Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia – Rahmadani and her nine-year-old son Dimas lost their home when catastrophic flooding ravaged their rented residence in Aceh Tamiang, located in Indonesia’s eastern Aceh province.
Initially seeking refuge on a roadside immediately following the disaster, they relocated to a tent just metres from their ruined house three weeks later.
The devastating floods in December killed at least 1,170 people across North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces. Weeks after the disaster, numerous displaced victims continue to shelter in temporary tents.
Aceh province suffered the most severe impact, with Aceh Tamiang among the regions hit hardest.
For Rahmadani, her son’s health remains her primary concern. Dimas, who sustained an injury as an infant, is unable to walk or speak.
“Before the floods, we always took him to the doctor, and he was well cared for, so he was healthy. After the floods, we could not go to see a doctor. Even if there is assistance, it is just food aid,” she said.
“His head is swollen, so he needs to take medication and vitamins. The medication isn’t expensive, but now we don’t have any money. My child is in pain, but I can only put him in a sling while I try to earn some money.”
Twenty-two people died and hundreds were injured when Salman Abedi detonated a homemade device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on 22 May 2017
Families bereaved by the Manchester Arena bombing say MI5 failed them and must be fully included in a new law designed to stop cover-ups in public life.
In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, seen by the BBC, they ask the prime minister: “How many times must MI5 show that it cannot be trusted before something is done?”
MI5 was found by a public inquiry not to have given an “accurate picture” of the key intelligence it held on the suicide bomber who carried out the attack which killed 22 people and injured hundreds on 22 May 2017.
The “Hillsborough Law”, making its way through Parliament, follows campaigning by families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives.
The new law will force public officials to tell the truth during investigations, including those into major disasters.
But a director of the campaign behind the new law told the BBC he has been “misled” by the government during negotiations over how it will apply to the intelligence services.
The government said: “We are listening to feedback about how to strengthen [the law] whilst also protecting national security.”
Known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, the new law has three pillars:
The first establishes a general duty of candour on all public officials, meaning they will be required to tell the truth proactively in their working life
The second is an ancillary duty of candour that applies to official investigations, which includes inquiries and inquests
The third is set to re-balance funding for legal representation for state bodies and victims during inquiries
The bill would create criminal sanctions for breaches in the duty for candour.
Labour’s manifesto for the 2024 general election said: “Labour will introduce a ‘Hillsborough Law’ which will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities”.
Speaking last year, Sir Keir said the new legislation would change “the balance of power in Britain” to ensure the state could “never hide from the people it is supposed to serve”.
But barrister Pete Weatherby KC, director of Hillsborough Law Now (HLN) campaign group, told the BBC the government had “misled” him during negotiations over how the law will apply to MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
He represented victims’ families during the landmark Hillsborough inquests a decade ago and has played a central role in making the new law a reality.
He also represented families bereaved by the Manchester Arena attack during the public inquiry into that atrocity, during which MI5 was criticised for giving a false account.
Weatherby said the “government have tried to put forward measures relating to intelligence services which look better than they are, and we’ve ended up in a position which certainly wasn’t the position that we negotiated with them”.
He said it was a “major problem” and “very disappointing”.
He said HLN accepts there are some caveats that will apply to MI5 and the intelligence services, as the prime minister himself has said.
During the Manchester Arena public inquiry, and an earlier official review, MI5 provided a false narrative about intelligence it received about the suicide bomber before the attack.
The public inquiry chairman concluded that the statements had not presented an “accurate picture”. He also found MI5 missed a significant opportunity to take action that might have prevented the attack.
Handout
The families of (clockwise from top left) Liam Curry, Chloe Rutherford, Megan Hurley, Eilidh MacLeod and Kelly Brewster have written a letter to the prime minister
The families of five people killed in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 have written to the prime minister, calling on him to ensure the new law will apply in the fullest way to MI5 and the other services.
The authors of the letter are the families of Liam Curry, 19, Chloe Rutherford, 17, both from South Shields, Megan Hurley, 15, from Liverpool, Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from the Isle of Barra, and Kelly Brewster, 32, from Sheffield.
In the letter, the bereaved families say: “You made a personal promise that you would bring in the law.
