The FTC had accused the grocery delivery giant of charging fees to consumers after promising ‘free delivery’.

Published On 18 Dec 202518 Dec 2025

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Instacart has agreed to pay $60m in refunds to settle allegations brought by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that the online grocery delivery platform deceived consumers about its membership programme and free delivery offers.

According to court documents filed in San Francisco on Thursday, Instacart’s offer of “free delivery” for first orders was illusory because shoppers were charged other fees, the FTC alleged.

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The agency also accused Instacart of failing to adequately notify shoppers that their free trials of its Instacart+ subscription service would convert to paid memberships and of misleading consumers about its refund policy.

“The FTC is focused on monitoring online delivery services to ensure that competitors are transparently competing on price and delivery terms,” said Christopher Mufarrige, who leads the FTC’s consumer protection work.

An Instacart spokesperson said the company flatly denies any allegations of wrongdoing, but that the settlement allows the company to focus on shoppers and retailers.

“We provide straightforward marketing, transparent pricing and fees, clear terms, easy cancellation, and generous refund policies — all in full compliance with the law and exceeding industry norms,” the spokesperson said.

The shopping platform is currently under scrutiny after a recent study by nonprofit groups found that individual shoppers simultaneously received different prices for the same items at the same stores.

The FTC is investigating the company and has demanded information about Instacart’s Eversight pricing tool, the news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Instacart has said that retailers are responsible for setting prices, and that pricing tests run through Eversight are random and not based on user data.

Lindsay Owens, the executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative, an economic think tank, criticised the grocery platform for using artificial intelligence (AI) to tweak its prices.

“At a time when families are being squeezed by the highest grocery costs in a generation, Instacart chose to run AI experiments that are quietly driving prices higher,” Owens said in written remarks provided to Al Jazeera.

She also called on the administration of US President Donald Trump to take action to prevent such price manipulation from continuing into the future.

“While the FTC’s investigation is welcome news, it must be followed with meaningful action that ends these exploitative pricing schemes and protects consumers,” Owens said. “Instacart must face consequences for their algorithmic price gouging, not just a slap on the wrist.”

On Wall Street, Instacart’s stock is taking a hit on the heels of the settlement, finishing out the day down 1.5 percent.

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A former Nascar driver is believed to be among seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, an official says.

A spokesperson for the highway patrol said that people on the ground confirmed that racer Greg Biffle was among those who boarded the aircraft.

The Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:20 local time (15:20GMT), officials investigating the incident told reporters.

“Heartbreaking news out of Statesville,” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted on X. “Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.”

The Cessna C550 aircraft is owned by a private company associated with Greg Biffle, a retired Nascar driver, CBS, the BBC’s US partner, reported.

Professional baseball player Mitchell Garret wrote on Facebook that Biffle and his family were on their way to spend the afternoon with him.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us,” he wrote on Facebook. “We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”

Statesville Airport director John Ferguson described the aircraft as a corporate jet and said that it was already engulfed in flames when he arrived on the scene.

The business jet took off around 10:06 local time and was in the air briefly before the crash.

It crashed on the east end of the runway and authorities do not yet have information on the cause of the crash.

Statesville Airport will remain closed until further notice as crews clear debris off the runway, Mr Ferguson told reporters.

Officials did not provide any information about deaths or people aboard the aircraft during the media conference.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said it was launching a go team to investigate the fatal crash. The team expects to arrive on scene on Thursday night.

The Statesville Regional Airport (KSVH) is owned by the City of Statesville, which is about 45 minutes north of Charlotte.

It also provides aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several Nascar racing teams.

Biffle, whose racing career spanned two decades, was named one of Nascar’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. The 55-year-old won 19 Cup Series races in the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series.

Known as The Biff, the Vancouver, Washington, native received national notice in 1995 when during that year’s Nascar Winter Heat Series, according to his Nascar profile.

He made a name for himself in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the 1998 Rookie of Year award and the 2000 series championship.

He went on to be named 2001 Rookie of the Year in the Xfinity Series and to win the 2002 championship, becoming the first driver with championships in both the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series.

