AFP USA

Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was found guilty on all three charges in his national security trial on Monday, convictions that rights groups denounced as the death knell for press freedoms in the Chinese financial hub.Prosecutors said Lai was the mastermind behind two conspiracies to ask foreign countries to take action against Hong Kong or China, and accused him of publishing material that “excited disaffection” against the government.The 78-year-old, who pleaded not guilty, faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced. He can appeal against the convictions.”There is no doubt that (Lai) had harboured his resentment and hatred of the PRC,” Judge Esther Toh told the court, referring to the People’s Republic of China.She said he had invited the United States “to help bring down” the Chinese government, “with the excuse of helping the people of HK”.Lai is a British citizen, and the UK government condemned his “politically motivated prosecution” in a statement that called for his release.The media mogul, wearing a light green cardigan and grey jacket, listened impassively as the verdicts were read out.He nodded to his wife Teresa and his son Lai Shun-yan in the public gallery as he left the court, an AFP reporter saw.Defence lawyer Robert Pang told reporters that Lai was “in fine spirits” and that they would need to read the 886-page verdict before deciding on their next steps.Lai’s other son Sebastien urged Britain to “do more” to help free his father.”It’s time to put action behind words and make my father’s release a pre-condition to closer relationships with China,” he told a press conference in London.US, EU and French consular representatives were in court, as well as veterans from Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp, including Cardinal Joseph Zen and former legislator Emily Lau.The European Union said the conviction was “emblematic of the erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong since the imposition of the National Security Law”, imposed by Beijing after huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.Beijing hit back at the international criticism, saying it opposed the “smearing of the judicial system in Hong Kong by certain countries”.- ‘Dismaying’ -Lai, who founded the now-shut Apple Daily newspaper, has been behind bars since 2020.His case has been widely criticised as an example of eroding political freedoms under the national security law.”The predictability of today’s verdict does not make it any less dismaying — the conviction of Jimmy Lai feels like the death knell for press freedom in Hong Kong,” Amnesty International said in a statement.The Hong Kong Journalists Association described a Hong Kong media climate of self-censorship and fear.Eric Lai, a research fellow in Asian law at Georgetown University, said the verdict vindicated concerns about a fair trial because “most of Jimmy Lai’s acts related to foreign forces were carried out before the (security law) was enacted”.Beijing’s national security agency in Hong Kong and its Liaison Office in the city both called Lai a “pawn” for anti-China forces.A former Apple Daily employee surnamed Chan recalled before the verdicts were delivered that Lai wished for a “free and democratic China”.”He loved the country a lot, he just didn’t love the regime,” Chan told AFP.Lai looked thinner on Monday than when he first entered custody, an AFP reporter saw, and some of his supporters who gathered at dawn in front of the court expressed concern for his well-being.”I really want to see what’s happening with ‘the boss’,” said Tammy Cheung, who worked at Lai’s newspaper for nearly two decades.- Health concerns -Lai’s daughter Claire told AFP last week that her father, a diabetic, had “lost a very significant amount of weight” and showed signs of nail and tooth decay.National security police chief superintendent Steve Li said her concerns were smearing.Authorities have said Lai was receiving “adequate and comprehensive” care, and that he had been held in solitary confinement “at his own request”.Prosecutors cited 161 items Apple Daily published in their case against Lai.Those items, including opinion articles with Lai’s byline and talk shows he hosted, were deemed seditious under a colonial-era law because they “excited disaffection” against the government.Prosecutors also accused Lai of being the mastermind and financial backer of the protest group “Stand with Hong Kong, Fight for Freedom”.Lai maintained that he never sought to influence other countries’ foreign policies, saying Apple Daily represented Hongkongers’ core values, including “rule of law, freedom, pursuit of democracy”.Apple Daily was forced to close in 2021 following police raids. Six top executives were charged as co-defendants and have already pleaded guilty.