“We’re now asking you to keep that promise in full by ensuring the new law applies to the security and intelligence agencies in the same way it applies to everyone else.”
The letter adds: “MI5 failed our loved ones and failed us.
“It did so by failing to prevent the Arena bombing. But it then failed and hurt us further through its lack of candour after the attack.
“During the Manchester Arena inquiry, MI5 lied about the key intelligence it held about the suicide bomber before the attack.
“Despite MI5 lying to a public inquiry in this way, no one has been held to account.
“This lack of accountability needs to change. Creating a full duty of candour responsibility on MI5, MI6 and GCHQ is the clearest route to creating this change.
“We are dismayed that, as the draft bill is currently written, MI5 and the other organisations are being allowed to escape the full duty of candour responsibility.
“Every security and intelligence officer should be required the tell the truth, and the leaders of the organisations should also bear full responsibility.
“How many times must MI5 show that it cannot be trusted before something is done?
“We are calling on you to keep your promise and ensure that MI5, MI6 and GCHQ are held to the same standards as everyone else.”
Claire Booth, a sister of Kelly Brewster, survived the bombing and her daughter was severely injured. She told the BBC that MI5’s conduct after the attack was “infuriating” and made her feel like “we were collateral damage”.
She added: “It was just one of them things as far as MI5 were concerned.
“They didn’t stop it [the attack], but the fact that they’ve then not been truthful about what their involvements were, what they knew… it all just adds insult to injury. It’s not fair.”
In response, a government spokesperson said: “The Hillsborough Law will once and for all end the culture of cover-ups and hiding the truth, ensuring transparency, accountability, and support for people affected.
“The law will apply to all public authorities including the intelligence agencies.
“The Bill creating the Hillsborough Law is currently going through Parliament and we are listening to feedback about how to strengthen it whilst also protecting national security.”
Weatherby said the key problem is a provision which would have the effect of “disapplying” the ancillary duty of candour to individual security and intelligence officers.
He said that, in the context of Manchester Arena case, this is crucial, adding that if the duty falls on the organisation only, nothing will change.
If it falls on the individual officers as well, they will risk criminal liability and sanction if they sit on their hands whilst the corporate body lies to inquiries and courts.
Last year MI5 was forced to apologise after it gave false evidence to three courts in a neo-Nazi spy and is currently under investigation by its regulator.
In December, MI5 apologised after it was heavily criticised by a major police investigation into the IRA spy known as Stakeknife. MI5 had disclosed documents years late and provided misleading evidence about its knowledge of the spy.
Booth said that the intelligence services “should have the same duty as everybody else to be open and honest.
“And I think if it’s not applied to them, we’re never going to get to the bottom of when things like terrorist attacks or the Hillsborough disaster”.
The families of teenagers missing after a fire at a bar in a Swiss ski resort are facing an agonising wait for news and appealing for information about their loved ones online.
The fire in Crans-Montana was likely caused by sparklers placed on bottles of champagne that came “too close to the ceiling”, Swiss officials said on Friday.
An investigation into the fire will focus on the materials used at the site, the bar’s fire safety measures, its capacity and the number of people inside at the time, Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said.
Swiss authorities have said it could take days if not weeks to identify the victims of the fire, which killed 40 people and injured another 119. Officials said 113 of the injured had been identified, with authorities still working to identify the other six.
In the meantime, families and friends have been taking to social media to appeal for information about their loved ones who were at the bar that night.
Charlotte Niddam/TikTok
Among the missing is thought to be 15-year-old Charlotte Niddam, a former student at schools in the UK.
The Jewish Free School in north-west London called for “love and prayers”, saying Charlotte had been a student there for two years before her family moved back to France.
“She is loved by so many within JFS and is friends with many in our community,” it added.
A statement from Immanuel College – a private Jewish school in Hertfordshire – widely reported in the UK press said her family had “asked that we all keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time”.
It added: “We are all praying for a miracle for Charlotte and the others.”
Crans-Montana’s tourism website lists her as a babysitter in the resort during school holidays.
Laetitia Brodard-Sitre/Facebook
Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, is among the missing
The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are currently unknown, his mother Laetitia said.
“I must find my son… it’s been 30 hours since [he] disappeared,” she told the BBC, adding that she wanted his photo “to be everywhere so that, just in case, someone recognises him, they can call me”.
