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澳媒披露:恐袭枪手曾与ISIS有染 并受到情报机构调查 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

15/12/2025 - 08:45

据澳大利亚广播公司(ABC)周一(12月15日)报道,周日在悉尼一处海滩发生的反犹太袭击事件中,两名枪手中的其中一位曾于2019年因与“伊斯兰国”有关联而受到澳大利亚情报机构的调查。

周日,一对父子在悉尼著名的邦迪海滩向正在庆祝犹太节日光明节的人群开枪。该海滩深受澳大利亚民众及全球游客喜爱。袭击造成15人死亡、40多人受伤。

澳大利亚媒体确认,枪手分别是50岁的萨吉德·阿克拉姆(Sajid Akram),已被警方击毙,以及其24岁的儿子纳维德·阿克拉姆(Naveed Akram)。后者目前伤势危重,正在医院接受治疗,并处于警方严密看守之下。

据澳大利亚公共电视台ABC援引一名不愿透露姓名、参与调查周日晚袭击事件的联合反恐行动高级官员称,澳大利亚情报部门曾在2019年对纳维德·阿克拉姆展开调查。

同一消息来源表示,纳维德·阿克拉姆当时被怀疑与一名“伊斯兰国”成员关系密切。该成员于2019年7月被捕,并因策划在澳大利亚实施恐怖袭击而被定罪。

萨吉德·阿克拉姆于1998年首次持学生签证来到澳大利亚,2001年获得了澳大利亚公民或永久居民配偶签证。这名50多岁的男子拥有六支枪支的持枪许可证,警方称这些枪支都在袭击中使用。

ABC还报道称,反恐调查人员认为这对父子曾向该极端组织宣誓效忠。多名高级官员向ABC透露,警方在袭击者用于前往海滩的车辆中发现了两面“伊斯兰国”旗帜。

澳大利亚国内情报机构负责人迈克·伯吉斯(Mike Burgess)周日对媒体表示,其中一名枪手“为我们所知,但并未被视为迫在眉睫的威胁”。

新南威尔士州警方则表示,无法证实ABC披露的相关信息。

不过警方和澳大利亚当局在周日晚便将此次袭击定性为“恐怖袭击”。周一,澳大利亚总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯再次谴责此次袭击,称其为“纯粹邪恶、反犹太主义和恐怖主义的行为”。

人权观察就黎智英被定罪声明 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

15/12/2025 - 08:54

(曼谷,2025年12月15日)-香港高等法院今日裁定《苹果日报》创办人黎智英「串谋勾结外国势力」及「串谋发布煽动刊物罪」罪名成立。人权观察亚洲区主任伊莲‧皮尔森表示:

「黎智英被单独监禁五年后以莫须有罪名定罪,是一场残酷的司法闹剧。中国政府虐待黎智英,目的是让所有胆敢批评中共的人们噤声。

面对黎智英案的闹剧,各国政府应施压当局撤销案件及立即将他释放。中国和香港政府应为处心积虑扼杀香港新闻界的措施付出代价。」

For more information, please contact:

In Bangkok, Elaine Pearson (English): +1-646-291-7169 (mobile); or pearsoe@hrw.org Follow on X: @pearsonelaine

In Washington, DC, Maya Wang (English, Mandarin, Cantonese): +1-646-689-1620 (mobile); or wangm@hrw.org. X: @wang_maya

In London, Yalkun Uluyol (English, Turkish, Mandarin, Uyghur): +1-646-906-1996 (mobile); or uluyoly@hrw.org. X: @yalkunuluyol

A 10-year-old, two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor: Who are the Bondi shooting victims?

AFP via Getty Images Two women comfort each other as they stare at flowers left in tribute to the victims of Sunday's shooting attack at Bondi beach. One of the women, dressed in a yellow shirt, is sitting on the road, while the other kneels next to her with her hand on her shoulder. AFP via Getty Images

At least 15 civilians have been confirmed dead in Sunday's shooting attack at Bondi beach.

Many were attending an event to mark the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Authorities have confirmed that two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl were among the victims.

This is what we know about those identified so far:

Matilda, 10

Authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old girl, named by her family to local media as Matilda, was among the dead.

Irina Goodhew, who organised a fundraiser for the girl's mother and said she was the child's former teacher, wrote: " I knew her as a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her.'

The Harmony Russian School of Sydney also confirmed that she was one of its students.

"We are deeply saddened to share the news that a former student of our school has passed away in the hospital due to injuries sustained from a gunshot," the school wrote on Facebook.

"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic event … Her memory will remain in our hearts, and we honor her life and the time she spent as part of our school family."

Meanwhile her aunt spoke to ABC news and said that Matilda's sister, who was with her when she was shot, was struggling to come to terms with the loss.

"They were like twins — they've never been separated," she told the ABC.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger

Supplied A middle aged man with glasses looks at the camera, behind him is a grassy field.Supplied
Eli Schlanger was known as the Bondi rabbi

Known as the "Bondi Rabbi", Eli Schlanger, 41, was one of the key organisers of Sunday's event. He was head of the local Chabad mission, an international Hasidic Jewish organisation based in Brooklyn.

The death of the British-born father of five was confirmed by his cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis.

"My dear cousin, Rabbi Eli Schlanger @bondirabbi was murdered in today's terrorist attack in Sydney," Zalman wrote on Instagram. "He leaves behind his wife & young children, as well as my uncle & aunt & siblings … He was truly an incredible guy".

In a post on its website, Chabad said Schlanger's youngest child was just two months old.

"He was the most godly, humane, kind, gracious human being I think I've ever met," Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry, told reporters at Bondi on Monday morning.

Dan Elkayam

The death of French national Dan Elkayam was confirmed by Frances's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

"It's with immense sadness that we have learnt that our compatriot Dan Elkayam was among the victims of the terrorist attack that hit Jewish families gathered on the beach at Bondi in Sydney," he wrote on social media. "We mourn with his family and loved ones, with the Jewish community and the Australian people."

According to his LinkedIn profile, Elkayam worked as an IT analyst for NBCUniversal and had moved to Australia last year.

He was also a keen footballer, and "an integral member" of our premier league squad, the Rockdale Ilindin Football Club in west Sydney wrote on its Facebook page.

He was "an extremely talented and popular figure amongst team mates. Our deepest and sincerest condolances to Dan's family, friends and all that knew him. He will be missed," the club wrote.

Alexander Kleytman

Alexander Kleytman was a holocaust survivor who came to Australia from Ukraine.

"I have no husband. I don't know where is his body. Nobody can give me any answer," his wife Larisa Kleytman told reporters outside a Sydney hospital late on Sunday.

"We were standing and suddenly came the 'boom boom', and everybody fell down. At this moment he was behind me and at one moment he decided to go close to me. He pushed his body up because he wanted to stay near me," she told the Australian.

Chabad wrote on X that Alexander "died shielding her from the gunman's bullets. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind two children and 11 grandchildren."

The couple shared some of their life story with Jewish Care in 2023.

"As children, both Larisa and Alexander faced the unspeakable terror of the Holocaust," the health organisation wrote in its annual report.

"Alex's memories are particularly harrowing; recalling the dreadful conditions in Siberia where he, along with his mother and younger brother, struggled for survival."

How Bondi Beach shooting unfolded minute by minute

Peter Meagher

Former police officer Peter Meagher was working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event when he was killed, his rugby club confirmed.

"For him it was simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place and at the wrong time," Mark Harrison, the general manager of Randwick Rugby Club, wrote on its website.

"'Marzo, as he was universally known, was a much loved figure and absolute legend in our club, with decades of voluntary involvement, he was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby."

The club said he had spent almost four decades in the NSW Police Force where he was "hugely respected by colleagues".

"The tragic irony is that he spent so long in the dangerous front line as a Police Officer and was struck down in retirement while taking photos in his passion role is really hard to comprehend," the club said.

Reuven Morrison

Reuven Morrison migrated to Australia from the former Soviet Union in the 1970s as a teenager, according to an interview he gave to the ABC exactly a year ago.

"We came here with the view that Australia is the safest country in the world and the Jews would not be faced with such anti-Semitism in the future, where we can bring up our kids in a safe environment," he told the national broadcaster.

Confirming his death, Chabad said that he was a longtime resident of Melbourne, but that he "discovered his Jewish identity in Sydney".

"A successful businessman whose main goal was to give away his earnings to charities dear to his heart, notably Chabad of Bondi," the organisation wrote on X.

Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele found dead in LA home

Getty Images Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner wearing a black cap and black jacket.Getty Images

Two people have been found dead at a home in Los Angeles identified by authorities as the residence of director and actor Rob Reiner, authorities say.

Firefighters were called to a house in Brentwood on Sunday afternoon, where they found the bodies of a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman who were pronounced dead at the scene, the LA Fire Department said.

