Politics

Australia announced plans for stricter gun laws on Monday as the nation mourned the victims of its deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years. A father and son are accused of killing 15 people during a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Officials stated that the older shooter, who was 50 years old, was shot dead at the scene, bringing the total death toll to 16. His 24-year-old son is in critical condition in the hospital, according to police at a press conference. The suspects’ names have not been officially released, but national broadcaster ABC and other news outlets have identified them as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram. Reports from ABC News indicated that two Islamic State flags were discovered in the gunmen's vehicle, although no source was cited. This tragic event has sparked discussions on whether Australia's already strict gun laws need to be revised, especially since authorities revealed the older suspect had a firearms license since 2015 and owned six registered weapons. On Sunday evening, the attackers fired at attendees for about 10 to 20 minutes, targeting men, women, and children as frightened beachgoers ran for safety. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old. Among them were a rabbi with five children, a Holocaust survivor, a Slovak woman, and a 10-year-old girl, as reported by officials and local media. After the shooting, 40 people were taken to the hospital, including two police officers who were in serious but stable condition. CABINET AGREES TOUGHER GUN LAWS Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his sorrow after laying flowers at Bondi Beach, stating, “What we witnessed yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism.” He noted that “the Jewish community is hurting today” and assured, “Today, all Australians come together to support them. We will take all necessary actions to eliminate antisemitism. It is a plague, and we will work to eradicate it together.”