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Today — 16 December 2025News

中国外交部驻港公署:外部干预黎智英案注定失败

16 December 2025 at 07:16

香港法院裁定,壹传媒集团创办人黎智英三项国安罪名皆成立,中国外交部驻港公署称“正义审判不容置喙,外部干预注定失败”。

据中新社报道,外交部驻港公署发言人星期一(12月15日)说,坚决支持香港特区依法裁决黎智英串谋勾结外部势力危害国家安全罪及串谋发布煽动刊物罪等罪名成立。针对英国、澳大利亚、美国、德国等国家、欧盟及个别政客就此定罪裁决说三道四、公然干预抹黑香港司法,表示强烈不满和坚决反对,予以严厉谴责。

发言人称,香港是法治社会,法律面前人人平等,没有任何人拥有凌驾于法律之上的特权。黎智英是反中乱港事件的主要策划者和参与者,是外部反华势力的“代理人”和“马前卒”,其言行严重危害国家安全。香港特区司法机关依法履职尽责,维护法律权威,捍卫国家安全,合情合理合法,不容置喙。黎案与“新闻自由”毫无关系。任何企图为黎洗白、通过政治施压干预司法的行径,都是对法治精神的公然践踏。

发言人称,个别国家和政客,长期以来打着“人权”“自由”幌子抹黑香港法治,妄图破坏香港繁荣稳定、干涉中国内政。当他们执行维护自身国家安全的法律时,他们称之为“捍卫法治”;而当香港特区依法采取同等性质行动时,却被污蔑为“压制自由”。这种典型的双重标准,充分暴露其虚伪面目和险恶用心。

发言人称,有关司法案件纯属香港特区内部事务,不容干涉。有关国家和政客的拙劣表演阻挡不了香港由治及兴的历史大势,虚张声势的制裁威胁注定徒劳无功。中方敦促有关国家和政客认清现实、悬崖勒马,立即停止干预香港事务和中国内政。

78岁的黎智英是已停刊的《苹果日报》创办人,2020年8月涉违反《香港国安法》被捕。案件于2023年12月开审,经过156天审讯,今年8月完成聆讯。

香港法院星期一公布裁决,裁定黎智英两项串谋勾结外国或境外势力危害国家安全罪,以及一项串谋发布煽动刊物罪,罪名全部成立。

黎智英定罪后,数国政府和国际组织予以谴责。英国外长顾绮慧(Yvette Cooper)指,黎智英因和平行使言论自由权利而成打压对象,呼吁立即释放黎智英。澳大利亚政府也发声明,对黎智英被定罪表达关切。

E.U. Flies 110 Tons of Aid to Darfur. But Will It Reach Those In Need?

16 December 2025 at 06:39
The European Union has mounted an “air bridge” effort, with at least eight aid flights planned to Sudan. But getting supplies to the areas with the most dire need is an enormous challenge.

© Mohammed Jamal/Reuters

A camp in North Darfur, Sudan, for people displaced by the country’s civil war, which has created a humanitarian crisis.

Anthony Geary, Luke on ‘General Hospital,’ Dies at 78

By: Sopan Deb
16 December 2025 at 06:20
Portraying Luke Spencer, he was one of the best-known soap opera stars in American television. His onscreen romance with Laura Webber, played by Genie Francis, changed the landscape of daytime television.

© ABC Photo Archives/Disney

Rob Reiner's son Nick arrested for murder after director and wife found dead

16 December 2025 at 05:26
Getty Images Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer ReinerGetty Images
The couple were found dead in their home with multiple stab wounds, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News

A son of film director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner has been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder after the couple were found dead in their Los Angeles home.

The Los Angeles Police Department said on Monday that Nick Reiner, 32, had been arrested and that he was in custody with no bail.

The deceased couple's 28-year-old daughter, Romy, found her parents in their home with multiple stab wounds on Sunday, sources told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Rob Reiner is known for directing several iconic films in a variety of genres, including When Harry Met Sally, This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, Misery and A Few Good Men.

Emergency services were called to provide medical aid at the Reiners' Brentwood, California, home at around 15:38 local time (23:38 GMT) on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said two people - later identified as Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, 68 - were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said Nick Reiner was arrested several hours later, at about 21:15 local time on Sunday. Investigators have not publicly outlined a motive and said the investigation remains ongoing.

Getty Images Rob Reiner and family at an eventGetty Images
Rob Reiner and his family, including son Nick (fourth from left) attend a movie premiere

Nick Reiner has spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction and homelessness. His experiences formed the basis of the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, which he made with his father in 2015.

