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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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".

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.

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.

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Flash floods have killed at least 37 people in Morocco's coastal Safi region, according to state-owned television.

Cars and mounds of rubbish were seen sweeping through the main port city of Safi after torrential rain hit on Sunday.

Dozens of people have been receiving treatment in hospital for their injuries, say local authorities, and at least 70 homes have been inundated in the old city centre.

Local reports say access to and from the city is blocked on certain roads because of damage and debris.

Residents on Sunday described it as a dark day, with one telling the AFP news agency: "I've lost all my clothes. Only my neighbour gave me some to cover myself. I have nothing left. I've lost everything."

Another survivor said he wanted to see government trucks at the scene to pump out the water.

Moroccan authorities say search and rescue missions are still under way.

Experts say the climate crisis is in part responsible for the extreme weather fluctuations seen in the North African state.

It has suffered seven years of drought in a row, depleting its reservoirs.

Last year was officially the hottest ever on record.

This latest, sudden downpour is expected to continue on Tuesday together with snowfall across the Atlas mountains, Morocco's weather service warns.

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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.

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled the pitch - kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children and signing autographs - the crowd chanted his name.

His flight to the Indian capital from Mumbai was delayed due to fog and poor visibility, local media reported, and his itinerary had to be trimmed.

Messi kept a packed schedule in India, attending a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.

The tour, however, got off to an unfortunate start after angry fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state - of which Kolkata is the capital - and thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to catch a glimpse of Messi.

However, most of them couldn't even catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.

Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper said in an editorial that "poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans - denied even a glimpse of Messi after he was ring-fenced by officials, celebrities and security - "vented their anger by indulging in violence".

The ruckus, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

The event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.

Messi also met several politicians and celebrities - Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata (at his hotel before the stadium fiasco), opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman.

Messi's popularity stems not just from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football, but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.

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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.

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.

"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."

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".

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

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."

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.

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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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.

"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."

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rumours of a major prisoner release from Belarus had been swirling for a couple of days.

But no one would reveal the names on the list, or the exact number, until everyone was safely out, finally free.

In total,123 political prisoners have been released, including some of the best-known names among Belarusian opposition politicians, human rights activists and journalists.

Maria Kolesnikova, the protest leader with a famous red-lipsticked smile, was on the release list.

A video of her jumping for joy and hugging other former prisoners, overjoyed to be reunited, was soon flying around social media. Then came another, on a bus out of Belarus, where she thanked everyone who'd helped bring this moment about.

"It's a feeling of incredible happiness to see those who are dear to me, to hug them and realise we are all free," Masha, as she's best known, told the camera, her lips already painted red again.

The first sunset of her freedom was a thing of great beauty, she said.

"But I also think of those who are not yet free and I await the moment when we can all embrace, when all are free."

Out too is Viktor Babaryka, a banker who tried to run for president in 2020 but was locked up before the elections even began.

The Nobel Peace prize winner Ales Bialiatski has also been released from a 10-year sentence.

All were locked up for their opposition to the authoritarian rule of Alexander Lukashenko, whose security forces crushed the mass protests of 2020 with brutal force. They were the biggest challenge to his rule that he has ever faced.

The prisoners' release now is the result of long and complex negotiations led by the US that culminated in a two-day visit to Minsk this week by Donald Trump's new special envoy, John Coale.

For Lukashenko, that engagement itself is a win: after years as a political pariah in the West he is clearly happy to be back on talking terms with the US.

But he also got US sanctions dropped on a key export for his country, potash, as a further, more tangible reward. EU penalties - and tougher policies - are still in place.

It's not entirely clear what Trump has to gain from this. But Belarus is a close ally of Russia, including in its war on Ukraine, and the move comes as the US has been re-engaging with Moscow too, seeking a peace deal.

The dozens of prisoners Lukashenko agreed to let go were always expected to come here to Vilnius, Lithuania, where a crowd of friends, relatives and fellow activists gathered outside the US embassy in the freezing cold to greet them.

