Akram, 24, is charged with opening fire at a Jewish Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach in December, killing 15 people in what police have described as one of the country’s worst mass shootings and an attack inspired by Islamic State.

The accused had sought a 40-year suppression order to block publication of the names, images and identifying details of his mother, brother and sister, arguing that publicity could endanger their safety.

Several Australian media organizations opposed the application, saying it would unduly restrict reporting in a case of significant public interest.Judge Hugh Donnelly ruled against the request, stating that suppression orders should be granted only in exceptional circumstances and that transparency in judicial proceedings was fundamental.

He noted the case had generated “unprecedented public interest, anger, outrage and grief.”The court heard that personal details of Akram’s family had already circulated widely online, while his mother had spoken to local media shortly after the attack.

Donnelly added that any order limited to Australian jurisdiction would be ineffective given the reach of social media and international publications.Akram appeared via video link from a maximum-security prison and did not contest the ruling further.

His lawyer, Richard Wilson, told the court there were no plans to appeal the decision.The December attack shocked Australia, a country with strict gun control laws, and has prompted renewed debate over firearm regulation and rising antisemitism.

The government has since launched a national inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion, with findings expected later this year, alongside measures to strengthen hate speech legislation.

Reports quickly circulated across social media, fueled by open-source intelligence (OSINT) trackers, that the aircraft had flown over the Arabian Sea before landing in Pakistan. Some Indian media outlets went further, alleging that as many as six Turkish C-130Es had landed, suggesting an urgent shipment of arms and ammunition.

The claims, amplified on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), sparked widespread concern among Indian military analysts, academics, and geopolitical observers. The idea that a NATO ally could be reinforcing Pakistan’s military at a time of heightened regional volatility seemed, to many, a troubling sign.

However, Turkish authorities swiftly sought to quash the rumors. In an official statement, Turkey’s Directorate of Communications clarified that the aircraft had stopped only for refueling purposes and had subsequently continued its journey. “Speculative news made outside of the statements of authorized persons and institutions should not be relied upon,” the statement emphasized.

Still, in the current climate, clarifications have done little to dispel suspicions.

A Region on Edge

The controversy comes against the backdrop of a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which reignited long-standing animosities between India and Pakistan. In the aftermath, Pakistan’s military was reported to be on high alert, wary of potential retaliatory strikes similar to those India launched after the 2016 Uri and 2019 Pulwama attacks.

Open-source visuals posted on social media appear to show Pakistan repositioning military assets within the Kashmir region and activating key air bases at Pensi, Skardu, and Swat. Observers view these moves as preparations for potential escalations.

Adding to the complexity, there are also unconfirmed reports suggesting that China, Pakistan’s other key ally, may be supplying the long-range PL-15 missile to Islamabad — a development that Beijing has yet to address publicly.

A Bond Forged Over Decades

The defense relationship between Pakistan and Turkey is not new; it is deep-rooted and resilient. The two nations have strengthened military ties over decades, often viewing each other as indispensable partners in a turbulent neighborhood.

In 2021, a formal defense agreement between the two countries expanded cooperation into new arenas, including joint arms production. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Turkey directed roughly 10 percent of its total arms exports to Pakistan between 2020 and 2024, underscoring the breadth of this partnership.

Drones Take Center Stage

A major pillar of Pakistan-Turkey defense collaboration lies in drone warfare. Turkey’s rise as a powerhouse in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology — notably the combat-proven Bayraktar TB2 drones — has transformed Pakistan’s military capabilities.

The Bayraktar TB2 first gained international fame during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, where Azerbaijan leveraged the drones to overwhelming effect against Armenian forces. Pakistan, seeking similar advantages, acquired both the TB2 and the more sophisticated Bayraktar Akinci drones.

By 2023, Islamabad had received its first batch of Akinci UAVs — high-altitude, long-endurance drones equipped with an array of precision munitions. These systems have allowed Pakistan to expand its strike capabilities across domestic and regional theaters, including operations against militants along its borders with Afghanistan.

Combat Aircraft and New Horizons

The Turkey-Pakistan relationship extends beyond drones into the realm of manned aviation. The two countries are collaborating on the KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter program, with Pakistan expressing strong interest in procuring — and possibly even co-producing — the new jet.

This ambition builds on an earlier collaboration: Turkey’s role in upgrading Pakistan’s fleet of F-16s. Under a 2009 contract, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) modernized 41 Pakistani F-16s, significantly extending their lifespan and boosting avionics and systems capabilities.

Ankara’s support hasn’t been limited to fighters. Discussions are also underway on co-developing new helicopter models, highlighting the broadening scope of the two countries’ military-industrial ties.