Los Angeles police were investigating the deaths of Hollywood star Rob Reiner and his wife as an “apparent homicide”, as condolences poured in for the director behind hits like “When Harry Met Sally”.Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds, US media reported Sunday.The deaths of the “Princess Bride” director and his wife drew condolences from California political heavyweights like ex-vice president Kamala Harris.Los Angeles police did not confirm the identity of the deceased but said homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiners’ home.”At this time, no further details are available as this is an ongoing… investigation, into an apparent homicide,” the Los Angeles Police Department said on social media.  LAPD deputy chief Alan Hamilton subsequently told reporters “the Los Angeles Police Department is not seeking anyone as a suspect or as a person of interest, or in any other manner, and we will not be doing that until we conduct our investigation and we move forward”.”I’m not going to confirm whether someone’s being interviewed at this time or not. We’re going to try to speak to every family member that we can to get to the facts of this investigation,” he added.Broadcaster CNN reported that a spokesperson for the family had confirmed Reiner and his wife had died. California Governor Newsom, Harris and former US President Barack Obama issued separate statements expressing their condolences. “Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity,” Newsom said on X, adding he was “heartbroken by the tragic loss”.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also said that the investigation was ongoing.”I knew Rob and have tremendous respect for him,” Bass said. “An acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist, he always used his gifts in service of others,” she added. The Los Angeles Fire Department told NBC a man and a woman, approximately 78 and 68 years old, were found deceased inside the home.Reiner rose to acting fame as the oafish son-in-law Michael “Meathead” Stivic on groundbreaking 1970s sitcom “All in the Family,” before transitioning to directing with rock mockumentary “This is Spinal Tap” in 1984.Reiner directed the 1989 romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally,” starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.He was also an outspoken supporter of liberal causes in Hollywood, backing efforts to secure equal marriage rights for LGBTQ people and create California’s First 5 program, which provides child development programs funded by taxes on tobacco products. 

Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was found guilty Monday on three national security charges, a conviction rights groups denounced as a death knell for press freedoms in the Chinese financial hub.Prosecutors said Lai was the mastermind behind two conspiracies to ask foreign countries to take action against Hong Kong or China, and accused him of publishing materials they said “excited disaffection” against the government.The 78-year-old, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced. He can appeal Monday’s convictions.”There is no doubt that (Lai) had harboured his resentment and hatred of the PRC for many of his adult years,” Judge Esther Toh told the court, referring to the People’s Republic of China.”His constant invitation to the US to help bring down the Government of the PRC with the excuse of helping the people of HK would be analogous to the situation where an American national asks for help from Russia to bring down the US Government under the guise of helping the State of California.”Lai, wearing a light green cardigan and grey jacket, looked impassive as he listened to the verdicts with folded arms, and did not speak.As he left, he nodded to his wife Teresa and his son Lai Shun-yan, who were sitting in the public gallery, an AFP reporter inside the court saw.His defence lawyer Robert Pang told reporters as he left court that Lai “is in fine spirits”.Dozens of police officers were deployed around around the West Kowloon court in the morning, with an armoured car positioned nearby.Consular representatives, including those from the United States, the European Union and France, were among those in attendance, as well as veterans from Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp, including Cardinal Joseph Zen and former legislator Emily Lau.- ‘Death knell for press freedom’ -The founder of the now-shut Apple Daily newspaper has been behind bars since 2020.His case has been widely criticised as an example of eroding political freedoms under the national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.”The predictability of today’s verdict does not make it any less dismaying — the conviction of Jimmy Lai feels like the death knell for press freedom in Hong Kong,” Amnesty International said in a statement.Reporters Without Borders called the “unlawful conviction” illustrative of “the alarming deterioration of media freedom in the territory”, while the Committee to Protect Journalists called it a “sham conviction” and “a disgraceful act of persecution”.Beijing, meanwhile, said Friday it “firmly supports” Hong Kong in “safeguarding national security” from criminal acts.Lai once described himself as a “born rebel” and defied the Chinese Communist Party for years while amassing millions from his clothing and media empires.The 78-year-old is a British citizen, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces pressure from rights groups to secure his release.Before Monday’s verdict, another former Apple Daily employee surnamed Chan recalled that Lai wished for a “free and democratic China”.”He loved the country a lot, he just didn’t love the regime. (The situation) is absurd,” Chan told AFP outside court.- Health concerns -Lai looked thinner than when he first entered custody, and some of the dozens of supporters who gathered at dawn in front of the court expressed concern for his wellbeing.”I really want to see what’s happening with ‘the boss’, to see if his health has deteriorated,” said Tammy Cheung, who worked at Lai’s newspaper for nearly two decades.Lai’s family recently said he had lost weight and had visible decay to his nails and teeth since his long imprisonment.His daughter Claire told AFP last week that Lai, a diabetic, had “lost a very significant amount of weight” and showed nail and teeth decay.National security police chief superintendant Steve Li told a press conference on Monday that Claire Lai’s concerns as to her father’s health were smearing.Authorities have said Lai was receiving “adequate and comprehensive” care, and that he had been held in solitary confinement “at his own request”.- Sprawling trial -Prosecutors cited 161 items Apple Daily published in their case against Lai.Those items, including opinion articles with Lai’s byline and talk shows he hosted, were deemed seditious under a colonial-era law because they “excited disaffection” against the government.Prosecutors also accused Lai of being the mastermind and financial backer of the protest group “Stand with Hong Kong, Fight for Freedom”.Lai countered that he had never sought to influence other countries’ foreign policies, saying Apple Daily represented Hongkongers’ core values: “rule of law, freedom, pursuit of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly”.Apple Daily was forced to close in 2021 following police raids. Six top executives were charged as co-defendants and have already pleaded guilty.