Some came wrapped in the red and white opposition flag of Belarus.

Tatsiana Khomich, Masha Kolesnikova's sister who had campaigned for over five years for her release, couldn't stop smiling. "I've just spoken to Masha," she told me after a video call.

A professional flautist before the disputed 2020 elections, Kolesnikova spent much of her more than five-year sentence in total isolation, denied even letters and phone calls to her family.

"She's fine, she's good. I just want to hug her. I still can't quite believe it," her sister said.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd: a police car, blue lights flashing, was heading towards the US embassy gates, leading a small convoy of other vehicles.

But there was no way all 123 ex-prisoners were inside. Instead, we learned, just seven foreign nationals had been brought to Lithuania and only Ales Bialiatski of the Belarusians.

'Optimism and activism'

The others, including Kolesnikova, had been taken out of Belarus to Ukraine: from prison, into a war zone.

Staying in their own country is not usually an option on offer.

"Lukashenko's idea, who else?" was how one of opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's team interpreted the surprise diversion to Ukraine. It seems he'd decided to play one final power game, so the family reunions, so long awaited, would be delayed.

But what of the price paid for that moment? Tikhanovskaya is a friend and political ally of Masha Kolesnikova, but she always calls for maximum pressure on Lukashenko by the West.

So has the US gone too far, I wondered.

"This is a process of negotiation. Of course, it would be good for us if nothing is given to Lukashenko, because all those people are hostages of his regime. They are innocent.

"But this is how negotiation goes," she replied, before noting that sanctions can always be reapplied if necessary.

"President Trump now uses carrots. He also can use sticks."

A few steps away, a man waving a giant flag worried that Lukashenko would just take more prisoners. This is not a sign of sudden humanity, he said.

After a short time inside the US embassy, Ales Bialiatski emerged onto the street to ecstatic cheers from the crowd.

Gaunt, head shaven and still in his padded blue prison jacket, he admitted his head was spinning from all the sensations after four years in jail.

"I was driven across Belarus in a blindfold, from east to west, so I still can't get my head round it. This is so emotional," he shared, describing being woken at 04:00 and told by his prison guard to pack.

When I asked what he wanted now most of all he didn't hesitate: "I want to see my wife!"

She's on her way, I was told.

Bialiatski's own organisation, Viasna, monitors political detentions in Belarus and the activist reminded everyone that many people like him - only less well known - have been left behind bars.

"It is very important for everyone to continue to work for those political prisoners who are still in Belarusian prisons, to strive for the complete release of all of them."

Then, lifting the red and white flag from his shoulders, he had a message for Belarusians everywhere.

"Optimism and activism," Ales Bialiatski told them, with a sudden smile. "Never give up!"

Five men have been arrested in Germany suspected of being involved in a plot to drive a vehicle into people at a Christmas market.

Three Moroccans, an Egyptian and a Syrian were detained on Friday over the plan to target a market in the southern Bavarian state. Authorities said they suspected an "Islamist motive".

Prosecutors said the Egyptian - a 56-year-old - was alleged to have "called for a vehicle attack... with the aim of killing or injuring as many people as possible". The Moroccans allegedly agreed to carry out the attack.

Officials in Germany have been on high alert after previous attacks at Christmas markets, including in Magdeburg last December that killed six people.

Authorities did not say when the planned attack was supposed to take place or which market was the target, though said they believed it to be one in the Dingolfing-Landau area, north east of Munich.

German newspaper Bild reported the Egyptian man was an imam at a mosque in the area.

Police said the Moroccan men - aged 30, 28 and 22 - were arrested accused of having agreed to commit murder, while the Syrian man, a 37-year-old, was accused of encouraging the suspects "in their decision to commit the crime".

The five suspects appeared before a magistrate on Saturday and remain in custody.

Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria's state interior minister, told Bild the "excellent cooperation between our security services" had helped to prevent "a potentially Islamist-motivated attack".

Christmas markets are popular festive attractions throughout Germany, frequently attracting large crowds and significant tourism.