He also co-founded the organisation’s Sand Outlaws Series. Although he scaled back on racing after 2016, he seemingly came out of retirement in 2019 for a one-off race at Texas Motor Speedway, which he won.

“Racing is racing,” he told Nascar.com in 2021. “It’s that adrenaline, you want to be better than the competition, you want to build a better piece and have a faster car. I just enjoy the competition.”

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A fresh batch of images from the estate of the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein was made public on Thursday, one day ahead of a deadline by which the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is legally required to release the so-called “Epstein files.”

The 68 images published by Democrat lawmakers from the US House Oversight Committee are taken from a cache of around 95,000 images which Congress acquired from Epstein’s estate, and which have been steadily drip-fed into the public domain in recent weeks, including last week.

The material released from the Epstein files did not indicate who sent the message aboveImage: House Oversight Committee Democrats/REUTERS

Epstein estate: Who’s in the latest photos?

Thursday’s drop includes images of high-profile public figures including billionaire businessman Bill Gates, prominent philosopher Noam Chomsky, filmmaker Woody Allen and Steve Bannon, former aide to US President Donald Trump.

Chomsky is pictured on what appears to be Epstein’s private jet while Gates is depicted posing with women whose faces have been redacted. No suggestion was made by the lawmakers who released the images that any of the people in the photos acted unlawfully.

Bill Gates was one of the people to appear in several of the lastest photos released in the USImage: House Oversight Committee Democrats/REUTERS

Other images show redacted identity documents and passports marked “female” and belonging to anonymous women from countries, including Russia, Morocco, Italy, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Ukraine and Lithuania.

One screenshot shows part of a text message exchange in which an unknown sender writes: “I have a friend scout she sent me some girls today. But she asks 1000$ per girl. I will send u girls now. Maybe someone will be good for J?”

Separate photos also show handwritten messages across the chest, neck, back and feet of a woman, including “she was Lola in slacks” — seemingly a reference to Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita,” which is about a man’s sexual obsession with a young girl.

Several of the most recently released images included handwriting on a woman’s bodyImage: House Oversight Committee Democrats/REUTERS

Why are Epstein images being published?

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said they were in possession of “thousands” more images, some “graphic,” some “mundane,” which they are continuing to analyze. 

They said Thursday’s images “were selected to provide the public with transparency into a representative sample of the  photos” and “to provide insights into Epstein’s network and his extremely disturbing activities.”

“As we approach the deadline for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, these new images raise more questions about what exactly the Department of Justice has in its possession,” said California Representative Robert Garcia, the senior Democrat on the Oversight Committee. “We must end this White House cover-up. The DOJ must release the Epstein files now.”

What are the Epstein files?

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What is the Epstein Files Transparency Act?

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was passed in November with bipartisan support before being signed into law by Trump, requires the DOJ to release its Epstein-related material by Friday in a format that is searchable by the public but which also safeguards the identities of potential victims.

Tens of thousands of records relating to Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, have already been released through civil and criminal cases in the US. Maxwell was convicted of child sex trafficking in 2021.

Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in New York City in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, but also fueled conspiracy theories and demands for accountability — including among some of the most vociferous Trump supporters and his MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) movement.

Last week, oversight Democrats released 19 photographs, including some featuring Trump, who dismissed the images as “no big deal.”

Does the Epstein controversy matter to Trump’s base?

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Edited by: Sean Sinico

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NEED TO KNOW

• A bobcat tried to break all the way into a Michigan prison — but his mission was unsuccessful
• The Chippewa Correctional Facility shared a snap of the curious cat, lurking atop a fence inside the prison grounds
• The bobcat was escorted from the premises with help from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

A bobcat tried to make a daring escape … into a prison.

Around 2 p.m. on Dec. 16, the Michigan Department of Corrections shared that the Chippewa Correctional Facility had a “special visitor” that morning — a bobcat, who seemed especially determined to breach the prison gates. In a Facebook post, the corrections department shared a photo of the animal lurking atop a fence surrounding the prison’s grounds.