Ms Brodard said that she and Arthur’s father had been checking hospitals in Lausanne and Bern, but could not find him, earlier telling local newspaper Le Temps that she was “living a nightmare.”
Some of his friends had been found with burns covering nearly half their bodies, she told the newspaper. “There are no words – they went through hell.”
SUPPLIED
Achille Barosi was described by his aunt as an avid painter
Another missing Italian national is Achille Osvaldo Giovanni Barosi, 16, who entered the bar at 01:30 local time on New Year’s Day to retrieve his jacket and phone. His family have not heard from him since.
“We don’t know if he’s still alive,” his aunt Francesca told the BBC World Service’s OS programme.
She described her nephew, who is enrolled in an art school in Milan, as a beautiful boy and an excellent painter.
“We just want to find him, and that’s it.”
The Italian foreign ministry has said six of its citizens remain missing.
Italian Golf Federation
Junior golfer Emanuele Galeppini, 16, was last heard from around midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to his father
Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer, originally from Genoa but now living in Dubai.
The Italian Golf Federation has said he is dead, without mentioning the fire, paying tribute to a “young athlete who carried with him passion and authentic values”.
His father, Edoardo, is quoted by Italian TV channel TG24 as saying his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An Italian foreign ministry spokesperson has told the BBC that it was not confirming the death yet.
Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is also among the missing. His mother, Carla Masiello, from Bologna, told La Repubblica that he had been on holiday with his father but had gone out with friends and ended up at La Constellation.
“A close friend of his told me they ran away after the fire broke out and that he had [his phone] with him, but then at a certain point he couldn’t see him anymore,” she told the newspaper, adding he had been wearing a gold chain with a small Madonna around his neck.
Tania Causio, one of his teachers at Porta Saragozza High School, told La Repubblica: “I’ve always been struck by his kindness and smile, coupled with great maturity. Every time I walk into class, he asks if I want him to go get me a coffee.”
Lisa Pralong Elisabeth/Facebook
Family of Emilie Pralong face an “agonising” wait for information on the 22-year-old
Also reported missing by family members is Emilie Pralong, 22, who is thought to have been at Le Constellation with several friends who may also be missing.
Her grandfather, Pierre, described an “agonising” wait for information, telling French broadcaster BFMTV: “We always hope – we are full of hope. It helps to overcome whatever the hardship.”
While he expressed optimism that she may turn up relatively unharmed in hospital, he said: “We have to be ready to accept a more difficult situation. We mustn’t dream, we have to be realistic in the face of a tragedy like this.”
Supplied
Dual national Alice Kallergis was also at the bar on New Year’s Eve
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Greek and Swiss nationality but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also at the bar on New Year’s Eve, according to sources and reports in Greek media.
Her brother has posted an appeal on Instagram, saying the family has had “no news” regarding the 15-year-old or the three friends she was with and who are also reported missing.
Greek consular authorities say they are continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Additional reporting by Nikos Papanikolaou and Isabella Bull
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Wednesday it would prioritize confirming the fate of separated family members in North Korea if inter-Korean relations improve. In this February 2021 photo, visitors look at ribbons wishing for Korean Unification near the DMZ. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
The unification ministry said Wednesday it will prioritize confirming the fate of separated families’ relatives in North Korea if strained inter-Korean relations begin to improve.
Under the 2026-2028 plan for supporting families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, the ministry said it will make efforts to resume exchanges between such divided families at the government level and facilitate civilian-level exchanges between them.
“When there is progress over inter-Korean relations, the government will prioritize confirming the fate of the families’ relatives in North Korea,” the ministry said.
Since the first inter-Korean summit in 2000, the two Koreas have held 21 rounds of separated family reunions. Since the last event in August 2018, state-arranged family events have been suspended amid frosty inter-Korean ties.
North Korea dismantled a reunion facility for separated families inside its Mount Kumgang tourist area after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered officials in 2019 to tear down all “unpleasant-looking” facilities built by South Korea at the mountain resort.
The ministry said it will consider measures to replace the family reunions location and seek reciprocal visits to Seoul and Pyongyang by separated families in the two Koreas.
The issue of separated families has taken on urgency as more elderly people have died without having a chance to meet their kin in the North due to Pyongyang’s reluctance to hold family reunion events.