The family's home is in Brentwood, a wealthy celebrity enclave full of large mansions, boutique shops and restaurants. On Monday morning, a security guard stood outside the home as media gathered outside the front gate.

Rob Reiner, the son of comedy great Carl Reiner, began his career in the 1960s and rose to fame playing Meathead in the TV sitcom All in The Family.

He cemented his success with the cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap in 1984, which he directed and starred in.

Reiner was married to Laverne & Shirley actress Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981 and is the adoptive father to Marshall's daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.

He married Michele Reiner in 1989, who he said he met during the making of the romantic comedy-drama film When Harry Met Sally. The couple have three children together.

EPA A guard stands in front of the Reiner homeEPA
A guard stood in front of the Reiner home on Monday as people and media gathered after hearing the news

Michele Reiner was an actress, photographer and producer, and the founder of Reiner Light, a photography agency and production company.

Rob Reiner was also known for his outspoken political activism and support for Democratic candidates.

In a post calling their deaths "very sad", President Donald Trump criticised Reiner, saying that they "reportedly" died "due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction" with "Trump Derangement Syndrome".

"He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump," the president wrote.

It is not clear what reports the president was referring to, and while the investigation is being treated as a homicide, police have yet to comment on any possible motive.

The president and his allies often used the term Trump Derangement Syndrome in reference to those who are critical of him. Reiner was a vocal critic of Trump's.

Several Republicans criticised Trump over the post, including former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said the deaths were a "family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies".

"Many families deal with a family member with drug addiction and mental health issues. It's incredibly difficult and should be met with empathy especially when it ends in murder," she said.

"These go to 11" - watch Rob Reiner in the amplifier scene from This is Spinal Tap, one of the films he directed

Trump's post was also met with anger by some of the Reiners' friends.

In a post on X, Maria Shriver, the former first lady of California and longtime friend of the Reiners, said the couple were "devoted parents".

"They deeply loved all their children and they never gave up trying to care for them," she said.

Sir Elton John, who made an appearance in this year's Spinal Tap sequel, said: "I am in disbelief at today's news of Rob and Michele.

"They were two of the most beautiful people I'd ever met and they deserved better."

Fellow actor John Cusack, who appeared in Reiner's 1985 film The Sure Thing, called him "a great man", while Elijah Wood, who starred in 1994's North, said he was "horrified" by the couple's deaths.

Darts star Menzies apologies for punching table after five-set defeat

16 December 2025 at 03:25

Menzies apologises for punching table after loss

Cameron Menzies was pictured with blood on his right hand as he left the stageImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Cameron Menzies was pictured with blood on his right hand as he left the stage

  • Published

Cameron Menzies has apologised for angrily punching a drinks table after his five-set defeat by Charlie Manby in the first round of the PDC World Championship.

The 26th seed from Scotland hit the underside of the table three times before holding his hand up in apology to the Alexandra Palace crowd as he left the stage.

Menzies, 36, was pictured with blood pouring from a gash on his right hand.

He had led 1-0 and 2-1 in sets before highly rated English debutant Manby, 20, fought back and clinched victory with his seventh match dart.

In a statement released after the match, Menzies said: "First of all, I would like to apologise for what happened. I am sorry that I reacted in the manner that I did.

"It's not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind recently and I suppose it all just became too much at the end.

"It has not been an easy time for me with my uncle Gary passing away recently. I saw him four days before he died and he gave me a look which told me how much he thought of me.

"Had I won the game against Charlie, my second match would have been on the day of Gary's funeral and that hasn't been lost on me.

"Let me say again, that's no excuse for what I did on the stage. It was the wrong thing to do and I don't want it to take anything away from Charlie. He played well.

"This is not how I would like people to view me. Yes, I can get emotional at times, but not like that and that wasn't right."

Professional Darts Corporation chief executive Matt Porter said: "I spoke with Cameron and his management before he left the venue, and he knows there is support available from the PDC and the PDPA [Professional Darts Players Association].

"Any incident of this nature is reported to the Darts Regulation Authority for review, but our main priority is the player's health and wellbeing."

It is the second year running that Menzies has been knocked out in the first round, after he broke down in tears during and following his exit to Leonard Gates last December.

Menzies later revealed his father Ricky had been ill in hospital at the time.

Cameron Menzies is directed off stage by a refereeImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Menzies was directed off stage by the referee after punching a drinks table

Cameron Menzies holds up hand in apologyImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Menzies held his hand up in apology to the crowd when leaving the stage

Players can be sanctioned under Darts Regulation Authority rules for aggressive, disruptive or abusive behaviour.