“Staff report the bobcat jumped out of the wire, ran around the perimeter, up a maple tree, and hung out for an hour,” the post’s caption read. “Then he jumped down and ran around the parking lot, where staff, with the help of Michigan Department of Natural Resources, were finally able to corral him off the grounds.”

The corrections department added, “He is now back into the forest to enjoy the snowy day!”

Bobcats in Michigan are some of the “most elusive predators” to take up residence in the state’s forests, swamps, and brushlands, per Michigan United Conservation Clubs. The bobcat spotting at the Chippewa Correctional Facility is special because, MUCC stated on their site, the feline stays out of human sight so much that “most people go their entire lives without seeing a bobcat.”

Adult bobcats can weigh 15 to 35 pounds, and are distinguished by their spotted fur and tufted ears. They generally hunt small animals, like rabbits, small birds, and squirrels.

Before the state was widely settled in the 19th and 20th centuries, bobcats thrived in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; however, long-term human encroachment into their natural habitats has reduced the feline’s numbers. Bobcat population sizes have recently rebounded, thanks in part to hunting regulations.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

Still, bobcats face the active threats of habitat fragmentation, human interference, and climate change, as well as dwindling prey populations.

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By CAITLIN POWELL – NEWS REPORTER

Updated: 16:30 EST, 18 December 2025

The Islamic state has praised alleged Bondi terrorists Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, as ‘lions’ and a ‘source of pride’ in a statement. 

The pair are accused of opening fire into a crowd of Jewish people celebrating the first day of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach on Sunday. 

Naveed remains in hospital under police guard after being shot by officers and woke from a coma on Tuesday. He has been charged with 59 offences. 

His father Sajid, a licensed firearms holder, was shot dead by police at the scene. 

Fourteen of the 15 innocent people who lost their lives have been identified.

A group of over 700 surfers have paddled out at Bondi Beach in memory of the 15 people who lost their lives in Australia’s worst massacre since 1996. 

Hero couple Boris and Sofia Gurman, who confronted one of the alleged gunmen before their deaths, are expected to be laid to rest today. 

Up to seven men were dramatically arrested by heavily-armed officers in Sydney’s south-west on Thursday night over fears ‘a violent act was possibly being planned’. 

The youngest victim was 10-year-old Matilda, who was farewelled in an emotional service in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Thursday. 

British-born Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, was also laid to rest, with some of his five children seen sobbing as they arrived at the service. 

Other victims include Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, 39, French national Dan Elkayam, 27, Wellington Street synagogue assistant Reuven Morrison, Slovak citizen Marika Pogany, 82, retired NSW Police detective sergeant Peter Meagher, 61, Edith Brutman, Boris Gurman, 69, and his wife Sofia, 61, Soviet immigrant Boris Tetleroyd and Adam Smyth, 50. 

Bondi hero handed massive $2.5million cheque in his hospital bed

The hero grocer who disarmed one of the alleged gunmen during the Bondi shooting has been handed a cheque for $2.5million.

During the mass shooting at Bondi Beach on December 14, where two gunmen allegedly opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration killing at least 15 people, Ahmed Al Ahmed, 43, tackled one of the attackers and wrestled away his weapon.

A Syrian-born tobacconist owner, Mr Al Ahmed has been widely praised for his heroism, with Australians raising $2.5million in donations, including $100,000 from US billionaire Bill Ackman.

In a heartwarming video, the hero was presented with the huge cheque in his hospital bed by Canadian content creator Isaac.

‘And I deserve it?’ Mr Al Ahmed asked, to which Isaac responded ‘every penny’.

Mr Al Ahmed said his actions came ‘from the heart’ and were ‘to save lives’, before describing how wonderful the day had been before the nightmare began.

‘It was a nice day, everyone enjoying, celebrating with the kids… We’re not going to stand and keep watching. Enough is enough. God protect Australia,’ he said.

Islamic State group heralds Bondi shooters as ‘lions’ and a ‘source of pride’

The Islamic state group has praised the alleged actions of the Bondi Beach shooters.

