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Bondi Beach terror attack suspect appears in court via video link | World News

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The attack at Bondi Beach in December was one of the deadliest in Australian history. Pic: AP Photo/Mark Baker

A man accused of killing 15 people by opening fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach has appeared in court via video link from prison for the first time.

Naveed Akram spoke briefly during the short hearing at a Sydney court on Monday, which he joined remotely from high-security prison Goulburn Correctional Centre, Australian media reports.

The 24-year-old faces 59 charges ​over the shooting on 14 December, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder ​and a terror offence.

Police allege he carried ‌out the mass shooting with his father Sajid, 50, who was shot dead during the attack.

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Akram wore a green prison-issued jumper and only spoke to acknowledge that he had heard discussions about extending non-publication orders suppressing details of the victims.

His lawyer Ben Archbold told reporters outside the Downing Centre Local and District Court that Akram was ‌doing “as well as he can be” given the “very onerous conditions” in prison.

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Lawyer for Naveed Akram, Ben Archbold, spoke to media outside court. Pic: Reuters

Mr Archbold said it was too early to indicate how Akram would plead to the charges and that he had not discussed details of the alleged attack ⁠with him.

“I haven’t spoken to him about the attack ​in that regard,” he said.

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“All that we’re ​doing at the moment is starting the process… we’re ​waiting for the brief to be served. There’s nothing more I ⁠can say.”

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Mr Archbold added that he had visited Akram in prison.

“He’s just a client, and he’s a client that needs to be represented,” he said.

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“And we don’t let our personal ​view get in the way of our professional obligations.

“The ​matter has been adjourned, I have nothing more to say.”

Akram attended his first court hearing remotely from his hospital bed in December.

Fifteen people were killed in the attack which targeted an event celebrating Hanukkah. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Fifteen people were killed in the attack which targeted an event celebrating Hanukkah. Pic: Reuters

The Bondi attack is regarded as Australia’s worst terror incident and biggest mass shooting since 1996.

It prompted the Australian parliament to strengthen gun control and hate speech laws.

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The case is expected to return to court ‌in April.

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Major police update in Gus Lamont case as 75-year-old arrested

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Daily Mirror

Task Force Horizon detectives have today arrested a 75-year-old from Grampus and charged them with firearm offences at the property where Gus Lamont went missing

An elderly person has been charged with gun offences at the property where Gus Lamont went missing.

Acting Officer in Charge of Major Crime Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Andrew Macrae said on Monday that the charges are not related to the disappearance of the four-year-old.

A police spokesperson said: “Members attached to Task Force Horizon conducting inquiries at Oak Park Station in connection with the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont on 27 September have concluded searching for evidence today.

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“Inquiries are ongoing and it is anticipated that Task Force Horizon detectives will remain in the area tomorrow, Tuesday 17 February. An update on the search activities will be provided as they progress.

“As a result of a previous search at Oak Park Station, Task Force Horizon detectives have today arrested a 75-year-old from Grampus and charged them with firearm offences. They have been bailed to appear in the Peterborough Magistrates Court on 6 May.

“Acting Officer in Charge of Major Crime Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Andrew Macrae said the charges are not related to the disappearance of Gus Lamont nor a previous incident at Oak Park Station in October 2025 involving media attending the property.”

This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage .

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That’s not all, folks: why Looney Tunes still matter nearly 100 years on

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That’s not all, folks: why Looney Tunes still matter nearly 100 years on

Rather than reinventing the characters, Bauza sees his role as one of guardianship. He frequently credits original voice actor Mel Blanc, who passed away in 1989 and is referred to as “the man of 1,000 voices” on his own tombstone, along with legendary animators Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett, for laying the foundations that still define Looney Tunes today.

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‘Truth is antidote to Putin’s poison’ and ‘Europe sabotage campaign’

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'Truth is antidote to Putin's poison' and 'Europe sabotage campaign'
The headline of the Metro reads: "Cooper: Truth is antidote to Putin's poison."

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calls for “tougher new sanctions” to be placed on Russia following her probe into the death of Navalny, Metro reports. Meanwhile, a “golden moment of history” at the Winter Olympics features large at the top of the paper’s front page, with snowboarders Charlotte Banks and Huw Nightingale celebrating “Britain’s first ever Winter Olympic gold on snow”

The headline of the Indepedent reads: "'It's dark, it's cold ... it's endless'."

A photograph of the “daily life in Kyiv”, depicting people lining up for food in the cold weather, takes up the entire front page of the Independent. “It’s dark, it’s cold … it’s endless”, is the paper’s headline. It says people are “battling to survive winter as Putin’s latest strategy targets power supplies”

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Bondi Beach attack suspect Naveed Akram makes first appearance in court

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Bondi Beach attack suspect Naveed Akram makes first appearance in court

A man accused of carrying out Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades at Bondi Beach last year has appeared in court for the first time.