US President Donald Trump’s administration is facing a Friday deadline to release decades of government secrets on notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the latest milestone in the long-running effort to uncover the full extent of his network.Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) must release by December 19 its vast cache of records on the late financier’s sex-trafficking empire, which is alleged to have entangled underage girls and brushed against the world’s elite.For the public, the release offers the clearest opportunity yet to lift the veil on one of the century’s most enduring scandals — although transparency advocates caution that key details may still be withheld under government claims of legal constraint.For Trump — who has faced questions over his own close friendship with Epstein — things could get awkward. The financier — who died in custody after his 2019 arrest — moved in elite circles for years. He cultivated ties with tycoons, politicians, academics and celebrities to whom he was accused of trafficking hundreds of girls and young women for sex. Trump and his allies long alleged that powerful Democrats and Hollywood liberals were being shielded from accountability for their involvement, framing the case as proof of how power hides behind lawyers and money. But the president dismissed the transparency push as a “Democrat hoax” as soon as he returned to office and acquired the unilateral authority to release the files.The president appeared to change tack again in November, apparently resigned that he was fighting a losing battle against disclosure, and signing the act into law after it passed Congress almost unanimously.- What’s coming out -The files’ release could illuminate how Epstein operated, who helped him and whether influential figures received protection. Survivors are hopeful but wary of the changing stances adopted by Trump, who broke off his friendship with Epstein years ago and is not accused of wrongdoing in the case. “I can’t help to be skeptical of what the agenda is,” Haley Robson, who was recruited at 16 to massage Epstein, told a recent news conference. The law compels officials to open a substantial archive of internal correspondence, investigative material and court records previously sealed or buried. That includes victim statements, flight logs, seized electronic devices and correspondence on charging decisions, as well as documentation of Epstein’s death in custody.While many names are familiar, the mandate may expose new associates and clarify why prosecutors hesitated for years. But hopes for a definitive “client list” are misplaced. The DOJ says no such roster exists.- Where black bars could bite -Disclosure applies only to records that don’t identify victims and jeopardize active investigations or national security, giving the DOJ latitude to black out victims’ names, classified intelligence and litigation-sensitive material. Observers expect heavy redactions, although the law forbids censorship for “embarrassment” or “political sensitivity.”Trump recently ordered probes into Democrats linked to Epstein, fueling speculation that prosecutors might cite those inquiries to withhold files. The scandal remains explosive because it sits at the intersection of wealth, power and impunity.Epstein cultivated influential friends, maintained luxury homes where prosecutors say he trafficked underage girls, and secured an extraordinary 2008 plea bargain potentially shielding unnamed co-conspirators. His arrest — and subsequent death in a New York jail, ruled a suicide — reignited scrutiny of how he operated so long with so little accountability.Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the powerful finance committee, is doubtful of Attorney General Pam Bondi allowing a comprehensive disclosure. He is spearheading his own investigation into institutions he accuses of shielding Epstein by failing to report his suspicious financial activities.”We need both lanes, because I don’t trust Bondi and following the money is how, in our country, we’ve had a long history of catching and rooting out corrupt behavior,” he told AFP.

