanctions for the West African nation on his Truth Social platform.

“Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God,” Minaj wrote on X. She was then invited to speak at a panel at the US mission to the United Nations along with US Ambassador Mike Waltz and other religious leaders.

In 2018, the Trinidadian-born star was one of several celebrities that condemned Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy, which saw more than 5,000 children separated from their families at the US-Mexico border. Back then, she shared her own story of arriving to the country at five-years-old, describing herself as an “illegal immigrant.”

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High Court says a royal document allowing the ex-PM’s transfer to house arrest was not valid.

Published On 22 Dec 202522 Dec 2025

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A court in Malaysia has ‍dismissed jailed ‍former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s bid to serve the remainder of his sentence for corruption at home, ruling that a royal document allowing the ⁠move was not valid.

The ruling on Monday dealt another blow to Najib, who has been imprisoned since August 2022 for his role in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal.

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Najib had sought to compel Malaysian authorities to ‍confirm the ⁠existence of and execute a royal order that he said was issued last year as part of a pardon by the then-king, entitling him to serve the remainder of his sentence at ​home.

Kuala Lumpur High Court ‌judge Alice Loke said on Monday that the existence of the order was not in dispute, but the former king should ‌have consulted the country’s pardons board before making the order ‌to allow Najib house arrest.

“The court ruled that the king could not grant house arrest independently of the pardons board,” she wrote. “I’m of the view that a house arrest order is not capable of execution, no legal provision for such a mechanism in Malaysia.”

Najib did not show much emotion, and later smiled when his lawyer described the ruling as “shocking” after the judge left the courtroom.

Najib denies wrongdoing, alleging that Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho duped him. Low, thought to be the mastermind of the scandal, remains at large.

Former Malaysian parliament member Charles Santiago, who had pushed for the prosecution of Najib, hailed Monday’s ruling in a social media post.

“Faith in the judiciary restored,” he wrote.

The country’s pardons board announced last year that it had reduced to six years the original sentence of Najib, who was convicted and sent to jail for 12 years for corruption.

Najib is set to be released on August 23, 2028, and fines imposed on him were reduced to 50 million ringgit ($10.6m) from 210 million ringgit ($44.5m), according to the pardons board.

Separately on Friday, the former leader will also find out if he is acquitted or convicted in a second graft trial that ties him directly to the 1MDB scandal.

The High Court will rule on four charges of abuse of power to obtain over $700m from 1MDB that went into Najib’s bank accounts, and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.

If found guilty, Najib faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of abuse of power and up to five years for each of the money laundering charges.

Najib set up the 1MDB development fund shortly after he took office in 2009. Investigators allege at least $4.5bn was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the US and other countries.

The funds were allegedly used to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases that included hotels, a luxury yacht, art and jewelry.

A national outrage over the 1MDB scandal led to the historic 2018 election defeat of the party that had governed Malaysia since independence from the United Kingdom in 1957.

Despite his conviction, Najib still holds clout in his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is now part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim‘s unity government that took power after elections in 2022.

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Sussan Ley and other senior Coalition politicians have linked the Labor government’s recognition of Palestine to the antisemitic Bondi terror attack and attacked Penny Wong for not shedding tears in public at an extraordinary press conference on Monday.

The spray from Coalition MPs came amid growing demands for prime minister Anthony Albanese to call a royal commission into the Bondi attack, with criticism from the Coalition, Jewish groups and even some Labor MPs that the government’s review of the intelligence community is too narrow.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley was visibly angry at a press conference on Monday morning, raising her voice as she hit out at foreign minister Penny Wong for not visiting the site of last Sunday’s attack.

“I haven’t seen Penny Wong shed a single tear,” she said.

Shadow minister Bridget McKenzie went further, linking, without evidence. Wong’s failure to visit certain sites of Hamas’ 7 October massacre in Israel and other government policies to the Bondi massacre.

“Penny Wong, the answers you’ve been giving on why you didn’t go to Kibbutz Be’eri, why you didn’t turn up to the Nova music site when you went to Israel, all of this, recognition of Palestine, all of these decisions of your government have brought this upon us,” McKenzie claimed.

“So we need a royal commission to actually uncover that and give our Jewish community and all Australians a chance to get the answers.”

Nationals senator McKenzie, who has criticised Labor’s plans for firearms reform, claimed the problem was “not the gun, it’s Islamic extremism, and it’s in our suburbs.”

“For too long, we’ve papered over that reality in some hope of, you know, this multicultural nirvana. But it has failed.”

Wong’s trip included meeting Israeli government officials and families of hostages held by Hamas.

Wong, speaking to the ABC on Monday, strongly condemned antisemitism and the Bondi attack, again calling “to turn the temperature down” in Australia’s national debate.

Shadow education minister Julian Leeser, who is Jewish, said Australia’s Jewish community “cannot survive on the crumbs of this government and appalling Prime Minister, who is always late to the party”, criticising Labor for being “late to act” on banning doxxing and banning Nazi symbols.

Government sources noted the Coalition had voted against Labor’s anti-doxxing legislation in November 2024, and had not taken stronger action on banning Nazi symbols during their time in government.

McKenzie, standing alongside Ley – a former convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine group – claimed Labor’s August recognition of Palestine had been among decisions which “brought this upon us”.

Around 150 countries worldwide have recognised Palestine. The government’s announcement in August of its intention to recognise Palestine came as France, Canada and the United Kingdom made their own pledges to recognise Palestine. There is no evidence the August announcement had any bearing on the IS-inspired terror attack from Sajid and Naveen Akram, a fruit shop owner and bricklayer.