Former World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle said on Sky Sports: "The frustration boiled over, the anger and the anguish of losing, but you've got to control that. That's what conducting yourself in the right way is all about.

"He let himself down and I'm sure he'll be punished accordingly by the Darts Regulation Authority, but hopefully the Professional Darts Players Association are there for him.

"You've got to control yourself and he didn't and you can't do that anywhere, let alone on the biggest stage of them all. I hope he can correct his behaviour and move forward."

Former champion Wright safely through

Also in Monday's afternoon session, two-time champion Peter Wright made it through to round two with a straight-set win over Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

The 55-year-old Scot, wearing a festive-themed outfit, landed a 152 checkout in the first set and was taken to a deciding leg in the second, before closing out victory comfortably in the third.

Wright, who will face German Arno Merk in round two, told Sky Sports: "I know I didn't play well but I will play well in the next round. You've got to grow into the tournament."

Wright, the winner in 2020 and 2022, has struggled for form in recent times and has slipped to 30th in the PDC world rankings as a result.

He reached the quarter-finals last year, ending Luke Humphries' title defence on his way to the last eight before losing to Stephen Bunting.

Peter Wright celebratesImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Peter Wright hit nine of his 16 attempts at doubles during his first-round victory

Van Leuven, who became the first transgender player to appear at the PDC World Championship last year, was one of five players from the Women's Series to qualify for the event at Alexandra Palace.

Beau Greaves topped the series and faces Daryl Gurney first on Friday as she looks to become only the second female player to win a match in the tournament, after fellow qualifier Fallon Sherrock, who won twice at the event in December 2019.

Three places were on offer from the series, along with a spot for the Women's Matchplay winner - a title taken by Lisa Ashton, who lost to 2023 world champion Michael Smith in the first round on Thursday.

With Greaves qualifying in her own right as runner-up on the Development Tour, that meant Women's Series runner-up Sherrock, Van Leuven in fourth and Gemma Hayter, who finished fifth, joined third-placed Ashton.

Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan hit a 170 checkout to seal the second set in his 3-1 victory over England's Tavis Dudeney, while Austria's Mensur Suljovic beat Canada's David Cameron by the same scoreline.

Monday results and schedule

  • Brendan Dolan 3-1 Tavis Dudeney

  • Cameron Menzies 2-3 Charlie Manby

  • Mensur Suljovic 3-1 David Cameron

  • Peter Wright 3-0 Noa-Lynn van Leuven

From 19:00 GMT

  • Martin Lukeman v Max Hopp

  • Dirk van Duijvenbode v Andy Baetens

  • Jonny Clayton v Adam Lipscombe

  • Connor Scutt v Simon Whitlock

Related topics

Rob Reiner's son Nick arrested for murder after director and wife found dead

16 December 2025 at 05:26
Getty Images Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer ReinerGetty Images
The couple were found dead in their home with multiple stab wounds, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News

A son of film director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner has been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder after the couple were found dead in their Los Angeles home.

The Los Angeles Police Department said on Monday that Nick Reiner, 32, had been arrested and that he was in custody with no bail.

The deceased couple's 28-year-old daughter, Romy, found her parents in their home with multiple stab wounds on Sunday, sources told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Rob Reiner is known for directing several iconic films in a variety of genres, including When Harry Met Sally, This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, Misery and A Few Good Men.

Emergency services were called to provide medical aid at the Reiners' Brentwood, California, home at around 15:38 local time (23:38 GMT) on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said two people - later identified as Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, 68 - were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said Nick Reiner was arrested several hours later, at about 21:15 local time on Sunday. Investigators have not publicly outlined a motive and said the investigation remains ongoing.

Getty Images Rob Reiner and family at an eventGetty Images
Rob Reiner and his family, including son Nick (fourth from left) attend a movie premiere

Nick Reiner has spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction and homelessness. His experiences formed the basis of the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, which he made with his father in 2015.

The family's home is in Brentwood, a wealthy celebrity enclave full of large mansions, boutique shops and restaurants. On Monday morning, a security guard stood outside the home as media gathered outside the front gate.

Rob Reiner, the son of comedy great Carl Reiner, began his career in the 1960s and rose to fame playing Meathead in the TV sitcom All in The Family.

He cemented his success with the cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap in 1984, which he directed and starred in.

Reiner was married to Laverne & Shirley actress Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981 and is the adoptive father to Marshall's daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.

He married Michele Reiner in 1989, who he said he met during the making of the romantic comedy-drama film When Harry Met Sally. The couple have three children together.