Ales Bialiatski struggles to believe he is a free man and that he can — after years in prison largely barred from outside contact — speak to his wife in person. Only hours ago, the 63-year-old Belarusian dissident and Nobel Prize winner was woken up in his cell at 4:00 am, put in a car and blindfolded as he was driven hundreds of kilometres into forced exile to Lithuania.Bialiatski won the Nobel in 2022 for his decades-long work documenting rights abuses in Belarus. President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, considers him a personal enemy. The world barely got proof of life from Bialiatski in almost three years as he was kept incommunicado in Prison Colony Number 9 in Gorki, near the Russian border.”I had to find a way to ‘wave’ to the outside world that I am alive,” he told AFP in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius. He would tell prisoners who were about to be freed to pass on the news that he was alive. Imprisoned in 2021 as Minsk waged a massive crackdown following the major 2020 protests, Bialiatski has a lot to catch up on.In prison, he only received heavily censored information.  The morning after being one of 123 political prisoners freed in a US-brokered deal, Bialiatski was being briefed by friends on the details of what he missed.”After the (Russia-Ukraine) war, the situation with contact with the outside world got much worse,” he said. He did not receive letters and only had access to highly controlled Russian and Belarusian TV. “I had to read between the lines,” he said.- Nobel Prize ‘saved’ Bialiatski -Bialiatski is no stranger to censorship or prison, and he said his decades-long dissident career even helped him get through the latest ordeal.”I was morally prepared,” he said, while adding that the isolation in Belarusian prisons was incomparably worse than a decade ago.He endured the “humiliation” political prisoners go through in Belarus — including long stints in various types of punishment cells. He recalled being put in light clothing in freezing cells for days and other “inhumane” treatment. He struggled to talk about the hardships he lived through. But Bialiatski believed he was spared from the worst treatment because of his Nobel Prize — which he said he shares with the “whole of Belarusian society”.  “The prize saved me from worse things, which my other colleagues went through,” he said. He joked that the guards “understood that this person has some kind of prize and that probably we cannot beat him”.- ‘Freeing some while locking up others’ -While Bialiatski was glad to be free — his mind was with colleagues still in prison back home.  His rights group Viasna says there are currently 1,110 political prisoners in Belarus. The dissident warned that while the regime had carried out a wave of releases, it was still regularly arresting others.  “They are keeping up this level of fear,” he said. “It is schizophrenic politics: they are liberating people with one hand and locking up people with the other.” Bialiatski was freed as the US has pushed Minsk to release political prisoners in talks taking place as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine.  But he called on the EU — which has largely frozen relations with Minsk — to also enter negotiations with the reclusive regime to get people out.  “For European society and other democracies, we have to stop repressions in Belarus,” he said.  “The repressions are carried out by the regime, who else are you meant to talk to if not the regime?”  Europe had to do so from a “position of pressure” and “force” as “the Belarusian regime only understands this language”, he insisted.- ‘Not put my hands down’ -More than five years after Minsk suppressed the 2020 demonstrations, Bialiatski said protesters and the opposition had underestimated the extent of repression the regime would unleash.”They basically repeated what happened 100 years ago in Belarus, in the 1920s and 1930s,” he said, referring to the Stalin-era repression. Now in his 60s, he has to learn to live in exile like much of the Belarusian opposition and rights circles.He joked that the last time he lived outside Belarus was in his childhood: Bialiatski was born in northern Russia, where his Belarusian parents were sent in the Soviet era.He vowed “not to put my hands down” and continue his fight for democracy in Belarus from outside the country, accusing the regime of “suffocating” people with repression.And with a smile, he added: “I am sure that sooner or later the situation in Belarus will change for the better.”    