Albanese announced his government’s intention to recognise Palestine amidst global condemnation of Israel’s military bombardment of Gaza, where more than 60,000 people at the time had been killed – mostly civilians, according to local health authorities – following the 7 October 2023 terror attack by Hamas where 1,200 Israelis were murdered and dozens taken hostage.

While the New South Wales government has announced its own state-based royal commission, Albanese’s government has rejected questions about such a federal inquiry. Treasurer Jim Chalmers last week said the government wanted federal agencies “100% focused” on investigating the shooting that left 15 Jewish victims dead, rather than “delayed or deterred by a Royal Commission.”

Albanese on Saturday said federal agencies would cooperate with NSW’s royal commission, and instead ordered his department to lead a review into federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies – a response immediately branded inadequate by the Coalition.

Federal Labor MPs Mike Freelander and Ed Husic have backed calls for a federal royal commission. Freelander, who is Jewish, told the Australian Financial Review that there were “national issues” for the federal government to deal with; reached by Guardian Australia, Freelander confirmed his position but declined to comment further.

Husic, also contacted for comment, was quoted by the AFR as saying “I’d be concerned that federal agencies might feel that they wouldn’t have the ability to participate fully in a state-based inquiry.”

NSW premier Chris Minns on Monday said he expected cooperation from federal authorities on his state’s royal commission, which he promised would be “as comprehensive as possible”.

Ley’s federal Coalition has demanded a royal commission into antisemitism more broadly, including “attitudes towards… the state of Israel”, conduct at universities and in the arts sector, how state and federal agencies responded to counter-terror and extremism, and visa policies.

Ley, raising her voice in a direct attack on Wong, lashed the foreign minister’s statement as “ridiculous remarks”.

“I haven’t seen Penny Wong on the streets of Bondi. I haven’t seen Penny Wong at the vigil for 15 innocent murdered Australians. I didn’t see Penny Wong at Bondi last night at the eighth night of Hanukkah. I didn’t see Penny Wong attend a single funeral,” Ley said.

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Abu Bakar Yasinand

Naomi Clarke,BBC Newsbeat

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The Fulham midfielder will represent his home country Nigeria in the competition

He’s played on some of the biggest stages in the world in the Premier League, but Alex Iwobi believes the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is a “special” experience.

The tournament will see 24 teams battling for the continental crown across the next couple of weeks.

Fulham midfielder Iwobi will represent his home country of Nigeria in the competition, where they will be hoping to clinch the title after missing out in a 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in 2023’s final.

“With Afcon, you get to celebrate Africa through football,” he tells BBC Newsbeat.

“You get to see different cultures, you get to see how different people dress, how people from Nigeria, the way we walk into the changing rooms.

“When some of the other countries walk into the changing rooms, we play music, so we’re celebrating our music through that as well.”

Nigeria will be hoping to redeem themselves after failing to qualify for a second successive World Cup.

Iwobi says it was a “big disappointment”, but the team will be using it to fuel them in the Afcon tournament.

“We owe it to ourselves to make it right, and there’s no better way from the last Afcon to improve (than) just to win this one,” the 29-year-old says.

Afcon is typically held every two years and this time Morocco is hosting.

Nigeria have won the competition three times over the years, the last being back in 2013.

Their most recent loss to Ivory Coast is still prominent in Iwobi’s mind as he says it “shattered” their dreams.

However, he feels the moment was “written” for striker Sébastien Haller, who scored the winning goal after overcoming testicular cancer.

“It was a tough loss, but you give credit when credit due, they deserved it,” Iwobi says.

“But it’s also fuelled us and we’ve been working hard to get into the Afcon again and, hopefully, this is our story.”

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Alex Iwobi made his debut for Nigeria’s national team in 2015

The Fulham midfielder was born in Lagos, but moved to London as a child. His talent was spotted early and he was selected to represent England up to under-18 level.

After many years with the Three Lions, he made his debut for Nigeria’s national team in 2015 as he says he felt more “at home” with the team.

“England treated me with a lot of respect and they loved me,” he says. “But at the same time, I felt more of a connection with my roots in Nigeria.”

He has since made 91 appearances, making him the fourth most capped player for the Nigerian Super Eagles.

Iwobi says he never thought he would play for Arsenal, Fulham, or Nigeria growing up, but he is “honoured and grateful” for his achievements.

Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey and Iwobi’s school friend Ola Aina are also among the players on the Nigerian national team who were not raised in the country.

They have been affectionately nicknamed the “innit boys”, and Iwobi hopes they have helped open the door for others to represent their home country.

“You’re Nigerian at the end of the day and you will get loved regardless,” he says.

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Iwobi says he never thought we would play for Arsenal, Fulham, or Nigeria in his career

There has been debate over whether Afcon gets the respect it deserves.

Earlier this year, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher caused a stir when he suggested Afcon was not considered a “major tournament”, when discussing Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the coveted Ballon d’Or.

Iwobi feels there is still more work to be done.

“It’s obviously getting recognised a lot more,” he says. “There’s a lot of great talents, great nations representing.

“In the Premier League there’s a lot of players in each team that are going to be represented so the awareness is growing, but it definitely deserves a lot more respect, in my opinion.”

If he wins the tournament, the Fulham player says he will be on the phone to his parents and sister straight away, while his extended family will be dancing.

“I’ve heard from previous people that when they win it, it’s like everything just stops, you become like a king, you’re just royalty,” he says.

“Just going to the final we got treated like royalty anyway, so I can’t imagine winning it.

“It would just be crazy, but I want to experience that.”

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.

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