Naveed Akram, 24, faces 59 charges in relation to the attack on a Jewish event at Sydney’s Archer Park that killed at least 15 people and injured dozens on Sunday 14 December.

Mr Akram appeared via video link on Monday at the Downing Centre Local Court and spoke briefly, mostly in single-word answers.

The magistrate extended suppression orders which were made late last year to protect the identities of victims and survivors after they opted not to be publicly identified.

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Mr Akram and his father Sajid Akram are accused of targeting Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah in an anti-semitic attack that sent shockwaves around the world. It was Australia’s worst mass shooting since 1996, and the worst terror attack targeting Australians since the 2002 Bali bombings.

Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene.

People run on the beach during a shooting incident on a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney

People run on the beach during a shooting incident on a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney (Alex Larriaga via REUTERS)

Mr Akram, who was wearing a green jumper and sat with his hands on his lap, only spoke after deputy chief magistrate Sharon Freund asked if he had been listening to a discussion about an extension of suppression orders.

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“Did you just hear what I just said?” Ms Freund asked. Mr Akram replied: “Yeah.”

His Legal Aid solicitor, Ben Archbold, later asked the magistrate for time to speak with his client.

“Mr Akram, your solicitor is going to give you a call after,” the magistrate said. “Yep,” the accused replied.

Mr Archbold said it was too early to confirm what plea his client would enter and he was yet to receive the brief of evidence.

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Belongings of members of the Jewish community are seen at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney

Belongings of members of the Jewish community are seen at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney (AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking to reporters outside the court, he said his client was “as well as can be expected” as he remains in the Goulburn supermax prison in New South Wales.

“Everyone knows it’s supermax … very onerous conditions,” Mr Archbold said.

Asked if Mr Akram had given an interview to the police, he said: “All we’ve done is start the process. We’re waiting for the brief to be served. There’s nothing more I can say.”

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Mr Archbold also said he went to the High Risk Management Correctional Centre (HRMCC) to visit Mr Akram.

When asked about his visit and Mr Akram’s conditions, he said: “He’s just a client and he’s a client that needs to be represented, and we don’t let our personal view get in the way of our professional obligations.”

Ben Archbold, legal aid solicitor for Naveed Akram, speaks to media outside the Downing Centre Local and District Court in Sydney

Ben Archbold, legal aid solicitor for Naveed Akram, speaks to media outside the Downing Centre Local and District Court in Sydney (via REUTERS)

Police allege that the Bondi Beach attackers parked their vehicle near a footbridge overlooking Archer Park at Bondi at about 6.50pm on 14 December.

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It is alleged that a “tennis ball bomb” and three pipe bombs were thrown into the crowd before the pair opened fire.

None of the bombs detonated, but were deemed viable during preliminary police analysis.

In December, court documents made public police allegations that Sajid and Naveed Akram visited the area for “reconnaissance and planning” in the days before the attack.

Police have further accused the pair of conducting firearms training in the Australian countryside.

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Mr Akram will return to court in April.

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Yvette Cooper defends Palestine Action ban after court rules it was unlawful

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Yvette Cooper defends Palestine Action ban after court rules it was unlawful

Asked on the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News to explain her decision-making, Ms Cooper said: “I followed the clear advice and recommendations, going through a serious process that the Home Office goes through, involving different agencies and police advice as well, which was very clear about the recommendation for proscription of this group.

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Scots woman shocked after breasts started growing again after reduction surgery

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Daily Record

Hally Galletta underwent a breast reduction and uplift last April, hoping to finally feel comfortable in her body.

A woman was left shocked after noticing her breasts growing back just weeks after she splashed out the cash for reduction surgery.

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Hally Galletta was left “a bit scared” after noticing how her chest was changing. As she doesn’t qualify for the surgery on the NHS, Hally, from Perth, is paying for a second op.

She said: “Literally within a month-and-a-half after it was done, I looked down and I was like, ‘These things have just appeared again – they’re back,’ I’m getting another breast reduction next month.

“I’m a bit scared because it’s the second time in eight months but I’m literally going to say, ‘I want to be a size A’. I’m just going to say [to the doctors to] ‘Take them all off’ at this point’.”

Despite being told by her surgeon that 200g – roughly the weight of an adult hamster – were removed from each breast, Hally felt the results were barely noticeable.

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She said: “It’s really annoying after paying so much money and some people get them through the NHS. But I know I wouldn’t qualify and I feel like it’s a long wait. [On the upside], it was a really fast process.

“I had my consultation a couple of weeks after I contacted the hospital and then I got to pick the surgery date, which was really good.