Authorities did not immediately identify them or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Rob Reiner is 78 and his wife, Michele, is 68.

Reiner is a storied Hollywood filmmaker whose movies include classics such as The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and This is Spinal Tap.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

'Throw the parcel at the back door' - Evri couriers tell of pressure to earn a decent wage

Watch Panorama's undercover filming: "You'll make no money my friend unless you get all your parcels out. Get them all out."

When Becky ordered a Barbie doll for her daughter, she got a notification from delivery firm Evri saying it had arrived. There was just one problem: it was nowhere to be seen.

There was no parcel at her front door, in the Hampshire village of Twyford, and the photo she was sent of its location was not one she recognised.

Becky turned detective - and she discovered that reports of similar incidents nearby had "snowballed".

Around the corner, her neighbour Jonathan had received a similar notification. It showed a photo of a parcel of tools he was expecting - taken inside a car - but nothing had been delivered. He tried to take it up with Evri, but told BBC Panorama that "they don't respond - it's very frustrating".

Becky has long brown hair and wears a dark purple top. Behind her is a Barbie doll house and a large white shelving unit.
"You feel like you're playing Russian roulette" as to whether the parcel is going to arrive, says customer Becky

With millions relying on delivery companies to send their parcels this Christmas, we have been investigating Evri, including sending a journalist undercover as a courier.

The company is a market leader, but a recent customer survey of the 11 biggest delivery firms by industry regulator, Ofcom, suggested Evri had the most issues for parcels not being delivered and the highest level of customer dissatisfaction.

Amazon and FedEx came top for customer satisfaction.

While Evri disputes Ofcom's findings, 30 current and former workers have told us problems are being caused by growing pressures on couriers."They have to deliver so much volume now for a decent pay," one told us.

The link between poor service and work pressures was further borne out by Panorama's investigation, which found:

  • Couriers at an Evri depot in the Midlands describing how to cut corners to complete deliveries on time - with one telling our undercover reporter: "You can even throw the parcel at the back door"
  • Changes to Evri's pay rates have led some workers to claim they are earning less than minimum wage
  • New, lower pay rates for so-called "small packets" were also affecting courier earnings, we were told
  • Larger items being "misbanded" as small packets, some couriers told us, including heavy flatpack furniture and radiators

In Hampshire, parcels started to go missing in Twyford six months after a regular courier, Dave, left Evri. He worked as an Evri courier for six years, often with his wife, and they earned about £60,000 a year between them.

Like all Evri couriers, Dave was self-employed. But, because Evri pays couriers by the parcel, and sets the rate per parcel, it felt like the company was in the driving seat.

Changes to Evri's parcel rates last January, meant it no longer made financial sense to carry on, Dave told us. It would have led to him being paid less than the minimum wage, he says.

The amount Evri couriers are paid depends on the size and weight of the parcels they deliver and how far they must travel.

Couriers like Dave, who was on an Evri Plus contract, are supposed to be guaranteed at least the National Minimum Wage - currently £12.21 per hour for those aged 21 and over.

Dave says he estimated that with Evri's changes, including a new "small packets" rate, he would earn £10 an hour.

"You were always looking over your shoulder, wondering what might come next in terms of reducing your rates," he told us. "So that you're paid less for what you're doing even though you're doing the same job."

Another Evri Plus courier told Panorama he could earn as little as £7 or £8 an hour at times, once fuel and his vehicle's running costs had been taken into account.

Dave wearing a black beanie and coat walks up to the door of his white van.
If I had accepted the pay cut, I would have been earning "well below minimum wage", says ex-Evri driver Dave

This shouldn't be happening - according to what Evri's legal director, Hugo Martin, told a parliamentary select committee in January. The company's paid-per-parcel model, he told MPs, made sure that "couriers earn well above national minimum wage".

The committee chair, Labour's Liam Byrne, has now told Panorama that because of the "categorical assurances" that people were not paid below the minimum wage, the company should now be recalled to Parliament to investigate the full picture.

His comments come as a separate, cross-party group of MPs expressed their own concerns about Evri's delivery record last week.

Liam Byrne has a greyish beard and wears a suit and glasses. He sits to the right of the camera and is photographed as he is being interviewed.
Evri gave us "categorical assurances that people were not paid below the minimum wage", says Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Committee at Westminster

We put Mr Byrne's comments to Evri and a spokesperson said company couriers "generate earnings significantly above the National Living Wage".

The National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage are currently the same for anyone aged over 21 - £12.21 an hour.

Average courier earnings, the Evri spokesperson continued, "exceeded £20 an hour". The "sector is highly competitive, but we benchmark pay locally", they added.

Small packets, small fees

It wasn't just Dave who told us the introduction of Evri's "small packets" has made it harder to make a living.

Other couriers told us they had started to see more of them in their rounds, and that it was eating into their earnings because they received less money to deliver them.

Rates vary, but Evri pays couriers as little as 35p to deliver one.

The company told us it had introduced the new "small packets" sizing in January to "remain competitive".

However, big parcels, for which couriers would be paid more per delivery, keep getting mislabelled as small packets, some couriers told the BBC.

Getty Images Blue van with Evri logo on the side.Getty Images
Evri introduced "small packets" parcel size in January - which it can pay couriers as little as 35p to deliver

Evri does not do enough to check the items are being accurately weighed and measured by senders, they said - with heavy flatpack furniture and radiators listed as examples of large items which had been "misbanded" and paid for as small packets.

One courier told us he delivered "countless numbers of misbands", leaving him short-changed.

Parcels are labelled by clients, not Evri, the company told the BBC. It said that 99.2% of all parcels were correctly banded - and that "couriers can request checks and upgrades via the courier app, if they think a parcel has been misbanded".

'There's a safe space for everything, mate'

An Evri courier of 10 years told us their colleagues were "cutting corners" because they had to deliver so much in terms of volume to get a decent wage.

"They are not doing the job correctly… parcels go missing," he added. "Piles of parcels are found in hedges."

Our undercover reporter, who we are calling Sam because he wants to remain anonymous, was told by another courier, "if you want to earn money, you need to find a safe place and leave it there".

"You can even throw the parcel at the back door, you only get paid if the parcel is delivered," the courier explained during Sam's six-day stint in October at Evri's West Hallam delivery unit near Nottingham.

As a new starter, Sam was put on a Flex contract, which does not include sick or holiday pay and does not commit to paying the minimum wage, unlike the Plus contract.

It can be difficult for new starters to earn the same as more experienced couriers, as they don't know their patch, so they won't be as efficient.

Sam was told he could be eligible for some extra cash. New starters get payments to ensure they earn adequately while they get used to the work, Evri's lawyers told the BBC.

Couriers told us they are not paid extra for the time it takes to scan the parcels and load them into their vehicles at depots - but Evri says it factors this time into its parcel rates.

Man with a blurred face wearing a black anorak. There is grey sky behind, with trees in the distance. The image was taken undercover, and part of a zip is visible on the right hand side.
"You only get paid if the parcel is delivered. Never take it back," said one courier

Couriers are also only paid if a package is delivered and a photograph is taken - which is supposed to mean giving it to the customer, a neighbour, or finding a safe place, and not leaving it in plain sight outside the delivery address.

If drivers cannot deliver a parcel, they should make at least two more attempts to do so - according to Evri rules - but this takes time.

Back at the depot, a courier told Sam there was not much point trying to redeliver because couriers did not get paid for going back.

"You'll make no money, my friend, unless you get all your parcels out. Get them all out," he said. "There's a safe space for everything, mate."

A woman with a blurred face wearing an orange high-vis gilet and a blue fleece. There is the arc of the roof of a building in the background.
You can deliver 50 parcels an hour on a round, a supervisor tells our undercover reporter

The company says it will deliver about 900 million parcels this year, going to almost every single home in the UK.

But 7% of customers in the six months between January and July said they had reported an Evri parcel not having been delivered - compared to an industry average of 4% - according to Ofcom's recent consumer survey.

The survey also suggested Evri had the most issues for delays in the UK, with 14% of customers reporting a parcel arriving late in the same period. The industry average is 8%, says Ofcom.

Evri told us it provides "a fast, reliable, and cost-effective delivery service" and that its "couriers are local people… and the vast majority do an excellent job and strictly follow our delivery standards".

If "a courier receives a low customer rating for a delivery, this is immediately investigated", it says.

The company, which rebranded from Hermes UK in 2022, has been owned since last year by the American investment firm Apollo Global Management. In the financial year 2023-24, Evri's pre-tax profit almost doubled to nearly £120m.

"I think Evri are making a fortune off the couriers' backs and I think the couriers are being totally ripped off," one courier told us.

For Becky and Jonathan in Hampshire, at least, all was not lost.