The terrorist group applauded the father-and-son as ‘lions’ and a ‘source of pride’ in its weekly bulletin Al-Naba on Friday morning, The Herald reported.

However, it stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attack that left 15 dead – including a 10-year-old girl – and over 40 hospitalised.

It also claimed the pair may have been ‘inspired’ by its teachings.

The terrorist group did not claim responsibility for the massacre but said ‘the zealous ones answered the call’.

A terrifying admission, translated by The Australian, praised the gunmen after they ‘implemented the recommendations to target holidays and gatherings’.

ISIS fighters are seen in a recruiting video targeting the Philippines

A group of ISIL fighters are seen standing on a vehicle at an undisclosed location

‘Whether the attackers received its guidance and support or were the result of its incitement and policies … all your heroics, O strangers, will not be surprised by the bloodshed and bloodshed,’ it read.

Bondi hero’s heartwarming tattoo revealed

Ahmed Al Ahmed, who heroically tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen during the Bondi Beach shooting, has a sweet tattoo of a man walking a dog.

A video published overnight showed the hero grocer receiving a massive cheque for $2.5million after dozens of Aussies donated to fundraisers after the Bondi shooting.

The Syrian-born tobacconist has been in hospital recovering from serious injuries.

But a small detail spotted in the footage hints at Mr Al Ahmed’s golden heart; a tattoo of what appears to be a man walking a dog.

Tony Burke refuses to confirm ban of three-word chant now illegal in the UK

The Albanese government has avoided banning certain phrases, despite rolling out a series of reforms to hate speech laws in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting.

There have been calls to prohibit the use of ‘globalise the Intifada’ chants in Australia, including from former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

The phrase is a call for people from around the globe to participate in uprisings against Israel.

Un the UK, protesters were prohibited from using the chant earlier this week, with those caught shouting the phrase now facing arrest, according to Greater Manchester and Metropolitan police force.

But Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has avoided confirming whether there would be a similar rule under the latest reforms.

‘We will lower the (hate speech) threshold,‘ he told ABC Radio National this morning.

‘But what I can’t do is play the game of this sentence will be in, this sentence will be out, these words will be in, these words will be out.

‘We will be lowering the threshold to the extent that, constitutionally, we are able to, and it will be the strongest step forward in making hate speech illegal in Australia.‘

The new laws, agreed on by the National Security Committee, will include:

• Introducing aggravated hate speech offence laws for preachers and leaders promoting violence;
• Putting forward higher penalties for hate speech promoting violence;
• Making hate an aggravating factor when sentencing crimes of online threats and harassment;
• Listing organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech, promote violence or racial hatred;
• And developing a federal offence for serious vilification based on race and/or advocating racial supremacy.

Sydney on edge: Men dragged out of their cars and arrested over fears ‘violent act was being possibly being planned’

Heavily-armed tactical officers have intercepted two cars and arrested a group of men in southwest Sydney as part of a dramatic counter-terrorism operation.

Shocking images show several officers standing over the group, believed to be from Melbourne, at the intersection of George and Campbell streets, in the suburb of Liverpool, about 5pm on Thursday.

It’s understood the group was travelling to Bondi Beach when their vehicle was rammed and stopped by officers from the Counter Terrorism unit and the Public Order and Riot Squad.

‘Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned,’ NSW Police said in a statement.

‘Police subsequently intercepted two cars as part of the investigation.

‘As investigations continue, seven men are assisting police with their inquiries.’

Police have not identified any connection to the ongoing investigation into the Bondi terror attack. The motive of the men remains unclear.

Health Minister Mark Butler praised the efforts of police as ‘extraordinary’.

‘They are extraordinary images,’ Butler told Nine’s Today show on Friday.

‘And they remind us that while we’re all mourning, while the nation’s trying to come to grips with what happened on Sunday night, our policing intelligence authorities are still working day and night to keep our country safe from any further threats of violence and harm.’

‘Thousands’ paddle out at Bondi in honour of the victims killed

Hundreds of surfers have taken to the water at Bondi Beach early this morning for a community ‘paddle out’ in honour of the victims of the massacre.

