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



At least 15 people 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

Ten-year-old Matilda was described as a bright and joyful child

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

Eli Schlanger was known as the Bondi rabbi

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

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

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

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

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

Dan Elkayam

Mr Elkayam was described by Rockdale Ilinden FC as an "extremely talented and popular figure"

The death of French national Dan Elkayam was confirmed by France'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 Ilinden 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

Mr Meagher was remembered as 'one of the heart and soul' figures of his rugby club

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.

Rabbi Yaakov Levitan



Rabbi Yaakov Levitan's death was confirmed by Chabad, who described him as a "popular coordinator" of its activities in Sydney.

He also served as secretary of the Sydney Beth Din – a rabbinical court – and worked at the BINA Center, which describes itself as a centre of Jewish learning.

Tibor Weitzen



Tibor Weitzen was at the event with his wife and grandchildren when he was killed trying to shield a family friend, Chabad said.

The 78-year-old was a "beloved" member of the Bondi Chabad Synagogue, according to the organisation.

His granddaughter Leor Amzalak told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he was "the best you could ask for".

She said Mr Weitzen had migrated to Australia from Israel in 1988.

"He only saw the best in people and will be dearly missed," she told the broadcaster.

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Pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted in high-profile national security trial
Pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted in high-profile national security trial



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

The 78-year-old UK citizen, 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 chief executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, noting that Lai's actions "damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers". 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.

Delivering the verdict on Monday, Judge Esther Toh said there is "no doubt" that Jimmy Lai "harboured hatred" for the People's Republic of China (PRC), 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.Lai at a protest in 2019 when huge pro-democracy demonstrations rocked 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, 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.Jimmy Lai's wife, Teresa, their son Shun Yan and Cardinal Joseph Zen arrive at court

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

The UK condemned what it described as "politically motivated persecution" of Lai, saying he had been "targeted... for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression".

"The UK has repeatedly called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it," the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said in a statement on Monday.

"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".