The number of surviving separated family members registered with the government came to 34,658 as of the end of November. Of them, 32 percent are aged 90 and older.
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
WE HAVE officially entered ski season, and with that, experts have revealed the best spots for young families to escape to.
Skiing as a child-free grown up is VERY different to when you have kids in tow, when the number of blue ski runs, ski schools and hotels that actually allow kids in the spa become more important than the quality apres ski.
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Flaine is known for having great ski slopes for both beginners and expertsCredit: Alamy
Fortunately, experts at Crystal Ski have rounded up the best spots for young families and they include a lot more than just snow.
Flaine, France
Set within the Grand Massif area, Flaine is known for having great ski slopes for both beginners and experts.
There are even scenic runs, such as Les Cascades, which is accessible from Geneva.
Crystal Ski also offers Crystal Childcare, so if adults want to head off-piste themselves they can do with their kids in good care.
Families can also head off ice skating, bowling or venture off on a dog sled ride, according to Crystal Ski.
The resort features a number of high-quality apartments, many of which have their own swimming pools.
The accommodation is then only a couple of minutes from the slopes.
A seven-night trip from January 10, including flights, to Flaine costs from £494pp.
Passo Tonale, Italy
If you prefer the Italian Alps, then head to Passo Tonale, which has a “relaxed atmosphere and just one main road – so you’ll quickly find your way around the accommodation, restaurants and shops,” according to Crystal Ski.
The resort also has Crystal Childcare too.
The resort itself is supposed to be one of the best places for children to learn how to ski as it has a great ski school, as well as 62 miles of quiet slopes, perfect for practicing on.
For little ones, just about getting to grips with their skis, there are more gentle runs and there is even an inflatable slide and tubing.
This super family friendly spot goes one step further on Wednesdays though – as families can get together for races, face painting and even a kids’ torchlit session.
The area is also home to a number of significant World War I sites where battles occurred.
A seven-night trip from January 10, including flights, to Passo Tonale costs from £540pp.
Passo Tonale, Italy, has 62 miles of quiet slopesCredit: Getty
Hundfjället, Sweden
Hundfjället is a popular ski destination found in the Salen mountain range.
In fact, it is one of the shortest transfers to any ski resort at 15-20 minutes according to Crystal Ski.
Slopes at the resort feature all skill levels, but if you are an expert you might want to try the black slope named ‘The Wall’, which is Sweden‘s second steepest ski run.
Families can also head to Trollskogen (Trolls Forest), which is a tree-lined run with singing trolls along the way.
There are eight children’s ski areas, including a dedicated children’s learning area that features fun obstacles.
Other fun activities for kids include snow tubes, ice karts and mini snowmobiles.
And there is resort-run childcare and babysitting too.
For when families aren’t on the snow, they can head to the Experium Leisure Centre where they will find an adventure pool and spa.
A seven-night trip from January 18, including flights, to Hundfjället costs from £814pp.
Hundfjället, Sweden, has snow tubes and ice kartsCredit: Alamy
La Plagne, France
Back over in France is La Plagne, which features 11 purpose-built ski resorts with traditional villages.
According to Crystal Ski, it is one of the top resorts in France and has a great ski school.
And there is even an ice grotto with sculptures, ice skating and an igloo village.
A seven-night trip from January 25, including flights, to La Plagne costs from £430pp.
La Plagne, France, features 11 purpose-built ski resortsCredit: Alamy
Ruka, Finland
Ruka in Finland is like a real winter wonderland, according to Crystal Ski.
Think traditional log cabins, snowy scenery and ‘marshmallow trees’ (pine trees but covered in snow so they look like giant marshmallows).
Lots of accommodation in the area can be found right by the slopes and the resort is only 25 minutes from the airport.
Ruka even has the biggest beginner area in Finland, which means this spot is great for perhaps more cautious kids.
There is a Rosa & Rudolf Family Park too, which has “magic carpets and fun obstacles”, says Crystal Ski.
Other activities that can be found at Ruka include dog sledding, reindeer safaris and snowmobiling.
A seven-night trip from January 18, including flights, to Ruka costs from £369pp.