The event was one of Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s final initiatives that he organised before he was fatally shot during the massacre on Sunday.

It was part of ‘Project Noah’, which was inspired by the Seven Noahide Laws seeking to unite people of all backgrounds around kindness, responsibility, and basic human decency.

But, following the shooting, it became a place to pay tribute.

The crowd gathering in front of the Surf Club in North Bondi at 6.30am to honour the lives lost, pray for those in recovery and thank first responders.

A prayer was read by a rabbi before hundreds ran into the surf.

‘While the attack was directed at the Jewish community, its impact has been felt by all of us – shaking our shared sense of safety, trust, and peace,’ organisers wrote on social media.

Rabbi Yossi Friedman was at the beach for the event.

‘There’s thousands of people here behind me to do a paddle out in peace for the victims and those impacted,’ he said.

‘Here at Bondi, there’s also going to be putting on tefillin right now as well, at the same time on the actual grounds, on the site where it all happened.’

Laying tefillin is a Jewish ritual typically reserved for adult males, which involves wrapping two small black leather boxes, containing Torah scrolls, around the arm and the head.

Rabbi Friedman added that people will be laying flowers at the memorial and sharing stories each hour about the victims to ‘ensure that their memories continue’.

Dozens of people were seen clapping on the shoreline as the surfers formed a massive circled and splashed the water.

Hero couple Sofia and Boris Gurman who confronted one of the alleged gunmen to be laid to rest today

A married couple who died side-by-side while trying to stop one of the alleged terrorists at Bondi, days before one of their birthdays, will be laid to rest on Friday.

Boris Gurman, 69, and his wife Sofia, 61, were tragically gunned down when they bravely confronted Sajid Akram, 50, and prevented him from opening fire at a Jewish event on Sunday.

Ms Gurman was due to celebrate her 62nd birthday on Wednesday, with the couple set to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary in January.

It is understood that the Gurmans are Russian Jews from the Soviet Union, who have lived in Australia for decades.

Viral footage that emerged on Tuesday showed Boris ripping away Sajid’s weapon moments after he and his son Naveed, 24, exited their IS-flagged car.

The couple fought the older shooter for several minutes before he retrieved a second firearm and fatally shot them on the footpath beside the vehicle.

Heartbreaking pictures of the crime scene circulating in the aftermath of the massacre showed Ms Gurman died while lying over her husband.

The couple are seen confronting one of the alleged shooters

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Bondi Beach shooting LIVE updates: Islamic state praises Bondi Beach gunmen as ‘source of pride’ after 15 were killed in massacre – as Bondi hero is handed a $2.5million cheque

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Snow looks set to hit several cities including London as a blizzard from the East could bring several centimetres of the white stuff between Christmas Day and New Year

Snow hitting East Anglia at midday on December 27(Image: WXCHARTS)

Millions of Brits could soon see snow as weather maps suggest major cities are in the firing line.

The GDPS weather model shows blizzards moving across the UK from the East on December 27, primarily hitting southern and eastern regions at first. Norwich and Ipswich could both see snow as East Anglia is hit by the initial flurries at around midday.

By 3pm, the maps show snow falling in Kent as well as over London. The weather front is also expected to bring rain along the east coasts of England and Scotland.

Maps for 6pm show snow still falling in London, as well as in regions further south. Southampton could be among the cities set to see some of the white stuff.

Snow could hit London by 3pm on December 27(Image: WXCHARTS)READ MORE: UK snow forecast as Russian blizzard ‘may bury all regions on Christmas Day’READ MORE: UK snow forecast maps show cities soon buried in blizzard bringing six inches

Further north, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester could also see flurries around this time. Snow is expected to reach Northern Ireland and Scotland too.

Snow coverage maps reveal the full extent of this blizzard, with snow covering most of Northern Ireland, East Anglia, the Midlands, the south-east, and large swathes of northern England. Snow is expected in the Scottish Highlands, but could also hit Glasgow and regions closer to the border with England. As much as 3cm could settle in the south-east of England including London, the data suggests.