Security at events has been increased in recent years, since an attack in Berlin in 2016 when a man drove a lorry into a market crowd, killing 12 people.

A manhunt is under way after two students were killed and nine other people were injured in a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

The gunman opened fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Saturday, in a building where exams were taking place.

The university, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the US, was placed into lockdown as police searched for the gunman, who remains at large.

Students in parts of the campus are continuing to be told to shelter in place until police can escort them out of the area.

Officials from Rhode Island Hospital said most of the injured are in a "critical but stable" condition.

The identities of those killed or injured have not yet been released by officials.

"This is a day that we hoped never would come to our community. It is deeply devastating for all of us," said Brown University President Christina Paxson in a statement.

Police have released limited information about the male suspect, including an identity or motive. It is not known if he has links to the university.

CCTV footage showed the suspect walking out of the building after the attack but the his face can not be seen.

Providence Deputy Police Chief Tim O'Hara said the suspect was dressed all in black and may have been wearing a mask. It is not known what type of firearm he used and it has not been recovered.

"We're utilising every resource possible to find this suspect," he added, with extra armed police resources drafted into to search the area.

The shooting happened at the Barus and Holley building, part of Brown University's engineering school. The attack happened in a large classroom on the first floor.

An economics professor told local public media outlet Ocean State Radio that the shooting took place during a review session for her course, which was led by her teaching assistant.

"He said that the shooter came in the doors, yelled something - he couldn't remember what he yelled - and started shooting," Rachel Friedberg said.

"Students started to scramble to try to get away from the shooter, trying to get lower down in the stadium seating, and people got shot," she added.

Officials cleared the building on Saturday afternoon but found neither the suspect nor a weapon.

Residents in the greater Brown University area have been told to stay inside, or to stay away until the shelter-in-place order is lifted.

In a statement, the university said police would enter non-residential buildings to escort people to safe locations.

Steph Machado, a reporter for the Boston Globe, told BBC News that restaurants around the campus have locked their doors with staff and customers waiting inside until the emergency order is lifted.

"There are flashing lights everywhere," she said.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, it was reported that a suspect had been taken into custody but it was quickly confirmed the man held had no involvement in the attack.

Mari Camara, 20, a Brown University student from New York City, told the Associated Press that she was coming out of the library and rushed inside a restaurant to seek shelter during the shooting. She spent the next three hours hiding there.

"Everyone is the same as me, shocked and terrified that something like this happened," Camara said.

University exams scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled, provost Frank Doyle said.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters as he returned to the White House from attending the annual Army and Navy football game, described the shooting as "a terrible thing".

"All we can do right now is pray for the victims and for those that were very badly hurt," he said.

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said in a statement: "Our capital city experienced an unthinkable tragedy today. Our hearts are with the people of Providence and all those impacted."

Brown University, one of the one of the oldest higher education institutions in the US, is part of the Ivy League, a group of elite universities in the northeast of the country.

The university, which has more than 11,000 students, is located in Providence, Rhode Island's capital city, located about 50 miles (80km) from Boston and 180 miles (290km) from New York City.

The attack on the campus brings the number of mass shootings in the US to 389 for this year, according to the independent analysis website Gun Violence Archive (GVA).

It defines mass shootings as having four or more victims killed or injured, not including the attacker.

Two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter have been been killed in Syria in an ambush by a lone Islamic State gunman, the US military has said.

The Pentagon said three other service members were injured in the attack, during which the gunman was "engaged and killed".

The identities of those killed are being withheld for 24 hours until their next of kin have been informed.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, said: "Let it be known, if you target Americans - anywhere in the world you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."

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Two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter have been been killed in Syria in an ambush by a lone Islamic State gunman, the US military has said.

The Pentagon said three other service members were injured in the attack, during which the gunman was "engaged and killed".

The identities of those killed are being withheld for 24 hours until their next of kin have been informed.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, said: "Let it be known, if you target Americans - anywhere in the world you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."

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.