Becky started a spreadsheet for other people in the area to list their missing Evri parcels, after seeing how many comments were being left on the village Facebook group.

Almost 90 incidents were reported to the police. A man was arrested but never charged.

Lawyers for Evri told the BBC that this was an isolated incident and that the company took prompt action.

"The performance of our couriers is tracked in real time, with mandatory photo proof for every delivery," the company said.

Becky got a refund from the seller and bought a new Barbie, and Jonathan got his tools replaced by the seller.

Pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai found guilty of colluding with foreign forces

Getty Images Jimmy Lai holds a banner and is wrapped in plastic overlay as he marches in the rain along Queen's Road Central during a protest in the Central district of Hong Kong, China, on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019.Getty Images
Lai has been found guilty of national security offences for his role in the 2019 protests that rocked Hong Kong

Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of colluding with foreign forces under the the city's controversial national security law (NSL).

The 78-year-old, who has been in jail since December 2020, pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison and is expected to be sentenced early next year.

Lai used his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper as part of a wider effort to lobby foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China, the court found.

Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, noting that Lai's actions "damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers", but rights groups called it "a cruel judicial farce".

They say the NSL, which Beijing defends as essential for the city's stability, has been used to crush dissent.

There is "no doubt" that Jimmy Lai "harboured hatred" for the People's Republic of China (PRC), Judge Esther Toh said on Monday, citing his "constant invitation to the US to help bring down the government of the PRC with the excuse of helping the people of Hong Kong".

When Lai testified in November, he denied all the charges against him, saying he had "never" used his foreign contacts to influence foreign policy on Hong Kong.

Asked about his meeting with then US Vice President Mike Pence, Lai said he did not ask anything of him: "I would just relay to him what happened in Hong Kong when he asked me."

He was also asked about his meeting with then secretary of state Mike Pompeo, to which he said he had asked Pompeo, "not to do something but to say something, to voice support for Hong Kong".

Lai, a UK citizen and one of the fiercest critics of the Chinese state, was a key figure in the pro-democracy protests that engulfed Hong Kong in 2019. Beijing responded to the months-long demonstrations, which sometimes erupted into violent clashes with police, by introducing the NSL.

The law was enacted without consulting the Hong Kong legislature and gave authorities broad powers to charge and jail people they deemed a threat to the city's law and order, or the government's stability.

Lai was accused of violating the NSL for his role in the protests and also through his tabloid Apple Daily, which became a standard bearer for the pro-democracy movement.

Monday's ruling also found Lai guilty of publishing seditious material on Apple Daily under a separate colonial-era law.

Lai appeared calm as the verdict was read out and waved goodbye to his family as he was escorted out of the courtroom. Lai's wife Teresa and one of his sons were in court, along with Cardinal Joseph Zen, a long-time friend who baptised Lai in 1997.

Getty Images Teresa Lai, wife of former media mogul Jimmy Lai, their son Lai Shun Yan, center, and Joseph Zen, cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, arrive at court.Getty Images
Jimmy Lai's wife, Teresa, their son Shun Yan and Cardinal Joseph Zen arrive at court

"Mr Lai's spirit is okay," his lawyer Robert Pang said after the verdict. "The judgement is so long that we'll need some time to study it first. I don't have anything to add at the moment." He did not say whether they would appeal.

"The Chinese government abused Jimmy Lai with the aim of silencing all those who dare to criticise the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]," said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, following the verdict.

"In the face of the farce of Jimmy Lai's case, governments should pressure the authorities to withdraw the case and release him immediately."

Western governments, including the UK and US, have for years called for Lai's release, which Beijing and Hong Kong have rejected.

US President Donald Trump had earlier vowed to "do everything to save" Lai while UK PM Keir Starmer had said securing his release was a "priority".

A test of judicial independence

Lai's trial came to be widely seen as yet another test of judicial independence for Hong Kong's courts, which have been accused of toeing Beijing's line since 2019, when it tightened its control over the city.

Hong Kong authorities insist the rule of law is intact but critics point to the hundreds of protesters and activists who have been jailed under the NSL - and its nearly 100% conviction rate as of May this year.

Bail is also often denied in NSL cases and that was the case with Lai too, despite rights groups and Lai's children raising concerns about his deteriorating health. He has reportedly been held in solitary confinement.

Lai's son Sebastien told the BBC earlier this year that his father's "body is breaking down" - "Given his age, given his health... he will die in prison."

The Hong Kong government has also been criticised for barring foreign lawyers from working on NSL cases without prior permission. They said it was a national security risk, although foreign lawyers had operated in the city's courts for decades. Subsequently Lai was denied his choice of lawyer, who was based in the UK.

Lai now joins dozens of figures of the city's pro-democracy movement who have been sentenced to prison under the NSL.

The chief of Hong Kong's national security police addressed the media after the verdict, saying Lai had "fabricated news" in pursuit of "political goals".

On the mainland, state-run Global Times quoted a Hong Kong election committee member as saying that the case sends a "clear message": "Any attempt to split the country or undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability will be met with severe punishment under the law."

Watch: Jimmy Lai's son speaks to the BBC about China-UK relations

From tycoon to activist

Lai, who was born in mainland China, fled to Hong Kong when he was 12 years old and got his footing as a businessman after founding the international clothing brand Giordano.

His journey as a democracy activist began after China brutally crushed pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Lai started writing columns criticising the massacre and went on to launch a string of popular pro-democracy publications, including Apple Daily and Next.

Even now, many Hong Kongers see him as a leading voice for democracy - about 80 people had queued to enter the court ahead of the verdict on Monday.

One of them was Ms Lam who didn't want to share her full name. An apple in hand, she said she started queuing around 11:00 local time on Sunday – nearly a full day before the session – because dozens of people had come before her. It was a cold night, she said, but she did it because she had wanted to wish Lai good luck.

"We all feel frustrated and powerless. Yet, there must be an ending to the whole issue and time comes when it comes," a former Apple daily journalist, who was also in court, told the BBC.

"Jimmy always said that he was indebted to Hong Kong... but I think Hong Kong and most Hong Kongers are so grateful to have him upholding the core values, good faith and integrity for the community at the expense of his well being and personal freedom."

In his testimony, Lai had said that he had "never allowed" his newspaper's staff to advocate for Hong Kong independence, which he described as a "conspiracy" and "too crazy to think about".

"The core values of Apple Daily are actually the core values of the people of Hong Kong," he had said. These values, he added, include the "rule of law, freedom, pursuit of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly".

Vote for your Sports Personality Team of the Year

Vote for your Sports Personality Team of the Year

A graphic showing Zoe Aldcroft, Leah Williamson and Luke DonaldImage source, BBC Sport
  • Published

Voting is now open for the Team of the Year award that will be presented at Sports Personality of the Year 2025.

England's Euro 2025-winning women's football team, the country's Women's Rugby World Cup champions, and the triumphant European Ryder Cup team have been shortlisted for the prize.

Voting will close and the winner will be announced during the live show on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday, 18 December.

Last year, the Team of the Year prize was awarded to all-conquering rugby league side Wigan Warriors.

Below you can vote for the team you think should win - and find out more about the contenders.

Sorry, this vote cannot be loaded. In order to vote you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Who are the Team of the Year contenders?

England women's football team (Lionesses)

England women's football teamImage source, BBC Sport

England were once again crowned European champions after a penalty shootout win over world champions Spain in the Euro 2025 final in July.

Victory meant the Lionesses became the first senior England football team to win a major trophy on foreign soil.

They did it the hard way - conceding first in all three of their knockout matches and becoming the only side in Euros history to have three different matches go to extra time.

But their never-say-die attitude, and some dramatic interventions by substitutes, helped Sarina Wiegman's squad become only the second country to retain a Euros title.

England women's rugby union team (Red Roses)

England's women's rugby teamImage source, BBC Sport

England won the Women's Rugby World Cup in scintillating fashion in September, beating Canada 33-13 in front of a world record crowd of 81,885 at Twickenham.

It was the first time the Red Roses had lifted the trophy since 2014.

In their quarter-final victory over Scotland, they broke their own world record for the longest unbeaten run by an international rugby union side, and extended it to 33 without a loss in the final. Their last defeat came in the 2022 World Cup final.

Earlier in 2025, they won a fourth consecutive Six Nations Grand Slam and a seventh consecutive title.

European Ryder Cup team

European Ryder Cup teamImage source, BBC Sport

Europe held off a thrilling American resurgence to claim a Ryder Cup on US soil for only the fifth time, and the first since their legendary 'Miracle of Medinah' triumph in 2012.

Luke Donald's side shrugged off a hostile New York crowd at Bethpage Black to open up a record seven-point lead after two days, having dominated the foursomes and fourballs formats.

They had to show nerve to survive a remarkable United States comeback on the final day, but secured a 15-13 win to make it back-to-back victories.