Snow is expected further north at around 6pm(Image: WXCHARTS)

The Met Office expects temperatures to feel colder between now and the New Year, with some “wintry showers” on the cards in places. Its forecast for December 23 to January 1 states: “A gradual transition to more settled conditions is expected, as high pressure builds to the north of the UK and low pressure eases away to the south.

“This will bring a strengthening easterly wind over the Christmas period, making it feel noticeably colder than of late. Whilst there will be a fair amount of dry weather, a few showers will still be possible, particularly across eastern and southern parts which may be wintry in places, more especially over high ground.

Snow coverage (in purple) at 6pm on December 27(Image: WXCHARTS)

“Temperatures will likely trend below average with the potential for frost, especially in the north where winds will be lighter. Towards New Year, high pressure may become centred more towards the west of the UK, allowing a greater chance of some wet weather to spread into parts of the UK.”

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Sharif Osman Hadi was a leading figure during the uprising toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.

Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a leader of Bangladesh’s 2024 student-led uprising who was flown to Singapore for treatment after being wounded in an assassination attempt, has died, Singapore officials said.

“Despite the best efforts of the doctors … Hadi succumbed to his injuries,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.

According to a report by Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune, Hadi, who was being considered as a potential candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the country’s national elections next February, was shot in the head on December 12 in the capital, Dhaka, while travelling in a battery-powered auto-rickshaw.

The attacker shot him from a motorcycle, and Hadi was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Local physicians told the Dhaka Tribune that his brain stem was damaged and he was evacuated from Bangladesh to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) neurosurgical intensive care unit on December 15 for further treatment.

Hadi, 32, was a senior leader of the student protest group Inqilab Mancha and has been an outspoken critic of India, an old ally of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and where the ousted leader remains in self-imposed exile.

Announcing his death on Facebook late on Thursday, Inqilab Mancha said: “In the struggle against Indian hegemony, Allah has accepted the great revolutionary Osman Hadi as a martyr.”

Condolences have also poured in from leaders and political groups across the country.

The country’s interim government head, Muhammad Yunus, expressed his condolences and said his death “is an irreparable loss for the nation”.

“The country’s march towards democracy cannot be halted through fear, terror, or bloodshed,” he said in a televised speech on Thursday.

The government also announced special prayers at mosques after Friday prayers and a half-day mourning on Saturday.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Manch and independent candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency,” the acting chairman of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Tareq Rahman, said on Facebook.

In a press statement to local media reports, the National Citizen Party (NCP) said it was “deeply saddened” by Hadi’s death and expressed condolences to his family.

Police have launched a manhunt for the attackers who shot Hadi, releasing photographs of two key suspects and offering a reward of 5 million taka (about $42,000) for information leading to their arrest.

According to a report by Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, the country’s police and border guards have arrested at least 20 people linked to the incident so far, but investigations into the murder are ongoing.

Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner leading Bangladesh until the February 12 elections, said last Saturday that Hadi’s shooting was a premeditated attack carried out by a powerful network, without providing a name.

He said “the objective of the conspirators is to derail the election”, and added that the attack was “symbolic – meant to demonstrate their strength and sabotage the entire electoral process”.

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Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke has been speaking on Radio National.

He said no government would ever be able to say they have done enough on antisemitism:

The fight against anti-Semitism is an ancient fight that will never end, and there will never be a point, never be a point where any government of the day will have the right to say they have done enough on anti-Semitism.

He goes back to 2014, when then Aboott government minister George Brandis moved to change the hate speech laws, saying Australians had the right to be a bigot.

Burke said:

We are no longer the nation where we had the government of the day a decade ago claiming that the right that mattered was the right to be a bigot. The right that matters is the right for people to be able to be free, to have a celebration at the beach and to do so safely.

That’s the freedom that matters, not the freedom that somehow under freedom of speech you can go off and belittle and demean and dehumanise your fellow Australians.

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Surfers pay tribute to victims of Bondi attack

About 700 surfers have been out on the water this morning in Bondi, forming a massive circle to pay tribute to the victims of the Bondi attack.

Their cheers could be heard from the shore.