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බස්නාහිර පළාත්බද මහාධිකරණය අංක 06  හිදී මහාධිකරණ විනිසුරු එම්.එම්.එම්. මිහාල් මහතා ඉදිරියේ විභාග වූ HCB 303/24  දරණ නඩු තීන්දුවේ වාර්තාව අනුව හිටපු මහ බැංකු අධිපති අජිත් නිවාඩ් කබ්රාල් මහතා අල්ලස් කොමිසසම විසින් ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලද මාස 3ක් තුළ රු. 1,843,267,595.65/- (අලාභය) වන්දියක් ලෙස මහ බැංකුවේ ගිණුමට ගෙවීම කොන්දේසියට එකඟ වී නැති අතර වරදක් පිළිගැනීමක් නොකරන බවත්, එය සාමුහික තීරණයක් බවත් ප්‍රකාශ කර ඇත.
පැමිණිල්ල වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටි නියෝජ්‍ය අධ්‍යක්ෂක ජෙනරාල්වරයා, දූෂණ විරෝධී පනතේ 67 වගන්තිය යටතේ සළකා බලන ලෙසට 1 වන චුදිත වන අජිත් නිවාඩ් කබ්රාල් ගේ ජනාධිපති නීතීඥ ඩිලාන් රත්නායක මහතා කළ ලිඛිත ඉල්ලීමක් මත කොමිෂන් සභාවේ සහ අධ්‍යක්ෂක ජෙනරාල්වරයාගේ අවධානයට ලක්වීමෙන් පසු , 1 වන චුදිතට එරෙහි අධිචෝදනා පත්‍රය ඉල්ලා අස් කර ගැනීමට ගරු අධිකරණයෙන් අවසර ඉල්ලා සිටියේය.
දූෂණ විරෝධී පනතේ 63 (2) සහ (3) වගන්ති යටතේ කොමිෂන් සභාව විසින් ගණනය කරන ලද රුපියල් මිලියන එක්දහස් අටසිය හතලිස් තුනක් සහ දෙලක්ෂ හැටහත්දාස් පන්සිය අනුපහයි ශත හැට පහක් (රු.1,843,267,595.65/-) වන මුදල වන්දියක් ලෙස ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ ගිණුම් අංක 65911 දරණ ගිණුමට බැර කිරීම යන කොන්දේසිය මත  අධිචෝදනා පත්‍රය ඉල්ලා අස් කර ගැනීමට අවසර පතා ඇත.
කොන්දේසිය සපුරා ලීමට අපොහොසත් වුවහොත් 67 (5) වගන්තිය යටතේ නැවත අධිචෝදනා පත්‍ර ගොනු කිරීමට පියවර ගන්නා බව අධිකරණයට දන්වා ඇත.
අනෙකුත් විත්තිකරුවන්: 2, 3, 5 යන චුදිතයන්ට එරෙහිව අපරාධ නඩු විධාන සංග්‍රහයේ 194 (3) වගන්තිය ප්‍රකාරව අධිචෝදනාවන් ඉල්ලා අස් කර ගැනීමට අවසර ඉල්ලා සිටින ලදී.
1 වන විත්තිකරු අල්ලස් කොමිසසම විසින් ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලද වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටි ජනාධිපති නීතීඥ ඩිලාන් රත්නායක මහතා , කොන්දේසි සහිතව අධිචෝදනා පත්‍රය ඉල්ලා අස්කර ගැනීමට එකඟ විය නොහැකි බව ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.
"අපි මේ වරද පිළිගන්නේ නැහැ" සහ "මේ කොන්දේසියට එකඟ වෙන්න බැහැ. අපි ගත්තේ නැති මුදලක්"  යනුවෙන් නීතීඥවරයා අවධාරණය කළේය.
විත්තිකරු සම්බන්ධයෙන් අපරාධ චෝදනාවක් පවත්වාගෙන යාමට හෝ සාක්ෂි ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමට නොමැති පසුබිමක් පවතින බවට අල්ලස් කොමිසමට දීර්ඝ සැලකිරීමක් ඉදිරිපත් කළ බව සඳහන් කළේය.
මෙම ගනුදෙනුව තනිවම ගත් තීන්දුවක් නොව, මහ බැංකුවේ මුදල් මණ්ඩලය විසින් ගනු ලැබූ සාමුහික තීරණයක් බවත් , එය විත්තිකරුගේ දිනපතා රාජකාරියේ කොටසක් බවත්  පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.
මුදල් මණ්ඩලය ගත් තීරණවලින් බහුතරයක් සාර්ථකව ප්‍රතිලාභ ලැබූ පසු, එක් ගනුදෙනුවක් පමණක් අලාභ වූ විට එම මුදල ආපසු ගෙවීමට 1 වන විත්තිකරුට පමණක් පැවසීම "අසාධාරණයි"  යනුවෙන් නීතීඥවරයා කියා සිටියේය.
දූෂණ විරෝධී පනතේ 67 වගන්තියේ උප වගන්ති 2, 3 යටතේ කොන්දේසි දැමීම අනිවාර්ය නොවන බවත් , එම කොන්දේසිවලට එකඟ වුවහොත් පමණක් බැඳී සිටින බවත්  නීතීඥවරයා අධිකරණයට කියවා සිටියේය.
2, 3, සහ 5 යන විත්තිකරුවන් වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටි නීතීඥවරු පැමිණිල්ල විසින් අපරාධ නඩු විධාන සංග්‍රහයේ 194 (3) වගන්තිය යටතේ අධිචෝදනා ඉවත් කර ගැනීමට කරන යෝජනාවට සම්පූර්ණයෙන් එකඟත්වය පළ කළහ.
3 සහ 5 විත්තිකරුවන් මහ බැංකුවේ සේවය කළ රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන් බවත්, ඔවුන් රජයේ සේවකයින් ලෙස කටයුතු කළ බවත්  පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.
ඔවුන්ට විරුද්ධව නඩුවක් පවත්වාගෙන යාමට තරම් නඩු නිමිත්තක් නොමැති බවට මූලික විරෝධතාවයක් ගෙන ආ අතර , මීට අදාළ ගනුදෙනු හා තීන්දු තීරණ සම්බන්ධයෙන් ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් දැනටමත් තීන්දුවක් ලබා දී ඇති බවද  පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.
2 වන චුදිත වෙනුවෙන් පෙනී සිටි නීතීඥවරයා සඳහන් කළේ, විදෙස් සංචිතවල සිදු කර ඇති ආයෝජනය මුදල් මණ්ඩලයේ සහ පිළිගත් විදේශ සංචිත ආයෝජන මූලධර්මයන්ට අනුකූළව සහ වැඩි ප්‍රතිලාභයක් ලැබීමේ අරමුණින්  ගත් තීරණයක් බවයි. ජාත්‍යන්තර පිළිගත් ප්‍රතිපත්තිවලට අනුකූලව ගත් තීරණයක් නිසා ඇති වූ අලාභයක් මත මෙම තැනැත්තන් අපරාධ වරදකට වරදකරු කිරීමට හෝ පුද්ගලිකව වන්දි ගෙවීමට අවශ්‍යතාවයක් නැත යන කරුණ පිළිගන්නා බවද නීතීඥවරයා පැවසීය.
ඒ අනුව 1 වන චුදිතට එරෙහිව පවරා ඇති අධිචෝදනා ඉල්ලා අස්කර ගැනීමට ඇති අවසරය සහ කොන්දේසිය මත , එම කොන්දේසියට 1 වන විත්තිකරුගේ එකඟතාවය නොලැබීම හේතුවෙන්  එම ඉල්ලීම අධිකරණය විසින් ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කර ඇත.
අපරාධ නඩු විධාන සංග්‍රහයේ 194(3) වගන්තිය ප්‍රකාරව 2, 3, සහ 5 විත්තිකරුවන්ට එරෙහිව අධිචෝදනා ඉල්ලා අස්කර ගැනීමට කළ ඉල්ලීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් අවසර ලබා දී ඇත.


http://dlvr.it/TPp33z