The Europeans have now triumphed in six of the past eight Ryder Cups.

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A 10-year-old, two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor - Who are the Bondi shooting victims?

AFP via Getty Images Two women comfort each other as they stare at flowers left in tribute to the victims of Sunday's shooting attack at Bondi beach. One of the women, dressed in a yellow shirt, is sitting on the road, while the other kneels next to her with her hand on her shoulder. AFP via Getty Images

At least 15 civilians have been confirmed dead in Sunday's shooting attack at Bondi beach.

Many were attending an event to mark the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Authorities have confirmed that two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl were among the victims.

This is what we know about those identified so far:

Matilda, 10

Authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old girl, named by her family to local media as Matilda, was among the dead.

Irina Goodhew, who organised a fundraiser for the girl's mother and said she was the child's former teacher, wrote: " I knew her as a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her.'

The Harmony Russian School of Sydney also confirmed that she was one of its students.

"We are deeply saddened to share the news that a former student of our school has passed away in the hospital due to injuries sustained from a gunshot," the school wrote on Facebook.

"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic event … Her memory will remain in our hearts, and we honor her life and the time she spent as part of our school family."

Meanwhile her aunt spoke to ABC news and said that Matilda's sister, who was with her when she was shot, was struggling to come to terms with the loss.

"They were like twins — they've never been separated," she told the ABC.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger

Supplied A middle aged man with glasses looks at the camera, behind him is a grassy field.Supplied
Eli Schlanger was known as the Bondi rabbi

Known as the "Bondi Rabbi", Eli Schlanger, 41, was one of the key organisers of Sunday's event. He was head of the local Chabad mission, an international Hasidic Jewish organisation based in Brooklyn.

The death of the British-born father of five was confirmed by his cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis.

"My dear cousin, Rabbi Eli Schlanger @bondirabbi was murdered in today's terrorist attack in Sydney," Zalman wrote on Instagram. "He leaves behind his wife & young children, as well as my uncle & aunt & siblings … He was truly an incredible guy".

In a post on its website, Chabad said Schlanger's youngest child was just two months old.

"He was the most godly, humane, kind, gracious human being I think I've ever met," Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry, told reporters at Bondi on Monday morning.

Dan Elkayam

The death of French national Dan Elkayam was confirmed by Frances's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

"It's with immense sadness that we have learnt that our compatriot Dan Elkayam was among the victims of the terrorist attack that hit Jewish families gathered on the beach at Bondi in Sydney," he wrote on social media. "We mourn with his family and loved ones, with the Jewish community and the Australian people."

According to his LinkedIn profile, Elkayam worked as an IT analyst for NBCUniversal and had moved to Australia last year.

He was also a keen footballer, and "an integral member" of our premier league squad, the Rockdale Ilindin Football Club in west Sydney wrote on its Facebook page.

He was "an extremely talented and popular figure amongst team mates. Our deepest and sincerest condolances to Dan's family, friends and all that knew him. He will be missed," the club wrote.

Alexander Kleytman

Alexander Kleytman was a holocaust survivor who came to Australia from Ukraine.

"I have no husband. I don't know where is his body. Nobody can give me any answer," his wife Larisa Kleytman told reporters outside a Sydney hospital late on Sunday.

"We were standing and suddenly came the 'boom boom', and everybody fell down. At this moment he was behind me and at one moment he decided to go close to me. He pushed his body up because he wanted to stay near me," she told the Australian.

Chabad wrote on X that Alexander "died shielding her from the gunman's bullets. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind two children and 11 grandchildren."

The couple shared some of their life story with Jewish Care in 2023.

"As children, both Larisa and Alexander faced the unspeakable terror of the Holocaust," the health organisation wrote in its annual report.

"Alex's memories are particularly harrowing; recalling the dreadful conditions in Siberia where he, along with his mother and younger brother, struggled for survival."

How Bondi Beach shooting unfolded minute by minute

Peter Meagher

Former police officer Peter Meagher was working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event when he was killed, his rugby club confirmed.

"For him it was simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place and at the wrong time," Mark Harrison, the general manager of Randwick Rugby Club, wrote on its website.

"'Marzo, as he was universally known, was a much loved figure and absolute legend in our club, with decades of voluntary involvement, he was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby."

The club said he had spent almost four decades in the NSW Police Force where he was "hugely respected by colleagues".

"The tragic irony is that he spent so long in the dangerous front line as a Police Officer and was struck down in retirement while taking photos in his passion role is really hard to comprehend," the club said.

Reuven Morrison

Reuven Morrison migrated to Australia from the former Soviet Union in the 1970s as a teenager, according to an interview he gave to the ABC exactly a year ago.

"We came here with the view that Australia is the safest country in the world and the Jews would not be faced with such anti-Semitism in the future, where we can bring up our kids in a safe environment," he told the national broadcaster.

Confirming his death, Chabad said that he was a longtime resident of Melbourne, but that he "discovered his Jewish identity in Sydney".

"A successful businessman whose main goal was to give away his earnings to charities dear to his heart, notably Chabad of Bondi," the organisation wrote on X.

Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele found dead in LA home

Getty Images Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner wearing a black cap and black jacket.Getty Images

Two people have been found dead at a home in Los Angeles identified by authorities as the residence of director and actor Rob Reiner, authorities say.

Firefighters were called to a house in Brentwood on Sunday afternoon, where they found the bodies of a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman who were pronounced dead at the scene, the LA Fire Department said.

Authorities did not immediately identify them or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Rob Reiner is 78 and his wife, Michele, is 68.

Reiner is a storied Hollywood filmmaker whose movies include classics such as The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and This is Spinal Tap.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai found guilty of colluding with foreign forces

Getty Images Jimmy Lai holds a banner and is wrapped in plastic overlay as he marches in the rain along Queen's Road Central during a protest in the Central district of Hong Kong, China, on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019.Getty Images
Lai has been found guilty of national security offences for his role in the 2019 protests that rocked Hong Kong

Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of colluding with foreign forces under the the city's controversial national security law (NSL).

The 78-year-old, who has been in jail since December 2020, pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison and is expected to be sentenced early next year.

Lai used his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper as part of a wider effort to lobby foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China, the court found.

Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, noting that Lai's actions "damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers", but rights groups called it "a cruel judicial farce".

They say the NSL, which Beijing defends as essential for the city's stability, has been used to crush dissent.

There is "no doubt" that Jimmy Lai "harboured hatred" for the People's Republic of China (PRC), Judge Esther Toh said on Monday, citing his "constant invitation to the US to help bring down the government of the PRC with the excuse of helping the people of Hong Kong".

When Lai testified in November, he denied all the charges against him, saying he had "never" used his foreign contacts to influence foreign policy on Hong Kong.

Asked about his meeting with then US Vice President Mike Pence, Lai said he did not ask anything of him: "I would just relay to him what happened in Hong Kong when he asked me."

He was also asked about his meeting with then secretary of state Mike Pompeo, to which he said he had asked Pompeo, "not to do something but to say something, to voice support for Hong Kong".

Lai, a UK citizen and one of the fiercest critics of the Chinese state, was a key figure in the pro-democracy protests that engulfed Hong Kong in 2019. Beijing responded to the months-long demonstrations, which sometimes erupted into violent clashes with police, by introducing the NSL.

The law was enacted without consulting the Hong Kong legislature and gave authorities broad powers to charge and jail people they deemed a threat to the city's law and order, or the government's stability.

Lai was accused of violating the NSL for his role in the protests and also through his tabloid Apple Daily, which became a standard bearer for the pro-democracy movement.

Monday's ruling also found Lai guilty of publishing seditious material on Apple Daily under a separate colonial-era law.

Lai appeared calm as the verdict was read out and waved goodbye to his family as he was escorted out of the courtroom. Lai's wife Teresa and one of his sons were in court, along with Cardinal Joseph Zen, a long-time friend who baptised Lai in 1997.

Getty Images Teresa Lai, wife of former media mogul Jimmy Lai, their son Lai Shun Yan, center, and Joseph Zen, cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, arrive at court.Getty Images
Jimmy Lai's wife, Teresa, their son Shun Yan and Cardinal Joseph Zen arrive at court

"Mr Lai's spirit is okay," his lawyer Robert Pang said after the verdict. "The judgement is so long that we'll need some time to study it first. I don't have anything to add at the moment." He did not say whether they would appeal.

"The Chinese government abused Jimmy Lai with the aim of silencing all those who dare to criticise the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]," said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, following the verdict.

"In the face of the farce of Jimmy Lai's case, governments should pressure the authorities to withdraw the case and release him immediately."

Western governments, including the UK and US, have for years called for Lai's release, which Beijing and Hong Kong have rejected.