Israel said it killed a senior Hamas commander on Saturday in a strike on a vehicle inside Gaza.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it had "struck a key Hamas terrorist" in Gaza City.

The Hamas-run Civil Defence spokesman, Mahmoud Basal, told the BBC that four people were killed in the strike. He said multiple passers-by were also injured by the blast.

Local sources said the strike may have targeted Raed Saad, a senior commander in Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.

The BBC is prevented by Israel from reporting independently from inside Gaza and is unable to verify details of the incident.

Saad is believed to be a member of the newly formed five-member leadership military council established since a ceasefire took hold in October.

He is regarded as one of the most prominent Qassam commanders and led several brigades during Hamas's 7 October attacks on Israeli communities east of Gaza City.

Israel has attempted to kill him on multiple occasions.

One of the most notable attempts was during a surprise Israeli operation in Gaza City in March 2024, when Israeli forces reportedly sought to arrest or kill him. Sources at the time said Saad had been inside the targeted complex but managed to escape moments before the raid.

He has long been considered one of Israel's most wanted Hamas figures, with Israeli attempts to kill him spanning more than two decades.

Saturday's attack happened on the Palestinian-controlled side of the so-called Yellow Line which has divided Gaza since an unstable US-led ceasefire came into effect on 10 October.

Israeli forces control the area to the east of the line, which includes just over half of the Gaza Strip.

The first phase of US president Donald Trump's 20-point plan for peace in the region required the return of all 20 living and 28 dead hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

About 1,200 people were killed in the attack and more than 250 people were taken hostage.

All have been returned except for the remains of an Israeli police officer, Ran Gvili, 24, who is believed to have been killed while fighting Hamas gunmen in Kibbutz Alumim.

Since then, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action.

The diplomatic focus is now shifting to the next stage of President Trump's plan which would require the disarmament of Hamas as part of what it calls the de-radicalisation and redevelopment of Gaza.

It envisages Gaza being run by the "temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee," overseen by a "Board of Peace" chaired by Trump.

Security would be provided by an International Stabilisation Force although its make up remains unclear.

The eventual aim is for a reformed Palestinian Authority to take control of the territory, and for Israeli forces to withdraw, after which "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood".

Many aspects of the plan are controversial in Israel where prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Trump is due to meet Netanyahu to discuss the plan in the US on 29 December.

Two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter have been been killed in Syria in an ambush by a lone Islamic State gunman, the US military has said.

The Pentagon said three other service members were injured in the attack, during which the gunman was "engaged and killed".

The identities of those killed are being withheld for 24 hours until their next of kin have been informed.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, said: "Let it be known, if you target Americans - anywhere in the world you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."

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Belarus has freed 123 prisoners, including prominent opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova, after the US agreed to lift sanctions on the Eastern European country.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski is also among those who have been freed following talks in Minsk with US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Belarus, John Coale.

The US has agreed to lift sanctions on potash, a key ingredient in fertiliser and an important export for the country whose president, Alexander Lukashenko, is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Coale said: "As relations between the two countries normalise, more and more sanctions will be lifted."

The EU has not recognised Lukashenko as president.

Kolesnikova has been in prison since 2020, much of the time in isolation.

Her sister, Tatiana, who campaigned tirelessly for her release was able to speak to her by video call soon after and confirmed the news to the BBC.

A group of those released are expected in Lithiana's capital Vilnius shortly. A crowd is gathering outside the US embassy.

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Parts of Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, have been turned into an "open-air gallery", in the words of the organisers of the city's first street art festival.

"We believe art shouldn't be confined to galleries and museums," Osa Okunkpolor, a Nigerian graffiti artist known as Osa Seven, and one of the festival's founders, told Reuters news agency.

"Public art allows people to interact with creativity in their everyday environment. It's about giving hope and showing what art can do to shape society."

The artwork is on display on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, a busy street in Victoria Island in the heart of the city.

Although Lagos is known for its vibrant arts scene, nightlife and creativity, street art is relatively unknown.

"The visibility is not too strong compared to other African nations," painter Ernest Ibe told AFP news agency.

