International
Australia to ban under-16s from social media
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Thursday that the government will introduce a legislation to ban children under the age of 16 from social media.
Albanese said at a press conference that the legislation will be introduced in the country’s parliament during its final two weeks in session this year, beginning on November 18.
The prime minister lamented that social media “was doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it.”
He said the ban would take effect 12 months after the law passes. Albanese said there would be no penalties for users, and that it would be up to Australia’s online regulator to enforce the laws.
The prime minister added that there will be no exemptions for children who have parental consent, or who already have accounts. Today, the minister and I have an important announcement.
And this one is for the mums and dads. Social media is doing harm to our kids and I am calling time on it,” he said.
“I have spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. “And I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back.
I want the parents to be able to say ‘sorry it is against the law for me to get you to do this’. “… The government’s proposed age is 16. And that decision was made in cabinet on Monday. And that proposal will go to the national cabinet that I am conveying.
The onus will be on parents and young people. There will be no penalty for users.
A safety commissioner will provide oversight function and enforcement. The legislation will come into force 12 months after passage. There will also be a review.
” Michelle Rowland, the communications minister, said platforms impacted would include Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook, as well as ByteDance’s TikTok and Elon Musk’s X.
“Alphabet’s YouTube would likely also fall within the scope of the legislation,” she added. Earlier proposals to introduce a social media age limit have enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Australia.
International
US tags 10 Nigerians ” worst of worst criminal aliens” for deportation
The 10 Nigerians listed in the latest update are:
The United States Department of Homeland Security has added 10 Nigerians to its “Worst of the Worst” register, a database highlighting immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over alleged criminal offences.
The latest names were published on the official DHS website and include individuals linked to cases involving fraud, identity theft, drug offences, assault, conspiracy and offences involving children.
The 10 Nigerians listed in the latest update are:
Temitope Bashua — Wire fraud, identity theft and fraud — Allenwood, Pennsylvania
Ojehoro Lewis — Cruelty towards a child — Conroe, Texas.
Osemudiamen Kingsley Oziegbe — Wire fraud — Louisville, Kentucky
Daniel Oworen — Dangerous drugs — Conroe, Texas
Raymond H. Ekevwo — Wire fraud — Oxford, Wisconsin
Franklin Dikeocha — Sex offence against a child – fondling — Dallas, Texas.
Johnson Ogunlana — Fraud and identity theft — White Deer, Pennsylvania.Wire fraud, dangerous drugs, possession of a weapon and aggravated assault involving a non-family gun — Allenwood, Pennsylvania
Tunde Korede — Conspiracy — Allenwood, Pennsylvania.
Chukwuemeka Chinye — Larceny from a banking-type institution, fraud, larceny, identity theft and conspiracy — Pollock, Louisiana.
DHS said the register was established to draw attention to immigrants it describes as the “worst of worst criminal aliens” arrested by ICE.
” Every day, the patriots of ICE are working to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our country. Just yesterday, ICE arrested murderers, pedophiles, kidnappers, and other violent criminals to make America safe again,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.
International
BREAKING: No Survivors in Kenya Safari Helicopter Crash
All seven people on board a tourist helicopter were killed when the aircraft crashed in a remote area of northern Kenya on Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was flying on a safari route from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County when it went down at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time near Mount Ololokwe. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter was carrying six passengers and one pilot. Police later confirmed there were no survivors.
Five of the victims were American citizens, according to the U.S. State Department. Among those killed were José Alberto Suárez, a senior executive with Telemundo (NBCUniversal), and Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center, who was travelling with his wife, Stephany Hollihan. Both she and her husband died in the crash.
The aircraft was operated by Lady Lori Helicopters and was carrying guests of the luxury safari company &Beyond. Rescue teams, including the Kenya Red Cross, faced difficult terrain and a fire at the crash site during recovery operations.
An official investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi said it is providing consular assistance to the families of the American victims.
International
Trump Annex Strait of Hormuz “New US Territory”
The development follows Trump’s recent comments that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after defeating Iran.
US President Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz a “new US territory.”
Trump on Tuesday shared a map graphic on Truth Social, a social media platform he owns, labelling the Strait of Hormuz a “NEW U.S. Territory”.
The same graphic was also posted by the official White House account on X.
The image shows a blue-highlighted map of the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with a circle around the narrow passage and the words “NEW U.S. Territory” displayed prominently.
The development follows Trump’s recent comments that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after defeating Iran.
Speaking at a political rally in New York State on Friday, Trump said,
“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”
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