US authorities on Sunday detained a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University that left two people dead and nine others wounded, the latest in a long line of school attacks nationwide.A shooter opened fire on Saturday at the elite Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island in a building where exams were taking place, triggering a campus lockdown and launching an hours-long hunt for the suspect.Providence Mayor Brett Smiley told an early Sunday press conference that a “person of interest” had been detained and the shelter-in-place order lifted.Police Colonel Oscar Perez added that authorities were “not at this point” looking for anyone else in relation to the attack.Of the nine wounded, one was in critical condition, seven were in stable condition and one was discharged, Smiley said.Joseph Oduro, a teaching assistant at Brown, said he was in a campus auditorium when the gunman entered.”I was standing in the front of the auditorium, and he came through the back, so we pretty much directly made eye contact, and then as soon as that happened, I looked at my students and signaled them to come to the front, and then I just ducked,” Oduro told CNN.”He came in, pointed the gun and then screamed something… then he just started shooting right after that.”Police released 10 seconds of footage of the suspect, seen from behind, walking briskly down a deserted street after opening fire inside a first-floor classroom. “It is shocking and so terribly sad. I know the students here, many of whom were sheltering for many, many hours last night,” Smiley said later on CNN. “They’re all incredibly shaken up.”Final exams scheduled for Sunday were postponed, university officials said.- Latest mass shooting -Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed in a letter to community members that all 11 victims were students.The attack is the latest incident of mass shooting in a country where attempts to restrict access to firearms face political deadlock.”This should not be normal,” Smiley said on CNN. “This should not be the case that every community needs to prepare for something like this to happen. And I certainly never thought that it would actually happen in Providence, although we were well prepared for it.”There have been more than 300 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as four or more people shot.During an event at the White House on Sunday afternoon, US President Donald Trump spoke briefly about the shooting at the Ivy League campus. “Great school… really one of the greatest schools anywhere in the world. Things can happen,” the president said. “So to the nine injured, get well fast, and to the families of those two that are no longer with us, I pay my deepest regards and respects from the United States of America.”- Emergency alert -Brown, which has a student body of about 11,000, sent an emergency alert at 4:22 pm (2122 GMT) on Saturday reporting “an active shooter near Barus and Holley Engineering,” which is home to the engineering and physics departments. Two exams had been scheduled at the time.”Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice,” the university said.Law enforcement and first responders swarmed the scene, with local news station WPRI reporting “clothing and blood on the sidewalk.”The deadliest school shooting in US history took place at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, when South Korean student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded 17 others before taking his own life.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was set to push on with talks in Berlin on Monday with US President Donald Trump’s envoys on how to end the grinding war with Russia.As the conflict raged on, Zelensky’s delegation huddled for over five hours on Sunday with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.Witkoff said afterwards on X that “a lot of progress was made, and they will meet again tomorrow morning.”Their meeting was held under tight security in the chancellery in Berlin, where Germany’s leader Friedrich Merz was Monday due to host a dinner with Zelensky, a group of European leaders and the NATO and EU chiefs.An AFP photographer saw the Ukrainian leader leave the chancellery shortly before 9:00 pm (2000 GMT).Trump has pushed for an end to the almost four-year-old war, but Kyiv and its allies in Europe are at pains to prevent any settlement that would strongly favour Russia.Key questions remain on Ukrainian territorial concessions, future security guarantees for Kyiv, and whether Moscow would agree to any proposal hammered out by the Europeans and Americans.”We want a lasting peace in Ukraine,” Merz wrote on X. “Difficult questions lie ahead of us, but we are determined to move forward.”Ukrainian interests are also European interests.”Zelensky, as he headed to Germany, said he was ready for “dialogue” on ending the war that started with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.He said he hoped Washington would back the idea of freezing the front line where it is, rather than Ukraine ceding the entire Donbas region as Moscow demands.”The fairest possible option is to ‘stay where we are’,” Zelensky told reporters on his way to Berlin. “This is true because it is a ceasefire… I know that Russia does not view this positively, and I would like the Americans to support us on this issue.”