Bondi Beach attackers were father and son aged 50 and 24
The attackers behind the Bondi Beach shooting have been identified as a father aged 50 and his 24-year-old son following one of Sydney’s deadliest recent attacks.
TT Foreign Desk
World news from The Thursday Times' foreign desk.
Australian resident Naveed Akram denies role after image falsely linked to Bondi Beach shooting
Naveed Akram has publicly denied any involvement in the Bondi Beach shooting after his image was wrongly circulated online, highlighting the dangers of misinformation during breaking news events.
Afghan scholars declare foreign fighting illegitimate without state approval
Afghanistan’s top scholars have issued a joint decree reinforcing the Islamic Emirate’s Sharia authority, declaring national defence a personal duty and banning foreign military involvement without explicit state permission.
Trump targets Indian ‘Dumped’ rice as new flashpoint in US-India trade
In a few pointed lines at the White House, President Trump accused India of “dumping” rice into US markets and demanded to know why New Delhi is “allowed” to do so without heavier tariffs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent denied any exemption, but the exchange has raised the prospect that Indian rice could become the next flashpoint in US–India trade
Sikh rights group urges Trump to ban Indian nationals, citing Security threats and persecution
Sikhs for Justice has pressed the Trump administration to add India to the restricted countries list, alleging security risks, visa abuse and systematic persecution of Sikhs.
Afghan ISIS-K suspect arrested near Washington after entering US through Operation Allies Welcome
Homeland Security has detained an Afghan man with alleged ISIS-K links who entered under Operation Allies Welcome, escalating political scrutiny after two similar arrests last week.
Afghan TikTok bomb suspect in Fort Worth fuels backlash over Biden evacuee vetting
An Afghan man who entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome has been charged in Texas over an alleged TikTok bomb threat, as Republicans seize on a second high-profile case to question how Afghan evacuees were screened and whether Biden’s flagship resettlement programme is a security risk.
Trump orders sweeping green card crackdown after Washington Guard shooting
After a National Guard patrol was gunned down in Washington, President Donald Trump turned swiftly from outrage to action, ordering a sweeping review of green cards issued to people from 19 “countries of concern” and freezing all Afghan immigration cases. The move has alarmed Afghan communities and rights groups, who say one man’s alleged crime is being used to reopen settled statuses and to push a much wider “reverse migration” agenda.
Trump confirms death of National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom near White House shooting
President Donald Trump has confirmed that National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom has died from her injuries after an ambush-style shooting near the White House. With the suspect identified as an Afghan asylum seeker who once served in a CIA-backed unit, her killing has rapidly become a test case for America’s Afghan resettlement promises, its security vetting system and the contested deployment of Guard troops in the nation’s capital.
Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death as Bangladesh tribunal rules on deadly student crackdown
A Dhaka tribunal has sentenced ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death after finding her guilty of crimes against humanity over the deadly crackdown on student protesters in 2024. The verdict, delivered in absentia, cites extensive evidence of lethal force used under her command.