Ruka, Finland, has the biggest beginner area in FinlandCredit: Getty
Obergurgl, Austria
Obergurgl is a high-altitude Alpine Village found in Austria, that is home to a hidden gem ski resort.
In fact, it is the highest village in Austria which means there is usually a good snow covering.
At the resort you will find a great ski school and quiet slopes ideal for perfecting your skills without worrying about others whizzing by.
Once more confident, skiers and snowboarders can head on the Audi Quattro fun slope.
When off the slopes, the village itself is a vibrant destination at spots such as Josl Keller, where there is often late night dancing.
Surrounding the slopes are also a number of great hotels, many of which also have good family facilities such as playrooms.
A seven-night trip from January 10, including flights, to Obergurgl costs from £618pp.
Obergurgl, Austria, is the highest village in AustriaCredit: Getty – Contributor
Zell am See, Austria
Also in Austria is Zell am See, a town located on the edge of Lake Zell.
The ski area is home to one of the biggest ski schools in Austria, says Crystal Ski and a number of fun runs including Schmidolin’s Dragon Park.
For something even more thrilling, there is also an alpine rollercoaster which is a 0.8-mile-long toboggan track.
Or if you fancy something calmer, head off on a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the town.
In the town there is a variety of places to stay, including half-board hotels.
And in the wider area you could also make a trip to Sigmund Thun Gorge, which is a natural gorge carved by the Kapruner Ache river.
There are a number of wooden walkways and bridges which visitors can explore.
A seven-night break from January 24 with return flights to Zell am See costs from £362pp.
Zell am See, Austria, is located on the edge of Lake Zell and has a number of fun runsCredit: Alamy
Soldeu, Andorra
Finally, over in the small landlocked country of Andorra, you will find Soldeu, which is the best resort in Andorra for families, according to Crystal Ski.
The resort is part of the 130 mile Grandvalira area and there is a gondola that takes visitors up to the ski school and nursery slopes.
The green and blue slopes are then beautifully lined with trees.
There is also El Tarter which features a number of obstacles.
In the village itself, there are a number of hotels that have swimming pools and kid’s clubs.
And thanks to the small size of the village, you won’t have to walk far before you’re on the gondola.
There’s a number of spots to grab a bite to eat too in the warmth, such as Restaurant la Cort de Popaire, which has a cosy wood and stone interior.
A beginner-only week trip from March 1 to 8 in Soldeu costs from £1095pp and includes return flights, transfers, seven nights’ accommodation, breakfast and evening meals, ski or snowboard lessons, lift pass and equipment hire.
Families of victims of the deadly attack on a Jewish celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach earlier this month have called for a national inquiry into rising anti-Semitism.
In an open letter published on Monday, relatives of 11 of the victims of the attack called on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to hold a royal commission into what they called the “rapid” and “dangerous” rise of anti-Jewish sentiment following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
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Fifteen people, most of them Jewish, were killed when two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on December 14.
Australian authorities have said the suspected gunmen, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, were inspired by the ISIL (ISIS) group.
In their letter, the families said they needed to know why “clear warning signs were ignored” and “how antisemitic hatred … [was] allowed to dangerously grow unchecked”.
“As proud Australians and proud Jews, we have endured more than two and a half years of relentless attacks,” the families said.
“Our children feel unsafe at school and university. Our homes, workplaces, sporting fields, and public spaces no longer feel secure.”
The response of Albanese’s Labor government to the attack, including proposals to tighten gun laws and introduce tougher legislation against hate speech, was “not nearly enough,” the families said.
“The dangerous rise of antisemitism and radicalism in Australia is not going away,” they said.
“We need strong action now. We need leadership now.”
The calls for an inquiry into anti-Semitism came as Albanese on Monday announced the terms of an independent review into whether law enforcement and intelligence agencies could have done more to prevent the attack.
Albanese and his government colleagues have resisted calls for a public inquiry into the attack, arguing that such a process would take years and could undermine social cohesion by platforming extremist voices.
Albanese told a news conference that the review, led by former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson, would examine what authorities knew about the suspected gunmen before the attack and information sharing between federal and state agencies, among other issues.
“Just over two weeks ago, anti-Semitic terrorists tried to tear our country apart, but our country is stronger than these cowards,” Albanese said.
“They went to Bondi Beach to unleash mass murder against our Jewish community. We need to respond with unity and urgency rather than division and delay.”