"So, it's a challenge, but the country is evolving. We are beginning to understand the impact of social murals and how it affects us socially and in our environment in general."

This painting was done by Babalola Oluwafemi, a Nigerian artist who flew in from the British city of Manchester.

"I'm just telling how Lagos people love to party, love to go to parties, love to eat food. And they just love to be colourful," she told AFP.

The peacock is often used to symbolise beauty and pride in Nigerian art, AFP reports.

"Everything in Lagos is different. A whole lot of cars, a whole lot of traffic - a whole lot of comments from people passing by [saying] 'Nice work'," said the 32-year-old.

"Lagos is a place where we have joy," artist Ashaolu Oluwafemi, 34, told AFP.

"There's joy, there's struggle. Even in the mood of your struggles, you have to be joyful. You have to make yourself happy."

The festival opened on Wednesday and continues until Monday, 15 December.

Most of the artists are Nigerian but Ottograph travelled from the Dutch city of Amsterdam to paint his mural.

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US President Donald Trump has said the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia will halt fighting "effective this evening".

Trump made the announcement after telephone conversations with the two leaders following deadly border clashes in recent days which have left at least 20 people dead and half a million displaced.

Neither Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul nor his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet has commented.

However, after his call with Trump earlier, Charnvirakul told a news conference that a ceasefire would only come about if "Cambodia will cease fire, withdraw its troops, remove all landmines it has planted".

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said both leaders "have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me.

"Both Countries are ready for PEACE and continued Trade with the United States of America."

The long-standing border dispute escalated on 24 July, as Cambodia launched a barrage of rockets into Thailand, which responded with air strikes.

After days of intense fighting which left dozens dead, the neighbouring South East Asian countries agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" brokered by Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Since then, tensions continued to build.

This week, violence expanded into at least six provinces in north-eastern Thailand and five provinces in Cambodia's north and north-west.

The two countries have been been contesting territorial sovereignty along their 800km land border for more than a century, since the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

US President Donald Trump's overseas envoy will travel to Germany this weekend to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders for the latest round of high-level talks on ending the war.

Steve Witkoff, who has been leading White House attempts to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, will discuss the latest version of the proposed peace agreement in Berlin.

The Trump administration is pushing for a deal to be in place by Christmas and has held several rounds of talks with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in recent weeks, though there has been little sign a breakthrough is imminent.

It has not yet been confirmed which European leaders will attend the Berlin talks.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the meeting, said UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would all take part.

The Witkoff-Zelensky meeting comes days after Ukraine gave the US its revised version of a 20-point peace plan, the latest iteration of a proposal which first emerged in late November and has triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity.

The fate of territory in eastern Ukraine remains one of the most intractable topics in the negotiations, with Kyiv refusing to cede land which has been illegally occupied, and Moscow repeating its intention to take the Donbas region in full by force unless Ukraine withdraws.

Zelensky has reacted sceptically to the White House's latest proposal on resolving the territorial question, which is for Ukraine's army to pull out of the region and for it to be turned into a "special economic zone".

The Ukrainian president told reporters that under the US-proposed terms, the Kremlin would undertake not to advance into the areas vacated by Ukraine's forces, with the land between Russian-controlled parts of the Donbas and Ukraine's defensive lines effectively turned into a demilitarised zone.

The proposal, seemingly an attempt to resolve the question of legal ownership by creating a new status for the land, has been publicly questioned by Zelensky, who said: "What will restrain [Russia] from advancing? Or from infiltrating disguised as civilians?"

Ukraine and allies in Europe have said publicly that the US-led talks have been fruitful, and have hailed progress on securing amendments to a plan which was widely viewed as favouring Russia when it first emerged.

But there have been signs in recent weeks that Trump is losing patience with Zelensky and his backers on the continent.

In a scathing interview with Politico earlier this week, the US president labelled European leaders "weak" and renewed his calls for Ukraine to hold elections.