- ‘Very strong objections’ -Trump has been stepping up pressure on Ukraine to reach an agreement since revealing a plan last month to end the war that was criticised as echoing Moscow’s demands.Kyiv officials later said they had sent Washington a revised version. Witkoff said “in-depth discussions” were held on Sunday about that plan, “economic agendas, and more”.Zelensky said on Sunday: “The most important thing is that the plan should be as fair as possible, first and foremost for Ukraine, because Russia started the war.”In Russia, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov cast strong doubt on the latest round of diplomacy.”I think the contribution of both Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive, that’s the problem,” he said in a video message. Ushakov said Moscow had not seen the latest documents but added that “if there are any relevant amendments, we will have very strong objections, since we have very clearly stated our position, which, it seems, was quite clear to the Americans.”Europeans and Ukrainians have asked the United States to provide them with “security guarantees” before Ukraine negotiates any territorial concessions, France said Friday.Under the latest US plan, Ukraine would be able join the EU as early as January 2027, a senior official familiar with the matter told AFP Friday on condition of anonymity.The latest push in the efforts to put an end to the war came as Kyiv reported new aerial strikes on its territory.According to its air force, Russia launched 138 drones and a ballistic missile overnight.A Russian drone has hit “one of the hospitals in Kherson”, wounding two people, including a nurse, the regional administration said on Telegram.At least 11 people were wounded in strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region, governor Ivan Fedorov said.burs-fz/rlp

World leaders voiced horror and revulsion at Sunday’s mass shooting in which 11 people were killed at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “shocking and distressing” attack, which Australian police are calling a “terrorist” incident, was “beyond comprehension”, after assailants fired on a gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.- Israel -President Isaac Herzog condemned what he called a “very cruel attack on Jews” by “vile terrorists”.In a speech in Jerusalem, he called on Australia to “fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society”.- United States -US President Donald Trump branded it “a purely antisemitic attack”.”That was a terrible attack, 11 dead, 29 badly wounded. And that was an antisemitic attack, obviously,” Trump said during a Christmas celebration at the White House.”Antisemitism has no place in this world,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said on X.”Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia.”- Britain -King Charles III, head of the 56 countries of the Commonwealth, of which Australia is a member, said he was “appalled” by “most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack on Jewish people”.Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “deeply distressing” and sent condolences to “everyone affected by the appalling attack”.- United Nations -UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on X he was “horrified” by the “heinous deadly attack”.”My heart is with the Jewish community worldwide on this first day of Hannukah, a festival celebrating the miracle of peace and light vanquishing darkness.”- European Union -EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a post to X she was “shocked” by what she condemned as an “appalling act of violence”.She added: “Europe stands with Australia and Jewish communities everywhere. We are united against violence, antisemitism and hatred.”- Palestinian Authority -The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the shooting, saying it rejected “all forms of violence, terrorism and extremism, which contradict humanitarian values”.In a statement it voiced its “full solidarity” with “friendly Australia”.- Iran -Israel’s arch-enemy Iran joined in the condemnations.”Terror and killing of human beings, wherever committed, is rejected and condemned,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on X.- France, Italy, Germany -French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack and vowed that France would “fight relentlessly against antisemitic hatred”.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X she felt “profound grief” at the attack.”By once again firmly condemning all forms of violence and anti-semitism, Italy expresses its own condolences for the victims,” she added.German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in a post on X: “I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Sydney –- an act of hatred directed against all Jews worldwide on the first day of Hanukkah.”- Canada -Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “horrified by the antisemitic terror attack” in a post to X.”Canada stands with the people of Australia and Jewish people everywhere in sorrow, and determination never to bow to terrorism, violence, hatred and intimidation,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday met with US President Donald Trump’s envoys for talks on how to end the war with Russia, kicking off two days of crisis diplomacy in Berlin.Trump has pushed for an end to the almost four-year-old conflict but key questions remain on territorial concessions, future security guarantees for Kyiv, and whether Russia would agree to any proposal hammered out by the Europeans and Americans.German leader Friedrich Merz was shown offering a “warm welcome” to Zelensky as well Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in a short video released by the chancellery.”We began our meeting,” Zelensky said on Facebook, posting pictures of the Ukrainian delegation joined by Merz, the US representatives and NATO’s top commander in Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich.”We want a lasting peace in Ukraine,” Merz wrote on X. “Difficult questions lie ahead of us, but we are determined to move forward.”Ukrainian interests are also European interests.”On Monday, Merz was due to again host Zelensky at a German-Ukrainian business conference before they will be joined for dinner by a group of European heads of state and government and the leaders of NATO and the EU.