US President Donald Trump had earlier vowed to "do everything to save" Lai while UK PM Keir Starmer had said securing his release was a "priority".

A test of judicial independence

Lai's trial came to be widely seen as yet another test of judicial independence for Hong Kong's courts, which have been accused of toeing Beijing's line since 2019, when it tightened its control over the city.

Hong Kong authorities insist the rule of law is intact but critics point to the hundreds of protesters and activists who have been jailed under the NSL - and its nearly 100% conviction rate as of May this year.

Bail is also often denied in NSL cases and that was the case with Lai too, despite rights groups and Lai's children raising concerns about his deteriorating health. He has reportedly been held in solitary confinement.

Lai's son Sebastien told the BBC earlier this year that his father's "body is breaking down" - "Given his age, given his health... he will die in prison."

The Hong Kong government has also been criticised for barring foreign lawyers from working on NSL cases without prior permission. They said it was a national security risk, although foreign lawyers had operated in the city's courts for decades. Subsequently Lai was denied his choice of lawyer, who was based in the UK.

Lai now joins dozens of figures of the city's pro-democracy movement who have been sentenced to prison under the NSL.

The chief of Hong Kong's national security police addressed the media after the verdict, saying Lai had "fabricated news" in pursuit of "political goals".

On the mainland, state-run Global Times quoted a Hong Kong election committee member as saying that the case sends a "clear message": "Any attempt to split the country or undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability will be met with severe punishment under the law."

Watch: Jimmy Lai's son speaks to the BBC about China-UK relations

From tycoon to activist

Lai, who was born in mainland China, fled to Hong Kong when he was 12 years old and got his footing as a businessman after founding the international clothing brand Giordano.

His journey as a democracy activist began after China brutally crushed pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Lai started writing columns criticising the massacre and went on to launch a string of popular pro-democracy publications, including Apple Daily and Next.

Even now, many Hong Kongers see him as a leading voice for democracy - about 80 people had queued to enter the court ahead of the verdict on Monday.

One of them was Ms Lam who didn't want to share her full name. An apple in hand, she said she started queuing around 11:00 local time on Sunday – nearly a full day before the session – because dozens of people had come before her. It was a cold night, she said, but she did it because she had wanted to wish Lai good luck.

"We all feel frustrated and powerless. Yet, there must be an ending to the whole issue and time comes when it comes," a former Apple daily journalist, who was also in court, told the BBC.

"Jimmy always said that he was indebted to Hong Kong... but I think Hong Kong and most Hong Kongers are so grateful to have him upholding the core values, good faith and integrity for the community at the expense of his well being and personal freedom."

In his testimony, Lai had said that he had "never allowed" his newspaper's staff to advocate for Hong Kong independence, which he described as a "conspiracy" and "too crazy to think about".

"The core values of Apple Daily are actually the core values of the people of Hong Kong," he had said. These values, he added, include the "rule of law, freedom, pursuit of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly".

Chile elects far-right José Antonio Kast as next president

Reuters Jose Antonio Kast, presidential candidate of the far-right Republican Party of Chile, and his wife Maria Pia Adriasola Barroilhet, arrive at a polling station to vote during a presidential runoff electionReuters
José Antonio Kast will be inaugurated as Chile's president in March next year

Chile has elected the far-right wing José Antonio Kast to be its next president, after an election campaign that was dominated by themes of security, immigration and crime.

Kast won decisively with more than 58% of the vote in his third attempt at running for president.

It marks the biggest shift to the right since the end of Chile's military dictatorship in 1990. Kast has openly praised Chile's former right-wing dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

He beat the governing left-wing coalition's candidate, Jeannette Jara, from the Communist Party.

At a gathering of his supporters in the capital Santiago, many draped in Chilean flags, chanting and taking selfies, there was jubilation as the results came through.

"I'm happy we can recover the country's security and patriotism," said Augustina Trancoso, donning a red "Make Chile Great Again" cap.

"We've been trying to win an election for years," said Belem Valdivieso. "In Chile, you used to be able to walk the streets peacefully, lately we've experienced problems with insecurity. I'm hoping his promises will be kept and he'll focus on security."

Throughout the campaign, Kast portrayed Chile as a country that was descending into chaos and insecurity. He pledged to restore order and crack down on irregular immigration, as well as implementing sharp spending cuts.

Kast is an admirer of Donald Trump, who is likely to become a close ally, and his policies echo those of the US president. He has pledged a border wall on Chile's porous frontier with Peru and Bolivia, maximum-security prisons, and mass deportations of irregular migrants, many of whom are from Venezuela.

Chilean voter Augustina Trancoso smiles toward the camera. She is wearing a red "Make Chile Great Again" cap.
Augustina Trancoso voted for Kast in Sunday's presidential election

Chile is one of the safest and more stable countries in South America, but a rise in immigration and organised crime in recent years has concerned many voters. Kast regularly drew links between the two.

His critics, though, say the problem is being exaggerated.

One voter in Santiago, Javiera Carrasco, liked some of Kast's policies but ended up voting for Jara. She said she felt "like a false sense of insecurity is becoming widespread."

"In other countries, there are much worse things happening than here. It just doesn't add up for me."

Chile's murder rate is now falling, and some studies suggest those born abroad commit fewer crimes on average. But the perception of growing insecurity was the motivation for many of Kast's voters.

"We are transforming into Colombia, a lot of terrorism, thieves, robbery, society is very unsafe," one voter Max Struber said.

"It may sound harsh to say it, but we need the government to continue Pinochet's work. Human rights abuses existed, that's true. But as a government it was good, we used to have peace and tranquility."

Kast's brother was a minister during Pinochet's dictatorship, and his father was a member of the Nazi party. Pinochet was an army general who led a US-backed military coup in 1973 and established a 17-year-long military dictatorship that was marked by brutal human rights abuses, forced disappearances and free-market economic policies.

Reuters Jeannette Jara, presidential candidate of the ruling leftist coalition and member of the Communist Party, addresses supporters as she concedes defeat in the presidential runoff election, in Santiago, Chile.Reuters
Communist Party member Jeannette Jara was the left-wing coalition candidate

Chile's current left-wing President Gabriel Boric, who could not run again, had suffered from low approval ratings. Kast's rival Jeannette Jara may have suffered by being seen as a "continuity vote".

A supporter at his victory party, Francisco Otero, said neither candidate represented everybody perfectly, but that a continuation of the government was seen as "much worse".

After the result Jara posted that "democracy has spoken loud and clear" and wished Kast "success for the good of Chile."

"We will continue working to advance a better life in our country," she added.

Her supporters fear Kast's election marks a return to Chile's far-right past.

"Kast's family helped the dictator Augusto Pinochet," Ricardo Herrera said, adding that he lived through Pinochet's dictatorship and it was "brutal".

Some are sceptical, though, that Kast will actually do what he's pledged.

"Kast says he wants to expel 360,000 undocumented migrants. He won't be able to do that. It's physically impossible," one voter Hector Lunes said.

Chilean voter Ricardo Herrera, wearing a green fleece jacket, stands with his arms folded, looking at the camera.
Ricardo Herrera, who lived through Pinochet's rule, voted for Jeannette Jara

Kast has also been firmly against abortion, even in cases of rape, and environmental protection policies.

His victory will likely be welcomed by investors as he has pledged a free-market approach to economics to shrink the state and deregulate certain industries.

This was the first presidential election in Chile where voting was mandatory and registration was automatic for those eligible.

This left some voters feeling like they had to pick whichever they say was the "least-worst" option.

"I don't know if I'd say the lesser of two evils, but I think Chile needs a change," Claudio Sanjuez said, "and I clearly think Kast could be that alternative".

"Both candidates were like opposite extremes," Cintia Urrutia said, but added she'd hoped for Jeannette Jara who she perceived as more "centrist".

Kast's victory in Chile follows a string of elections in Latin America that have shifted the region to the Right in recent years – including in Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.

He will be inaugurated on 11 March 2026. At rallies, he regularly counted down the days until this date warning undocumented immigrants that they should leave before then if they ever want the chance to return.