Zelensky said elections could be held within 90 days if the US and Europe provided the necessary security. Elections have been suspended since martial law was declared when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

As the White House's diplomatic push continues, attention in Europe is focused on how to support Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, with talks ongoing over security guarantees and funding.

The Ukrainian government faces a stark financial situation: it needs to find an extra €135.7bn (£119bn; $159bn) over the next two years.

On Friday, European Union governments agreed to indefinitely freeze around €210bn (£185bn; $247) worth of Russian assets held in Europe.

It is hoped that agreement paves the way for the funds to be loaned back to Ukraine if a deal can be reached at an EU summit next week, providing Kyiv with financial help for its military and efforts to rebuild parts of the country left devastated after nearly four years of all-out war.

That move has been condemned as theft by the Kremlin, and Russia's central bank has said it will sue Euroclear, a Belgian bank where the vast majority of Russian assets frozen after the invasion are held.

Officials were still negotiating the exact structure of a deal to repurpose the Russian assets on behalf of Ukraine, with the Belgian government being particularly sceptical due to its particular legal exposure as the main holder.

Elsewhere, it was reported that the latest version of the peace plan being circulated envisions Ukraine rapidly joining the European Union.

The Financial Times said Brussels backed Ukraine's swift accession to the bloc, an idea proposed by Ukraine in the latest draft it has given to Washington.

Ukraine formally applied to join the EU days after the 2022 invasion but despite promises of an accelerated process is still several years away from becoming a member.

Under the plan, Ukraine would become a member as soon as January 2027, AFP reported, citing an unnamed senior official. It was unclear whether Washington had approved that element of the draft.

Angry fans attending Lionel Messi's tour of India ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch after his appearance at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium.

Thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to catch a glimpse of the football star, but were left disappointed when he emerged to walk around the pitch, and was obscured by a large group of officials and celebrities.

When the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was whisked away early by security after around 20 minutes, elements of the crowd turned hostile.

West Bengal's chief minister, Mamata Banerjee said she was "deeply disturbed and shocked" by the events.

Messi is in India for his 'GOAT tour', a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

His tour began with the unveiling of a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata, which had been assembled over the course of 27 days by a 45-strong crew.

It was unveiled virtually due to security reasons, meaning thousands of fans instead travelled to the city's stadium for a chance to see the footballer.

They were chanting, buying jerseys and wearing "I love Messi" headbands.

Messi initially walked around the stadium waving to fans, but after his appearance was abruptly ended on Saturday, frustrated fans stormed the pitch and vandalised banners and tents, as others hurled plastic chairs and water bottles.

The 2022 World Cup winner - considered one of football's greatest players of all time - had been expected to play a short exhibition game at the stadium, the AFP news agency reports.

"Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi ... Why did they call us then ... We have got a ticket for 12 thousand rupees, but we were not even able to see his face", a fan at the stadium told Indian news agency ANI.

One angry fan told the Press Trust of India news agency people had paid the equivalent of a month's salary to see the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"I paid Rs 5,000 for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi not politicians.

"The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame."

Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and has a large football fanbase in an otherwise cricket-crazed country.

In the city, it is common to see hundreds of thousands of fans gather at stadiums at a derby of local clubs.

Announcing an enquiry, Banerjee apologised to Messi and "sports lovers" for the incident at the stadium.

"The [enquiry] committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future," she said on X.

In the early hours of Saturday, thousands lined the roads and congregated outside the hotel where Messi was staying to try and catch a glimpse of him.

Hitesh, a 24-year-old corporate lawyer, flew nearly 1,900 kilometres from the south Indian city of Bengaluru.

"For me it's personal. You can see I am quite short, and I love to play football with my friends," Hitesh told the BBC, standing in front of the statue.

"Messi is the player I related with the most, no one can match his talent. He gives me hope that with talent you can do anything."

It is just a small part of India's homage to the former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward.

Fans can visit 'Hola Messi' fan zone where there is a life-sized replica Messi sat on a throne, a hall adorned with some of his trophies and a recreation of his Miami home complete with mannequins of the player and his family sat on a balcony.