EPA A guard stands in front of the Reiner homeEPA
A guard stood in front of the Reiner home on Monday as people and media gathered after hearing the news

Michele Reiner was an actress, photographer and producer, and the founder of Reiner Light, a photography agency and production company.

Rob Reiner was also known for his outspoken political activism and support for Democratic candidates.

In a post calling their deaths "very sad", President Donald Trump criticised Reiner, saying that they "reportedly" died "due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction" with "Trump Derangement Syndrome".

"He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump," the president wrote.

It is not clear what reports the president was referring to, and while the investigation is being treated as a homicide, police have yet to comment on any possible motive.

The president and his allies often used the term Trump Derangement Syndrome in reference to those who are critical of him. Reiner was a vocal critic of Trump's.

Several Republicans criticised Trump over the post, including former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said the deaths were a "family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies".

"Many families deal with a family member with drug addiction and mental health issues. It's incredibly difficult and should be met with empathy especially when it ends in murder," she said.

"These go to 11" - watch Rob Reiner in the amplifier scene from This is Spinal Tap, one of the films he directed

Trump's post was also met with anger by some of the Reiners' friends.

In a post on X, Maria Shriver, the former first lady of California and longtime friend of the Reiners, said the couple were "devoted parents".

"They deeply loved all their children and they never gave up trying to care for them," she said.

Sir Elton John, who made an appearance in this year's Spinal Tap sequel, said: "I am in disbelief at today's news of Rob and Michele.

"They were two of the most beautiful people I'd ever met and they deserved better."

Fellow actor John Cusack, who appeared in Reiner's 1985 film The Sure Thing, called him "a great man", while Elijah Wood, who starred in 1994's North, said he was "horrified" by the couple's deaths.

US offers Ukraine 'strong' security guarantees but territory still unresolved

15 December 2025 at 20:30
Reuters Several men sit around a long oval table. On the left are Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and on the right are Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus GrynkewichReuters
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, US envoy Steve Witkoff in Berlin on Sunday

Talks between Ukraine and the US aimed at reaching a peace deal with Russia are continuing in Berlin for a second day.

Zelensky and his chief negotiator Rustem Umerov met US envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner for five hours on Sunday, joined by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"A lot of progress was made," a US readout said. The same team resumed talks on Monday morning.

Ahead of the start of the meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky signalled he would give up ambitions to join Nato in exchange for security guarantees.

Recognising that "some partners from the US and Europe" did not support Ukraine's bid for Nato membership, Zelensky said he was instead seeking strong security guarantees modelled on Nato's Article 5 clause of mutual protection.

"And this is already a compromise on our part," he said on Sunday.

Witkoff has travelled to Moscow to hold talks with Vladimir Putin on several occasions, but Sunday's meeting at the chancellery in Berlin was the first time he met Zelensky. Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich was also present at the talks.

Several European leaders as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to join further talks with the Ukrainian and US delegations on Monday evening.

At the core of the discussions in Berlin is the 20-point peace plan proposal presented to the US by Ukraine last week to counter an initial American plan which was seen as heavily favouring Russia.

Details haven't been shared, but last week Zelensky said the points should be seen as a "foundation" on which to build provisions for the reconstruction of Ukraine and security guarantees.

For Russia, Kyiv's membership of Nato is a red line, and Moscow has repeatedly demanded that any ambitions for Ukraine to join the alliance are shelved forever. "This issue is one of the cornerstones and requires special discussion," said the Kremlin on Monday.

The US too has repeatedly stated it does not want Ukraine to be part of Nato. But Kyiv fears that a peace deal without watertight security guarantees would fail to detract Russia from attacking again.

Before the talks began, Zelensky also addressed the thorny issue of sovereignty over the eastern region of the Donbas, which Russia mostly occupies and which it wants Kyiv to hand over in their entirety.

The Ukrainian president said that while he was open to freezing the conflict along the current front line he was not prepared to have his troops withdraw from the percentage of the Donbas they still hold - unless Russian forces did the same in the areas they control.

For it to be a fair arrangement Russia would have to withdraw the same distance, Zelensky said. This matter was "extremely sensitive and heated," he added.

Any proposal hashed out by the Ukrainian, American and European side will still have to be presented to Moscow – although Zelensky said that the US delegation "so to speak present the Russian side's perspective, because they relay Russia's signals, demands, steps, and indications of readiness or lack thereof."

The Kremlin said it expected the US to provide us with the "concept" discussed on Monday.

The talks in Berlin come at a crucial time for Ukraine, which is enduring its fourth winter of war amid sustained power cuts caused by Russia's attacks on its energy facilities. Over the weekend more than a million households in Ukraine were left without electricity following a barrage of strikes.