香港勾结外国势力罪成第一人 「主脑」黎智英押后明年判刑 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

15/12/2025 - 08:41

涉及香港国安法下第一宗串谋勾结外国势力罪的传媒创办人黎智英,今(15日)早被裁定包括煽动等三项罪名全部成立,刑期则押后至明年1月聴取被告求情后尽快作出。被法庭认定是主脑丶目的是要令中共倒台的黎智英,其罪行的最高刑罚可被判终身监禁。

国安法指定法官杜丽冰在判决时表示,黎智英早在《港区国安法》生效前,已憎恨中国,并谋求利用美国发出制裁等敌对行动来动摇中共管治,并阻止俗称「送中」条例的修订逃犯条例通过。在中国人大常委会於2020年中通过在港实施的国安法后,黎的行动越趋激进和强烈,甚至在法例生效後,仍然继续以煽动文章以挑动对中港政府的憎恨和对抗,削弱中港政府的合法性或权威,只是用上较为间接和隐晦的策略,而请求外国制裁亦变得含蓄和隐晦,但他的目的没有改变,就是要令中共倒台。

杜官又说,作为主谋的黎智英,透过助手Mark Simon与美国官员和议员联系,以进行游説和访问,企图令中共倒台。另又串谋「12港人」非法偷渡案的从犯证人(又可称为污点证人)李宇轩和陈梓华等人进行国际游说,对中国实施制裁等敌对行动。

判辞罕见列外国势力人士图表 包特朗普丶蔡英文等 30人

此案的详细判辞更破天荒地以图表展示黎智英涉及的境内外势力及关连,当中包括签署影响香港独立地位的行政命令的美国总统特朗普(中国译作川普)丶直接与时任副总统彭斯(Mike Pence)和时任国务卿蓬佩奥(Mike Pompeo)开会丶透过江春男向时任台湾总统蔡英文提意见和开会丶与被中国视为反华组织的「对华政策跨国议会联盟」(英文缩写为 IPAC)的成立有关丶与成员包括香港末任港督彭定康(Chris Pattern)在内的香港监察核心成员有不同联系,甚至是当年在《苹果日报》写文章的学者均包括在内,一共有30人,这还未计算在香港的前政务司长陈方安生和民主党创党主席李柱铭。

裁决极罕有地以图表列出黎智英的对外关连。(裁决附件)
裁决极罕有地以图表列出黎智英的对外关连。(裁决附件) © 麥燕庭提供(裁决附件)

对於黎智英亲自在庭上作供,称其文章并非煽动丶在国安法实施後已停止请求外国制裁,不存在串谋之说;以及从来没有与各人达成勾结外国势力的协议,从犯证人的言辞并非事实等说法,法庭认为,黎的证供互相矛盾丶前後不一丶闪烁其词,不足为信,而《苹果》三间公司的高层明显是知情且愿意参与其中,故此裁定黎智英和其馀三名被告的三项罪名均全部成立。

根据控罪,黎智英与三间《苹果》相关公司被控「串谋发布煽动刊物」丶《港区国安法》下的「串谋勾结外国或者境外势力危害国家安全」两罪;另外,黎单独面对一项「串谋勾结外国势力」罪。

壹传媒创办人黎智英於2020年底被捕,先后被控三罪;案件於2023年底开审并经过156日审讯後,押後至今日裁决,至此,黎智英已还柙逾 1800 日。

另外,黎智英早前已因煽惑参与六四集会和在租用科技园的办公大楼内容许其他人使用办公室而被裁定欺诈罪成,两罪合共判刑 82 个月,若能获得扣减狱中良好表现的三分之一刑期,黎应已服完上述两案的刑期。

至於同犯串谋勾结外国势力罪一案的六名《苹果》高层丶「12 港人」之一李宇轩及律师助理陈梓华等八人早前均已认罪,杜官今日表示,此案及同案各被告均会押后到明年1月12日进行求情,排期四天听取,之后会尽快作出判刑。

案中的六名《苹果》高层被告,分别是前壹传媒行政总裁张剑虹丶前副主长陈沛敏丶前总编辑罗伟光丶前执行总编辑林文宗丶前主笔冯伟光(卢峯),以及另一前主笔杨清奇(李平),各人均承认一项串谋勾结外国势力罪,而串谋发布煽动刊物则存档法庭。当中,张剑虹丶陈沛敏与杨清奇在审讯中以控方证人身分作供。至於陈梓华和李宇轩亦承认一项串谋勾结外力罪,两人亦曾以控方证人身分作供。

根据《国安法》,勾结外力罪成可判囚三年至十年以下,若罪行重大则可判囚十年以上至终身监禁。至於此案中的旧煽动罪,首次定罪者,最高可被判入狱两年。

Jimmy Lai Faces Up to Life in a Hong Kong Jail After Guilty Verdicts

Jimmy Lai, the publisher of a popular tabloid, was convicted of national security charges on Monday after spending decades supporting the city’s vanquished pro-democracy movement.

© Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times

Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong in 2019. Mr. Lai, who has been behind bars for five years, received guilty verdicts in a national security trial on Monday.

我们会眼睁睁目睹黎智英死在狱中吗?

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我们会眼睁睁目睹黎智英死在狱中吗?

MARK L. CLIFFORD
Anthony Wallace/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
香港报纸出版人黎智英被判危害国家安全罪名成立,可能在监狱中度过余生。数十年来,他一直在为香港争取民主自由。
他的人生剩下的时间可能也不多了。12月8日,黎智英在狱中度过了他的78岁生日。他曾经是一个高大健壮的男人,但现在体重明显下降,受糖尿病和心脏病折磨。
自2017年诺贝尔和平奖得主刘晓波在中国监狱去世以来,黎智英已成为中国最具影响力的异见人士。周一黎智英的定罪对香港公民自由的未来是一个沉重打击。这也是对美国和其他西方民主国家是否会坚持他们自称珍视的价值观的关键考验。
特朗普总统和英国总理斯塔默曾呼吁释放黎智英。但零敲碎打的例行呼吁远远不够。黎智英可能面临终身监禁(其刑期尚未公布)。当自由主义价值观在全球范围内受到攻击的时候,西方领导人必须及时采取行动,对中国的贸易和经济弱点施加压力,以人道主义理由争取令黎智英获释。
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黎智英的传奇人生堪称白手起家的典范:12岁时他通过偷渡逃离了毛泽东时期的中国,来到香港,在工厂劳作多年后最终建立起一个服装业帝国。
1989年中国对北京民主运动的残酷镇压促使他投身出版业,他认为这是捍卫香港公民自由的最佳途径。1997年英国将香港归还给中国后,北京方面曾承诺维护这些自由,但如今已经在系统性地收回。黎智英创办的《苹果日报》等出版物因其大胆娱乐的风格及对中港当局的犀利批评广受欢迎。
2019年香港爆发大规模抗议活动,反对北京对该市日益收紧的控制。同年,黎智英在华盛顿与时任副总统迈克·彭斯和其他美国官员会面,讨论了抗议活动。2020年,中国通过了一项国家安全法,赋予了香港当局遏制异见的广泛权力。黎智英成为该法最引人注目的受害者:因与美方讨论香港抗议活动而被控勾结外国势力(他对此予以否认),最终于本周一被定罪。他还被判串谋制作及发布煽动刊物罪名成立。
黎智英在过去五年的大部分时间里都被单独监禁,这违反了联合国的《纳尔逊·曼德拉规则》,该规则规定超过15天的单独监禁就构成酷刑或不人道待遇。香港政府否认拥有香港和英国双重国籍的黎智英受到虐待,并说他曾要求与其他囚犯分开关押。
在本周的判决之前,国际上对黎智英的支持就已经越来越强烈。10月,加拿大总理马克·卡尼呼吁释放他,教宗良十四世会见了他的妻子和女儿,这是梵蒂冈罕见地支持中国异见人士;据报道,特朗普总统在10月下旬与习近平主席会晤时曾就此问题施压。
特朗普在去年的总统竞选活动中表示,令黎智英获释“轻而易举”。如今,全球兴起声援黎智英的浪潮、特朗普与习近平同意暂停贸易战后美中紧张关系也趋缓,特朗普应该利用这些有利条件兑现自己的豪言壮语。
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习近平是数十年来立场最强硬的中国领导人,但有理由相信,加大施压力度或许能奏效。
允许黎智英出国对中国来说几乎不会有什么损失。尽管黎智英的过往言行表明他将继续为香港公民自由遭到破坏发声,但高龄和失去媒体帝国——它在政府的压力下已被清算——将限制他在海外对香港施加的影响。
特朗普和其他西方领导人甚至可以证明,释放黎智英会给北京带来实实在在的好处。
中国迫切希望恢复香港作为一个主要的法治金融中心的形象,这一声誉因国家安全立法和对基本自由的广泛侵犯已经受损
中国也可以避免因其对待刘晓波的方式引发的公关灾难。刘晓波因呼吁中国政治改革于2009年入狱,八年后因肝癌在一家监狱医院去世,此前北京拒绝批准他出国就医。这使他成为自1938年卡尔·冯·奥西茨基在纳粹统治下死于狱中以来首位在监禁期间死亡的诺贝尔奖得主,引发了国际社会对中国的严厉批评,并削弱了中国被视为负责任的全球参与者的形象。
斯塔默计划最早于下个月对中国进行国事访问,特朗普曾表示他将于4月访华。在中国经济面临重大挑战之际,中国完全有理由希望与重要贸易伙伴的会晤顺利进行。西方领导人应该利用这一影响力警告北京,如黎智英继续被监禁将损害双边关系,中国不能继续无视国际准则而不受到影响。
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为一个勇敢捍卫民主和言论自由的人争取自由将向中国和世界表明,这些价值观仍然值得为之奋斗。