“After the surgery, they were very tight and it looked like there was a difference. The surgeon said he took 200g out of each, but my friends say they look the same size as before.”

Hally’s first op was in and her second will be next month. She added: “I’ve not put any weight on to make them grow back, I’m literally the same weight I was before the surgery.

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“We’ll see how that [the surgery] goes and if they appear back again because I’m not going for a third. I feel like that’s a sign I’ve got to keep them.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

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Starmer pledges crackdown on ‘addictive elements’ of social media

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Starmer pledges crackdown on 'addictive elements' of social media

The prime minister added that the government will “bring new powers that will give us the ability to crack down on the addictive elements of social media, stop the auto-play, the never-ending scrolling, that keeps are children hooked on their screens for hours, and stop kids getting around age limits”.

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Inside Anty Johns the remote location of Our Yorkshire Farm

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Inside Anty Johns the remote location of Our Yorkshire Farm

Both series are filmed in one of the most isolated corners of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, at Ravenseat Farm in Upper Swaledale, North Yorkshire.

Ravenseat Farm sits at the head of Whitsun Dale, high above Swaledale in rugged upland countryside.

Anty John’s (Image: CHANNEL4)

The hill farm spans around 2,000 acres and operates primarily as a sheep farm.

It has been associated with Amanda Owen, widely known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess, and her family for decades.

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The landscape that viewers see on screen, sweeping moorland, dry stone walls, steep valleys and unpredictable weather, is entirely authentic.

The farm’s exposed position means harsh winters, heavy rainfall and strong winds are part of everyday life.

Amanda, Clive and Kids altogether outside Anty John’s (Image: CHANNEL4)

Its nearest settlement is Keld, approximately three and a half miles away.

Even that is a tiny hamlet with fewer than 100 residents and limited amenities.

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There is no shop, and facilities largely cater to walkers passing through on the famous Coast-to-Coast route.

Further east lies Muker, one of the larger villages in Swaledale, known for its traditional stone buildings and village pub.

The More4 series Our Farm Next Door is filmed nearby at Anty John’s, a historic, long-derelict farmhouse close to Ravenseat.

The programme follows Amanda and Clive Owen as they work to restore the building while continuing to run Ravenseat with the help of their nine children

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The renovation project has become central to the spin-off series, with filming documenting the transformation from structural repairs to interior restoration.

Amanda carrying wood to chop with Clive at Ravenseat (Image: CHANNEL4)

Ravenseat is widely regarded as one of the most remote farms regularly featured on British television.

The surrounding Upper Dales are sparsely populated, with long distances between services, limited mobile signal and few petrol stations or shops.

Although Ravenseat previously welcomed visitors for cream teas and overnight stays, public access was closed in 2022. It now operates solely as a private working farm.

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Speaking about the challenges of filming before the third series aired on TV, Amanda said: “Oh, there’s always a challenge.



“For a start, the weather is always the big challenge, but I mean, if you just literally think of the number of variables we’ve got going on, there literally isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done.

“So, I also feel that as time goes on and the children are growing up and becoming more independent, there’s less likelihood of me actually knowing where everybody is!

“So, getting them rounded up to lend a hand is always a big deal.”

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Thieves raid German bank just months after huge raid in nearby city | World News

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The Volksbank branch in Stuhr, Germany. Pic: Google Maps

Police in Germany are appealing for witnesses after thieves broke into the basement of a bank and stole from customer safety deposit boxes.

Three individuals, who are thought to be men, were seen wearing blue overalls and walking from a Volksbank branch in Stuhr, northwestern Germany, at around 1.20pm on Friday (13 February), authorities said.

They added that the trio were walking towards a dark car, but witnesses have so far said they aren’t sure whether they got in and drove away or walked past.

The break-in comes just months after a huge heist in the city of Gelsenkirchen, a two-and-a-half-hour train journey from Stuhr.

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A gang of thieves took advantage of the Christmas holidays and drilled into a vault to steal millions of pounds worth of valuables.

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Millions were stolen in the December 2025 heist

Witnesses saw several men carrying large bags into the stairwell of a garage next to the bank overnight on Saturday 27 December.

CCTV footage then captured a black Audi leaving early in the morning on Monday 29 December.

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The men broke into thousands of deposit boxes, with initial estimates placing the value of the raid between €10m to €90m (£8.6m to £78m), according to a police spokesperson.

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Why this school in Derby will ditch a shirt, tie and blazer from its uniform

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Why this school in Derby will ditch a shirt, tie and blazer from its uniform

However, the Schoolwear Association – which represents the uniform industry – said new legislation had caused confusion in both retailers and schools, adding government plans could mean parents spend more on replacing lower-quality generic garments, which might not last as long as branded items.

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