The community has been organising swimming tributes this week to mourn the victims and begin to reclaim the iconic beach.

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Updated at 21.20 CET

Morning everyone, this is Cait Kelly. I will be with you today, bringing you all the updates.

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Updated at 21.14 CET

Daniel Mookhey’s comments come after the Albanese government mapped out a plan to crack down on hate speech.

The five key points are:

• A new aggravated hate speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote violence.

• Increased penalties for hate speech promoting violence.

• Making “hate” an aggravating factor in sentencing crimes for online threats and harassment.

• Developing a regime for listing organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech promoting violence or racial hatred.

• Developing a federal offence for serious vilification based on race and/or advocating racial supremacy.

Read our explainer here:

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Islamic State calls Bondi terrorism attack a ‘source of pride’

Islamic State has published an article on the Bondi Jewish festival shooting calling it a “source of pride”, Reuters reports.

The article published on the group’s Telegram channel praised the attack without explicitly claiming responsibility for it, the wire service said.

Jihadist media specialist Mina al-Lami, from BBC Monitoring, wrote on X about the article:

The group appeared to take credit for inspiring the attack, rather than for directly orchestrating it or being in contact with the attackers. It referred to the attackers as ‘heroes’ and ‘lions’.

It boasted about the influence of its ideology, narratives and online messaging, claiming that governments are unable to control its reach unless they shut down the internet entirely.

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Updated at 20.52 CET

NSW treasurer: Palestinian resistance phrase should be considered hate speech

Stephanie Convery

The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, says the Palestinian resistance phrase “globalise the intifada” should be considered hate speech as governments consider tougher laws on what can be said in public.

Mookhey was responding to questions at a press conference yesterday that came after British police announced this week they would arrest anyone chanting the phrase or holding a placard saying it.

Intifada means uprising or resistance, and is the term used by Palestinians for uprisings against Israel. The first intifada started in 1987, the second in 2000. For Palestinians it means resistance against oppression, but some Israelis associate the term with violence against them.

At the press conference yesterday, Mookhey responded to the question:

I think anyone who is saying something like ‘globalise the intifada’ is committing hate speech. I think that it’s clear, as we’ve seen, that the prime minister has just announced some reforms in these areas, but I personally think that any reasonable person would just see what the consequences of that has been on Sunday night. I think a person who is chanting globalise the intifada is chanting hate speech. They are dividing the community. They are jeopardising community cohesion. I don’t think that there’s a place for that in peaceful protest.

It is worth noting that, on Wednesday, the Victorian police commissioner, Mike Bush, said that since anti-vilification laws passed Victorian parliament earlier this year, there had been 40 investigations into hate speech but “globalise the intifada” was not considered hate speech under those laws.

Leading campaigners for Palestine in the UK called the crackdown on the phrase “political repression of protest for Palestinian rights”, while some Jewish groups welcomed it, saying the phrase was “intolerable” and “violent incitement”.

You can read more here:

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Updated at 20.51 CET

Welcome

Morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before the morning blogger takes over.

The New South Wales treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, told a press conference yesterday that the Palestinian resistance phrase “globalise the intifada” should be considered hate speech as governments consider tougher laws on what can be said in public. More coming up.

Police in Sydney detained seven men yesterday evening after an operation in Liverpool which was prompted by what police called “information received that a violent act was possibly being planned”. We’ll have more updates as they come in this morning.

And Islamic State has published an article about the Bondi attack overnight, calling it a “source of pride” but stopping short of claiming responsibility. More on that soon as well.

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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that will expand access to cannabis, a long anticipated move that would mark the most significant shift in US drug policy in decades.

The order directs the US attorney general to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I narcotic, to a Schedule III drug – placing it under the same category as Tylenol with codeine.

Cannabis will remain illegal at the federal level. But classifying it as a Schedule III narcotic would allow expanded research to be conducted into its potential benefits.

Several Republican lawmakers cautioned against the move, with some arguing it could normalise cannabis use.

The US Drug Enforcement Agency notes that Schedule III narcotics – which also include ketamine and anabolic steroids – have only a “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence”.