Mark L. Clifford是《麻烦制造者:黎智英如何成为亿万富翁、香港最伟大的异议人士和最令中国忌惮的批评者》一书的作者。他是香港自由委员会基金会主席,曾任《苹果日报》母公司壹传媒董事。

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中国11月城镇调查失业率5.1% 与上月持平

官方数据显示,中国11月城镇调查失业率达5.1%,与上月持平。

中国国家统计局星期一(12月15日)公布的数据显示,今年11月,全国城镇调查失业率为5.1%;本地户籍劳动力调查失业率为5.3%;外来户籍劳动力调查失业率为4.7%,其中外来农业户籍劳动力调查失业率为4.4%。

数据还显示,今年前11个月,全国城镇调查失业率平均值为5.2%。

中国从2018年开始公布城镇调查失业率,这一统计范围是城镇常住人口,不包括未转移到城镇的农村户籍劳动力失业情况。

台行政院不副署财划法 赖清德:确保宪政体制完整

台湾行政院长卓荣泰将于星期一(12月15日)召开记者会就《财政收支划分法》(简称《财划法》)修法不副署、不公布决定作说明,台湾总统赖清德当天在卓荣泰和考试院长周弘宪举行国政茶叙时强调,为维护国政推动,各部会都应在合宪基础下进行各项法案,确保宪政体制完整。

据台湾总统府官网消息,赖清德星期一上午在总统府与行政院及考试院进行国政茶叙,针对明年度中央政府总预算案的审议、《财划法》的修法及公教年金改革等议题进行交流。

赖清德说,立法院在去年通过了《立法院职权行使法》,由他、行政院以及监察院提出释宪,后经司法院大法官宪法法庭判决为违宪。之后,《宪法诉讼法》修正案冻结了司法院大法官宪法法庭,立法院后续又推出许多法案,特别是近日的《财划法》以及公教退抚法律修正案,行政院及考试院均有表达不同的意见与看法。

赖清德强调,他有责任保护宪政秩序,也有责任推动国家政策推展的,本想利用《宪法》第44条召开院际协调会,后来从善如流循立法院长韩国瑜建议改为院际茶会,虽然韩国瑜还是没法出席,但茶会仍要进行。

在与会者综合发言后,赖清德表示,为促进院际之间沟通协调、维护国政推动顺利进行,针对立法院的《财划法》及通过的各项法案,行政院、考试院及相关部会都应在合宪基础下进行,确保宪政体制完整。他也请考试院务必多加考虑,运用何种方式最能保障公务人员权利义务,让军公教退休制度可长可久。

另据ETtoday新闻云和中天新闻网报道,行政院日前针对《财划法》修正案提出复议被立法院否决后,传出赖清德政府研议以“不副署、不公布”方式因应,引发在野党强烈反弹。

国民党团干部星期天(14日)直言,若民进党政府执意违法硬干,“上街头将是必然选项”,民众党主席黄国昌也痛批这是彻头彻尾的宪政灾难。行政院长卓荣泰星期一下午3时30分将亲自主持记者会说明。

中国官员:中国经济韧性强 实现全年目标有较好条件

中国官员预测,从全年情况看,尽管有困难有压力,但中国经济韧性强,宏观政策支持有力,新动能稳步成长,实现全年预期目标有较好条件。

中国国家统计局新闻发言人付凌晖星期一(12月15日)在发布会上说,今年以来,面对外部环境变化和内部风险挑战叠加的复杂严峻局面,各地区各部门深入实施更加积极有为的宏观政策,纵深推进全国统一大市场建设,积极做强国内大循环,国民经济保持总体平稳、稳中有进发展态势。

从明年情况来看,付凌晖预测,国际环境不稳定不确定因素较多,保护主义和单边主义负面影响持续显现,地缘政治冲突变数犹存,国内加快构建新发展格局,做强国内大循环,促进国内国际双循环仍需持续用力。

付凌晖续称:“在看到风险挑战的同时,也要看到,我国经济基础稳、优势多、韧性强、潜能大,长期向好的支撑条件和基本趋势没有变,创新驱动作用增强,改革开放不断深化,现代化产业体系加快建设,将有力支撑经济向好发展。”

付凌晖也说,下阶段要实施更加积极有为的宏观政策,持续扩大内需、优化供给,着力稳就业、稳企业、稳市场、稳预期,推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长,为“十五五”开好局、起好步打下坚实基础。

官方数据显示,中国社会消费品零售总额增速从10月的2.9%,放缓至11月的1.3%,低于路透社调查预测的2.8%。

此外,1—11月份全国固定资产投资(不含农户)同比下降2.6%,1-10月份则是下滑1.7%。经济师预测的跌幅为2.3%。规模以上工业增加值同比实际增长在11月为4.8%,低于路透社经展开调查后预测的5.0%。

黎智英案:勾結境外勢力等三項罪名全數成立

null 周依恩
2025-12-15T04:34:50.903Z
根據《香港國安法》,「勾結外國勢力罪」最高可判終身監禁。這位78歲的香港前民主派媒體大亨有可能在監獄中度過餘生。

(德國之聲中文網)香港高等法院週一(12月15日)對黎智英案作出宣判:香港壹傳媒集團創辦人黎智英被控兩項「串謀勾結外國或者境外勢力危害國家安全罪」以及一項「串謀發佈煽動刊物罪」,前者為《國安法》罪行,後者為《刑事罪行條例》,三項罪名全數成立。

涉及本案的3間《蘋果日報》相關公司同樣被控一項「串謀發布煽動刊物罪」及一項「串謀勾結外國勢力罪」,罪名成立。 另一項「串謀勾結外國勢力罪」則涉及「重光團隊」(SWHK)。

這是香港實施《國安法》後的首宗「串謀勾結外國勢力罪」審訊。綜合港媒現場報導,黎智英聽聞判決時神情平靜。《法庭線》指,黎智英「不時望向法官及家人」。

黎智英案由3名《國安法》指定法官杜麗冰、李運騰和李素蘭審理,未設陪審團。案件自2023年12月18日開審,審訊歷時156天,於2025年12月15日裁決有罪,訂於明年1月12日聽取求情 (判刑前向法庭陳述減刑理由),預計需要4日。

黎智英在2020年8月首次被捕,同年12月起被還押,至今已被關押逾5年。根據《香港國安法》,「勾結外國勢力罪」最高可判終身監禁。這位78歲的香港前民主派媒體大亨有可能在監獄中度過餘生。

12月15日,一輛據信載著黎智英的監獄車輛,駛離西九龍法庭。

法官指黎「動搖中共管治的意圖從來沒有改變」

綜合港媒報導,清晨開庭時,黎智英身穿灰色西裝外套進入法庭,面帶微笑向旁聽席揮手致意。黎智英妻子、兒子黎耀恩、天主教香港教區榮休主教陳日君樞機等也入庭旁聽。

法官杜麗冰指,判決書長達855頁,僅宣讀部分內容。法官在宣讀判詞時提到,黎智英「遠在《國安法》實施前…便希望利用美國對抗中國」、「動搖中共管治的意圖從來沒有改變,即使國安法生效,也以隱晦方式進行」、「長期對中國深懷怨恨」等。

判決書指出,黎智英證詞前後矛盾、「不足為信」,並引述黎智英與其助理Mark Simon在通訊軟體WhatsApp上的訊息內容,指他曾為黎智英安排與華府官員會面、並替黎智英在美國政界遊說。

此外,法官也根據從犯證人陳梓華的證詞認定,黎智英串謀「重光團隊」(SWHK)成員遊說美國對中國實施制裁。

英相施凱爾先前表示,英國政府將確保黎智英獲釋列為優先事項。

「重光團隊」成員包含陳梓華、李宇軒等,他們為此案的從犯證人。李宇軒在審訊期間作供表示,這是一個「鬆散」的港人組織,「唯獨有共識要為香港爭取自由民主」。

香港司法機構已經上傳裁決理由書文版摘要。

人權組織批評「莫須有罪名」

喬治城大學亞洲法中心高級研究員黎恩灝向DW表示,「冗長的判詞並不能代表裁決本身的品質」,並對審訊的公平性提出質疑。

「在一個由行政長官欽點法官審理特定案件、陪審團制度被取消、黎智英及其他被告被強制還押長達4年,以及親政府力量曾公開批評法院保障黎智英程序公義決定的司法環境下,審訊結果幾乎是注定的——法院幾乎沒有空間作出偏離北京意志的裁決。」