Anti-Jewish sentiment, as well as anti-Islam and anti-immigration sentiment, are rising in Australia. Many Australians have expressed their concerns over a rise in right-wing extremism in the country, where one in two people is either born overseas or has a parent born overseas.
In September, thousands of people held rallies in cities, including Sydney, Perth, Canberra and Brisbane, demanding an end to “mass migration”.
The Australian government has condemned the rallies, which took place under the banner of “March for Australia”, as racist, while Minister for Multicultural Affairs Anne Aly said the gatherings were “organised by Nazis”.
The group behind “March for Australia” said on its website and social media that “mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together” and that its rallies aimed to do “what the mainstream politicians never have the courage to do: demand an end to mass immigration”.
But Australia also experienced a sharp rise in both anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents since October 7, 2023.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, which supports the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, documented 1,654 anti-Jewish incidents nationwide between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025, after more than 2,060 incidents the previous year.
The Islamophobia Register Australia recorded 309 in-person incidents of Islamophobia and 366 online incidents between January 1, 2023 and November 31, 2024.
Numerous rights organisations, including some Jewish groups, have criticised the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, arguing that it has been used to conflate legitimate criticism of Israel – particularly of its genocidal war on Gaza – with anti-Jewish bigotry.
One of Albanese’s highest-profile critics in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – he blamed Albanese’s government for failing to protect Australia’s Jewish community and also linked the shooting to Australia’s recent decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Family members of victims of abductions, detentions and forced disappearances attend a public hearing calling for international solidarity at the Ministry of Unification in Seoul on Aug. 29, 2024. From left: Choi Jin-young, Kim Jeong-sam, Lee Shin-hwa, Choi Seong-ryong and Park Hye-ja. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Dec. 26 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Unification Ministry and the National Security Office have told families of South Korean nationals detained in North Korea that President Lee Jae-myung’s recent remarks on the issue resulted from a misunderstanding of a question and problems with on-site interpretation, according to relatives.
Family members said Unification Vice Minister Kim Nam-joong and officials from the ministry met relatives of detainees, including the families of missionaries Kim Jeong-wook and Choi Chun-gil, ahead of Christmas. They offered condolences and said the government would address the detainee issue, while explaining that Lee’s comments at a foreign press briefing on Dec. 3 stemmed from a misunderstanding of the question.
Relatives also said the National Security Office contacted families after the Dec. 3 briefing at the presidential guesthouse and said the detainee issue had been reported to Lee in September. Officials said Lee confused it with a separate case involving a South Korean detained in connection with a Cambodia scam incident, and said interpretation problems prevented an appropriate response, the families said.
At the Dec. 3 briefing, Lee responded to a question about South Koreans detained in North Korea by saying he was hearing about it “for the first time” and asked national security adviser Wi Sung-lak whether it was true. After the question was clarified, Lee said he lacked specific details and would review the matter.
The presidential office said the next day that six South Korean nationals, including defectors, were detained from 2013 to 2016 on charges including espionage.
Choi Jin-young, the son of detained missionary Choi Chun-gil, said he was told Lee knew about the detainees but there had been “a slight misunderstanding.” Choi said the government promised to handle the issue going forward.
But he said the explanations “sounded like nothing but excuses” and argued the case risks being forgotten. He said he urged the government to at least run a public awareness campaign.
Choi also criticized remarks in government briefings suggesting there is little that can be done without inter-Korean dialogue, saying families consider that “heartbreaking.” He said the government could still pursue cooperation by raising the issue with senior Chinese officials.
Kim Jeong-sam, brother of detained missionary Kim Jeong-wook, said he hoped the incident would prompt the government to focus more on the detainee issue. He said he was told the matter is included in the administration’s 100 key policy tasks, adding that the explanation about Lee’s remarks eased some concerns.
South Korea says six of its nationals have been detained in North Korea since 2013 through 2016 on charges including espionage. They include missionaries Kim Jeong-wook, detained in October 2013, Kim Guk-gi, detained in October 2014, and Choi Chun-gil, detained in December 2014, along with three former North Korean defectors. A defector journalist working for a North Korea-focused outlet is also reported to have been abducted by North Korea in China.