Later this week, EU countries will be voting on a plan to send €90bn (£78.6bn) worth of frozen Russian assets held in a Belgium-based financial institution to prop up Ukraine's economy.

On Friday, EU governments agreed to immobilise the Russian assets indefinitely - but there is no consensus yet on whether they can be sent to Ukraine. Belgium has been resisting the legally contentious proposal, and in recent days other countries, including Italy, have said "alternative options" should be put forward.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged the discussions were "increasingly difficult".

"But we're doing the work, and we still have some days," she added.

A map of Ukraine's south-eastern territories under Russian occupation

Harvard’s President Will Stay in the Role Indefinitely

16 December 2025 at 05:29
Alan M. Garber was appointed after his predecessor resigned under pressure. He has been in the role as Harvard fended off challenges from the Trump administration.

© Libby O'Neill/Getty Images

Harvard’s president, Alan M. Garber, at the college’s commencement in May.

Ford Will Take $19.5 Billion Hit as It Rolls Back E.V. Plans

16 December 2025 at 07:10
Ford Motor said the costs came from its decision to make fewer electric vehicles than it had planned and more hybrids that use both gasoline engines and batteries.

© Brittany Greeson for The New York Times

A Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck at the company’s plant in Dearborn, Mich., in 2022. The Lightning will no longer be a pure electric vehicle.

Albanese Vows to Toughen Gun Laws After Deadly Bondi Shooting

The police said on Monday that they expected to bring criminal charges against the surviving suspect, who is in a coma after being shot by the police.

© Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

A makeshift memorial at Bondi pavilion, near the site of the attack, in Sydney, Australia, on Monday.

Controlling Blood Sugar Cut Heart Disease Risk in Half, New Study Says

16 December 2025 at 04:41
People who brought their blood glucose down to a normal level had a lower risk of death from heart disease or hospitalization for heart failure after 20 years.

© Rachel Bujalski for The New York Times

How the Pandemic Lockdowns Changed a Songbird’s Beak

16 December 2025 at 04:00
For ecologists, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented a remarkable natural experiment in what can happen to wild animals when humans stay home.

© Alex Fu

Dark-eyed juncos, normally forest-dwelling, have occupied Los Angeles for about 20 years.

Furlough not perfect but prevented mass unemployment, Sunak says

16 December 2025 at 01:06
PA Media Rishi Sunak sitting down at the Covid inquiry giving evidence. He is wearing a dark-blue suit with a white shirt and royal blue tie. PA Media

Rishi Sunak has said there was no "toolkit" to deal with the economic shock caused by the Covid pandemic.

The former Conservative prime minister, who was chancellor during the crisis, told an inquiry there was "not a playbook" to guide how to respond and deal with the economy being ground to a halt due to the lockdown.

"We were dealing with something no one had dealt with before," he said.

Sunak added job losses as a result of people being told to stay at home were unavoidable, but said the government was "successful in preventing mass unemployment".

The former PM was giving evidence to the public inquiry into the pandemic on Monday, answering questions on the policies he set out to support workers' incomes and keep businesses afloat.

He said that at the outbreak of the crisis, there was an "enormous amount of uncertainty", with policymakers and experts unsure of the scale and duration of the virus and how the population would respond to any measures imposed by the government.

"There was not a toolkit, there was not a playbook that you could pull of the shelf that said this is how you tend to deal with pandemics in the same way you somewhat have with other economic shocks or financial shocks," he said.

Over the past three weeks, the inquiry has been delving into the economic response to the pandemic, hearing from former ministers, treasury officials and central bankers.

Sunak's appearance on Monday was the second time he has taken the stand, after previously giving evidence in December 2023 when he was still prime minister.

He was appointed chancellor of Boris Johnson's government on 13 February, and was preparing to present a Budget before the pandemic hit UK shores and the country was put into lockdown a month later.

Sunak told the inquiry that one of his priorities was to prevent mass unemployment and said "speed was paramount" in the government's response.

He said there was an "acknowledgement" in the Treasury that they were not going to "get everything right straight away".

"We could not let perfect be the enemy of the good," he said. "We had to get things out fast."

Sunak said it was not possible "to save every person's job", but said that "as it turned out, the impact on living standards particularly for the most vulnerable in society... were stronger that I would have perhaps anticipated going into this and I'm very proud of that".

The coronavirus job retention scheme, known as furlough, was announced by Sunak in March 2020.

At his previous appearance in front of the inquiry, Sunak defended his Eat Out to Help Out policy, which was one of the government's policy measures aimed to support businesses reopening after the first lockdown.

