Australia

The Australian Parliament has passed a law banning access to social networks for people under the age of 16. Platforms face a fine of up to 3 32.1 million for violating them.

The Australian Senate has approved a law prohibiting children under 16 from using social networks. Companies face fines of up to $32.5 million for violations, and the law will come into force in 12 months.

The Australian Senate has approved a bill banning social networks for children under 16. Age verification will be carried out using biometric data or state identification, without providing Passport data to platforms.

The Macquarie Dictionary has chosen the term “enshittification” as the word of the year for 2023, which describes the deterioration of service quality due to excessive commercialization. The term was coined by blogger Cory Doctorow in 2022.

Tech giants are calling on the Australian authorities to postpone the adoption of a law restricting children's access to social media. The companies emphasize the need for additional time to assess the consequences of such a decision.

After the death of her mother and a busy year of filming, Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban are considering a move to Australia. The actress's family is concerned about her emotional burnout due to her busy work schedule.

The British military is conducting demining training for the Ukrainian military as part of Operation Interflex. Twelve NATO and partner countries have joined the initiative to train the Ukrainian Armed Forces in countering explosive ordnance.

Only 10% of Ukrainians use reflectors on their clothes at night. But even a small and inexpensive accessory can save lives.

Elon Musk has criticized Australia's bill to ban social media for children under 16. The owner of social network X considers it a covert way of controlling the Internet and threatens fines of up to $32 million for violations.

The crew of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission unfurled the flag of Ukraine with the UNITED24 logo in space at an altitude of 1400 km.

The Australian government has introduced a bill to ban social media for people under 16. Violators face fines of up to USD 32 million and the introduction of biometric verification.

Australian scientists have recorded the highest coral mortality in 39 years of observations, with up to 72% of corals dead on 12 reefs. At one northern site, about a third of hard corals died due to rising water temperatures.

At the Governor's Award ceremony, Nicole Kidman had to take off her shoes because of the uncomfortable height of the lectern. The 57-year-old actress presented the award to Juliet Taylor in the Ray Dolby Ballroom in bare feet.

83-year-old Alan Jones, an influential Australian radio host, is accused of sexually abusing 8 people. The incidents took place from 2001 to 2019, and he faces 24 charges.

The Australian Senate voted to convict Aboriginal Senator Lydia Thorpe, who publicly opposed King Charles III. The vote of no confidence deprived her of the right to represent the House in delegations.

Japanese troops will begin regular training in northern Australia in 2025. US rotational forces will join the exercises as part of a strategy to strengthen the security of the three countries.

A selection of exciting science fiction films about human interaction with artificial intelligence and space adventures. The films include Robot's Child, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Her, Ex Machina, and After Young.

Queen Camilla resumes public duties after suffering a respiratory infection. Her schedule will be adjusted to avoid unnecessary stress, including shortening the duration of events.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is withdrawing his children's book Billy and Epic Escape from sale after criticism for stereotyping Indigenous Australians. Penguin Random House UK stops selling the book in the UK and Australia.

Google searches for moving to Canada increased by 1270%, to New Zealand by 2000%, and to Australia by 820%. Immigration lawyers report a sharp increase in requests from Americans.

Kevin Rudd, Australia's ambassador to Washington, D. C., has deleted his previous critical comments about Donald Trump. The Australian Prime Minister spoke with Trump about the AUKUS agreement and security issues.

The Australian government is preparing a bill to ban social media for people under 16. The new rules may come into force as early as the end of 2025, including an age verification system.

Australia will provide Ukraine with 14 fast and maneuverable boats worth $14 million. This is part of the military aid that has totaled more than $1.3 billion since the beginning of the war.

The Australian Ministry of Defense has canceled a multibillion-dollar military satellite project with Lockheed Martin. Instead of a single-orbit system, the country will focus on developing a multi-orbit system to improve defense capabilities.

Australia has supplied Ukraine with JDAM-ER planning bombs, which were withdrawn from the air force's inventory in 2021. The first use of these munitions by Ukrainian MiG-29s was recorded in March 2023.

A 110-year-old crocodile Cassius, 5. 48 meters long, has died in Australia's Marineland Melanesia Zoo. The reptile had lived in captivity for 37 years and was considered the largest crocodile in captivity.

Canada is preparing a new package of sanctions against Russia over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories. The sanctions will apply to the country as a whole and to individual officials involved in the abduction of children.

Australia has become the 41st country to join the International Coalition for the Return of Deported Ukrainian Children. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets emphasized the importance of this step in the fight for the rights of Ukrainian children.

The new Great Seal of Australia no longer contains a mention of the monarch, breaking a 120-year tradition. The change in design drew criticism from the opposition for “hidden republicanism.

Radiohead's frontman interrupted his performance in Melbourne due to an argument with an audience member about the conflict in Gaza. After a short break, the musician returned to the stage and continued the concert.