Chung Dong-young, South Korea’s unification minister, speaks during a post-briefing following a policy report at the government complex in Seoul. Dec. 19, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Dec. 24 (Asia Today) — Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met separated families ahead of the year-end holidays and said South Korea will seek to resolve humanitarian issues through inter-Korean dialogue, the ministry said Tuesday.
The ministry said Chung visited Kim Bong-hwan, 105, on Tuesday. Kim told Chung he has spent his life hoping to meet younger siblings in North Korea after being separated from his parents and siblings during the Korean War. He asked that authorities at least confirm whether his family members in the North are alive or dead, the ministry said.
Chung said separated families represent one of the deepest tragedies created by the division of the peninsula. With most separated family members elderly, time is short, he said, adding the government will pursue multiple avenues to address humanitarian issues, including inter-Korean dialogue.
The ministry said Chung also delivered New Year’s cards and consolation gifts to 100 elderly separated family members.
It said it plans to continue projects aimed at supporting separated families and expanding the foundation for exchanges, including a Separated Family Day event held annually on the 13th day of the eighth lunar month, invitation events, DNA testing and video letter production.
The ministry said it also visited some families of detainees and abductees during the year-end holiday season.
Families of detainees and abductees said Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-joong and ministry officials met families of detainees to offer support and that schedules were being coordinated for meetings with families of post-war abduction victims.
However, groups representing families of wartime abductees and Korean War prisoners of war said there has been no discussion or coordination so far on meetings with the ministry around the year-end and New Year holidays.
EVERY family hopes for a stress-free holiday and this hotel gives you the best chance of that.
From kids clubs to complimentary baby equipment, a hotel in the Algarve has incredible children’s facilities not to mention beautiful nearby beaches.
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The hotel has various kids clubs for different ages – including babiesCredit: UnknownThe beautiful Praia do Martinhal is right around the corner from the hotelCredit: Alamy
The Telegraph named the Martinhal Sagres as being the hotel that’s ‘Best for Families’ in its world’s 50 greatest hotels.
The publication said that one reason is thanks to the staff who “set up colouring stations to allow parents to finish their food peacefully to playing football with junior guests on the beach.”
The hotel states on its website that “everything about Martinhal Sagres is designed with families in mind. Stylish and design-oriented.
“Martinhal Sagres offers families a luxury beach holiday experience with high-class family-friendly accommodation, restaurants and bars, kids’ and leisure services to suit the needs of each family member.”
The hotel even offers family and baby concierges which give personal assistance for families and their little ones.
With them you can get expert advice on childcare and family-friendly activities.
You can also pre-book complimentary baby equipment – from small items like door protectors, potties, bottle sterilizers and warmers, to cots, baby baths and pushchairs.
The hotel has its own crèche for children between six and 23 months which has activities like hand and foot painting.
Raposinhos is a club for two to five-year-olds with story time, puppet shows as well as arts and crafts – and time outside in the playground and on tricycles.
The Fox Club is for six to eight-year-olds where they can play football and play games outside, as well as explore the small on-site forest.
The hotel also has swimming pools, a spa and on-site gymCredit: martinhal.comThe Martinhal Sagres has luxury villas as well as hotel roomsCredit: martinhal.com
Other leisure activities that children can join in with include horse riding, tennis or head to the watersport academy for fun on inflatables.
Other facilities include a spa, gym, heated indoor pool, games room with play corners, pool table, Xbox and PlayStation.
Outside of the hotel are plenty of the Algarve’s beaches, the nearest being Praia do Martinhal.
When it comes to food, there’s a family-friendly restaurant called Quinta do Lago which has a special children’s menu and fresh purees for babies.
Accommodation varies from a stay in one of the main hotel rooms, as well as houses with two or three bedrooms all the way up to its luxury villas.
It even has a ‘Baby’s First Holiday package’ which is four nights in a Beach Room or 1-bedroom apartment with breakfast included.
It includes a baby welcome pack upon arrival, a first water experience, one session in the crèche each day, a spa treatment for parents and a dinner where a hotel babysitter will take care of the little one.
This offer is €129 (£112.64) per adult per night for two adults and one baby (from 6 months up to 23 months).
This English hotel was named the best for families with ‘milk butlers’, film screenings and cookies at bedtime…