Iranian Nobel laureate taken to hospital after 'violent arrest', family says

16 December 2025 at 02:11
Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images Narges Mohammadi sits in her apartment in Tehran on 16 January 2025Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Narges Mohammadi was given temporary release from prison on medical grounds last year (file photo)

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was taken to hospital after being beaten when she was arrested last week, her family says.

The 53-year-old human rights activist told them in a phone call on Sunday that she was brought to an emergency department twice after being "attacked by plain clothed agents with severe and repeated baton blows to the head and neck", according to the Narges Foundation.

There was no comment from Iranian authorities, but they have said she was detained for making "provocative remarks" at a memorial ceremony in the city of Mashhad on Friday.

The Nobel Committee and award-winning film-maker Jafar Panahi are among those calling for her release.

Ms Mohammadi, the vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against female oppression in Iran and promoting human rights.

She has spent more than 10 years of her life in prison. Since 2021, she has been serving a 13-year sentence on charges of committing "propaganda activity against the state" and "collusion against state security", which she denied.

In December 2024, she was given a temporary release from Tehran's notorious Evin prison on medical grounds.

She has continued campaigning while undergoing treatment.

On Friday, she gave a speech at a memorial ceremony in Mashhad for Khosrow Alikordi, a human rights activist and lawyer who was found dead earlier this month in what human rights groups described as "suspicious" circumstances.

According to the Narges Foundation, eyewitnesses cited by Ms Mohammadi's family said that she was attacked by around 15 plainclothes agents at the memorial, and that some were seen pulling her hair and beating her with clubs and batons.

On Sunday evening, Ms Mohammadi made a brief phone call to her family and told them that "the intensity of the blows was so heavy, forceful, and repeated that she was taken to the hospital emergency room twice", a statement said.

"She emphasised that she does not even know which security authority is currently detaining her, and that no explanation has been given in this regard. Her physical condition at the time of the call was not good, and she appeared unwell," it added.

The Narges Foundation cited Ms Mohammadi as saying that she was accused of "co-operating with the Israeli government" and that they had made a death threat, telling her: "We will put your mother into mourning."

The statement said that two other activists detained at the memorial ceremony, Sepideh Gholian and Pouran Nazemi, were also beaten by the plainclothes agents.

Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar told reporters on Saturday that Ms Mohammadi was among 39 people arrested.

He said that she and Khosrow Alikordi's brother, Javad, had encouraged those present "to chant norm-breaking slogans" and "disturb the peace".

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Friday that it was deeply concerned by what it called the "brutal arrest" of Ms Mohammadi and called on Iranian authorities to "ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions".

Jafar Panahi, fellow film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof and more than a dozen other activists said in a joint statement that what happened at Alikordi's memorial ceremony "was a stark reflection of the worrying state of freedom and security, and, consequently, the inefficiency and lack of accountability of the authorities in today's Iran".

Mariah Carey to perform at Winter Olympics opening ceremony

16 December 2025 at 02:00

Carey to sing at Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Mariah Carey performs at her Christmastime in Las Vegas eventImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Mariah Carey has sold more than 200 million albums since her debut in 1990

  • Published

American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey will perform at the opening ceremony of next year's Winter Olympics.

The five-time Grammy award-winner will be one of the "leading performers" for the event at Milan's San Siro stadium - the home of football clubs Inter and AC Milan - on Friday, 6 February.

The Games in Milan and Cortina run from 6-22 February.

Athletes will be able to participate in the ceremony from other venues in Milan, Cortina, Valtellina and Val di Fiemme.

Carey, 56, has headlined major sporting events in the past, having sung the USA's national anthem before the NFL's Super Bowl in 2002 and at the NBA All-Star game in 2003, and performed her own song at the 2020 US Open women's tennis final.

She will be following in the footsteps of Celine Dion and Lady Gaga, who both performed at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Staff strike forces Louvre to close doors to visitors

15 December 2025 at 23:40
Getty Images Strikers with placards and red flags at the Louvre MusuemGetty Images

The Louvre museum in Paris was forced to close on Monday as its employees went on strike over working conditions and pay, leaving thousands of would-be visitors disappointed.

The walkout at the world's most visited museum in the French capital was earlier backed unanimously by some 400 staff, trade unions announced.

They said understaffed museum workers were being required to cope with ever increasing flows of people. The management did not comment immediately.

Nearly two months ago burglars stole French crown jewels worth €88m (£76m; $102m), exposing glaring security gaps. And last week a water leak in the museum damaged hundreds of books.

In their strike notice to Culture Minister Rachida Dati, the CFDT, CGT and Sud unions pointed to "deteriorating working conditions" and "insufficient resources" at the Louvre.