Advanced Weaponry and Naval Strength

Beyond the skies, Pakistan’s defense procurement from Turkey spans munitions and naval assets. Islamabad has reportedly acquired Turkish anti-tank guided weapons and cutting-edge cruise missiles like the AI-enabled Kemankeş, designed to pair seamlessly with its new drone fleet.

Naval cooperation has been equally robust. In August 2023, Pakistan took delivery of its fourth and final MILGEM-class corvette, the PNS Tariq, a product of Turkish design and engineering. These sophisticated warships bolster Pakistan’s surface fleet at a time when maritime competition is growing across the Indian Ocean.

Turkey has also played a key role in modernizing Pakistan’s Agosta 90B-class submarines, upgrading critical systems such as sonar, radar, and combat controls. Meanwhile, the PNS Moawin — Pakistan’s largest naval ship — stands as a testament to Turkish-Pakistani industrial collaboration, designed by Turkey’s STM and built locally in Karachi.

A Fragile Moment

Whether or not the Turkish cargo plane was carrying arms — and Turkey’s denial suggests it was not — the incident highlights how quickly rumors can inflame an already volatile situation.

With both India and Pakistan maintaining substantial nuclear arsenals and a long history of conflict, the stakes could not be higher. Any miscalculation or misunderstanding, especially involving external powers like Turkey or China, risks spiraling into a broader confrontation.

For now, the international community watches and waits, hoping that clarifications, not escalations, define the coming days.

The attacker went on the rampage just before 2 p.m. (1400 GMT), targeting people at Fishmongers’ Hall near London Bridge in the heart of the city’s financial district – the scene of a deadly attack by Islamist militants two years ago.

The Times newspaper, citing unnamed government sources, reported that the man had previously been convicted of an Islamist terrorism-related offence and was released from prison about a year ago after agreeing to wear an electronic tag.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said sentences should be served.

“It is a mistake to allow serious and violent criminals to come out of prison early, and it is very important that we get out of that habit and that we enforce the appropriate sentences for dangerous criminals, especially for terrorists,” he said.

Once the attacker was out on the street, a dramatic video posted on Twitter captured the moment when half a dozen bystanders tackled the suspect on London Bridge and grabbed his knife.

The video showed police dragging one man off the suspect before an officer took careful aim. Two shots rang out. The man stopped moving.

Johnson, who has called a snap election for Dec. 12 and is due to host NATO leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump next week, praised those who took on the man for their courage and said Britain would never be cowed.

“I … want to pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery of those members of the public who physically intervened to protect the lives of others,” Johnson told reporters in Downing Street.

“For me they represent the very best of our country and I thank them on behalf of all of our country,” Johnson said. “This country will never be cowed, or divided, or intimidated by this sort of attack.”

He said the incident was now thought to have been contained and vowed that anyone else involved would be hunted down. He later chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency security committee.

Britain’s top counter-terrorism officer, Neil Basu, said specialist armed officers from the City of London police shot the suspect, who died at the scene. He said a hoax explosive device was strapped to his body.

“Our Counter Terrorism detectives will be working round the clock to identify those who have lost their lives, to support all the victims and their families,” London police chief Cressida Dick told reporters.

“We are also working at full tilt to understand exactly what has happened and whether anyone else was involved.”

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Johnson’s main opponent in the election, said he was shocked by the incident and that his thoughts were with those caught up in it.

Campaigning has been temporarily suspended. One of those who confronted the attacker there told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that he had kicked him in the head to make him drop the knife.

Stevie Hurst, who gives tours of the capital, said he and a colleague took on the suspect with about five others.

“I jumped in and kicked him in the head to make him release his knife. A few others did so,” he told the Telegraph. “He was shouting ‘get off me, get off me’.”

As three armed police officers circled the suspect in the shadow of the Shard skyscraper, western Europe’s tallest building, one bystander in a suit and tie grabbed the knife and swiftly retreated as police engaged.

The city’s mayor Sadiq Khan said ordinary Londoners had demonstrated “breath-taking heroism” in disarming the knife-wielding attacker despite him having a device which they did not know to be a hoax.

“What’s remarkable about the images we’ve seen is the breath-taking heroism of members of the public who literally ran towards danger not knowing what confronted them,” Khan told reporters.

The ambulance service declared a “major incident” in the area and London Bridge station, a busy commuter hub, was closed for a number of hours.

Ministry of Interior (MOI) made the official statement on Saturday after a lot of rumors about the incident were floating on the internet.