黎恩灝指,北京早已多次將黎智英定調為國安罪犯,他對於裁決結果「不意外」,但批評法院「誤導性地將黎智英對中國共產黨的態度,描述為他對中國或中國人民的態度」。

他並表示,黎智英大多數被指涉及「外國勢力」的行為,均發生在《國安法》生效之前,法院在判決中模糊卻了「法律不溯及既往」的原則。

黎智英案備受矚目,開庭前有市民漏夜排隊,希望入庭旁聽。

判決出爐後,人權觀察亞洲區主任皮爾森(Elaine Pearson)透過信件發布聲明表示:「黎智英被單獨監禁5年後以莫須有罪名定罪,是一場殘酷的司法鬧劇。中國政府虐待黎智英,目的是讓所有膽敢批評中共的人們噤聲。」

她呼籲:「各國政府應施壓當局撤銷案件及立即將他釋放。中國和香港政府應為處心積慮扼殺香港新聞界的措施付出代價。

「無國界記者」亦發布聲明指,黎智英在嚴苛的條件下單獨監禁,每日僅能在鐵籠中進行50分鐘的「運動」,使其健康狀況嚴重惡化。他的家人警告其指甲已經脫落、牙齒腐爛,體重也大幅減輕。

聲明寫道:「黎智英是香港新聞自由的象徵人物,卻因為當局捏造的國安指控被判有罪,我們對此深表憤慨。他遭到非法定罪一事顯示出香港媒體自由的惡化程度驚人。必須明確指出的是:接受審判的並非個人,而是新聞自由本身,但這項判決卻將其擊碎。」

香港自由委員會基金會(CFHK)英國暨歐洲主任薩巴(Mark Sabah)認為,此項審訊結果「令人毫不意外」。他稱此案為一場「披著司法正義外衣的政治表演」,展現香港過去作為全球法律中心的聲譽已「徹底完全摧毀」。

本案受到國際高度關注,被視為評估香港新聞自由與司法獨立現況的重要指標,同時也是北京外交關係的一項考驗。英國駐港總領事館副總領事羅賓森(Sarah Robinson)、歐盟駐港澳辦事處副主任考夫曼(Matthias Kaufmann)皆到場聽取判決。

美國總統川普此前曾表示,要向中方提出討論黎智英案;英國首相施凱爾(Keir Starmer)亦指出,確保擁有英國國籍的黎智英獲釋是英國政府優先事項之一。

此前,黎智英的兒女黎崇恩與黎采多次向媒體表示,黎智英「健康狀況正在惡化」,擔心「父親時日無多。」港府則發稿譴責有關媒體報導「完全沒有任何事實基礎」,並表示黎智英羈押期間,得到適切待遇及醫療照顧。

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黎智英被裁罪成 陆委会:香港自由民主遭蚕食鲸吞

香港法院裁定壹传媒创办人黎智英涉及串谋勾结外国势力等罪名成立,台湾政府的大陆委员会称,此次判决如同向世人宣示,香港的自由、民主及司法独立已遭蚕食鲸吞,并呼吁港府立即释放黎智英。

陆委会星期一(12月15日)在官网发布新闻稿,严厉谴责港府“利用国安恶法箝制言论、新闻自由,政治迫害民主人士”。

陆委会说,黎智英在《香港国安法》实施后被控“勾结外国或境外势力危害国家安全”等罪名,至今已被羁押长达五年,有违司法正义。国际社会和人权团体高度关切这起案件的发展,多次呼吁停止迫害并释放黎智英。如今黎智英被定罪,台湾和国际社会均深感痛心与失望。

陆委会认为,言论与新闻自由为国际公认的普世价值,此次判决如同向世人宣示,香港的自由、民主及司法独立已遭蚕食鲸吞。

陆委会指出,港府一再强调要向世界“说好香港故事”,但再多叙事也无法掩盖打压言论自由、迫害民主人士的事实。陆委会也呼吁北京与港府立即释放黎智英,并停止对民主人士的打压,还给港人《基本法》所承诺的自由与权利。

香港法院星期一裁决,黎智英两项串谋勾结外国势力及一项煽动罪名全部罪成,并指黎智英是案中主脑。黎智英得知结果后,表现平静。

李家超:黎智英案裁决维护了香港核心价值

香港壹传媒创办人黎智英涉及串谋勾结外国势力和串谋发布煽动刊物的三项罪名成立,特首李家超说这项判决维护了香港的核心价值,并批评黎智英损害中国根本利益和香港市民福祉,其行可耻。

李家超星期一(12月15日)前往北京述职前在香港国际机场说,法庭裁定黎智英及《苹果日报》相关三家公司罪名成立,确认黎智英利用《苹果日报》勾结外国或境外势力,危害国家安全。

据香港特区政府新闻公报,李家超说:”黎智英长期利用旗下媒体《苹果日报》肆意制造社会矛盾、挑拨社会对立,煽动仇恨、美化暴力,公然乞求外国制裁中国、制裁香港特区、招引外部干预。黎智英损害国家根本利益和香港市民福祉,其行可耻,其心歹毒。黎智英恣意妄为的罪行是在众目睽睽下进行,证据确凿,法庭的定罪判决彰显了法律的正义,维护了香港的核心价值。“

李家超也说,”法律从不容许任何职业或背景的人假借人权、民主和自由之名,公然伤害自己的国家及同胞“。香港特区有责任维护国家安全,会坚决打击危害国家安全的行为和活动。香港是法治社会,特区政府有法必依、违者必究、执法必严,”我们会全力防范、制止和惩治危害国家安全的行为和活动,履行这天经地义的责任”。

他强调,特区政府旗帜鲜明,司法机构理直气壮,无惧任何威吓,坚定履行维护国家安全的责任。

香港法院星期一(12月15日)裁决,黎智英涉及串谋勾结外国势力和串谋发布煽动刊物的三项罪名成立。法庭把求情定在明年1月12日,需要四天的时间,并会尽早就判刑订下日期。

另据香港星岛头条报道,香港警务处国家安全处总警司李桂华在黎智英案裁决后会见传媒,并批评黎智英是整个乱局的推手,难辞其咎,黎智英所犯罪行罄竹难书,证据确凿。

广西一男子持刀杀害两女 被悬赏通缉

中国广西官方通报,当地一名男子因持刀杀害两名女子被悬赏通缉。

据广西柳州市公安局微信公众号“柳州警方”消息,广西柳州市柳城县公安局星期天(12月14日)发布警情通报,柳城县马山镇上星期四(11日)下午5时许发生一起刑事案件。经查,54岁李姓男嫌犯持刀对45岁黄姓女子和57岁陈姓女子行凶。两名被害人经医院抢救无效死亡,嫌犯作案后潜逃。

柳城县公安局目前组织警力全力侦查抓捕,发布悬赏通告,呼吁公众发现嫌犯行踪信息后及时报警。

柳城县公安局上星期六(13日)发布悬赏通告,指广西柳城县发生一起重大刑事案件,54岁李男作案后潜逃。

根据通告,李男是河池市宜州区人,身高约165公分,中等身材,圆脸,短白发,潜逃时驾驶一辆爱玛牌凯锋型黑色两轮电动车。公安局吁请公众提供有效线索帮助逮捕李男,公安机关将给予10万元人民币(1万8319新元)奖励,并严格保密举报者身份。

LA police investigate 'apparent homicide' at Rob Reiner's home

Getty Images Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner wearing a black cap and black jacket.Getty Images

Two people have been found dead at a home in Los Angeles identified by authorities as the residence of director and actor Rob Reiner, authorities say.

Firefighters were called to a house in Brentwood on Sunday afternoon, where they found the bodies of a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman who were pronounced dead at the scene, the LA Fire Department said.

Authorities did not immediately identify them or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Rob Reiner is 78 and his wife, Michele, is 68.

Reiner is a storied Hollywood filmmaker whose movies include classics such as The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and This is Spinal Tap.

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'Person of interest' detained over Brown University shooting to be released, officials say

Reuters Police in US lit by blue police sirens on dark night Reuters
Rachel Muller-Heyndyk

A person of interest has been detained in connection with a US shooting at Brown University that left two people dead, police said.

Nine others were injured when a gunman opened fire at the university in Providence on Saturday.

Police confirmed on Sunday a person had been detained, and an earlier order for people on the Brown campus and surrounding areas to shelter had been lifted.

Of those injured, medics said one person was in a critical condition, six were "critical but stable" and two others were less severely hurt.

The gunman opened fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Saturday at the Holley engineering building at the eastern end of Brown's campus, according to officials.

The identities of those killed or injured have not yet been released, but Brown University President Christina Paxson told reporters in a press briefing on Saturday that all the victims, including those killed and wounded, were students.

Police had earlier released CCTV footage of a male suspect walking away from the scene wearing all black clothing. Officers said a firearm was not found in a sweep of the building.

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