Thousands gathered at vigils across Australia on Monday evening to honour the 15 people killed in a terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday. The mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration is being treated as terrorism, prompting the Australian national cabinet to tighten gun laws.
Israeli Ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, visited the scene to pay tribute to the victims and expressed his deep sorrow.
"The Jewish community, the Australians of Jewish faith, the Jewish community is also my community," Maimon said, emphasising the importance of recognising Jewish Australians as part of the broader nation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, stating that it was ideologically driven and motivated by Islamic State ideology.
"This is different from Port Arthur," Albanese said, referring to the 1996 massacre. "Port Arthur was random violence. This was targeted, ideologically driven hatred," he added.
During his visit to the hospital, Albanese praised Ahmed al Ahmed, a local fruit shop owner who tackled one of the attackers during the shooting. Ahmed, who was shot twice, is recovering after surgery. Albanese described his actions as an example of courage and resilience.
The attack, the deadliest gun violence in Australia in nearly three decades, occurred when hundreds gathered to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah. Forty people were taken to hospital, including two police officers. Three patients remain in critical condition.
Authorities say the gunmen, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, had travelled to the Philippines before the assault, which appeared to be inspired by Islamic State ideology. Police are investigating the attack as linked to extremist networks operating in the region.
Officials revealed that Sajid Akram had legally held a firearms licence since 2015, owning six licensed weapons.
The incident has prompted the government to reconsider gun control measures, with Albanese confirming that the issue would be examined in light of the tragedy.
This deadly assault is viewed as a wake-up call for Australia, highlighting the need for a stronger response to prevent similar attacks in the future.
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Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
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