- ‘Strong objections’ -Zelensky, as he headed to Germany, said he was ready for “dialogue” on ending the grinding war that started with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, adding that “the summit in Berlin is important”.Zelensky said he hoped the United States would back the idea of freezing the front line where it is, rather than Ukraine ceding the entire Donbas region as Moscow demands.”The fairest possible option is to ‘stay where we are’,” Zelensky told reporters in an online briefing. “This is true because it is a ceasefire… I know that Russia does not view this positively, and I would like the Americans to support us on this issue.”Trump has been stepping up pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement since revealing a plan last month to end the war that was criticised as echoing Moscow’s demands.The proposal triggered a flurry of diplomacy, with Kyiv officials recently saying they had sent Washington a revised version.Zelensky said he had not received a response from Washington on Ukraine’s amendments, but added: “I am receiving all the signals and will be ready for the dialogue that will begin today.”In Russia, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov cast doubt on the latest efforts.”I think the contribution of both Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive, that’s the problem,” he said in a video message. Ushakov said Moscow had not seen the latest documents but added that “if there are any relevant amendments, we will have very strong objections, since we have very clearly stated our position, which, it seems, was quite clear to the Americans.”- Aerial strikes -Last week Zelensky said that Washington was still pushing Ukraine to cede land to Russia.Washington proposed for only Ukraine, not Russia, to withdraw its troops from parts of the eastern Donetsk region, where a demilitarised “free economic zone” would be installed as a buffer, said Zelensky.Europeans and Ukrainians are meanwhile asking the United States to provide them with “security guarantees” before Ukraine negotiates any territorial concessions, France said Friday.Under the latest US plan, Ukraine would join the EU as early as January 2027, a senior official familiar with the matter told AFP Friday on condition of anonymity.Zelensky said on Sunday: “The most important thing is that the plan should be as fair as possible, first and foremost for Ukraine, because Russia started the war.”The latest push in the efforts to put an end to the war came as Kyiv reported new aerial strikes on its territory.According to its air force, Russia launched 138 drones and a ballistic missile overnight.A Russian drone has hit “one of the hospitals in Kherson”, wounding two people, including a nurse, the regional administration said on Telegram.At least 11 people were wounded in strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region, governor Ivan Fedorov said.burs-fz/fec/rlp

World leaders express their horror and revulsion at Sunday’s mass shooting in which 11 people were killed at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “shocking and distressing” attack, which Australian police are calling a “terrorist” incident, was “beyond comprehension” as assailants fired on a gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned what he called a “very cruel attack on Jews” by “vile terrorists”.King Charles III, head of the 56 countries of the 56-nation Commonwealth, of which Australia is a member, said he was “appalled” by “most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack on Jewish people”.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also on X, said: “Antisemitism has no place in this world. “Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia.”EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said she was “shocked” at what she condemned as an “appalling act of violence”.She added in a post to X: “Europe stands with Australia and Jewish communities everywhere. We are united against violence, antisemitism and hatred.”British Prime Minister Keir Starmer lamented what he described as the “deeply distressing news from Australia.”The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi beach,” he added.Israel’s arch-enemy Iran joined the condemnations. Posting on X, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said: “We condemn the violent attack in Sydney, Australia. Terror and killing of human beings, wherever committed, is rejected and condemned.”- ‘Entirely forseeable’ -French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack and vowed that France would “fight relentlessly against antisemitic hatred.”Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X she felt “profound grief regarding the dramatic news arriving from Sydney.”By once again firmly condemning all forms of violence and anti-semitism, Italy expresses its own condolences for the victims,” she added.German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, also in a post to X, said: “I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Sydney –- an act of hatred directed against all Jews worldwide on the first day of Hanukkah.”My thoughts are with the families of those murdered, the injured and the Jewish community,” he added.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X that his country “stands in solidarity with Australia in the face of the brutal terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, which targeted the Jewish community.”Terror and hatred must never prevail — they must be defeated everywhere and every time,” he said.A major Australian Muslim organisation also condemned the “horrific” shooting.”Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those who witnessed or were affected by this deeply traumatic attack,” the Australian National Imams Council said, urging all Australians to stand together in unity, compassion, and solidarity.The head of Australia’s Jewish Association meanwhile said the shooting was a “tragedy but entirely foreseeable.”The Albanese government was warned so many times but failed to take adequate actions to protect the Jewish community,” Robert Gregory told AFP.