OCEANIA

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Two months after the Bondi Beach attack, Naveed Akram made a brief 5 minute first court appearance on Monday via video from prison. The 24-year-old faces a sweeping 59-count indictment — among them 15 murder charges and an allegation of committing a terrorist act — as authorities continue their prosecution in one of Australia’s most serious recent mass-shooting cases.

Naveed and his father, Sajid, allegedly attacked a Hanukkah event at the famous beach on 14 December, killing 15 people and injuring more than 40.

Sajid, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed was critically injured and later transferred from hospital to prison.

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Two alleged gunmen who attacked a Hanukkah event at Sydney's Bondi Beach had travelled to the Philippines before the assault, which killed 15 people, and appeared to be inspired by Islamic State, police said on Tuesday.

The attack on Sunday was Australia's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years, and is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community.

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A mass stranding at New Zealand’s Farewell Spit has left six pilot whales dead and 15 others fighting for survival. Part of an original group of 55 that washed ashore on Thursday, the remaining 15 whales re-stranded after an initial attempt to return to sea. Volunteers are now working along a 1km stretch of beach to prevent further loss of life.

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Australia's sweeping ban on social media for under-16s has officially taken effect, thrusting more than a million teenagers into a digital landscape they've never known, one without the platforms that shaped their daily routines, friendships, and identities. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "a proud day to be prime minister of Australia," describing the ban as a landmark move meant to shield young people from harmful content and addictive algorithms.

The law, enforced at midnight, requires major platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, Twitch, Threads, Kick and others to block underage accounts or face penalties that could reach AU$49.5 million. Albanese framed the shift as a needed cultural reset, urging teens to "start a new sport, new instrument, or read that book" as the summer break approaches.

But the reaction among teenagers is far from unified. Lulu, 15, showed cameras the moment she was blocked from TikTok, only to admit she had already created another account. Tyson, also 15, said teens determined to stay online "will be the first ones to find a way around" the restrictions, predicting widespread use of VPNs before the loophole eventually closes. Others, like Grace, described cycling through anger and "denial and grief," while some shrugged, saying they'd "get over it quickly."

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As Sydney celebrates the New Year, thousands of heavily armed police officers have been deployed to patrol the streets—an unusual sight for Australia following the tragic Bondi Beach mass shooting. These heightened security measures include the rare authorization for some officers to carry high-grade weapons. The surge in security comes in direct response to the December 14 attack, which targeted a Hanukkah festival and resulted in the deaths of 15 members of the Jewish community.

Official New Year's Eve parties were paused at 23:00 local time (12:00 GMT) for a minute's silence to commemorate the victims of the attack, while the Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up by a white light to symbolise peace.

Pictures from Sydney Harbour - where huge crowds gather every year to watch the city's famous fireworks display - show officers patrolling the crowds with longarm weapons.

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On Wednesday, YouTube sharply criticized Australia's looming social media ban for under-16s, denouncing the world-first laws as "rushed" and arguing they will actually make children less safe online. Australia's legislation, set to take effect on December 10, will require platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to remove users under 16. Rachel Lord, YouTube's public policy manager, explicitly stated: "This law will not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online, and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube.”

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A man accused of killing 15 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach conducted firearms training in an area of New South Wales state outside of Sydney with his father, according to Australian police documents released on Monday.

The documents, made public following Naveed Akram’s video court appearance from a Sydney hospital where he has been treated for an abdominal injury, said the two men recorded footage justifying the meticulously planned attack.

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Canberra's online regulator announced Friday that livestream giant Twitch will be forced to remove all users under 16 when Australia's strict social media laws are enacted next month. Effective December 10, these laws will require social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, to delete underage accounts or face significant penalties.