"We need a change of approach... regarding the priorities and urgent needs" of the museum, CGT representative Christian Galani was quoted as saying by BFMTV news website.

The Louvre's reception and security sector, he said, had "lost 200 full-time equivalent positions in the space of 15 years, while visitor numbers have increased by half".

Some people had already purchased tickets for Monday.

"I'm very disappointed because the Louvre was the main reason for our visit in Paris, because we wanted to see the Mona Lisa," Minsoo Kim, who travelled from Seoul with his wife for their honeymoon, told AFP news agency.

Natalia Brown, a Londoner, said she was also disappointed. "At the same time, I understand why they're doing it, it's just unfortunate timing for us," she added.

The unions said Louvre employees would gather on Wednesday morning to decide what to do next.

The museum - which is closed on Tuesdays for maintenance - said it welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024.

How Bondi's Hanukkah festival turned from joy to horror within minutes

16 December 2025 at 01:39
How Bondi Beach shooting unfolded minute by minute

It was a night that promised to bring "joy and light" to Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach as crowds of Jewish families gathered at a park to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, also known as the festival of light.

They were among thousands of other swimmers, surfers and sunbathers who had flocked to Australia's most famous beach on a scorching summer's afternoon.

But not long after the Hanukkah event kicked off at 17:00 local time and the first free donuts were doled out, festive music was drowned out by the sounds of screams and the echo of gunshots.

It's unclear exactly when the first shot was fired, but the initial call to police was made at 18:47. In the minutes that followed, two gunmen would kill at least 15 people, and injure dozens more, authorities said.

A local high school teacher, Chavi, told the BBC she dropped to the ground to protect her baby as "bullets were flying above us".

"It was pandemonium and chaos," another attendee, who identified himself as Barry, said as he described watching a throng of people trying to escape the scene that had suddenly devolved into a nightmare.

A graphic shows where the Bondi Beach shooting unfolded, in relation to the pavilion and the bridge and the park - all of which are close by.

In one video verified by the BBC, upbeat music from the Hanukkah event can still be heard in the background as people crouch down and shots are heard, interspersed between shrieks.

The eerily jubilant music continues playing while the camera pans over the grass, revealing prostrate bodies completely still, their condition unclear.

Separate footage shows groups of people lying atop one another on the grass, as one woman tries to cover a young child's head with her hand.

Panic soon spread from the park to the sand, where videos show terrified beach goers sprinting away from the gunfire.

Screams, honking car horns and ambulance sirens fill the air in the next chaotic minutes. Some cars crashed as people desperately tried to get away, witnesses have told the BBC.

Eyewitness video shows people fleeing beach as shots are fired

A nearly 11-minute video, verified by the BBC, provides perhaps the clearest timeline of the attack - though it is unclear exactly how far into it the recording started.

It begins as the two gunmen make their way across Campbell Parade - the long stretch of road, lined with cafes, that curves around the beach - and onto a pedestrian bridge above the park where the Hannukah event was taking place.

It is from there that two men - named as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24 - allegedly use the elevated position to carry out the remainder of the attack, using what an expert told the BBC were "two sporting shotguns".

One man, believed to be Naveed Akram, remains on the bridge, while the other makes his way towards the park on foot. Shots continue to echo at one-second intervals in some of the footage, while people can be heard screaming.

As the older man, believed to be Sajid Akram, begins to move away from the bridge, he starts firing at people.

Fairfax Media Police cars on the roadFairfax Media
Dozens of emergency services flooded Bondi Beach following the shooting

Just a few minutes later, a passerby - who is seen crouching behind parked cars - catches Sajid off guard and is able to wrestle the firearm off him within a few seconds.

The gunman stumbles away, and the man, who has been identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, points the firearm at him, before laying the weapon down against a tree and putting his hands up to signal to officers that he is not the suspect.

Ahmed, who was shot twice during the attack, has been hailed as a hero and credited by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns for saving "countless lives" with his brave actions.

Less than a minute after being disarmed, however, Sajid Akram returns to the bridge and resumes shooting at people with another weapon.

The shooting stops about two minutes later when it appears both men are hit by police fire.

About seven-and-a-half minutes into the clip, police arrive at the bridge where they are confronted with a highly charged scene - two men with gunshot wounds - the alleged gunmen - and a crowd of bystanders, some of whom appear to kick the men on the ground.

Police later confirmed that one of the gunmen, Sajid Akram, was found dead at the scene, while the other was critically wounded and taken to hospital, where he remains.