Speaking in the Oval Office during a signing ceremony on Thursday, Trump said that people have been “begging” for the change, particularly those in “great pain” from ailments including “incurable pain”, cancer, seizure disorders and veterans with service-related injuries.

The president compared cannabis to prescription painkillers that have legitimate uses “but can also do irreversible damages”.

The new classification also has tax implications for state-authorised cannabis dispensaries, as current regulations bar them from some tax deductions if they sell Schedule I products.

In addition to the rescheduling of cannabis, Trump has ordered White House officials to work with Congress to allow some Americans access to cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD.

Trump has also asked White House officials to work with Congress to allow some Americans access to cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD.

Health officials have also been tasked with developing “methods and models” to examine the real-world health benefits and risks of CBD.

A senior administration official said that the order was a “commonsense action that will let us better understand and study” cannabis and CBD.

In recent years, a majority of US states have approved cannabis for some medical use, and nearly half – 24 – have legalised recreational use. But since 1971, cannabis has been a Schedule I narcotic, which means it has no accepted medical use and a high potential to be abused.

The Biden administration proposed a similar reclassification, and in April 2024 the DEA proposed a rule change, but got bogged down under administrative and legal issues.

Trump’s order drew praise from organisations that have been working to change US cannabis regulations.

Tim Barash, chairman of the Coalition of Cannabis Scheduling Reform, said in a statement that the move represents a “fundamental shift” in government and social perceptions of the drug.

“This change will empower the 425,000 people working in the US cannabis industry and bring in new talent, capital, and awareness to an industry that has a positive impact on millions of people’s lives,” Mr Barash said.

But the reclassification order has met some resistance from Republican lawmakers.

On Wednesday, a group of 22 Republican Senators sent an open letter to the president, arguing that marijuana use would mean that “we cannot re-industrialise America”.

The Senators pointed to lingering concerns over the health impact of cannabis, as well as research suggesting that cannabis can be linked to “impaired judgement” and “lack of concentration”.

“In light of the documented dangers of marijuana, facilitating the growth of the marijuana industry is at odds with growing our economy and encouraging healthy lifestyles for Americans.”

In a separate letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi in August, nine Republican representatives argued that “no adequate science or data” exists to support the change.

“Marijuana, while different than heroin, still has the potential for abuse and has no scientifically proven medical value,” the letter said. “Therefore, rescheduling marijuana would not only be objectively wrong, but it would also imply to our children that marijuana is safe. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

More broadly, polls show that a majority of Americans support efforts to legalise marijuana.

One Gallup poll released in November found that 64% of Americans believe that it should be legalised, although support had drifted slightly from previous years because of a 13-point drop among Republicans.

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Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal has breached core principles of European Union (EU) law, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday.

The court also found the tribunal cannot be considered independent or impartial because of serious irregularities in the appointment of judges.

The tribunal, dominated by judges appointed under the former nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government, had previously declared Poland’s constitution superior to EU law , ignoring ECJ decissions and case law.

European Council challenged Poland at ECJ

The case stems from two 2021 Polish tribunal rulings rejecting ECJ decisions as unconstitutional, claiming the ECJ overstepped by interfering in Poland’s judiciary.

Brussels challenged those rulings, and the current pro-European government says it does not recognize them.

On Thursday, the ECJ ruled that Poland cannot disregard binding EU values, which all member states must uphold.

The court also criticized the way three of the judges and the tribunal’s president were appointed under the former ruling party.

PiS drastically transformed the country’s justice system, establishing political control over top courts such as the Constitutional Tribunal and the Supreme Court.

Polish tribunal remains defiant

The PiS lost power with the election of pro-European Prime Minister Donald Tusk in 2023, but his government has so far failed to roll back the changes, blocked by two subsequent nationalist presidents who support the PiS overhaul of courts.

On Thursday, Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek wrote on social media that the ECJ judgment obliged the state to take action, and the government was prepared to act.

The tribunal itself said the judgment had no impact on its functioning and that the European court had no authority over it.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

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