“At 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, Aramco’s industrial security teams fought two fires in two of the company’s facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais after they were targeted by drones… the two fires were controlled and contained, and the related authorities have begun investigating,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to Al-Arabiya News agency, no residential areas are located near the sites and there were no causalities so far and that traffic is flowing smoothly in the surrounding area of the Aramco facility in Abqaiq.

The US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid condemned on Saturday the drone attacks that targeted two Saudi Aramco facilities.

On the official Twitter page of the US Mission to Saudi Arabia, Abizaid said, “The US strongly condemns today’s drone attacks against oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais. These attacks against critical infrastructure endanger civilians, are unacceptable, and sooner or later will result in innocent lives being lost.”

Yemen’s Houthi militia claimed responsibility for drone attacks on two Saudi Aramco oil installations in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province on Saturday, the militia’s military spokesman said on Al Masirah TV.

The broadcaster said the Houthis had deployed 10 drones against the sites in Abqaiq and Khurais, and the militia pledged to widen the range of its attacks on Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition fighting them in Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthi militia has also launched several other drones targeting the Kingdom, Al Arabiya reported.

A gunman broadcast live footage on Facebook of the attack on one mosque in the city of Christchurch, mirroring the carnage played out in video games, after publishing a “manifesto” in which he denounced immigrants.

New Zealand was placed on its highest security threat level, Adern said, adding that four people in police custody, three men and one woman, held extremist views but had not been on any police watchlists.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said 49 people had been killed at two mosques and one man in his late 20s charged with murder.

“It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack,” Ardern said.

The video footage widely circulated on social media, apparently taken by a gunman and posted online live as the attack unfolded, showed him driving to one mosque, entering it and shooting randomly at people inside.

Worshippers, possibly dead or wounded, lay huddled on the floor, the video showed. Reuters was unable to confirm the authenticity of the footage.

One man who said he was at the Al Noor mosque told media the gunman was white, blond and wearing a helmet and a bulletproof vest. The man burst into the mosque as worshippers were kneeling for prayers.

“He had a big gun … he came and started shooting everyone in the mosque, everywhere,” said the man, Ahmad Al-Mahmoud. He said he and others escaped by breaking through a glass door.

An anonymous post on Friday on the discussion site 8chan, known for a wide range of content including hate speech, said the writer was going to “carry out an attack against the invaders”, and included links to a Facebook live stream, in which the Friday shooting appeared, and a manifesto.

The manifesto cited “white genocide”, a term typically used by racist groups to refer to immigration and the growth of minority populations, as his motivation.

The Facebook link directed users to the page of a user called brenton.tarrant.9.

A Twitter account with the handle @brentontarrant posted on Wednesday images of a rifle and other military gear decorated with names and messages connected to white nationalism. What looked like the same weapons appeared in the livestream of the mosque attack on Friday.

Darkest Day

It was not immediately clear if the attacks were carried out by the same man.

“This is one of New Zealand’s darkest days,” Adern said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said one of the men in custody was Australian.

All mosques in New Zealand had been asked to shut their doors, police said.

Muslims account for just over 1 percent of New Zealand’s population, a 2013 census showed.

‘The firing went on and on’

The online footage, which appeared to have been captured on a camera strapped to the gunman’s head, showed him driving as music played in his vehicle. After parking, he took two guns and walked a short distance to the mosque where he opened fire.

Over the course of five minutes, he repeatedly shot worshippers, leaving more than a dozen bodies in one room alone. He returned to the car during that period to change guns, and went back to the mosque to shoot anyone showing signs of life.

One man, with blood still on his shirt, said in a television interview that he hid from the gunman under a bench and prayed that he would run out of bullets.

“I was just praying to God and hoping our God, please, let this guy stop” Mahmood Nazeer told TVNZ.

“The firing went on and on. One person with us had a bullet in her arm. When the firing stopped, I looked over the fence, there was one guy, changing his gun.”

The video shows the gunman then driving off at high speed and firing from his car. Another video, taken by someone else, showed police apprehending the gunman on a pavement by a road.

Police said improvised explosive devices were found with a vehicle they stopped. The gunman’s video had shown red petrol canisters in the back of his car, along with weapons.

The Bangladesh cricket team is in Christchurch to play New Zealand in a third cricket test starting on Saturday.

“They were on the bus, which was just pulling up to the mosque when the shooting begun,” Mario Villavarayen, team strength and conditioning coach, told Reuters in a message. “They are shaken but good.”

The third cricket test was cancelled, New Zealand Cricket said later.

Violent crime is rare in New Zealand and police do not usually carry guns.

Before Friday, New Zealand’s worst mass shooting was in 1990 when a gun-mad loner killed 13 men, women and children in a 24-hour rampage in the tiny seaside village of Aramoana. He was killed by police. — HuffingtonPost