A map shows the location of the shooting at Bondi Beach and the Airbnb used by the gunman in the west

Police say both men lived about an hour's drive from Bondi Beach at a house in Bonnyrigg, a suburb in Sydney's west.

Days before the attack, however, they had decamped to a short-term rental in Campsie - about 30 minutes closer to the beach, media reports said.

Their family home in Bonnyrigg has become one of the main focuses of the police investigation. Officers raided it on Sunday night.

Footage of the raid shows three people coming out of it with their hands up, while heavily armed police officers in tactical gear surrounded the perimeter.

Those people were arrested, but have since been released without charge.

EPA A police armoured vehicle is picturedEPA
Police search the home in Bonnyrigg on Sunday night

It is still unclear if the guns used in the attack were owned by the two men, but Sajid Akram owned six registered firearms and held a recreational gun license.

His son, Naveed, was examined over his close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State (IS) cell after authorities became aware of his activity in 2019, the ABC reported.

But Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said an "assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence".

Residents on the otherwise quiet, suburban street have described how the tumult of the last 48 hours has unsettled the neighbourhood.

"My daughter was yelling at me, 'mum look outside' and I saw lots of police, lots of cars, sirens and loudspeakers calling them to come out," Lemanatua Fatu, who lives opposite the men, told the BBC.

"Then I saw the news - I thought oh my goodness, it can't be them."

Additional reporting by Gabriela Pomeroy and Thomas Spencer

Iranian Nobel laureate taken to hospital after 'violent arrest', family says

16 December 2025 at 02:11
Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images Narges Mohammadi sits in her apartment in Tehran on 16 January 2025Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Narges Mohammadi was given temporary release from prison on medical grounds last year (file photo)

Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was taken to hospital after being beaten when she was arrested last week, her family says.

The 53-year-old human rights activist told them in a phone call on Sunday that she was brought to an emergency department twice after being "attacked by plain clothed agents with severe and repeated baton blows to the head and neck", according to the Narges Foundation.

There was no comment from Iranian authorities, but they have said she was detained for making "provocative remarks" at a memorial ceremony in the city of Mashhad on Friday.

The Nobel Committee and award-winning film-maker Jafar Panahi are among those calling for her release.

Ms Mohammadi, the vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against female oppression in Iran and promoting human rights.

She has spent more than 10 years of her life in prison. Since 2021, she has been serving a 13-year sentence on charges of committing "propaganda activity against the state" and "collusion against state security", which she denied.

In December 2024, she was given a temporary release from Tehran's notorious Evin prison on medical grounds.

She has continued campaigning while undergoing treatment.

On Friday, she gave a speech at a memorial ceremony in Mashhad for Khosrow Alikordi, a human rights activist and lawyer who was found dead earlier this month in what human rights groups described as "suspicious" circumstances.

According to the Narges Foundation, eyewitnesses cited by Ms Mohammadi's family said that she was attacked by around 15 plainclothes agents at the memorial, and that some were seen pulling her hair and beating her with clubs and batons.

On Sunday evening, Ms Mohammadi made a brief phone call to her family and told them that "the intensity of the blows was so heavy, forceful, and repeated that she was taken to the hospital emergency room twice", a statement said.

"She emphasised that she does not even know which security authority is currently detaining her, and that no explanation has been given in this regard. Her physical condition at the time of the call was not good, and she appeared unwell," it added.

The Narges Foundation cited Ms Mohammadi as saying that she was accused of "co-operating with the Israeli government" and that they had made a death threat, telling her: "We will put your mother into mourning."

The statement said that two other activists detained at the memorial ceremony, Sepideh Gholian and Pouran Nazemi, were also beaten by the plainclothes agents.

Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar told reporters on Saturday that Ms Mohammadi was among 39 people arrested.

He said that she and Khosrow Alikordi's brother, Javad, had encouraged those present "to chant norm-breaking slogans" and "disturb the peace".

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Friday that it was deeply concerned by what it called the "brutal arrest" of Ms Mohammadi and called on Iranian authorities to "ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions".

Jafar Panahi, fellow film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof and more than a dozen other activists said in a joint statement that what happened at Alikordi's memorial ceremony "was a stark reflection of the worrying state of freedom and security, and, consequently, the inefficiency and lack of accountability of the authorities in today's Iran".

Trump Administration Begins Program to Increase Government’s Tech Worker Ranks

16 December 2025 at 03:20
The U.S. Tech Force is aiming to hire about 1,000 top-level technical employees and supervisors to join federal agencies and work on projects related to artificial intelligence and modernization.

© Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

Scott Kupor is the director of the Office of Personnel Management, which is leading the program.
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