This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe.
The Australian Senate on Thursday passed a bill banning social media for children under 16 years of age, following approval from the House of Representatives the day before.
The new social media law targets platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, which will be liable for fines of up to 33 million U.S. dollars if they fail to prevent children from holding accounts.
Among the world’s strictest laws regarding social media, the bill passed the Senate by 34 votes to 19 on Thursday.
While it is not the first attempt by a country to restrict social media exposure for children, the law sets the highest age limit yet with no exemptions for existing users or children with parental consent.
While critics question how exactly the ban will work, and its impact on the social connectivity of Australian children, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said previously that he wants “peace of mind” for parents and for young Australians “to have a childhood.”
The ban will not take effect for about a year, giving the social media platforms time to figure out how to implement the policy to avoid the penalties.
Indonesian emergency services are on full alert as they continue searching for survivors after the death toll from flash floods and landslides in North Sumatra Province, reached at least 27 on Thursday.
Indonesian authorities said the number of casualties may rise as tourist locations have also been hit.
The country’s national disaster agency said Thursday that torrential rain since last week destroyed houses and farms in mountainous regions, many of which remain covered in mud and fallen trees.
Authorities also said some vehicles remain trapped on roads around the region’s largest city of Medan, where bodies from a tourist bus were recovered earlier.
Local elections were also affected with floods closing some polling stations in the city.
The Colombian Navy announced Wednesday the capture of six narcotics smuggling submarines as part of a successful international anti-drug operation.
According to a Colombian Navy’s Vice Admiral, the six-week international Orion naval campaign, involving 10 international organizations and 62 countries, seized a total of 1,408 metric tons of narcotics including 225 tons of cocaine and over 1,000 tons of marijuana from various locations including cultivation areas between Brazil and Paraguay.
More than 400 people were reportedly arrested across several countries as part of the operation.
Thursday marked one of the U.S.’s biggest holidays of the year, Thanksgiving, with celebrations not just at homes but on the streets with annual parades.
Thousands of New Yorkers came out for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade despite wet weather to watch marching bands, performances by pop artists, and giant balloons of America’s favorite characters.
Chicago held its 90th annual Thanksgiving Day parade also on Thursday, with spectators cheering diverse cultural acts, including Korean traditional music and dance performances.
Kim Siyoung, Arirang News.
source : https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=278508
