Australia’s top political leaders doubled down on plans to ban social media access for children under 16, showing rare unity on the issue ahead of the May 3 election even as pressure from tech giants is expected to mount.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton have reaffirmed their support for Australia’s upcoming ban on social media access for children under 16, despite expected pressure from major tech companies.
During a televised election debate ahead of the May 3 national vote, both leaders expressed strong bipartisan backing for the new restrictions, set to begin in December. The law will limit under- 16s' use of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, and require tech firms to pay for hosting Australian news content.
Albanese said he anticipates lobbying efforts from social media giants as the enforcement date nears but emphasized that his government will not back down. He called the ban a "world-leading" measure.
Dutton echoed this stance, describing the opposition coalition as fully aligned with Labor on the issue. He criticized tech companies for exploiting young users and stressed the need to hold them accountable.
The debate panel declared Dutton the winner of the night’s exchange, although current polls show him trailing Albanese, with cost-of-living and housing remaining top concerns for voters.
Torrential rains in southeast Australia triggered flash floods and stranded residents on rooftops on Wednesday, prompting emergency evacuation orders across New South Wales as rivers swelled beyond danger levels.
U.S. officials have privately expressed frustration over Australia’s decision to send 49 retired M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, as the first vehicles begin their journey to Europe amid growing concerns about their battlefield effectiveness and long-term sustainability.
Australia has confirmed that a fleet of retired U.S.-made Abrams tanks promised to Ukraine is finally on the way, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in Rome on Sunday, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has downplayed the likelihood of significant progress on a free trade agreement with the European Union during his meeting with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Rome.
Anthony Albanese has secured a second consecutive three-year term as Australia’s prime minister, becoming the first leader to do so in 21 years, in a victory hailed as historic for the center-left Labor Party.
The 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival kicked off in Istanbul with Azerbaijan’s 100-member team and famed Karabakh horses drawing major attention.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the United States would bear legal responsibility if Israel launches an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid reports of potential Israeli military action and ongoing nuclear negotiations in Rome.
A rare naval misstep has shaken North Korea’s tightly choreographed military image, prompting an urgent internal probe and public scolding from Kim Jong Un.
Baku hosted the 6th plenary meeting of the UN’s GlobE Network, gathering anti-corruption officials from 92 countries to strengthen global cooperation and chart the network’s next steps.
The suspect in the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy aides in Washington has been charged with first-degree murder, the U.S. Justice Department confirmed.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
France has rejected India’s request to share source codes needed to integrate indigenous weapons into Rafale fighter jets. Despite repeated appeals, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has refused to compromise on the issue
AnewZ and Kazakhstan’s Jibek Joly/Silk Way TV channel co-hosted a special AnewZ Talks in Astana at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU), uniting global experts and young leaders at Silk Road Media Group’s journalism school to explore the growing intersection of media and diplomacy.
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
The Tehran Dialogue Forum 2025, scheduled for May 18–19, will host 200 international guests, including 40 current and former European officials.
Meta has signed another major solar energy agreement, acquiring 650 megawatts (MW) of clean power capacity across Kansas and Texas to support the rapid expansion of its AI-driven data centers, the company confirmed Thursday.
Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Thursday that tariffs were a key point of discussion during the G7 finance ministers’ meeting, despite the issue being omitted from the final communique.
Northern France sees major farmer protests as key agricultural reforms face parliamentary review, sparking road blockades and rising tensions.
The Trump administration is moving toward lifting sanctions on Syria, but officials caution that coordinating between government agencies means the process will take longer than initially expected.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the United States would bear legal responsibility if Israel launches an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid reports of potential Israeli military action and ongoing nuclear negotiations in Rome.
The 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival kicked off in Istanbul with Azerbaijan’s 100-member team and famed Karabakh horses drawing major attention.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the United States would bear legal responsibility if Israel launches an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid reports of potential Israeli military action and ongoing nuclear negotiations in Rome.
A rare naval misstep has shaken North Korea’s tightly choreographed military image, prompting an urgent internal probe and public scolding from Kim Jong Un.
Baku hosted the 6th plenary meeting of the UN’s GlobE Network, gathering anti-corruption officials from 92 countries to strengthen global cooperation and chart the network’s next steps.
The suspect in the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy aides in Washington has been charged with first-degree murder, the U.S. Justice Department confirmed.
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