Australia Announces New Gun Laws Following Bondi Beach Massacre

Australia has confirmed a plan to establish tighter gun restrictions after the deadly Bondi Beach shooting several days ago.

On Sunday, 15 people were killed in a massacre at Sydney's famed Bondi Beach, where Hanukkah celebrations were taking place as the Jewish holiday kicked off. Two gunmen were discovered at the scene, blasting off a bolt-action rifle and two shotgun– one was arrested and the other was shot dead by police.

42 other victims were hospitalized with injuries, including one Syrian man, Ahmed el Ahmed, who managed to attack one of the gunmen and wrestle his gun away from him. Additionally, when he was able to obtain the gun, Ahmed placed it down and let the gunman walk away, where police would later arrest him. Ahmed, who is being praised as an international hero, suffered two gunshots in the fight, but countless world leaders have expressed how he could have saved dozens more lives with his selfless actions.

The gunmen have been identified as Sajid Akram, a 50-year-old man, and his 24-year-old son Naveen Akram. In their car, authorities also found flags for Islamic terrorist group ISIS, who are notorious for facilitating attacks on non-Muslim people all over the world. Investigators have also discovered that the pair traveled to the southern Philippine city of Davao, where ISIS maintains a strong presence, and further inquiry is being conducted with the help of the Philippine government.

Additionally, police found that the father legally owned at least six firearms, sparking outrage and calls for stronger gun laws across Australia.

To follow, the Australian government has already taken action to tighten gun laws even further. Australia has always been known for having some of the strongest gun laws in the world, ever since a devastating mass shooting in 1996 in Tasmania that killed 35 people.

They plan to renegotiate the National Firearms agreement, which first restricted gun laws in 1996, along with a host of other new rules like a tougher firearms issuing process, limiting the number of firearms a person can own and limiting ownership to Australian citizens only, and possibly even limiting imports or shipments of materials that could be used to build or 3D print guns.

Furthermore, due to the setup of the National Cabinet in 2020 due to COVID-19, which includes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the leaders of each Australian state and territory, the Australian government is able to quickly prioritize and outline decisions or topics that need to be addressed without a formal meeting of Congress.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): A collective group of lemurs is called a conspiracy.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Ability to find the answers is more important than ability to know the answers. (Amit Kalantri)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Dreidel (noun, DRAY-dul) - A dreidel is a 4-sided toy marked with Hebrew letters and spun like a top in a game of chance. The game, played by children especially at Hanukkah, is also called dreidel.

In a Sentence: All the kids in the family look forward to playing dreidel together during Hanukkah.

Image credit to AP